Chapter 246 246-Night Raid

Chapter 246 Chapter246-Night Raid

Left with no other choice, Howard played out this ruse.

Without drawing attention, he allowed the convoy to continue its journey.

Then, he quietly called Chris and Tina forward and revealed the truth to them.

On learning the truth, their mouths hung open in disbelief; Kariov was an impostor.

Howard's audacity was astounding - it was a matter of life and death just moments ago.

Their admiration for Howard grew; he had used a tactic no one could have anticipated, successfully frightening off the infamous Phileste.

Although Phileste had temporarily retreated, the situation was far from optimistic.

If Phileste were to regain his composure or discover that the real Kariov was not in Howard's convoy, it would spell disaster for Howard.

This incident had deeply impressed upon Howard the terrifying cunning of Phileste; he had predicted even the remote routes that Howard might take in his cautiousness.

This man was not to be underestimated.

Howard urged everyone to proceed at full speed, foregoing any rest.

With a day and a night's journey ahead, he planned to push on to Tarl City and then properly reward the group.

Mere words were not enough to spur them to greater efforts, so Howard tripled their wages on the spot, promising a tenfold increase if they arrived at Tarl City a night earlier.

With this, a wave of excitement surged through the ranks.

Everyone exerted themselves more vigorously than before.

Dissatisfied with the slow pace of the horses pulling the carts, they began to push from behind.

The snail-paced convoy suddenly accelerated, moving as swiftly as rabbits.

Under the allure of immense wealth, Howard finally reached Tarl City before nightfall.

The walls of Tarl City were in a state of disrepair.

Positioned on the border, the city had known no war for decades, leading to the neglect of its fortifications.

Its unfavorable geographical location further contributed to its poverty.

Under normal circumstances, no trade caravan would venture to such a place, so the sudden arrival of Howard and his company instantly caught the attention of the city's guards.

A captain of the guard approached them, blocking their path.

"Please present your identification. This is a routine check, thank you," he said, his voice cold and detached.

Howard remained composed, well-prepared for such a situation.

Bearing the identity of the Frostwolf Mercenaries, he had no fear of scrutiny despite his undocumented status.

Tina hurried forward, handing over the credentials of the Frostwolf Mercenaries to the guard captain.

The captain's initial surprise quickly turned into confusion as he scrutinized Howard and his group.

To him, the Frostwolf Mercenaries were a formidable mercenary group, yet the team before him seemed incongruent with their reputation. n..o.-V--e)/l.)b//1--n

Apart from a few who looked the part, the rest were skinny, almost underfed, hardly the image of a robust mercenary force.

"May we enter now?" Howard inquired.

Regardless of their appearance, the captain had no grounds to deny them entry.

The first day's success with recruitment was followed by an even more eventful second day.

News of Howard's generous offer spread rapidly throughout Tarl City, capturing the interest of various local powers and their subordinates.

Many, worn out by their thankless jobs and meager earnings, were tempted by the lucrative opportunity Howard presented.

In a surprising turn, even some of the empire's city guards were drawn in, secretly making their way to join Howard's ranks.

This development further displeased the city's influential figures.

Howard was elated by this response, knowing that the quality of his recruits need not be a concern.

However, he cautioned Chris about the importance of loyalty.

Strength was invaluable, but without reliability, a recruit was not worth considering.

Three days later, at the Lord's Manor, a gathering of nobles simmered with indignation.

"Curse that newcomer, Howard! He dares to disregard us so blatantly," one of them fumed.

"Everyone, please calm yourselves," a voice interjected, coming from the head of the table.

"Not long ago, I received a letter from Lord Kaser of Holy Light City."

"Oh?"

"Bert, what did Lord Kaser instruct?" they queried in unison, visibly taken aback.

The lord of Holy Light City reaching out to their remote town was unexpected.

Despite the proximity of the two cities, their statuses were worlds apart.

Even the guards from Holy Light City were not to be trifled with by Tarl City's nobility.

With all eyes fixed on him in surprise, Bert, the lord of Tarl City, spoke with a sly smile, "Lord Kaser has instructed us to eliminate Howard and his companions, and then send his six carriages to Holy Light City."

The nobles gasped in shock.

Why would the esteemed Lord Kaser order the killing of a seemingly insignificant individual and request the delivery of his carriages?

"Could it be that Howard stole something from that lord?"

"It's highly likely. But regardless, we cannot allow Howard to continue his brazen behavior. He must be eliminated."

Howard's recruitment drive had begun to severely disrupt the normal functioning of Tarl City.

The soldiers were now increasingly inclined to serve under Howard, and if this trend continued, Howard would soon become the most powerful figure in the entire city.

This posed a direct threat to the authority of Bert, the city's lord, as well as the other nobles, rendering their positions and influence effectively null.

They could not allow such a scenario to unfold.

"No matter why Lord Kaser wants Howard dead, he must be dealt with," Bert asserted.

"Arrange it swiftly. While he is still gaining his footing, we will end his life tonight. But remember, his carriages must be protected at all costs. No one is to tamper with Lord Kaser's property!"

"Yes!" came the unanimous response.

The assembly eagerly awaited Bert's command, ready to act.

Many among them harbored resentment towards Howard for his dismissive attitude.

"You want to recruit soldiers, fine, but you could at least have the courtesy to inform us. Where is our respect? And the audacity to offer such high pay to your recruits, while amassing such a force – it's practically a death wish."

Howard had anticipated the impatience of Tarl City's nobility and had already instructed Chris to be prepared.

He was not worried.

The combined military strength of Tarl City was insignificant compared to that of Holy Light City, both in numbers and combat prowess.