Chapter 246: Setting Sail Again
Li Wen and Moria left the Sycamore Inn without delay and headed straight for the Port District. The streets of Port Beren, usually filled with the salty sea breeze, sailors’ shouts, and the sounds of colliding goods during the day, were now restless due to the events at the Shipyard. They moved through the somewhat chaotic crowd, their footsteps quick and silent.
However, as they approached a secluded alleyway near the docks, piled with discarded ropes and barrels, something unexpected happened.
“Catch them! They are enemies of the Church!”
With a hoarse shout, seven or eight figures in gray and white robes suddenly sprang from the shadows on both sides. Their faces still carried fanatical fervor and the fierceness of desperation. Their weapons were varied: rusted harpoons, crude scimitars, and even broken wooden clubs, all aimed at Li Wen and Moria.
“Foolishness.” Li Wen’s eyes turned cold, her movements as swift as a ghost.
Without the need for verbal communication, as she sidestepped a sweeping attack, Moria moved like a calm wind, closing in on the foremost attacker. His movements were extremely concise; with a lift and a press, that person was struck in the chest as if by an invisible heavy hammer, groaning and flying backward to crash against the slippery wall, falling silent.
Li Wen’s Raven Feather Dagger flipped in her fingers, tracing a cold arc, accurately severing the wooden handles of two incoming harpoons. She then kicked the knee joint of another attacker, and amidst a crisp bone-cracking sound, that person screamed and knelt to the ground. Without even looking back, she flipped her dagger, a flash of cold light, and a devotee who had lunged from Moria’s blind spot was pierced through the shoulder, screaming as he was pinned to a wooden crate.
Moria’s movements were equally fluid. He dodged a cleaving scimitar, and with a gentle tap on the assailant’s wrist, the person’s arm went limp, the weapon falling from their grasp. He then spun and delivered an elbow strike, sending another attempting sneak attack devotee flying hard.
The fight ended in mere moments. On the ground lay the incapacitated remnants of the Eternal Life Cult, groans and cries of pain intermingling. Li Wen pulled out her dagger, flicked off the blood, and didn’t even glance at the people on the ground.
“Let’s go.” After speaking, she glanced back at these fanatical disciples, pondering that these were likely the devotees who had witnessed her flying from the Church last night; otherwise, there was no reason for them to recognize her.
Moria nodded slightly, and the two continued towards the Adventurer’s berth without stopping.
When they arrived, the Adventurer rested like a slumbering giant by the dock. On deck, Fu Qingyan and her companions were talking with Captain Remington, their faces filled with the excitement and a touch of nervousness of an impending departure.
“Captain Remington,” Moria’s voice sounded at the opportune moment, interrupting their conversation.
Everyone turned towards the sound and saw Li Wen and Moria approaching quickly. The Captain raised an eyebrow; he certainly wouldn’t forget these two unusual passengers on the Adventurer.
“Miss Mephistopheles? Reverend Moria? What a rare sight.” Remington’s rough face broke into a smile, his gaze sweeping over the slight dust on their robes and the un-dried blood on Li Wen’s dagger. “It seems the sea breeze of Port Beren isn’t very gentle. Did you finish your business?”
“It’s temporarily concluded,” Li Wen said, walking closer and getting straight to the point. “Captain, we’d like to take your ship to Black Reef Bay.”
Her words caused Fu Qingyan and her classmates to freeze. Remington’s smile faded slightly. He crossed his arms and eyed Li Wen, “Oh? Miss Mephistopheles is also interested in that cursed sea area? I recall your previous goal was to find a fortune teller in Port Beren.”
“Plans can’t keep up with changes,” Li Wen’s voice was calm and steady. “The people from the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing have already set sail before us, and their target is also Cape of Submergence. We need to follow them.”
“The Eternal Cult?” Remington’s eyes narrowed. As an experienced captain, he had naturally heard of this church, which held considerable influence in Port Beren. “Those lunatics are also after that place?”
“Yes,” Moria continued, his tone steady. “The situation is urgent, and we believe only your Adventurer has the capability to track them in the shortest time and safely cross the dangerous waters of Black Reef Bay.”
Remington fell silent for a moment, unconsciously rubbing the saber at his waist. Moria and Li Wen had been introduced by Selwin, and they had also saved his life from Joseph; he had no reason to refuse. His gaze swept over Li Wen, Moria, and Fu Qingyan’s team, finally resting on Fu Qingyan.
“Young lady, what do you say? You might not know that the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing is a notorious sect here. Their methods are cruel and their deeds wicked. If you get into conflict with them, I’m afraid there won’t be a good outcome,” Remington asked.
Fu Qingyan responded almost without hesitation: “We want to go with Miss Mephistopheles and Mr. Moria!”
Her companions nodded in agreement. Li Wen’s performance on the Adventurer had left a deep impression on them, especially since she had saved them. And Moria, in particular, had made these less experienced players exclaim that he was unbeatable.
Remington grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, “Alright! Since no one has any objections, I have no reason to be afraid.”
“However…” His expression turned serious, his gaze sharp as he scanned everyone. “Once you’re on my ship, you follow my rules. Black Reef Bay is no place for playing around. Storms, reefs, sea monsters, and those madmen… every step can be deadly. During the voyage, all actions must follow my command, and no one is allowed to act on their own, or don’t blame me for throwing them overboard to feed the fish! Do you understand?”
“Understood!” Fu Qingyan’s team responded in unison, with youthful excitement.
Li Wen nodded slightly, “Naturally.”
Moria also said in a deep voice, “We will follow your arrangements, Captain.”
“Very good!” Remington patted the ship’s hull with satisfaction. “Is the supplies all loaded? Young lady, are all your people here?”
Fu Qingyan nodded, her gaze sweeping over her teammates. “Everyone is here, except…”
She hesitated for a moment, then saw Yang Yi rushing over from a distance.
He ran to the ship’s bridge, panting, a hint of panic and barely perceptible paleness on his face. He lowered his head, avoiding everyone’s gaze, and whispered an explanation, “S-sorry, I ran into some trouble on the way and was delayed.”
Fu Qingyan blinked, said nothing more, and waved, “Hurry up and get on, we’re waiting for you.”
Yang Yi climbed onto the deck and huddled behind the crowd.
Li Wen’s gaze flickered over him for a moment, her eyes beneath her hood shifting slightly.
Remington waved his hand, holding up the sea chart, “Now that everyone is here, prepare to set sail. Target: Black Reef Bay. We’ll intercept them before those lunatics! Brothers, let’s get to work!”
The sailors responded with a loud cheer and quickly got to work. Thick ropes were untied, and new sails were slowly raised on the mainmast with a dull thudding sound.
Under Remington’s command, the Adventurer cut through the blue seawater, carrying people with diverse thoughts but a common goal, towards the treacherous sea area known as “Black Reef Bay” and “Cape of Submergence,” in pursuit of the Divine Cult of Eternal Blessing’s wake.
