Black Sail

There are still hundreds of miles to the Liexue Pass, the border post of Pedan, but already one can see the towering mountains on both sides, their peaks rugged, and the snow line a pure white.

"Gazing at the mountains tires the horse," it seems so close, yet in reality, there's at least a day's journey left, won't make it today, a place must be found to rest for the night.

Below the high pass lies a vast expanse of plain, the half-man-high green grass growing wildly in abundance.

Liszt's group found lodging at an inn in the border town on the plain.

In the room, wireless radio equipment lay on the side table, modified by Mo Yutong, able to sustain with a Demon Crystal, solving the energy problem.

Liszt sat in the rattan chair smoking, somewhat lost in thought as he gazed at the view outside the window.

Approaching the Northern Country, though midsummer, a slight chill could already be felt.

Having been in the Western Continent for many years, it was the first time seeing such natural scenery, the East Sea was all water, and Mulong was all desert, nothing much to speak of.

The Himalayas back home had only altitude on their side from the highland, in reality, the mountain mass's vertical zones didn't impart an oppressive feeling of approximately nine kilometers.

The mountains beside the Liexue Pass, with their vertical terrain too steep, rising straight above the snow line, triggered his megascopic anxiety.

Speaking of which, it wasn't far from Rein's hometown, heading east would be the Chenfeng Plateau, the Western Continent has its own Alps, along with Heidi and grandpa.

Though not knowledgeable of the geography of the Western Continent, Liszt reckoned that the Narrow Sea and Northern Highland were surely formed from tectonic plate compressions.

"Someone was arrested?"

Hearing the telegraph, he felt incredulous. Celeste should have given notice, how could they just arrest someone like this? Once caught, how can his brothers do their tasks while being timid?

[It was Archer, accused of groping and verbal insult, reported by a female patron at the bar.]

Shadi's voice came through.

"That's good news, though."

Liszt had a moment of enlightenment.

Celeste no longer knew what expression to show, her speechless threshold continuously broken over the past six months, she was almost desensitized to it now, sweating bullets? Tactical deadpan? No longer adequate to express her speechlessness.

She seriously considered whether she should fling herself two meters backward to fully express the shock of such a speechless incident.

[The first wave is handled, but what about Wesker's side? He's been asking for your whereabouts every day, are you exposed? It seems like he knows you're heading north.]

"Hmm?"

Liszt was a bit surprised, looking at Celeste, who was considered an expert in counter-surveillance, even if exposed, she should have sensed it early.

"This sort of thing can't be hidden, though the Western Continent isn't all Aran's territory, their spies are everywhere."

Celeste wasn't surprised either.

"Don't put it so lightly, okay? Sister Ai is currently heading to your country, it seems like Wesker is escorting me to meet the Emperor, but in reality, looking for Sister Ai, if you can't do your protection job right, I can only find loyal support overseas."

The backer is there to be commanded, this counts as a cowardly reward, otherwise, his role as East Sea Brother One would be too much of a failure, being used as a tool.

"Considering past affairs, our high-level executives have already reached a consensus, once Alicia arrives, we can fully provide political asylum for you and your family, even to the point of pension, as long as you're willing to give up everything at Heaven Port, we'll find another East Sea King."

Celeste suggested with underlying meaning.

The Black Sail organization cannot be equated with conventional forces, as it lacks a coherent core ideology and operational framework, the only thing maintaining this system is making money and a templated hierarchy of promotion.

The main issue is that many elders are also ambitious, unwilling to live peacefully, yet burdened with too many matters.

Summed up, it's like cooking with oil over a fierce flame, expanding and developing too quickly to a dangerous extent, superficial prosperity hides crises, Liszt didn't mingle to this stage by relying on his power, but by crazily micro-managing alliances with countless forces to maintain a delicate yet fragile balance, which is hard to sustain, it's just stringing along while expanding furiously.

Like a locust plague, expanding too vigorously, then suddenly nothing left to eat, everything perishes. Same with Black Sail, once they suffer a setback, the delicate balance is broken, and once the various organizations find no profit, Liszt and his founding team will suddenly perish there.

The officials in Lostra had long been prepared for the worst, since the world interaction bridge project at Heaven Port is underway, Liszt's words no longer hold sway, you don't want to work? Then fine, Lostra will appoint a wealthy person to take over, Liszt 2.0, someone will be chosen.

Liszt's expression turned somber, Celeste wasn't joking around.

This meant, if now frightened, he could safely step down, live in the capital of Lostra, no one would come to bother him, they were already being quite courteous.

"Did Wesker say where they plan to find me?"

Liszt took a drag of his cigarette, continuing to ask Shadi.

[Of course not, but they're not looking for you, it doesn't matter if you go or not, Sister Ai going is most crucial, they will definitely come to Lostra.

(By the way, isn't Qili having a show next week? Her new announcement is at Wind Anchor.)

What do I know about that? Dammit… Has Qili been tainted by the Immortal Emperor or not?]

In the radio, Rein and Shadi were conversing.

Liszt was dumbfounded, was this the time to worry about the singer? Mika was still under house arrest, surely without a person, Aran can only make do with Mr. Mai for the emperor's audience.

"In any case, keep an eye once Sister Ai arrives… also, Doringger won the resurrection match."

Liszt received the latest news from Galen.

Gren…

A minor delinquent girl actually earned 170,000 Golden Dragons at the Continent Martial Arts Competition.

Even to Liszt now, this was a luxurious sum of money, even 17,000 personal funds he couldn't muster, she could fully enter the T0-level of wealthy ranks.

[Reincarnated?]

"Not at all, I always thought Doringger would be the avant-garde dink type, but certainly, his skill is remarkable, produced a gambling god. He has a daughter named Gren, recently procured a large sum, and is recruiting soldiers high-profile, naturally attracting the attention of Giant Whale Guest, they might team up, Galen is monitoring. Now you know the three tasks, deal with Giant Whale Guest, deal with the radio, and this girl Gren has to stay, I need her to maintain Heaven Port's stability."

Liszt didn't expect pirates still cared about legitimacy.

Celeste's earlier words were barbed, making Liszt displeased, Gren couldn't be killed, the base's stability needed boosting.

[Alright, let's do so.]

After the call ended, Liszt gazed at Celeste, mind control was difficult on compatriots, no more pretending! Since it's like this, give her a traumatic memory!

"Have you undergone the training in that area, like seduction infiltration?"

Liszt wanted to test the waters.

The most satisfying position for normal cow and horse, is that of a foot massage team leader, when the boss or manager has no time to test the waters, they shoulder the responsibility, freeloading newcomers.

Celeste shook her head, "In new recruit training, my grades granted me a higher-level role functionally, but I have dabbled in such training, yet I can conduct matters before the act, completely silent and without a trace, to the other party…"

Celeste's index finger gestured like scissors, snapped with a "click."

Liszt gasped for air.

"Is everything alright?"

Bastie entered the room; Goria and the others went to the adventurer's guild to check the latest progress on the commissions, and also came to look at the situation here.

Celeste wasn't a two-faced person; she was a person of a thousand faces, Liszt finally realized she was a damn female spy, truly terrifying!

Only the Holy Daughter gave him a sense of security.

Stepping forward, he held Bastie's hand, tears welling up, "You shed a single tear, I raze a city."

Bastie felt as if a million ants crawled over her hand, "So disgusting!"