After all, as far as the city lord mansion was concerned, every prisoner was a resource. If someone died, it was a waste, and Ricky didn’t want that responsibility on his shoulders.
He had seen countless brawls in his time, but the way Jared had effortlessly dispatched over a dozen cultivators was unlike anything he’d witnessed before.
“Wait a second,” Ricky muttered to himself. “I’ve seen this guy before. He came here once… to visit someone.” He turned to the guard beside him. “What’s this kid’s story again?”
“He got locked up for hitting Niel Buckley, the son of the Buckley family,” the guard explained.
“They arrested him on the spot.”
“Hitting Niel? That sounds like he was asking for trouble,” Ricky said, frowning.
“I’m not so sure about that. After he was locked up, Mr. Reese, the one who bought the celestial crystals, sent over five hundred purple spirit coins,” the guard continued. “Even Mr. Reese coughed up money to get him out. Everyone knows how tightfisted that guy is. If he’s spending, it’s because this kid’s important to someone.”
Ricky scrutinized Jared, his eyes narrowing as he tried to piece the puzzle together. “Hmm. Maybe he’s got connections to Donovan. Could he be a relative?”
“Captain Ricky, should we step in? If he and Claude go at it…” The guard trailed off, leaning in to whisper.
Ricky waved him off dismissively. “Don’t bother. I’ve had enough of Claude and his constant grandstanding. If someone’s finally going to knock him down a peg, let it happen. As long as nobody dies, I don’t see the problem. It’s been a while since I got to enjoy a show.”
“But, Captain Ricky, if Claude gets hurt, how will we explain that to the city lord mansion?”
“Explain what? That I didn’t do anything? The Lord hasn’t shown up in ages. Who knows what’s going on in the city lord mansion?” Ricky said with a cold snort.
The guard flinched at Ricky’s tone and said nothing more.
Beast City had been in chaos ever since the Lord disappeared. In his absence, his three beast generals had taken over, but their constant disagreements left the city’s administration in shambles.
Corruption was rampant, and people like Ricky found plenty of opportunities to line their pockets. Bribes for releasing prisoners or allowing visits were routine. Even Donovan, the official in charge of celestial stone transactions, operated a thriving black market.
The chaos overwhelming Beast City stemmed entirely from the city lord’s absence. With no one at the helm, countless individuals seized the chance to amass enormous profits.
Had the city lord been in charge, Niel wouldn’t have been so brazen, running roughshod over others without a care for the damage he caused. But how could his father, one of the beast generals and a supposed enforcer of the city’s laws, bring himself to discipline-let alone imprison-his own son?
Unaware that he was being observed, Jared moved steadily forward, each step deliberate as he approached Claude. Claude stood watching, his eyes sharp and unwavering, filled with a fierce resolve. It had been far too long since anyone had dared to confront him directly.
The cultivators stood frozen, watching in stunned silence. Every one of them was hoping, almost desperately, that Jared would go head-to-head with Claude.
It didn’t matter to them who won or lost; they just wanted a good show. If Claude were defeated, maybe they’d even get a chance to linger under the ancient tree. But truthfully, they didn’t care about the outcome-only the spectacle.
Ezio, however, was different. His fists were clenched tightly, and he was silently praying for Jared to prevail over Claude.
As Jared stopped right in front of Claude, the tension between them was almost unbearable, like two swords drawn and ready to clash.
Then, just as the moment seemed ready to explode, a sharp, piercing bell rang out. The sound cut through the air, signaling the end of their free time. The rules were absolute-every prisoner had to return to their cells the moment the bell rang.
