The High-Stakes Bounty of the Night Market

Cat Head was noncommittal, glancing at the gold coins, then at the somewhat renowned, long-legged young woman before him.

“If you issue a task like this, everyone will assume it’s from the authorities.”

“Then let them believe it,” Iordera said, blinking. “The tavern doesn’t reveal a client’s information, does it?”

Cat Head cleared his throat. “To be precise, we maintain strict confidentiality unless the client grants permission. For that bounty hunt you issued previously, the authorities stated there was no need for secrecy.”

“Alright, then I request my identity remain confidential,” Iordera declared, placing a bag of loose gold coins and a gold coin card on the counter. “Now, I’d like to post a request for information.”

[Information Request: Concerning the unsettling outsiders who caused trouble on West Street last night, provide any information you have about them. Rewards of 1 gold coin or more will be given based on the detail and usefulness of the intelligence.]

****

Cat Head’s intermediary tavern hadn’t seen such activity in a long time.

Everyone in the Night Market knew that tasks posted here were “high-difficulty” assignments meant for skilled and experienced individuals. This difficulty was, of course, relative, as most city dwellers were ordinary folk. Consequently, the employment agency next door, which recruited cleaners and odd-jobbers, typically saw more foot traffic than Cat Head’s tavern.

Today, however, was different. Not only mercenaries wielding various weapons but also unarmed commoners streamed towards Cat Head’s establishment.

“I own a restaurant on the east side, ‘Fragrant Night Eatery’. Not long ago, those individuals dined at my place.”

“That short one was asking all sorts of questions in the restaurant. They even spoke to me for a bit, but I can’t recall a single thing I said. Later, someone told me it was a sign of being under a mental spell. What a devious little wretch.”

“Other information… oh, right, one of them was particularly fond of roasted lamb kidneys. They ordered two full plates and left nothing when they paid.”

“Thank you, boss. Thank you, officer.”

The restaurant owner departed, clutching two gold coins, utterly content. He genuinely believed he was aiding the authorities by providing clues about criminals, helping to swiftly apprehend them and restore peace to Saroyan.

With no burden on his conscience, he walked with a righteous swagger, his head held high.

“Next.”

“I’m the landlord of the ‘Azure Moonlight’ inn. Those few stayed at my place for a couple of days, all registered under false names. However, one of my staff once overheard them addressing each other by codenames.”

“The tall one was called Rhino Horn, the short one Wild Frog, and there was another, exceptionally tall and thin, rather gangly person, they called Jellyfish Tendril.”

“The other two never left their rooms, so I don’t know much about them. But the one with the magic staff seemed to have difficulty moving, sometimes limping when they walked.”

The landlord of the Azure Moonlight inn left, cheerfully clutching four gold coins.

Various other individuals, some who had interacted with them, others who had only a fleeting encounter, came forward to report what they knew. Iordera accepted all without exception; as long as they could offer some coherent detail, useful or not, she paid them something.

As the night drew to a close, everyone departed satisfied.

Those who provided information were delighted with their gold coins.

Cat Head not only profited from the commission fees but also from the sheer volume of customers. With so many people queuing, they naturally ordered drinks while waiting, adding to the tavern’s income.

Iordera had gathered a wealth of intelligence, yet she had spent only a little over a hundred gold coins.

In the past, a hundred gold coins would have been a significant sum for her, but having just borrowed a thousand gold from “Huabei”, she was feeling quite flush.

Returning home during the day, Iordera awoke from her sleep and began to consolidate the information she had acquired.

[A group of at least five individuals: a short mental magic user, a tall, tank-like melee fighter named Rhino Horn, and a strong, lanky attacker called Jellyfish. Additionally, there was an archer and a wind mage with a noticeable limp. They liked walking along the lines of paving stones, enjoyed roasted lamb kidneys, and often sought high ground…]

Iordera meticulously recorded every detail from the intelligence provided last night.

Some of it seemed inconsequential, even potentially distracting, but it mattered little, as Iordera wasn’t collecting it for herself.

As evening fell, she returned to the tavern and handed the compiled intelligence booklet to Cat Head.

“Last night’s information request is withdrawn. Now, there’s a new task, an investigative one,” Iordera said, a cool smile gracing her lips. “Or rather, a search mission.”

Cat Head took the booklet, unable to suppress a note of admiration. “Quite systematic, little beauty.”

“Of course, it’s all real, after all,” Iordera replied, producing three more gold coin cards. “And I can offer a condition no one could refuse.”

[Investigation Task: Based on the information and clues provided by the client, locate the hiding place of these individuals. Reward: 300 gold coins.]

This was undoubtedly a lucrative assignment; no need for life-or-death struggles, just finding their location. More importantly, the reward belonged entirely to the first person who found them, with no need to share.

“This is less of a task and more of a bounty,” Cat Head said with a grin. “The Night Market’s mercenaries will go wild for this.”

He was also delighted, knowing he would take a 50-gold commission from this job.

Iordera ordered a strong drink, tilted her head back, and drained it in one gulp.

“Cat Head, post it.”

****

In the days following their failed operation on West Street, the five-person team had gone into hiding, lying low to avoid trouble.

Their period of dormancy, however, was far from ideal.

In recent days, particularly the last two, an increasing number of people had been attempting to discover their whereabouts. When they ventured out to buy necessities, they not only had to be meticulously disguised but also had to consciously alter their habits.

Heaven knew which passerby might be a detective, observing even their smallest mannerisms.

The team’s archer, upon seeing the paving stones, couldn’t resist a momentary compulsion to follow a crack in the pavement. After walking a short distance, they discovered four or five tails shadowing them.

He had to take a considerably long detour to return to their hideout.

“I’m being watched again. We need to find a different inn.”

The tall Rhino Horn frowned. “Why are so many people suddenly looking for us?”

“It seems there’s a task on the Night Market, with a very high bounty.”

Hearing this, the group felt a surge of panic.

They were new to Saroyan, unfamiliar with its “white-and-black” system, and didn’t fully understand the Night Market’s operations. Yet, the reputation preceded it; having heard so many rumors about the Night Market, they felt a distinct apprehension.

Rhino Horn pondered for a moment, then asked, “Can we find out who issued the task?”

“I tried to ask around,” Wild Frog, the short one, shrugged. “They all believe it’s an official commission from the government.”

“But Busius said he’d help suppress it…”

“Exactly. Which means bad news,” Wild Frog said resignedly. “There’s an enemy lurking in the shadows, searching for us.”