I'm Trapped Inside a Prince as the Most Powerful Entity-Chapter 33: The Spider Syndicate

The scene changes, moving far away from the royal palace and its tense meetings. We are now in Crestport City, the place Sir Karlos used to rule as its mayor. This was the heart of his family’s power and influence before he betrayed the King and fled.

Inside the city, on a narrow, cobblestone street lined with tightly packed buildings, stood an old structure. It was mostly made of dark, weathered wood, two stories tall, looking like it had seen better days.

Inside, on the second floor, sat a man. He was bald, with a rough scar cutting across his left eyebrow down towards his cheek. He wore tough-looking clothes made of dark leather and leaned back comfortably in a sturdy wooden chair.

Opposite him, standing stiffly, was a young man dressed in very fine, expensive clothes – the kind a wealthy nobleman would wear. A knight, clad in polished armor, stood silently just behind this young nobleman.

The young nobleman, whose name was William, held a delicate porcelain cup in his hand. He carefully took a sip of tea, his movements smooth.

He was about 24 years old, the son of the mayor from a nearby city. The bald man sitting across from him was named Bryan. He wasn’t a noble; he was a captain in a international Criminal group known as the Spider Syndicate.

The Spider Syndicate was a secret criminal organization known across many kingdoms. They were involved in smuggling, theft, kidnapping, and even assassination. No one knew who started the Syndicate, where their main base was hidden.

They were like shadows, operating everywhere but belonging nowhere. Bryan had been working for the Syndicate for many years, slowly climbing the ranks through dangerous jobs until he reached the position of captain, in charge of the Syndicate’s operations in Crestport City.

William finished his sip of tea and lowered the cup slightly, looking directly at Bryan. "We’ve done our part," William said.

"We provided you with the weapons, the money, and the information Karlos promised before he left. Everything you asked for." He paused, his eyes meeting Bryan’s gaze. "Now, it’s your turn. Karlos expected you to act. It’s time for your people to make their move."

Bryan, who had been sitting relaxed, leaning back in his chair with his arms resting on the armrests, slowly shifted his gaze to William. He didn’t look impressed. A small, knowing smile touched his lips.

"You don’t need to worry about that, little lord," Bryan said, his voice rougher than William’s, with a clear lack of respect. "I know my job. We know when and how to act." He tilted his head slightly. "You just worry about doing your part, whatever that is."

William’s eyes narrowed slightly. He didn’t like Bryan’s tone at all. This rough criminal was talking down to him, a nobleman’s son. He felt a prickle of anger, but he kept his face smooth, hiding his irritation.

William took a slow, deep breath, trying to stay calm and businesslike. He decided to try a different approach, offering advice as if they were partners. "This is the perfect time, Bryan," he said, leaning forward slightly, trying to sound reasonable.

"Think about it. Crestport City has no leader right now. Karlos is gone. There’s no noble in charge, no official mayor. The man who was assisting the mayor? He’s corrupt, easily bribed, and won’t interfere with you. The King is dealing with chaos back in the capital. It will take him at least a week, longer, to send a new mayor and enough guards to restore proper order here."

He looked pointedly at Bryan. "You have a window of opportunity. A whole week, maybe more. Use it. Take control of the city now, while it’s weak. Cement your power here." He lowered his voice slightly.

"Once the Royal Army arrives in force, things will become much more difficult for you and your... organization." He gestured vaguely. "My family is willing to help you from the shadows, provide distractions, some false information to the King’s men when they arrive. But you need to act now."

William waited for Bryan’s response, expecting some sign of agreement or at least consideration. Instead, Bryan just stared back at him, his expression unchanging, that slight, mocking smile still playing on his lips. He didn’t say anything.

He didn’t nod. He didn’t even seem to be listening. He just sat there, completely ignoring William’s carefully laid-out points.

Watching Bryan’s complete lack of reaction, William felt his anger bubble up again, stronger this time. He gripped his teacup tighter before he forced himself to relax his hand.

’This thug!’ William thought furiously, staring at Bryan’s impassive face.

’Why? Why does Father insist on dealing with these criminals? This Spider Syndicate... they’re unpredictable, dangerous scum! If we wanted more influence in this city, we could have used our own connections, our own methods. Why rely on these... these spiders?’

He knew arguing further was useless. Bryan clearly wasn’t going to listen to him. William took another calming breath and stood up straight, pulling his fine cloak around his shoulders.

"My work here is done," he said stiffly. "I have delivered the message and the final payment." He placed the now-empty teacup carefully on a small wooden table nearby.

"Do what you will." Without waiting for a reply, William turned sharply. His knight immediately moved to follow him. They walked out of the room and down the creaky wooden stairs, leaving Bryan alone.

Bryan watched them go, his eyes following William until the sound of their footsteps faded down the stairs and the outer door closed. He stayed silent for a few moments, the mocking smile returning to his face, wider this time.

"Nobles," he muttered to the empty room, spitting the word out like it tasted bad. "You’re all the same. Always looking for an angle, always thinking about your own profit." He chuckled, a low, gravelly sound. "Ready to do anything, ally with anyone, just to get a little more power, a little more land."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "But you’re fools," he continued, his voice dropping to a whisper, though there was no one else to hear. "You think you can control us? Use the Spider Syndicate like some tool?" He laughed again, louder this time.

"Entire kingdoms, powerful kings with huge armies, have tried to wipe us out, and they’ve all failed! We’re everywhere, like cockroaches they can’t quite squash." He looked towards the door where William had left.

"And you think your little noble family, playing games from the shadows, can actually control us?"

A truly unpleasant grin spread across Bryan’s face, making the scar on his eye seem darker. "You gave us the key to this city, little lord," he whispered gleefully. "But you forgot something." He chuckled darkly.

"Our plan isn’t just about taking Crestport." His grin widened. "It’s about taking your city too, eventually. One bite at a time." He threw his head back and laughed out loud, the sound echoing strangely in the old, dusty room.

Outside the building, William climbed into his waiting carriage. He didn’t look back at the shabby wooden building. He gave a sharp order to the driver, and the carriage wheels clattered on the cobblestones as it pulled away, heading out of Crestport and back towards his own home city, leaving the Spider Syndicate captain to his plans.

What the King, and most of the nobles worrying about investigations back in the capital, didn’t fully understand was just how deep the Spider Syndicate’s web reached. They weren’t just a problem in border cities like Crestport.

Their agents, thieves, spies, and assassins had spread throughout many cities across the kingdom. In recent months, they had even managed to slip people into the capital city itself. They operated in the shadows, gathering information, committing crimes, waiting for opportunities, unseen and unnoticed by most.

And their reach extended far beyond this one kingdom. The Spider Syndicate had tendrils in many neighboring lands as well, playing kings and nobles against each other, profiting from chaos and conflict. No one knew where their central command was located. No one had ever seen the face of the person, who led the entire organization – the mysterious ’Spider’.

But everyone who knew anything about the underworld had heard the name Spider Syndicate. And hearing it usually brought a shiver of fear. They were known for their ruthlessness and their willingness to do absolutely anything – kidnapping, blackmail, murder – for the right price, or for their own hidden goals.

Scene Shift: Later that Night

The moon was hidden behind clouds now, plunging the narrow alleys of Crestport City into near-total darkness.

Bryan walked quickly through the winding backstreets, his leather boots silent on the damp stones. It was still the dead of night, and the only sounds were the distant barking of a dog and the scuttling of rats in the shadows.

He pulled his cloak tighter around him, his eyes constantly scanning the darkness.

He stopped in front of a small, run-down shop tucked away in a particularly alley. The sign above the door was faded and peeling; the windows were boarded up.

It looked abandoned. Bryan glanced quickly up and down the alley. He saw no one. He listened carefully. He heard nothing.

Satisfied he wasn’t being watched, Bryan approached the shop’s old wooden door. He didn’t try the handle. Instead, he reached down to a loose stone near the bottom of the door frame. He pressed it in a specific sequence – two short pushes, one long push. There was a faint click from within the wall.

Bryan then pushed a specific section of the wall right next to the door. With a low grinding sound, a hidden section of the wall swung inwards, revealing a opening and a set of steep stone steps leading down into the earth.

Without hesitation, Bryan slipped through the opening and pulled the secret door shut behind him. It clicked back into place, leaving the alley looking undisturbed once more.

He descended the stone steps into darkness, the air growing colder and damper. The only light came from flickering torches set into brackets on the rough stone walls below. As he reached the bottom, the passage opened into a larger underground area. It was a hidden base for the Spider Syndicate.

The place was crudely dug out but functional. Rough-looking men and women lounged against the walls, sat on crates, sharpening knives, talking in low voices.

These were the Syndicate’s thugs, spies, and enforcers in Crestport. They looked tough and dangerous. As Bryan walked deeper into the base, he passed a long corridor lined with heavy iron bars, like a prison. Behind the bars, huddled in the, dirty cells, were dozens of people – men, women, even some children.

They looked terrified and miserable. These were the Syndicate’s captives, kidnapped for ransom, perhaps to be sold as slaves, even used for the Syndicate’s own purposes. Their quiet sobs and whimpers were a grim background noise in the base.

Bryan walked down the main corridor, his boots echoing on the stone floor. The corridor branched off into smaller tunnels and rooms. Everywhere he looked, he saw more Syndicate members.

They carried various weapons – knives, short swords, clubs. When they saw Bryan walking past, they immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads respectfully. He was their captain, and they knew better than to show him disrespect.

Bryan ignored the bowing thugs and the miserable prisoners in the cells. He continued walking until he reached a sturdy wooden door at the end of the main corridor. He pushed it open and stepped inside.

The room was small and sparsely furnished, containing only a rough wooden table and a few chairs. Two people were already waiting inside. One was a middle-aged man with a stern face, another Syndicate operative Bryan knew. The second was standing silently in the corner, his face hidden in shadow.

Sitting at the table was a young man, probably in his early twenties. He had messy black hair and sharp eyes that darted nervously around the room. His name was Billy.

"Billy?" Bryan said, his voice showing his surprise. He hadn’t expected to see this particular young man here tonight. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to be with the team in the capital."

Billy looked up at Bryan, his expression grim. He didn’t waste any time with greetings. His voice was low.

"It failed, Captain," Billy reported bluntly. "The mission. The assassination attempt on the Third Prince... it failed."

Bryan froze. He stared at Billy, the surprise on his face slowly turning into a cold, hard silence.