Chapter 13: Everyone Must Die

Ian stood in silence, his thoughts raging like a storm within his spiritual world.

"..."

"How can you be sure that the members of the Calvin family are really dead?"

"Most of their bodies have been recovered. Those who were not found were confirmed through astrology. The kingdom's astrologers have verified it multiple times."

"What about Rebecca Calvin? Where is she now?"

"She's in the Truth and Justice Church's affiliated residential area. The other survivors from the castle are there too."

"Why did the pirates attack Stormwatch?"

"Because Blackbeard got wind of some information—that the Calvin family's treasure vault contains forbidden knowledge that can extend life."

"Is that true?" Ian couldn't recall any such thing in the family vault.

"It is true. But the cost is more terrifying than death."

"Why was the Second Fleet away from its post and then just conveniently returning on the day of the attack?"

"You should be asking: who's the mastermind behind this?"

Ian was taken aback. "And will you tell me? Is that part of the 150 gold information?"

"Of course, it's part of the deal. The mastermind is Prince Diaro of the Podria Kingdom. The commander of the Second Fleet is his uncle."

Ian fell silent. Could the truth really be this easy to obtain?

"Why?" he asked.

"Which one do you want to know about? Why Prince Diaro targeted the Calvin family, or why this information is so cheap?"

"…Both."

"Prince Diaro is 29 years old, a battle mage of Sequence 6. He's highly ambitious. The heir apparent to the throne, his elder brother, has an unshakable position. His power and influence are immense, leaving Diaro with no chance of taking the throne. So, he's focused on building his own kingdom overseas, and the royal family has fully supported him."

Ian suddenly understood. The Podria royal family was immensely powerful, but it all belonged to the king. Due to the unique system of noble fiefdoms, the princes had no territories, subjects, taxes, or stable industries.

Many princes relied on the royal treasury or their own business ventures.

Stormwatch had become one of the wealthiest places in the kingdom, second only to the royal family and the Grand Duchy of the "enclaves." With the ongoing Age of Exploration, most of the kingdom's nobles had seen their populations dwindle, but the population of Stormwatch had grown steadily.

Stormwatch had people, wealth, and land. Under Prince Diaro's management, its yearly income probably surpassed that of the Calvin family by several times.

After all, much of the money the Calvin family failed to collect was easily claimed by the royal family.

"As for why this information is so cheap, it's because Prince Diaro didn't bother to hide it. The upper echelons of the kingdom are all aware."

Ian suddenly recalled a line from The Three-Body Problem in his past life: "I destroy you, and it has nothing to do with you."

He then remembered something his father had once mentioned—the conflict between the Seven Great True God Churches and the heretical cults.

"Father, why do the Seven Great True God Churches support the Age of Exploration for all nations, despite their immense power? Why don't they just go out and conquer the seas themselves? Is it because they are 'True Gods'? The heretical cults are the ones who directly seize people and islands."

"Because they don't need territories. They only need faith. The more followers they have, the stronger their supernatural abilities become. There are no kingdoms that last for a thousand years, but the Seven Great True God Churches have already existed for three eras."

"No matter who occupies the New World, as long as they are human, it will eventually become a region for the Seven Great Gods."

"And they've already entered the game, just behind the scenes."

Everyone knew that Prince Diaro sought land, people, warships, and the expansion of overseas territories. All the interested parties were silently supporting and facilitating his plans, pleased with the outcome.

Of course, Diaro hadn't even considered the possibility that the Calvin family might simply hand over Stormwatch if he just demanded it.

Taking it directly—why bother asking? It wouldn't take much effort!

By seizing the land, he practically wiped out Blackbeard's pirate group, captured numerous warships, and gained control of the gold trade routes—all in one move.

...

Ian walked back to his inn in silence, mechanically closing the door behind him.

'I'm just a time traveler. I'm not sad, nor am I angry.'

Ian's mind delved deep into the spiritual world, where the storm-like turmoil shattered his own facade.

The spiritual world was in chaos—violent waves, thick clouds, torrential rain—just like his emotions.

The man who had always warned him to be cautious, who had lived his life in caution, was dead.

The older brother who had failed an awakening, yet still chose to give up on his own second chance, leaving all the resources for Ian and worked tirelessly to build the family's wealth—was also dead.

The woman who had always spoken gently to him, who constantly cared for him, and who gave him boundless warmth with her smile—she was gone as well.

The past life was over, but Ian had inherited the extraordinary profession and the memories.

Now, it didn't feel like a fleeting movie or a slideshow—it was as if he had truly lived those 17 years in a dream.

Ian didn't reject this. In his previous life, he had been an orphan and never experienced such deep emotions. This feeling had engraved itself into his heart.

'It's like watching a moving drama or a long movie.'

Ian comforted himself as he sat on the floor in his room. His tears dried up amidst the sorrow, leaving only endless loneliness and rage.

'Just this once. From now on, all my sorrow and anger will be reserved for the enemy.'

'Why do I suddenly feel so motivated? The story isn't over yet. The bad guys haven't died… Haha…'

Ian stepped out of the spiritual space and stood up.

"Everyone—must—die!"

...

The more furious he felt, the more he had to stay calm.

For the next three days, Ian became consumed with work, gathering information and learning all he could about Heaven's Port, Prince Diaro, and the royal family.

King Podria VII, at 67, was a battle knight of Sequence 5, once a lover of adventure. He had sustained severe injuries in his youth and was said to be near death.

Rumors swirled, but it was true that he had withdrawn from public life and no longer participated in affairs of state.

Crown Prince Demos Podria, 39 years old, was the de facto ruler of the kingdom, especially with his direct control over Heaven's Port and the kingdom's three main fleets. Though his reputation was not particularly stellar and he didn't wield harsh methods, he had the backing of his father's immense power and influence.

Prince Diaro Podria, 29, was famous for awakening his spiritual powers naturally from birth and for his genius in battle magic. At 24, he had already reached Sequence 6. In recent years, he had remained relatively low-key, and not much information had been available about him.

It was known that he had recently left Stormwatch to his administrative officers and was sailing south with his fleet.

Diaro's mother was the sister of Count Helfan of Helfan Castle, the commander of the Second Fleet, a family famous for its mastery of curse magic.

Then there were the Seven Great True God Churches—how much they played a role in this remained unclear.

...

From the information Ian had gathered, it was clear that Prince Diaro's power was formidable. He was not someone Ian could afford to confront just yet.

But Ian wasn't afraid.

He only needed a little time.