75: Chapter 75 Things Have to Be Done One at a Time

After leaving the riverbank, Zhang Mu headed straight for Kas Town.

He wasn't worried about the townsfolk, but rather about Lia and the Mayor.

The latter was a good person, and Zhang Mu felt that good people shouldn't die. The former had given him her most cherished treasure; this was a 'debt.'

Debts must be repaid; it was only right and natural.

Anxious to repay his debt, Zhang Mu ran to the dirt road, immediately took out his scooter, and twisted the throttle to the max.

The wild wind whistled past his ears.

As he drew closer to Kas Town, Zhang Mu's heart gradually rose to his throat, filled with a trace of worry about facing an unknown outcome.

The sun was setting in the west.

Just as the last sliver of twilight was about to be swallowed by the darkness, he arrived before the main gates of Kas Town.

Enveloped in pitch black, Kas Town didn't have a single glimmer of light.

Parking the scooter by the gate, Zhang Mu clenched his fists and did a lap around the small town; it was completely empty.

Did they not return to Kas Town? Were they attacked by demonic beasts or wild animals on the road?

But I didn't see any signs of battle along the way...

Returning to the town entrance, Zhang Mu stood in silence for a moment before mounting his scooter and heading straight to the vicinity of Bala City.

Returning the scooter to his inventory, he walked quickly to the city gate.

Bala City was not a border city, so it didn't have a rule requiring the gates to be closed at night.

Even though it was late at night, Adventurers were still moving in and out of the tall city gates.

"Damn it, the Marvin Magic Family is too much, actually taking seventy percent of the treasure chests."

"We left the labyrinth early, so we're considered lucky."

"On the way back to Bala City, I saw the Burg Magic Family's team entering the labyrinth too. The Adventurer Groups behind them are going to be extorted of their chests by two magic families."

"By the way, did you see those three elves on the road? I caught a glimpse of them from afar when the labyrinth opened,"

"I thought I had misseen them, but I didn't expect them to really be elves."

An Adventurer Group of five chatted as they passed by Zhang Mu.

Listening to their conversation, Zhang Mu pondered silently.

It seems they couldn't find me and chose to go back to the labyrinth. Frederica shouldn't have gone back with them; she might have returned to Bala City.

I'll go look for them in a bit.

Mulling it over, he passed through the city gate and, after asking a passerby, arrived at the Bala City Cathedral.

"I'm looking for Haige."

"I'm sorry, Mage Lord, Bishop Haige went to the Royal Capital a few days ago."

"When will he be back?"

"Bishop Haige went to take up a post in the Royal Capital. Barring any accidents, he probably won't be coming back."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mage Lord."

After thanking the Believer guarding the door, Zhang Mu ran to the tavern with a furrowed brow. He searched high and low but couldn't find Frederica or the others.

Having rushed back full of anger only to achieve nothing, he felt like a powder keg that could explode at any moment.

After standing silently at the tavern entrance for a while, he ran back to the city gate.

"Mr. Guard, have you seen the townsfolk of Kas Town entering the city recently?"

"Ten copper coins," the Guard in armor responded indifferently.

"Mr. Guard," Zhang Mu's eyes were bloodshot, and his smile was somewhat terrifying, "I am very irritable right now, so would you please answer my question obediently?"

"Ten copper coins."

"Heh."

Zhang Mu raised his hand, and a manifested Ice Cone pressed firmly against the Guard's throat.

"How bold! You dare to use magic to attack someone inside the city!"

A dozen or so nearby Guards shouted and brandished their spears as they closed in. Passing Adventurer Groups ducked to the side, watching with eyes full of amazement.

Their shocked expressions seemed to say: how long has it been since someone had the guts to use force in a human settlement? Is there really someone who isn't afraid of death?

The Guards were about to stab with their spears, but they were all stopped in their tracks as Ice Cones abruptly appeared, pressing against their vital points.

They had been at peace for too long. They had mistaken the Church's deterrence for their own, completely forgetting that a Mage could kill them at will.

Having taken control of the situation, Zhang Mu looked back at the Guard in front of him and reached out to grab the collar of his armor: "Now, can you answer my quest..."

His words were interrupted by the Guard's panicked expression and the dread in his eyes.

Zhang Mu understood where this dread came from—it was power. The Guard was terrified of the power that could take his life.

Zhang Mu's rage was like a bonfire doused with a bucket of cold water, quickly extinguished.

"You must learn to stay calm," Avril's letter had said.

"Most importantly, remember never to use great power to bully the weak. If you do, both Teacher and Avril will be sad," Potter had told him upon parting.

Am I bullying the weak?

He has no obligation to answer my question, right?

Zhang Mu lowered his head.

After a long while, he took a deep breath, dissipated the Ice Cones, and released the Guard's collar. "This doesn't count as being inside the city."

As he spoke, he pulled ten copper coins from his storage bag and pressed them into the Guard's trembling palm. "Mr. Guard, may I ask if you have seen the townsfolk of Kas Town enter Bala City recently?"

“M-Mage Lord, you don't need to pay...”

“Take it. Then, answer my question.”

“Yes, yes.” The Guard's extended hand was pushed back. He first touched his throat, as if confirming whether it had been pierced.

Then he swallowed hard. “Bala City has four gates in total. I haven't seen them here.”

“I see. Thank you.”

He turned and went back into the city.

Kas Town was closest to this gate. If they were returning, there was no reason to take a detour to the other three gates further away.

Haige... Royal Capital...

Zhang Mu stopped in the middle of the crowd. We will see each other again soon. When that time comes, don't cry.

Otherwise, I'll look down on you.

Taking a deep breath, he ran to the tavern and wrote a sentence on the message board by the door: 'Flames can't chat like we do. I'm at the inn.'

He believed that when Frederica saw this sentence, she would understand it was left by him.

Once Frederica returned to the city and met up with him, they would open the treasure chest and split the items. Then, he would go find the magic family that had blocked him during the day.

Having made his decision, he went to an inn and booked a room, telling the receptionist behind the counter to let anyone looking for him know his room number.

Then he went upstairs to his room, summoned the portal, and returned to reality.

He hadn't been back for a few days, and a thin layer of dust had accumulated at home. Zhang Mu wasn't in the mood to clean, so he showered and went to bed.

The next morning.

After waking up, Zhang Mu wasn't in a hurry to go to the Other World. He changed his clothes and gave Song Lan a call.

Upon learning that the ban still hadn't been lifted, he felt a bit puzzled.

They hadn't found a trace of a Cultivator after searching for so many days, yet they still hadn't lifted the controls. Were they planning to keep it locked down forever?

After pondering for a while, he first went to the Other World, asked the receptionist if anyone had looked for him, then returned to reality, took his keys, and went out.

He wandered aimlessly through the streets.

Zhang Mu discovered that the controls didn't seem to affect the citizens much; they had just set up checkpoints at major thoroughfares and didn't restrict citizens' movements or anything like that.

Standing in the pedestrian waiting area at an intersection, Zhang Mu looked at the traffic lights, his mind filled with wandering thoughts.

The light turned green.

He was about to cross the street when a traffic officer reached out to stop him, telling him that there was temporary traffic control.

Not minding, Zhang Mu waited with his arms crossed.

After a while, a motorcade drove toward them from afar on the asphalt road.

Eh?

Zhang Mu watched curiously, wondering what big shot had arrived, only to see that Special Investigation Bureau investigator named Zhao Qi sitting in the passenger seat of the lead car.

What on earth is he wearing all over himself?

Scanning with his Mental Energy, he saw Ye Ming in the back seat.

What are they planning to do?

Zhang Mu narrowed his eyes slightly and quietly retreated behind the traffic officer to avoid Zhao Qi seeing him.

After imprinting a trace of Mental Energy on the lead car, he lost interest in wandering aimlessly.

He turned and ran into a public restroom in a nearby park, activated his Shadow Technique and Transformation Technique, and chased after the motorcade.