Two days later, Henwell and his group leave Namwon City, continuing northwest.
Three days after their departure, a squad of elite Golden Capital knights rides out overnight, speeding south.
Unaware of this, Henwell’s group settles in a small town.
Henwell gathers everyone. “Today, I’ve spotted signs of assassins. I think we’ve been marked. From now on, all our food and water must be tested by —avoid eating anything else if possible.”
”Also, whether we’re traveling or resting, stay alert to anyone approaching us.”
”Rember: no matter if it’s an old person or a child, if they co within ten ters, be ready to strike and kill imdiately. Whatever their reason for coming close, stay vigilant. Keep in mind, we’re fully armored cavalry—no commoner dares approach us. Our status as nobles makes us untouchable to them. They wouldn’t even dare glance our way, let alone get close!”
”So anyone coming near is likely an assassin. Pay special attention to the elderly, won, and children—those who lower our guard.”
”Assassins aren’t warriors; their goal is to kill their target. They won’t risk a direct fight. Poison, hidden weapons, traps—these are their tools.”
”From now on, we won’t take shortcuts or side paths. Official roads may be longer, but they’re busy with people, making traps harder to set. Plus, they’re better for our carts and won’t slow us down much.”
With that, Henwell orders his n to bring out dozens of compact crossbows and heavy crossbows.
He looks at Orak’s knights. “I know so of you look down on these crossbows. You’re knights trained in formal combat, and you see these weapons—capable of letting a farr sneak up from behind and kill a knight—as dishonorable.”
”But here’s the truth: a weapon is a weapon. Killing is its purpose. Whether you’re cut down by a finely forged longsword or shot by a hidden crossbow bolt, it’s the sa to the enemy.”
”And your enemies think the sa way. This isn’t a battlefield for glory anymore. You’re protecting Orak now. Your top priority is to keep him safe and kill any enemies who co at us by any ans necessary.”
After Henwell finishes speaking, Orak steps forward willingly and, under Henwell’s guidance, equips one of the concealed crossbows. Seeing their lord do this, the other knights, no matter how reluctant, follow suit and arm themselves as well.
Everyone present understands Henwell’s point. Yet, years of training and tradition make them trust their longswords more deeply. Henwell gets their mindset but isn’t worried. Humans are stubborn creatures! Only when pushed to the edge, especially when their lives are at risk, do they quickly adapt to new thods.
Henwell believes the relentless assassination attempts ahead will teach these orthodox knights how to kill by any ans necessary.
From then on, Barnett takes over the group’s role assignnts and arrangents. This young man has been studying under Chick, mastering both assassination and counter-assassination tactics. He knows how to deploy the fewest people for the best protective and early-warning asures.
Though Henwell himself knows a lot about assassination, he rarely executes it firsthand. Chick is different—back in Yinxin City, he led the Pi operations team. Pi’s assassination and protection missions were all carried out under Chick’s command. Now, as Peace Haven’s chief intelligence officer, Chick deals with these matters constantly. His practical experience far exceeds Henwell’s, and his students are excellent too.
After Henwell hears Barnett’s flawless plan, he confidently entrusts the matter to him.
The next day, when they set off, Henwell’s group doesn’t buy any supplies but leaves the town imdiately. This completely ruins the assassins’ carefully laid poison plot.
In the following days, Henwell and his group cover 60 to 70 kiloters daily. Besides lodging, they don’t stop to purchase any provisions. Their accommodations are always the best inns in town, sotis even city mansions. This leaves no chance for the assassins to strike.
There are still so reckless assassins who try to get close to the group through various disguises. But before they can even approach, they’re driven off from a distance. The rest of them press forward are swiftly and decisively killed by Henwell’s n without hesitation.
At first, Orak’s knights feel this level of killing is a bit too harsh and arbitrary. However, when Barnett and others search the bodies and find all sorts of poisoned weapons hidden on them, the knights beco increasingly wary of anyone approaching.
Over a few days, more than a dozen people—old, young, n, and won—are killed. None are exceptions; all are assassins concealed with deadly weapons.
Seeing how alert Henwell’s group is, many assassins find the situation frustratingly difficult. This team is like a spiked turtle shell. There’s simply no way to strike!
As for charging straight at Henwell’s team? No assassin even considers it. Though they’re killers who don’t fear death, they’re not fools rushing to their doom.
This is a force of over fifty fully armored knights. How could anyone just charge headfirst? Even a thousand elite soldiers wouldn’t dare to assault such a formation, especially with Henwell, a Grand Knight, leading them.
After accepting the contract, the assassins study Henwell carefully. Discovering he’s a Grand Knight, they realize they can’t match him with brute force—they have to rely on cunning.
But assassins have only a few tricks: poison, hidden weapons, traps. Henwell’s group never gives them the chance to use any of these.
So assassins consider kidnapping the target’s family to force submission. But let’s be real—how far away are the target’s relatives? Who would they even kidnap? The Duke of the Southwest of the Vorry Kingdom? Or the beloved daughter of the Duke of the Eastern Territory?
Co on! If they had that kind of capability, why waste ti as assassins?
So the assassins have no clue how to attack Henwell’s group.
Since none of these options work, they turn to exploiting natural choke points and dangerous terrain.
Now, all the assassin factions are huddled over maps, carefully tracing Henwell’s route to find any possible weak spots to exploit.
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