Spirit Mist
On the main island of Moncala, within a certain hotel, Dorothy sat on the luxurious sofa in her suite, her expression focused and serene. At this moment, her thoughts were concentrated on a coastal park in the southwest of the main island, where Ed, the zombie puppet, was located. Through him, Dorothy had received advice on how to find Serinpu. However, despite this advice, Dorothy still had many questions in her heart.
“Edward Gibbs… the ruler of Moncala, once a great pirate… It’s not strange that he has the means to locate a ‘Shadow’ at the Red Tier level within his territory. But as far as we know, it would be very difficult to deal with him.”
Sitting on a long bench in the park, Ed analyzed the intelligence he had just obtained under Dorothy’s control, muttering to himself. Next, the blue-dressed woman beside him continued to speak.
“It’s not just difficult; it’s extremely difficult. I heard that Edward is very suspicious, and after he grew old, his suspicions became even worse. Now, he basically lives alone in his fortress, secretly controlling the situation in Moncala, rarely interacting with outsiders. To the locals in Moncala, Edward is like an ancient figure who has been dead for a long time.”
As the blue-dressed woman spoke, Dorothy began to recall the intelligence she had collected about Edward.
Many years ago, after creating Moncala, Edward stepped back from public life. Currently, Moncala is ostensibly jointly managed by several of his most outstanding descendants. Unless there is a particularly significant matter, the reclusive Edward will not meet any outsiders. Those who can usually see him are only his most trusted children.
“According to our intelligence, meeting Edward would be quite challenging…”
In Dorothy’s contemplation, Ed pondered and said, and at this moment, the blue-dressed woman spoke again.
“Yes, now that old pirate only occasionally meets outsiders for very important matters, but he mostly sees only his own children. However, right now, there is a nun from the Radiant Church visiting Moncala. This might be his chance to go out and meet people. You might be able to contact Edward through this gathering.”
“Meet Vania? Sorry, that old man is so arrogant that Vania’s schedule in Moncala does not include meeting Edward.”
The blue-dressed woman suggested, and after hearing her suggestion, Dorothy immediately complained inwardly. Knowing Vania’s entire schedule, she knew that Edward never intended to meet Vania from the beginning. It would probably take the visit of a high-ranking Archbishop to persuade him.
“Although Vania Charifren is currently very famous, she is still just a young Saint Relic Inspector. In terms of diplomatic levels, she cannot reach the point where Edward would have to personally entertain her… Besides this, do you have any other suggestions that could make it easier to contact Edward?”
Ed rejected the blue-dressed woman’s suggestion, and listening to Ed’s words, her expression sank. Then, frowning, she said,
“Well… if he doesn’t even see that nun, I can’t think of any other way to contact him for now…” She grabbed her head, her expression slightly troubled, and Ed continued to ask.
“Even if we manage to successfully contact Edward, what method could we use to convince him to use his trump card to help us? That kind of thing isn’t something that can be easily persuaded.”
“Hmm… I’m not very clear about that aspect either. Anyway, if you can offer Edward something he would consider valuable as a bargaining chip, he should be willing to help in exchange…”
“So, what kind of bargaining chip could move a Red Tier sea pirate, the owner of Moncala? The Myskin Fragrance Cage is originally yours, we are just borrowing it, so this bargaining chip certainly cannot come from just one family. Can you provide a bargaining chip that would interest Edward?”
With a very serious expression, Ed continued to say to the blue-dressed woman in front of him. After hearing these words, the blue-dressed woman’s expression became even more troubled. She touched her chin, somewhat embarrassed, and said,
“Well… honestly, since we were severely damaged by the Moth Sect, we are severely weakened. The bargaining chip that could impress that old pirate… we really can’t come up with it for now…”
“How about this! If we can’t come up with a plan to impress that old pirate, then we won’t ask for his help. We should think about it. Although he is a Red Tier Extraordinary Being, he doesn’t primarily possess the ‘Lamp’ or have the ‘Tiered Vision’ of the Church. It’s possible that he found the ‘Shadow’ at the Red Tier level by relying on some powerful Extraordinary Item. Maybe we can find a way to sneak into his fortress and steal that item!”
The blue-dressed woman said, and listening to her words, Dorothy, sitting on the sofa in the suite, couldn’t help but slap her forehead. Then, controlling Ed with a helpless expression, she said to the blue-dressed woman who was making such an outrageous suggestion,
“Stealing something from a Red Tier Extraordinary Lord’s territory that he has controlled for many years is no simple task. Moreover, we don’t even know what that item is. Even if we miraculously steal it, we would provoke Edward’s anger. At that time, adding Serinpu, we would have two major enemies here in Moncala. Are you prepared to fight against two Red Tiers simultaneously?”
“Ahh… this… it seems that provoking two Red Tiers at once is somewhat dangerous…”
Listening to Ed’s words, the blue-dressed woman also said thoughtfully. Seeing her current state, Dorothy realized that further discussion would yield no results, so she let Ed sigh lightly and then said,
“Alright, the information you brought is very useful to us. Next, I need to report this information and discuss strategies with my companions. Please accept this, and if anything happens in the future, we will contact you through it.”
As she spoke, Ed took out a small notebook from his coat and handed it to the blue-dressed woman next to him. The blue-dressed woman took it curiously and began to examine it.
“Is this an Extraordinary Prop? How do you use it?”
“It’s simple, just look at the words that appear and reply with a pen…” Responding to the blue-dressed woman’s words, Ed stood up from the park bench and said, then he looked at the blue-dressed woman sitting on the chair again, picked up his hat, and bowed slightly before saying,
“So, I will take my leave now. Once we have devised a strategy, we will contact you. Farewell, Miss Fox.”
After finishing, Ed turned around and quickly left. Listening to Ed’s words, the blue-dressed woman froze where she was for a moment, only reacting after a while.
“Miss Fox… He knows I am a fox? When did I slip up…?”
…
After a brief rendezvous with the little fox in the dream, Dorothy controlled Ed to quickly return. Dorothy had communicated with the little fox many times using the identity of the giant dragon Patornak, knowing all the nuances and mannerisms. Although the other party concealed their identity this time, they did not disguise or change their language habits at all, which almost allowed Dorothy to recognize them instantly.
“Heh… This little fox acts quite childish, looks young, and lacks experience in various aspects. The Moth Sect not only sent someone like this to execute tasks in the Dream Realm but also pushed her forward in such an important mission. It seems they really have no one else. This situation is truly worrying…”
Controlling the zombie puppet Ed to return, Dorothy thought to herself. Then, she slowly rose from her sofa and walked to the balcony, leaning on the balcony railing to look north.
In the distance, at the northern edge of Moncala city, Dorothy could see a massive fortress built on the mountain.
The castle walls were taller than the high-rise buildings of Moncala city, and behind the walls was a highly excavated and transformed mountain body, with various towers and artillery emplacements standing on top. The fortresses and walls were connected, and the grand stone buildings were built along the mountain, a carefully crafted fortress by the great pirate Edward. In the chaotic era, it served as his base and stronghold. Now, this fortress continues to protect the safety of the great pirate, and its imposing and terrifying appearance declares Edward’s absolute authority over this place.
Looking at the fortress that almost symbolized Edward, Dorothy couldn’t help but think deeply in her heart.
“To obtain such extensive assistance from a great pirate at the Red Tier level… This is no easy feat. There’s no need to mention the cost, which is something I cannot bear and would not bear… And stealing something from him is even more difficult… But if I don’t borrow Edward’s strength, how can I find a Red Tier-level ‘Shadow’ on this island?
“Whether negotiating with Edward or stealing from him, I must first get close to Edward, and just this point alone is already quite challenging…”
Standing on the balcony, Dorothy stroked her chin, pondering. After thinking for a while, she decided to remotely detect Edward to gather as much intelligence as possible.
With this idea, Dorothy began to control the zombie bird that had been circling over Moncala to fly towards the direction of the pirate fortress in the north. Carefully maintaining altitude and distance, Dorothy’s zombie bird flew above the fortress.
Above the massive pirate fortress, Dorothy activated her Spiritual Vision, looking down through the zombie bird’s perspective. She saw that the entire pirate fortress was surrounded by a very faint halo. After careful examination, she discovered that it was actually a very thin layer of Spiritual Fog.
This Spiritual Fog was composed of two types of spiritual elements, “Lamp” and “Cup,” almost covering the entire pirate fortress. The closer to the inner part of the fortress, the denser the fog became. The highest concentration was inside the buildings, invisible from the outside. But when Dorothy saw this Spiritual Fog, she immediately recalled the scene of her first encounter with the two White Chalks of the Sea Abyss Cult on the Shining White Pearl.
“This mist… is the mist released by a Water Elemental. A White Chalk-level Water Elemental can sense if someone is intruding by detecting changes in air humidity. Those two White Chalks used the moisture in the room to conduct counter-surveillance. The current situation in this pirate fortress seems to be an enhanced version of that scenario…
“The invisible spiritual moisture permeates the entire fortress, and any living being entering would have a risk of being detected. The higher the concentration inside, the greater the risk of being perceived. These spiritual mists… are likely created and enhanced by Edward himself… an extension of his abilities…
“Sigh… This is troublesome. Previously, I could break through the counter-surveillance of those two guys on the Shining White Pearl because the moisture didn’t carry spiritual energy and had no connection to the person who created it. I used electrolysis to allow the zombie puppet to break through the counter-surveillance without getting wet, thus intercepting the information. Because the principle of this counter-surveillance is to create a high-humidity environment, increasing the water vapor on the hidden person’s body, the Water Elemental senses the change in water vapor to detect the hidden person. So, as long as the zombie puppet remains dry, it can break through this counter-surveillance.
“Now, however, the situation is completely different. The moisture here contains obvious spiritual energy. Although it is also created by a Water Elemental, it is linked to the elemental. It can be arbitrarily controlled by the Water Elemental, like water arrows controlled in mid-air. These mists are not the environment created by the Water Elemental, but rather an extension of the elemental’s abilities. If I still try to break through the water vapor counter-surveillance here by electrolysis or evaporation, I would be discovered very quickly. It’s like being electrocuted or burned…”
Analyzing the situation of the pirate fortress through the zombie bird, Dorothy thought to herself. As a half-Elementalist, she was quite proficient in the use of spiritual elemental forces, so she could roughly judge the specific situation of the spiritual fog enveloping the fortress. In short, Edward used his ability to cast a fog spell and reduced the fog to the thinnest possible level, maintaining it continuously. Anyone entering this almost undetectable fog would be perceived by him because it is within his technique.
“Indeed, a Red Tier… Maintaining such a large-scale ability release for decades continuously, the abundance of spiritual energy is truly impressive…”
Looking at the scene before her, Dorothy sighed. This nearly omni-directional super-large-range counter-surveillance made her most skilled zombie reconnaissance temporarily useless. Without being able to approach Edward to gather intelligence, Dorothy could neither steal nor negotiate with him.
“It seems… I can only try another approach…”
Sitting in the chair on the balcony, Dorothy continued to contemplate, and gradually, she seemed to have an idea in mind.
…
At dusk, in a secluded alley away from the main road in Moncala, in front of a secret tavern.
The sunlight of sunset shone on the floor of the alley, and the dried bl**d seeped into the gaps between the stone slabs. The intense conflict that had just ended here had concluded. The victors, the Moncala City Guards, were holding key positions, while the defeated Hook Shark Gang members lay on the ground, either injured and bound or dead.
In Moncala, the City Guard enforces laws against gangs without leniency, often resorting to violent methods. Even minor crimes like petty theft could result in deaths due to excessive force. This extreme enforcement style has been carried over since the days of the Pirate City, necessary to establish authority among the desperados. The only way for local gangs to avoid violent enforcement is by giving sufficient bribes to the City Guard officials. However, this time, no amount of bribe could save the Hook Shark Gang.
At the entrance of the tavern, the corpses of Hook Shark Gang members lay scattered, and the remaining injured members rolled and cried under the City Guard’s watch. A white-robed nun was treating the wounded at the scene of the conflict. Inside the tavern, a scene of interrogation was unfolding among more casualties.
In the wrecked tavern, amidst the debris of the bar, Glass, covered in bl**d and with a broken arm, lay there. His eyes showed fear as he looked at the familiar figure standing in front of him. He opened his ugly, toothless mouth and almost cried out,
“Tenth Young Master, please spare me… spare me… I know I was wrong, I won’t do business like this anymore… I’ll give you a year’s worth of tribute when I go back… please spare us…”
Looking at Glass, covered in injuries and seemingly unable to stand, Roland’s expression was cold. He slowly spoke with his hands behind his back.
“Glass… this isn’t just about paying tribute or not. Do you know what day it is today? You still dare to do business, don’t you want to live?”
“Day… day… what day?” Gasping for breath, Glass said from the rubble, his expression confused. Roland then sternly said,
“Today is the day the Church’s pilgrimage nun visits! Do you know what this means for Moncala?! You fool!”
Hearing Roland’s words, Glass’s expression became puzzled. After a moment, he said,
“Meaning… the meaning of the Church’s famous nun visiting? Hmm… let me think… it seems that all the prostitutes in the brothels have to play nuns, and they all wear uncommon white clothes, and they have to wear makeup according to the photos in the newspaper, even wigs… hehe… it feels so good!!!”
