Chapter 583

Four Hundred and Twenty-Fourth Chapter: XiasTree

Under the dark nightfall, on the vast sea, three pilgrim ships that had just emerged from thick fog were slowly sailing on the calm, fog-free surface of the sea. The church fleet that was supposed to protect them was nowhere to be seen. At this moment, the three passenger ships were like fish meat ready for slaughter to those with ulterior motives.

On the deck of one of the ships, several sailors lay motionless on the deck. Their bodies and even parts of the deck were wet. From the slight rise and fall of their chests, it could be judged that they were not dead but unconscious. Behind these sailors, several crew members crouched trembling. They all knelt on the ground, raising their hands in panic.

In front of these crew members, among the unconscious sailors, stood a man wearing only leather pants, his upper body and feet bare. His black hair was disheveled, and he had a stubble beard. He appeared to be in his thirties. He watched the scene before him with a cold expression, saying nothing.

At this moment, the sound of waves could be heard from the sea beside the ship. A figure leaped out of the water as if it were a fish, landing on the deck. Upon closer inspection, it was a young man wearing only a pair of pants. After landing, he immediately stood steady and turned to speak to his companion.

“Baohoda, we have already taken control of the other two ships. Now all the Glimmer pilgrims have fallen into our hands.”

Using a language the crew members couldn’t understand, the young man spoke to a middle-aged man with messy hair nearby. The latter shifted his gaze and replied in a composed tone.

“Hmm… Thank you, Sukai. How was the resistance? Were any of our people injured? What about casualties?”

“The resistance was weak. There were no strong warriors on their ships. We didn’t exert much effort to subdue them. Our fighters suffered no injuries, while many of theirs were injured. They were practically helpless.”

The young man named Sukai spoke to Baohoda with a hint of pride in his tone. After hearing the damage report, Baohoda nodded satisfactorily and continued.

“Good. Now have the crew change course and return all the ships… Speed must be fast. We need to leave this area before the Glimmer realizes what’s happening.”

“I understand. I’ll inform everyone.” With that, Sukai walked to the edge of the deck, preparing to jump down. But at that moment, Baohoda called out to him again.

“By the way, if there are any seriously injured among those people, you can treat them so they don’t d*e from worsening injuries.”

“Treat their wounds… Baohoda, these are Glimmer people, our enemies. We gave them a warning before attacking, which was already quite generous. Now you want us to treat their wounds!?”

Listening to Baohoda’s words, Sukai spread his arms in confusion. Baohoda then replied sternly.

“They are indeed enemies, but they are more useful alive than dead. It’s best to avoid casualties at this stage. Every person adds to our leverage.”

Baohoda said to Sukai, who paused for a moment after hearing this. He no longer argued and simply responded briefly before jumping into the sea.

After Sukai left, Baohoda turned his gaze to the trembling crew members nearby and spoke in Iwig language.

“Alright, please return to your posts and do your duties. We need to change course.”

…

The boundless ocean is its most captivating charm. Countless adventure stories are set against the backdrop of the sea, precisely because of its vastness and mystery, which hold infinite possibilities. Throughout history, countless adventurers have tirelessly explored the sea, but even today, there are still many secrets hidden within it, including the well-known Conquer Sea.

In some part of the Conquer Sea, there is a section of sea far from the main channels, with complex conditions and frequent fog. Deep within this sea, where lost ships often find themselves in nightmares, lies a mysterious area rarely visited by humans.

Above the dark sea, a faint mist disperses everywhere, revealing the vague outline of an island.

On a mysterious island somewhere in the Conquer Sea, there stands a towering ancient tree. Below this tree, flickering lights are illuminating the darkness. In the light, a tall figure is cast, which, upon closer inspection, turns out to be a wooden human form sculpture.

No, it would be more accurate to say that it grew naturally rather than being carved. The thick, twisted roots of the tree grow from the earth, intertwining and shaping themselves into a woman with her arms open wide. Although made of wood, the figure is lifelike, exuding natural harmony and beauty in its full-bodied form.

Before this naturally grown statue, a blazing bonfire burns. Beside the fire sits an elderly man in his fifties, dressed in simple coarse cloth robes tied with a hemp rope belt. His face is lined with wrinkles, his white, dry hair, and he sits on the edge of the fire, silently staring at the flames with a worried expression.

The old man sat waiting beside the fire, and around him, several men and women also dressed in coarse cloth robes sat. Most of them shared the same worried look as the old man, gazing at the flames. However, a thin young man in his twenties sitting next to the old man had a different gaze; he looked at the old man himself.

“Lord Anman, do not worry too much. Baohoda is clever and capable, a talented warrior and our best. He will handle everything well.”

The thin man comforted the old man. Hearing this, the old man paused slightly and then turned to the man with a sigh.

“I know Baohoda’s abilities, Aubye… If he were doing something else, I would be very reassured. But this time is different. He has to confront the Glimmer directly, facing those fanatics. The Glimmer’s strength is beyond our reach… This task is extremely dangerous. How could I not worry?”

“In fact, there’s no need to worry, Lord Anman. The Glimmer may be powerful, but their strength does not extend everywhere. According to my information, that Glimmer fleet is just a facade, with no one as strong as Baohoda. He should be more than capable of dealing with them.”

Aubye said to Anman, but the old man’s concern did not dissipate. He continued speaking slowly.

“After all, information is just information. No one knows the real situation. If there’s any mistake, the consequences could be unimaginable. I wouldn’t agree to this unless the situation had reached an unprecedented crisis.”

Anman said, and after hearing this, Aubye continued.

“Don’t worry. The sea is Baohoda’s domain. Even if the information is wrong, they might not be able to defeat the Glimmer, but escaping should be fine.”