The ground in the narrow alley is scattered with numerous puddles of dirty water. Behind a few vendor carts, one can occasionally catch a strong stench of urine, indicating the infrequent pedestrian traffic in this area.
However, after navigating through the cramped alleyways during the dead of night, the man suddenly came to a halt.
"Is it about to begin?" Night Triple-More asked beside Bede.
"Begin?" The man hesitated for a moment but nodded, "Indeed, it is starting. Come out!"
Several hurried footsteps could be heard approaching from both ends of the alley. A dozen ragged and frail men blocked Night Triple-More and his companions in the alley.
"Hand over all the money you have, quickly!" The man in a hemp robe, wielding a machete taken from a companion, sneered.
"Robbery?" Night Triple-More scratched his head.
"And this woman, too, must stay!" The man glanced at Bede and licked his lips.
A woman with such looks is truly rare, and they wouldn't easily let her go while in their hands.
Seeing this, Bede rolled her eyes at Night Triple-More, portraying innocence.
Night Triple-More, after a quick survey and noticing the crude weapons in their hands, sighed.
"It really is a robbery. Bede, I leave it to you."
Bede took off her gloves, smiled charmingly, and ran her fingers through her hair.
"As you wish, boss."
With a wave of her hands, two white mists suddenly spiraled out. One after the other, they swiftly collided with the group of men surrounding Night Triple-More. Before they could react, the mists entered their nostrils.
A series of thumping sounds followed. Each man squatted on the ground in pain, clutching their chests, wearing expressions of terror.
"Heh, ha, the heartbeat is so fast, what kind of sorcery is this that you used?" The lead man's eyes bulged as he grabbed his chest fiercely, his heart pounding violently, making it difficult for him to breathe.
"Hehe, care to guess?" Bede revealed her white teeth, lowered her head, and caressed her long, fair fingers.
"But I can tell you, if your hearts keep beating like this for another five minutes, they will burst."
The man, witnessing Bede mimic a grabbing motion followed by an open palm, turned pale.
Moreover, the rhythmic pounding in his palm, like war drums, intensified, with a faintly accelerating trend. He knew the other party wasn't joking.
"Mercy, spare us! We dare not anymore!"
"Forgive us, spare us, ahh, it hurts!"
"Sir, it's not my business, spare me, spare my life!"
The men on the ground begged with tears streaming down their faces. Bede turned to Night Triple-More, spreading her hands and gesturing toward her neck.
Night Triple-More shook his head, looking at the lead man.
"I've been wondering how there could be a black market in Tian Shi City. Tell me, who sent you?"
"No, no one sent us..."
Bede curved her lips, casually beckoning towards one man. A muffled sound followed, and the man, wide-eyed, fell to the ground, clutching his chest. After a few convulsions, he went silent.
"Is there really no one who sent you?" Night Triple-More nodded in satisfaction and asked leisurely.
"It's the city lord! The city lord asked us to test you, sir, please spare us!"
The man in the hemp robe couldn't withstand the stimulation any longer, and his pants were soaked.
This method of killing with just a finger was something these idle ruffians couldn't endure. The city lord?
Night Triple-More furrowed his brow.
Testing them with such a crude method?
Night Triple-More's eyes flickered as he signaled to Bede, who rolled her eyes and swept her hand, extracting several white smoke streams from the men, dissipating them in the air.
"Thank you, sir, thank you, sir!"
Feeling their heartbeats gradually stabilize, the men bowed like garlic being pounded, tears and snot streaming down. They didn't want to experience that feeling of their hearts exploding.
"Don't thank me too soon; you still carry a potent poison. I'll give you an antidote after my competition is over if you follow my instructions." Night Triple-More smiled.
"Entirely at the sir's command!"
Though with a troubled expression, the would-be robbers all knelt down.
Night Triple-More nodded in satisfaction, giving a few instructions to the men. He then returned to the residence with Bede.
"Hahaha, wanting to rob you of your wealth and Bede of her charm. These people sure have bold ambitions!"
After hearing Night Triple-More's account, Sha Wen Cheng laughed, holding his stomach. Even Weng Ling covered her mouth and shook her head.
Night Triple-More, before leaving, naturally didn't forget to empty the pockets of the opponents. Unfortunately, they were quite impoverished, and he only found a few dozen copper coins after searching their bodies.
"But is this really okay?" Weng Ling still had some concerns.
"Relax, relax, they just wanted to find some trouble with a few idle ruffians to bother us. If we get bullied, we're soft; if we kill them all in anger, we're at fault. This city lord indeed plays a good game." Night Triple-More gulped down a bowl of meat porridge, nonchalantly saying.
"But this has reminded me. Since they are so eager to know the truth, why not arrange it straightforwardly for them?"
"How to arrange?" Weng Ling asked curiously.
"A secret!" Night Triple-More smiled, continuing to enjoy the dishes Weng Ling prepared.
And soon, the day of the official competition arrived.
In grand events like this annual competition between territories, commoners treated it like a festival, especially as it coincided with the harvest season. Therefore, the people of the Tianwei Empire had naturally turned this day into a celebration.
Observing the extravagantly dressed pedestrians, excitedly bringing their families and even small stools, Sha Wen Cheng sneered.
"Why do they seem to be going to a play?"
"It is a play. If you were them, your mindset would probably be the same." Night Triple-More waved his hand, playing with the shiny gold coin in his hand.
As promised, Yu Da Fu delivered the final payment on time. Upon hearing that Night Triple-More had more chili peppers and medium-quality potatoes, he eagerly expressed his desire for as many as possible.
Although Night Triple-More didn't know how Yu Da Fu planned to use them, as long as the money was delivered, he was satisfied.
"Alright, it's their business to underestimate us. Let's focus on our efforts. When the competition starts, I'll be the first one up. I'll try to solve as many as I can for you."
Seeing the competition venue so close, Weng Ling tightened her grip on the large hammer behind her.
Night Triple-More shook his head.
"The personnel arrangement for the upcoming matches is my responsibility. You just concentrate on fighting, and don't worry about the rest."
With that said, regardless of Weng Ling's feelings, Night Triple-More stepped into the temporary competition venue constructed in Tian Shi City.
"The Land Deed
Tournament, I have arrived!"