At a shabby tavern, tucked into a dim alley…0

Creak.0

The rusty hinges groaned as Caron pushed the door open and stepped inside. The sound of the door quickly gave way to the rowdy chatter filling the room.0

"I scored big this time!" a person called out.0

"Yeah, just mercenary work ain't cutting it anymore! Next time, come with me, and…" another person said.0

"We just need one big hit, that's all," someone else commented.0

The raucous voices hit Caron's ears as he entered. The air was thick with the stench of sweat, alcohol, and other foul odors mingling together. A few of the patrons glanced in his direction, but they soon returned to their loud conversations, uninterested in the newcomer.0

Caron exhaled lightly and made his way deeper into the tavern.0

"I've already told the broker in Reben about you," Foina had said. "You'll meet him at a tavern called Cold Night. Just remember, he's not part of Caligo. Think of him more like… a necessary evil. If you catch even the slightest whiff of betrayal, well, I trust you'll know what to do. After all, dealing with traitors is your specialty. I also mentioned you were a buyer looking for slaves, so play along with that."0

At the far end of the tavern, a middle-aged man sat alone. He wore a black eyepatch, and his crooked teeth were impossible to miss as he knocked back a strong glass of rum. His thinning hair gave him a rough, almost sleazy appearance, which matched his grim demeanor perfectly.0

Caron approached...0