"Alka? Do you need help?" Jason’s voice came from above.
In response, Alka’s head emerged from the cave entrance.
Alka jumped out. He held a yellow cloth bag in one hand and drew a shotgun from his thigh with the other. He fired directly at the female figure fighting Jason.
The muffled gunshot forced the woman to immediately disengage from Jason.
Jason seized the opportunity, following Alka toward Andre and the others.
Seeing Alka and his companion returning, Andre and his group didn’t hesitate to break away from their opponents.
Together, they all rushed up the hillside.
A few enemies tried to pursue but were quickly halted.
"Alright, let them go. We’ve already lost," Welt said, standing his ground as he watched Andre and the others disappear behind the hill.
"Are we just going to give up ?" the female figure standing beside Weert asked, a note of unwillingness in her voice.
Welt rubbed his bald head and turned to look at his three teammates.
"In a direct confrontation, I’m no match for Andre, and they have the numerical advantage. If we hadn’t collaborated with the Governor, our chances of seizing the treasure this time would have been slim."
"Failing is fine; it helps me let go of this obsession."
Besides, Andre and his group were now in an unassailable position.
They held two keys to the Great Treasure Vault. Furthermore, they knew its location.
Welt’s group knew none of this; this operation had been their only chance to intervene.
Now that the opportunity was lost, Andre’s group could simply keep the two keys and choose not to open the Treasure Vault yet.
Unless Welt’s group could guard this island indefinitely, they couldn’t stop Andre from returning to the island at some unforeseen time.
"Let’s pack up and go. We haven’t even followed up on the clues for the previous treasure yet."
With that, Welt turned and walked towards the edge of the forest.
At this moment, the middle-aged member turned to the cave entrance and said, "Nivek might still be inside the Treasure Vault."
Welt showed no sign of stopping.
"That mad dog is already dead, so why bother with him? Let him rot in there."
Hearing this, the remaining members felt a sense of relief and departed without hesitation, following their leader.
Only Nivek’s body remained, lying silently in the darkness of the Treasure Vault.
Their return was a silent, swift journey.
Everyone finally made it back safely aboard the Sea Fist.
Bobby had been waiting there for a long time.
Alka, meanwhile, was once again being carried back by Chadite. He was completely limp against her back, like a ragdoll.
"Put him in the infirmary," Vanessa said, heading towards the room next to the captain’s cabin.
"Vanessa, is he really okay?" Chadite couldn’t help but ask from the side, looking at Alka, who lay on the sickbed seemingly paralyzed.
Jason, also by his side, nodded repeatedly. Alka indeed looked as if he were paralyzed.
Vanessa waved her hand. "Don’t worry. Didn’t I tell you before? He’s just been paralyzed by the toxin; there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with him."
As she spoke, she walked over and gently pulled at Alka’s cheek.
Alka’s eyeballs could still move. Looking at Vanessa, he fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"See? He’s rolling his eyes at me," she said, retrieving a collection of unidentifiable herbs and potions from a nearby cabinet. Magic Power flowed from her palms into them.
Under the gentle influence of her Magic Power, the herbs and potions transformed into numerous thin threads, which then twisted together to form a single cord.
She parted Alka’s lips and inserted the cord.
"This type of anesthetic poison is typically used for interrogations, or for some people’s perverse hobbies. Just as I suspected, it must have been that madman Nivek."
Jason then said, "He must have fought Alka inside the Treasure Vault. But it wasn’t long before Alka emerged alone."
Hearing this, the others looked at Alka on the bed. Seeing that Alka could only move his eyes, they once again suppressed the questions they wanted to ask.
Vanessa then said, "Alright, you two should go. He’ll have to remain until tomorrow morning."
Hearing this, Jason and Chadite waved at Alka on the bed, and he responded by moving his eyes.
After the two left, Vanessa continued to treat Alka, tending to all the wounds on his body.
A short while later, she bent down and, with a smile, gently pinched Alka’s cheek.
"Little one, rest well tonight. See you tomorrow." After saying that, she winked and closed the infirmary door.
Only the lantern on the nearby table flickered with a faint light.
Lucilia was still sitting on the adjacent bed, chin cupped in her hands, staring at Alka on his bed.
"You can’t talk or move now? Isn’t that just pitiful?"
"How about I tell you a story? What do you think?"
Alka responded by rolling his eyes left and right.
"Okay, let me think... Hmm, which story would be fitting for now?"
"Legend has it, a long, long time ago..."
I don’t want to listen! I want to sleep! I’m still human, not a ghost!
Alka frantically rolled his eyes, but Lucilia was already lost in her own storytelling. The more she spoke, the more animated she became, completely oblivious to Alka’s attempts to get her attention.
Forget it. Alka stopped moving his eyes. He stared listlessly at the ceiling.
I’m so tired. Just let it end. Let it all be over.
Eventually, the sound of the story gradually faded, replaced by a soft, soothing lullaby that gently drifted into Alka’s ears.
Alka slowly closed his eyes, peacefully drifting into a Deep Sleep.
Sitting on the adjacent bed, Lucilia cupped her chin in her hands and smiled as she watched the sleeping Alka.
Seeing Alka asleep, she reached out and poked his cheek.
When Alka didn’t respond.
"Asleep, huh?" she murmured.
She reached out, intending to turn off the oil lamp on the table.
But her hand went right through.
"Hmph!" Pouting indignantly, she zipped back into the necklace on Alka’s chest.
All that remained was the sound of the tide ebbing and flowing outside the window, and the moonlight spilling through it onto the floor beside the bed.
The sound of the door creaking open was heard.
Looking at the sleeping Alka on the bed.
The figure approached quietly and gently, extinguishing the oil lamp on the bedside table.
As the light died, a glimpse of silver hair was visible.
Then, the figure carefully tucked Alka’s blanket in.
The figure then left the infirmary.
With another soft creak, the door was gently closed.