Chapter 12: Riches from Chaos

"Is he awake yet?" the boss said.

"No. He said he's been shitting a lot and now he's shivering. Miasma got to his flesh, it seems."

"Take him outta his misery, then!"

"That’s unnecessary, boss. He should be well by tomorrow."

The boss sighed. "Whatever. The ship’ll be comin’ a few days and you’re gon’ join us."

"How many will be left?"

"Half. Don’t worry ‘bout ‘em, Farisle’s only a week’s travel. I’ll be back with more men."

Once I was left alone, I peeked outside. The plunder pile made a small hill. With that much plunder they could hire way more men than they lost and still have more money in reserve. After this, I’d make sure to ask the lizardfolk for some of those as a bonus. Just a crate might fetch me a fortune!

For hours I pretended to sleep. My "chills" were gone by dusk and I assured the doctor I'd be fine by tomorrow. I thought these humans ate better than the lizardfolk, but I couldn’t even bother to swallow this slimy slop. They just tossed spices in there and called it a delicacy. I just ate more bread.

It was night at last. Everyone was asleep except for the guards. Oil lamps lit the watchtowers. Although brighter than the torches scattered about, such small fire didn't provide enough illumination. Taking into account their visual adaptation to the darkness, it shouldn’t be a problem sneaking around.

It was [Camouflage(Apprentice)] ’s time to shine.

I activated the skill and turned partially invisible, but difficult to spot in darkness. But it was useless when ascending a creaky ladder, so I gave up on it.

The guard hummed to keep himself from getting drowsy. A cup of what smelled like coffee sat on a table not far.

“Who’s there?”

I emerged. “Want some coffee?”

"Call out first when you’re climbing, buck!”

"Sorry. I couldn't sleep, so I walked around."

"So where’s the coffee?”

"That's why I asked. Can’t make a cup if no one wants it."

He sighed. "Agaphonet’s... it's in the kitchen, obviously. The kettle should still have some."

"Right, thanks."

“And call out when you’re climbing! I don’t want the depths taking me yet.”

Once he was seated, I waited for him to settle. This should be an easy kill. I made sure to hide behind the chair’s shadow so the kill remained unseen from the other towers.

I thrust the knife from below the guard’s jaw, burying it deep into his brain. He didn’t resist, shaking slightly as he plopped dead. I left the knife lodged up his head and sat him back as if he’s asleep.

After the first guard, I struck the next. Same attack, different knife. And then the other. Once the guards were dead I snuck towards the cage. No one was guarding it. A huge lizardman was alerted by my presence.

"Shush, your Elder Atala sent me here."

He didn’t hesitate and leaned forward to whisper. "I knew she’d come for us! What’s the plan?”

After telling him, I left him a knife, which he quickly hid under his lap. I moved on to unlock the gate and leaving it ajar, then sneaking past a patrolling guard on the battlements. With that, my job should be over.

I waited for the raiders to arrive. My heart raced as I sat in the hospital. I'd never been this nervous in my life, not even when I dealt with gangs in Memphis. Every second that passed felt like an hour.

My impatience whispered evil thoughts to me. That I could just put matters into my hand and kill everyone here here before the lizards arrived. I'd gotten strong enough already, anyway.

I shook my head. Carelessness already killed me. I couldn’t afford to lose my precious second life.

My brain felt itchy from the waiting. I paced around in the darkness, anticipating for any unusual sounds that indicated the lizard’s presence.

A man climbed up one of the watchtower. My heart sank as I watched him clamber off the ladder.

"Oh, fuck."

I ran towards the tower, but a patrol appeared right in front of me.

"What hell is wrong with you?"

"I uh..." I looked up. The man on the tower was shaking the guard. "I wanna shit."

"The latrines are that way, buck."

With one push, the guard fell to the floor. The man panicked after realizing he was dead, drawing his "pistol" from his holster.

Fuck it all, I’ll do it on my own.

Before I could take another step, an arrow whistled from the dark, hitting the target on the head.

"What the..." I said, astonished.

The patrol turned around to witness the man fall with a loud thud. Before he could yell, I grabbed his neck and broke it.

"They are finally here!”

I rushed to the cage and alerted the lizards. Ropes were cut swiftly, sparing not even a second. A volley of whistling arrows rained down the fort, urging me to unlock the cage.

Once freed, the lizards yelled a deafening battle cry, bewildering the slavers that scrambled to defend from the raid. The lizards poured out and dominated anyone in the way, stealing their weapons.

The gate slammed open. A group of lizards led by Atala herself emerged from the darkness, shooting and slashing any poor souls that came across them.

While they were busy with the chaos, I headed for the captain's cabin. I should at least loot some valuables from this damned fort.

It was chaos inside the keep. Men scrambled to arm themselves, some didn’t even bother and picked the nearest blunt object. A lot of them spared wearing pants and shirts and charged outside with unloaded guns. Yup, everyone will die.

I rushed to the second floor where the boss’s quarters should be. As soon as I got there, the boss emerged from his room, armed to the teeth. And his gun had two barrels instead of one.

"What the hell are you doin’ ‘ere? Get your ass to battle!"

"That’s not happening, buck."

I launched a fireball to his face. It exploded, causing him to panic as he tried to snuff the fire. Without wasting any time, I activated [Ironskin(Journeyman)] and mustered my whole strength in one single kick to his chest. He flew backwards, splintering the wooden door before hitting the floor unconscious.

I didn't want to kill him. Not yet. I wanted someone else to take care of him.

The room didn't seem much. After rummaging through the containers I found several valuables that made me salivate. Jewelries, colorful gems, and pouches of silver and gold coins piled on the table as I searched for more.

“This should be enough,” I said as I giddily put the valuables into a bag.

I watched the battle unfold from the window. Although the outsiders outnumbered the lizardfolk, being taken by surprise at night led to a slaughter. The outsiders fell one by one. The most violent lizards were those caged ones. Torn limbs flew, skulls and bones crunched, and yells of men dying in the most painful way played out. So this was war. A primal one. Up close and personal.

The battle lasted until dawn, when the orange sunlight began seeping from the ocean's horizon. The remaining survivors were lined up on the yard.

I dragged the boss out of the keep, hiding the treasures in his body. I also stole a coat and a leather tricorn from his dresser and wore them. Atala was yet to decide what to do with the survivors, so I grabbed the chance to negotiate for the boss.

"Keep him alive? What for?" she said, annoyed. She looked even more intimating with blood splattered on her face and body, and her spear still had some pieces of flesh latched on it.

"For my friend. She wants information from the slavers."

She thought for a bit, then smiled. "Then I shall grant it as a reward for your competence.”

“Oh this one is a freebie. I want a different bonus.”

"Then tell me what you want."

"Everything in this fort, excluding the people, of course."

She laughed hard, attracting the other warriors’ attention.

"You are quite the kidder, outsider. No. We will reclaim what is stolen and burn the rest."

"Ten crates of spices – the common ones. You got them all back, anyway.”

"A sack of purple patutl. That is more than enough for your effort." She said. She walked close and looked down at me. I loved her underboobs.

"That's how much your kin cost? Not a good attitude for a leader."

I struck a chord, earning me a sharp glare. Found a weak spot.

"Surely your people are worth more than any spices in the jungle."

"You deserve to be loathed,” she said, but not entirely out of hatred, “five crates of common spices and nothing more. But I’ll take that prisoner—”

"Nope. He's my prisoner. I beat him."

The boss man woke up and began yelling. I knocked him out with a knee to his chin.

"I would have personally torn your limbs off if not for your usefulness."

I smiled. "What happened to me playing a part in your fate? Remember, we’re still gonna have sex after this."

She just glared at me. “Or I will tie you to a pole and drain your chturus myself.”

I approached closer until her tits were within lick-reach. “I might enjoy that.” She hissed in response. “Well then, I’ll be tagging along with the going-home bunch. I’m looking forward to the sex.”

It didn’t really matter if I got any of the spices. I looted valuables, anyway, plus I still had the gems I stole from the cult. But with the crates of spices, it should provide me enough funds to establish my own trading company.

“My life is about to begin in this new world,” I said enthusiastically, dragging the poor boss man against the muddy ground.

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