Chapter 320: You'll Pay the Price
"Fatty, how have you managed to survive this long? By relying on them?" Li Meng sneered, glancing at the guards behind the steward.
The steward's face froze, and then he glared furiously. "Silver Mask, don’t be ungrateful. Your actions are no different from robbery, and the Merchant Guild Alliance has already shown leniency."
Li Meng leaned back against the sofa. "I won’t return the light slime. Fatty, you should be grateful I’m in a good mood today, or your end would be very miserable."
Li Meng's threatening tone made the guards behind the steward tense up, their expressions shifting. The steward himself stared at Li Meng in disbelief, as though he were looking at a fool.
Li Meng reached into his robes and tossed a pouch of coins into the steward's lap. "Give this to the Water Dragon Knights—consider it payment."
The steward’s mouth twitched as he looked at the pouch. What the hell is wrong with this guy? Does he not realize the gravity of the situation? I’m representing the Merchant Guild Alliance!
"You dare..." the steward began, his face darkening. However, his words were cut off by a saint-level guard who stepped forward and whispered something in his ear.
The steward’s expression shifted through a range of emotions before he waved the guard away. Taking a deep breath, he fixed his gaze on Li Meng. "You must know the consequences of your actions. The Merchant Guild Alliance will not tolerate anyone disrupting the order."
Bella, standing behind Li Meng, hesitated, clearly wanting to speak but knowing this wasn’t her place. She had a feeling her boss wouldn’t back down.
Sure enough, her intuition proved correct.
"If I want something, it will be mine—whether by stealing or taking it by force. The light slime is mine. If you wish to defend your so-called order, then you’re my enemy. Gather your forces. Let Rogue Town be the battlefield. I’ll tear apart the Merchant Guild Alliance’s order in front of every adventurer."
Li Meng’s declaration left no room for compromise.
The steward laughed angrily. "You’re the most unreasonable person I’ve ever met. You’ll pay for your arrogance."
"Let’s go!" the steward barked, storming out with his entourage.
As the group left, Li Meng grinned. Perfect. Let Rogue Town become the stage for my rise in the Maze City.
"Boss, is this really okay?" Bella asked, her voice filled with worry. She couldn’t fathom the consequences of provoking the Merchant Guild Alliance. It was an organization teeming with king-level professionals like herself, as well as countless saint-level and even god-level powerhouses.
"There’s nothing wrong with it, Bella. Once we’ve resupplied in Rogue Town, take the team and head to the upper levels of the maze."
Li Meng didn’t want Bella and the others involved in what was about to happen. Their presence would only hold him back. This time, he planned to enjoy himself and treat the conflict as a warm-up for the Skeletal Dragon King—a creature ranked among the top thirteen non-human threats.
If he couldn’t even defeat god-level experts, how could he face the calamity that was the Skeletal Dragon King?
Bella understood that Li Meng wanted them out of harm’s way. As members of the Brotherhood, they would likely be targeted by the Merchant Guild Alliance as accomplices.
"Don’t wait—set off immediately," Li Meng ordered.
Bella nodded and left. Shortly after, she and the raiding team departed the mansion. Though many members didn’t fully understand what was happening, they followed their leader’s orders without question.
Even Amay and her two companions left with Bella, leaving the once-lively mansion eerily quiet.
"What should I do next?" Li Meng mused as he watched the team disappear into the distance.
He knew the Merchant Guild Alliance would need time to gather reinforcements. While there were strong individuals stationed in Rogue Town, their numbers were likely limited. Alternatively, the Alliance might underestimate his strength and send only the local forces to deal with him. In that case, their response would come much sooner.
"Well, I’ll just wait," Li Meng said, turning back toward the mansion.
Time passed. Rogue Town remained as bustling as ever, its usual chaos undisturbed—for now.
The next morning, the streets near the mansion suddenly fell silent. The once-crowded roads were now empty, with even the shops closing their doors.
The unusual quiet caught Li Meng’s attention as he sat in the mansion’s hall, holding the light slime in his arms. He glanced toward the window. "Are they here?"
Moments later, the sound of marching footsteps echoed through the street. A group of town guards approached, their numbers exceeding a hundred. Clad in uniform black armor and tall hats, they carried various weapons. The group consisted of multiple races, though humans were the majority.
The guards stopped outside the mansion. Their leader stepped forward and shouted, "Silver Mask, you are charged with robbery against the Water Dragon Knights. The Merchant Guild Alliance has deemed you a criminal. Surrender now, or we will storm the building!"
"Just you lot?" Li Meng’s voice rang out from the rooftop.
The guards froze and looked up. At some point, a black-robed figure had appeared on the roof.
"Show yourselves. I have no interest in small fry," Li Meng declared, scanning the surrounding buildings. He knew the guards were merely a pretext, a justification for the Alliance’s actions. If the real players were here, they wouldn’t hide for long.
"Haha! Such confidence!" A booming laugh echoed down the street as a burly figure leapt onto a nearby rooftop.
The man was shirtless, his muscular chest and stomach on full display. A massive axe rested on his shoulder. Grinning savagely, he stared directly at Li Meng.
"I’m Matthew. Remember that name. My axe has been itching for a fight!" he roared, his face a mix of excitement and ferocity.
"Why resort to violence, Silver Mask? Just hand over the light slime, and we can settle this peacefully," a melodic female voice called from another rooftop.