401 Affectionate and United

Thales' expression was stiff over the ten something seconds Dean climbed up from the ground.

'What the hell?'

It was as if time had frozen. He slowly moved his gaze to look at Quick Rope, who was beside him.

Quick Rope also stared at Thales in a daze.

At the other side of the tavern, Stake slowly narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the man who climbed out of the sack. "That's…" 

"Dean!" An exclamation answered Stake's question, and all chances of no one recognizing Dean were shattered, thereby also crushing Thales' chances of getting out of this situation unharmed.

Many people turned and saw the shocked Tampa.

The owner of My Home pointed at Dean, and then at Thales and Quick Rope, who were smiling awkwardly. His tone fluctuated.

"Why are you there…?"

Dean did not answer.

He swayed, grabbed a chair, and leaned against the bar counter. He panted non-stop and coughed softly.

"F*ck." Dean cursed again.

There were obviously many among the mercenaries who knew Dean. In an instant, low whispers rose up in the tavern.

The leaders of all three parties quickly exchanged looks to make sure that the strange incident right then was not brought about by the other parties.

In the fleeting chaos, Thales and Quick Rope moved in unison to bend down and lower their heads, moving closer to one another.

Both of them gazed at each other in speechless dismay and mixed feelings.

Thales pursed his lips. He gestured at Dean with his chin and whispered, "Hey, I thought you got rid of him?"

Quick Rope was as stiff as a puppet, including his jaw. He answered softly with a forced smile, "It was my first time. I was perhaps a little inexperienced…"

Thales was exasperated.

"You call this 'inexperienced'?"

The commotion around them continued.

Quick Rope tried weakly to defend himself.

"Nicholas told me that I just have to strangle a person for three seconds…"

Thales was in disbelief. He asked him, "You didn't check after that?"

Quick Rope arched an eyebrow.

"But you were the one who put him inside…"

Thales lost his rage and blushed.

"He was clearly not breathing anymore…"

Quick Rope no longer looked dejected. He immediately revealed a fierce look.

"No breathing doesn't mean…"

But when both of them were debating softly, their hearts were filled with fear at the same time!

They lifted their heads.

And just as they expected, they saw Dean, who just recovered, beside them.

The spy from the Secret Room panted and stared coldly at the two of them, who were both petrified.

His gaze was chilling.

Thales and Quick Rope went stiff again.

In that indescribable atmosphere, Quick Rope shrugged unnaturally and waved his hands around. His tone was an awkward one.

"Hey, Dean, I'm very glad to see that you're still… I mean, you're here too… Erm, I mean, that… Good evening, do you want a drink?"

Dean stared at Quick Rope with a complicated gaze, causing Quick Rope to swallow his remaining words.

Thales sighed.

"When did you wake up?"

Dean looked at Thales. His expression was chilly.

"When both of you picked the lock," he said coldly.

Both of them became stiff again, and could only respond once more by smiling awkwardly.

But this was not considered the most embarrassing thing.

A loud cough cut off the whispers in the tavern.

"Alright."

Ricky, the leader of Blood Whistle slowly raised his hand and pointed at Thales and Quick Rope.

Both of them felt chills down their spines.

Ricky seemed to be deep in thought. He looked at both of them in amusement.

"My two young guests, you just said that you belong to the Secret Room, and that you are the ones who are Dean's real colleagues?"

Thales and Quick Rope froze in unison.

Dean let out a cold snort at the right moment.

Beside Ricky, Masked Man snorted softly and said, "That sack is probably your 'colleague' as well, right?"

"Hehehe…" Quick Rope kicked away the damned sack, looked around, and let out a grieved and hollow laugh.

Stake arched an eyebrow slightly, while Lasalle's gaze was solemn.

"Even though both of you did it to save your own skin…"

Ricky sighed and said, "I have to say that even in so many years of my life, I've never met such incompetent liars."

At that moment, everyone, including Ricky, Klein, Masked Man, Stake, Lasalle and all the various mercenaries in the tavern shifted their gazes to the two princes again after sizing up the dishevelled Dean in astonishment.

In their eyes were shock, puzzlement, doubt, wariness, and…

A lot of scorn.

"Hmph." Marina snorted softly behind them. "And failed thieves."

Thales' face twitched, and he awkwardly flashed a smile that resembled a grimace at Ricky.

'My God.

'Is there a hole in the floor? The type that can fit one person?'

He desperately needed one right now.

Quick Rope looked up, as if he could pretend that he did not exist this way.

Stake stared at Dean with bright eyes. "So, Lasalle, he is the 'mole' you talked about?"

Lasalle stared at Dean from the distance and nodded.

This was when Ricky shifted his attention to Dean.

"Wow." Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head. "You really exceeded my expectations, Big Dean."

Dean raised his icy gaze and glanced warily at Ricky. He then sized up the mercenaries around him.

"I have always thought that you kept rejecting our invitation because of one certain woman," Ricky said with a smile. "Now I know that it's actually… Because of another woman."

Dean snorted coldly and rubbed his red neck.

"All of you really exceeded my expectations too." He swept his gaze past Stake, Ricky and Lasalle one by one. "Shadow Shield, Disaster Sword…"

Dean's gaze rested for an especially long time on the last person.

"And King Chapman."

Lasalle let out a cough. His expression was tense. "This is all for Eckstedt."

Dean let out a soft snort.

The tavern became quiet.

Thales felt worried as he watched their interactions.

'This is really bad.

'The lie I made up on the spot with Quick Rope was exposed because the actual person appeared. And now, Dean only needs to point out that…

'What do I do? What other ways…'

*Clap, clap, clap.*

Ricky clapped.

"Great, Dean. I believe that you already understand the situation right now. And no matter how you fell into the trap of these two thieves…

He stared at Thales and Quick Rope, and his expression became cold.

"Get rid of these two lying bastards." Ricky waved slightly, and his tone was chilling.

"We'll get back to the main topic."

'Get rid?'

Thales and Quick Rope's heart pounded in unison.

They turned in panic and saw that the expressions of the mercenaries around them were slowly turning from astonishment to ruthlessness.

The next moment, both Marina and Shawn let out cold snorts and whipped out their weapons, together with five or six other mercenaries!

'Damn it.'

Thales and Quick Rope looked around, and their faces went pale. They subconsciously took a step back and leaned against each other's backs.

"Enough with the acting, boys." Marina's face was cold, and she spun her twin swords in a full circle once.

"It's time for your show to end."

The mercenaries inched murderously towards them.

The next moment, Thales and Quick Rope felt a weight on their shoulders!

*Slap!*

"Wait." A low but steady voice halted the mercenaries' aggressive steps.

It was Thales and Quick Rope's turn to be startled.

They turned and stared incredulously at the man who stood at the spot where their shoulders touched his chest.

The bald Dean, who had just escaped death had their shoulders seized in his grip. He pushed them apart with a solemn expression and said softly and indistinctly through gritted teeth,

"If you don't want to fall into their hands, listen to me."

When he said his next words, he did not lower his voice, and his words were laced with hatred and fury.

"You two damn bastards!"

Thales and Quick Rope were startled at once. The former then seemed to fall into deep thought, while the latter lowered his head in embarrassment.

'I knew it.'

Thales' heart rate slowly steadied, and his train of through suddenly became clear. 'I can still continue with the bet I placed before this.

'The people in this tavern are not working together!

'Even on Eckstedt's side, King Chapman's people and the Secret Room's people don't get along, are on guard against each other, and don't trust each other.

'Six years ago, the Secret Room did not side with King Nuven.

'Now, six years later, it's even more impossible for the Secret Room to be blindly devoted to King Chapman.

'And this is my chance!

'Madam Calshan, thank you!'

At this moment, Thales suddenly missed the Red Witch very much. He missed her kindly tone, amiable smile, and her claims that she was not loyal to any family or king, and was only loyal to Eckstedt. At the same time, Thales was sincerely grateful for her resolution and her determination to take an independent stance in the country.

He even thought about how at this moment, it would be good if the Secret Room were a little more powerful, just like the Secret Intelligence Department.

In the tavern, the mercenaries furrowed their eyebrows in unison.

Klein stood up too. He placed his hand on his longsword, 'Twilight'.

"Dean?" Ricky observed the changes in the scene and asked coldly, "Is there a problem?"

Dean turned, dragged the two of people behind him, and faced Ricky.

"They're my subordinates," Dean said coldly with an unapproachable tone.

"It's not your place to attack them."

Ricky raised his eyebrows again.

Many people, including Stake, Lasalle, and the others were surprised again.

On the other hand, Thales and Quick Rope tried hard to suppress any reactions that might give them away, such as trembling, staring at each other, or being agitated. They lowered their heads slightly and looked dejected.

"Your subordinates?"

As if he discovered a new world, Ricky sized up Thales and Quick Rope back and forth three times. He laughed in spite of himself and said, "Are you saying that these two clowns really belong to the Secret Room?"

Dean reached out his hands and pressed Thales as well as Quick Rope down so that they sat on chairs. He sat down on another chair too.

"It is just as you see it.

"So, this is the Secret Room's internal affair," he said coldly.

Stake narrowed his eyes and carefully swept his gaze over the three of them.

Lasalle furrowed his eyebrows.

"You're telling me that it's a trend right now in the Secret Room for people to put their associates in sacks?"

Dean raised his head swiftly!

"How about King Chapman and his Black Sand Region?" He stared at Lasalle and mocked him in an absolutely impolite manner. "It's clear that it's a trend for them right now to plant agents in Eckstedt's intelligence agency?"

Lasalle and Dean's eyes met, and it was as if sparks were flying.

Stake coughed softly and patted Lasalle.

"So, Dean." Ricky's voice was still tense and filled with suspicion. "You were stabbed in the back by your subordinates?"

Everyone saw Dean quiver violently at that moment!

Thales and Quick Rope stared at his back anxiously.

The man ran his hand over his bald head and turned slowly.

"Obviously." Dean stared at the two princes with eyes burning in hatred. The duo were as quiet as mice. "They're dissatisfied with their positions right now, and don't want to settle with being my subordinates. So, when there was an opportunity, they wanted to take credit for my successes."

Thales grimaced.

"Bah!"

Dean spat hard, and his expression grew more and more furious. "It's just that they did not expect that I have considerable resistance towards 'sedatives', and a method to get free… Isn't it, Secca? And you, Quick Rope?"

Thales swore that when speaking these words, Dean genuinely and sincerely detested them.

But he was very grateful for this moment.

Thales imagined the Duke of the Northern Territory's expression in Renaissance Palace during that moment six years ago and pretended to look as if his secret was exposed. He said in an unconcerned manner, "Haha, now that it has come to this, Dean, you can do whatever you want with me. You can kill me or cut off my flesh, it's up to you. I don't regret my decision."

Dean suddenly extended his hand and grabbed Thales' collar!

Thales felt his heart freeze. Beside Thales, Quick Rope subconsciously reached out his hand to stop Dean, but Dean shoved his hand away with the back of his hand, then seized Quick Rope's neck!

This sudden scene made the mercenaries anxious.

Shawn put aside his shield and took a step forward, and Marina was about to subconsciously go forward. However, Ricky suddenly extended his hand and ordered them to stay where they were.

At this moment, those in power in the tavern was looking coldly from the sidelines at this scene.

Dean held Thales' collar in one hand and clutched Quick Rope's neck with the other. There was fury in his eyes.

Thales looked indifferent, as if he was looking death calmly in the face.

'Anyhow…

'I wasn't the one who strangled your neck just now.'

On the other hand, the guilty Quick Rope stared at Dean in an anxious and doubtful manner. It was as if a thousand ants were gnawing at his heart.

Dean's expression was scary, and his face was contorted, as if the two people in front of him were his greatest enemies.

"Do both of you think that death is the worst thing?"

He said through gritted teeth and also fixed his gaze on Quick Rope. "Both of you don't know that in this world, there are things that are scarier than death."

Quick Rope frowned.

"This was all his idea, Dean. I was forced to do so." Quick Rope trembled and pointed at the nonchalant-looking Thales. Quick Rope acted like an innocent farmer who happened to pass by the battlefield. "You know, Dean, you were too ruthless in extorting him… And I was forced…"

Everyone furrowed their eyebrows and they looked at the quivering Quick Rope.

"Shut up, Quick Rope."

With complicated emotions, Dean suppressed all his discontentment and hatred, then said with an underlying meaning in his words, "You are a coward who changes your side according to the situation. The only reason Madam kept you in the Secret Room is because have a pretty good family background. But even she definitely never thought that a rich trash can be so 'ambitious'."

Quick Rope's face stiffened.

He lowered his head, some part of him truly embarrassed, and the other part as to keep the act going on. He kept quiet.

After a moment, Dean, who had a frightening expression finally suppressed his fury and desire to take revenge. He loosened his grip on the two of them.

"It won't be easy for you two. A traitor's fate…" he said coldly.

"I will hand the both of you to Madam Calshan and let her personally decide on how to deal with you."

There was no longer any need to act, Thales and Quick Rope were already drenched in cold sweat.

But at this moment, the object of their fear was no longer Dean.

The tavern was completely quiet, aside from the violent pants from Dean and the two princes.

Countless gazes were still fixed on them.

"Aha." Lasalle, King Chapman's representative, sneered from afar.

"The Secret Room is really affectionate and united."

Dean snorted coldly and paid no heed to his words at all.

When he heard this, Thales relaxed for some reason.

'Thank goodness.

'At least…

'They believed it.'