Chapter 223 Arriving at Port Beren
The sea chart, illuminated by the oil lamp, shone with an old yellowish-brown hue. The parchment edges were curled with fine burrs, and some of the ink had become blurred by age and moisture. Li Wen’s fingers gently traced the distorted and faded coastlines. The outline of Port Beren had become dull through countless careless or deliberate renderings, no longer possessing its original precision.
Only a few markings, circled in bold red ink, stubbornly retained their original color, like congealed bloodstains, appearing particularly glaring on the dim yellowed chart.
“Black Reef Bay… Cape of Submergence…”
She murmured the unfamiliar place names softly. Her past life’s Strategy Team intelligence had never mentioned these sea areas.
In her past life’s memories, the Strategy Team’s intelligence regarding the sea areas near Port Beren mostly focused on certain famous shipwreck treasures, locations of rare fish, or occasional monster lairs. However, they had never mentioned these two names that exuded an ominous aura.
“Will the Soul Lord be sealed in those places?” she muttered to herself.
Common sense dictated that sealing a powerful Soul Lord would naturally involve choosing a remote and perilous location to isolate its power and prevent mortals from stumbling into it. These two place names indeed seemed to fit such a condition. However, the depiction of these two locations on the sea chart was extremely brief, with only rough outlines and a few indecipherable symbols, as if even the cartographer was unwilling or afraid to elaborate further.
Never mind, she’d ask the locals once they arrived at Port Beren.
Thinking this, Li Wen put away the sea chart again.
The ship cut through the waves, the monotonous rocking and the whistling of the sea breeze becoming the main melody of the following days. Moria spent most of his time recuperating in his cabin, and Li Wen did not disturb him. She also kept to herself, rarely leaving her room except for necessary meal times.
Two days passed in a flash. When vague landmasses appeared at the horizon, the atmosphere on the ship became noticeably livelier. Sailors busied themselves with tidying the sails, and passengers emerged from their cabins, gazing towards their destination.
Port Beren, as a burgeoning port city, was a pearl on the eastern coastline of the Kingdom of Arthur and a vital hub connecting the mainland with the boundless seas. While it did not possess the ancient magical heritage and noble lineage of Leicester, it was renowned for its thriving fishing industry, advanced shipbuilding, and as the starting point for many adventurers’ and treasure hunters’ voyages. Of course, in the shadows, it also bred pirates, smugglers, and all sorts of unsavory dealings.
The “Adventurer” slowly sailed into the port. Unlike the orderly docks of Leicester, the docks of Port Beren appeared somewhat chaotic. Ships of all sizes were moored together, and the air was filled with the strong smell of fish, tar, and the scent of decaying damp wood.
The docks were abuzz with people, a constant stream of individuals in various attire. There were robust, dark-skinned sailors, adventurers with swords at their hips and wary eyes, and hurried merchants with shrewd expressions.
Fu Qingyan and the others still had to finish their duties as sailors, likely until evening, so Li Wen disembarked first.
Moria appeared beside Li Wen at some point. His complexion had returned to normal, though a hint of lingering fatigue remained in his brow.
“We’ve arrived,” he said softly, his gaze sweeping across the bustling and vibrant port city before them.
Li Wen nodded slightly, her eyes scanning the towering warehouses, the closely packed taverns and shops, and the crowded, busy people, trying to identify the presence of Players. “Where do you plan to go first?”
“I’ve inquired with Captain Remington about the fortune teller’s whereabouts.” Moria replied, “It is said that the most famous fortune teller in the city is named ‘Seawatch Eye’ Sivell, and her shop is located on the west side of the port in ‘Fog Bell Alley’. I will go there first.”
“I have other plans,” Li Wen said. “I might stay near the port for a few days to investigate some matters.”
Moria was not surprised by this. He was already accustomed to the mysterious and unpredictable nature of Miss Mephistopheles.
“If you need anything, you know where to find me,” he said, referring to the “Sycamore Inn” that Princess Victoria had mentioned before they parted. It was likely that if he had nowhere else to go, he would also check there first.
“See you later,” Li Wen said concisely.
Moria nodded, then turned and blended into the crowds on the docks, quickly disappearing.
Li Wen did not rush to leave the docks. She observed her surroundings, trying to capture some useful information from the clamor. She noticed that the notice board at the docks was plastered with various announcements: bounties for pirates, recruitment for sailors for long voyages, and some peculiar lost item notices and expedition recruitments.
An advertisement that was slightly old caught her attention. It was a private commission, offering a reward for anyone who could provide information on the specific locations and related rumors of “Black Reef Bay” and “Cape of Submergence.” The signature was only a blurry emblem resembling a cross, and it was not an official notice.
Someone else is also investigating these places? Li Wen’s heart stirred. She carefully noted the pattern of the emblem. Although she didn’t recognize it, perhaps it could serve as a clue later.
Next, she needed to find places to gather information.
The “Sycamore Inn” mentioned by Victoria might be one such place. However, the princess always acted with hidden intentions, and her proactive gesture at this moment might have been to win favor or test her. Li Wen did not intend to contact her easily until she understood the princess’s true purpose.
She decided to start with places that were most likely to gather information from all walks of life, such as the taverns in the port.
There were many taverns in Port Beren, with crooked signs visible on almost every street. Li Wen chose a tavern called “The Deep Sea Anchor.” This tavern looked quite old, with a modest facade but a steady stream of patrons, mostly rough-looking sailors and adventurers.
The interior of the tavern was dimly lit, and the air was mixed with the sourness of cheap ale, body odor, and the pungency of tobacco. Boisterous conversations, rude laughter and curses, and the clinking of cups and plates were incessant. Li Wen found a corner seat, her hood pulled low, obscuring most of her face.
She did not rush to ask the bartender for information but quietly listened to the conversations around her. The sailors talked about recent sea news, which sea areas had storms, and which unlucky merchant ships had encountered sea monsters. The adventurers boasted about their achievements or complained about the difficulty of their missions and the meager rewards.
Most of these conversations were about trivial matters, but Li Wen listened patiently, trying to filter out any clues related to “Black Reef Bay” or “Cape of Submergence.”
