The “big shot” the half-orc had mentioned arrived at the scene very quickly.
With shiny leather boots and a meticulous collar, if not for his tall stature and muscular arms, Green would have thought the man was an elite from the Imperial Ace Unit Staff Department.
And indeed, he was.
Noticing the large array of shining medals on the Orc Staff Officer’s chest, Green realized that Old Andy’s “conspiracy” was about to succeed.
This person was definitely a powerful figure in the entire frontline headquarters.
In that case…
Green’s mind raced, “Once he sees this batch of ‘goods,’ he definitely won’t allow them to leak out; instead, he will seize them properly.”
As for where they would be seized?
The answer was already obvious.
Green looked toward the majestic Manor Mansion standing on the mountainside, far away from the central market.
It was the residence where the orc hero, General Love, settled after retirement.
Thud, thud.
The Orc Staff Officer did not notice Green’s subtle gaze and began to personally open the carriage, fulfilling his “inspection” duty.
“Too much Contraband.”
Although the staff officer’s expression didn’t flicker in the slightest, when he personally spoke those words that were clearly a lie, Green distinctly perceived the man’s heart skip several beats.
Heh, he’s hooked as expected.
Contraband?
Of course it was Contraband. The problem was, if one took a casual look at the central market, where could they see anyone enforcing the law?
Why did the attitude suddenly change here?
They say orcs do not understand conspiracies and tricks and prefer to be direct, but I see that many years ago, they already mastered all the good and bad strategies of the human Empire without a teacher.
“You… this human gentleman.” Unlike the half-orc beside him who didn’t hesitate to hide his strength and kept baring his teeth and claws at Andy, the Orc Staff Officer spoke in a refined and gentle manner, completely contrary to the impression people of the Empire had of the “orc” race.
He had a bright smile and waved his hands with enthusiastic words, “First of all, I would like to express my welcome to all of you on behalf of the Kingdom.”
“Although people always say that there must be a war between the Kingdom and the human Empire, I hold a different opinion. I believe you merchants feel the same way, don’t you?”
The Orc Staff Officer asked in a pleasant tone.
If not for the inadvertent glimmer in his eyes, Green would have almost thought the Orc Staff Officer before him was truly some hospitable and friendly person who had transcended racial prejudice.
“Good cop and bad cop, the carrot and the stick; these truly are tactics that never fail.”
Green, who had seen similar “conspiracies” countless times in his real life as an adventurer, instantly saw through the other party’s seemingly cunning strategy.
Not only him, but even the Princess beside him was rolling her eyes in her heart.
“Of course, of course!” However, compared to the indifference of the two people beside him, Andy, as the boss, acted incredibly grateful, nearly kneeling on the spot to thank the other party for his “friendship.”
“It is my honor to be friends with a young talent like you!”
He bowed and nodded repeatedly.
“However, since we are friends, well, there are some things we still need to talk about openly.”
The Orc Staff Officer changed his tone and asked in a calm voice, “This batch of goods, unfortunately, is all Contraband. Because it violates our country’s laws, it cannot be sold publicly.”
“Ah?” Andy showed just the right amount of shock, his eyes wide as he wailed, “But, but milord, this, this, this batch of goods was obtained with great effort, almost at the cost of my life. If you prohibit the sale, I, I…”
“Don’t worry.” The Orc Staff Officer shook his head with a beaming smile, looking like a compassionate man as he laughed, “My human gentleman, didn’t I just say it? I treat you as friends. Since we are friends, how could I have the heart to let you lose everything?”
“It’s just that, although I can indeed make some allowances in certain places, well, you know, human gentleman, the custom among our orc friends is to emphasize reciprocity…”
The Orc Staff Officer did not finish his sentence, but the meaning was already very clear.
“This, but, but…”
Bang.
While Andy was still “hesitating,” the half-orc playing the bad cop stomped his foot heavily. That murderous aura struck again, forcing the poor and helpless Andy to do nothing but tremble.
“But what?!” the half-orc roared. “Hey human, don’t mistake the Staff Officer’s politeness for weakness. This is the territory of our glorious and great orc warriors, not a place where you lowly humans can act wild!”
Slap!
The half-orc wanted to say more, but he was struck directly with a slap. In an instant, his fat face swelled with redness.
“Staff Officer?” The half-orc stepped back a few paces in confusion. Even though his face was burning with pain, he didn’t have even a bit of his original arrogance when facing the Staff Officer’s unprovoked physical assault.
“You, since when do you have the qualification to speak on behalf of the orcs?”
The Orc Staff Officer asked coldly.
“I, I know I was wrong!”
Hearing this, the half-orc immediately broke into a sweat and apologized.
“Oh, my human gentleman, in short, please consider it carefully. There is plenty of time. You can find an inn to rest well and think it over.” The Orc Staff Officer glanced at the half-orc beside him and regained his original gentle tone, smiling as he pointed to a somewhat dirty and dilapidated inn next to the market.
“By the way, after you go in, you can give my name. That owner will receive you diligently. As for this batch of Contraband… well, let me, your friend, keep it safe for the time being?”
The Orc Staff Officer deliberately increased his volume on the word “friend.”
Andy contemplated for a long time, as if he could no longer bear the current pressure, and finally bowed his head in helpless submission. “Alright, Lord Staff Officer, please allow me to discuss this properly with my team.”
“Let’s go.”
Andy nodded to Green and Theresa.
The few of them ran into the inn in a dejected manner, leaving several carriages of priceless goods behind, allowing them to fall into the hands of others.
“Hard work for you.”
The Orc Staff Officer’s gaze toward the half-orc became a bit softer. He reached out his thick arm and patted him hard on the chest.
“Hehe, it’s all in service of the Kingdom, no hard work at all!”
The half-orc was excited, as if he had completely forgotten the humiliation of being slapped in public just now. He asked with eyes shining with expectation, “But milord, why did you just let those humans go?”
“These people actually managed to get so many good things; they don’t look like ordinary border merchants no matter how you look at it. Maybe they have some connections and can directly link to the interior of the Empire.”
The half-orc’s eyes gleamed as he spoke incessantly, “I heard from an informant that the Imperial border hasn’t been peaceful lately. That new Princess commander seems to be on a killing spree, causing people to complain bitterly. Even the Western Governor used this as a reason to impose a blockade on the border region.”
At this point, he looked at the direction where Andy and the others had left with some curiosity.
“But at this sensitive point in time, they were able to smuggle so many goods at once. Aren’t you curious about their connections?”
The half-orc looked expectantly at the Orc Staff Officer.
“General Love once told me a sentence.” The Orc Staff Officer replied profoundly, “Lack of patience in small matters spoils great plans.”
“Ah?” The half-orc scratched his head in confusion.
The Orc Staff Officer, however, lost interest in continuing to chat with him. Instead, he ordered, “In short, we won’t forget your contribution. Keep a close eye on them; they are not allowed to leave as they please. After this fat sheep is handled, well, your application to join the Kingdom Army will likely be approved.”
Application to join?!
The little bit of curiosity remaining in the half-orc vanished instantly. Only his own bright future remained in his mind as he imagined all the beautiful scenes of joining the great motherland’s army.
“A mutt is a mutt.”
Seeing the half-orc’s overjoyed and jubilant appearance, the Orc Staff Officer turned around, his heart full of mockery.
“I need to report to the General.”
Picking up a communication crystal, the Orc Staff Officer began to dispatch his subordinates to “seize” these items of Contraband, while his thoughts churned in his heart.
Sizzle.
A fat face appeared in the staff officer’s view. That former hero of the orc kingdom, the great figure who had worked with the Great Shaman to reverse the tide of battle, was currently lying on a bed without any dignity, allowing a large group of naked maids wearing Slave Collars to massage various parts of his body with their tender hands.
“Milord, there is good news.”
“What? Is the value of the goods brought by those human fat sheep higher than expected?”
The bloated “hero” let out a big yawn.
“No, General, I have discovered a treasure more valuable than magic equipment.”
“What?” General Love’s half-closed eyes suddenly snapped open.
“A perfect human female slave.”
The Orc Staff Officer reported with great joy, recalling the beautiful face behind that human merchant, wrapped in heavy outer clothing in an attempt to cover her appearance.
Humph, being wise enough to disguise herself was quite smart.
But the problem was…
Under the support of the Great Shaman’s Signal Tower and the power of a Sub-Legendary Powerhouse, that person had no way to hide her true face.
Given General Love’s thirst for “treasures,” with this contribution, perhaps it wouldn’t be long before he could be promoted?
The Orc Staff Officer was immersed in joy.