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Chapter 497: The Wall of Rewards

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After the talk about the legends of treasures that had inspired generations of adventurers to go to sea came to an end, the cook had also finished roasting the flesh of the murloc's belly.

They were white after being cooked, charred a little black, and covered with tiny brown particles that glistened with a moist, oily glow.

The repeated smearing of seasonings had already seeped into the texture of the meat, effusing it with a tantalizing visual effect.

"Desi grilled fish, it's different from how you usually eat it." Elland pointed at the white porcelain plate the cook lowered.

Donna held her fork and knife and eagerly said, "I love honey-roasted fish!

"But this is also very appetizing."

Honey-roasted fish… How much honey would that take… If I have a chance to try it, the taste should be pretty good… Klein allowed his imagination to run wild.

With a chef, there was no need for them to serve themselves. They could only look on expectantly as pieces of fish were sliced, placed on different plates, and served in front of them.

Klein was very serious when it came to tasting delicacies, so he was in no hurry to deal with the fish. Instead, he took a sip of black tea and used the slightly sour liquid to clear his mouth of any remaining flavors.

After doing all of this, he forked a piece of fish and stuffed it into his mouth.

In a split-second, he felt the slightly stimulating flavors of fennel, basil, and other spices. They were sufficient enough to help him open up one taste bud after another.

Immediately after, the delicious juices of the meat, the slightly astringent taste of the sea salt and the refreshing, sour, and sweet taste of lemon all burst out at the same time, filling his oral cavity and making his mouth water.

As he chewed, the last bit of the fish meat's stubbornness was broken off one by one after having its fat roasted out of it, fully presenting the splendor of the meat, as well as its faint sweetness.

Swallowing the fish in his mouth, Klein recalled a delicacy program he had watched in his previous life and chose the evaluation line that matched what he just felt: "The layered flavors are very clear, excellent!"

"Haha, your tone and words make you sound like a gourmet," Elland joked.

Donna waved her fork and echoed, "Uncle, perhaps you should write a column in the newspaper about different restaurants and different cuisines."

Eh, why didn't I think of this idea… This is a good job that can earn me money, as well as allowing me to taste delicacies! The only problem is that an obese man can't be a flexible clown… Use the great art of spewing vomit? What a waste of food! Klein seriously considered Donna's suggestion.

"To a beautiful night!"

When there was very little food left, Elland poured himself some more of the Sonia blood wine and raised his glass with a ruddy face.

Klein and the others echoed in similarly good moods, "To a beautiful night."

They drank the rest of the liquids from their glasses and watched the waiter clear the table and clean the deck.

They talked for a while more amidst the cold wind, talking about the mermaids that Donna was most interested in.

Cleves told the young lady that, in some legends, mermaids were also called Sirens, and they used their songs to confuse humans not for entertainment but for hunting. Aside from the possibility of encountering these creatures on the sea route from the Gargas Archipelago to the depths of the Sonia Sea, there was a certain chance of discovering it in dangerous seas that haven't been explored by humans. However, all of this stemmed from the drunken boasting of certain pirates, and they all avoided the question of how they escaped from the mermaids' songs, which made it highly suspicious.

No matter what, this at least points me in a possible direction… Klein took note of what they had discussed.

"Donna, Denton, it's time to go back. You'll have to get up early tomorrow and have breakfast with your parents." Cecile looked at the moon's position.

"Fine." Donna stood up reluctantly.

Denton hurriedly asked, "D-do I have a chance at becoming an adventurer?"

His mind had been captivated by the previous hunt and the legends.

Cleves walked to his side, patted his shoulder, and said, "Before you ask this question, you need at least five years of combat training and studying. I think your father will hire a good tutor for you."

"Yeah!" Denton's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

After five years, the adult you probably won't want to be an adventurer who can find himself buried at the bottom of the sea at any time… Cleves's handling of the situation was very shrewd. He didn't immediately refuse him, but rather he gave him hope and let time wash away his interest. This prevents the child from becoming suddenly rebellious… Regardless, mastering a fighting technique is always beneficial for anyone… Klein put his hands in his pockets and thought with appreciation.

On the way back to the interior of the cabin, Cleves handed two five-pound notes to Klein.

"Your payment."

He had just received 150 pounds from Elland's purchase of the whole murloc.

"I didn't do anything," Klein instinctively refused.

Cleves glanced at him with his pale blue eyes and said in a low voice, "You freed up Cecile and took good care of the children."

Took good care of the children? Klein was somewhat amused, but he finally took the two bills and drew a triangle on his chest.

"You're more generous than I thought. Thank you."

He stopped declining because he suddenly figured out something. If he hadn't accepted the ten pounds, then in the eyes of a veteran adventurer like Cleves, it would appear as though he was dissatisfied with the price and was attempting to get more, making it possible that he would attack them at any time. Among self-proclaimed adventurers, there was definitely no lack of greedy madmen!

Seeing Gehrman Sparrow pocket the money, Cleves looked away and said flatly, "This is a rule of the sea."

Without another word, he followed Cecile, Donna, and company into the cabin.

If I could get such rewards with every single mission and job of this difficulty, then I would've long made a fortune with my job as a private detective… Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh and turned his head to look at the red moon hanging high in the sky.

It still shone quietly and gently in the night.

Legends of the sea, different monsters… I've finally found the slight feeling of being an adventurer. Klein turned around and walked to the edge of the ship. Bathing in the crimson veil, he admired the waves that were growing darker. Gradually, his mood settled as he walked out bit by bit from the gloom of Backlund's Great Smog.

The cold, damp wind slapped his face, and the vast, endless ocean caught his eye, opening up his heart.

For a moment, Klein felt the urge to sing, but when he opened his mouth, he found that he couldn't remember the corresponding modern verses.

I can't just end up saying, "Oh sea, you're all water"… The Emperor's Savant Sequence is really well suited to doing such things. When I have the time, I should read through his poems so as to not look like illiterate… Klein lampooned as he looked at the red moon and the ocean before sighing.

"What a beautiful night."

…

After an accidental episode of getting lost, the exploratory team returned to the City of Silver.

Looking at the wall's cracks filled with weeds, Derrick found himself in a trance, as if he had been gone for many years.

Diagonally behind him, Demon Hunter Colin's eyes suddenly wore a lost look as he raised his hand to press on his right temple.

The rest of the team members were filled with joy and relief from the bottom of their hearts.

After a difficult exploration, having a home waiting for them was the happiest thing in their hearts.

Collin's gaze returned to normal as he turned his head to the side and looked diagonally ahead.

…

Backlund, the White family.

After some thought, the confident Emlyn came up to his parents and asked, "If I wanted to delve into the history of us Sanguine, who would I look for?"

If I were to ask about the City of Silver directly, it's very likely that I'll be exposed for being problematic. Although I'm not afraid and very calm, for the Ancestor and in order to save the entire Sanguine race, I have no choice but to hide it… I've always been interested in the history of Sanguine. I've collected a lot of information, and Father and Mother know that, so I wouldn't be suspected in any way… This excuse is perfect! Emlyn praised himself inwardly.

He resembled his father to a certain extent. He wore gold-rimmed glasses that made him look very professional.

The gentleman, who had gotten his doctorate in medicine, put down the thick "Anatomy" book in his hands, nudged his glasses, and said, "No one in Backlund knows more than Lord Nibbs."

… If I dared to seek Lord Nibbs, I would've long done so… Emlyn thought of Mr. Fool's description of him being a messiah, that had to bear the burden of a secret while being misunderstood, as he pressed with a solemn expression, "Aside from Lord Nibbs?

"He's sleeping underground, so it's not convenient for him to be disturbed."

Emlyn's father pulled up the collar of his thick cotton pajamas and thought for a moment.

"Waymandy. He always thinks of himself as a historian."

Emlyn heaved a sigh of relief and smiled.

"I wish to visit him."

…

Woo!

The whistle sounded and the White Agate sailed into Damir Harbor.

It would replenish fresh food and water on the colonial island and set sail again the next morning.

After hunting the murloc, Klein spent the next two days of what could be described as a leisurely or boring life. He was completely bored by the scenery of the sea, and he decided to head to the harbor's bar to look around that very night, hoping to get more information on mermaids and inspiration for acting.

If I were to come across a pirate whose hands are stained with blood onshore, I wouldn't mind teaching him a lesson. There are still souls waiting to be released from Creeping Hunger… Klein's forehead sweated as he equipped himself with all his mystical items as he left his cabin before heading down to the harbor.

During this process, he met Donna, Cleves, and the others. They seemed to be heading over to a port restaurant to taste Damir's most famous cured meat.

Donna and Denton greeted the adventurer, whom they had just gotten to know, without their parents noticing, and seemed curious as to where he was going.

Klein smiled back, pulled up his collar, and, following the directions of the sign, found the nearest bar.

Flying Fish & Wine… Klein looked at the signboard and saw that the outside of the bar was plastered with bounty notices.

Among them were the 800,000 pounds belonging to the King of the Five Seas, and more than a hundred pounds for the common pirate captain. This formed a unique landscape that ranged from the highest to the lowest.

It's all money… Klein stood on the spot and looked at it for a long time.

He withdrew his gaze, pushed open the door, and entered the bar, only to find that it was abnormally quiet. It didn't have the din that such places came equipped with.

What happened? Klein looked around and saw Captain Elland, in a dark red coat, sitting at the bar, as well as two large men in the middle of the room, facing each other.

Chapter 498: Character Setting

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios@

The standoff was between a brawny man in a blue white-striped shirt, a symbol of the navy. Despite the weather being at near zero temperatures, he had his arms bare.

He held a dagger against the throat of the man opposite him, but his glabella was being pointed at by an ancient musket, one which could've been placed in a museum.

The musket's owner was also more than 1.8 meters tall, with strong muscles and an oily face. He had shaved his hair, and with a sea eagle tattoo, he cursed, "Dogsh*t Navy sailor!

"No one in Damir Harbor would dare slander me as a pirate's informant!"

The Navy sailor didn't yield to him, and both sides fully illustrated the rich profanities of the sea.

Klein observed for a few seconds, then he walked around the edge to Captain Elland, who had a straight sword at his waist and a hidden musket on his body. He asked in a calm and casual manner, "What happened?"

"A quarrel between two drunkards. In Damir Harbor and in the surrounding waters, there's always been such rumors that Sea Eagle Logan is in service of the master of the Black Tulip. The Navy sailor had mentioned this a moment ago, and Sea Eagle just happened to hear that."

The master of the Black Tulip? Isn't that Admiral Hell Ludwell? Klein turned and sat down on the high stool in front of the bar counter. He tapped the wooden countertop.

"One glass of Southville beer."

"Six pence." A bronze-skinned bartender with pearly-white teeth wiped the cups as he said with zero passion.

When it comes to continental specialties, the prices are much higher than Backlund and Tingen… Klein fished out a handful of copper pence, counted six pence and gave it to him.

At this moment, Logan and the Navy sailor were stopped by the bar's bouncer. After they each spoke harshly to each other, they retreated to different corners.

Perhaps it was due to him losing his dignity, the Navy sailor hurriedly left after about ten seconds. The atmosphere in the bar became lively once again.

"Want to play some cards?" Captain Elland pointed to the stairs by the side of the bar.

"No." Klein's main purpose for coming was to gather information.

Elland subconsciously wanted to pat him on the shoulder, but his cold and sharp demeanor stopped him. He could only pull back his hand and pretend to adjust his dark red coat and remind him, "Don't get the women here."

Klein nodded, picked up the glass of Southville beer, and took a swig.

"Also, don't trust anyone here. Only a small portion of what they say is true." Elland carried his Lanti Proof and stepped onto the stairs that led to the second floor.

Klein turned his head to glance at him and asked without a change in expression, "Including you?"

"… Perhaps." Elland was taken aback at first before he laughed out loud. "At least my reminder just now was real. Oh, and me being a man is true as well!"

Not necessarily… There's a potion called Witch in this world… Klein looked away, drinking slowly and listening to the surrounding drinkers boasting.

Two or three minutes later, a short, thin man sat down next to Klein with his drink.

"Mate, you look like an adventurer." He tilted his head and smiled.

The man who greeted him had black hair, blue eyes, and aged facial features. His temperament was rather wretched.

"You could say that," Klein replied coldly.

"I can tell you're a hunter, a hunter that chases after bounties and riches." The short man looked around and lowered his head, suppressing his voice while he said, "Have you heard of the Specter Empire?"

I've heard of Amway, and I've also heard of the Father in Heaven and the Messiah being sealed at the bottom of the sea… Using the power of Faceless, Klein sent out a signal not to approach him.

"Yes, a huge, ancient ghost ship full of treasures."

"We have clues to it!" the short man said in an infectious tone. "We found some information about where it will appear next! We don't want the pirates or the Navy to benefit from it, and we don't want to be robbed of our wealth, so we've decided to hire our own armed merchant ships to wait in that area, which would probably cost about 1,000 pounds. I've already found 15 companions and raised 720 pounds. Are you interested in participating?"

Without waiting for Klein to speak, he fumbled for a stack of brownish-yellow letters.

"I know you won't believe it so easily. In fact, no one will, but after the fifteen friends who read through this information, all of them decided to join in on our plan."

… Do I have a such a gullible face? Or would any bumpkin end up in this situation without slipping away from this sort of thing? While Klein was considering whether to appraise the letters, from the corner of his eye, he saw that Sea Eagle Logan, who was previously squabbling, was walking towards him.

"Woody, you're trying to scam someone again! You damn sewer rat!" Logan picked up the short man and threw him into the open space in the middle of the bar, where he landed on the ground, sprawling.

The muscular man, with the bluish-green tattoo on his head, sat in the same position as Woody and guffawed.

"Sorry, these are the rats of our Damir Harbor. They always do things that ruin our reputation.

"In fact, we're all very friendly. If you have anything you want to ask about, don't hesitate to ask me.

"Heh heh, don't believe what they say about me. I'm an upright person, and I have nothing to do with Admiral Hell!"

The more you emphasize that, the more suspicious it becomes… Klein's expression didn't change as he calmly said, "I want to know the latest rumors."

"No problem." Sea Eagle Logan slammed the bar top and said to the bartender, "Give me a plate of special cured meat. I'll be treating this mate to our most famous delicacy in Damir."

The bartender, while still maintaining his cold expression, pushed open the door and entered the kitchen. Soon, he brought out a plate of red and white, finely cut cured meat.

"Five pounds." He didn't look at Sea Eagle Logan, and he instead looked straight at Klein.

"Five pounds." Sea Eagle Logan turned his head to the side, smiling warmly as he raised his arm to show his muscles. "Everyone just heard it. In order to thank me, you offered to treat me to some special cured meat.

For a moment, Klein didn't realize what had happened. It was only when the bartender urged him a second time that he realized he was being blackmailed. Furthermore, their scam was rather well-planned.

First they used an easily seen through farce to let Sea Eagle Logan appear, thereby winning a good impression with the target, then, with the excuse of treating the target, order an especially expensive special cured meat, and then finally, he goes back on his word and turns matters upside down and forcing a sale… It's no wonder that when Rat Woody was thrown out, those drunkards didn't make a sound… They were all afraid of this Logan whose rumored to be in the service of Admiral Hell… How should I deal with this? My present persona is Gehrman Sparrow, a somewhat crazy adventurer and bounty hunter… Klein raised his cup and drank a mouthful of the rich malt-flavored beer and said with his usual tone, "Why don't you just rob me?"

"Why don't I just rob you?" Logan was a little stunned by the question.

Soon after, he saw a fist expanding before his face.

Thump!

Klein's left fist landed on Sea Eagle Logan's chin, knocking him backwards toward the bar counter.

With a push of his right palm, Klein nimbly left his chair and approached Logan's falling body.

His legs tensed, and his knees jerked upward, slamming into Logan's lower abdomen.

Pfft! Logan threw back his head, his eyes bulging while his mouth hung half open.

Klein drew his gun, shoved the revolver into the man's mouth, and pulled the hammer back.

"I… I am…" Logan shouted indistinctly.

Klein looked him in the eye, pulled out his revolver, and swung it, striking the side of Logan's face with the butt of the gun.

Logan's teeth fell out one after another, and his mouth was stained with blood.

Faced with such a heavy blow and a pain that exceeded his limits, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Klein propped him up and pulled a handful of loose bills and coins out of his pocket.

Since he estimated that there wasn't more than five pounds with just a glance, Klein threw them on the bar and calmly said, "Keep the change."

The bartender's bronze face turned slightly pale as he shouted in panic, "My boss is White Shark!"

Without looking at him, Klein released his hand and allowed Sea Eagle Logan to fall to the ground. Then he sat down again, forked up a piece of cured meat, and stuffed it in his mouth to taste it. He found it rather unique as the flavors of the condiments spread out in wisps, scratching at his belly and throat.

After eating two pieces, he looked up and asked, "Does your boss know that you're colluding with Sea Eagle?"

"No, he… No…" the bartender mumbled an answer.

Seeing that Klein had no intention of continuing his attacks and had paid the bill so quickly, the bouncers who had gathered nearby silently retreated.

Klein took a sip of his wine, glanced at Sea Eagle Logan on the ground, and calmly said to the bartender, "He's Ludwell's informant. How much is his bounty worth?"

"No, he's not." The bartender shook his head and said, "This is just something he says about himself—the information he spread himself. That Navy sailor from before was hired by him! That's the only way to make everyone here afraid of him…"

Upon hearing this answer, the drinkers at the bar all put down their glasses in surprise. Some of the drunkards even staggered over to Logan and spat in his face.

Pui! Pui! Pui! Many drinkers followed suit.

Klein lowered his head again and said while eating the special cured meat, "Tell me about the recent rumors."

The bartender breathed a sigh of relief as he wiped his glass and gave an intermittent account of the rumors in the past two months. Some of them were what Klein had heard before, and there were also things he just learned.

The Imperial Navy's ironclad warship, Pritz, had destroyed a passing pirate crew during routine training… Panic over the behemoth's cannons has begun to spread among the small and medium-sized pirate powers… Some of them even wished to take advantage of the ironclad warship fleet's inchoate form to madly commit crimes before withdrawing from this trade with a sum of money… The sea wouldn't be peaceful for the next six months to a year… Admiral of Blood Senor and Rear Admiral Dusk Bulatov Ioan had a conflict in the southern waters of Sonia Island, and each of them lost two ships in the massive skirmish… Klein listened without asking questions, and he gradually filled his stomach.

Seeing that the plate containing the special cured meat had been emptied and having finished the rest of his beer, he slowly stood up.

"Remember today's lesson." Klein handed the plate to the bartender.

The bartender was about to reach out when the hair at the back of his head was grabbed.

Bang!

Klein shoved him down hard, knocking the bartender's head against the bar top, sending splinters flying and blood gushing. The customers all tried to avoid the impact, and the bouncers rushed over quickly.

After doing all of this, Klein clapped his hands and picked up his own glass, trying to pour the rest of the beer onto the bartender's head.

One drop, two drops, three drops…

Klein silently gave up. He turned around and bent down, grabbed Sea Eagle Logan, and threw him to the bouncers who were rushing over.

Taking advantage of the moment when the bouncers were dodging and the bar being in chaos, Klein quickly ran, agilely circling around them, and easily left Flying Fish & Wine.

He pushed down his hat and quickly proceeded forward, turning towards a neighboring street.

After continuously changing directions, he suddenly slowed down his pace, and a gold coin appeared in his hand.

The gold coin kept weaving around in his fingers as if it was scouting something.

Chapter 499: Solicitation

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Ding!

The gold coin quietly flipped up, tumbled down, and firmly lay in the palm of Klein's hand.

Lowering his head to glance if it was heads or tails, Klein spun his heel and smoothly turned into a quiet, dark alley.

The wind by the sea was cold and strong, and it caused a convection in the area, propelling his coat up without him realizing it and causing his half top hat to almost fall off.

Suddenly, Klein stopped, turned around, and said in a deep voice, "Come out."

His eyes were sharp as he stared at the shadow around the corner.

After four or five seconds of silence, a figure emerged from the shadows. He chuckled and said, "Very sharp."

It was a man in a black cloak, approximately thirty years of age, and his eyebrows were charred yellow while his dark blue eyes were bright. His face wasn't too chiseled, as though he was from the area south of Intis, Lenburg, and Segar.

As soon as he saw him, a picture flashed in Klein's mind.

As he entered the Flying Fish & Wine, he had professionally looked around for anyone he needed to pay attention to.

The answer at the time was no. The man had been drinking like a sailor and watching curiously from the side. He was no different from the other guests, and his appearance wasn't distinctive, but his black cloak had left a certain impression on Klein, allowing him to recognize the person who tailed him in an instant.

"What do you want?" Klein, who was maintaining his persona, bent down slightly, like a huge feline ready to pounce.

The man in the black cloak laughed once again.

"The fighting technique and handling method that you displayed just now was very consistent with my taste. I chased after you to ask if you're interested in joining us

"Although that guy named Logan was indeed pretending to be an informant of Ludwell, White Shark Hamilton does have connections with many pirates. He's a character with a shady background, so he'll definitely take your act of beating up one of his men at the bar to heart. There will definitely be problems for you in the future, and I can help you resolve this problem.

"You're an adventurer, so it's necessary for you to have dreams of treasure. As for us, we're people who banded together in a bid to seek treasure such as the Specter Empire, Solomon's inheritance, the secret of the Fountain of Unaging, the Death's Key, the Sunken Laurel, and Roselle's Treasure while traveling the Five Seas. Today, although we haven't accomplished any of our main goals, we've found many missing pirate ships. Heh heh, what I said does sound like what that rat had said, right?"

He cleared his throat and said, "Frankly speaking, we're a band of pirates formed from a group of adventurers, but we only plunder merchant and passenger ships when we're especially poor, and we don't harm the innocent. Our main focus is on finding treasures, and we often reap harvests. And I kid you not, I once slept on a bed formed of gold coins. If we run into any other pirate ships, just showing them our prowess wins us some compensation.

"By the way, our Captain has decreed that before we recruit new people, we have to explain our creed and remuneration."

Creed? Your captain is a little interesting… Klein deliberately softened his tension to see if the enemy would take the opportunity to attack.

The black-cloaked man smiled in a relaxed manner.

"What I said previously was our creed, and now, let me talk about the remuneration."

This fellow is quite confident… Although he wasn't a Spectator, Klein could tell that he was very confident and that he was completely unfazed by the scene in front of him.

"We don't have any weekly salaries or annuity, but once we find treasure, or obtain riches from plundering, they'll be distributed according to our ranks. Under normal circumstances, when our luck is still pretty good, the lowest ranking sailor can earn about two to three hundred pounds a year. I heard that this would make one a member of the middle-class on land? Heh heh, if we find the Sunken Laurel, all of us will become tycoons!" the black-cloaked man casually introduced. "According to our ranks, we would get different days off every month, but they can only be accumulated together and done in a staggered fashion."

As he spoke, he suddenly cursed softly.

"Dogsh*t, just the year before, we missed a good chance of finding the Specter Empire because Captain was on holiday!"

Pirates have annual leave? Klein found it somewhat surprising.

He could only feel the pirate crew's comedic intensity from the man's description, reminding him of the humorous Somali pirate recruitment advertisements he had seen in his previous life.

Seeing that Klein appeared shocked by his words, the black cloaked man added with a smile, "As an adventurer, are you still chasing after the powers that transcend nature as told in legends?

"As long as you join us, you'll have a chance to possess them!"

Having said that, he coughed and said, "I forgot to introduce myself."

His expression turned solemn, no longer looking as jocular as he was before.

"Rear Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards's subordinate, fourth boatswain of the Golden Dream, Blazing Danitz."

After reporting his title, real name, and identity, Danitz waited patiently for the look of panic and fear to appear on Klein's face.

After a second, he heard the adventurer, who acted somewhat crazily despite looking refined and polite, say in a low voice, "Blazing Danitz with a bounty of 3,000 pounds?"

Danitz was about to reply when he had the illusion that the man standing in the dark alley had turned into an indescribable, hungry monster, salivating over his soul and flesh.

He suddenly clenched his fists; his body no longer as relaxed as it had been earlier. He was so tense that he was trembling slightly.

His intuition told him that he was facing an abyss filled with madness and bloodlust!

In this state, Danitz had no idea how much time had passed until the other party spoke again, "Why are you here?"

"I-I'm on vacation…" Blazing Danitz's dignity made him scorn to answer this question, but his instinct made him spit out the reason.

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt the man retract his gaze, the hunger to gnaw on his flesh and soul disappearing.

He stood where he was and watched as the young adventurer in a black coat and a silk half top hat turn around and walk to the other end of the alley. He stopped when he was about to turn the corner, and turning his head, he asking, "Where's White Shark?"

"H-he lives at 1 Sea Wall Avenue, but he spends most of his time on the second floor of the Flying Fish & Wine. It's no different today," Blazing Danitz answered truthfully.

Only when the figure disappeared into the distance did Danitz straighten his back and take off his cloak.

"What a terrifying fellow…" He sighed silently.

Following that, he found his thoughts and muttered to himself, I have to inform Captain that there's another terrifying person at sea.

This is a guy who looks like a gentleman on the outside, but he has a heart like a lunatic's. If one doesn't have the determination and confidence to kill him, it's best not to deal with him.

Danitz pulled up his black cloak's hood and decided to return to the hotel for some sleep. He planned to wait until the telegraph office opened the next morning before relaying the message to his middleman contact in the Rorsted Archipelago.

As for what would happen to White Shark, he didn't care at all.

…

In the corner of another quiet street, Klein stood in the shadows, looking down at the black glove on his left hand.

He found that, although Creeping Hunger had been sealed by Mr. Azik, its thirst for flesh and souls still intrinsically existed and was trying to manifest itself.

Under normal circumstances, Klein wasn't worried that the sealed item would produce any problems, but when he had the urge to kill someone, the corresponding influence he would receive was enough to let that hunger which could lash back at him emanate.

Earlier, when he heard that Danitz was a famous pirate on the bounty list, killing intent instantly rose inwardly out of his yearning desire, causing Creeping Hunger to become as active as a fish in water.

Fortunately, Klein always had good self-control in this aspect. From his words, he was able to judge that he wasn't a pirate who was riddled with sin, so he easily restrained his impulse.

With Creeping Hunger, Gehrman Sparrow's persona will be flawless… Klein paused for a few seconds, took out a gold coin and performed two divinations. First, he divined if Blazing Danitz was lying, and second, if White Shark Hamilton was able to cause harm to him.

The first revelation showed that there was no need for Blazing Danitz to lie, and the second one showed that White Shark Hamilton was unable to cause harm to him.

Klein put away the gold coin, pressed down his hat, and while doing so, he swept his palm down and touched his face.

He instantly changed his appearance—blond hair, blue eyes, and ordinary facial features!

Then, Klein unbuttoned his overcoat and pulled up the inner shirt so that it was no longer stuffed into his trousers.

After a simple change of his attire, Klein, who didn't carry a cane, began sweating. His lips were dry as he identified the direction and headed back to the Flying Fish & Wine bar!

On the way, he met Blazing Danitz again. The man only glanced at him once before withdrawing his gaze and headed for the hotel opposite the bar.

After inspecting the bounty wall, Klein calmly reached out with his hand, pushed open the door and walked in.

At this moment, it had been less than ten minutes since he escaped.

In the bar, most of the customers had dispersed, but there were still a lot of drunkards gathered here to watch the show.

Their eyes swept over the new guest, but they all withdrew it soon after, and Klein made his way unimpeded to the bar counter.

He saw the bartender standing with frightened eyes beside a fat man; his forehead heavily bandaged with white bandages, his nostrils stuffed with tissue paper, and his face was bruised.

The fatty was tall and big. His skin was fair and he looked like a big white shark that had swam itself ashore.

He touched his shiny bald head and said to Elland, who was wearing a dark red jacket and a straight sword, "Someone told me that you know that guy?

"There are only three passenger ships that docked today, so there won't be many unfamiliar outsiders. Don't try to lie!"

Elland patted the hilt of his sword and smiled casually.

"Yes, he is my passenger.

"But the problem today clearly stemmed from your people."

"So I just want him to come back here, apologize to me, and compensate me for the damage done to the bar," the tall, big-sized white fatty said with a frown.

Elland laughed and said, "White Shark, I have a proverb from my hometown: 'don't hate wild dogs that pass by just because of the rats in the storehouse.'"

"… Just Elland, is this your answer?" White Shark Hamilton narrowed his eyes.

Elland gripped the wooden handle of the musket, took a step forward, and said with a deep voice, "Yes, this is my answer!"

Captain sure has his way of doing things… Klein was slightly surprised at Elland's response.

After staring at each other for a few seconds, White Shark Hamilton took in a deep breath.

"You've helped me before, so I don't need an apology. However, he must compensate half of my losses, and you will be the one to pass them on."

"Good suggestion." Elland smiled.

White Shark Hamilton's face darkened as he looked around.

He suddenly threw out his hand, slapping the bartender in the face.

The bartender flew out, all his teeth dropping to the floor.

Klein quietly watched from five meters away, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

Chapter 500: Interrogating White Shark

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Bam!

The bartender fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

White Shark Hamilton snorted and didn't say anything. He turned around and walked towards the second floor, stepping on the creaking wooden stairs.

After the excitement was over, the drunkards dispersed one by one. Unaffected, Captain Elland and the others returned upstairs to continue playing cards.

Klein took the opportunity to follow.

He returned to Flying Fish & Wine, not to deal with White Shark who didn't pose any threat to him but rather to simply get more information from the owner of the bar, who was connected to many pirate factions. After all, he had named his new identity Gehrman, which secretly implied hunting pirates whose hands were stained with blood. He planned on using their souls, flesh, and Beyonder characteristics to replace the souls in Creeping Hunger who were awaiting their release.

There was no gas in Damir Harbor, and the corridor on the second floor was relatively dark. The brass candle stands that were inlaid into each wall flickered and dimmed.

Klein observed the surroundings as he wiped his face, silently transforming into one of the bouncers on the first floor.

He used Illusion Creation to compensate for his mismatched attire.

After finishing his preparations, he walked towards the room that his spiritual intuition identified as belonging to White Shark Hamilton.

He first passed the card room, but he didn't attract anyone's attention.

He stopped in front of the bouncers who were guarding the corridor and said in a low voice, "There's something going on downstairs again."

"Holy Lord of Storms, what's happening tonight?" A bouncer sighed.

"I hope those beautiful people don't get hurt," another guard said worriedly.

He was referring to the whores who got their business in the bar.

"They're fine." Klein stepped past the bouncers and knocked on White Shark's door.

"Who is it?" Hamilton warily asked.

"Boss, it's me. Something happened downstairs again!" Klein remembered the information he gleaned while watching the commotion and deliberately hoarsened his voice.

"Damn it!" Hamilton bellowed, "Come in and explain to me what happened!"

Klein turned the doorknob and walked in.

When he closed the door, he dispelled the illusion, and the muscles on his face rapidly squirmed, returning to his previous identity—a new customer with blond hair, blue eyes, and ordinary facial features.

"You…" Hamilton was stunned for a moment before he immediately opened his mouth wide in an attempt to shout loudly.

At the same time, many illusory fish scales surfaced on the back of his hand, his originally large and fat body burgeoning.

Suddenly, his heart began to beat faster, and a strong instinctive fear seized him by the throat.

At this moment, he felt that the stranger standing by the door was a demon that had been starved for many days, repeatedly examining his flesh and soul with an ice-cold, craving look in his eyes.

All of a sudden, White Shark Hamilton was gripped by an extreme panic, and he failed to effectively respond.

Klein slowly walked to the sofa and sat down. He politely smiled.

"Now, can we talk calmly?"

The feeling of being stared at by a horrifying monster suddenly disappeared. Hamilton relaxed all of a sudden while his body shriveled up a lot like a punctured balloon.

He didn't rashly cry for help as he asked with beads of sweat lining his forehead, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"A hunter," Klein answered casually, "I heard that you're connected to a number of pirate factions. I would like to know their respective situations."

"No, I'm not…" White Shark Hamilton subconsciously denied.

He immediately felt the extreme hunger again, and he felt as if the man's eyes were dyed with a dark red layer.

Klein inwardly deliberated over his persona and said with a gentlemanly smile, "You have two choices.

"One is to answer frankly. The second is to be killed by me and then answer honestly."

Killing to channel my spirit? White Shark Hamilton had heard of similar rumors. He swallowed hard and asked, "Why do you want to know about any of this?"

Klein smiled and answered, "I'm a hunter, so I'm chasing after bounties."

Hamilton suddenly felt that the man's polite smile was tinged with an indescribable madness, and he couldn't help but blurt out, "Are… Are you mad?

"I've seen many similar adventurers, but all of them have been buried at the bottom of the sea!

"It's not hard to kill a lone pirate, but can you defend against any further retaliation? The whores in the bar or the seemingly ordinary customers might all be pirate informants! Your friendly accomplice could be bribed at any moment and you'll be shot in the back! The pirates will gather information in advance and surround your ship. Can you protect all the passengers? Can you survive a cannon bombardment? On the sea where there's no room to run, how are you going to survive?"

After venting the horror in his heart in one breath, he saw the man, who called himself a hunter, reveal a gentle and kind smile.

"Just have them all killed, and then there won't be such a problem."

A true madman… White Shark Hamilton immediately took a deep breath and said, "I'm in contact with many pirates, but it's a passive relationship. They need to sell the cash, jewelry, and goods that they plundered in exchange for alcohol, food, fresh water, weapons, and women's comfort. This has to happen through me, but I can only wait here for them. I don't know where their ships pass or where they're going."

"What else?" Klein asked calmly.

His reply just now was mainly to scare White Shark. As for having revenge sought on him by the pirates, he wasn't worried at all. As a Faceless, he might as well find a place to drown himself at the bottom of the sea if they could find him so easily.

And… White Shark Hamilton's throat moved, without immediately giving an affirmative or negative description.

He tightly closed his mouth and looked at the gentleman in the half top hat. The gentleman's eyes were calm and reserved, as though madness was brewing within him.

The uneasy silence was like the calm sea surface before a storm, gently resounding, colliding, and fermenting.

Finally, Hamilton shifted his gaze away and placed his hand on the desk in frustration.

"Yes, I'm still gathering information for them. If there's any urgent information, I'll use the radio transceiver they gave me to alert them."

White Shark didn't dare to take the risk and was afraid that the man possessed unique Beyonder powers that could determine if he was speaking the truth or if he was saying the whole truth.

"Radio transceiver?" Klein, who had succeeded in laying his bets, sharply caught onto a noun.

"That's what they call it when speaking to me. It's like a telegram, but it doesn't require a wire." Hamilton turned and walked over to the gray safe and squatted down.

A wireless telegraph? The pirates possess such advanced technology? Klein could vaguely guess what the radio transceiver was.

He had previously thought of inventing something like this, but when he flipped through relevant magazines, he realized that wireless telegrams had long since appeared. However, it hadn't found its place in the commercial world. The Berserk Sea, which separated the Northern and Southern Continents with its constant thunder and lightning, the chaotic magnetic field, and violent storms, made only a few sea routes accessible. Even if one was equipped with wireless telegraphs, they were almost useless. Similarly, the weather in the Fog Sea and the Sonia Sea had changed drastically, and there were a number of factors that affected electromagnetic transmission. The use of wireless telegrams had been severely restricted.

Could it be that there's an enhanced model that can solve some of those problems?Klein watched as White Shark pried open the floor plank in front of the safe and twisted a mechanism to reveal a secret door in the wall.

Behind the secret door was a hidden cabinet with three levels. On the top level were some documents and bills, a revolver, a new type of half-arm gun, and other weapons, while the bottom layer was filled with complicated black machinery.

With just a glance, Klein deduced from his previous life's impression and the information he had gathered previously, that the mechanical construct belonged to a radio transceiver.

"That's what they call it. It's called a radio transceiver. The news it transmits can be received by similar items as far as the Rorsted Archipelago. Any further and it'll depend on the weather and one's luck. Usually, it's very troublesome and limited." Hamilton didn't know much about the machine, and he was vaguely describing the corresponding situation based on his experiences using it and what he had been taught.

It's better than the new radio transceivers that are now being commercialized… I wonder who invented it… Klein quietly listened and asked, "Who are they?"

He made himself look like a bounty hunter who didn't understand technology.

White Shark Hamilton wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and said, "Silver Coin Viper Oder who claims to serve the owner of the Dawn, as well as the intelligence officer of Admiral of Blood, Old Quinn. They appeared together, and I can't be certain if they're working together. Of course, Oder has always only made claims."

The owner of the Dawn, that Queen Mystic? Klein looked away, a gold coin appearing in his hand.

The gold coin kept weaving between his fingers before finally leaping into the air and landing. It left White Shark puzzled as he trembled in fear and trepidation.

Lowering his head to take a glance, Klein slowly stood up.

At this moment, he suddenly asked, "Who gave you the potion?"

"O-Old Quinn…" Hamilton hesitated but still chose to answer honestly.

Klein nodded and no longer asked. He turned and walked towards the door.

Thud! The wooden door opened and closed. The figure wearing a black coat disappeared from White Shark's room.

Hamilton held his breath, waited for more than ten seconds, and finally let out a long sigh.

He quickly wiped the sweat from his face, placed the radio receiver on the desk, flipped through a codebook, and hurriedly sent a telegram into the distance:

"I was targeted!

"By an unfamiliar fellow!"

Beside the completely engrossed Hamilton, Klein had his hands in his pockets as he quietly watched, taking in the entire frequency spectrum and the passcodes.

His departure just now was just a large-scale magic show, more than enough to deal with a Low-Sequence Beyonder like White Shark's Sailor pathway.

As for the question of whether or not he would be able to remember the details later, a Seer didn't need to worry over it. A dream divination was enough to recall everything.

Admiral of Blood and his men enjoy killing and love blood. They're passionate about enacting violence against women. Every time they rob a passenger ship, they would always cause a tragedy… This is public information known by everyone, and they themselves were proud of it. They're never stingy with their proclamations… The target of the hunt and the risk involved—

I'll give priority to them… Klein thought for a moment and then prepared to leave the room while Hamilton tidied and put away the radio transceiver.

He didn't plan on dealing with White Shark for the time being, as he was afraid of disturbing the real prey. Anyways, this kind of fellow who was on land with a fixed territory could be easily dealt with in a letter later since he had dirt on him.

Klein's soundless footsteps caused the door to slowly open and then quietly close, bringing in a slight cool breeze.

Chapter 501: Bait

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After sending out the telegram and cleaning up the desk, White Shark Hamilton relaxed completely. He was finally in the mood and had the ability to think about the details of what had happened to him.

The first question that popped into his mind was: What about the bouncers outside?

He propped himself up with both hands and walked heavily to the door. When he opened it to take a look, he found that several of his men were standing there unsteadily, telling each other jokes involving women.

Hamilton's anger rushed to his head, but he soon calmed down. The muscles on his face twitched slightly as he pounded on the open door.

Thump!

The bouncers were startled and instinctively turned to look at the door.

"Boss…"

"Boss…"

Seeing who was making the sound, they hurriedly stood there and stammered.

White Shark took a deep breath and asked, "Did you see anyone enter my room?"

"Yes, Lardero. He said that there was a situation downstairs." The bouncers were confused by the question. "Boss, you were the one who let him in…"

As soon as they finished talking, they suddenly thought of other explanations and asked, "Boss, was something inside stolen?"

Hamilton's expression sank, and he shook his head.

"Don't doze off!"

Thud! He drew back and closed the door, leaving the few bouncers puzzled as they exchanged looks, suspecting that their boss was drunk.

In the room, the tall and fat Hamilton frowned and started pacing back and forth.

"Lardero, Lardero, they saw Lardero… That guy, that guy, can he change into someone else's appearance?" As a collaborator who helped pirates sell their loot and gather intelligence, White Shark Hamilton was no stranger to all sorts of sea rumors. The first thing he thought of was the former Pirate Admiral Qilangos who was said to be capable of turning into anyone.

However, he quickly made more connections.

It might not be this mystical ability. If it's really close to the description in the rumors, illusions, cues, and mental manipulation can all do similar things.

Hmm, there's something amiss. That fellow appeared refined and gentle on the outside, but he's inwardly mad and has terrifying strength. With the character he showcased, he should've knocked unconscious or killed anyone who had seen him, before strolling to the door and very politely knocking on the door!

If it's to avoid creating a huge commotion so as to not leave behind too much information or exposing secrets related to his Sequence, then he could've used a more covert method, like climbing through the window…

Very contradictory… There's only one explanation for this contradiction. He was putting on an act!

Was he disguising his personality or disguising his strength? Or both?

When he thought of this, Hamilton suddenly stopped and put all the details together.

That guy is a novice! His madness is a disguise! His strength is demonstrated by relying on some mystical item!

Yes, that must be it!

This can explain the contradictions. He didn't climb up the walls and enter through the window, because he's a Low-Sequence Beyonder, and he isn't good in such aspects. The focus of his mystical item isn't in this domain… In order to successfully enter my room, he was willing to lower his head and address me as "boss" because he was purely relying on the mystical item. He wasn't too confident about himself and doesn't have enough pride and madness… He acted like a madman so as to match the mystical item's effects of generating horror in others. He created pressure to ask for information.

This can also perfectly explain why he left just like that. The reason why he came to find me is because he obtained such a powerful mystical item. With his elevated ambition, he wants to capture and kill some pirates to make a fortune. Once he knew that I'm serving Silver Coin Viper Oder and Admiral of Blood's intelligence officer, Old Quinn, to the point of being involved with the Queen Mystic, he got scared and fearful, so he chose to leave after acting perfunctorily. He didn't dare to kill anyone!

The more Hamilton thought, the closer he felt to the truth. He hurriedly set up the radio transceiver again and flipped through the passcodes and added a telegram to concisely describe his theories.

He didn't believe that he was being targeted by a hunter, because everything that had happened was a result of the inflated ambition of a young man who simply had a fortuitous encounter. He also gave the corresponding characteristics of the target.

"Blond, blue eyes, not crazy, and even a little timid.

"Possesses a rather mystical item that might allow one to change their appearance and create illusions. In consideration of the sense of horror, the latter is more likely to be true.

"He's just a novice who doesn't have much experience. He specializes in mimicking a powerful aura with the help of the item!

"He knows a thing or two about me, and he doesn't look like an outsider who's here in Damir Harbor for the first time."

Tap. Tap. Tap . Hamilton stopped his finger and leaned back in satisfaction, his chair creaking under his weight.

The corners of his mouth curled up a little, as though he had already seen the ending of that bastard from just now.

"It wouldn't end well for a fellow with a very low Sequence despite possessing a powerful mystical item at sea. Many greedy sharks would rush towards him!

"When the time comes, I'll no longer have to worry about my problems being exposed!"

…

Under the night sky, the harbor was rather quiet. After leaving the Flying Fish & Wine, Klein made a detour in the distance. He first walked quickly before moving slowly, his pace gradually turning into a stroll.

When he was sure that no one was following him, he turned his face back to Gehrman Sparrow as he passed through the shadows. He stuffed the hem of his shirt into his trousers.

He adjusted his sideburns and took out his gold-rimmed glasses, placing them on the bridge of his nose. It gave him a coldness despite his refined appearance.

He began to rely on the stars to find his way back to the White Agate.

As he walked, he let out a soft chuckle. Amidst the cold wind, he leisurely thought, I hope White Shark isn't that foolish and is able to see the flaws I left behind…

The persona he had set up tonight was of a new adventurer who lacked experience and made mistakes. And this person, on the other hand, knew a lot about Damir Harbor and White Shark. He had a tempting mystical item on him which had messed with his mind, making him a little crazy deep down.

Klein's initial idea was that pirates would wander around the ocean, and even the navy would have a hard time finding them. If he could get more accurate information from White Shark, he could of course go straight to them. If that didn't work, his identity could be used as a bait to lure some knowledgeable pirates to a predetermined location to complete the initial hunt.

When it was discovered that White Shark could contact Old Quinn, the intelligence officer of Admiral of Blood, Klein's plan was completed. His acquisition of the passcodes and the frequency spectrum had allowed him to monitor the corresponding situation and grasp the target's movement. Then, by interfering with the divination of others, he could, at the most appropriate time, use the combination of having a powerful mystical item and being a weak adventurer as bait, to catch a number of big fish.

Now, the problem I have is that I don't have the equipment to monitor their communications… It's basically impossible to buy it at sea… I'll have to use The World's identity to get Miss Justice or Miss Magician to buy one in Backlund. I'll receive the delivery via a sacrificial ritual… This is the advantage of the Tarot Club!With this in mind, Klein sighed.

Seeing the White Agate in sight, he quickened his pace a little and found that Donna's family and Cleves were returning from another street.

Cleves greeted him by nodding his head. Just like when they officially met, he said in a low voice, "I heard there was trouble at Flying Fish & Wine?"

Very well-informed and rather familiar with Damir Harbor… Klein smiled and replied, "I only taught two cheats a lesson."

Cleves's brows twitched slightly, suddenly feeling that his impression of Gehrman Sparrow was a little wrong.

After his previous observation and interaction, he felt that, although this young adventurer was a bit sharp, a bit reserved, and a bit cold, he could still be considered someone who smiled, was polite, and knew when to advance or retreat. But now, he was a bit uncertain. He felt that there might be a hidden flame of madness hidden in the recesses of his heart.

At this moment, Donna's father interrupted, "Mr. Cleves, who is this?"

"A colleague, Gehrman Sparrow," Cleves introduced in a very simple manner.

With a polite smile, Klein extended his right palm.

"It's my honor to meet you. In the future, if you need anyone, and if you can't find Cleves and the others, you can consider me."

"No problem. I hope you're as strong and professional as them!" Donna's father shook hands with Klein with apparent warmth and introduced himself, "Urdi Branch."

Klein had just released his grip on the box when his spiritual perception was triggered. He felt that there was something strange inside the gift boxes the Branch servants were holding.

He quietly activated his Spirit Vision and discovered that the gift box contained strips of cured meat. However, the surface of the cured meat had very rich colors at the red, white, and black spots. They looked they were things from the spirit world.

There's the aura of the spirit world, but they're practically harmless… This cured meat is very special… Klein was surprised.

Noticing his gaze, Donna's father laughed and said, "This is a specialty of Damir Harbor. In the center of the island, there's an extinct volcano. There are a few cracks in the surrounding underground caves where a natural hot wind blows. Curing meat there allows the meat to gain a wonderful and unique flavor. It can be used as gifts for friends.

"Mr. Sparrow, if you wish to buy some, it's not too late."

Unique flavor? The taste of the spirit world? Klein had a rough idea of what was going on.

According to theories in mysticism, the spirit world completely overlapped with reality without interfering with it. One had to rely on the strength of a Beyonder to open up a gap, but this wasn't an absolute situation. There were places in the world, which had the spirit world being strong enough to slightly influence reality.

In such regions, it was very easy for the dead to turn into water ghosts, zombies, and the like. There was also a non-trivial possibility that residences in such areas would have paranormal activity.

A similar situation should've occurred in the interior of Damir Harbor's underground caves, but it's not serious and doesn't cause any abnormalities, only giving the cured meat a unique flavor… There wouldn't be any problems if one doesn't eat too much of this in one sitting… Klein responded with a smile.

"I'm not interested in cured meat."

Only at this moment did he finally confirm that the cured meat that the bartender had previously served him was ordinary and nothing special.

At this moment, the little boy, Denton, pointed at the moon in the sky and said, "It's so very red!"

"Yeah!" Donna nodded in agreement.

Very red? Klein looked up and saw that the red moon was no different than usual.

Because a child's spirit is relatively pure, he temporarily possesses certain Spirit Vision powers after being tainted with the spirit world's aura from eating such cured meat? Would the children on this island be in a similar situation? Heh heh, this might be the source of Damir Harbor's folklore… Klein observed for a moment and found the answer.

The group strolled back to the ship, moving up the gangway and arriving on the deck.

Klein bade them farewell and went to the second-class cabin.

Suddenly, his mind stirred and he once again activated his Spirit Vision.

He saw the huge skeleton messenger appear in front of him and drop a letter.

Chapter 502: The Scene in Azik's Memories

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Pa!

Klein stretched out his hand and caught the slightly heavy letter.

The large skeleton messenger didn't stay, and it immediately disintegrated into a fountain of bones. One bone after another fell to the deck and disappeared, as though it didn't want to stay a second longer.

With the letter firmly in his hand, Klein didn't lower his head to examine it. Instead, he instinctively turned around and looked at the wooden staircase leading to the first-class cabins.

He saw Donna and Denton with their eyes wide and mouths agape, as though they wanted to scream at the sight of the scene, but everything they saw was over before they could make a sound. As a result, they even wondered if they were hallucinating.

The children who eat the special cured meat in Damir Harbor gain temporary Spirit Vision to a certain degree… Klein's brows twitched slightly as he raised his left hand's index finger vertically and placed it against his mouth to silence the two young ones, just like he did while the murloc hunt was happening.

The already rather tall Donna immediately raised her hand and covered her mouth. She nodded in fear and excitement, indicating that she understood.

When she looked diagonally down, she saw that her brother was still in a daze. She quickly grabbed his arm and pushed his hand against his mouth.

Cleves and Cecile sensed that something was wrong with them. They stopped and looked at Klein, but they discovered nothing.

Facing their stares, Klein calmly nodded and continued walking to his room.

A gold coin had appeared in his hand without anyone realizing. It was tossed up, and it tumbled around as though it possessed life.

Ding!

The gold coin landed with a number facing up, indicating a negative result.

This meant that the tiny episode wouldn't be detrimental to Klein.

Seriously, the current messenger isn't polite at all. It's not like the previous one who would tap my shoulder or nudge my body to give an advance warning, or just convert my surroundings into a spiritual world to prevent ordinary people from seeing him… Klein lampooned as he took out his key and opened the door.

He sat down on the edge of the low bed, lit a candle with only half its length remaining, and opened Mr. Azik's response letter.

As he pulled out the items inside, the first one that caught his eye was the Dark Emperor card.

Looking at that face which pissed him off, Klein let out a breath of relief and eased his worries.

He wasn't afraid that Mr. Azik wouldn't return it to him, as he had that minimum level of trust. After all, the potion formula and corresponding rituals could be copied, and only the convergence properties of high-level materials couldn't be imitated. And since this was clearly not Azik's pathway, nor was it one of the switchable paths available to him, so a powerhouse like him had no need for it.

Klein was worried that the messenger would be robbed, losing the Card of Blasphemy which would help him tremendously while in his Spirit Body state.

This wasn't impossible. The number of strange creatures in the spirit world was hard to count, so it isn't hard to end up having a few who were good at locating messengers and robbing them.

The Dark Emperor card was returned along with the copper whistle from the Numinous Episcopate.

After temporarily putting away these two items, Klein unfolded the important letter and read Azik's reply.

"… That card that depicts the Dark Emperor reminds me of certain scenes. The tall-as-a-mountain Blood Emperor who wore a red cape with 'His' eyes being abnormally crazy, containing almost zero reasoning. He was on the brink of losing control. There was the true Dark Emperor who had revived. 'He' sat on a gigantic throne, overlooking the land.

"When I looked up at them, I lost consciousness when the Blood Emperor looked at me.

"I should have, in some form, participated in the War of the Four Emperors, but the exact details still require me to recall them. Perhaps it was because of an injury from back then that caused me to lose my memories again and again as I repeatedly died and reawakened.

"The legend of Death's treasure trove in the Berserk Sea doesn't ring any bells. Perhaps I'll be able to sense something and be naturally attracted to it when I travel to the Southern Continent by boat and pass through that sea.

"The experiences of the owner of that copper whistle resemble that of an Undying's ritual, but there are also clear differences. I can sense evil auras and the premonition of danger. I believe the owner of the copper whistle is in a strange and terrifying state.

"It's best that you don't blow that copper whistle and summon the messenger. This will bring extreme danger. We can make further attempts when I fully recover my memories and figure out what that experience really means.

"The feather left behind by the copper whistle's owner that you mentioned can be used in the domain of the undead. It's a unique material that's rich in spirituality. When I recall more, I'll organize the knowledge of some rituals and charms you can use with it for you. Speaking of this matter, I recall that you'd asked me about the method for ridding the mental corruption of a Beyonder characteristic. This will likely need more time. At the very least, I'm still a blank slate in this aspect.

"Also, I vaguely remember that in the Southern Continent, there are strange creatures called Feathermen.

"It's best to seal that card; otherwise, it might attract powerful enemies and many disasters. I can give you some techniques. This isn't too difficult. First, an improved wall of spirituality…"

As expected, the Card of Blasphemy has a convergence effect upon activation… It's a good thing that I've left it above the gray fog in the past… According to Mr. Azik's descriptions, he shouldn't be an amnesiac Death. Otherwise, he wouldn't have looked up to the Blood Emperor and the Dark Emperor… It's likely that he's a son of Death, participating in the War of the Four Emperors by accompanying that deity. Unfortunately, he suffered from severe injuries… As he thought, Klein produced a flame and burned the letter.

Then, he tried the sealing technique and practiced what Azik had taught him in the letter.

After doing all of this, he held a ritual and brought the Dark Emperor card and the Numinous Episcopate's copper whistle into the mysterious space above the gray fog, eliminating all possibilities of any accidents.

There was no doubt that Klein had no wish to suddenly meet the King of the Five Seas, Nast, at sea.

…

Early in the morning, the sun rose above the horizon and dyed it golden.

Klein went to the not-so-well-stocked second-class buffet cafeteria and ate two slices of toast with bacon and butter and drank a cup of lemon tea.

After filling his stomach, he went to the deck to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the beautiful early-morning scenery.

Then, he saw a drunk Captain Elland returning, his straight sword swaying.

Thinking back to last night's incident, Klein came over and said without a smile, "Good morning.

"White Shark didn't cause you any trouble, right?

"He should be able to determine that I'm a passenger of the White Agate."

Dressed in a dark red coat, Elland took off his ship-shaped hat and laughed.

"This is his own problem.

"Actually, he wanted you to pay half the repair fees for the bar counter, but that isn't much. It's just a few soli. I happened to win six pounds last night and gave him some extra tips, and that was the end of it."

Captain, are you afraid that a crazy adventurer like me will blow the whole thing up just for the sake of face, so you ended up choosing to bear the compensation? Klein was silent for a few seconds.

"I understand."

Then, he turned and walked back to the bow, leaving two soft words: "Thank you."

When Klein returned to his original position, he felt the sea breeze blowing against his face. He slowly let out a breath, feeling that it was too goddamn hard to force a persona.

After enjoying the wind for a while, he was about to return to the cabin when two figures suddenly appeared beside him. They were Donna and Denton.

Cecile, who was in charge of protecting them, was a few paces away.

Donna had obviously not slept well last night. Her eyes were puffy, and her face was gloomy, but she was in high spirits. She was obviously imitating Klein's taking in of the scenery, but her eyes were darting around nimbly.

Just as Denton, who was in a similar state as her, wanted to speak, she spoke first.

"Uncle, who was that last-last night?"

As she spoke, she looked ahead without turning her head, but her body was trembling slightly, as though she was recalling the scene she had seen.

"It was a messenger. You can think of him as a postman." Klein also didn't look at the two little kids, as though he was talking about what he had for breakfast.

"Messenger?" Denton almost lost control of the volume of his voice.

"The world is so huge, so there's bound to be some strange creatures in this world. Trust me, although this creature looks very ferocious and terrifying, it's actually very gentle and professional… It just sent me a letter on behalf of a friend who's far away," Klein explained slightly, trying to describe the four-meter-tall messenger as pitiful, weak, and helpless.

After a night of panic, and because she hadn't been harmed in any way, Donna was much calmer. Her eyes lit up as she said, "Well, that's amazing!

"It's like listening to a story!"

"Very cool!" Denton also expressed his opinion.

Then, he puzzledly asked, "But why didn't anyone else see it? No one had any response!"

"That's because your hearts are pure." Klein smiled.

This was a white lie. After all, he couldn't just say that it was a problem with the special cured meat. That would only make the two curious little fellows fail to resist making attempts.

This way, ignoring the fact that ingesting large amounts of it would cause one to fall ill, just randomly having Spirit Vision activated was a very dangerous matter. Even though Klein could now sustain the consumption of his Spirit Vision for a long period of time, he ultimately didn't dare keep it open. Sometimes, seeing things he shouldn't have seen could lead to madness or death!

"C-can we have a messenger of our own?" Donna asked, curious and excited.

"That will depend on luck," Klein answered simply and calmly.

He couldn't help but lampoon inwardly, I don't even have a messenger of my own!

In order to obtain a messenger, he had to design an accurate summoning ritual and prepare the corresponding spirit world creature contract. This was a specialized field of knowledge, and randomly doing so could easily summon something bad, so Klein didn't dare to recklessly try it.

"Yeah. Yeah." Donna looked forward to it.

Then, she said in a tiny voice, "Uncle, we'll keep this a secret for you."

Beside her, Denton nodded solemnly.

At this moment, a new passenger that intended to board in Damir Harbor carried his suitcase as he walked onto the deck.

After sending the telegram, Blazing Danitz considered that the Captain might instruct him on certain matters. So he decided to cut the holiday short and await orders at the capital of the Rorsted Archipelago.

Through his own channels, he had obtained a ticket, put on a wig, blackened his eyebrows, and easily boarded the White Agate, waiting for the liner to blow its whistle.

Sigh, as Emperor Roselle said, capable people always have to do a little bit more work… As Danitz walked towards the cabin, he looked around leisurely. Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure.

It was a young adventurer in a black coat, gentle in appearance and mad in nature. He was standing at the bow of the ship, beaming at him like a gentleman.

The muscles in Danitz's face began to stiffen.

Chapter 503: Hostage

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Discovering a pirate who was worth 3,000 pounds board the ship in disguise, Klein immediately felt wary. He smiled to Denton and Donna who were beside him and said, "I've got a friend."

He calmly walked towards the Rear Admiral Iceberg's fourth boatswain, locking his eyes on the other party.

The smile on Blazing Danitz froze when he saw the young adventurer, with crazy blood flowing through his veins, slowly approach. He suddenly had a thought, Run! Run as fast as you can! Do your best to escape! Even if I have to use Beyonder powers and expose my identity, I have to flee immediately!

In his eyes, the reserved and stern adventurer was a genuine monster draped in human skin!

Just as Danitz was about to make his move, he suddenly calmed down because he remembered what happened last night: the adventurer hadn't attacked him and had allowed him to leave!

That is to say, he doesn't necessarily have the hostile intention of hunting me down. He can be reasoned with to resolve this crisis… Directly running away would only lead to conflict… Thoughts ran through Blazing Danitz's mind. Relying on his rich experience, he forcefully controlled his legs and appeared to wait in place.

Klein walked over, one step at a time, and smiled.

"Good morning, we meet again."

That gentle and courteous smile of his made Danitz shudder for some inexplicable reason. He pursed his lips and said, "Good morning."

Klein maintained his persona, his expression turning cold.

"What are you doing on the ship?"

"Heading to the Rorsted Archipelago," Blazing Danitz, who was also considered a famous pirate, answered honestly.

"Why are you heading there?" Klein calmly asked.

Danitz forced a smile and said, "Waiting for our Captain's orders. Perhaps there will be a mission arranged for me."

He's probably going to chase me off the ship. In any case, there's a potential risk to have a pirate board a ship… After he finished speaking, Danitz speculated about the possible developments.

For him, this was considered a pretty good result. At most, he would waste a ticket.

Klein fell silent, so silent that Danitz's hair stood on end.

It was a full five or six seconds before he spoke again.

"Which cabin do you live in?"

"First-class, Room 312." Danitz raised the ticket in his hand to eye level.

He didn't dare to look down for fear that the enemy would seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

Klein nodded indiscernibly.

"Is there a servant room?"

"Yes," Blazing Danitz subconsciously answered, but his heart was at a loss. He had no idea why the man was posing such a question at him.

Then, he heard the man say to him in a flat tone like he was speaking to a subordinate,

"You'll sleep there."

Ah? Where? I'll be sleeping in the servant's room? Aren't you going to chase me off the ship? Danitz was somewhat stunned as he blurted out, "Why?"

Klein glanced at him and said one word in a faint voice, "Hostage."

Hostage? He's worried that I'm a planted agent on the ship, making it easier for the pirate fleet to plunder the White Agate, so he plans to use me as a hostage? That's reasonable. If it really is as he suspects, then it wouldn't stop the pirate fleet's attack even if I'm chased off the ship. It's better to hold me hostage to aid in the negotiations… Dogsh*t. I hate this kind of arrogant, cold person who doesn't say much. They always only say a word or two, or even just an utterance, leaving me to guess the rest! I-if I'm really not his match, then I wouldn't even mix with such company! Why did I previously think that his temper matched my tastes? I must've been mad… Danitz gritted his teeth as he thought.

"Fine." He exhaled helplessly.

"To your cabin." Klein maintained the perfect Gehrman Sparrow persona.

Phew… Blazing Danitz carried his suitcase, reluctantly leading the monster draped in human skin to the cabin. They went to the upper deck and arrived at Room 312.

After opening the door, Klein took a quick look and found the place several times better than second class.

The living room was about thirty square meters and was connected to a master bedroom and three servant rooms. It had a separate bathroom, a standard wardrobe, and a mahogany desk.

Danitz put down his suitcase and glanced at the servant rooms. He suddenly thought of an important question.

"Is the master bedroom going to be left empty just like that?"

The moment he finished speaking, he already knew the answer.

"It's mine." Klein smiled in a gentleman-like fashion.

As expected, to watch over me… Danitz felt depressed.

Klein paced on the carpet in the room and said while pointing to the door, "Come with me downstairs."

"… Alright." Danitz was a little lost, unsure what the man was up to.

The adventurer and famous pirate duo soon arrived at the second-class cabins and found Klein's original room.

After opening the door, Klein didn't enter. He pointed inside and said to Danitz, "Tidy the things on the desk and put them in the suitcase."

What? Tidy things? You want me to help tidy things up? Danitz was almost stunned.

In a blink of an eye, he felt a surge of anger rush to the top of his head.

How can I, Blazing Danitz, Rear Admiral Iceberg's fourth boatswain, a famous pirate with a bounty of 3,000 pounds, be driven like a servant!

My dignity and my reputation won't allow me to accept such humiliation!

Klein gave him a cold look when he saw that Blazing Danitz was standing motionless like a petrified statue.

Danitz's body suddenly trembled.

He took a deep breath and replied with a smile which looked worse than crying, "Alright."

Aggrieved, he bent over and entered the cabin that didn't have a very high ceiling, swiftly putting the items that were scattered outside into the suitcase.

Without needing Klein to remind him, he placed the things in order, even more carefully than how he dealt with his own luggage.

After doing all this, he carried the suitcase and followed Klein upstairs.

Along the way, he always had the impulse to sneak attack the man's back, but in the end, he held back.

After returning to Room 312, Danitz clenched his teeth, swallowed his saliva, and said, "How should I address you?"

"Gehrman Sparrow," Klein responded succinctly.

Gehrman Sparrow… Danitz ruminated over the name inwardly, swearing that he would definitely not forget what had happened today. He vowed to let the man before him have a taste of something similar in the future!

Captain will definitely help me! he thought with anticipation.

For the sake of his persona, Klein didn't choose the reclining chair. Instead, he randomly chose a hard wooden chair to sit down on.

He leaned back in his chair, his body slightly hunched as he clasped his hands together, and said to Blazing Danitz, "Tell me about the famous pirates you know of."

"There are a lot of them," Danitz replied, feeling somewhat stumped.

He stood where he was, afraid to move, like a servant.

Klein slowly curled his lips up and said, "Do it in accordance with the bounties."

With that, he pointed to the chair opposite him.

"Have a seat."

With a sigh of relief, Danitz hurriedly sat down.

He suddenly felt that the man wasn't too bad; he was at least willing to give him a seat.

…

Woo!

The White Agate sailed out into the open sea and moved at a speed of 13 knots until noon.

Blazing Danitz, whose mouth was going dry from all the talk, was finally permitted to stop. He took his ticket and led Klein to the first-class dining restaurant.

The restaurant was decorated elegantly, with violinists playing in the corner and barriers separating the tables to ensure the privacy of one's dining environment.

After walking a few steps, Klein met Donna's family and Cleves. They occupied a large table and were waiting for the waiter to serve the dishes.

"Uncle Sparrow!" Because of their shared secret, the little boy, Denton, had changed the way he addressed him.

Donna blinked, fully expressing her doubts.

She clearly remembered that Uncle Sparrow lived in a second-class cabin and wasn't supposed to be in this restaurant.

Klein waved his hand with a smile as a greeting, then he pointed at Danitz and said, "He's treating."

"Is that so…" Donna sized up Danitz curiously, and they felt that the gentleman looked odd, especially his eyebrows which looked extremely unnatural.

Cleves put down his fork and knife, and, after two seconds of silence, he asked, "Your friend?"

Klein chuckled and turned his head to Danitz.

"What do you think the answer should be?"

Danitz gritted his teeth, then he forced a smile.

"Gehrman once saved me."

Yes, that's right. Otherwise, I might've already been killed by him for the sake of claiming the bounty… Danitz consoled himself.

Cleves looked Danitz up and down a few times and said nothing more.

Passing the Donna family, Klein found a table by the window.

The waiter came with great enthusiasm and handed over the menu.

"Charcoal steak, red wine foie gras, vegetable salad…" Danitz scanned the menu and couldn't help but sigh. "Ships that dock for resupplying every two to three days are better. There's plenty of fresh food. When you encounter a ship that floats on the sea for one to two weeks, you can only cycle between beer, cured meat, and various canned goods. It's so monotonous that it drives you crazy. However, the sea itself will also provide fresh food. Heh heh, but this requires one to have sufficient judgment. We had a sailor on our ship who once had a beautiful lobster, only to suffer diarrhea until his ass nearly…"

As a pirate, he had the habit of using vulgar language for descriptions, but after he looked at Gehrman Sparrow's expression, he changed his vocabulary.

"Suffer diarrhea until his ass nearly fell off."

I have reason to suspect that there were other factors. Although your captain is a woman, there should be very few women in the crew. Furthermore, with the sailors unable to get ashore for a long period of time, they must be thirsty… Klein silently lampooned, took the menu, and drew a line according to the price.

"All of these."

"Alright." The waiter's expression didn't change at all.

At that moment, Klein saw Captain Elland enter the dining room and pass by, so he simply greeted him.

When he looked back, he saw that Blazing Danitz was already looking out the window, as if he was watching the scenery.

"The Captain knows you?" Klein asked in a tone close to a statement.

Danitz let out a hollow chuckle.

"We fought his crew back when he was the boatswain of the Wilhelm V.

"Besides, I'm also considered quite a famous pirate…"

At this point, Danitz recalled his current situation and suddenly became depressed. Hence, he changed the topic.

"I've always wondered why Just Elland would suddenly quit the Navy. By then, he was already an Arbiter."

Chapter 504: Red Skull Pirate Crew

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

A Beyonder was allowed to leave the fleet? Without Danitz's deliberate explanation, Klein easily understood why he found it strange.

In a Nighthawks team, even the civilian staff would experience strict restrictions. Even a normal resignation would require them to sign a life-long confidentiality agreement. They weren't allowed to leave the Nighthawks team's area that they originally belonged to, and once they were approved to move to another city, they had to immediately register at the local Evernight Church.

From such rules, it could be seen how the officials treated Beyonders powers and related matters. A Beyonder who had drunk a potion wouldn't be able to leave their organization so easily.

Klein clearly remembered that Miss Justice initially had the means and channels to become a Beyonder, but she didn't attempt them. The reason given was that she didn't want to lose her freedom.

Similar thoughts ran through his mind, but they didn't become words, because the polite but cold Gehrman Sparrow wouldn't be interested in such rumors.

"So what?" Klein looked at the tableware on the table and calmly asked.

Do you know how to make conversation!? Blazing Danitz secretly drew a breath and squeezed out a smile.

"Haha, I just found it strange. We all suspected that he had joined MI9, and that he was using his identity as a captain to monitor the sea routes."

It's possible… Klein picked up a glass of water and took a sip.

The dishes he ordered were served one by one according to their type. The restaurant even gave him two complimentary cups of sweet, bubbling, and light gold pre-meal wine.

Klein stopped talking and concentrated on enjoying the food, feeling that it was indeed much better than the second-class dining room.

The melodious tunes of a violin resonated amidst the sounds produced from the slight contact between the cutlery and plates. The blue and open sea outside the window rippled quietly, and everything seemed perfect.

As Klein was about to be served dessert, a crewman came stomping in and ran to the table where Elland was sitting.

"Captain, there's a pirate ship!" He didn't suppress his voice.

Most of the passengers were shocked and stopped eating.

Klein looked up, looking across him at Danitz with his eyes dark and cold.

Blazing Danitz stiffened for a second, then he smiled bitterly. He lowered his voice and said, "If I were to say that this has nothing to do with me, will you believe me?"

Klein's eyelids twitched as he slowly smiled.

"Guess."

Guess? You son of a b*tch! Danitz was so furious that he almost cursed.

He maintained his smile and said, "Your wisdom is enough to judge everything."

At that moment, Elland quickly asked about the situation. He stood up and said to the panicking first-class passengers, "There's only one pirate ship. We have enough power to deal with it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please return to your rooms in an orderly manner and await the arrival of good news. Believe me, the damage caused by chaos far exceeds whatever damage those pirates can do. I don't wish to hear rumors in the future that although we, the White Agate, had succeeded in repelling the pirates, a handful of passengers had fallen and injured themselves."

Under his arrangements, and with the support of the crew, Donna and the others left the dining room and returned to their own cabins, which included Klein and Blazing Danitz.

"I thought you were going to temporarily take over the White Agate and try to keep it safe from harm," Danitz commented inside room 312 as he closed the door, as though he was watching a play.

To be able to immediately throw out an olive branch and talk about creeds and remuneration after finding a suitable candidate showed that he was an extroverted boatswain who liked to talk with others.

Klein glanced at him, then went to the window, and looked out. He saw a large ship with a red skull flag fluttering as it cruised towards them. There were chimneys and sails.

"Know them?" Klein held his hands in his pocket and stood behind a thick glass window.

Danitz walked to a spot diagonally behind him. After looking into the distance for two seconds, he said, "Red Skull. A small-medium band of pirates.

"The captain is Sea Wolf Johnson with a bounty of 900 pounds. The first mate is One-Eyed Anderson with a bounty of 500 pounds."

In the pirate world, a bounty was an important reference point that determined one's status and standing.

Considering that he didn't have the ability to move underwater adeptly, it would be easy to have innocents die if he allowed the pirates to board the ship. Klein was silent for a few seconds before asking, "Do they know you?"

"Of course!" Danitz instantly straightened his back. "They're qualified to participate in distinguished gatherings between pirates. I once kicked them in the ass."

As expected of a famous pirate worth 3,000 pounds… Klein's asked without a change in expression, "Do they have binoculars?"

"That's an essential item. Even if a ship is placed under control, there will be sailors standing on the observation deck, using binoculars to observe the surroundings to prevent any surprise attacks," Danitz replied scornfully.

He could finally tell that this dangerous fellow was a new adventurer, and it was very likely that this was his first time at sea.

Was he a famous bounty hunter? A member of a secret organization? Danitz subconsciously guessed Gehrman Sparrow's past.

"During such times, will the captain and the first mate use their binoculars to observe us?" Klein originally wanted to address them as 900 pounds and 500 pounds, but he found it a bit impolite.

"Definitely, they have to keep track of their target," Danitz replied, slightly puzzled.

He didn't understand Gehrman Sparrow's goal for asking such questions. From his point of view, if he had his powerful strength, he definitely would've allowed the Red Skull pirates to approach, find an opportunity to board their ship, and then eliminate everyone.

Klein tilted his head and looked at Danitz before revealing a gentlemanly and warm smile.

"That's good."

What do you want to do? Don't smile like that! Danitz suddenly panicked and summoned the courage to fight back.

"Take off your wig," Klein calmly ordered.

Ah? Danitz was puzzled as he slowly removed the wig from his head.

Klein took out a special bottle of extract from his secret pocket and handed it over.

"Wipe your eyebrows and face clean."

This was a mystical "Makeup Removal Extract" he had prepared before advancing to Faceless. He had used it when attacking the Wraith from the Rose School of Thought.

Although Klein no longer needed it anymore, he had been reluctant to throw it away.

"…" Danitz was even more confused. However, he was unwilling to throw himself into an irreversible situation unless he was really attacked, physically. He had no choice but to do as he was told, removing the disguise on his face and restoring his original appearance.

Putting away the small metal bottle, Klein opened the window and let the sea breeze pour in.

"Stand here and look outside," he pointed directly behind the window and said to Blazing Danitz.

Danitz warily walked over in a daze and stood firmly behind the window.

Klein observed for a few seconds, then he calmly said, "You have two choices. One, crawl out and hang there in an eye-catching manner. Two, you get held by the collar by me and hung there in an eye-catching manner."

"What do you want to do?" Danitz blurted out.

Klein revealed his amiable smile again.

"Show you to the pirates. I believe Rear Admiral Iceberg's fourth boatswain holds sufficient weight to persuade them to retreat."

"No, don't do that!" Danitz subconsciously rejected the notion.

He could imagine what the people from the Red Skull pirate crew would think when they discovered him. Either Blazing Danitz had been captured, and there was a very terrifying powerhouse on the ship, or the ship was already being targeted by Rear Admiral Iceberg, and that other pirates were to immediately keep their distance.

And the way I'm hung up decides which thought they would have… Danitz thought sadly.

Klein smiled even more genially.

"I'm a very easy person to get along with, really—as long as you do as I tell you."

At this moment, Danitz once again felt the indescribable sense of hunger. He felt as if his flesh and soul could be torn from his body at any moment.

After weighing the pros and cons for a second, he half raised his hands, gritted his teeth, and smiled.

"I'll do it myself."

Holding back his anger and grievances, Danitz turned and climbed out of the window. Using his balance and strength from years of experience, he hung himself off the cabin with his forearm.

"Don't try to escape. I'm not a patient man." Klein's face turned cold as he gently reminded.

Phew… Danitz resisted the urge to release his forearm and jump straight down.

On the pirate ship in the distance, the crew responsible for observing the White Agate sent a message to Sea Wolf Johnson.

"Boss, there's a weird guy hanging out the window over there!"

Johnson was stunned for a second. He raised his binoculars and placed it in front of his eyes.

He quickly discovered the strange fellow who his subordinate was talking about. The man's position was simply too eye-catching.

Isn't that Blazing Danitz? Johnson's brows twitched as he recognized the man.

How did he get on the White Agate? What's the meaning of him hanging outside? This is Rear Admiral Iceberg's prey? After a series of questions, Sea Wolf came to a conclusion.

He raised his right hand and said, "Everyone take note; stay far away from this area immediately!"

…

In room 305, Cleves stood by the window with the revolver gripped tightly in his hand as a precaution against the potential sea skirmish.

Donna's family was a little frightened. They didn't return to their respective bedrooms, but they instead sat in the living room, waiting for the bombardment to begin. Cecile and the other bodyguard, Teague, stood guard beside them, fully alert.

At this moment, a look of confusion appeared in Cleves's slightly aged eyes.

After a few minutes, he took a step back, lowered his muzzle, and said to the people, "The pirates have left."

"What?" This development left Urdi Branch and the others surprised and confused. They had no idea what the pirates were thinking.

…

Room 312.

Blazing Danitz crawled back and couldn't help but give a snort.

"You're borrowing my captain's reputation! She really hates these kinds of things!"

Just wait for Rear Admiral Iceberg to teach you a lesson! Danitz thought angrily.

Klein quietly listened and asked, "I remember her reward in Loen was 26,000 pounds?"

… This madman… Danitz couldn't find the words to respond.