บท 16: Chapter 15: Fly's Eye
Later that week, Fa Ma finally heard back from the Thorn Society. They said that the Fly's Eye doesn't deal with proxy customers and that he would have to get the information himself. They didn't send any materials at least, so he didn't have to waste more of his time at least. After that night, he made the decision to send Chen Xin to the law enforcement team. He later heard from Chen Xin that his sword seems to absorb the blood of the ones he killed and spits out pure Battle Qi and essence in return. Fa Ma simply warned Chen Xin not to become a murderous maniac, otherwise he would have to hunt his little brother down.
That night, he went out disguised again into the slums of Canaan City. As he made his way to the Fly's Eye, the number of beggars increased exponentially. The Fly's Eye's entrance was actually in a homeless man's tent and led to another underground complex. As Fa Ma descended into the underground complex of the Fly's Eye, the damp, musty air filled his nostrils. The narrow passageway was dimly lit by flickering torches, casting dancing shadows on the rough-hewn walls. The sound of water dripping echoed in the distance, mixing with the faint murmur of voices that grew louder as he ventured deeper.
The passage opened into a vast cavern, bustling with activity despite the late hour. Fa Ma's eyes widened as he took in the scene before him. The Fly's Eye was a veritable bazaar of information, with people from all walks of life huddled in small groups, exchanging whispers and coins in equal measure.
Fa Ma pulled his cloak tighter around himself, ensuring his disguise was secure. He had chosen the appearance of a middle-aged merchant, complete with a slight paunch and a receding hairline. As he moved through the crowd, he kept his ears open, catching snippets of conversation.
"...heard the Duke's daughter is with child..."
"...new shipment coming in from the eastern port..."
"...Battle Master tournament in three moons..."
He filed away the information, noting potential leads for future investigations. But his focus remained on the task at hand - finding information about the missing girls.
As he navigated the crowded cavern, Fa Ma spotted a weathered old woman sitting behind a rickety table. Her milky eyes suggested blindness, but the way her head turned to track his approach told a different story. He approached cautiously, remembering the Thorn Society's warning about the Fly's Eye's distaste for proxies.
"What secrets do you seek, young one?" the old woman croaked, her voice like dry leaves in the wind.
Fa Ma raised an eyebrow at being called 'young one' despite his disguise, but pressed on. "I seek information about two girls who went missing from the orphanage near the Thorn Society."
The old woman's face remained impassive, but her gnarled fingers twitched slightly. "Ah, those poor souls. Many children disappear from the slums, but few ask after them. What makes these two special?"
Fa Ma leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "Let's just say I have a vested interest in their wellbeing. What can you tell me?"
The old woman's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Information has a price, young master. What are you willing to offer?"
Fa Ma reached into his pouch and produced a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid. "This is a rare cultivation aid, capable of advancing a Battle Practitioner to Battle Master in half the usual time."
The old woman's milky eyes seemed to clear for a moment as she gazed at the vial. Her hand shot out with surprising speed, snatching it from Fa Ma's grasp. She uncorked it and took a delicate sniff, then nodded approvingly.
"Very well. The girls you seek were indeed taken, but not by common traffickers. There are whispers of a group that seeks specific children - those with latent talents or unique bloodlines. They operate in the shadows, leaving no trace."
Fa Ma's mind raced with the implications. "Do you know where they might have taken them?"
The old woman shook her head. "Their final destination is unknown, but there are rumors of a transfer point in the abandoned warehouses near the eastern docks. Be warned, young master - those who ask too many questions about this group tend to disappear themselves."
Fa Ma nodded grimly. "Thank you for the information. Is there anything else you can tell me?"
The old woman leaned back, her unseeing eyes fixed on a point beyond Fa Ma. "Only this - be careful whom you trust. The roots of this tree reach deeper than you might imagine."
With those cryptic words, she waved him away, already turning her attention to another information seeker.
Fa Ma moved away from the old woman's table, his mind churning with the new information. As he made his way through the crowded cavern, he overheard a conversation that made him pause.
"...heard there's a big shipment coming in tomorrow night. The cat's eye is the drop point."
He edged closer to the speakers, a pair of rough-looking men huddled in a corner.
"Yeah, I heard it's somethin' special this time. High-value cargo, if you catch my drift."
The other man chuckled darkly. "Bet the nobles'll pay a pretty penny for this batch."
Fa Ma's blood ran cold as he realized they were likely discussing human trafficking. He committed their faces to memory, planning to investigate this lead further.
As he made his way back to the surface, Fa Ma's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and plans. The information from the old woman and the overheard conversation painted a disturbing picture. Not only were children being targeted for their potential talents, but there seemed to be a larger operation at play, one that might even involve the nobility.
Emerging from the Fly's Eye, Fa Ma blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the slums. The beggars were still there, their hollow eyes following his movements. For a moment, Fa Ma was struck by the stark contrast between the bustling information market below and the abject poverty above.
As he made his way back towards the academy, Fa Ma couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He took a circuitous route, doubling back and using alleyways to throw off any potential tail. Finally satisfied that he wasn't being followed, he slipped into an abandoned building to remove his disguise.
Back in his own skin, Fa Ma leaned against the crumbling wall, letting out a long breath. The weight of what he had learned settled heavily on his shoulders. This was no simple case of missing orphans - it was a conspiracy that seemed to reach into the highest echelons of society.
He thought of Chen Xin, now part of the law enforcement team, wielding a sword that fed on blood. Fa Ma hoped his warning had been enough to keep Chen Xin from losing himself to the allure of power. In this world of cultivation and constant struggle for advancement, it was all too easy to lose sight of one's humanity.
As he prepared to return to the academy, Fa Ma made a mental list of his next steps. He needed to investigate the eastern docks, find out more about this 'cat's eye' drop point, and somehow uncover the identity of the shadowy group behind the kidnappings. All while maintaining his cover as a diligent student and avoiding the attention of whoever was powerful enough to make people disappear without a trace.
Fa Ma chuckled humorlessly to himself. When he had taken on this mission, he had imagined playing the role of a heroic detective, swooping in to save the day. Now, he realized, he was in far deeper than he had ever anticipated. The slums of Canaan City held secrets darker than he had imagined, and unraveling them would require all of his wit.
As he stepped out into the night, Fa Ma's resolve hardened. He may not be the carefree hero he had initially envisioned, but he was determined to see this through. For the missing girls, for the countless others who had disappeared without anyone to search for them, and for his own sense of justice, Fa Ma would dive deeper into the shadows of Canaan City.
Little did he know, that being a hero always involves a sacrifice.
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