Chapter 39: The Investiture of the Gods (Part 2)
The southwest monsoon brings a new wave of heavy rain.
Many fishing boats that had been trawling in the offshore areas have returned to Modo Harbor, and the sailors are bringing up the seafood, much of which will be made into salted fish for transport to other places for sale. The profit from selling salted fish does not come from the fish itself; more often, salted fish is sold as a direct substitute for sea salt, as these salted fish are quite heavily packed with salt.
In the distance, dark clouds begin to gather on the horizon.
One can anticipate that a heavy rain is about to arrive. Many merchants are busy packing up their goods, and the fleet has docked at the harbor, lowering their sails. Sailors and laborers shout to speed up the loading of goods because, having gradually become familiar with the weather overseas, they know that this storm will arrive faster than expected. Shops move their goods inside, but the tavern next door remains lively; many pirates continue to live a life of intoxication, and the Temple of Wealth has built a luxurious tavern directly in Modo Harbor.
It serves expensive wines and beautiful products from the Southern Coast.
There are also some civilians in Modo Harbor, most of whom are skilled craftsmen who live here after gaining their freedom. Soren does not impose much restriction on them; they can come and go freely, living the life they want. However, at this moment, very few are willing to leave because it is said that many places along the entire Southern Coast have erupted into violent conflicts. News flows quickly in Modo Harbor, and many are quite aware of the current situation on the continent. It’s either fighting here or fighting there; at such times, running away seems like a wish for a long life.
A cargo ship slowly docks at the harbor.
An older dock clerk, about fifty, wearing a top hat, walks quickly towards it, followed by a young boy of about ten.
“Incoming vessel. Medium-sized cargo ship. The docking fee is five silver for a day.”
The clerk smiles and nods, then extends his palm. Soon, the captain tosses him a small coin pouch. He holds the pouch, shakes it a little, and listens to the crisp sound of the coins inside. Then he quickly records with a smile: “Ten silver, docking for two days.”
The young boy behind him watches wide-eyed; he is just a little assistant, occasionally helping the adults run errands.
He can earn five copper a day, and with a bit of luck, someone might give him a tip.
Soon,
the clerk leaves here, as it is about to rain.
He is somewhat of a respectable official in Modo Harbor, responsible for collecting docking fees from passing merchant ships, and getting drenched would be quite embarrassing.
The sailors on the cargo ship begin to unload their goods.
At this time, two figures clad in black cloaks appear on the deck. They nod at the captain and then lightly jump down.
“Is this Modo City?”
A slightly immature male voice is heard, and one can vaguely see the gleaming silver armor beneath the black cloak. He looks around carefully and murmurs: “It’s not quite what I imagined! I thought it would be another City of Wealth!”
A weathered gaze observes the surroundings.
An older man glances around and slowly says: “It is indeed not what we imagined. The Pirate King Soren, in legends, is a demon who kills without blinking, a mad destroyer, the Demon Son of Fear, and a cruel dictator. A cunning villain!…”
“But along the way,”
“Whether it was Shipwreck Bay, Taro Port, Fury Sand Island, or now Modo City, what we have seen has been orderly. I thought the rule of pirates would be brutal and chaotic, but I never expected to see such strict order and severe laws along the way. Moreover, it appears that people under his rule, both civilians and merchants, live better than in other places!”
They had seen pirates breaking the law on Fury Sand Island, being hung up and whipped several times, their entire backs bloodied.
Along the way, they witnessed the prosperity of the Southern Coast.
While other places were ravaged by endless war and strewn with dead bodies, the entire Southern Coast managed to maintain normal order, and for the time being, people have not been affected by the impending turmoil; the civilians in these areas still live fairly well.
In the dark corners,
shadows are watching the two men coming down from the cargo ship. One of them slowly says: “Who are they? Should we report this? Many kinds of people have been coming to Modo Harbor recently!”
The figure of the Wanderer hides inconspicuously in the corner.
The leading man observes for a while, then shakes his head: “They are just two Paladins.”
“No need to pay too much attention to them; they will leave by themselves in some time.”
Paladins are not a threat.
Because everything in Modo City gives a sense of confidence; they are not enemies of the Paladins.
The two Paladins observe everything here.
The legend of Soren has spread throughout the continent, and various tales of him abound; as guardians of justice and kindness in the world, the Paladins have also noticed this legendary pirate king who is rising rapidly.
—The Great Demon King Soren!
There are many rumors about him, but they seem to differ from what they see before their eyes.
Because before coming to Modo City, they imagined Soren to be an evil demon lord, with countless deaths in his wake, ruling the Southern Coast with cruelty and violence, forcing others to submit at his feet. Before arriving at the Southern Coast, they had heard many rumors about him; aside from his formidable strength, much of the talk was about his extravagant debauchery, brutal bloodlust, licentiousness, and cunning deceit, among others.
It seems naturally, they became extremely furious!
As defenders of justice, the Paladins wished they could directly slay this Great Demon King Soren.
However,
as they gradually approached the coast, the rumors they heard changed.
The evil Great Demon King Soren seems to have transformed into a heroic figure, uniting the various pirates with an iron fist, then rapidly rising, eventually becoming the most powerful pirate king in history! It seems that people still describe him as cold and ruthless, someone with exceedingly harsh methods, but he no longer appears to be depicted as a demon.
As they move forward,
when they reach the prosperous area near Taro Port, their notions are once again overturned; the exceedingly evil Great Demon King Soren has become an idol revered by the civilians, credited with bringing the current wealth and status of Taro Port, and whether by the routes from Arendelle or the eastern seas, Taro Port is now nearing the power level of the City of Wealth. In many civilians’ eyes, the exceedingly evil Great Demon King Soren is a wise ruler, a capable figure akin to a king.
Although, he still carries evaluations of being cold-hearted and ruthless, but all other negative claims seem to have vanished.
Whenever the Great Demon King Soren is mentioned, even the lowest of the civilians knows that this noble Lord greatly values promises! His reputation among the common folk seems to have been reversed; while people might fear him, they also deeply support him.
Everything feels like a drama!
In the end,
the two Paladins definitely came to see the legendary Modo City, the ‘City of Miracles’ that rose in the Overseas Islands, gathering vast amounts of wealth in a very short time, and affecting the entire trade structure of the Southern Coast.
Modo, Modo.
This place, described in other rumors as ‘Mordo’, the ‘Demon City’, the ‘City of Fear’, has completely overturned the concepts of the two Paladins and truly left them speechless.
Son of Slaughter?
Demon Son of Fear?
The bloody and cruel dictator?
The wicked and degenerate libertine?
In this place called Modo, they see civilians living in peace and prosperity, they see strict laws and orderly governance; they see an unprecedented city of civilization, devoid of the dirt and chaos found in other cities, and they do not see impoverished refugees on the streets. Even the laborers living at the bottom wear complete clothing, with a hint of healthy flush on their faces, indicating they have been away from hunger for a long time.
They can hear the sounds of children playing, the voices of merchants bargaining ahead, and further away, the serious-looking patrols of the law enforcement team.
Here,
they actually see something more prosperous, vibrant, and full of hope than the territories controlled by the Radiant Church, and all of this is not brought about by justice and goodness, but from a great demon lord named ‘Soren’.
It is truly ironic!
……………(To be continued ~^~)
