Exploring Technology in a Wizard World
Chapter 458 - 457 Black Feathered Arrow

Harvey’s arms trembled irregularly as he looked at Richard, gasping, "Hey, Richard, did you see my performance just now? I’ve unleashed my potential and became more formidable than any Knight. With this, there’s no need to pledge loyalty to any Noble.

We could just go directly to some smaller kingdoms in the north. There surely is a greater future there. Maybe, the Kings of those small countries, upon seeing how formidable I am, might even be delighted enough to marry their daughters to me.

Haha, I really hadn’t expected this, I actually have such great potential which had never been unleashed before, that’s why I’ve been faring so poorly. Now, it’s completely different, I am beyond myself, definitely going to become someone important, for sure! Haha, my life is simply perfect!"

Harvey clearly wasn’t puzzled by his sudden surge in strength; he attributed it quite "confidently" to his own potential. Richard could only smile inwardly and shake his head before saying, "That would indeed be perfect."

"Yes, it would be perfect," Harvey affirmed. However, he soon became frustrated, resentful, and even angry, "But damn it, I’m so formidable and yet still trapped here by so many Thieves, about to die a stifling death! I really don’t want this; I really can’t accept it. I was supposed to live a perfect life, and yet it’s ending before it even started.

Come to think of it, if it weren’t for a disloyal Merchant Group, it should not have ended like this. If there’s a next life, I must remember this lesson: when traveling far, must must find a reliable, low-cost, and fiercely loyal Merchant Group!"

Richard: "..."

The surrounding Thieves continued to advance. Harvey tried to swing his sword but found he could not lift it and prepared himself for death in despair.

Suddenly, from a distance on the road, there came the sound of numerous fast Rushing footsteps. Turning his head, he saw the members of the initially successful escape from the ambush, rushing back for some reason, their faces looking ferocious.

This!

Upon seeing this, Harvey, not knowing where the strength came from, lifted his Iron Sword and swung it, driving back the encircling Thieves, shouting loudly at them, "Haha, you are finished, someone is here to save me, you are all doomed! I knew it, a person with my potential couldn’t just die so casually here.

Just like the epic tales sung by Minstrels, in every story, the protagonist when faced with danger, will eventually be rescued, and I am that protagonist, haha!"

After saying this, Harvey looked toward Richard, extremely agitated, "I misjudged the people of the Merchant Group, I really misjudged them. They aren’t disloyal; they are very loyal indeed! They must have been thinking about us all along, that’s why they came back.

The reason they desperately fled earlier must have been their concern that the goods would be damaged in the fight, so they settled the goods first before coming back to save us. Yes, that must be it, it must be!" Harvey reasoned thoroughly.

Richard, listening, did not contradict Harvey’s words, but silently shook his head in his heart. From what he had seen earlier using the Eye of Gaze, he was sure that things were not as Harvey imagined. A serious look at the state of the returning Merchant Members would reveal that things deviated from Harvey’s account— their condition was far from normal, even if not everyone was wounded, most were stained with blood on their clothing.

Some had arrows shining brightly, lodged in their bodies, dripping blood while they ran desperately. Their facial muscles twisted, with eyes, eyebrows, and noses squeezed together, looking nothing like anger or eagerness to save, but rather fear and panic.

Richard looked for a while, his gaze moving past the people of the Merchant Group, onto another group of Thieves appearing behind them, chasing. They held Hand Crossbows and bows, shooting while pursuing the Merchant Group members.

Clearly, the people of the Merchant Group weren’t kindly running back to rescue but had simply run back because they had fallen into another ambush, attempting to escape. Not a single member of the Mercenary Team that was supposed to maintain control was in sight, likely all killed in the ambush.

The eye-patched Thief Leader, anticipating this scenario, saw the returning people and then glanced at Harvey, scoffing, "We are doomed? Hmph, it’s you who are truly doomed! Remember what I said before, ’Don’t run, must not run, if you run you will regret it’?"

"Do you believe what I said now?! I told you, I never lie. Anyone who doesn’t listen to me will definitely meet a bad end!"

At this moment, the merchants rushed nearby, unsurprisingly intercepted by the knife-wielding thieves, and squeezed together with Richard and Harvey.

The thieves wielding bows and hand crossbows caught up, along with those who stayed behind, surrounding everyone. Their faces turned ashen.

The thief leader, wearing an eyepatch, sneered at the crowd, "Run, run, now you can’t run anymore, can you?"

He was furious because he had exerted a lot of effort and still hadn’t captured Harvey. After receiving reinforcements, he couldn’t wait to issue an order to the archers and hand crossbowmen, "You, aim! Aim at their heads, and when you hear my command, release the arrows together and kill them all. Let’s see how they can resist then!"

"Yes!" The archers and hand crossbowmen, upon hearing this, quickly started to prepare, loading the hand crossbows with arrows and drawing the bowstrings taut.

The people from the merchant group, seeing this situation, some had already suffered a mental breakdown, crying nonstop, even wetting themselves.

Merchant Group Leader Bade was also extremely nervous at that moment. Despite having the face of a butcher, his eyes were wide like a little girl’s, and his lips quivered, unable to close.

Harvey just sighed, initially hoping for rescue, not expecting that not only was there no rescue, but the situation had worsened.

The only one who could remain calm was Richard. He knew clearly that there still might be a chance for a turnaround.

However, this turnaround might need to be delayed a bit before it could arrive.

Now, the problem he faced was whether he could wait until the turnaround came.

If the turnaround came on time, that would naturally be best. But if it was a bit late, then he would have to take matters into his own hands.

Nearby, the thief leader with the eyepatch slowly raised his hand to give the command. Richard sighed softly in his heart, realizing the chance of the turnaround arriving on time was slim. He slowly lowered his hand, letting the energy storage short wand naturally slide into his hand, ready to take action personally and start with a magic salvo to clear the area.

The thief leader with the eyepatch raised his hand higher and higher, reaching a peak. A cruelty flashed across his face, and he opened his mouth to speak.

Just then!

"Ah!"

A sudden scream rang out, startling everyone, and successfully interrupting what the thief leader was about to say.

Turning to look, he saw a thief stagger and fall straight down--a black feathered arrow pierced in the back of his head, the arrowhead deeply embedded, the shaft trembling outside, with blood steadily flowing from the wound.

This!

The turnaround had arrived, after all. Well, in that case, there was no need for him to exert himself anymore... Richard’s eyebrows moved slightly, slowly putting away the wand, exhaling softly, and starting to watch the scene unfold like a spectator.