Love at the Wrong Table by Emmanuel Lowe

Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

Chapter 2012

“This time, it might not be possible!”

館

The bandit leader with the felt hat frowned. “They’ve got serious protection

now, and not just one expert. If we go head–to–head, we might lose. Better to

live to fight another day. Once these experts leave, we can strike the next

convoy.”

Though the henchmen felt disappointed, they knew all too well the dangers

of their line of work. One wrong move and it could be the end of the road for

them. So, despite the missed opportunity, they agreed with their leader’s

cautious decision.

Down at the base of the mountain, Rhett quickly leaped back into the vehicle,

leaving Anthony and the others in awe.

They had never seen anyone with such agility and skill before.

No wonder the Chairman of the Nuthana Chamber of Commerce dares to

challenge Teddy Tanner. Ms. Quillen seems to have the strength and support

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Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

to hold her ground.

“What’s the situation up ahead, Rhett?” Mackenzie immediately asked.

Rhett leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Your Holiness, there are indeed

bandits in the mountains. I caught two trying to blow up the road, but I took

care of them. From what I can sense, there are at least a few hundred more

hiding in the hills, though they don’t seem eager to make a move.”

Mackenzie’s expression turned serious. She nodded and said, “Thank you for

your hard work, Rhett.”

Rhett simply stood tall behind her, folding his arms as he resumed his watch

like a stone statue.

“Ms. Quillen, what should we do now?” Anthony asked nervously, still shaken

at the thought of bandits.

“It’s fine. Let’s keep moving. No one’s going to rob us,” Mackenzie replied

calmly.

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Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

56%

Hearing her confidence, Anthony let out a small sigh of relief, though he was

still on edge. It wasn’t until the entire convoy had passed through the

treacherous pass that he could finally relax.

“Ms. Quillen, we really owe you for this! With your people here, those vicious

bandits didn’t dare make a move,” Anthony said, visibly relieved.

In truth, he wasn’t a corrupt official or a schemer. He had only been trying to

protect his position and reputation after the last supply convoy had been

robbed. That’s why he had resorted to some underhanded methods to cover

jt up. Now, with this shipment safely en route to the disaster–stricken area, he

felt his troubles were behind him.

But just as he was feeling optimistic, Mackenzie suddenly spoke up. It’s

getting late, and pushing forward through the night isn’t safe. Let’s rest for a

few hours and continue at dawn.”

“What? But…” Anthony and his team were caught off guard by her suggestion.

They had just cleared the most dangerous part of the route.

Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

Shouldn’t we push on to deliver the supplies to Riverhaven as soon as

possible?

“Mr. Quail, the bandits know we won’t stay in West End forever. Once we leave,

they’ll go back to their old ways, and the people here will continue to suffer.”

Mackenzie added again, “Since I’m here, I intend to take care of these bandits

and restore order to the West End. If the main road isn’t safe, how can

commerce flourish? How can the economy of this region thrive?”

Her words were filled with conviction.

Anthony and the others nodded in agreement with her reasoning, but they

were still nervous.

“Ms. Quillen, we truly appreciate your dedication, but this shipment needs to

reach Riverhaven as quickly as possible. If anything goes wrong, we’ll be held

responsible!” Anthony said, fear evident in his voice.

Mackenzie understood their concerns but remained firm. “If we want to truly

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Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

help the West End, we can’t afford to compromise with criminals. We have a

rare chance here, and we must seize it. We’re taking down these bandits

tonight! Stop the convoy!”

“What? But…”

Anthony hesitated. He didn’t want to give the order, but he didn’t dare oppose

Mackenzie either. He stood there, caught between a rock and a hard place.

“I said–stop the convoy!”

Mackenzie’s voice rang out with a queenly authority, each word crisp and

commanding, leaving no room for refusal.

Left with no choice, Anthony reluctantly nodded. He knew full well that even if

he didn’t give the order, Mackenzie’s people were more than capable of

stopping the convoy on their own.

After the vehicles came to a halt, Mackenzie stepped out.

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Quintus quickly rushed over with a coat and draped it around her shoulders.

“Mackenzie, the mountain winds are fierce at night. Be careful not to catch a

cold, or Emmanuel will definitely blame me for not taking care of you

properly.”

“Thanks!”

Mackenzie smiled softly in response and began to survey the surroundings.

It was late autumn, with winter just around the corner, and the mountain air

was crisp, with light snowflakes beginning to fall.

Truth be told, life as a bandit wasn’t easy–it was a tough way to make a

living.

“Your Holiness, even if we stop here, those mountain bandits may not dare to

rush down,” Rhett suddenly remarked.

Mackenzie nodded and instructed Quintus, “Open up the most valuable

wagons we have and light them up. Let’s bait the fish.”

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Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

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“Got it! Fishing’s my favorite thing!” Quintus responded as if he had just been

injected with adrenaline, hurrying off to make arrangements.

“Even so, wolves may not be bold enough to steal from a tiger’s feast,” Rhett

speculated.

“No, when the hunger is strong enough, even a kitten will risk it all to steal

from a tiger’s plate, let alone a wolf,” Mackenzie said confidently.

Rhett didn’t argue further. He knew time would tell who was right–him or

Mackenzie.

As expected, once the carriages were opened, and Quintus deliberately

illuminated the treasures inside, the bandits on the mountain finally couldn’t

contain themselves.

“Boss, those goods are worth at least a hundred million, maybe even a

billion!”

“If we pull this off, we’ll be set for life!”

Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

#h

“Yeah, money makes people take risks; lotting this opportunity slip would be a

crimel”

The henchmen’s eyes glinted with grood as they geared up for the raid.

“Fools!” their leader scolded.

“It’s obviously a trap to lure us out. If we charge down, we might not make it

back!”

Despite his warning, he couldn’t stop his greedy underlings.

“To hell with it! There are so many of us, and we’re well–armed. Why should

we be scared of some transport convoy?”

“Yeah! Plus, I saw a stunning beauty down there–I haven’t touched a woman

in ages!”

“Let’s go! Attack!”

With the greedier ones leading the charge, the rest of the bandits followed,

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Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

not wanting to be left behind.

“Damn it! A bunch of fools!” The leader cursed again but had no choice but to

give in. “Fine! Charge! Take everything–money, goods, and the women!

Leave nothing behind!”

Hearing the commotion echoing across the hills, Mackenzie felt a rush of

excitement. The big fish has finally taken the bait. Now, it is time to reel them

1. in.

“Quintus! Tell the Blade Battalion to engage immediately!”

“Ha! On it!” Quintus was already itching for action. He immediately shouted

the order, “Charge! Take down every last one of those bandits!”

Suddenly, the valley erupted into battle.

Anthony and the others huddled inside the vehicles, clutching their heads in

terror, too terrified to even peek outside.

All they could hear were the deafening shouts, explosions, and the sound of

Chapter 2012 Luring the Enemy

men falling in the chaos.

The mountaintop was lit up with fire, and the screams of the fallen echoed

through the night.

Mackenzie stood calmly amidst it all, her sharp eyes watching the battle

unfold.

Behind her, Rhett lowered his hands, fully focused on protecting her.