ATAPOW Chapter 8
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Chapter 8: In broad daylight
“Who’s the boss of this store?! Hurry up and get out, my captain wants to see you!” A knight with a pigtail shouted loudly as he slammed the wooden table outside the restaurant. His yell was attracting a sizable amount of people around.
“I’m here! I’m here! Oh my! What are these four esteemed knights here to eat at this humble store of mine? Rest assured, Ol’ Wang here will bring out his signature dishes!” The burly shop owner briskly rushed out of his store after hearing the commotion, rubbing his hands together he smiled brightly at the four young knights in front of him.
“We are not here to eat.” The short-haired knight who was presiding over the group waved his hand. He glanced at the plain and crudely renovated noodle store, a trace of unconcealed scorn flashed through his eyes.
“I wonder… Boss, have you recently sensed anything abnormal around the vicinity of your shop?” The lead knight’s indifferent voice sounded out as the group stared at the owner of the noodle shop ahead of them.
“Abnormal? This…” The owner was a bit puzzled upon hearing this, he hesitatingly looked at the four knights in front of him.
“Well, let me just get straight to the point. To tell you the truth, the four of us received a mission to hunt down a demon that escaped into our human city. This matter is of great importance, so I am hoping that you may assist us with our investigations.” The short-haired knight slightly wrinkled his eyebrow as he unhurriedly explained to the store owner.
“A- A Demon?! The boss felt a chill run down his spine. His head shook as if someone was beating down a rattle-drum. “No! There’s definitely no way that can happen! Esteemed knights, sirs, how can such a big buddha infiltrate into my small shop? I barely even have a few customers, let alone a demon!”
“No? Uh-huh.. Are you really sure? Let me warn you that it’d be better to explain yourself honestly. Otherwise, when we investigate later and find that you’re harboring demons and obstructing us from doing our job, even the lives of your family would be insufficient to pay for this crime!!” The pigtailed knight on the side coldly said, his arrogant tone was that of a hedonistic son born with rich parents. He was no longer able to hold back his temper and wait for the short-haired knight to continue on with his words.
“Esteemed knights, sirs… This… My house is just a tiny store… Even a rat will spurn it, not to mention demons.” After enduring the pigtailed knight’s impolite words and whose unbridled tone resembled more of a hooligan than that of a proper knight, the owner’s complexion was beginning to turn unsightly.
“Don’t be hasty Gall.” The short-haired knight reprimanded the pigtailed knight as a token of gesture. The former turned his head and looked at the owner with an indifferent expression, he sternly continued. “It’s best if you own up to it Mr. Wang. We had commissioned a sacred martial association colleague from the divination faction. Based on the demon’s escape route, he had accurately deduced the direction she scurried off to. If nothing unexpected happens, she should be in the vicinity of your shop, besides…”
The short-haired knight smiled, his eyes squinted to the point it was no longer visible1. “In this area, your shop is the only building that can act as a hideout… Now that I have clearly explained it to you, you can understand what we mean, right?”
“Eh?! You… Are you really saying that I’m harboring a demon? That’s impossible, how could I possibly do such a thing…?!” The owner’s face began to turn pale as he tried to frantically explain.
“Whether you are harboring a demon or not is not something you can decide! We have to do a search!” Another knight ruthlessly interrupted the shop owner to give the point that there is no way out of this.
“Haaah… Alright. Besides… My store isn’t that big anyway. If your esteemed selves wish to conduct a search, just do so. However, may I ask that it be quick? This is just a small business and I still have to operate later.” The owner could only give a helpless sigh and try to compromise.
The short-haired knight gave a meaningful glance towards the other three knights by his side. They tacitly understood what it meant. With quick steps, the trio charged into the shop. A series of shuffling noises reverberated to the outside, shortly after, it was followed by the sounds of crockery, kitchenware, and a lot of utensils smashing onto the floor.
“Um… Esteemed knights! Sirs! My shop is just a small business, it can’t bear such turmoil! Is it possible to ask the three esteemed knights to be a bit more delicate…” The complexion on the owner’s face seemed to be more bitter than the taste of a bitter gourd.
“Relax, they are well aware of the situation.” The short-haired knight replied in a seemingly annoyed tone. He had both his hands around his chest, he voluntarily tried to pacify the owner once more. The knight then looked around with the hopes to find a stool to rest his feet on, yet after a round of surveying, all he could find were just some simple and crudely crafted four corner stools. He wrinkled his eyebrows as he moved his eyes away.
“Clink… Clang…” Hearing the sound of smashing objects constantly coming from the store, the owner felt his heart bleeding. At the same time, it felt like every moment was passing so slowly that a second felt like a day to him2.
Eventually, after a series of continuous smashing noises, the group of knights slowly walk out of the store at last. Their eyebrows were all tightly scrunched up.
“…Found nothing?” The short-haired knight revealed a trace of disbelief. In his opinion, the diviner’s prediction was absolutely reliable and there was no way he could be wrong. What’s more surprising was that this was someone from the sacred martial association’s divination sect! This was someone he had expended a great deal of effort to employ. If he was really unable to find the demon, then he would not only just lose everything he invested, but even the reputation he had in his platoon would most likely vanish.
If he captured the demon that was wandering about in the city, he would be able to achieve a meteoric rise and instant success in his career. When the time comes, his future prospects within the chivalry group would climb dramatically. With this, it was even possible that he might be appointed as a branch head.
“Redouble your efforts and continue searching!” The short-haired knight said with an imposing expression. He had already made up his mind. Even if he had to tear this place apart, he needed to capture that demon!
“H-Hold on a moment! Esteemed knights! This small shop of mine really can’t bear any more of this rifling! May I beg your esteemed selves to show some mercy. Please look! I’m already at my forties3, an age where I can easily discern between right or wrong, how could I possibly collude with demons??”
“Get out of the way! Otherwise, I will charge you for obstructing official duties, harboring demons, and arrest you! The short-haired knight said in a menacingly fierce tone.
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- I know smile isn’t in the raws. But it’s normally what comes with the phrase.
- It was originally every day felt like a year. But I adjusted it based on the context.
- There’s an adage that says that men in their 40s know how to differentiate between right and wrong, and wouldn’t be confused easily. Whether that’s true or not is unknown to me ;)