Chapter 21: Chaos and Opportunity
The greatness of teleportation arrays needed no elaboration.
Even Anselm often praised the space master’s revolutionary creation—especially since he didn’t mind the exorbitant fees.
Hitana, lugging three trunks, poked her head out of the array, looking around. “That’s it? That’s what teleportation feels like?”
“…”
Saville raised a brow. “No dizziness or discomfort, Miss Hitana?”
“Nope.”
Hitana pouted “What’s there to feel dizzy about?”
The old man fell silent, marveling inwardly that only his young master could find such a freak.
Anselm stepped off the array’s platform, scanning the teleportation chamber with a growing smile.
“No one here,” he said.
Hitana looked puzzled; Saville’s expression grew serious.
Teleportation arrays, precious as they were, were guarded round-the-clock by city lords’ men to protect the array and verify arrivals’ identities.
Yet here, no one.
“Seems our two viscounts are in quite a bind.”
Anselm said leisurely, strolling toward the chamber door.
“Young master, shall I contact them?”
“No need. Teleportation chambers aren’t built in remote areas. We’ll see what’s happening outside, Saville—”
Anselm tossed a projection crystal to Saville. “Do your thing.”
The old man bowed, his unyielding frame vanishing instantly.
Hitana, used to Saville’s ghostly comings and goings, was still irked and baffled by her inability to sense his presence, despite her confidence in her perception.
“Hydra,” she sniffed hard, “what level’s the old butler? Does he use space magic?”
“Can’t our genius Miss tell?”
Anselm didn’t answer directly, smiling as he headed out.
“Being a genius or not’s beside the point. I’ll definitely surpass him someday, but that doesn’t mean I can now.”
Hitana respected the strong, though her nicknames might be crude.
Her awareness of gaps was always clear and honest.
—And it fueled her thirst for power.
She rambled on, “At school, I rarely… no, never saw anyone like him. Even space magic leaves a trace, but he—”
As Anselm neared the chamber door, Hitana’s expression shifted, her gorgeous dark red eyes flashing with rare savagery and… glee!
Anselm, about to push the door, felt a gale behind him.
A storm of black and snow-white!
Her custom black velvet cloak flared with her speed.
Hitana, carrying three heavy trunks, grinned wildly, launching a flying kick at the chamber door!
Boom—!
“Ah!”
Amid the deafening blast, a scream and crisp bone-crack sounded.
In the scattering splinters and dust, Hitana landed steadily, chin high with smug satisfaction, turning to Anselm.
Utterly unaware, Hitana displayed her black collar like a proud pup seeking praise.
“What luck, running into this right out the gate.”
Setting down the luggage, Hitana rubbed her neck. “Haven’t had real action in days. I’m practically rusting.”
Shouts from nearby signaled something big.
Anselm sighed helplessly, brushing wood splinters from his wolf-fur collar.
“Hydra, this guy’s got backup,” Hitana said, stomping on the unfortunate soul whose ribs—how many, she didn’t know—were broken by her kick.
She shook him, looking at Anselm “Take them all down?”
Anselm, tidying his appearance, leaned on his cane and approached the unknown figure, eyeing his commoner clothes “Dense armor vibrations. The newcomers are likely city guards. As for him…”
“My friend,” Anselm asked with a bright smile, “rushing to the teleportation chamber like this—what were you planning… care to share?”
The mystery man under Hitana’s foot wailed and struggled, but soon went still, his breath ceasing.
Hitana, startled, lifted her foot, sniffed, and her expression shifted “Dead already? No way! That kick might’ve broken a dozen bones, but humans aren’t that fragile!”
Her face soured; she clearly abhorred killing.
During the banquet assassination, despite her brutal methods, she hadn’t taken a single life.
“…Ugh, what a foul stench. Oh… he swallowed poison to kill himself.”
Smelling the unpleasant odor from the assassin, Hitana’s expression eased slightly.
Anselm, eyeing the suicide by poison, suddenly laughed.
Hitana turned, suspicious. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, just amusing,” Anselm shook his head, glancing at the figures emerging in the corridor. “Guards are here, Hitana. Grab the luggage.”
Grumbling inwardly that Hydra was a pervert who found death amusing, Hitana sulkily retrieved the luggage, giving him no kind look inside or out.
A squad of armored guards arrived late, their stern aura faltering at the sight of the shattered door, the corpse, and the mismatched master-servant pair.
They silently drew swords and gripped spears.
“Hey, Hydra, what’s going on?” Hitana turned to Anselm “Didn’t you say they’re guards? Why do they look ready to fight us?”
Hearing her, the lead soldier’s grip on his spear froze.
He studied the cane-wielding blond noble, incredulous. “You are… Lord Hydra?”
“…” Hitana looked like she’d seen a ghost Does everyone know this guy?
Anselm smiled warmly “Need me to prove it?”
“…No, no, I’m not questioning your identity.”
The noble’s appearance, traits, and demeanor matched the captain’s knowledge.
He exhaled, signaling his men to lower their weapons, bowing deeply “Forgive my rudeness, Lord Hydra.”
“It seems something serious has happened,” Anselm said, his calm soothing the anxious captain. “Care to explain?”
“…”
The captain hesitated, then sighed deeply.
“Just moments ago, Viscount Longbing arrived in Xiaofeng City via teleportation array.”
“Then he was immediately assassinated.”
“The assassin, disguised as a teleportation chamber attendant, killed Viscount Longbing at close range. The city lord, enraged, ordered a citywide manhunt, but… he too was attacked soon after.”
No need to say more—Xiaofeng City was in chaos.