Chapter 234 Cooperation
The flames crackled in the fireplace, casting a warm glow on Miss Victoria’s exquisite profile. Her fingertips unconsciously rubbed the rim of the white porcelain teacup as she calmly met Li Wen’s gaze. Her azure pupils held a depth and caution uncharacteristic of her appearance, as if she could see through people’s hearts.
Victoria picked up the teacup, her fingertips turning slightly red in the firelight. She didn’t respond immediately, instead quietly watching the tea sloshing in the cup, as if weighing something.
In the inn’s lobby, the whispers of other travelers, the clatter of crockery, and the faint din from the street became the silent backdrop to this moment.
Just then, the inn door was pushed open again, and a gust of cold wind carrying the clamor of the port swept in. A familiar figure appeared at the doorway, clad in a simple white robe, his eyes calm and serene.
It was Moria.
He immediately spotted Li Wen and Victoria sitting by the window and walked towards them without hesitation. His appearance brought a new variable to their conversation, which had not yet concluded.
Moria approached the table and first bowed slightly to Victoria, showing a proper respect for a noble lady. However, a flicker in his eyes conveyed a question that only Li Wen could understand—he seemed to have sensed something unusual.
“Excuse me,” Moria said gently, his gaze fixed on Li Wen. “Miss Mephistopheles, Captain Remington mentioned that you might have encountered some trouble in Port Beren?”
Captain Remington had of course not said this to him. He was using the captain as an excuse to subtly inquire why Li Wen was here and if she needed help, while also justifying his own involvement.
Li Wen didn’t answer Moria, merely glanced at him, then turned her gaze to Victoria. Victoria’s eyes flitted between the two, seemingly assessing how Moria’s arrival would affect their conversation.
The complex expression on Victoria’s face instantly vanished, replaced by her previous smile. She looked at Moria and said softly, “Mr. Moria, please, have a seat.”
Moria pulled up a chair beside the table and sat down. His gaze calmly swept over Victoria and Li Wen, as if he had merely stumbled upon acquaintances and joined a casual chat. But Li Wen knew that with his keen perception, he would soon notice that the atmosphere here and the conversation between her and Victoria were not as harmonious as they seemed.
“I was inquiring about the fortune teller in Fog Bell Alley and seemed to have encountered some minor trouble,” Moria said casually, as if recounting a trivial matter.
“Minor trouble?” Victoria’s eyes lit up with interest. “Don’t tell me it’s also related to the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing?”
Moria paused, then nodded slightly, not denying it. He had already confirmed from dockworker information that Sivell was under the control of the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing.
“They seem to have apprehended and imprisoned the fortune teller,” Moria continued, his voice calm yet tinged with a hint of concern. “And they appear to be searching for a certain location… Black Reef Bay, or perhaps Cape of Submergence.”
Upon hearing this, Li Wen frowned slightly. Moria’s words confirmed her suspicions about the cult’s objectives and directly linked his own actions to the cult’s investigation.
This wasn’t just a coincidence, but a trend, with multiple factions paying attention to that mysterious and dangerous sea area.
Victoria’s gaze became deeper. She looked at Moria, then at Li Wen, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. The chessboard in her hands seemed to have become more complex and interesting with Moria’s addition.
“It seems we are interested in the same place,” Victoria said softly, her gaze drifting out the window towards the dark waters of Port Beren. “The Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing, Black Reef Bay, Cape of Submergence… and the Soul Lord sealed beneath the sea.”
She connected all the clues as if she had known them all along, only waiting for the opportune moment to reveal them.
“Soul Lord?” Moria was taken aback, clearly lacking this information.
“If the intelligence is accurate, they are setting sail tomorrow midnight,” Li Wen said, interrupting to avoid wasting time on inconsequential matters, her tone conveying a clear sense of urgency. “We don’t have much time.”
“Setting sail?” Moria’s brow furrowed even deeper. It seemed he still had much to learn from Li Wen in terms of intelligence gathering.
Victoria looked at Moria, then at Li Wen, her smile carrying a hint of slyness. “I will find a way to involve the Disciplinary Bureau.”
She no longer tried to evade the issue but clearly stated her needs. “However, it is inconvenient for me to directly use official power at this time.”
This statement sent a signal to both Li Wen and Moria, implying that she sought their support or assistance.
Li Wen’s expression remained impassive, but her mind was clear. Victoria was finally revealing her true intentions. At least in finding a way for the Disciplinary Bureau to counter the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing, she was ostensibly yielding to pressure from various sides. However, it was possible this was her goal from the start.
And she herself, Moria, and everyone else had become pawns in her hands.
Of course, Li Wen had no intention of being a good pawn. However, for now, she needed to use the Disciplinary Bureau to disrupt the cult’s plans, thus buying herself time or creating opportunities to travel to Black Reef Bay. Their goals overlapped to some extent.
“I need to rescue Ms. Sivell,” Moria stated calmly, expressing his stance and priority.
“I need to stop the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing from going to Black Reef Bay,” Li Wen declared her objective.
Victoria looked at them, her smile deepening.
“Very well,” she said softly, like a chess player seeing a perfect opening. “In that case, perhaps we can reach a consensus. The Disciplinary Bureau will intervene to prevent the cult’s ship from sailing. As for what happens afterwards… how about we act independently?”
She was proposing a temporary alliance—jointly using the Disciplinary Bureau to achieve the immediate goal, then respecting each other’s independence and pursuing their own objectives.
Moria looked at Li Wen, his gaze questioning. After the incident with the Adventurer, he had developed a peculiar trust in this mysterious Transcendent of the Path of Light Chasing. At least on certain important decisions, he would consider and seek her opinion.
Li Wen didn’t respond immediately. She looked at Victoria, then at Moria. Victoria’s proposal was advantageous to her; it would prevent a direct confrontation with the cult and might provide an opportunity to understand the cult’s knowledge of the Soul Lord and Black Reef Bay. Moria’s objective also did not conflict with hers, and perhaps in the process of rescuing Sivell, Moria might inadvertently gain more crucial information about the cult.
This was a highly favorable decision from all perspectives. The only concern was whether Victoria harbored deeper schemes and whether she would be dragged into a larger vortex. However, with the ship set to depart tomorrow midnight, there was no time for hesitation.
Finally, Li Wen nodded slightly.
She agreed to this temporary alliance.
A complex situation revolving around the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing, Black Reef Bay, the Soul Lord, and their respective secrets and objectives, officially began in the chaotic port city of Port Beren. The first step was to see how Victoria would use her influence to ensure the Disciplinary Bureau, that sharp blade, accurately struck the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing.
