IV. Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Londen City.

Spires and red brick roofs were scattered in harmonious disarray, a few arched plank windows partially open, clothes hanging on ropes strung with iron nails outside, and the occasional potted plant being tended.

On the outskirts of the city, buildings were densely packed, where square beige kiln bricks and red tiles were piled layer upon layer. On the cobblestone-paved main thoroughfare surged a crowd of laborers, Jianghu mages, stall vendors peddling curious and ancient wares, and mercenary travelers of all sorts.

Even though the residents' dwelling places and various shops and inns seemed haphazardly cobbled together to a dazzling degree, within the inner ring of Londen City, those majestic buildings that towered skywards could be seen from anywhere in the city.

The Admiral's castle, among other key functional buildings, the adventurer guild, the City Government Office, as well as estates and high-end entertainment venues owned by the nobles.

There was also a respectable arcane academy in Londen City, along with several educational institutions. Although not the top tier, they were nonetheless first-rate.

Those structures accentuated the city's splendor, with arches, flying buttresses, and intricate bas-reliefs highlighting curvilinear dynamics. The facade's floral badges were interrupted, with curved eaves on the horizontally bent roofline and significantly pronounced wall reliefs. They were extremely ornate, with a strong interplay of light and shadow, wrapped in an eerie veil of mystery thanks to the sacred effigies of unknown religious figures and monstrous sculptures.

Many merchants and travelers who first came to the city would stop in their tracks at the sight of these scenes.

But that did not include the Black Sail Pirates.

The trio passed through the city outskirts, walking past the fish market reeking with the stench of seafood. At this moment, the place was set up with wooden execution platforms where hangmen were getting ready to hang criminals with their ropes.

Liszt had no interest in such spectacles, knowing that others who had come to this place without measuring their own weight, all ended up with the same fate.

He arrived at the meeting point he had agreed upon with the Dark Elf Shadi, everything should have been taken care of without a hitch.

At the entrance of a moderately sized inn, the iron rooster weather vane on the roof squeaked as it swiveled in the sea breeze.

Liszt spotted Shadi from afar, his outfit pretty much screamed danger.

Shadi had joined six years ago. Formerly, he mixed in with the crowd in the Far East Islands. His attire resembled theirs: tall at one-eighty-nine with a flowing black cloak, flood boots, a ronin hat, and a Far East characteristic thin-blade knife on his waist, all giving off a rather imposing jianghu air.

Liszt had heard Shadi boast that he learned Qigong in Wan Country, though whether it was true or false, he sure fought fiercely.

Seeing only Shadi at the meeting point, Liszt's brows rose in alarm.

"Fuck, something must have gone wrong."

Rein scanned the surroundings vigilantly, worried that their number four had been killed and that Shadi had turned traitor, now possibly selling them out.

Ox thought it impossible for those men to be in trouble, given their skills. The First Officer and that man were fearsome, but his hand still rested on the hilt of the Special Large Sword, just in case.

As the top dog, Liszt couldn't show fear.

"Can't you think of something auspicious for once, stop freaking out," Liszt approached nonchalantly, reaching out to lift the hat off Shadi's head, and asked, "Where are the others?"

With the removal of the broad hat, Shadi's fully obscured features came into view.

Although a Dark Elf, he had very unique characteristics, considered to be an ill omen in the Western Continent but actually a condition known as albinism.

His skin was a cold white, eyes red, and silver hair that draped over his shoulders was tied back by a leather band. His chiseled features, even among Elves, made him among the most striking.

Passing women halted in their tracks upon seeing him, and a young girl lost two eggs from her basket without noticing, struck dumb by his beauty. Next to Liszt and his companions, Shadi looked like he was from a completely different painting.

"They're still at the bank. The job is done, but the First Officer is still reconciling the accounts, it'll take some time. He told me to come back first and report."

Shadi, not wanting to draw attention, pulled his hat back down over his head.

"I told you, how could anything happen to the First Officer and Brother Sha," said Rein with a cheeky smile, "Man, that's a neat trick. Whoa, lift-off!"

Rein was already imagining the scene of splurging at Heaven Port after dividing the spoils, where he had several mistresses, guaranteed authentic Furry.

"It's now time for dreaming."

Shadi was at a loss for words. Rein was an easy man to guess, at least when he was in good spirits, with his saliva secretions running lively and loud.

Hearing the progress was smooth, Liszt's furrowed brows relaxed. If those two weren't reliable, they might as well wait for the Aran Sword King himself.

First Officer, a single character for a name, Fen.

Previously a well-known member of the Warlock Alliance, a top graduate from the Pedan Kingdom's national Arcane Academy, essentially the Oxford of the Western Continent, he is that extremely rare real deal of a magician who can tank, hit, heal, charm, and inflict long-range attacks along with high-class area damage. He is a veritable hexagon warrior, as well as a cultured man, a stark contrast to some of the illiterates on the ship.

If compared to a mobile game's gacha mechanism, he would definitely be a Human Rights Card.

Hiring him wasn't a stroke of luck; the guy had stirred up a huge mess and ran across the continent to hide in the Beima Duchy. On the entire East Coast, only I was bold enough to take him in.

Ship's gunner, Morison.

Also referred to by Rein as Brother Sha. Even Liszt wasn't sure about him; to date, his origins remain unknown. His power is immensely exaggerated, sometimes giving one the feeling that he might even take on the Aran Sword King – not because of his sheer brute force, but rather because of his astonishing skills, combat experience, which he elevated to an art form.

Two months ago, during an incident at Blue Bay Port, there was a Gold Level adventurer serving under a lord as a guest – no weakling by any measure – who was swiftly defeated by Morison in just a few moves. His iron whip blade moved like a phantom, its feints becoming afterimages. But it took only one instant, one extremely sharp instant, traveling across the throat – and as the heart beat, blood rushed out like a spouting fountain, killing the man instantly. Morison's strength was thus evident.

Although Liszt was somewhat wary of him, after more than a year of living together, he realized this fellow was just an ordinary person, no need to see snakes in every cup.

"Alright, Rein and Ox, you guys go back to the hotel to pack up and then return to the ship. To be honest, I'm a bit worried about leaving those three idiots in charge of the ship. I'll go to the bank with Shadi to wrap up the business in town, and then we can spend a few days at the dock hiring some sailors before heading back to Heaven Port."

Liszt set the plan, and indeed, as Ox had said, they couldn't linger in town. Let's not even talk about the bounty hunters; noble masters each harbored their own devious intentions.

The sheriff was really just a middleman, responsible for making connections and taking the blame. After Shadi found a connection, this job, although for the benefit of Black Sail, also helped the city's lords fight their enemies. The bank and the associated gambling house clashed with the business of one lord, and thus they wanted to put a stop to it.

Continuing to work for the lords would not be a wise move. After this job, it was time to leave. Although official endorsement provided a certain guarantee of safety, allowing them to run rampant in the city, getting too deeply involved would be comfortable but risky if someone grabbed you by the tail, you'd end up being manipulated.

Between desperadoes and inmates, Liszt much preferred the former.

"Arriving at the East Sea's highest port..."

Rein hadn't finished speaking.

"We're not there yet."

Shadi interjected, this guy really had rabies. He took the lead and guided Liszt to the Underground Bank.

As the two of them walked away,

Ox and Rein were left behind.

Rein hesitated for a moment.

"What do you think about that new tiger-man? I've been watching him all month. His skills are unmistakable; he's definitely from the Thieves' Guild. You know, an organization like the Thieves' Guild would never allow joining another force, such treacherous behavior. They would chop such a traitor into pieces and throw him into the sewers. There's something fishy about it, and he's most likely a double-crosser who killed a leader or stole something from the guild and fled here to the East Coast to lay low."

Once the captain was gone, Rein started to gossip, not getting along well with the new guy on the ship. Among the core ten members, he was the latest to join, only having participated in the Blue Bay Port job.

Ox remained silent for a moment.

"The Thieves' Guild, huh? I'm not too familiar with shore matters."

Ox brushed it off casually. He had also heard some rumors – the Thieves' Guild was indeed offering a reward for a living tiger-man, who was said to have fled to this side of the East Coast; the coincidence was a bit too perfect.

If that tiger-man was really from the Thieves' Guild and had stolen treasures to seek refuge, that would be a different story, depending on whether what he stole could save his life.

If he was empty-handed, it wasn't that they were afraid of the Thieves' Guild, but rather the act of boarding the ship while hiding one's past misdeeds, bringing trouble, left them no choice but to get rid of him.

However, these were just speculations for now, and no conclusions had been drawn. After all, there were countless tiger-men mixed in these waters.

"Just talking," said Rein with a laugh. "Let's pack our stuff and get on the ship. The divine, begin..."

"Shut up."

Ox wasn't in the mood for jokes, as it seemed the tiger-man was recommended by the first officer. This matter needed to be brought up on the agenda, certainly before they set sail.

"You really have no sense of humor."

Rein, holding a purse that contained roughly eighty Golden Dragons, strolled leisurely into the inn, feeling bored.