“Old Pete, are you sick or sothing? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?” Hal’s eyes widened.
“Maybe…” Pete sighed, turning to glance at the elderly figure disappearing into the crowd. Had he just been lonely for too long?
“Geez, don’t scare like that!” Hal let out a breath. He’d worked with this old man for years, and it was always thanks to Pete’s brains that they’d pulled off so many bounty jobs.
“…” Pete shook his head. He really did feel tired. He’d been a bounty hunter for almost thirty years now- each mission taking half a year or longer, sotis not even returning ho for a full year.
Ever since his wife passed away, he hadn’t been ho in three years, spending all that ti traveling with Hal. This ti, they were aiming for the rank 10 bounty target- the elf known as the White Haired Enchantress.
“You’re acting weird today, old Pete,” Hal said, lips curled.
“When people get old, they’ll inevitably have weird thoughts,” Pete replied in a low voice.
“So… after this job, you’re going to retire?” Hal asked, his eyelids drooping as he tested the waters. “You know I’m sticking with you, right?”
“Hahaha… you’re not exactly young yourself. You’re almost thirty- go find yourself a wife and settle down. Stop clinging to an old widower like all day long,” Pete scolded, though there was clear fondness in his voice.
“No way. Won are a pain. Those tiny little fras? Not my type.” Hal turned away, sulking. Everyone kept telling him to get a wife, but he had no interest in those bony won.
“…” Pete was speechless. What the hell was this logic? The guy looked like a walking mountain of at and still had the nerve to complain.
“I’m gonna go take a leak. Wait here.” Hal waddled off toward the side of the street, looking for a corner to handle nature’s call.
“Hey- go over there!” Pete quickly called after him. He had seen a notice board, as well as people heading into a place called the public restroom.
“I can’t hold it!” Hal didn’t even turn his head and just found a spot to relieve himself.
“Seriously…” Pete sighed, brushing it off. Everyone did it this way anyway…
“Uh…” Pete started to notice the number of people glaring at them was growing. The gazes were filled with both disgust and… pity?
“Who just peed on the groud?”
Tess stepped out from the crowd, traverse blade at her waist and a baseball bat slung over her shoulder, wearing finely tailored leather armor. Five patrol officers followed behind her.
“What’s going on here?”
Hal, now done, turned around and stared at the group with his dead-fish eyes. His massive fra blocked the puddle behind him, though the stench still lingered.
“Umm…”
Pete knew instantly this was bad. Six of them, and all properly equipped. That was dangerous.
“Didn’t you see the notice board?” Tess frowned. This was her first day on the job, and she’d been expecting to break up brawls, not deal with this kind of thing.
“I saw it. I just didn’t feel like it,” Hal snapped. “It’s just a damn piss. What’s with all the damn rules?”
“Pay a fine. Given your attitude, it’s ten copper coins. And you’re cleaning that up,” Tess said, taking a step back due to the disgusting sll.
“What?! A fine for taking a leak? That’s extortion!” Hal’s temper flared. Since when did his urine beco this valuable?
“Are you resisting?” Tess’s violet eyes narrowed. Her grip on the bat tightened.
“N- No, ma’am. We’ll pay,” Pete quickly interjected. This was about to escalate. Pissing off local nobles right after arriving? Definitely not a wise move.
“Old Pete, step aside. Everyone else pees like this- why should we pay for it here? What kind of bullcrap rules are these?” Hal shoved Pete aside and glared furiously. “I’m not paying a damn thing. Let’s see what you can do about it.”
In the royal capital, Hal had even dared to piss in front of nobles’ doors. He couldn’t return to the royal capital anymore, sure, but his attitude hadn’t changed.
“How dare you!”
The patrol officers shouted in unison. How could soone insult the great city lord?
“Looks like you’ll be our first ‘guest’ at the Police Departnt today,” Tess said, stepping forward with her bat. Daring to trample the rules set by her young master? Unforgivable.
“A cowgirl, huh? Heh… not like I haven’t fought cattle beastkins before. Plus, you’re just a female,” Hal sneered.
Pete subtly reached into his burlap bag, where his weapon was hidden. His eyes scanned the surroundings, prepared. He wasn’t worried about Hal’s martial power.
In fact, this could be a good chance to test them. If they couldn’t win, they could still escape.
After all, Hal was a monster who could solo two or three beastkin at once. Even five or six noble knights had been taken down by him- he’d stripped their armor and sold them for money to buy at.
“Hah!”
Hal made the first move. His arm, as thick as a tree trunk, swung down toward Tess. If it hit, even soone in knight’s armor would be sent flying several ters.
“You big dumb bear. You dared to make the first move,” Tess muttered, shifting her feet to dodge easily and moving to Hal’s side. She raised her bat high and smashed it toward his thigh. “I hope your leg is strong enough,” Tess said calmly.
Pete watched the scene and shook his head slightly. With Hal’s bulk and layers of fat, a wooden club like that wouldn’t do much…
“ARGH!”
A scream rang out. Hal’s balance crumbled, his legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees.
“Seriously? That was only half strength,” Tess said, raising the bat again with a bored expression. “You were too tall just now- this is the perfect angle.”
“What-” Hal could only feel searing pain in his thigh, like it was on fire.
Thwack!
Tess brought the bat down on his head, knocking him out cold. She gave the bat a shake and said calmly, “If you’d just obediently followed the rules, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“What?” Pete stood there in shock. Hal got taken out in two hits by a female beastkin??
“Drag him back and lock him in the black room,” Tess ordered, turning to the patrol officers.
“Yes!” they responded with respect. Their eyes toward Tess now held clear admiration.
“Wait! I can pay a bail for him!” Pete shouted anxiously.
“A bail?” Tess waved her hand. “You can just pick him up in three days at the Police Departnt.” She and the five officers hoisted Hal up and carried him toward the Police Departnt.
“I wonder if Young Master will praise ,” Tess muttered to herself.
Pete stood frozen on the spot. All this over a piss? What the hell kind of place is this West Sun City???
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