Chapter 28

Chapter 28

On the central avenue of Port Columbus, a luxurious carriage departed from the Hillston villa district, rounded the intersection of Cross Street and the Municipal Square, and headed straight forward.

Inside the carriage, soft carpets covered the floor, and furniture such as a daybed, sofa, and table were arranged, turning it into a comfortable room on wheels.

The mayor, dressed in a sapphire-blue ceremonial robe, held a goblet, sipping fine wine while pondering aloud, "Has Lester softened his stance? If he remains stubborn, invite him as a guest tomorrow. I want to discuss raising the tax rate with him. Hmph, what a cunning fellow—he's probably waiting for my invitation."

"When extending the invitation, make sure he's aware of the schedule. I'll be heading to the capital the morning after tomorrow and won't have time for further 'amicable discussions' with him! Hmph, there's no need to lower our demands. These merchants have already sucked enough blood from our citizens! Also, arrange for our people in the capital... have them ready by tomorrow night..."

A steady-looking man dressed as an assistant swiftly recorded the mayor's instructions, without a superfluous word or movement and asking no questions about the upcoming schedule.

As the highest-ranking and most powerful figure in Port Columbus, Biller had numerous mistresses. However, in the relatively conservative atmosphere of Hoplar, this was a vulnerability easily exploited by political rivals. Thus, even as mayor, he could only meet his mistresses in secret.

The day after tomorrow, he would leave Port Columbus, staying in the capital for anywhere from a week to a month. Today, he planned to visit his most favored mistress of the past year. To spend more time with her, he had installed the young woman, who had just turned eighteen, in a villa within the Hillston district.

This was undoubtedly a bold move, yet it seemed to bring him greater pleasure.

The carriage slowly made its way to an extremely opulent villa. Inside, a vast garden was filled with vivid red roses.

Across from the garden villa, Pelan's gaze never left Biller's carriage.

He watched as Biller alighted from the luxurious carriage and, at the entrance of another villa not far from his own home, warmly embraced the beautiful young woman who came to greet him.

Two people followed closely behind him: one was his assistant, who appeared young yet steady; the other was a middle-aged man in a black mage's robe, with brown hair and blue eyes, his face stern and expressionless.

As for the other guards, they were dispersed outside the building.

Pelan leaned out and glanced at Lou Guanyue outside the carriage, whispering, "Yue, should we go inside?"

"Of course," Lou Guanyue nodded slightly. "We haven't checked inside the villa. We can't be sure whether the 'suspicious target' has arrived ahead of time."

Pelan couldn't help but frown. "But for a high-ranking official like Biller, his guards might carry magic items that can detect concealment potions. We might not be able to approach easily."

"Do you trust me, Teacher?" Lou Guanyue tilted his head, then saw the young man nod without hesitation, a stubborn lock of curly hair on his head bobbing along.

Suppressing the urge to smooth down that lock of hair, Lou Guanyue took a yellow paper talisman from his pocket and placed it on Pelan's back, smiling faintly. "This is a magic item that can conceal both form and aura. It's fully capable of evading detection by ordinary alchemical tools."

Pelan tried to look over his own shoulder, not hiding his doubt. This seemingly ordinary piece of paper was actually a magic item?

But he couldn't sense even a trace of elemental fluctuation on it. Could it really work?

Seeing Pelan's disbelief, Lou Guanyue offered no explanation. He took out another stealth talisman and attached it to himself.

Pelan's eyes widened in an instant—the man who had been standing right in front of him had vanished into thin air!

And throughout this process, he hadn't felt a single wisp of Spatial Magic element.

How was this possible?

Lou Guanyue watched as Pelan stood frozen for a moment, then saw excitement and curiosity sparkle in his eyes.

A thought crossing his mind, Lou Guanyue curled his lips slightly. He then took two steps closer, his slender fingers threading through Pelan's hair, gently twirling around that stubbornly upturned little curl.

Before Pelan could say anything, Lou Guanyue bent down and whispered by his ear, "Teacher, are you still here?"

So he couldn't see him...

Pelan nodded, then remembered Lou Guanyue couldn't see the gesture, so he also lowered his voice and said, "Mm, let's go in now."

He had only taken a few steps forward when his wrist was grabbed.

Lou Guanyue's helpless voice sounded by his ear. "If we just walk over like this, we might be discovered."

His handsome brows furrowed again. Pelan pursed his lips and asked, "Then how do we get in?"

"Follow me."

Somehow, Lou Guanyue managed it. They weaved their way around, encountering very few people along the route. Even when guards glanced their way, they noticed nothing amiss.

The two silently scaled the villa's wall, crossed the garden, and arrived at the side of the building.

Pelan looked up at the high wall, a hint of hesitation on his face.

Should he use levitation magic? As a child, he had never succeeded in climbing trees. Now, relying on his hands alone, scaling it seemed nearly impossible. But using magic carried a significant risk of being detected by the guards.

As he hesitated, a hand suddenly wrapped around his waist. Pelan instinctively wanted to struggle, but reason forced him to suppress the impulse.

The next moment, he was whisked away by Lou Guanyue, disappearing from the spot and landing with a soft thud on the second-floor balcony.

Steadying himself, Pelan whispered a thank you, feeling a twinge of envy. *Are all martial artists this incredible? Just a casual leap can effortlessly carry someone this high. That's much more convenient and impressive than magic...*

More guards were present inside the villa. Neither of them spoke, silently making their way further in.

The layout of the villas in the Hillston district was largely similar. Based on the intelligence provided by Ms. Judith, they easily located the master bedroom. The door wasn't locked, allowing them to slip inside without difficulty.

The moment he stepped into the room, Pelan caught a faint, elusive fragrance, carrying an indescribably alluring quality.

Carefully closing the door behind them, Pelan paused for a few seconds before hearing the faint sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

He tugged on Yue's sleeve, about to ask if they should leave the room first, when a series of footsteps echoed from the corridor outside.

Startled, Pelan had no time to react before Lou Guanyue pulled him into a nearby wardrobe.

Crouched inside the wardrobe, Pelan slowed his breathing, intently listening to the sounds outside.

The footsteps faded away outside the master bedroom. Shortly after, they heard the door being opened.

However, the person didn't approach, seemingly just standing at the bedroom entrance to survey the room. Soon, they heard the door being gently closed again.

After waiting a while longer with no further anomalies, Pelan let out a sigh of relief. Belatedly, he realized their current posture was perhaps overly intimate.

The interior of the wardrobe was cramped, barely accommodating the frames of two men. They had to press closely together just to stand within the confined space.

He was almost entirely encircled in Lou Guanyue's embrace. The body behind him was intimately pressed against his back, allowing him to clearly feel the other's body heat and the distinct rise and fall of his chest.

Pelan instantly stiffened all over.

He shifted slightly, trying to create a bit of distance between them.

Yet, the moment his leg moved ever so slightly, the long, powerful arm resting around his waist tightened its grip, pulling him closer without room for argument. A whisper brushed against his ear, "Don't move. They've come out."

Pelan's body grew even more rigid.

The man's warm breath brushed against the back of his ear. That patch of skin felt as if scalded, involuntarily sending a shiver through him.

Pelan dared not move, much less push Lou Guanyue away at this moment, for he too could now hear the sounds of movement within the bedroom.

The sound of water had stopped at some point. Biller held his mistress close as they returned to the bedroom, steam drifting from the bathroom, as if to envelop the entire room.

In the opulent room, the two sank onto the velvet duvet, while the flimsy garments casually tossed over the rocking chair swayed gently.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to miss you so much while I'm gone. Here, put on this new one I bought for you... You look so beautiful..."

Soon, the soft, seductive voice of a woman filled the room, accompanied by the low, heavy panting of a man.

To encounter something so private on his first eavesdropping job threw Pelan off balance and left him flustered.

As if a fire were spreading, a wave of heat washed over Pelan, especially from the palm resting on his waist, so hot it felt like it would burn him.

He closed his eyes helplessly, certain his cheeks were now an alarming shade of red, while Yue... Yue was probably laughing at him inwardly.

"The incense in the room is off," Lou Guanyue whispered in his ear.

His gaze swept over the pale neck of the person in his arms, unsurprisingly noticing a faint blush spreading across it, and the corners of his lips curled up silently.

He glanced at the passionately entangled couple on the bed and gave a slight, deliberate twitch of his fingers.

The wardrobe door suddenly and silently swung open, facing directly toward the bed.

A faint light seeped in. Realizing something was wrong, Pelan’s eyes widened abruptly, and a flicker of panic flashed in his gaze as he saw the door was open.

Could it be they had been discovered? They would likely be treated as assassins now.

However, the fiery couple on the bed remained oblivious. With flushed cheeks, Pelan averted his gaze and felt a wave of relief when he looked toward the tightly shut bedroom door.

Fortunately, no one had entered. But how had the wardrobe door suddenly opened? Had he accidentally pushed it open while fidgeting?

There was no time to ponder the answer. Pelan’s eyes quickly scanned the master bedroom, searching for another way to leave.

His attention wasn’t on Lou Guanyue, so he failed to notice the faint trace of amusement on the man’s handsome face, a sign of successful mischief.

Fortunately, another room connected to the master bedroom. He hurriedly pulled Lou Guanyue out of the wardrobe and closed the door behind them.

Once they reached the study door, Pelan quietly opened it and slipped into the small room.

Before he could even sigh in relief, Lou Guanyue chuckled softly and said, "Teacher, hiding here isn’t a wise choice, is it?"

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Author's Note: Pelan: ...!! >_<

Lou Guanyue: ^_^