Chapter 118: Sneaking In? Impossible

As a fugitive, Nina couldn’t risk entering the city. Instead, she arranged to meet Wu Qingsong in a secluded valley outside its walls.

Wu Qingsong was filled with anticipation yet tinged with apprehension.

Had Ram told their relationship to Nina? How had she explained it, and what was her reaction?

Regardless of the customs of this world, Wu Qingsong felt uneasy. After expressing his feelings to Nina, he ended up getting close to her best friend in the ensuing months, a fact that troubled him.

“Let’s pick half of these jewels,” he instructed Ling.

Since the treasure was ill-gotten from sand bandits, passing some to Nina seemed a practical solution, saving Ram the trouble of another trip.

Nina, however, appeared unaffected. If there was anything amiss, it was as though Wu Qingsong had never confessed his feelings for her. It felt like a return to the time before they had killed the undead mage, except now, a subtle distance had appeared between them.

Was it really so, that even in a world of polygamy, women couldn’t accept such a situation?

Well then, having promised Ram, he resolved to act as if these events had never happened.

Yet, unavoidably, when Nina was distracted, he found himself gazing at her face, harboring a faint sense of loss within.

Nina was slightly taken aback by the jewelry Wu Qingsong brought, but given their close cooperative relationship, she refrained from any pretense. She assigned someone to roughly appraise the jewelry’s value, issued Wu Qingsong a receipt, and instructed her subordinates to maintain a record.

“I’ve actually been conducting some investigations of my own,” Nina revealed.

Tannar, once a territory of the Silver Moon Kingdom, was known for its thriving mining industry and numerous mercenary groups. Although they had long sought to extend their influence into this region, their efforts had been unsuccessful. They had only established a shop there as a front for intelligence gathering.

Following the incident with the undead mage, Nina, like Wu Qingsong, had been closely monitoring the situation. However, while Wu Qingsong’s interest lay in gaining power, Nina was determined to prevent a similar tragedy from happening.

“If he wasn’t lying about this matter, then the most likely locations are the Dalon Mine or the Moroto Mine,” she said steadily to Wu Qingsong’s gaze, causing him a twinge of guilt. “I’ve had people look into it. While jackalmen aren’t rare in Tannar, they’re seldom used as mine slaves. This narrows down the possibilities significantly. Both of these mines experienced substantial collapses a year ago, aligning with the jackalmen’s account. There have also been incidents of slave traders being killed in their vicinity.”

“Where do you suggest we begin our investigation?” Wu Qingsong asked.

“The Moroto Mine,” Nina responded. “The mine’s owner went to Nals about seven or eight months ago in search of treasure hunters. It’s very likely he discovered that passage and unearthed something of value.”

Wu Qingsong concurred with her hypothesis, but the challenge was infiltrating a tightly secured mine.

“Let me handle this,” Nina declared.

Wu Qingsong had assumed she would leverage the Silver Moon Wolf Clan’s local influence for infiltration. However, to his surprise, Nina mustered nearly five hundred wolfmen warriors and stealthily encircled the mine under the cover of night.

He realized why Nina had insisted on taking charge personally. Such an undertaking would be daunting for anyone else.

The mine’s security force numbered around two hundred, a formidable strength even in the Esola Hills. But Nina’s troops, clearly seasoned in such operations, used incendiary bottles to destroy the mine’s gate and part of its wall. Their actions demonstrated their capability to breach the defenses, and they began calling for the mine owner’s surrender from outside.

After a standoff that lasted several hours, the mine owner tried to send people to break through and send a message, even releasing pigeons. However, the falcons trained by the wolfmen quickly captured all the pigeons right before their eyes, and everyone who attempted to break out was killed. Realizing the disparity in strength between the two sides, the mine owner eventually chose to surrender.

Nina captured the mine owner and a few key supervisors, detaining them separately. She then released all the slaves, distributing the mine’s food and clothing to them and allowing them to flee. Only the wolfmen, badgerfolk, raccoonfolk, and similar beastpeople were kept, alongside the wolfmen warriors. Together, they transported all valuable items from the mine.

“Why not take them all back?” Wu Qingsong was puzzled. 

Nina had rescued these people from certain death, and they would surely be indebted to her, making them loyal subjects. With their assistance, they could have transported more back.

“We can’t support so many people,” Nina responded. “We can only keep our kin and vassals.”

They then proceeded to interrogate the mine owner. Due to Wu Qingsong’s conspicuous features, he wore a hooded cloak to conceal himself completely.

“Your Highness, Lady of the Moon, please be merciful,” the mine owner pleaded sorrowfully.

“I won’t kill you, just answer my questions truthfully,” Nina stated.

In this region, she was the only woman capable of commanding so many wolfmen, and there was no need for her to conceal her identity.

“About a year ago, there was a collapse in this mine, correct?” she asked.

The mine owner nodded, unsure of her intent.

“What did you discover afterward? Why did you seek treasure hunters for this place?”

The mine owner’s expression shifted to surprise and unease. He had thought this was a mere robbery, but clearly, Moon Maiden’s aim wasn’t his wealth.

“We’ll individually question your supervisors,” Wu Qingsong interjected. “If your answers don’t align, you know the consequences. Now, what did you discover?”

“Some bodies, various tools, and stones with inscriptions, truly. I swear, I only wanted to decipher the engravings, nothing more.”

“Think carefully before you answer,” Wu Qingsong advised, preempting Nina. “If it’s just about the text, why not copy it and consult someone in Nals? Why insist on having people come here? This is your last chance. What exactly did you find?”

The mine owner glanced nervously between the Moon Maiden and Wu Qingsong before confessing, “The volume was overwhelming. An entire room filled with inscribed stone tablets, even the walls and ceilings were covered in text and images. I didn’t understand their meaning, so I hired a treasure hunter to investigate.”

“Then what? What was it?”

“They were narratives critical of the empire, no, more like historical accounts,” the mine owner explained. “Likely remnants of the Batiz Kingdom, an attempt to preserve evidence of their existence. We found several tombs, but only decaying, worthless burial items inside, or so the treasure hunter said. I swear, there’s nothing more.”

“You didn’t throw away those items, right?” Wu Qingsong asked. “Where are they now?”