About five minutes later, EeDechi herded out a group of scantily clad men and women.
They were all patrons and "fallen women" from Julina's Forbidden Paradise, too slow to escape the small building. EeDechi, wielding a giant sword in one hand, drove them out one by one, like a farmwife shooing a flock of hens.
"Face the wall, squat down, hands behind your heads! Hands behind your heads! Yeah, just like that, squat facing the wall!" EeDechi barked orders at the nearly naked men and women, swinging the giant sword while forcing them to line up and crouch against the wall.
Some of these poor bastards were buck naked, covering their faces with their hands; others were draped in nothing but a thin gauze or bedsheet, shivering in the chilly night breeze.
Among them were imperial nobles, wealthy merchants, and a few top-tier women whose sultry, seductive reputations echoed through the capital of Baharuth.
But right now, they were all equal—stripped bare, trembling, obediently squatting with hands behind their heads in the corner, too scared to even breathe loudly.
Barrett pulled the black cloth over his face tighter, wrapping two thinly dressed little girls in a wool blanket he'd scavenged. He watched the bizarre and comical scene unfold with interest, secretly enjoying the view of a few of the naked women's smoking-hot figures.
"Captain, what the hell are you doing?" Barrett asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Can't you tell?" EeDechi snapped, annoyed. "I'm cracking down on prostitution."
A half-naked man tried to sneak out the door while EeDechi wasn't looking, but with a flick of her giant sword, a blast of sword energy carved a deep trench into the marble floor. The guy let out a terrified yelp, shrinking back to the wall and squatting with his hands behind his head.
"Not bad," EeDechi said, nodding with satisfaction as she eyed the row of men and women crouched against the wall, hands on their heads.
She turned around, glaring at the three-story building of Julina's Forbidden Paradise with a disgusted scowl. Then she pulled a round Bronze Seal from her chest.
The Bronze Seal spun in her hand, unleashing a wave of stern, murderous aura that pressed down on everyone in the area.
After a moment's hesitation, EeDechi stuffed the Bronze Seal back into her clothes, deciding against using it.
Then she unleashed her magic.
3rd Tier Magic: Hellfire Serpent!
2nd Tier Magic: Fireball!
2nd Tier Magic: Firefall!
A rain of fire poured down, fireballs and flaming serpents exploding against walls and windows. Under the relentless magical blaze, Julina's Forbidden Paradise was swallowed by a roaring inferno.
The raging flames chased away the night's faint chill. In the flickering glow, EeDechi's shadow stretched long as she leaned on her sword with one hand.
The golden-red firelight danced in her clear black eyes, coating her not-so-imposing figure in a dazzling sheen of gold. Standing there in front of the blazing building, she left Barrett staring, momentarily dumbfounded.
But Barrett quickly snapped out of it. This girl usually wore a cold, standoffish expression—how the hell did she look so badass torching someone else's shop?
His thick arms cradled the rescued twin lolis as he leaned in close to EeDechi's ear, whispering, "Captain, we gotta split. The empire's guards are probably on their way!"
EeDechi lowered her head, mulling it over, and figured Barrett's advice made some sense.
The four of them bolted out of Julina's Forbidden Paradise and found an abandoned open-top carriage. The owner had either hightailed it or was still squatting bare-assed with their hands behind their head by the wall.
Barrett didn't give a damn either way. He settled the two pale-faced little girls in the back seat, waited for EeDechi to hop in, then grabbed the reins and floored it out of there.
Adventurers were usually jack-of-all-trades types, and Barrett was no exception. He'd once teamed up with a carriage driver turned adventurer for a stint and picked up how to handle most of the continent's standard wagons. His driving skills were rusty, but they'd do in a pinch.
There's a popular saying in Baharuth: Lust is a viper—one bite, and you're dragged into the abyss.
Barrett glanced back at the blazing ruins of Julina's Forbidden Paradise, a pang of realization hitting him. The proverb was indeed true—his momentary desire had brought EeDeChi, which led to the complete destruction of Julina's Forbidden Paradise.
Lust truly is a fearsome viper!
He patted the hard coin pouches tucked against his chest, making sure they were still there, then gave the reins a sharp flick. The horses clopped and kicked up their hooves, pulling the carriage off into the distance.
Along the way, a few squads of guards armed with shields and spears marched steadily toward Julina's Forbidden Paradise. The place might've been out of the way, but the sky-high flames screaming into the night made it damn clear something serious was going down.
Barrett drove the carriage cautiously through the streets, doing his best to steer clear of the soldiers. But in the distance, a small squad of knights came charging straight at them.
EeDechi's group had nowhere to dodge—the knights cut them off cold.
The lead knight grabbed the horse's reins, forcing their carriage to a halt. He raised his knightly sword, pointing it at Barrett, and barked, "Adventurer, you just come from over there?"
The knight swung his blade toward the blazing red glow not far off, then pressed, "Someone sent word to the guard knights that Julina's Forbidden Paradise got hit by some twisted, terrifying bandits. You know anything about it?"
EeDechi stood up from her seat in the carriage, about to open her mouth, but Barrett spun around and clamped a hand over it just in time. Sure, Barrett was a hulking brute, but his brain was as quick as his brawn.
In a split second, he'd cooked up a story in his head. With an innocent look, he spread his hands toward the knight leader and said, "Beats me, man. I was just driving by that place. Yeah, I saw some bandits in there looting and setting fires—scared the shit outta me, so I floored it and got the hell out. Didn't stick around to check the details."
He pointed back at EeDechi and the two twin girls wrapped in a gray goatskin blanket, his tone dripping with sincerity. "They're my employers. Their carriage driver got plastered, so they hired me on the spot to take the reins. You know how it is—pay us adventurers enough coin, and we'll do damn near anything."
Adventurers, with their weird getups and a vibe that screamed "doesn't fit in with polite society," were easy to spot in a crowd.
And now here was one driving a sleek open-top carriage that didn't match his roughneck status, hauling a teenage girl and two scrawny kids. That black-haired girl with her "keep your distance" scowl plastered across her face? Yeah, it was a setup begging for suspicion.
The knight leader kept his longsword raised, gripping the horse's reins while he mulled it over.
He could tell that the adventurer driving the carriage was a skilled fighter, strong and adept in combat, with a seemingly kind gaze that masked a ruthless and sharp edge. He was a seasoned adventurer who had fought on the brink of life and death many times.
But the knight also knew the defenses at Julina's Forbidden Paradise. The brothel owner, flush with cash and noble backing, had built a badass guard crew. They rocked more enchanted full-plate armor than his own imperial cavalry squad could dream of.
No way this adventurer dude could've turned that place upside down solo—he probably wasn't bullshitting. The priority now was getting to the blazing Julina's Forbidden Paradise before it was too late. Maybe they'd even nab a few of those bandits.
The knight leader sheathed his sword and waved at Barrett. "Move it! Don't clog up our path!"
Barrett flashed a sheepish grin, hopping off the carriage and yanking the reins to drag it over to the side of the street. Then the imperial cavalry thundered past them, hooves pounding like a storm, kicking up dust as they roared by.