Chapter 8: 8
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**Four days later.**
*Coastal city of Shurima, Urzeris.*
A group of eight hooded individuals carrying bags moved through the city, blending into the crowd. *"As expected of a commercial city, it's very wealthy,"* Mark thought as he observed the bustling scene.
There were dozens, perhaps hundreds, of stalls selling various goods produced by desert tribes and beyond, including jewelry, scrolls, maps, and even monster meat and organs.
The hot and humid climate made the place feel suffocating, intensified by the sheer number of people circulating, yet the crowd seemed oblivious as sales transactions occurred constantly.
The group, composed of Mark, Katarina, and six hired assassins from a guild, slowly entered the city and looked for an inconspicuous inn to stay.
Since the duel between Mark and Katarina, although he had lost, Katarina started to listen to him and stopped calling him a slave. Of course, her original plan hadn't changed, but now he had more room to maneuver.
*"Why did you hire these amateurs? I'm way better than them,"* Katarina muttered to Mark while clinging to him to appear as a couple. *"I didn't hire them to kill, but to gather information. We can't be everywhere at once,"* he replied. Leaving the main street, they passed through several alleys before reaching an inn in a quieter, nearly deserted street.
A figure stepped out of the inn to greet them. *"I greet the envoys,"* said the middle-aged woman dressed as a waitress. She welcomed them and led them inside.
Noxus had already established espionage bases in various cities and countries, and using Swain's influence, Mark managed to contact one of these bases to house them during the mission.
*"You can let go now,"* Mark said, annoyed. Katarina gave a mischievous smile before releasing him, enjoying how embarrassed he got with physical contact from the opposite sex.
After parting ways, they were soon escorted to a separate room in the basement. *"Feel free to use this space; you won't be disturbed,"* the waitress declared before ascending the stairs and leaving the group alone.
Mark paused for a moment, pulled out a city map from his bag, and spread it out on the table. *"Now that we're here, let's begin,"* he said, and everyone gathered around the table.
*"Our goal is to take over the city."*
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**Later that day, at dusk.**
*Point of view of Katarina*
*"That slave is getting arrogant, thinking he can give me orders,"* Katarina muttered to herself with a slight smile while leaping across the city rooftops.
The cold desert wind hit her body, but she didn't mind. The city's architecture made stealthy movement easy, unlike Noxus, where even house roofs had deadly traps. Sneaking through Urzeris was almost a warm-up.
Mark had split the group into pairs, and aside from himself and Katarina, everyone was tasked with spreading out across the city to gather information. *"At least he didn't give me an easy task like those amateurs,"* she thought. Moving across the rooftops, she soon approached the city's noble district.
Urzeris, being a city-state, was built around a fortress, making the central citadel well-guarded and home to the city's elites.
Katarina's mission was simple yet challenging: look for anything that suggested conspiracies, compromising documents, or even love affairs. If necessary, she was authorized to perform kidnappings.
*Swoosh.*
The wind whistled around her as she paused on a rooftop, her sharp eyes spotting a hooded figure entering the merchant guild building. Although the doors were closed, lights turned on, and the figure was let inside.
*"Bingo,"* Katarina whispered, stealthily infiltrating the merchant guild. About twenty minutes later, she exited the building with an account book documenting slave transactions involving nearby allied tribes.
She placed the book in her bag, and soon after, found her next target, smiling in satisfaction.
The following morning, Urzeris' forces would be thrown into a state of widespread panic over the lost documents.
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**Meanwhile, on Mark's side.**
After dismissing the group, Mark left the inn and headed for the main street, where the commercial activities were still lively. Bars and tents lit up the night, giving the city a festive atmosphere.
Strolling among the stalls, Mark found a mask stall and bought a sheep mask, putting it on before continuing his way through the market.
Soon, he found what he was looking for: a group of children begging near an alley. They were very young, with the oldest no more than seven years old. Xito, the leader, had tanned skin and curly hair, typical of desert children. He usually took care of the younger ones by stealing and begging.
However, they were now too thin to work, so Xito had no choice but to try his luck by begging. That day, a man in dark clothing and a sheep mask approached them.
*"Hello, children. Would you like something to eat?"* The children's eyes showed hesitation, and Xito immediately wanted to refuse, knowing that accepting help from strangers often came at a cost. But hunger and the pleading looks of the others betrayed his reason.
Mark persuaded the children to follow him to a simple restaurant, where he let them eat to their heart's content, unconcerned with the expense. He had ample funds at the moment.
The restaurant didn't seem to have many customers, and when the chef saw the children, he initially tried to expel them. However, after meeting Mark's gaze and seeing his expensive clothes, the chef retreated, smiling and returning to the kitchen.
Once the children were satisfied, Mark pulled out a silver coin, making Xito's eyes sparkle. *"Boy, I have a task for you. Do you think you can do it?"* Mark asked, and Xito quickly nodded. A silver coin could guarantee a week of food if used carefully.
*"What do you need me to do, sir?"* he asked eagerly, worried it might be something bad.
*"I need you to gather several children from the city in the alley behind the relic shop. For every five children you gather, I will give you a silver coin."*
Xito took a deep breath. He knew there were hundreds, if not thousands, of orphaned children throughout the city. His eyes gleamed with the silver glow of ambition, and he nodded.
*"Very well. I'll be there at dusk. I expect you to complete your task,"* Mark said, standing up and paying the bill before leaving.
Soon, the city would experience chaos like never before.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
stone