Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Looking up at the wall clock and seeing that it was past eight o’clock, Alger put down his glass mug of alcohol and pushed his way through the drunkards into the street.
As the Rorsted Archipelago was rich in coal, Bayam was like the mainland cities of Backlund and Pritz Harbor. Its streets were lined with tall black lamp posts, and the light of the burning gas effused through the metal grille, illuminating the relatively clean streets.
Alger pulled off his headscarf and slowly turned into a side alley. At a dead-end in the alley, he could smell the scent of urine mixed with alcohol. Although the Amyris Leaf Bar had a bathroom, it clearly wasn’t enough for the customers during peak periods. Some of the drunks who couldn’t hold it in could only find a secluded place to relieve themselves.
The red moonlight penetrated the clouds and shone into the alley. While Alger was still considering whether he should put on a more convincing act, a firm and pervading voice came from behind him.
“Did you purposely leak the information about Blazing to us?”
He’s not stupid… Alger muttered to himself as he slowly turned around, as though preparing for a surprise attack.
Seven or eight steps away, he saw a figure leaning against the wall.
The figure was about 1.78 meters in height, and it wore a boat-shaped hat. Its face was thin and sharp, and it wore a look of aggression.
He had a lock of black hair hanging down, half obscuring the dark green eyes on his left side, which softened his own coldness.
Even though there was often quite a difference between a wanted poster and the person in question, many famous pirates didn’t even don disguises as they wandered the city. As an insider of the Church, Alger had seen many almost photographic portraits drawn with rituals and had participated in pirate conventions. He was still able to successfully link the person in front of him to a name on the bounty notices.
He didn’t express this point and deliberately hesitated before asking, “Calm Squall?”
He was the chief helper of Steel Maviti, a Beyonder who was good at controlling his emotions and thinking calmly, but he was also inhumane and had a 1,500 pounds reward offered for him. The man pulled at his black windbreaker and revealed an empty smile.
“Can I deny that?
“Well… probably not, just like how you can’t deny that you deliberately mentioned Blazing to Oamaru. He’s not someone who enjoys using his brain, the complete opposite of me.”
“I’ve never thought of lying. I only wish to obtain some payment for the news you received from me. Between Blazing, who’s alone, and Steel, who has so many helpers, anyone with a brain would know which to choose. Of course, I wish that you keep it a secret. I don’t want to be pursued by Vice Admiral Iceberg,” Alger replied frankly.
Squall nodded his head leisurely and said, “Tell me the specifics.”
“Just like I mentioned before. I bumped into and recognized Blazing at the Gold Coin Casino. He entrusted me to take note of Steel’s whereabouts. Heh heh, it seems like he wishes to launch a counterattack,” Alger said with a scoff. “We agreed upon a point of contact. I believe this is intelligence worth at least 1,000 pounds.”
“1,000 pounds? Look up at the crimson moon. Are you dreaming!?” Squall scoffed. “This might be a trap. Don’t you understand that? Blazing might very well have found helpers, which is why he dares to seek us out.”
“It’s not for me to judge whether it’s a trap or not. 500 pounds. Less than that, and I’d rather pretend that nothing has happened.” Alger attempted to argue on the basis of reason for the reward.
“300 pounds. You have to follow me somewhere and stay there for some time. It’s to prevent you from selling this piece of news to others and spoiling our plans. We’ll pay you when we capture Blazing with the intelligence you provided or have his spirit channeled. Don’t worry. Food, alcohol, and a bed will all be free. Regardless, you lucked out! If there are any accidents that had resulted from you, hehe. I believe you’ll know the outcome,” Squall suggested with a tone which didn’t allow for refusal.
Sure enough, just as I expected, with my background being unknown, and with me not being too dangerous, the possibility of them choosing temporary detention is much higher than silencing me… However, I’ve also made preparations for a worst-case scenario. As long as I’m not too careless, escaping isn’t a problem… Alger deliberately acted like he was in a dilemma as he said, “No more than two days, or my crew will leave with my ship.”
“I’ll inform them if it exceeds two days.” At some point in time, a sharp scalpel had appeared in Squall’s palm, and he was making it jump and spin like an acrobat.
After Alger described in detail the point of contact at 15 Amyris Avenue and the corresponding communication methods, Squall didn’t speak further. He turned around and led Alger as they turned at every corner, and they arrived at an unknown street before entering a nondescript house.
“Long time no see, blue-haired captain of a ghost ship.” The door was opened by an old man with hair that had more white than black. He was dressed as a local and wore a pair of baggy pantaloons.
“Old Quinn. You really are the intelligence officer of the Admiral of Blood…” Alger deliberately said in astonishment.
Old Quinn chuckled and said, “There’s always some truth to rumors. What you imagine to be fake might very well be real.”
He didn’t switch on the gas wall light, but he carried a silver candle lamp in his hand as he guided Alger and Squall through the dark hall into a spacious, windowless basement.
“You’ll stay here for a while. My friends and I will be in charge of watching you and also provide you with alcohol and food,” Old Quinn said with a laugh. “To show our sincerity, we’re not going to disarm you.”
“Alright.” Alger took the initiative to walk to the low bed in the basement.
Old Quinn closed the heavy stone door and locked it behind him.
Squall didn’t linger on, but hurried away, checking repeatedly to see if he was being followed.
After changing to a rental carriage, he came to a Loen enclave in Bayam. It was also the residential area of the upper class.
As he entered a garden bungalow, Squall saw Maveti sitting on a sofa in the living room, waiting for him. The others were either lying, standing, or sitting in a semicircle, with puppets and zombies acting as guards around them.
Steel’s lips were thick, his skin swarthy. His hair was curled up like steel balls often seen in factories.
“Is the intel reliable?” The muscles on his arms trembled, exuding vibes of tremendous strength. However, his entire being emanated a cold and sinister feeling, as if he wasn’t a living creature.
Squall nodded.
“He’s a pirate captain who serves money. I’ve already detained him at Old Quinn’s place. If there really is a problem, he definitely won’t be able to leave that place alive. I think he knows this very well.”
At this point, Squall revealed a cold smile.
“However, we still have to be wary of any accidents. This might be a trap set up by Blazing.”
“Do you have any ideas?” Maveti asked directly.
The first thing he saw was a pirate lying on a couch. He was wearing a brown local tunic and twirling a yellowish-brown straw hat with his fingers.
This was Maveti’s deputy of this round of operations. He was the captain of the sixth ship which was lost in the battle with Vice Admiral Dusk, “Blood Brambles” Hendry. He had a bounty of 3,800 pounds.
“It’s clear that Squall has a plan.” Hendry used his straw hat to cover his pale face.
Squall chuckled and said, “Didn’t that adventurer, John Smith, send Mordor to join us undercover? Let’s deliberately leak the news to him, making him think that we’re still waiting for help and that we can only take action the day after tomorrow or three days later.
“Those bunch of greedy adventurers definitely wouldn’t let Blazing off. They’ll definitely fall over themselves for him. When the time comes, we can find a spot to watch the show. If there are any accidents, they’ll be the ones bearing the brunt of things. If everything is successful, we can also cull them!”
“Alright.” Steel Maveti’s eyeballs slightly moved, radiating intense bloodthirst.
…
In the early hours of the morning, everything was ready.
Blood Brambles Hendry brought a leather suitcase over, took out a peacock-blue carpet, and slowly spread it out in front of him. There were many mysterious patterns on it that had a nonhuman flavor to it.
Maveti, Squall, and two other Beyonders, as well as eight zombies and puppets, took their places on it.
Hendry was the last to step in. Closing his eyes halfway, he recited a single word in Elvish, “Flight!”
The peacock-blue carpet tightened suddenly and floated upwards, lifting everyone up from the ground and into the air as they flew towards Amyris Avenue.
During this process, Hendry pulled out a black handkerchief and shook his wrist, turning it into the night sky which magically covered all their traces under the moonlight.
In about seven to eight minutes, they arrived in the area around 20 Amyris Avenue. Diagonally across them was the targeted house.
They didn’t move forward. Instead, they let the Flying Carpet hover silently in front of the crown of a thick tree as they lay prone to observe the situation.
Time passed, second by second, as Hendry steadied the mystical item. There were no signs of a lack of spirituality.
The night slowly passed, and the horizon was suffused with a faint red glow. The sun was about to rise, and the gang of pirates led by Steel Maveti began their preparations to find another suitable spot for daytime surveillance.
At this moment, a figure nimbly moved across the rooftops with his back bent, arriving above 15 Amyris Avenue.
He wore a black cloak, his eyebrows yellow, and eyes dark blue. His facial features and contours were relatively soft. It was none other than Blazing Danitz!
Danitz looked around cautiously for a moment, then climbed up the raised chimney, pushed his hand through it, and slid down.
He’s really here? Steel Maveti, Blood Brambles Hendry, Squall, and company felt their spirits lift at the same time.
At this moment, several figures sprang up from the chimneys and periphery of Units 13, 14, and 17. They rushed over with fast and potent stances, either breaking the windows, kicking open the doors, or using the chimney to rush into Unit 15 from different positions.
