LRAB Chapter 158 Regardless of the Cost
Chapter 158 Regardless of the Cost
Chapter 158 Regardless of the Cost
Natalie said that the group of witches came from the frozen continent.
Therefore, after the two gold coins sailed out of the gloomy northern sea area, they immediately headed west to pursue the enemy.
But they did not catch up with the witch's ship until they reached the Cape of Winds.
The chances of finding a tiny, sand-like ship on the vast ocean with only one boat are truly slim.
However, if the witches truly intend to return to the frozen continent, regardless of which port they are heading to, there is a very high probability that they will rest for half a day at the Windward Cape.
The Two Gold Coins was incredibly fast; even if Miko wasn't in charge, few ships could match its speed.
Therefore, they must have arrived here before the witches, but Henry waited there for half a month and still couldn't see the witches' longship.
Based on Henry's estimated speed, the ship should have arrived long ago.
Henry considered two possibilities: either the ship had chosen a different route, or the witches had no intention of returning to the frozen continent at all.
But whichever the possibility, Henry felt that they absolutely could not continue waiting idly at the windward corner.
Henry immediately ordered a voyage back to the gloomy sea, pinning his hopes on the second possibility.
Henry understood that without a feasible plan, even returning to the Dark Sea would not yield much progress.
He had to first clarify his goal, and after careful consideration, Henry decided to sail to Navel Harbour.
On that eerie night, after parting ways with Natalie and returning to the Two Gold Coins, Henry immediately acted according to the plan he had agreed upon with Natalie.
Natalie told Henry what the witch's ship looked like and where it was roughly moored so that Henry could find and attack it to save her.
Of course, the witches must first dispel the witchcraft from Natalie's body.
Therefore, Henry had to wait until the agreed time had passed before he could go to look for the ship.
If things had gone smoothly, Natalie would now be standing on the deck of the Two Gold Coins, enjoying a leisurely voyage to the Blois Peninsula.
They have even arrived on the Blois peninsula to welcome the reunion of the family of three—the mother and her son.
However, accidents always happen unexpectedly.
The two gold coins, which were waiting for time to pass, were suddenly attacked by the fleet.
Henry had to steer his ship away from the group of ships, but they relentlessly pursued him, and Henry dared not sail too far.
The northern part of the gloomy sea is difficult to navigate, and once you lose your way, it will be very difficult to find the address provided by Natalie.
In this situation, Henry had no choice but to fight back.
Only after the two gold coins rammed and sank one of the ships did the remaining vessels evacuate in panic.
However, it still took up a lot of his time. When he arrived near the location Natalie had indicated, all that remained was the dark sea and the mournful sea breeze.
Henry lost track of the witch's ship, which led to his subsequent predicament.
Looking back now, Henry hated those ships.
After calming down and thinking it over carefully, Henry wondered if the witches' ships had also been attacked by the fleet since he had been attacked by the fleet.
This speculation is not without merit; if the witch did not choose to return to the frozen continent, there must be a reason.
Let's assume that's their reasoning—
Does that mean that if we find that fleet, we can find those witches?
Although the specific reason was unclear, this was the only clue Henry had, and he had no choice but to try it as a last resort.
Henry immediately recognized the ship that attacked the Two Gold Coins that day.
The flags fluttering on the fleet's masts depicted green women with exposed navels.
On the day the two gold coins plundered Bellygate, the port was filled with these flags.
Therefore, these ships most likely departed from Du Navel Port.
Henry knew that the reason these ships had ventured deep into the gloomy northern seas was because Henry had attacked Bellygate specifically to intercept the Two Gold Coins.
It was after understanding these things that Henry sailed the longship to Navel Harbor.
Right now, the two gold coin ships are approaching Belly Navel Port.
The two gold coins were anchored in the ocean. Henry ordered his men to lower a small boat, intending to take it into the Navel Harbor.
Benson also wanted to join Henry, but Henry refused Benson's request.
They had recently attacked Bellygate, so ships in the vicinity must have a strong impression of what the Two Gold Coins looked like.
The two gold coins could be attacked at any time, so it is necessary to leave someone on board who can control the situation.
In the end, Henry only took Cyril and Mico with him.
Cyril is probably the strongest fighter on the two gold coins besides Henry, and he might become an important helper for Henry in critical moments.
After all, this trip could very well lead to a conflict.
The reason for bringing Miko along was because he was a "strong man".
If Natalie becomes immobile for any reason, Miko can easily carry her on his back, thus not delaying their escape.
Henry touched the hammer handle at the stern, and the boat moved forward on its own; he only needed to hold the rudder to control the direction.
Upon seeing this, Cyril stared at the ship with curiosity for a long time, as if studying the ship's structure.
But in the end, he didn't understand anything; he could only sigh:
"This ship is amazing."
“It’s nothing,” Henry said. “Victor designed and built it for me.”
"It's him?" Cyril's eyes revealed surprise. "That old man actually has this level of skill."
"Victor is highly skilled, and he often boasts about his experiences sailing with the 'Navigator,' but if he weren't good at his craft, he'd be laughed at."
Henry gazed ahead of the small boat, his eyes filled with anxiety, yet unwavering determination.
"You know, that old man is very stubborn. He pretends to be indifferent to many things, but in reality, he cares a lot. He can't stand it when others talk about him."
"Haha," Cyril chuckled, "then he'll be furious when he hears what you said."
"That's definitely behind my back, they wouldn't dare show it in front of me," Henry said confidently. "Victor couldn't possibly hold a grudge against me."
"I have no doubt about that," Cyril nodded. "Although many people think you don't deserve your reputation and say you've only gotten to your current position by bragging, I now understand that only you can be a leader."
"This is not just a matter of strength, leader. You may not realize it, but your personal charisma is what attracts everyone to risk their lives for you. That's why everyone on the Two Gold Coins is willing to risk their lives for you."
Henry scoffed, "No need for flattery, Cyril. What charm do pirates possess?"
"These are indeed my heartfelt words, Chief."
Cyrilham bowed, but he didn't continue on that topic. "Even so, such a design is definitely not something a shipwright in pirate territory could come up with."
"Indeed," Henry had to admit, "Victor's craftsmanship is indeed impeccable, but repair and design are two different things. This is thanks to the designer on the frozen continent, who taught Victor some techniques while designing the two gold coins."
"I see," Cyril nodded. "However, since we are approaching Bellyn Harbor in a small boat, Chief, you seem to want to avoid conflict."
“Conflict only leads to chaos,” Henry said. “Finding your lost stone in a pile of stones is difficult enough, but if the pile starts rolling, it will only make that difficulty more difficult. Chaos leads to movement, Cyril, and movement is not to my advantage.”
“Indeed,” Cyril shrugged, “but you’re looking for a person, and I believe that Cathy’s mother has no friends in this city, and she doesn’t have the opportunity to wander among people. In other words, what you’re looking for is a pebble that’s fallen outside the pile of stones.”
"I'm not just looking for her," Henry said calmly. "I'm prepared for the possibility that I might not find her, but at least I need to gather intelligence. That's the stone I'm looking for."
Cyril nodded: "That makes sense, but, Chief, how do you plan to find them?"
"I think there's a clue here, based on two possibilities. Either the witch's ship was hijacked by the fleet here, or Natalie alone fell into the hands of the lord here for some reason. So I plan to first check if the witch's ship is in the port."
“I could understand the former,” Cyril said, “but what about the latter? If the lord of Bellyna Harbor didn’t stop the witch’s ship, how did it end up here?”
"The witches have a reason to take control of Natalie," Henry wouldn't tell Cyril, "so sooner or later they'll find out which lord led the fleet that attacked them that day."
“Even so, we shouldn’t sail directly into the port,” Cyril said. “Like us, we should have anchored our ships in the middle of the sea.”
"The Two Gold Coins is a warship with a unique design, while according to Natalie's description, the witch was just traveling on an ordinary merchant ship. Simply changing or removing the flag would not arouse the suspicion of the port regulators."
"Then how could you identify that ordinary ship full of witches from among so many merchant ships?"
“Natalie told me that the ship had burn marks on its surface,” Henry said. “That’s a reliable indicator.”
Cyril paused for a moment before replying, "All of this is based on the premise that the witch's ship did not arrive at other ports on the frozen continent via other routes."
The cruelest words in the world are undoubtedly the most heartfelt truths:
"I only have one body, Cyril, I can only choose one side."
"It's a gamble on one side."
"Then wish me good luck in gambling."
After a long time, the three of them went ashore on a small beach near the port.
They did not split up, after all, the enemy was a witch who possessed extraordinary powers.
Archers are less effective in sudden battles, and Miko would only hinder the team if he acted alone.
Therefore, Henry chose to bring the two of them with him.
Walking through the harbor, Henry saw many places with traces of burning.
This must be the work he left behind when he attacked this port last time.
Sometimes he couldn't help but think that, tracing back to the source, it was Henry who struck first. It wasn't entirely unjust that he was thwarted by the fleet from Belly Bay on that eerie night.
Pirates commit numerous evils and do not deserve good fortune.
Lively places are indeed good places to gather intelligence.
They hadn't been traveling for long when they heard all sorts of interesting things.
Things like the frequent murders in the west, and lords setting sail with half their fleet.
Of course, most of them were useless clues.
Henry focused his attention on the ships at the dock, examining their hulls one by one to see if any matched Natalie's description.
Cyril must have prayed for Henry's luck in the gamble, because not long after, he actually found a ship with obvious burn marks on its side planks.
He whispered to Cyril, "It's this ship."
Cyril stared at the ship for a few seconds before quickly looking away and reminding him:
"Miko, don't stare. It'll alert others."
Upon hearing the sound, Miko hurriedly lowered his head and stared intently at the ground.
Cyril then asked Henry, "Chief, the question is, did this ship sail here on its own, or was it hijacked by the local lord?"
"The answer is obvious, Cyril," Henry replied. "Didn't you see the deck? There are quite a few women there. You don't usually see so many women on a ship. And their clothing style is completely out of step with the local people."
The witches arrested by the lord had no chance to show their faces in the harbor.
"So, Chief, you bet right? Natalie really was brought to this port by the fleet?"
Henry nodded: "Based on our previous speculation, that's correct. In that case, we need to hurry up and gather intelligence to find Natalie's whereabouts."
"There's no need for that, Chief," Cyril chuckled softly. "You really do have a lapse in judgment."
Henry frowned: "What do you mean?"
“Didn’t you notice? There are quite a few porters loading cargo onto the ship,” Cyril said. “Since this is a witch’s ship, they couldn’t possibly be here to trade. But if they’re not here to trade, why would they need to load cargo?”
"They don't need to load cargo," Henry realized. "They're replenishing supplies!"
“That’s right,” Cyril nodded, “which means they’ve had enough of this place and are ready to set sail—”
"...And since they are preparing to set sail, it means they have already obtained enough clues, and may have even achieved their goal!" Henry continued Cyril's words.
"That's right, Chief," Cyril nodded. "If we only started gathering intelligence now, we would be one step behind them in everything. But now we know they have the intelligence—"
Seeing Cyril's weasel-like expression, Henry narrowed his eyes as well, instantly understanding Cyril's meaning:
"Do you have an idea?"
"Oh! Of course, don't forget, Chief, although I've been a pirate for many years, since joining your ranks..."
I've dealt with slave traders quite a bit, and I've even picked up a couple of their tricks.
"Do you need my help?" Henry asked.
"want."
"How can I help?"
"Two things to do: first, find a well-soundproofed guest room; second, lend the 'strong man' to someone for private use."
Henry separated from the two men and quickly found a guest room on the roof.
After entering the room, Henry opened the window and hung a white cloth outside it.
Less than half an hour later, there was a knock on his door.
Henry gripped the axe and opened the door.
Upon seeing Henry, Cyril bowed to him the moment he saw him outside the door.
Miko, who was following behind Cyril, was carrying a woman in a long robe.
"Very good, Cyril," Henry praised.
Cyril raised an eyebrow: "She was too careless."
Cyril only woke her up after he had bound her hands and gagged her.
Henry saw the reflection of three people in the woman's eyes, and he also saw the intense fear within them.
Henry asked her, "What are you looking for in this harbor?"
However, the woman shook her head repeatedly, and Cyril explained:
"She might not understand the Royal Language?"
"Do you understand the language of the Ice People?"
"I know a little bit."
As he spoke, Cyril turned to the woman and said something Henry couldn't understand.
That must be the language of the ice, but Henry couldn't tell how good Cyril's translation was.
The woman stopped shaking her head and instead made "mmm" sounds through the gag in her mouth.
Cyril said something else, and the woman nodded before he took out the cloth.
The woman took two deep breaths, then suddenly widened her eyes and said something loudly and arrogantly to the three of them.
Although he could guess what it was about, just to be on the safe side, Henry asked:
"What is she saying?"
"Basically, it's saying that if you offend her, or something like that," Cyril spread his right hand, "how should we respond?"
Henry countered, "Have you interrogated anyone else?"
"certainly."
"What have you done in this situation before?"
"Of course, it's about helping her understand her situation."
Henry's tone was icy: "Then why did you ask that question?"
Cyril nodded: "I'm afraid you might have any further instructions."
"If we're talking about advice—" Henry paused, "there is some."
"What?"
"Don't be too light."
Cyril's face broke into a sly smile, while the woman in front of him watched his conversation with Henry with a puzzled expression.
When Cyril turned around, he slapped the woman hard across the face, knocking her to the ground.
Cyril knelt down beside the woman's head, then raised his fist and punched her hard in the face.
Henry couldn't help but admire Cyril's foresight; a well-insulated guest room was indeed essential.
However, besides the screams, Henry also heard the woman forcefully calling out some specific words.
Henry didn't understand what those words meant, but they were nothing more than a threat, a compromise, or a plea for mercy.
Cyril must have understood, but he didn't stop and continued to beat him.
They only stopped when the woman could no longer make a sound.
Xingli asked, "You're not dead, are you?"
"I've left you a bite to eat."
"Then go ahead and ask."
Cyril gracefully helped the woman up, then smiled and spoke softly to her.
The woman nodded weakly, then moved her lips in a barely audible voice.
Cyril told Amy, "She said they were looking for a woman."
Ask her, "Have they found them?"
"No, we only found one clue."
"What's the clue?"
Cyril continued translating Xingli's words. Upon hearing this, the woman looked at the three people in the room with her swollen, tear-filled eyes.
She said something, and Cyril translated:
She asked, "If I tell, will you let her go?"
Xingli replied, "I will show her mercy."
Afterward, the woman revealed all the information she had gathered.
After listening, he turned his back:
"Miko, get ready to go back. Cyril, kill her, then follow."
The woman started screaming, probably because Cyril behind her pulled out a weapon in front of her.
But the moment Xingli opened the door, Xiuran suddenly fell silent in his ears.
They returned to the small beach where they landed and pushed the boat into the middle.
Xingli gripped the hammer handle again, and the ship turned back.
Cyril suddenly brought up the subject: "To be honest, Chief, when you promised to show her mercy, I was really worried. If you really released her, we might face obstruction and retaliation from those witches later."
“We are all despicable pirates, we don’t have to keep our promises, and we never believe anyone else’s promises,” Xingli said. “Besides, I didn’t lie to her. I showed her mercy, and she died a quick death.”
Xingli returned to the Two Gold Coins, and the small boat was also loaded onto the stern.
At this moment, Anri finally obtained the information.
That night, the witches were indeed entangled with the Navel Rice fleet.
Natalie actually jumped into the sea and escaped. Xingli thought that such a reckless way of acting was indeed very Natalie.
Later, the witch captured the ship that attacked them that day, which was flying the flag of the navel rice. Therefore, she came to the rice mouth and captured the information.
They just received a clue yesterday that Natalie has set sail with the lord.
The fleet's target was Shoepad Island, located south of Weeping Gorge.
Cyril asked, "Chief, shall we depart now?"
Anri was eager to save Natalie, but she shook her head and made a silent decision:
"No, wait a little longer."
Cyril asked, puzzled, "Wait? Wait for what?"
"Didn't you say that boat was about to leave the rice paddies?" Xingli squinted. "We're just waiting for it."
As long as Natalie is not in the witch's hands, her situation is not too dangerous.
The Navel Rice fleet only came across that frozen land while pursuing the Two Gold Coins; they had no idea what secrets that sea area held.
Given this, they could not possibly be aware of Natalie's value.
Moreover, if they were to hit and harm Natalie, Xingli couldn't understand why these people would take Natalie to Pad Island.
Shoepad Island is not far northwest of the Bluff Peninsula, which is also the direction that Anri would sail back after rescuing Natalie.
Therefore, Xingli is not in a hurry to catch up.
But there was one thing right now that Furi couldn't resist doing; he had to do it.
In the middle of the night, Xingli finally managed to stake out the boat.
Benson ran to Xingli and said, "Boss, that ship doesn't seem to have spotted us. What do we do?"
"Do you still need to ask, Benson?" Apricot's voice was colder than the eerie night. "Sink it."
Benson shuddered, as if sensing the unusual aura emanating from Xingli.
"Then, how about ten giant arrows?"
Xingli glared at Benson's question.
Benson took a step back: "Is that too many? But this is the only way to guarantee a sinking—if we're accurate, eight shots will do."
"You've got it wrong, Benson," Amy narrowed her eyes, "at any cost!"
Benson paused for a moment, but still bowed deeply before going to give instructions.
Springtime at the gloomy sea remains cold, especially at night.
But it can still be cold.
Xingli simply lay on the bow of the ship, silently watching the chilling presence of death slowly seep into the ships ahead.
The witches tried to resist, and all sorts of magical scenes appeared around the ship, probably because they were using witchcraft.
But they could not resist the brute force of the giant crossbow, nor could they stop the ships from entering.
Anri had experienced this kind of fear when she was on the Soaring.
But these people are not Xingli, they are not the offspring of Joachim, and they are not the navigator. They probably cannot rationally control the speed at which the ship sinks.
Cyril approached Amy, who was admiring the longship sinking, and said:
"Indeed, given their obsession with Cathy's mother, keeping them around would only be a disaster."
Xingli glanced at Cyril, her lips curling slightly into a cold laugh:
"You're mistaken, Cyril. That's not why I attacked and killed them."
Cyril asked, puzzled:
"Why is that?"
"I'm just—simply angry."
"Yes, please." Xingli's eyes curved into an arc—she was practically bursting with rage.
These people, these damned women, sluts, bitches, how dare they grab Natalie and even hurt her!
Xingli couldn't help but feel angry and resentful; her aunt could never forgive her.
Natalie told Xingli that he was indeed Cathy's father.
So he had to do it; as Cathy's father, he had to do it.
But he also hated his own powerlessness, that he could only grant these witches death, let them perish in the sea, and even give them the chance to go to the underwater palace.
But Xingli was in a hurry to catch up with the ship ahead, and he didn't have the patience to waste time with this group of prostitutes.
Once the ship ahead had completely sunk, Anri ordered them to set sail.
Half a day later, the sky had already turned white.
Victor suddenly found Xingli: "Master, Mother says there's something going on up ahead."
With her eyebrows furrowed, Xingli followed Victor to the bow of the ship.
Upon seeing the scene at the bow of the ship, Xingli blurted out:
"Oh my god—"
The rising sun shines on the sea, casting an orange-yellow hue.
That was Xingli's favorite color, which was why he felt a chill run down his spine.
Before me lay the wreckage of a ship, but not an ordinary shipwreck.
The ship broke in two, and planks were scattered everywhere.
But looking at the holes and injuries to the children on the hull, it seemed as if they had been bitten off by some enormous, mountain-like creature—