Chương 310: Chapter : 310

The inside of the tavern was very dark. It smelled like old wood and stale drink. There were no customers. The wooden chairs were stacked upside down on the tables. The place looked completely abandoned.

"This place is creepy," Luna mumbled. She rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"I do not want to sleep here."

"Stay alert," Zinia warned. She cracked her knuckles.

"This could be an ambush." Ira stood near the entrance. Her face showed zero emotion.

"Statistically speaking, abandoned buildings in the outer districts often hide criminal activities." Ken chewed his sweet roll. He slouched his shoulders.

"Maybe they just have really bad food. Bad food closes restaurants very fast." A voice spoke from the shadows.

"I do not serve food here anymore." The girls instantly drew their weapons. Naomi pulled out her twin daggers. Laxmi's hands burst into bright orange flames. Zinia stomped her boot on the wooden floor. Princess Iris raised her silver rapier. An elderly man stepped out from the back room. He looked very old and deeply weathered. His skin was full of wrinkles. He had thin, gray hair. He wore a faded, patched-up brown coat. His hands shook slightly as he walked. He leaned on a wooden cane. He did not hold a weapon.

He just looked incredibly tired.

"Please, lower your weapons," the old man said. His voice was soft and raspy.

"I mean you no harm. I am the one who sent the message." Princess Iris did not lower her sword.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Derek," the old man replied. He gave a small, sad smile.

"I was Dr. Carrion's gardener." The 13th Unit stared at him. They were very surprised. They expected a secret agent. They expected a rival politician. They did not expect an old gardener with a wooden cane. Sayma pushed her thick glasses up her nose.

"You worked for Dr. Carrion? The murdered scientist?" Derek nodded slowly. He walked over to a small table. He sat down on a wooden chair. He looked exhausted from just walking across the room.

"Yes," Derek said.

"I tended his greenhouse. I took care of his exotic plants. I knew him very well." Naomi did not relax. She kept her daggers pointed at the old man. Her green eyes narrowed with intense suspicion. She moved closer to Princess Iris.

"Why should we believe you?" Naomi demanded. Her voice was sharp.

"You sent a secret message. You brought us to an empty tavern on the edge of the city. This is the perfect setup for a fatal trap."

"I agree with Naomi," Zinia said. She crossed her strong arms.

"You say you are just a gardener. Why would a random gardener hide in the outer districts? Why are you getting involved in a massive murder investigation now?" Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Derek looked down at his shaking hands.

"I am an old man. My health is failing. I have been hiding because I was terrified. The people who killed my master are ruthless."

"Then why come out of hiding today?" Laxmi asked. The fire in her hands crackled brightly.

"If you are so scared, why did you contact a Royal unit?"

"Because the guilt is eating me alive," Derek whispered. A single tear rolled down his wrinkled cheek.

"I have stayed silent for an entire year. I let his killers walk free. I cannot carry this secret to my grave. I had to do something." Naomi stepped forward. She did not trust him at all. She was fiercely protective of her team. She had seen too many traps. She refused to let her friends walk into another one.

"This makes no sense," Naomi argued aggressively.

"Dr. Carrion was a brilliant scientist. He worked on highly classified projects. He would not share dangerous secrets with the guy who watered his flowers. You are lying. Who sent you here?"

"Nobody sent me!" Derek pleaded. His voice cracked with emotion.

"Please, you must listen to me!" Ken stood near the back of the room. He took another bite of his sweet roll. He swallowed the food. He watched Naomi interrogate the old man. He looked at Derek's face. He looked at the tears in the old man's eyes. Ken knew the old man was telling the truth. He did not need to use magic to know it. He just paid attention.

"Naomi, chill out," Ken said casually. Naomi turned her head. She looked at Ken in surprise.

"Ken, stay back. This guy could signal assassins at any second."

"He does not have any assassins," Ken replied. He walked forward. He dragged his shoes on the floorboards. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He stopped right next to Naomi. Ken finished his sweet roll. He dusted his hands on his pants. Then, he did something very rare. He completely dropped his goofy, slouching attitude. He stood up straight. The lazy, sleepy look vanished from his dark eyes. He looked incredibly serious. He stared directly at Derek. Then he looked at Naomi.

"Eyes do not lie," Ken stated quietly. His voice carried a profound, commanding tone. It was very different from his usual whiny complaints. It sounded completely absolute. The entire room went totally quiet. The girls stared at Ken. They were stunned. The sudden change in his demeanor was jarring. It was a brief flash of something much larger. Something completely undeniable. Naomi looked at Ken. She saw the absolute certainty in his dark eyes. She felt a strange wave of calm wash over her.

The intense suspicion in her chest just melted away. She could not explain it. Ken's simple words somehow convinced her instantly. Naomi slowly lowered her twin daggers. She slid them back into their sheaths. She took a step back.

"Okay," Naomi said softly. She looked at Derek.

"We believe you. Talk."

Derek let out a massive breath of relief. He slumped forward in his wooden chair. He wiped the tears from his weathered cheeks. He looked at Ken with a deep, silent gratitude. Ken immediately slouched his shoulders again. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. The serious, commanding look vanished. The goofy, sleepy boy returned in an instant. He let out a loud yawn.

"Great," Ken mumbled lazily.

"Now that nobody is pointing sharp things at anyone, can we get to the story? Standing in this dusty tavern is making my nose itch." Princess Iris sheathed her silver rapier. She walked over and sat in a chair across from the old gardener. Her violet eyes were soft and understanding.

"We are listening, Derek," Princess Iris said gently.

"Please tell us about Mr. Carrion. Why do you want to help us?" Derek offered a sad, deeply nostalgic smile. He stared at the empty wall. He was remembering a better time.

"Mr. Carrion was an incredibly kind man," Derek explained. His raspy voice filled the quiet room.

"Many years ago, I had nothing. I was living on the streets. I was starving. I had no family and no hope. People walked past me every single day. Nobody cared." Laxmi extinguished the fire in her hands. She leaned against a wooden pillar. She listened quietly. The fiery girl actually felt a pang of sympathy for the old man.