Chapter 251. Cartel (3)
Two weeks had passed since Caron and his group departed from the capital. They had chosen a route that passed through the Pajar Sultanate to enter the northeastern region of the Holy Kingdom.
There were alternative paths through the Southern Kingdom or the Southern Great Forest, but those areas were currently heavily occupied by the Holy Kingdom's military forces, making them far too dangerous.
In contrast, the region bordering the Pajar Sultanate was relatively quiet. Fanatical theocracy or not, the Holy Kingdom was still a land where people lived. Naturally, that meant there were smugglers and illegal immigration brokers operating under the surface.
Ganem Ali, a smuggling broker of the Pajar Sultanate, rubbed his hands together and bowed obsequiously toward the young man in front of him. He begged, "Hehe, Young Master... Please, just spare my life. I-I'll do my utmost, I swear!"
His face was swollen and bruised—a clear sign that he had been on the receiving end of some serious violence.
Ganem Ali was the most well-known broker in Resa, the southernmost city of the Pajar Sultanate. Whether it was sneaking people into the Holy Kingdom or smuggling them out, he was the man to go to. His organization alone boasted several hundred members. In short, he was a major player in Resa's underworld—a man who ruled the city's nights.
But all of that meant nothing to the young man standing before him, who asked, "Did you say your name was Garnet?"
"It's Ganem, Young Master!" Ganem answered.
"Right, Garnet. Come massage my shoulders," the young man commanded.
"Y-Yes, of course," Ganem replied, then obediently began to massage the young man's shoulders.
He had good reason to be so docile—this young man had single-handedly stormed and taken over his base of operations. Though there had been three others behind the young man, none of them had lifted a finger. He alone had neutralized the hideout's defenses.
In other words, he was an overwhelmingly powerful individual. And Ganem, more than anyone, knew better than to get on the bad side of such people.