The darkness of night is the most perfect camouflage. For most residents of the Frontier Town, the night brings rest or revelry in noisy taverns. But for An, it was when he was most effective. After returning from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, he didn't go back to his room immediately. Instead, he blended into the crowd, heading towards the port.
The port area was a completely different world from the town center. The air here was thick with the smell of fish, sea salt, and rotting wood. The sound of waves crashing against wooden poles mixed with the shouts of porters and the curses of drunken sailors, creating a chaotic symphony. This was the perfect place to hide. An, in the guise of a scrawny child, easily slipped into the shadows, moving between stacks of wooden crates and fishing nets unnoticed.
His yellow eyes scanned the area, his brain quickly processing the information. He searched for his target, based on what he had overheard from the two drunk Black Iron Guards. And then he saw it. A row of wooden warehouses stood by the water's edge. Most of them were old and silent, but one stood out.
Warehouse Number 3. It was larger than the others, reinforced with iron bars, and most importantly, had two Black Iron Guards standing watch at the main entrance. Although they tried to appear languid, their eyes constantly scanned the surroundings, their hands never leaving the hilts of their sabers.
An found a spot on the roof of an opposite warehouse, hiding behind an old chimney. From here, he had a panoramic view. He began his work: observation and analysis. He activated Basic Analysis.
[Target: Warehouse Guard]
[Level: 6]
[Analysis: Alert. Ordered to pay attention to any unusual movements.]
Level 6. Not opponents he could easily take down, especially with two of them. He continued to observe. He noted their guard change times, the patrol route of another group circling the warehouse area, and the people coming and going. Most were porters from the Merchant's Guild, moving carefully sealed crates. After nearly two hours of observation, An noticed a pattern. Every hour, a portly steward would come out to inspect. And each time, the two guards would become a little more lax right after the steward left. It was a small opening, a window of opportunity that lasted only a few minutes.
He needed to get closer. He slid off the roof, using the darkness and the chaos of loading and unloading at a nearby dock to move. He slipped into a narrow gap between Warehouse Number 3 and a pile of old wooden crates. From here, he was only about ten meters from the two guards, close enough to overhear their conversation.
"Damn it, another night shift," one of them muttered, his voice full of dissatisfaction. "All because of the young master's 'special' goods."
The other one sneered. "Well, we get a little extra, don't we? I hear tonight's shipment is even more 'special' than usual. The young master said to be careful."
"Special, my ass," the first one grumbled. "It's just a few new slaves captured from some remote villages. I heard there are women and children too. The young master's tastes are getting weirder and weirder."
An's heart seemed to stop. Slaves. Women and children. He suddenly remembered the story of the boy with the broken legs. Bai Wen wasn't just cruel and arrogant. He was a monster in human skin.
The second one lowered his voice. "Keep it down. Watch your head. Anyway, it's just 'live goods'. The ship will dock at midnight. We just need to receive the goods, get them inside, and someone from the young master's side will come to handle it tomorrow morning. Quick and clean."
Midnight. The ship docks. Live goods. An had gotten what he needed. Even more than he had expected. This was no longer about the Demonic Crystals.
He silently retreated, disappearing into the darkness of the port. His yellow eyes under the hood no longer held the curiosity of an analyst, but a deadly coldness. He had found a weakness in the Bai family's machine. An illegal operation, a secret that needed to be kept. And a Rule Breaker... always knows how to exploit such secrets.