Work Prophet
Chapter 88 - 4: Let me take a look at your arm

Chapter 88: Chapter 4: Let me take a look at your arm

Jude didn’t lie; after receiving the money, his efficiency was indeed high.

He quickly set his sights on Thomas, but the latter spent the entire afternoon patrolling the city walls, always with at least three or four people by his side.

Jude couldn’t find an opportunity to strike, and as dusk approached, he became somewhat anxious.

Just then, a batch of grape wine purchased by Yago, the new steward from Black Stone City, arrived. After inspecting them, Thomas let the others continue guarding the city while he, accompanied by another guard, took the wine down to the cellar.

Seeing this, Jude immediately became excited; he knew the opportunity he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

He didn’t rush things. Only after Thomas and the guard had moved the last barrel into the cellar, did Jude go to move the cart away, ensuring no one would come to disturb them later. Then he plunged into the cellar.

Due to its underground location, the lighting in the cellar was very dim.

However, Jude managed to locate the guard and Thomas almost instantly.

The pair were discussing the night watch.

Jude stealthily moved towards the sound, with one hand also gripping the War Axe at his waist.

He lowered his footsteps as much as possible, moving through the darkness as silently as a cat.

Unexpectedly, Thomas had an exceptionally keen sense of hearing and sensed something when Jude was still about a dozen steps away, asking in a deep voice, "Who’s there?"

Upon hearing this, Jude didn’t bother to hide any longer and stepped out from behind a row of wine racks.

"It’s me, hired by Merlin to catch a spy."

"A spy? Who’s the spy?" Thomas frowned.

"Of course, it’s you," Jude said with a grin.

"I’m not any spy; you’ve got the wrong person," Thomas replied calmly.

The guard beside him added, "Exactly, how could Lord Thomas possibly be a spy? He never left the city walls the day the incident happened."

Jude just smiled lightly, "It’s not what I say. It’s what Merlin says."

"Then take me to see Merlin. I’ll explain everything to him," Thomas said.

"Sure, that was exactly my intention," Jude gestured invitingly.

The guard beside Thomas said angrily, "Lord Thomas, don’t go with him. That Merlin is a heathen; it’s obvious he’s up to no good, clearly trying to frame you. Let’s find Lord Alfred first; he’ll stand up for you."

"There’s no harm," Thomas said. "Miss Ireya trusts Prophet Merlin, and I trust Miss Ireya’s judgment. I’ll go see Merlin first, it won’t be too late for you to find Lord Alfred if that doesn’t work out."

The guard wanted to persuade him further, but by then, Thomas was already heading towards the entrance of the cellar.

Jude shrugged and, as Thomas passed by him, he too turned, seemingly intending to follow.

But nobody could have anticipated the sudden turn of events!

In the moment of turning around, Jude drew the War Axe from his waist with lightning speed and viciously aimed a blow at the back of Thomas’s head!

The axe strike was swift and fierce, and most crucially, there had been no sign of an imminent attack.

After all, Thomas had agreed to go with Jude to see Li Yu and had also instructed the guard not to go for Alfred. Nevertheless, Jude struck, aiming straight for Thomas’s vital point, clearly intending to kill him.

Yet, Thomas dodged the deadly strike as if he had anticipated Jude’s action in advance, lunging forward to avoid it.

Jude let out a light grunt of surprise.

He had been somewhat worried that Thomas might take the chance to escape from the cellar, but to his surprise, the Squire Knight, after getting up, just drew the sword from his waist, assumed a fighting stance, and quietly watched him.

"What, planning to silence me now that I’ve exposed you?" Jude muttered, gripping his axe and advancing once again.

Thomas, addressing the guard who wanted to come over and help, said, "Stay where you are, don’t move; you’re no match for him."

Having said that, he drew his sword and met the attack.

The two exchanged about a dozen moves.

Jude was on the offensive most of the time, with Thomas defending.

It seemed like Thomas was constantly being pressured by Jude; wherever the War Axe went, whether it was the liquor shelves or barrels, all were smashed to pieces.

Red wine poured from the barrels, flooding the ground, and the air became thick with the scent of alcohol.

Another ten moves passed, and Thomas was under even greater pressure, in constant danger. He drew back after a deliberate retreat and gave Jude a gesture to pause.

However, Jude didn’t halt his steps, obviously intent on finishing off his opponent in one fell swoop.

But when Thomas saw him approaching, he showed no sign of panic; instead, he simply said to the guard not far away, "Light the lamps."

"Seeing clearly will only hasten your death," Jude sneered, a fierce light triumphing in his eyes.

Thomas didn’t argue; he waited until the guard did as told and lit the lamps, illuminating the entire wine cellar.

Jude’s movements suddenly froze.

Because he saw the crossbowmen hidden in the corners—four in all—with their iron arrowheads, cold and gleaming, all aimed at him.

But what truly alarmed Jude was the voice of Li Yu coming from the entrance of the cellar.

"How’s it going?"

This question was clearly not posed to Jude. Thomas, with solemnity, said, "With that kind of strength and speed, it’s impossible for him to be human."

"So you’re saying he’s a Half-Beast, then."

As they spoke, Li Yu, Ireya, and Alfred came down from above, followed by another four crossbowmen.

With eight crossbows pointed at him, Jude’s countenance suddenly turned very ugly. He asked Li Yu, who was in the crowd, "What’s the meaning of this?"

Li Yu didn’t respond to Jude’s question but turned to Ireya instead and said, "Your inside man."

Miss Rabbit looked at Jude with a complex expression.

"Just because I’m a Half-Beast, you think I’m an inside man? What kind of logic is that? There’s more than just one Half-Beast in this castle," Jude said loudly.

"Is that so? Then, can you tell us which family you come from?" Li Yu asked.

Jude fell silent but soon sneered again, "You think I’m from another family in the West, sent to infiltrate the house of Arias, but do you see any of their traits on me?"

"Which family do you hail from?" Li Yu repeated the previous question.

"It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but my family is simply not worth mentioning. You wouldn’t know them even if I did tell you. My family has long been extinct, leaving only me," Jude replied.

"Then let’s have a look at your left arm," Li Yu said.

This time Jude was truly shocked; he hadn’t expected his well-hidden secret, which he thought no one knew, could be uncovered by Li Yu.

He glared at Li Yu with a look that seemed to threaten to devour someone alive.

Yet, faced with eight Hand Crossbows, he ultimately had no choice but to obediently pull up his sleeve, revealing a leather arm guard.

Then, Jude took off the leather arm guard, exposing the arm beneath it, covered with scales.