Chapter 29: A Suspicious Trail

Alina stood up. "I'm coming with you."

They stepped out of the wooden house cautiously. The sun was nearly set, leaving behind an orange sky slowly giving way to the darkness of night. But the footprints on the ground were still visible. Without hesitation, they followed the trail.

Their steps led them through the village fields, where lush green crops thrived. But the further they walked, the stranger it felt.

These plants... were not ordinary.

Alina knelt down, touching one of the leaves and examining it closely. The shape was distinctive, different from the medicinal plants she was used to seeing. A sinking feeling spread through her chest.

"Leo..." her voice was barely above a whisper. "This isn't just any plant. I think it's the base ingredient for an illegal drug."

Leo frowned. "Are you sure?"

Alina recognized the plant as one that had once funded her life in the mafia. But she chose to lie, not wanting Leo to suspect anything.

She nodded. "I've seen it before... at the hospital. Overdosed patients mentioned it."

Leo clenched his fists. "Then this village isn't just an isolated settlement. There's something bigger happening here."

Alina knew places like this were perfect for hiding illegal operations. But who was behind it? They needed to find out before things got out of hand.

Suddenly, a twig snapped nearby. They turned swiftly. Someone was there.

A cold voice came from behind the bushes. "You've gone too far into something you shouldn't know about."

From the shadows, thugs emerged, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent. Leo felt the tension in the air, while Alina had already shifted into a defensive stance, ready for the fight.

Without warning, one of the thugs swung a knife at Alina. With lightning reflexes, she ducked, letting the blade slash just above her head. Moving swiftly, she twisted her body, her sharp elbow striking the attacker's jaw, sending him staggering back. But there was no time to breathe. Two more thugs rushed at her, trying to corner her.

Leo sprang into action. He blocked a punch aimed at Alina, then retaliated with a solid blow to his opponent's stomach. The thug groaned, doubling over in pain. But another one didn't hesitate. He swung a wooden stick at Leo. Leo dodged, but the stick still grazed his shoulder, leaving a burning ache.

Meanwhile, Alina fought without hesitation. She caught one of the thug's arms, twisting it until a sickening crack sounded, making him scream in pain. She then threw him to the ground and kicked his face, knocking him out.

Leo faced the last thug, a man bigger and stronger than the rest. He threw a heavy punch, but Leo blocked it with his forearm, wincing at the impact. Twisting with the momentum, he delivered a powerful kick to the thug's ribs, making him stumble. Before the man could recover, Leo struck a final blow to his chin, knocking him out cold.

Their breaths were ragged. Their bodies glistened with sweat. They exchanged a look, making sure the other was alright.

The thugs lay sprawled on the ground, groaning or unconscious.

"That was just a warm-up," Alina muttered, her eyes filled with determination.

Leo nodded. "I should've known from the start. You're not an ordinary girl, are you?"

Alina only gave a small smile, her gaze still fixed on the shadows ahead. She wasn't ready to tell Leo why she fought so well. That wasn't a story to share in the middle of a battle.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps approached. From the darkness, more thugs appeared. This time, there were more of them, and they looked well-trained. Some carried knives, while others wielded iron bars or chains.

"You've made a big mistake," one of them said, his voice low and threatening.

Without waiting for a response, they attacked. Alina and Leo moved in sync.

Alina dodged a strike from a large man with a wooden club, swiftly grabbing his wrist and twisting it until he dropped his weapon. Spinning around, she drove her knee into his stomach, making him collapse with a groan of pain.

Leo faced two opponents at once. One of them slashed at him with a knife, but Leo stepped back quickly, catching the man's wrist and twisting it behind him, throwing him off balance. With a powerful kick, Leo struck the thug's knee, sending him crashing to the ground.

But the fight wasn't over.

Another thug swung a chain at Alina from behind. She leaped forward, avoiding the whip-like strike, then used her momentum to spin and kick her attacker in the head. He stumbled and fell to the ground.

Leo faced a massive thug, tougher than the rest. The man threw a punch that nearly hit Leo's face, but Leo ducked just in time. He countered with an elbow strike to the ribs, making the thug growl in pain. Before the man could recover, Leo landed a final punch to his chin, knocking him out.

Now, only one thug remained. He hesitated, seeing his comrades lying defeated. Panic flashed in his eyes before he turned and fled into the darkness.

Alina took a deep breath, then turned to Leo.

"I need to know, where did you learn to fight like that?" Leo asked, his tone serious this time.

Alina gave a small smirk. "I'll explain later. But for now…" Her gaze shifted toward the dark path ahead. "We need to get back to the village and find out how deep this operation runs."

Leo nodded, and they quickly made their way back.

The villagers had little knowledge of what was truly happening. They had no idea that the plants they cultivated weren't just medicinal herbs. The village chief explained that the field belonged to an old shaman. The workers were paid generously, so they never questioned its purpose.

One of the villagers spoke up. "At first, we thought they were just regular medicinal plants, but strangely, they paid us far more than usual. Some people were suspicious, but the old shaman forbade us from asking questions."

Alina took a deep breath before revealing the truth. The plants were the base ingredient for an illegal drug, strictly regulated by law. Unfortunately, this village was beyond the reach of the authorities. They only followed traditional customs, with little protection from the outside world.

The village chief sighed heavily, his expression a mix of confusion and concern.

"We knew nothing about this," he finally admitted. "All we knew was that the old shaman suddenly offered us work years ago. He said these plants had healing properties. We never questioned it further."

Alina exchanged a glance with Leo. This was worse than they had imagined. The villagers weren't just unaware of the law—they didn't even realize they were being exploited.

"But what about the shaman?" Leo asked. "Has he ever acted suspiciously?"

The village chief shook his head. "There was always something odd about him. He never let outsiders into his fields. Even we rarely saw him."

Alina clenched her fists. "Then we need to find him. He's the one responsible for all of this."

The village chief hesitated. "He's not an ordinary man. Some say he can disappear. Others believe he practices dark magic."

Leo scoffed. "I don't believe in that. What's clear is that he has power here, and we need to stop him."

Alina looked at the villagers, seeing fear in their eyes. They were victims, not criminals. Worse, they had no idea they were being used.

"Is there anyone who can take us to him?" Alina asked.

An old man stepped forward hesitantly. "I can show you the way. But after that, I want no part in this."