―


    Murmurs filled the streets of Aeredale City as Kieran dragged Jackson through the entire city without a care in the world. His expression remained unperturbed and indifferent despite all the eyes on him.


    “Hey! Hey!” Jackson scowled while delicately touching his legs. However, they throbbed from being broken, and even the slightest touch made him wince.


    Kieran nced back at Jackson, who seemed on the verge of tears.


    “You can’t treat me like this! I am a respected guard of Aeredale City and a citizen! This is abuse—abuse of power. N-no, who the hell are you anyway?!” Jackson eximed. The pain caused some signs of delirium to set in.


    It was as if Jackson had forgotten his crimes, or perhaps the embarrassment of the current situation was too much for him to bear, causing an unfortunate mental break. However, Jackson’s reaction meant nothing to Kieran.


    All of a sudden, a few guards stopped Kieran after recognizing Jackson’s identity.


    “What are you doing?! Do you know that assaulting a city guard is a capital offense? You could be jailed for this crime!” One of the guards spoke.


    Kieran gave these two a cold look that made them shiver. The fact Blood Mania was still active to deal with any surprises from Jackson didn’t make the situation any better.


    Kieran’s current appearance could only be described as frighteningly menacing.


    “I suggest you err on the side of caution. Are you going to stand up for a criminal that Mayor Lowe had requested me to bring in? Will you stand up for the reason your payment is in jeopardy?”


    Kieran’s questions dazed the guard who came to Jackson’s defense. Were these ims really true? If so, then Jackson was the vilest of snakes!


    “I’d like to confirm your suspicions at least. Otherwise, the dynamics of this situation is—”


    Kieran cut them off. “You’re wee to join me in going to the Mayor’s Office. But I could give a rat’s ass about the situation’s dynamics. He deserves the embarrassment because he has embarrassed the honor of you guards.”


    The guards sighed and ultimately relented. After all, Jackson was stronger than the guards who came to his aid. If he was rendered into this condition, they were helpless against such a person._.


    Kieran continued to walk to Aeredale City’s crowded central district, earning stares from yers and patrons alike. Sometime along the way, Jackson had fainted from the pain, embarrassment, and unbridled fury that had no outlet.


    Roughly ten minutester, Kieran arrived before the Mayor’s Office and tossed Jackson inside with a mor of knocked-over items.


    The misery woke up Jackson as he yelped for help, but no one came to his aid. Rather than waiting for Kieran to reach his office, Mayor Lowe appeared in the rest area and looked at Jackson with a face full of disgust.


    “This is the culprit, I presume?” Mayor Lowe asked. His face contorted in anger after receiving the proof. Kieran handed Mayor Lowe the special runemunication device Jackson used.


    〈System: Bring the traitors to the Mayor. 1/1〉


    “You filthy…”


    Bang!


    Mayor Lowe’s words were interrupted by his grunt as he kicked Jackson in the stomach. “Damned mongrel! I employ you, and this is how you repay this city?! By forsaking it?”


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Mayor Lowe didn’t stop kicking Jackson until his fury subsided, and Jackson gasped for air while a mix of saliva and blood dripped on the floor.


    Jackson’s injuries were quite painful at this point, and he had whollye to regret his decision to betray the city.


    “How do I activate thismunication rune?”


    “You probably can’t. It’s most likely attuned to his Mana signature,” Kieran said while pointing at the convulsing Jackson.


    “Get him up,” Mayor Lowe ordered while still examining themunication rune device. “This shoddy piece of work mostly like didn’te from the Mystic Sanctum. Where did you get it?”


    Kieran picked up Jackson and threw him into the chair while holding his head up to meet Mayor Lowe’s furious gaze.


    “T-they gave it to me,” Jackson stammered with a pronounced shiver.


    “How?! I want specifics—TALK!” Mayor Lowe shouted until saliva spewed with every word.


    “I’ll talk! I’ll talk! I’ll do it,” Jackson nodded. His actions were textbook spineless coward behavior. They had the gall to do the crime, but when it came time for punishment, they crumbled under the anxiety and fear of it happening.


    Afterward, Jackson recounted the events that led up until now. “A tanned beauty approached me with aubergine-colored hair and an alluringplexion. I didn’t know what she was at the time, but she offered me a deal after seeing I was a city guard.”


    “Deserea,” Kieran suddenlymented.


    “Wait, yes! Huh? How do you know?” Jackson’s expression changed multiple times after hearing Kieran utter Deserea’s name.


    “I killed her,” Kieran said indifferently.


    Jackson paled after learning of Deserea’s fate. In fact, part of him wanted to confess to his crimes faster than humanly possible. In the end, Jackson would rather be imprisoned than suffer at the hands of the Desertborn Brigands.


    At least the guards in charge of him would be rtively humanepared to the likes of the Desertborn Brigand.


    “You damned buffoon! A brigand walks through the city’s gates, attempts to tempt your with an offer that requires you tomit crimes, and you don’t think to report it to your superiors or city officials at once?! Stupid! Belligerent fool!”


    Mayor Lowe spewed an endless stream of condemnations at Jackson, who seemed more or more mortified by the second.


    “What happened after that?”


    “I-I was contacted on that device and gave information regarding the first cargo I was tasked with guarding. After the sessful theft, Deserea returned and gave me my portion.”


    It wasn’t like this was a digital world. There was no government constantly monitoring bank ounts for suspicious activity. Receiving bribes and underhanded payments was easy because all it required was the skill to pass as aw-abiding citizen.


    Deserea made it through the city gates because she dressed in ordinary linens at the time, making her seem like nothing more than a woman hailing from one of the desert cities.


    “So this woman has appeared here not once but multiple times without you so much as warning us? You have literal shit for brain.”


    After throwing a fit, Mayor Lowe pointed at the other guards present. “Search his house, turn his house upside down if you have to. Find that damned Gold.”


    “Wait! If I tell you where the rest is stashed away, will you promise to lighten my sentence?”


    Shnk!


    All of a sudden, the sound of metal being drawn resounded in the office’s halls as Kieran’s ced a dagger against Jackson. The looming sensation of death deluged his mind as the cold metal pressed against his throat.


    “I-it’s in a personal vault with the Merchant’s Association! Number 180069! 180069!” Jackson shut his eyes and screamed out the information in a way that clearly pleaded for his life.


    Kieran tossed him aside as numerous notifications filled his gaze.


    〈System: Assist in information extraction. 1/1〉


    〈System: You havepleted the B+ Rank Quest Culprit Identification!〉


    “Aatrox, you said you killed Deserea, a member of the Desertborn Brigands, right?” Mayor Lowe suddenly asked.


    “That’s correct,” Kieran answered. He could already tell the direction of this conservation based on his quest rewards.


    “Then, are you interested in uprooting the Desertborn Brigandspletely? I’ll be indebted to you if you ept this request.”


    〈System: Do you wish to ept the A+ Rank Main Quest ?Brigand Eradication?? [ Y | N ] ?〉


    Kieran fell silent while gazing at the notification before him. An A+ Rank Main Quest meant the fallout of failing could devastate the entire Kingdom. Furthermore, A+ Rank Main Quest marked an entirely new difficulty.


    Eradication meant not a soul could be left alive. The Desertborn Brigands had to be uprooted entirely. However, Kieran had no idea howrge or small this criminal enterprise was.


    Nevertheless, Kieran couldn’t ignore the rewards of a substantial quest like the one presented to him.


    Kieran epted, which revealed the objectives of the quest.


    「 Brigand Eradication (Scenario)


    Quest Rank: A+


    Rmended Party Size: 1 – 10


    Rmended Party Level: 39 or above


    Objectives: The Mayor’s rage has driven him to seek the demise of the Desertborn Brigand. However, it is not something he can aplish alone. Act at the behest of Mayor Lowe and enact his desires.


    – Enter the ?Desert of Treacherous Sands?. 0/1


    – Locate the Desertborn Brigand’s main hideout. 0/1


    – Infiltrate the Desertborn Brigand’s main hideout. 0/1


    – im the leader’s head. 0/1


    Rewards:


    – Max Favorability with Mayor Lowe (Indebted)


    – Aeredale’s Savior [Title]


    – Level +3


    – 2x ?Rare Grade Treasure Chest?


    – 1x ?Unique Grade Treasure Chest?


    – Standard Membership (Merchant’s Association)


    Failure Penalty:


    – Level -5


    – Desertborn Brigand’s total retaliation


    – Aeredale Kingdom-based items increase 1000% in price.


    – Favorability in the Aeredale Kingdom drops to Unfriendly.


    – Mayor Lowe’s favorability drops to Neutral


    Time Limit: 5 days


    *Special Notes: The quest can be shared with up to 9 other people. Their rewards will be downgradedpared to the main quest holder. 」