novelraw Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Chapter 18. Before Setting Sail
While Beren guided the formation with bone-music and drove energy into the luminous cocoon—
Kyle continuously cast various shaping spells, adjusting and reconstructing the energy circuits.
Transforming someone into a Blood Fiend was no easy task. The main difficulty lay in preserving Adrian’s original form.
As an advanced mutated version of a corpse fiend, a Blood Fiend was still, in essence, a corpse fiend—and corpse fiends were notorious for being huge, ugly, and reeking of rotting stench.
For Kyle to eliminate all those flaws was no less than performing a full-body reconstructive surgery. For the sake of making his subordinate “look human,” he, as the boss, had no choice but to personally wield the knife…
***
Late at night, Mario wrapped himself in a wide black robe, his face covered by a cheap mask, and entered the brightly lit Underground City.
This was the largest extraordinary resource trading venue in Coral Thorn City.
As long as one had money, all kinds of goods could be purchased here without fear of counterfeits. Unlike other black markets, this place was unusually orderly.
From buyers to sellers, everyone strictly abided by the rules of keeping quiet and settling money and goods cleanly. No one dared cause trouble here.
He had come here several times before, but never once made a purchase. It was simply too expensive.
Fortunately, any professional at Elite (Baron) level or above could enter free of charge. Even without spending money, it was still worthwhile just to broaden one’s horizons.
Nervously squeezing the magic crystals hidden in his sleeve, he walked toward the intelligence merchant’s shop—only to find that the entrance, usually lined with a long queue, was completely empty. It wasn’t until he approached that he saw the “Closed” sign hanging on the door.
He froze on the spot.
‘Why?’
‘How could this happen?’
‘Why now of all times?’
‘…’
His mind felt like it was exploding. Did he not even have a chance to find the culprit? Post a bounty on the black market? That was even more unrealistic. Who could guarantee the captured person wouldn’t just be a scapegoat?
By then, the money would be spent, the matter unresolved, and innocent people might even be harmed in vain.
If Kyle knew what Mario was thinking, he would certainly be pleased. The credibility he had painstakingly cultivated over the years had clearly borne fruit.
After thinking for a long time and failing to come up with a solution, Mario could only approach a patrol officer responsible for maintaining order in the Underground City.
“Sir, may I trouble you for a moment?” Mario lowered himself and painfully took out a silver coin, offering it over.
The patrol officer glanced at the coin but made no move to take it. He knew what the other party wanted to ask—but he didn’t know the answer either.
Obtaining this job had not been easy. Even exploiting authority for profit required skill. Even the intelligence merchant would offer some hint or implication to those seeking answers.
If a small fry like him took money in exchange for useless information, he would likely be stripped and thrown out the next day…
“Don’t ask. We don’t know when the intelligence merchant will reopen either. If you’re in a hurry, come check every day yourself.”
With that, the patrol officer turned and continued his rounds without looking back.
Mario stared at his retreating figure for a long time, sighed, put the silver coin away, and left silently.
***
Behind the Rhinoceros Tavern.
O’Brien carried a nearly unconscious figure over his shoulder—it was Dean, who had trained basic physical conditioning all day. Now he hung limply like a water-soaked sandbag, too exhausted to even groan.
In the shadows at the alley entrance, Zack and Old Owen had long been waiting anxiously. Upon seeing O’Brien, Zack’s eyes lit up. He quickly tugged Old Owen forward and bowed. “My lord!”
“So soon?” O’Brien stopped, his gaze sweeping over the two.
“Wouldn’t dare delay your time, my lord!” Zack hurriedly stepped aside to introduce, “My lord, this is Old Owen, the captain for this voyage. He has decades of sailing experience! He’s also my old friend—absolutely reliable!”
Old Owen bent over immediately. “Greetings, my lord!”
O’Brien glanced at the drowsy Dean on his shoulder and said helplessly, “Very well. Seven tomorrow morning. Meet at the docks. Prepare an extra ration.”
“Yes, my lord!” Zack agreed readily. Though full of curiosity about the person O’Brien was carrying, he did not dare ask. After bowing again with Old Owen, they turned to leave.
At that very moment!
A cold glint flashed in O’Brien’s eyes. His longsword was drawn in one smooth motion, turning into a silver bolt that tore through the night.
With the hum of slicing air, the blade was already pressed against the neck of a shadow hiding hundreds of meters away in a dark corner.
“Who are you?”
Black Scorpion’s mind went blank. Everything had happened too fast.
He had only been ordered to monitor Zack. Who would have thought that after taking a few extra glances at the person Zack met, he would be captured the very next second?
He hadn’t even seen how the other party moved!
What kind of major figure was this?
“J-just passing by… Spare me, my lord…” Black Scorpion pleaded aloud, while his hand secretly reached toward a poisoned projectile hidden in his sleeve.
“Still not honest?”
O’Brien snorted coldly. His left hand shot out like an iron clamp, gripping Black Scorpion’s neck precisely. With a twist of his wrist—
“Crack! Crack-crack…”
A series of bone-dislocating sounds rang out, making one’s teeth ache. Black Scorpion didn’t even manage a scream before collapsing like a heap of mud. Every joint in his body—even his jaw—had been dislocated. He could only whimper in terror and despair.
“My lord!” Zack finally reacted, rushing forward in shock and fury.
When he saw the familiar dark-red scorpion tattoo on the man’s face, a chill shot from his feet to his scalp. His earlier good mood vanished instantly.
Both frightened and furious, he realized that in his recent busyness, he had completely forgotten about these relentless hyenas!
“It’s trash from the Poison Scorpion Gang!” He spat viciously on the ground.
“In your place, how is something like this usually handled?”
“My lord, by Coral Thorn City’s rules, if a gang spy is caught, either their fingers are chopped off as a warning or they pay ransom… But the Poison Scorpion Gang is notoriously vicious. Letting him go will definitely bring endless trouble!”
“You have a grudge with them?”
“Our territories happen to border each other!” Zack gritted his teeth, fury burning in his eyes.
“These scum survive by extortion and protection fees. They even traffic women and children. My adventurer team has clashed with them many times. Back when I had more professionals in my team, we weren’t afraid of them. But now that my team has suffered heavy losses, these hyenas can’t wait to pounce!”
He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. The unspoken fear lingered thickly in his voice.
“They would take action against your base while you’re at sea?”
“That, they wouldn’t!” Zack replied firmly.
“As long as I pay the Adventurers’ Guild fees on time, no one dares risk offending all adventurers by touching an adventurer team’s base. But sabotaging us behind the scenes? Stabbing us in the back? That’s guaranteed!”
“And how should he be dealt with?” O’Brien shook Black Scorpion in his hand, eliciting muffled, pained sounds.
Zack stared at Black Scorpion on the ground, a feral grin spreading across his weathered face. “In my humble opinion, take him aboard. Once we’re out at sea, throw him overboard to feed the fish. No one will care.”
Black Scorpion tried to beg, but he had no strength left. He could only whimper weakly.
“Very well. I’ll leave him to you.” O’Brien nodded. He had seen enough of the filth of bottom-tier gangs.
With a flick of his hand, he tossed the limp Black Scorpion to Zack’s feet.
Without another glance, O’Brien carried the sleeping Dean and strode into the noisy Rhinoceros Tavern.
Zack looked down at Black Scorpion by his feet, ruthlessness etched across his weathered face.
‘Poison Scorpion Gang, is it? Once I recover my footing, the first thing I’ll do is wipe you out!’