Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 167

At the very center of White Bridge stood a distinctive building with a plaza at the front large enough to accommodate thirty carriages at once. The entire building was four stories high, with six huge pillars flanking the main entrance, intricately decorated with holly and sun motifs. Three grand doors stretched up to the top of the façade, and from the street, one could see the brilliantly polished, colorful tiles inside.

This venue, which typically functioned as a hall, meeting room, and trading center, transformed into the main auction hall during auction events. The most hyped and significant auctions were held here.

Charlie, with his back hunched, carried three wooden stools at once, hustling back and forth under the sun like a busy worker ant. Due to time constraints, even the supervising foreman, who usually stood with hands on hips in the shade, joined in to carry lighter items such as tablecloths and numbered paddles.

This was due to a manpower shortage.

After sunrise, a wave of strikes swept through the inner city. Mrs. Morris’s firing of servants (and injuring several) had exacerbated the situation. The arsonists responsible for several warehouse fires had somehow escaped the dragnet and spread explosive news:

Jason never entered the inner city for work!

He was just passing through!

He had no prior interaction with the Morris family! He had nothing to do with the arson!

Eyewitnesses claimed that the Morris family was venting their anger, first beating Jason to death for merely passing by, then extending their rage to all Paradise Island residents. They incited others to fire these hard working people and even used private justice, resulting in more deaths.

These testimonies spread like wildfire, causing an instant explosion of unrest. The inner city found itself divided, and within Paradise Island, rumors ran rampant. Many people quit their jobs outright, while others plotted strikes with their fellow townsmen. This left the Wolf and Monkey in a precarious position. “Trustworthy” workers were reassigned to more critical tasks, creating significant gaps in other peripheral jobs. Charlie seized this opportunity to infiltrate and work as a laborer.

Since becoming Rabbit Head, he rarely had to disguise himself, so he was out of practice. The wig and skin-darkening potion made him sweat to the point of dizziness. Unlike Jason, who was used to heavy lifting at the docks, Charlie found the physical exertion overwhelming. Taking advantage of the foreman’s distraction, he slipped into the corner shadows for a break and discovered he wasn’t the only one with that idea.

A man occupying the best hiding spot glanced up at him, then shifted over to make some room.

Charlie didn’t squat down but leaned against the wall, reaching into his pocket. Unfortunately, his rough work robe had no long pipe, only a crumpled cigarette.

The man kept staring at his hand. Charlie smiled and broke off half the cigarette for him.

“Thanks, brother.” The man eagerly accepted it, looking much friendlier. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“Just got here,” Charlie said, holding the cigarette but not lighting it. “They said they needed people.”

“Everywhere needs people,” the man scoffed, but carefully pocketed the half-cigarette instead of lighting it.

“Things are a mess now—honestly, if my wife wasn’t pregnant, I’d have gone back home last night. No more serving these bloodsuckers.”

Charlie said nothing, glancing outside. The slightly pot-bellied foreman was still running around.

“Don’t worry. Everyone here is one of us. He wouldn’t dare try anything—he’s afraid we’ll gang up on him. Ha! They’re finally getting a taste of their own medicine!”

“Some folks have done just that,” Charlie said. “There was a big incident on Third Street this morning—about thirty people got involved. It was a huge deal.”

“That’s nothing,” the man sneered, lowering his voice. “Those are small skirmishes. If you go back now, you’ll see the real deal. I’ve heard even the defenses are up. I’m telling you. A fight could break out any minute.”

There was no fear in his voice, only regret, as if he wished he could join in.

Charlie straightened up, satisfied with the brief respite, and put the unlit cigarette back in his pocket.

“If a fight does break out, what should we do?” he asked quietly. “The Morris family sees all Paradise Island people as enemies. If… we’re still in the inner city, we won’t escape.”

The man straightened up instinctively, ready to say something, but Charlie saw what he had been waiting for and waved him off.

Three silver-edged blue carriages approached in a line, escorted by a team of guards. All wore serious expressions. Instead of stopping at the main entrance, they bypassed it and headed for another passage, the one used for staff.

The auction was set to start in the evening, so they hadn’t taken the longer detour. Charlie compared the scene to Louis’s internal information: two mages, eight armed guards, and four attendants—indeed, the highest security for a “single-item auction”.

The highest value item for this auction was undoubtedly the astrologer.

Charlie avoided the foreman, crossed the plaza, and his hair gradually changed from inconspicuous reddish-brown to an even less noticeable dark brown.

……

“I said there’s no time to deal with this,” Cameron snapped, turning around to glare at the person behind him. “Does it have to be now?”

“Miss Cynthia and the Lady have been crying all morning. Young Master Adam rode off without any attendants. The two married ladies have also returned, and they’re all waiting for you.” The messenger felt equally troubled, caught between equally demanding masters.

“I’m busy with the auction!” Cameron shouted. “If they can’t help, fine, but can’t they be reasonable? I don’t care if the lace shop staff didn’t show up, if the swans and wine for tonight’s banquet haven’t arrived, or if no new musicians are found. Just cancel it all if there’s nothing!”

For the first time, he sympathized with Adan. Being bombarded with trivial issues while swamped with important work was maddening. How did Adan manage to stay composed?

The servant, entrusted with the entire household’s woes, was scolded thoroughly and returned with no solutions, anticipating a storm when he reported back. He felt a deep sense of despair, almost wishing he could be one of the Paradise Island people who boldly threw off their uniforms today. Unfortunately, his family had served Mr. Cameron’s family for generations, marking him as an “inner city person” through and through.

Dejected, the servant left empty-handed. Cameron, ignoring him, took his entourage and assistant and headed out, only to find just one carriage waiting.

“What’s going on?” the assistant asked. “Mr. Cameron always uses two carriages—”

“For some reason, several axles broke. And many stable hands are missing, so there’s not enough staff for repairs,” the coachman explained, looking terrified.

The assistant hesitated. Cameron waved it off. “One carriage will do. I can’t wait.”

“But this means fewer guards,” the assistant insisted. One less carriage meant four fewer protectors.

“It’s fine,” Cameron said wearily. “Tell them to bring Adam back home. He shouldn’t be wandering around now.” The streets were full of striking or dismissed lower-class workers, and Adam, who liked to dress ostentatiously, was a prime target.

The assistant, though uneasy, knew this wasn’t the time to argue. He helped Cameron into the carriage, where two guards accompanied them, while another rode up front with the coachman.

“Young Master Adam might have gone hunting in the woods,” the assistant reassured, knowing Cameron’s main worry was his flamboyant son. “There are usually no idlers there.”

“I should have warned them last night,” Cameron muttered, having not pulled an all-nighter in a while, looking more haggard than Khalif despite being younger. “But it’s good that Meg and the others are back. They should stay home with their mother and sister, and the staff should be trustworthy, even if fewer.”

The assistant nodded, a distant relative who was currently the most trusted, knowing his future was bright as long as Cameron was in power, making him all the more devoted.

“Those lowly scum think they can hold us hostage like this,” he said. “If it weren’t for the sudden trouble, couldn’t we find some carriage repairmen in White Bridge?”

Being at the heart of the Wolf’s management, he had more information than most. The attacks on Adan, followed by Louis’s disappearance, had taken out two of the five Elders, making him particularly concerned for Cameron’s safety and still upset about the reduced guards.

Cameron shook his head, closing his eyes to rest.

The assistant fell silent, hoping that Cameron could rest for a while during the journey. But things rarely go as planned. The carriage had only been moving smoothly for a short time when it suddenly made a loud “thud” sound, as if something heavy had fallen onto the roof, causing the entire carriage to shake dangerously.

The assistant was nearly thrown from his seat by the jolt, instinctively grabbing onto Cameron and shouting, “What happened?”

The two guards in the carriage reacted quickly. They exchanged glances, one staying behind while the other swiftly pushed the door open and leapt out, then immediately closed the door behind him.

The remaining three held their breath, trying to listen for any sounds from outside. However, Cameron’s carriage was well-made—waterproof, fireproof, and soundproof. In the ensuing silence, they could only hear each other’s slightly tense breathing.

Could they really be under attack? The assistant’s heart sank, but he turned to Cameron and said, “Sir, please don’t worry. Our carriage doors and windows are protected by anti-destruction magic. No one can…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a blinding light suddenly flooded the carriage, and they all looked up in disbelief. Half of the carriage roof had been pried open, allowing sunlight to pour in. A figure stood on the roof, silhouetted against the light, with a longsword resting on her shoulder.

Cameron could clearly hear a light laugh, as if the person had been amused by their stunned expressions.

It was a woman.

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