Mist Empire’s Rise: Fake Noble to Fog Queen

Chapter 383 Mist Empire’s Rise- 382: The Chicken Thief

"Boss, you've got the wrong people!" Vina stared wide-eyed. "We're here for lodging, not some chicken-and-dog-finding squad you mentioned. Besides, do we look like people who'd do that?"

This boss had no eye for quality. She was nobility! Nobility! He dared ask her to help find chickens!

After Vina said this, the innkeeper immediately hesitated.

He looked the eight over again, scratching his head and muttering: "Six girls, two boys. One horse each. Arriving in town this afternoon for lodging. That's right—how could it not be them..."

Luo Wei's ears twitched. She pushed past Vina, stepping forward: "Boss, may I ask—who told you a squad like this would come to town today?"

"Nothing inconvenient about that," the boss was easygoing, answering: "Just that I don't know the person either. Heard it was a woman wearing a hat. Didn't even show her face. Rather strange temperament."

"She hired several beggar children to spread the word. Said this afternoon a group of young people who help find lost items would pass through. Name was 'Find Chickens Seek Dogs One Copper Squad.' Eight people in the team. Just give them one copper coin and they'd help find lost items."

By this point, Vina and the six classmates behind all sensed something wrong.

That strange woman wearing a hat—wasn't that Professor Tobias?

This "Find Chickens Seek Dogs One Copper Squad"—wasn't that them?!

So their second task was helping the innkeeper find chickens?

Everyone felt grief and indignation. This was worse than swordsman apprentices' tree-chopping and stone-digging tasks!

News of swordsman apprentices chopping trees would at most earn sympathy for hard training. News of them finding chickens would be laughed at to death!

Especially the team name the professor gave—"Find Chickens Seek Dogs One Copper"—sounded ridiculous enough to make people laugh their teeth off.

Making them find chickens was bad enough. One search only worth one copper coin—were astrology apprentices' divinations this cheap?

Even Luo Wei silently tilted her head back, letting sad tears flow back inside.

Even at her poorest, she'd never thought about earning money one copper coin at a time.

Her labor really wasn't worth much.

The eight people's facial changes were obvious. The boss looked at them increasingly suspiciously: "You're really not the Find Chickens Seek Dogs One Copper Squad?"

Luo Wei pulled out a stiff smile: "It's us. Sorry, boss. Just now was a misunderstanding. Your chicken's missing, right? We'll help you find it now."

For points, she'd endure.

...

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From the innkeeper's description, the eight learned he'd lost a beautiful rooster.

This rooster had a bright red comb and high-arching black tail feathers. Every morning it would jump onto the backyard wall to crow.

But two days ago, this rooster disappeared.

That morning the innkeeper slept in. Upon waking, he found the backyard unusually quiet. He hurried to check.

After discovering the rooster missing, he searched front and back several times without finding it. Asked neighbors—they also said they hadn't seen it.

Losing chickens in the countryside wasn't unusual. The wild had plenty of chicken-stealing wolves and foxes. But he lived in town—would wolves really come to town to steal chickens?

If some chicken thief had visited his backyard, with neighbors all around, they'd definitely hear something.

The boss was puzzled: "Don't you think it's strange? No blood on the ground, no chicken thief seen either. The chicken just can't be found."

After listening, Luo Wei said: "Don't worry. We'll help you find it. Definitely find it this afternoon."

Though the boss didn't believe these few could find it, having people willing to help still made him happy. He generously said: "If you help me find the chicken, I'll waive one person's lodging fee!"

"That's not necessary," Luo Wei smiled. "If we find it, just give us one copper coin."

The boss understood: "I get it, I get it. People in your line of work don't want one-time deals. You want volume and repeat customers, right? That's simple. You help me, I'll definitely help you too!"

Astrology squad members: ...

What he understood seemed a bit different from what they were thinking.

Hopefully this boss wouldn't do anything to increase their task load.

The eight first reserved four rooms, placing luggage and items in the rooms.

The horses were led by shop assistants to the stable. They also instructed assistants to give them the best feed. Eight horses' feed costs added up to more than their lodging fees.

After putting away luggage, the eight gathered in one room to divine the rooster's whereabouts.

Renee quickly divined the rooster was under the east wall of the backyard. So everyone went out together to verify her divination results.

The group wandered the backyard, pretending to search for traces the rooster left before disappearing. After two circles, they headed straight for the east wall.

However, under the wall was completely empty. Forget chickens—not even a chicken feather visible.

Oh no, chicken feathers were there. Also lots of chicken droppings on the ground.

But the chicken—where did the chicken go?

Everyone looked at Renee. Had her divination been wrong?

"How could there be nothing?" Renee said anxiously. "The position I divined was clearly here!"

Luo Wei: "Perhaps on the other side of the wall. Who'll jump up and look?"

"I will." Aesar grabbed the wall top and climbed up, glancing at the other side, shaking his head. "Nothing there either."

Renee couldn't believe this result. She bit her lip, reaching for the crystal ball in her bag: "I'll divine again."

"Renee, don't!" Everyone hurried to persuade. "Put the crystal ball down."

"You can't repeatedly calculate the same question in a short time. You've already divined once. Divine again and your spirit will collapse!"

Renee lowered her head, voice quiet: "I'm sorry..."

She couldn't even do such a simple thing well. The divination results could be wrong. She was so terrible.

"What are you apologizing for now?" Luo Wei spoke up. "Your divination results haven't been fully verified yet."

Renee looked up blankly: "Not fully verified?"

What more verification was needed? They were standing right here. There simply was no rooster!

"Not on the ground doesn't mean not underground."

Luo Wei turned to Aesar: "Aesar, go down and look. Is there freshly turned soil at the wall base? Any chicken feathers and bones in the soil?"

Everyone froze. Could it be the innkeeper's rooster was already dead?

A minute later, across the wall, Aesar's voice came from the other side.

"There really are chicken feathers! A huge pile, and a rotten chicken head!"

"Ugh, so stinky!"

"Only feathers, no meat. This chicken was probably eaten by someone."

Luo Wei: "Pick up a feather and come back. Cover the soil back up. Move gently—be careful not to be discovered."

"Okay." Aesar replied quietly.

A moment later, Aesar climbed back from the neighboring yard, gripping a tuft of rooster tail feathers.

Seeing this, Luo Wei led her teammates outside.

"Let's go. We'll tell the boss the results. The rest has nothing to do with us."