Free Web NovelBefore dusk, a wind picked up in the northern canyon.
Louis stood on a high ground, looking down at the narrow carriage path below.
“They really took this route,” he murmured.
Scouts had already locked onto the Silver Plate caravan’s daily itinerary.
Departing in the evening, avoiding the main road, taking a small path, and traveling through the canyon.
This convoy was deeply hidden, but he had managed to uncover its movements in advance.
On both sides of the canyon, traps such as horse pits and rockfall zones had already been set, with extremely subtle markers.
Several signal torches were hidden at strategic high points, ready to be used as rallying signals at any moment.
Movable barricades were arranged at both ends of the passage, and once activated, it would be like catching a turtle in a jar. Lambert, following orders, had assembled thirty Red Tide Elite Knights and fifty Regular Knights, all battle-hardened veterans.
“Try to leave them alive,” was Louis’s demand.
To lure the enemy into the trap, he deliberately arranged for two Knights to appear to be on a casual patrol along the caravan's route.
This forced the enemy to enter the canyon early and accelerate, stepping into the trap.
The trap was set.
He just waited for the prey to fall into the net, and thankfully, he didn't have to wait long.
As the last carriage slowly drove into the heart of the canyon, the signal Knights, who had been ambushed on both sides, raised their torches almost simultaneously.
“Light the fires—!”
Flames flared in the wind, and the ambushing Knights, receiving the signal, immediately activated the traps.
In an instant, the canyon entrances at both ends closed like the jaws of a giant beast.
Boom!
Rolling boulders mixed with dust-raising wooden barricades crashed down, trapping the entire convoy within the valley!
The horse pits in front suddenly collapsed, and several leading warhorses neighed in panic, leaping into the air.
Iron hooves stomped wildly, carriage shafts tilted, several carriages overturned, rolling logs smashed through tarpaulins, and cries of agony and curses echoed in unison!
“Charge!” Lambert led the charge, and the Red Tide Iron Cavalry vanguard surged in like an angry tide!
Battle aura focused on his sword, blazing crimson like a fiery serpent, trailing several feet of light, illuminating the entire canyon!
Before the blades arrived, the chill was already bone-piercing.
Several short, sharp screams tore through the silence. The caravan's captain of the guard had just raised his command flag, but before he could issue an order.
He was struck by a sweeping battle aura slash from his horse, sent flying, smashing into a nearby carriage board, and blood splattered three feet high!
The escorts by the prison cart at the rear turned back in a hurry, but before they could draw their blades, they were individually tackled by Knights descending from above, heavily suppressed, and disintegrated in an instant.
“Sectional cutting successful!” Lambert's gaze was like a blade, scanning the battle, then he raised his sword and pointed to the high slope, “Elite forces,
Press on!”
However, in the center of the convoy, ten sharp battle auras suddenly rose, like cold, sharp needles, erupting from the ground.
They were silver lights, condensed like cold iron, sharp as spears piercing the air!
“They’re here...” His gaze darkened.
Ten Silver Plate guards in grey armor flashed out like specters, silently entering the battle.
Silver battle aura swirled around them, like fragmented snow in the wind, or sharp blades cutting through the air.
They were few in number, but each possessed astonishing combat power, far surpassing Elite Knights.
These were experts meticulously trained by the Guild, specifically for escorting covert operations.
Though the Red Tide Knights had a numerical advantage, their formation was instantly torn apart.
Amidst the swirling battle aura storm, red and silver intertwined, like two raging tides colliding, and the battle intensified sharply!
“Don’t let them break through!” Lambert roared, crimson battle aura erupting from his feet as he stomped the rock wall and leaped, his sword like a meteor,
Instantly blocking the path!
A head-on clash!
His sword pointed directly at a Silver Plate leader, and the two battle auras collided in mid-air, creating distorted halos of light and thunderous roars!
Though the Red Tide Iron Cavalry held a numerical advantage, they were temporarily thwarted by these ten grey-armored experts.
Some fought three opponents at once, yet remained steady and unyielding, their movements as swift as shadows.
Suddenly, the mountain slopes on both sides made a “click” sound—the rockfall zones activated!
Crushed stones and rolling logs poured down like rain, disrupting the Silver Plate experts’ footing. In a momentary opening, Lambert delivered a piercing thrust, swift as lightning!
Boom!
He struck like a falling meteor, forcefully sending a Silver Plate guard flying several yards, smashing through a carriage!
Another expert attempted to use the momentum to leap towards the rear of a carriage, hoping to break out of the chaotic battle, but was intercepted mid-air by Lambert, who leaped and cut him off at the waist!
“Go back.”
As he spoke, the red sword wrapped around like a serpent, battle aura infused, a single strike to the throat, stunning the opponent and sending him crashing to the ground.
And at the very end, Karlan was frantically searching through an oilcloth-wrapped package, his face filled with madness.
He pulled out several tightly folded intelligence documents, lit a torch, and raised it, intending to burn them.
“Too late.”
Amidst a hoarse whisper, Lambert suddenly appeared, delivering a fierce elbow strike to his back. Karlan was sent flying several meters, tumbling with the torch into the mud!
The torch fell, sparks flew, but failed to ignite the documents.
Karlan still tried to struggle and turn over, but he already saw a longsword held at his throat.
Lambert’s expression was grim, firelight flickering in his eyes.
“It’s over.”
The ambush battle concluded here.
The dust had not yet settled, and the canyon was a mess.
And Karlan, who was firmly pinned to the ground, still maintained a faint smile on his lips.
He wore a half-open grey robe, his face smeared with dirt and sparks, yet he still surveyed the situation with his experienced eyes.
“Hmm... I think you might have misunderstood something.” He coughed, trying to make his voice sound more like an innocent merchant, “I’m a junior steward of the Iceflame Merchant Guild, I’m just here to transport some medicinal herbs—”
He hadn't finished speaking when a young yet undeniable voice came from the edge of the canyon: “You’re from the Silver Plate Guild, aren’t you?”
Karlan’s expression froze, and he suddenly looked up.
Footsteps approached from afar, and a young man in a dark red cloak slowly walked down the slope, the sound of his boots on the gravel seemingly echoing in one's heart.
He did not draw his sword, nor did he release battle aura, and he even looked somewhat too young.
But the air throughout the canyon seemed to instantly drop a few degrees.
Karlan’s eyelids twitched violently, and a strong sense of alarm rose in his heart.
How could this be? How did he know about us? There was no hint of our team’s movement beforehand!
The route was randomly chosen, and even the goods were disguised!
Unless... Joseph Kaladi tampered with something?
“Who are you?” Karlan gritted his teeth, still trying to buy time, “Do you know how much responsibility the words ‘Silver Plate’ carry? You’re just a bandit. Release me, and my merchant guild can offer you a generous ransom.”
“The ledger,” Louis said, unmoved.
Lambert immediately took out the thick, oilcloth-wrapped ledger from his pouch and handed it over.
Louis flipped through a few pages, his fingertips paused, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
“Southwest Border Garrison Daily Rations Conversion Table,” “Southeast Line Knight Deployment Progress: Third Batch Estimated Arrival Time.”
Every line of handwriting was meticulous and neat, clearly penned by a noble.
On the most crucial page, the signature was clearly visible.
“Joseph Kaladi.”
This was the leverage he had given the Silver Plate Guild, showing his sincerity.
But he never expected it to end up in Louis’s hands.
Louis also hadn't expected Joseph Kaladi to be so audacious.
He closed the ledger, his fingertips lightly tapping the cover, as if weighing something.
“You said you’re an ordinary merchant.”
Karlan forced a smile: “Perhaps that Sir Kaladi is the real problem. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
You see, I’m just an intermediary, responsible for transportation, I haven’t even inspected the goods. If you really want to arrest someone, you should go find him.”
Louis slowly walked closer, stopping in front of Karlan, looking down at him.
He didn't speak.
Only a slight smile played at the corner of his lips, a look of amusement.
It was the expression of a superior, disdainful of explanation, and unwilling to argue, simply waiting for you to finish speaking, then deciding your fate.
Karlan’s smile instantly froze, and cold sweat dripped down his neck.
He finally realized that this young man, not much older than himself, was not an ordinary officer who could be fooled with excuses.
He didn't even know the young man's background, but his intuition told him that this was not someone to be trifled with.
Karlan’s face darkened, and he changed his tone, deep but solemn: “Who exactly are you?”
Louis didn't answer.
He just looked down at him, like a hunter watching the last struggles of his prey.
Karlan’s eyes flickered, weighing for a moment, then he suddenly showed a confident smile: “I understand. You’re not a soldier fighting for your life, you’re a smart man.”
He spat out a mouthful of blood, and whispered: “If you let me go now, I can make an offer. A real offer.”
“The Silver Plate Guild never mistreats those who know how to adapt. As long as you are willing—”
He looked up, his voice slow and tempting:
“You can become a partner of Silver Plate. We have resources, channels, and Federal councilors backing us.
Even vacant seats in certain noble councils or a territory, you will have everything you desire.
Gold coins, slaves, land, special operating licenses, we can arrange it all.
You want women? An entire troupe is not a problem. You want territory? Control over Federal lands, I can speak for you.
Just a nod from you, and no one will pursue this ambush.”
Karlan looked at Louis, trying to find a trace of wavering in his eyes.
And Louis laughed.
Not with sarcasm, not with anger, ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) but with genuine amusement, as if he had heard some absurd joke. freewebnσvel.cѳm
How could the son of Duke Calvin, the future son-in-law of the Lord of the North, the Calvin Family’s plenipotentiary in the North, the Governor of Snowpeak County, the Sun of Red Tide Territory, be moved by these things?
Louis looked at the old fox's eyes, desperately trying to control the situation, his tone gentle yet filled with disdain: “You think I’m after these things?”
He turned to Lambert: “Escort him personally, along with all prisoners and evidence, to Frost Halberd City, and hand them over to Duke Calvin for judgment. I believe there are professionals there who will make him talk.”
Lambert knelt on one knee, responding solemnly: “As you command.”
Karlan’s face instantly turned pale, as if his throat had been squeezed. He struggled to shout: “Wait! You don’t understand! You don’t know what you’re getting involved in! The Silver Plate Guild is not something you can—”
Slap!
Lambert delivered a swift backhand slap, rendering him speechless, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
He forced his eyes open, but his spirit was already broken.
As he was led away, he continued to twist in vain, but received no response.
The slaves in the iron cages were also escorted along, even including underage girls who were not yet “finished products.”
Their eyes were vacant, having lost themselves, but now, those cold numbers and transaction receipts would become ironclad evidence.
Tens of thousands of gold coins, sealed wooden boxes bearing the Silver Plate emblem, and Joseph Kaladi’s personal letter.
They really went all out.
Louis stood in the center of the canyon, watching the escort team slowly recede into the distance.
He did not pocket the wealth, tempting as it was.
If he had touched such things himself, it would have left him vulnerable.
It was better to hand it all over to Duke Edmund; he would know how to use the situation to launch an attack.
At the imperial level, this was already a shocking case.
A noble colluding with the enemy and committing treason, an entire smuggling and infiltration chain exposed, even implicating a core Federal merchant guild.
And he was the one who broke it all open.
