chapter 101 kaelith brainless question

KAELITH was still processing what he had just heard. His sharp mind had been piecing things together ever since Malthor dropped the bombshell about paying the bandits off.

Something about it didn't sit right.

He narrowed his eyes at the old man, his voice carrying an edge of suspicion.

"And what happens after five days?" KAELITH asked.

Malthor's grin faltered for the first time. His expression darkened as he turned his head slowly to face KAELITH, eyes brimming with something between irritation and disappointment.

Then, in a flat, unimpressed tone, he spoke.

"Are you brainless?"

KAELITH blinked, taken aback. "What?"

Malthor took a step forward, his presence suddenly heavier, like a predator who had just heard something incredibly stupid.

"I said, are you brainless?" His voice was sharp, each word carrying weight.

KAELITH felt his jaw tighten. He didn't like being talked down to, but Malthor's demeanor had completely changed. The carefree trickster act was gone, replaced by something much more calculating.

"You think I didn't already plan for that?" Malthor scoffed, shaking his head in exasperation. "You think I just handed them money and sat back like an idiot?"

KAELITH crossed his arms, standing his ground. "From where I'm standing, it looks like you just fed a bunch of wild dogs. And when they come back, they'll be hungrier."

Malthor smirked, but there was no warmth in it. "Exactly."

KAELITH's eyes narrowed. "Explain."

Malthor exhaled sharply, rubbing his forehead as if dealing with a particularly dense student. Then, with a dangerous glint in his eye, he leaned in slightly.

"These bandits? They're predictable." He tapped his temple. "You give them gold, and they'll want more. But here's the trick—" his smirk widened, "they won't just take it immediately."

KAELITH frowned. "Why not?"

Malthor chuckled. "Because they think they're playing me. They'll wait. They'll bide their time, expecting us to lower our guard."

Understanding started to dawn on KAELITH, but he still wasn't fully convinced.

"So, you're saying… you're letting them think they have the upper hand?" KAELITH asked cautiously.

Malthor snapped his fingers, grinning. "Now you're starting to get it. By the time they return for more gold, I'll have already squeezed ten times that amount from the players and NPCs who think I'm their noble protector."

KAELITH raised an eyebrow. "You're using the bandits as a fear tactic?"

Malthor nodded. "Exactly. Right now, I'm a hero. The only reason they're safe is because of me." He spread his arms dramatically. "Do you know how much people are willing to pay for safety?"

KAELITH let out a slow chuckle. "You're baiting them. Letting them believe they're taking advantage of you, when really, you're the one in control."

Malthor's grin returned. "And when they finally come demanding more? We flip the board."

KAELITH sighed, rubbing his temple. "Fine. I overreacted. Just… next time, warn me before flipping the entire game on its head."

Malthor laughed and patted his shoulder. "Where's the fun in that?"

KAELITH crossed his arms, his sharp eyes locked onto Malthor. "This plan has a flaw."

Malthor, still amused, raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Enlighten me, boy."

KAELITH leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "You're going to get caught."

That wiped the smirk off Malthor's face. His amusement didn't vanish entirely, but now he was listening.

KAELITH continued, his voice steady. "Think about it. You paid the bandits off, but what happens after five days? When they return demanding more gold, people will start asking questions. And when players realize you've been playing both sides? Your noble image will collapse."

Malthor rubbed his chin, considering KAELITH's words. The logic was sound, but he didn't like being told his plan had a flaw.

KAELITH smirked, knowing he had Malthor's attention.

"That's why I have a better plan."

Malthor's interest sharpened. "Oh? Let's hear it."

KAELITH leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"After five days, we don't pay the bandits again."

Malthor frowned. "And let them attack?"

KAELITH shook his head. "No. We control the story. We spread the news that the mercenary you personally hired was ambushed by the bandits. He fought valiantly, taking down 80% of them, but was ultimately killed. Now, only a few scattered bandits remain."

Malthor's eyes widened slightly, then a slow grin spread across his face. KAELITH smirked, knowing he had him hooked.

"We tell the players, 'Now is the perfect time for a counterattack!'" KAELITH continued. "We rally them, make it seem like a righteous cause. Brainless players will rush in, thinking they're cleaning up the last of the bandits."

Malthor's grin widened. "Ahh… so instead of paying off the bandits again, we turn this into a war?"

KAELITH nodded. "Exactly. Let them fight, let them bleed, and at the end, we swoop in for the fisherman's benefit. We'll take the best loot, and you? You remain the noble hero who avenged his fallen mercenary."

Malthor burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the air.

"Boy, this brain of yours… I like it!"

KAELITH leaned back against a wooden crate, arms crossed, watching Malthor with an expectant expression. "I think in these five days, we'll only make a little money," he mused. Then, his sharp gaze locked onto Malthor. "Do you have any plans?"

Malthor, standing a few steps away, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. For once, he wasn't grinning like a scheming fox. Instead, he was deep in thought, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his arm.

KAELITH knew that look. Malthor was cooking up something.

The silence stretched between them as Malthor's eyes darted across the marketplace. His mind was clearly piecing together something big, something profitable.

Then, finally, he smirked.

"Oh, I have a plan, alright," Malthor said, his voice dripping with amusement. "A beautiful, profitable plan."

KAELITH raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it."

Malthor turned to him, eyes gleaming with excitement. "But first, tell me something, KAELITH…" He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "How ruthless are you willing to be?"

KAELITH's lips curled into a smirk. "Try me."

Malthor grinned. "Then listen closely…"

And with that, he began to unveil his next grand scheme.