This was nothing but moral blackmail plus threats!

How could the coachman’s own disappearance be blamed on her?

Who could confirm Hans hadn’t stopped at a tavern before vanishing?

Absurd. Ridiculous. Utter chaos. She wouldn’t yield to this coercive power play from the Guildmaster—not when she was a certified Demon King-slaying Archmage. How could she possibly bow to such petty—

“This is your advance payment from the Guildmaster. The extra five silver coins are her apology.”

“He was the coachman who carried me this far. I *will* find him!”

As an exemplary Archmage, Mei Yige was determined to fulfill the Guild’s mission without embarrassing them—or the Guildmaster.

Wiping away tears of gratitude, Ryan watched as Mei Yige mounted her Magic Wand and sped toward the crime scene.

By the time she reached the outskirts of yesterday’s town, a large crowd had already gathered at the usually quiet entrance of Tata Town.

“I can’t just fly over them…”

Landing discreetly, Mei Yige—dressed in loose light blue-and-white robes—headed straight for the crowd.

“No pushing! No shoving! Anyone tampering with the scene becomes a suspect!”

“The Guild and Town Guard are handling this. Everyone else, back to work!”

“…”

The guards’ shouts barely quieted the onlookers. Past disappearances were one thing—but this was different. The missing man was a Guild-hired coachman, vanished right outside town. The townsfolk were uneasy, curious. Could clues be hidden in that abandoned carriage?

*The Guild lost one of their own. The Town Guard protected nothing. They expect to solve this?*

*Can they even handle it?!*

*Only we locals, who truly care about safety, can deliver justice for that poor coachman.*

“Excuse me. Let me through.”

*What?*

*Another Guild lackey daring to interrupt our righteous search?*

*Unforgivable. Time to show these youngsters the unity of brewers!*

The blocked crowd instantly found a new target.

“It’s the Archmage!”

“We’re saved!”

“Step aside! All of you! What have *you* solved? Make way for the Archmage!”

The noisy crowd parted, revealing a two-meter-wide path. Respect, hope, and awe shone openly on the simple townsfolk’s faces.

Mei Yige, who’d been struggling to approach the scene, suddenly became the center of attention. She froze, unsure how to react.

“Everyone, please return to your duties. Leave this to us. Our work means nothing if it disrupts your lives.”

Forcing sincerity into her voice, Mei Yige delivered words she found utterly nauseating. The crowd flushed with shame.

“We lost our senses…”

“The Archmage toils for our safety, while we…”

“Unforgivable. Truly unforgivable!”

The crowd dispersed like scattered leaves.

The overwhelmed guards stared, dumbfounded. They exchanged glances, sharing one thought:

*Only an Archmage could achieve what we couldn’t.*

“I’ve come to see if magic can assist.”

*The commoners’ obsession with magic is terrifying,* Mei Yige thought, shifting focus from their fervor to Hans’ disappearance.

“Sir, we found drag marks. Hans likely never had a chance to resist.”

The lead investigator from Tata Town’s Guild branch knew Mei Yige’s status. He immediately handed her command.

“Quite a team. All here?”

She scanned the area: five Guild members, seven Town Guards. The severity of this disappearance was clear.

“No clues elsewhere. Witnesses confirm Hans never entered town. He vanished right here at the entrance.”

The investigator exhaled in relief after his report. *Now the responsibility is hers.*

“No traces of spellcasting. A professional mage would’ve erased them. As for monsters…”

Impossible. A creature strong enough to abduct an adult would’ve been noticed.

Mei Yige walked toward the grassy drag marks, stroking her chin. She recalled yesterday’s battle with the Lin pigs.

*Could this be a challenge meant for me?*

*Do such reckless fools even exist?*

She waved her Magic Wand. Traces of spell-cleansing flared under her senses.

“No clues. It’s been meticulously erased.”

If human, the perpetrator was highly skilled.

“Even the Archmage can’t… Tch. So this mission fails?”

The lead investigator clenched his fists. Morale plummeted. If magic couldn’t solve this, it would become a cold case.

“No need to rush. Let’s look again. One thing puzzles me: why target Hans? Every act has motive.”

Her question aimed to lift spirits—and answer her own doubts. Why abduct a Guild coachman? Even as a threat, it made no sense.

“We acted too hastily. Resume standard procedures.”

“Don’t blame yourselves. With duties merged under the Guild, the workload is heavy. But this tests us all.”

Mei Yige softened her expression. Her words effortlessly rallied the crowd—but that wasn’t her goal.

She turned to the lead investigator, her tone grave.

“Assigning personnel requires experience. Finding Hans’ motive falls to you. This is the Guildmaster’s unspoken wish. Otherwise…”

She crafted her subtext carefully, determined to streamline her mission. Without blinking, she delivered her “heartfelt advice” and veiled message to the young team:

“Do you truly think a simple disappearance warrants this many hands?”