The Hidden War in Redwood Town

Feng Ye walked with purpose and took large strides towards the previous storage area where he had met Flora. Ensuring that no one was following him, he stepped into the storeroom. 

Flora was already there. Her arms were crossed with a sharp expression. She met his gaze. 

Feng Ye locks eyes with Flora and does a quick nod while he takes out the wrapped folder from his cloak. He unwraps it and hands it over. 

Without hesitation, Flora took the folder and scanned the pages within. Her fingers clenched the parchment.

Her expression darkened. Too dark.

"This isn't just a hit list." She whispered. "This is a purge." 

Feng Ye glanced at her expression and then back to the list of names. He noticed that besides each name, there was the adventurer identification number.

"Recognize any?" 

She went down the list. Some of the names were crossed out. Methodically, she analyzed each one and listed a few names and her impressions.

"Rupert. This was a veteran adventurer. He was well known for taking higher risk contracts. Not the type to vanish without a fight. If he's on this list, he didn't go quietly." 

Feng Ye noticed that 'Rubert' was crossed out. Turning to Flora, he asks. 

"Was there any news about him recently?" 

"He went missing two weeks ago. The guild claimed that he retired."

She scoffed. "Retired? The man had no primary residence. He lived for battle and challenges. Our branch's stance was firm at that time."

Moving to the next name, Flora continued to be lost in thought while verbalizing her impressions. This name was also crossed out.

Lisa.

"She was a former enforcer who worked directly under the branch leader until she started to ask the wrong questions. Gained information she was not supposed to." 

"Any news for what happened to her?"

"We were told she relocated around two months ago."

Flora shook her head. "Another lie."

Elise. The moment she looked at this name, Flora's expression was even more startled. 

"This is bad."

Feng Ye raised an eyebrow. "How bad?"

"This is going too far. Elise was a rising star from another branch, sent here on a transfer. It looks like this is even more serious than we thought.."

She hesitated before continuing. "She was talented. Too talented. Word was, she was being trained for a leadership role in headquarters someday." 

Feng Ye narrowed his eyes. "And now?" 

Flora exhaled slowly. "Now, she's crossed out."

Lucas, Thomas, Fize.. She skipped around a dozen names down the list after commenting that some of the crossed names had disappeared relatively recently in the past few months. Others that weren't crossed out, she had a passing familiarity. 

Flora then came across a name and immediately remained silent. Her finger hovered over the name before tapping it.

"...Anne."

Her voice was lower. 

"I've heard that name before."

Flora looked up. "You know her?" 

He shook his head. "No. I overheard it once." 

A pause.

Flora's expression darkened. "She's not just some adventurer."

Feng Ye glanced at her. Flora continued. 

"She's connected to the Adventurer's Guild headquarters in the capital. She is favored by the elders there due to her innate affinity with magic. A talented mage.. I don't know how deep, but if her name is on this list. She's a target."

Anne's name wasn't crossed out.

"If she's still alive, she's in more danger than she realizes."

Feng Ye studied Flora's expression carefully and probed. "And if she's dead?"

"Then, this city is finished."

…

Feng Ye studied the list again. This wasn't a random cleansing. This was a systematic removal of anyone the branch leader found to be a threat or in the way of his plan.

Some were well known or rising star adventurers from rival branches.

Some had connections to the guild headquarters.

Some asked questions that should have not been asked.

"If we don't act fast, the ones that aren't crossed out yet…" 

Feng Ye nodded. "They will be soon."

"We should find Anne before…"

"No, let's not." Feng Ye cut her off. "We can't run around looking for a person."

"You would rather wait? Her death might mean the end for Redwood."

Shaking his head, Feng Ye replied. "No. We can't attract too much attention. We'll only become a target. We'll do our usual activities but we should be gathering information and keep our ears open." 

He adjusted his cloak. 

"I have errands to run anyway. The Beast Core Exchange. The Auction House. If she's out there, her name might come up. As for you, you should lay low."

Flora pursed her lips and paused for a brief moment. She then nodded. 

"This is too dangerous to leave lying around," she muttered. "I'll find a way to hide it." Flora rolled up the parchment and hid it in her uniform. 

She turned towards the exit, Her left hand held the doorknob before Feng Ye's voice stopped her.

"I'll take it."

Flora frowned. "You're joking. Getting caught with this means death."

Feng Ye extended his hand, his voice determined and calm. "If you are caught with this. It's game over."

She hesitated.

"You work inside the guild. If they even suspect you, you are done. There won't be any second chances."

A tense silence passed between them.

Then, reluctantly, Flora pulled the rolled parchment from her uniform and handed it over.

"Okay, but don't get yourself killed."

"They can try."

After handing over the parchment, Flora took her leave. 

Now alone, Feng Ye glanced down at the parchment. This was too risky to carry openly. Without hesitation, he slipped it into his system inventory. 

In a way, the system inventory could be considered a cheat. Spatial magic? The guild could flip this city upside down and still wouldn't find it.

He stepped out of the storage area with a clear objective. 

Finding Anne wasn't his goal.

He still needed to finish his own business. If Anne was out there still, and if she was the same adventurer from the group earlier, her presence would leave traces.

He'll run into them eventually. There were always clues.

He was very good at finding them. 

--

In a much more upscale office within the guild, the guild branch leader sat motionless. His fingers drummed an inconsistent rhythm against his redwood desk. 

In front of him, a nervous subordinate hesitated. "Sir. The ledger is missing."

"Who?" 

"We don't know yet. Our guild has dispatched our enforcers to …"

BANG! The branch leader slammed his fist on his desk.

"Not enough." His voice boomed throughout the office. 

He leaned forward. His eyes had a cold glint.

"Triple the bounty. Get every adventurer, bounty hunter…" His voice lowered. "And otherworlders. I want that ledger found."

After a short pause, he adds. 

"Bring me the keeper of the ledger. Red. Use any means necessary."

"Sir, what about headquarters?"

An expression of disdain spread on the leader's face. "They won't. They have their own problems in the capital."

"This will end before it even reaches them. Go now."

"Yes!" The subordinate immediately went out of the office taking two enforcers with him. His goal? Bring Red to his boss.

--

In the alleyway, a figure in a dark cloak observed the situation throughout the streets. A massive shift in Redwood's environment was occurring rapidly. The streets' atmosphere was changing rapidly. Something was brewing. It seems as though the Redwood Adventurers Branch is on the move. 

Armed guild enforcers and hired mercenaries became more active and moved in tight formations. Mercenaries whispered to each other in hushed tones. Even bounty hunters lingered around waiting for an opportunity.

Something had been stolen.

Something very important.

And now, the Redwood Adventurer's Guild branch had fully mobilized.

This was no secret anymore. The guild was looking for something. A ledger had gone missing. And in a city like Redwood, secrets didn't stay hidden for long.

The Observer remained still and leaned on a nearby building.

He had been tipped off again.

An hour ago, one of the branch leader's trusted subordinates had sent a message.

"The boss demands results. The bounty is tripled. For you, it's quadrupled. The hunt is in motion." 

This was his signal. The leader wanted blood. 

He had worked with the branch leader for years. In the branch's eyes, he is reliable, efficient, and trustworthy. When something needed to be erased, contained, or silenced, they called on him.

He was just a mercenary. A sword-for-hire. No loyalty to any side. Only money talked. 

That was what they all believed. 

This suited him. 

He would observe. Wait. 

And when the moment came, he would act.