Chapter 474: Cargo
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 474: Cargo
"Faster, faster! Move your asses!"
"Where’s that energy you lot have in a woman’s bed? Stop dragging your feet! Everything has to be moved within the hour!"
"If you don't finish, I'll send every last one of you to guard the doors of a brothel!"
West Port, Lower District, Belland.
The night was thick, and everything was shrouded in deep shadow.
Under the moonlight, the shimmering surface of the water was crowded with ships that had returned to port. The sailors and dockworkers, exhausted from a long day's labor, had already fallen into a deep slumber.
Rat King Sam stood atop a stack of massive wooden crates, his expression grim as he watched his subordinates. They were silently and swiftly unloading cargo from an unremarkable vessel.
They moved like a colony of busy ants.
The crates weren't large—roughly the size of a suitcase—but they appeared incredibly heavy. It often took two grown men working together just to lift one.
Consequently, progress was slow.
Sam was dissatisfied with the pace, but there was nothing he could do. He paced irritably, his boots thudding against the wood, before suddenly turning to the guard beside him.
"Any word?"
"No... nothing!"
The guard gripped an expensive Sound Transmission Magic Device tightly, looking nervous at Sam’s sudden outburst.
"No abnormalities reported yet!"
Upon hearing this, Sam let out a sudden sigh of relief.
The scouting teams hadn't reported anything unusual, which meant everything was going according to plan. The intel he’d received was correct.
Tonight, the Guard Corps was stretched thin due to other assignments, leaving them no time to worry about his business!
Ever since that new Lower District Magistrate took office, the Guard Corps had undergone a massive overhaul. The gangs of the Lower District could no longer get their hooks into the guards. As a result, all operations had to be moved into the shadows, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Fortunately, he still had channels to track the Guard Corps' movements. Otherwise, he would be completely blind.
However, while operations were more difficult now, in other respects...
"It’s different. Everything is different now..."
Sam stared at the cargo, his narrow, squinting eyes burning with a heat like fire.
Indeed, he was no longer that petty rat boss who acted as a "black glove" for greedy nobles, surviving on whatever crumbs fell from their fingers!
He was now the true Rat King, one of the genuine titans of the Lower District—Rat King Sam!
After the events of a few months ago, the power structure of the Lower District had shifted drastically. The once-dominant gangs, the Red Fire Gang and the Hyena Gang, had been wiped out overnight. In the ensuing power vacuum, his Rat Society had naturally seized the opportunity to expand, ruthlessly absorbing the vast territories that once belonged to those two gangs.
Sam wasn't worried that this aggressive expansion would bring disaster. He knew many people were eyeing his share of the meat with envy, but he also knew they wouldn't dare move.
Because he owed his current position to a single, correct choice.
And the current balance of power in the Lower District existed because of that same choice.
Behind him stood that person...
"Lord Sam!"
Someone approached, snapping Sam out of his reverie.
"What is it?"
Sam’s gaze shot toward the man. Though his eyes were small, he felt he now carried a newfound aura of majesty.
"The cargo... there’s a small problem."
The man spoke hesitantly.
"A small problem?"
Sam’s expression instantly turned ferocious. He was short in stature, but when he knit his brows, he looked like a predator about to pounce.
He couldn't afford to be anything but fierce. This shipment was vital—it consisted of high-end magic materials he’d acquired at a great price. By smuggling them in, he avoided the exorbitant tariffs placed on such goods. While smuggling magic materials was a capital offense, if he could sell them successfully, he would make a killing. He might even be able to equip every one of his men with the latest weapons!
But by the same token, if something went wrong... he’d likely have to sell off his favorite casinos and a huge chunk of his territory just to fill the hole in his finances.
"Explain yourself. What kind of 'small problem'? If anything happens to my goods, you’re all going to be selling your asses on the street!"
"No, no, no! It’s not a problem with the cargo. I misspoke."
The man instinctively covered his backside, looking frantic.
"It’s the owner of the goods. He seems to have a new business venture he wants to discuss with you, Lord Sam."
"The owner?"
Sam paused.
His dealings with the owner were conducted through an extremely secretive channel. After all, what he was doing was completely illicit. He didn't even know if the owner was a man or a woman...
And now...
"The owner is here?"
"Yes..."
The subordinate stepped aside, and Sam looked up.
He saw a very unremarkable small boat drifting slowly through the cluster of cargo ships.
The boat bore no markings. Only a single lantern flickered at the bow, as if waiting for someone.
"He’s waiting for me?"
"Yes. He said he wants to discuss a deal with you personally."
"Alone?"
"Just him and one guard."
"Only one guard?"
"Yes. we’ve already checked. It’s just the owner and a single guard."
"Heh, he’s got guts. Isn't he afraid I’ll just kill him and take the goods?"
The Rat King sneered, then turned to look behind him once more.
His personal guard, who never left his side, gave a slight nod, indicating that the lookouts still hadn't detected any trouble.
"Fine then. Let’s go meet this owner."
As an old fox who had survived in the Lower District for a long time, Sam prided himself on his courage. If the other party had extended an invitation, he at least had the guts to show his face.
"You, come with me."
The Rat King gestured to his guard.
After taking a few steps, he added another command:
"The rest of you, get another squad. Keep your eyes on that boat at all times. Wait for my signal!"
"Yes, sir!"
*
Rat King Sam stepped onto the small boat.
It really was just a small boat. Sam couldn't sense even a trace of mana. The guard behind him shook his head, signaling that his detection tools hadn't picked up any pre-installed magic devices either.
Sam looked up at the owner across from him.
It was a rather portly middle-aged man. When he smiled, his eyes were actually smaller than Sam’s.
"You’re Gentleman Gro?"
Sam used the name he knew, even though he was certain it was just a codename.
"Haha! And you must be the esteemed Rat King. A pleasure, a pleasure! I’ve long heard of your illustrious reputation in the Lower District."
Gentleman Gro laughed heartily, appearing incredibly enthusiastic. He reached out as if to give Sam a hug.
Looking at Gro’s mountain-like frame, Sam shuddered and quickly held up a hand to stop him.
"Hold it. Skip the pleasantries. You said you wanted to do more business. First, show me your goods. Let’s see some sincerity."
"Hehe, the Rat King is certainly an impatient man."
Gentleman Gro didn't seem offended by Sam’s blunt tone. He looked around cautiously, then gestured for his black-robed guard to step closer. Only then did he seem to relax. He reached into his clothes and furtively pulled out a small box.
"Look at this, Lord Rat King. This is a treasure that represents a literal mountain of gold."
"A mountain of gold?"
Sam had his guard check the box first. Once he was sure it wasn't a trap, he leaned in curiously to look inside.
But the moment he saw the contents of the small box, his expression shifted violently. He let out a shrill cry:
"Damn it! You call this a 'good thing'?!"