Abyss System The Rise of the Lord-Chapter 127 shadow decision

The main streets in the city center were still crowded with people.

Trade continued.

Cart wheels creaked on the stone pavement.

Merchants haggled over prices.

Adventurers returned toward the guild carrying their spoils.

From the outside, everything looked ordinary.

But that was only appearance.

Inside the city, movement had already begun.

Aurora's arrival had put everyone on alert.

And the factions had no intention of remaining silent.

A little away from the city center stood an old stone building.

This building was one of the merchants' guild warehouses.

From outside it looked like an ordinary trade warehouse.

But inside, something else took place.

Today a small meeting was being held here.

But this was not an ordinary meeting.

Here two major guilds were meeting.

The Merchants' Guild.

And

The Adventurers' Guild.

Their alliance controlled half of the city's economy.

---

Inside

The large room on the upper floor was closed off.

Windows were covered with thick curtains.

Around the table sat about fifteen people.

But not all were equal.

At the head of the table sat two men.

The first — the master of the merchants' guild.

Not fat, but solidly built man.

His clothes were simple, but the fabric expensive.

His name was Valter.

A large part of the city's trade passed under his control.

The second looked completely different.

Broad-shouldered, an old scar across his face.

Eyes cold.

This was Roderick.

The master of the adventurers' guild.

If the merchants controlled the city's money,

the adventurers controlled its strength.

---

Valter poured wine into his glass and said:

— So… she has started to move.

Roderick gave a faint smile.

— No.

— She hasn't started yet.

— She is only watching.

Those around the table remained silent.

Everyone understood the weight of these words.

---

Valter tapped his fingers on the table.

— She is waiting.

— For us to make a mistake.

One merchant spoke:

— Perhaps she wants to start a war.

Roderick shook his head.

— No.

— The state will not start an open war.

He continued:

— If they send soldiers…

— it will frighten the people.

— And the people will turn to the factions.

Valter nodded.

— Correct.

— That is why they want to break us from the inside.

---

Valter placed both hands on the table.

— So the question is simple.

— What do we do?

The room fell silent.

Then one of the adventurers spoke.

— We fight.

Roderick looked at him and smiled.

— You are still young.

He continued:

— We will not fight.

— We will apply pressure.

---

Trade sanctions

Valter continued.

— If the situation escalates…

— trade will stop.

Several merchants around the table nodded.

Valter went on:

— Caravans will leave the city.

— Warehouses will close.

— Prices will rise.

He tapped the table slowly.

— The market itself will speak.

This sentence chilled the room.

---

Roderick crossed his arms over his chest.

— We will help too.

He continued:

— If necessary…

— the adventurers will abandon the forest.

A young fighter looked puzzled.

— What will that change?

Roderick looked at him.

— Everything.

He continued:

— Who hunts the beasts in the forest?

— Who protects the caravans?

— Who clears the roads?

Roderick said coldly:

— If we stop working…

— the roads will become dangerous.

— We can even artificially raise the danger

— but we will suffer losses too

— the problem is whose patience is stronger

He leaned back in his chair.

Everyone was thinking the same thing: how much loss would we take?

In the next moment Valter tried to take control of the situation.

Valter smiled faintly.

— And then…

— the people will ask for help.

One merchant said:

— From us.

Roderick nodded.

— Yes.

— From us.

— Not from the state.

This was very important.

If the people began to rely on the factions…

Aurora's plan would collapse.

One person said in a low voice:

— What do you say about the Gray Wings?

And there are also those who came to the city with black blades and are acting secretly.

The room fell silent for a moment.

These groups were not small.

Valter narrowed his eyes.

— They are not dangerous.

Roderick shook his head.

— I wouldn't say that.

He continued:

— They are not small.

— But not dangerous either.

Valter said:

— Spies.

— Information traders.

— Hired killers.

— We cannot ignore them but their place is not big.

Roderick added:

— They move according to the wind.

One merchant laughed.

— They follow the money.

Roderick looked coldly.

— No.

— They follow the side that survives.

That difference was huge.

Valter said:

— So for now we leave them in peace.

— If they don't turn against us…

— no problem.

Roderick added:

— If they do…

He did not finish the sentence.

There was no need.

Everyone understood.

The meeting lasted two hours.

Many small matters were discussed.

Trade routes.

Caravan protection.

Price control.

And at the edge of the table one person sat without joining, only observing, paying attention to every word.

—inflation? We need to prepare, he thought.

---

After the meeting ended, people slowly began to disperse.

But no one was careless.

The city looked peaceful.

But that was only appearance.

Inside, forces were already moving.

Merchants.

Adventurers.

Gray Wings.

And Aurora.

Hidden groups.

---

None of them had started open war yet.

But everyone knew one thing.

The game had begun.

And in this game the losing side…

disappears.

After everyone left,

Valter remained at the end. He played with his glass, looking toward the window.

Aurora, I don't like you. Women should stay home and raise children, but you… unfortunately trade is always on the winning side, he thought.

At that moment the door creaked open and one merchant entered.

— Master, are we leaving?

Valter thought for a moment and said

— Arrange a meeting with Aurora.

He stood up from his chair and began walking toward the door.

Outside, Roderick who had come out

looked at the building and thought

Valter is neutral, a traitor, cannot be trusted, but now there is no other choice, he whispered.

Even though night had fallen, the central streets had not completely quieted.

Some shops were closing.

Others were still trading.

Carts one after another headed toward the gates.

Caravans were preparing to leave the city with the evening guards.

From outside the city still looked ordinary.

But that was only surface.

This evening several people had discussed the future of the city.

And the words of those people now needed to reach other ears.

---

Among the people leaving the merchants' guild warehouse was one man in ordinary clothes.

He had hardly spoken during the meeting.

No one had paid attention to him.

He had sat at the edge of the table.

And only observed.

Now he walked quietly along the street.

The wind lifted dust along the street like a curtain.

The man looked back once.

The merchants' building was still dark.

Then he continued on his way.

After crossing several streets, he moved away from the center.

In this part of the city there were few people.

Old workshops.

Half-abandoned warehouses.

Dark narrow alleys.

Most people did not walk here.

The man finally reached an old building in a narrow street.

The door of the building was ordinary.

He knocked three times slowly.

A voice came from inside.

— Who?

He answered.

— The wind has changed.

A moment of silence.

Then the door opened.

---

Inside, candlelight was burning.

From outside this place looked like an ordinary abandoned spot.

But inside was a different scene.

The room was large.

Maps hung on the walls.

Documents on the tables.

Several people sat around the table.

Some in black clothes.

Some in light armor.

These people were not ordinary merchants or adventurers.

This was — the Gray Wings.

When the observer entered, everyone looked at him.

The middle-aged man sitting at the head of the table spoke.

— You're late.

The observer shrugged.

— The meeting lasted long.

— But it was interesting.

One woman raised her head.

— Speak.

— What happened?

The man sat down on a chair.

Then said slowly:

— The merchants and adventurers have come to an agreement.

The air in the room changed.

Several people looked at each other.

— About what?

— Against Aurora.

---

The observer continued.

— The merchants are planning sanctions.

— If the situation escalates, trade will stop.

One person whistled softly.

— They want to strangle the city.

The observer nodded.

— Yes.

— Food shortages may begin.

Another person sitting near the table asked:

— And the adventurers?

The observer answered:

— They are in the game too.

— If necessary they will stop hunting in the forest.

— They will not protect the roads.

— Caravans will be in danger.

One woman said slowly:

— So they want to start an economic war.

---

The room was silent for a while.

Then someone said:

— This city will not last long.

— Someone will win.

— And someone will disappear.

Another person laughed.

— Which side are we on?

The question was simple.

But the answer was heavy.

---

One man leaned on the table.

— If the state wins…

— they will clean the city.

— They will destroy the factions.

He paused a little and added:

— Us too.

No one in the room objected.

Everyone knew it.

---

Another one spoke.

— If the factions win…

— they will eliminate the traitors.

— And us too.

Someone smiled faintly.

— So death waits on both sides.

---

One woman crossed her arms over her chest.

— We will remain neutral.

— As always.

Another one shook his head.

— This time it won't work.

He said slowly:

— The city does not need us.

Everyone looked at him.

He continued: 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

— The merchants control trade.

— The adventurers control strength.

— The state controls power.

He tapped his finger on the table.

— And we sell information.

— Send killers.

— But in this war that is not enough.

He added coldly:

— If we remain neutral…

— both sides will see us as a potential threat.

The room fell silent again.

This was the truth.

---

A young agent spoke.

— So we go to the state's side.

— Aurora is strong.

Immediately another answered.

— The state does not need us.

— They have their own spies.

— Their own killers too.

— We would be extra burden for them.

---

Another one added.

— The factions don't need us either.

— They have already placed spies inside each other.

— Every guild is watching the other.

— We don't give them new information.

---

The argument gradually heated up.

Someone said we should choose the state.

Someone said the factions.

Someone said wait.

But no one could find a clear path.

---

At that moment the room door opened.

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

A tall man entered.

His footsteps were quiet too.

But the people in the room immediately stood up from their places.

This man was Marvek.

The leader of the Gray Wings.

He came to the head of the table and sat down.

His eyes were cold.

— Continue.

No one spoke.

Several moments of silence passed.

Then the observer said slowly:

— Which side do we choose?

Marvek looked at him.

Then slightly tilted his head.

— Why do we need to choose?

Several people in the room looked surprised.

---

Marvek spoke slowly.

— The merchants think they are the pillar of the city.

— The adventurers think the same.

— The state considers the city its property.

He smiled faintly.

— But they have all forgotten one thing.

Someone asked.

— What?

Marvek answered.

— Information war.

He placed his hand on the table.

— In this city everyone hides something about someone.

— The merchants.

— The adventurers.

— Even the state.

He added coldly:

— At that time we speak.

---

One agent said slowly:

— But they don't need us.

Marvek looked at him.

— Then we will make them need us.

Silence fell in the room.

Marvek continued.

— If the factions do not trust each other…

— they will come to us.

— If the state does not know whom to trust…

— they will come to us too.

He leaned back in the chair.

— Do you know what needs to be done for that?

No one answered.

Marvek said slowly:

— Find the spies.

Several people in the room looked at each other.

— Which spies?

Marvek answered coldly:

— All of them.

— The spies inside the merchants.

— The spies inside the adventurers.

— The state's too.

He narrowed his eyes.

— Find them.

— And eliminate them.

One agent whispered:

— Won't the price be heavy?

Marvek nodded.

— Yes.

He added slowly:

— But then everyone will need us.

The people in the room remained silent.

Marvek said the last words.

— This is my final order.

A heavy silence reigned in the room.

The city was still peaceful.