Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

"And what do you think about helping me with this? You'd get the chance to do what you want," William asked.

The woman was slightly taken aback. "I might have the desire to do it, but that doesn't mean I have the ability. It's madness to go to that place."

And indeed, it was. Storming a hideout full of powerful bandits wasn't a sensible thing to do. Of course, William needed to go, and he was determined to convince her.

"If we work together, we stand a real chance," William said. "What do you think?"

She noticed the desperation in his voice. This woman wasn't stupid. In fact, having been part of a gang, she was sharp and perceptive.

"What do you want with them? Start talking, or I won't even consider helping you."

The woman moved to the shop's door and flipped the sign. It now read Closed.

"Sit here," she said, pointing to a small wooden table at the back of the shop.

The table was simple—round, made of wood, with only two chairs around it. The area was cluttered, clearly part of the woman's living quarters.

'Must be her office or something,' William thought.

The place wasn't much to look at, but William kept his thoughts to himself.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said. "Why would I be hiding anything from you? I just need your help to infiltrate that place, that's all."

"Cut the crap, kid. I know you want something. Do you really think anyone in their right mind would storm that place for nothing? Try again."

"Alright, alright. But will you really help me?" William pressed. "Because it seems impossible to get into that place."

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Her tone was pessimistic, and William was starting to believe his mission was both stupid and impossible.

"It's doable. You're after some treasure they have, right? Those bastards have a huge collection of rare items. Easy to get when you've been robbing the entire desert," she said.

Deep down, William felt uneasy sharing this much with her, fearing betrayal, but he took the risk.

"Actually, I'm after a book," he admitted. "I believe it's quite old, maybe with a worn leather cover?"

When the woman heard this, she shook her head and stood up. "No way."@@novelbin@@

William frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The gang leader has a book exactly like that. He carries it everywhere."

That made the mission even harder. William had hoped to sneak into the bandits' hideout and steal what he needed. After all, this woman had been part of the gang, so she surely knew the layout and secret passages that could help them. But if the book was always with the leader, well, that screwed everything up. A confrontation with the gang leader was almost inevitable, and from what William had heard, the leader was incredibly powerful.

"Do you know what that book is?"

"Wait a minute," she said, laughing. "You don't even know what you're trying to steal? What kind of thief are you?"

"I'm not a thief. I'm just following orders."

"Ah, I see. Well, that book is strange. Ever since the leader started reading it, he's become even more ruthless and powerful. It's like he's lost, consumed by the pursuit of power. It was around the time he started reading it that I left the gang."

William sat in silence, deep in thought. He didn't know the nature of the book or what it contained, but the fact that it had altered the leader's personality was intriguing.

"Do you think we can get that book?" William asked.

"Honestly, if we just try to storm the place head-on, no. Impossible. But maybe we can lure them out, leaving only the leader and a few key members behind."

The idea of drawing most of the bandits away from the hideout was interesting, but how would they pull it off? William had no idea what could lure the bandits out.

However, the woman, whose name was Lyfenea, knew exactly how to do it. In fact, it was surprisingly simple.

Having been part of the gang for years, she knew a lot about them, including who owed them money or was at odds with them.

"There's a group that's practically their sworn enemies, and I know where they're hiding. I can drop some hints to the bandits, making them leave the hideout."

"That sounds promising. Do you need help with anything?" William asked.

"Yes, first we need to create the evidence. Come with me."

The two worked together to feed information to the bandits without revealing their identities. They visited places frequented by associates of the Serpent Desert Gang and began spreading rumors.

William and Lyfenea sat at a table in one of the bars, talking loudly. "Did you know the Silver Dagger Gang is hiding in an underground base in the White Dunes region?"

"Really? What are they doing there?" William asked.

"I think they're running from the Serpent Desert Gang..."

They repeated this conversation in several bars before returning to Lyfenea's shop. William wasn't sure if it would work.

"Do you really think this will work? All we did was spread some rumors."

"Of course it will," Lyfenea said confidently. "You have no idea how fast rumors like these spread. But we'll need to prepare for the raid on the bandits' hideout."

Time was of the essence. They couldn't afford to waste any, as they needed to be ready to strike. Lyfenea decided to call in a few people she knew and trusted to join them.

She brought in two more individuals. William wasn't sure how he felt about it—he didn't trust these people—but he couldn't deny that having more hands on deck would make the mission easier.

With their help, they could handle the remaining bandits in the hideout more effectively. For William, all that mattered was the artifact—the book the leader carried. The rest didn't concern him much. He'd be satisfied just getting the monetary reward the Lord promised him for the book.

'Even if I have to split the other valuables with them, I'll still walk away with something. So, it's worth it...' he thought.

"These two are my friends, and you can trust them. The four of us will raid the gang's hideout and split whatever we find. Of course, the book is yours. What do you think?" Lyfenea said.

"No problem. But can I trust them? It's already hard enough trusting you," William replied, being as blunt and direct as possible.

The two people Lyfenea had called were both women. One of them spoke up, "I understand your concern, but you can trust us. We have no reason to betray you. All we want is the treasure. Of course, Lyfenea has her own vendetta, but that's her business."

Lyfenea's friends were only in it for the chance to get their hands on valuable items. Unlike Lyfenea, who seemed to have a deeper grudge against the Serpent Desert Gang.

"Alright then, let's prepare to camp near the hideout so we can keep an eye on their movements," Lyfenea said.

They worked together to gather the necessary supplies. Lyfenea already had most of what they needed in her shop—tents and even camels for traversing the desert.

The only things they needed to buy were food and water for a few days, but that wasn't a problem. It was a small investment considering the potential rewards if the mission succeeded.

Once everything was ready, they decided to leave the city. It was late afternoon when they set out.

They didn't have four camels, so it was two people per camel. William rode behind Lyfenea, holding onto her waist.

The group drew some attention as they left the city, but nothing too serious. They headed straight for the gang's hideout.

William had a map that showed exactly where it was, and he pulled it out during the journey to take a look. Lyfenea smiled at him, "You can put that map away. I know exactly where it is."

And indeed, she did. In fact, she knew better routes to get there, and by nightfall, they had a clear view of the gang's camp.

They were on higher ground, overlooking the bandit camp from above. It was a perfect vantage point to scout the entire base.

"There are a lot of bandits down there," William remarked.

"Don't worry," Lyfenea replied, "soon enough, many of them will leave, and that's when we'll make our move."

They camped for the night on the higher ground, careful not to let the smoke from their fire alert the bandits to their presence. The hideout remained quiet, with no suspicious movements. They set up their tents and slept there.

However, the next morning, strange movements began to stir within the Serpent Desert Gang's base. A large group of bandits emerged, all looking as if they were heading to war.

William smiled. He knew the plan had worked. Now, all they had to do was infiltrate the hideout and take on the gang leader!