Paul Grayman, accompanied by Morrison, walked through the rooms, asking, “Isn’t there any treasure or something like that here?”
“I’m not sure about that,” Morrison replied. “The Shark Gang’s finances are tightly controlled, known only to a few core members. But about two hours ago, a group of people came and took away some big and small boxes.”
“It seems they really ran off with the money. Pray to the Lord of Light that we catch them. But to have infighting at such a critical moment, they are really courting death.”
Morrison found it strange: “Infighting? I’ve never seen pirates turn on each other.”
Paul asked, “Then what’s with these pirate corpses?”
Morrison looked baffled: “Weren’t they killed by your men? I hid as soon as I heard the commotion.”
Realizing the potential danger, Paul immediately ordered his soldiers, “Stay alert, there may be others hiding here,” while reloading his pistol.
The soldiers, fully alert, escorted the count to the ground floor hall.
A soldier rushed out from a corridor and reported to Paul, “Sir, Cecil, our intelligence officer, has found a basement with some suspicious individuals, now disarmed. They claim they’re not pirates and are asking for your instructions.”
“Oh? So there are other people in this church. Lead the way.”
“We’ve told you many times, we’re not pirates. Have you ever seen such a beautiful young female pirate like me?”
Meru Heimer, the leader of the Lichman Adventure Team, protested loudly, hands tied and expressing her dissatisfaction.
However, no matter how much she protested, the grim-faced man ignored her, arms crossed.
“Are you going to release or kill us? What do you actually want?” Meru demanded again, to no avail.
The green-haired girl with a scholar’s cap advised, “Meru, stop shouting. It seems this man is waiting for his superior to deal with us.”
Dean sighed inwardly. The operation had been going smoothly until now.
After hearing two strange booms outside the city, most pirates guarding the church had been drawn away. The group waited, and luckily, the remaining few pirates took some large boxes on a carriage toward the dock. They inferred that the pirates, unable to withstand the pressure, were planning to flee. They couldn’t wait any longer; if the pirates decided to move the hostages, it would be disastrous.
The adventure group members, each with their own skills, raided the church. There were a few pirates left, probably checking for anything important left behind, but they were no match and were quickly subdued. After the fight, the group thoroughly searched the church and found an entrance to a basement at the end of a corridor. They discovered only Susan’s grandfather, the town mayor, tortured and unconscious, but their initial target, the young lord of the Horn Bay Alliance, was not there.
Team leader Meru Heimer quickly decided to have the green-haired girl, Ladi, help Susan’s grandfather return, while the rest pursued the pirates. But as they were about to return to the surface, they heard footsteps and had to hide back in the basement.
Cecil, the intelligence officer, leading the soldiers into the basement, noticed people inside. He ordered the “pirates” to surrender and announced that the army of the Lord of Alda had arrived, warning that resistance was futile.
The adventure group then realized that the attackers of Port Fran were the local lord’s army and hastily explained they were adventurers there to rescue the hostages, not pirates.
Cecil, the suspicious intelligence chief, insisted on the Lichman Adventure Team surrendering their weapons. The group leader, Meru Heimer, being hot-tempered, argued back and forth with him. As tensions were about to escalate into violence, Dean and Ladi, the more level-headed members, persuaded their leader to cooperate, and the group surrendered their weapons. Cecil then ordered his men to tie up the adventurers and went to seek Paul’s guidance.
After what felt like an eternity to the adventurers, someone finally descended the stairs into the basement.
“A boy?” The group was puzzled upon seeing Paul.
Paul asked, “Are these the suspicious individuals you caught?” He saw a pink-haired flat-chested girl, a blue-haired pretty boy, a blonde emo, and a green-haired girl wearing a scholar’s hat, her face obscured by the hat and dim light.
Cecil respectfully replied, “Yes, my lord. They claim to be adventurers from the south, here to rescue hostages taken by pirates. However, I thought it best to be cautious.”
Paul nodded, “Good job.”
He turned to the adventurers, “Explain yourselves. How can you prove your identities?”
The adventurers were surprised, hearing Paul’s voice still breaking, indicating he was about fifteen years old. As a lord, he seemed too young.
Team leader Meru urgently said, “You’re the lord here? We really came to rescue people. Please let us go.”
Dean whispered to Meru, advising her to show more respect, as the northern lords were known to be ruthless and unyielding.
Paul became alert seeing them whispering: “What are you doing? I warn you, no conspiring!”
As Dean was about to explain, Ladi suddenly spoke, “Esteemed lord, you should first attend to the safety of your people. This elderly man, tortured by pirates and now unconscious, is the local mayor. His family can verify our identities.”
Paul looked at the green-haired girl who was now facing him. She wore a scholar’s travel outfit, her face showing a charm beyond ordinary women, and her eyes had rare red pupils.
As their eyes met, Paul felt a brief dizziness, dismissing it as fatigue from the previous night’s excitement.
He fought off a yawn and said, “Alright, you make a point. Cecil, do you recognize the mayor of Port Fran?”
Cecil replied, “Sorry, my lord, I know he’s an old man, but I’m not sure of his appearance.”
“Go find a physician to treat this old man and verify his identity,” Paul ordered. Cecil and two soldiers then carried the old man away.
Paul turned to the adventurers, “As for you, you can leave once the old man wakes up and proves your innocence.” He wouldn’t trust them just because they had a beautiful woman in their group. Google seaʀᴄh novel⸺fire.net
Dean suggested, “Lord, the mayor was already unconscious when we arrived. But you can ask his granddaughter Susan to vouch for us,” and he provided Susan’s address.
Paul agreed, “I’ll have her brought here. I hope you are indeed innocent.”
Unnoticed, the green-haired girl quietly breathed a sigh of relief.