Chapter 389, Arrival of an Old Friend
The captain of the Devil's Hand sat on a nearby chair, making a light shoulder-tapping gesture akin to a religious blessing, and said, "I have already contacted several other pirate crews. We will probe Golden-Silver Island's guild actions, lure Wu Heng out, and then corner and kill him."
Tap, tap, tap~!
Light footsteps sounded.
From the bedroom, a woman in a fiery red nightgown stepped out slowly, her hair disheveled and her face alluringly seductive. Looking directly at him, she said, "A bold idea. Aren't you afraid of dying? Imiro won't just let you bully one of his subordinates."
The man continued, "That's exactly why I came to you. I need you to keep 'Imiro' preoccupied. As long as he doesn't intervene, we can handle killing that kid and escaping."
"You want me to be your scapegoat? Are you courting death?" The woman's voice suddenly turned cold.
"No, no. I don't need you to fight. That way, it doesn't count as a confrontation with Imiro. Knowing his personality, even if he suspects you, he won't act against you, let alone issue a bounty."
"What do you mean?"
"All you need to do is step onto Golden-Silver Island. Imiro will naturally pay attention to you. As long as you stay on the island for a day, he won't dare leave, giving us more opportunities," the man said confidently.
The woman's eyes narrowed slightly. If that's all she needed to do, it seemed acceptable.
"What's the payment?"
The man was silent for a few seconds. "200 gold coins, a warship, and my assistance for any issues you face at sea in the future."
The woman was quiet for a few seconds before saying, "I want Wu Heng's corpse."
"Why do you want his corpse? It's better to destroy it immediately. Keeping it could leave behind complications."
The woman continued staring at him. "Bring me the corpse, and I'll agree to your terms."
The man met her gaze, finally taking a deep breath before saying, "Fine. We set off tomorrow. I need you to reach Golden-Silver Island within three days."
After speaking, he jumped back out of the window.
Disappearing into the night.
The woman sat at the table, poured herself a glass of water, and drank silently.
She gazed at the night sky outside the window.
...
The next day.
Upon arriving at the guild, Wu Heng first went to the steward's office.
He recounted the information provided by 'Philipa' and how he had taken down the Black Crocodile Pirate Crew.
Imiro expressed mild surprise and appreciation for their efficiency in handling pirates.
Wu Heng's methods were unique compared to others.
He rarely mobilized squads, disappearing for days before returning with the bodies of bounty targets.
Now, even if he didn't show up at the guild for days,
Imiro assumed he was investigating fugitives and no longer complained about his absence or insisted he stay at the guild.
"Alright, you've done well. I'll credit her for this intel."
"Thank you, Steward."
Wu Heng expressed his gratitude before leaving the office.
...
Returning to his own office.
Andviel was organizing files inside.
"Master, the guild's bounty list was updated this morning. Here are the new entries."
She handed him several bounty notices.
Wu Heng glanced at them. Indeed, a few new pirate crews and major offenders had been added.
In the current societal climate, pirates were difficult to suppress.
Newly formed pirate groups or splinter factions often led to the emergence of new crews.
Wu Heng took out his tablet, photographing the new bounties for future reference.
Knock, knock, knock~!
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
Andviel opened the door, and a figure stood outside.
"Is this Vice Steward Wu Heng's office?"
"Yes. And you are?" Andviel asked.
"I'm the newly appointed captain of Squad 11, 'Kavina,' and I've worked with Vice Steward Wu Heng before."
Andviel recalled something and immediately smiled. "Oh, it's Sister 'Kavina.' The Vice Steward often mentions your time together in Blackstone Town."
She stepped aside, inviting Kavina into the office.
"Oh? Really?" Kavina seemed surprised that she had been mentioned.
Entering the office.
She saw Wu Heng sitting behind the desk. Smiling, she greeted, "Wu Heng... Vice Steward."
Wu Heng also looked her over.
She hadn't changed much from his impression. She seemed more mature, with a steadfast demeanor befitting a swordsman.
"Kavina, you got here quickly."
"I received your letter and decided to request a transfer here. I'll be counting on your support," Kavina said somewhat reservedly.
At that moment, Andviel brought over tea and pastries.
She curiously observed Kavina.
"Don't worry. I won't let anyone bully you."
Kavina smiled but didn't say much.
"Have you completed your onboarding?" Wu Heng asked.
Kavina replied, "I've submitted my appointment letter to Steward 'Imiro.' I'm now officially the captain of Squad 11."
"Good. Have you sorted out your accommodations?" Wu Heng continued.
"Not yet. I'll find a place to rent later."
Wu Heng thought for a moment. "My residence has plenty of rooms. You can have one, or I can arrange a guild dormitory for you. I used to stay there when I arrived. It's free and has decent conditions."
Kavina glanced at the beast-eared assistant nearby and said, "I'll stay in the dormitory."
"Alright, I'll handle the application for you. You can move in immediately."
"Thank you," Kavina said.
Having someone assist her made many things simpler and less complicated.
Kavina asked, "Is there anything I should be aware of on Golden-Silver Island?"
Wu Heng thought for a moment. "The main threat is pirates, but with Steward Imiro overseeing the island, they rarely dare to approach. You'll mainly focus on completing tasks once your squad is fully staffed."
"Alright. There are many different races here. Are there any taboos I should know about?"
"Uh... I'm not too sure either. Just interact normally; there aren't too many taboos."
"Oh, okay!"
"By the way, what level are you now?" Wu Heng asked.
Kavina glanced at the assistant nearby but still answered, "Level 8."
"How did you level up so quickly?" Wu Heng was surprised.
Kavina's progression wasn't slow.
She had already met the level requirement for a captain.
"Compared to you, am I fast?" Kavina looked at him.
"That's not a fair comparison. I'm a mage relying on skeletal minions, but your strength is genuine," Wu Heng replied.
"Let's not flatter each other."
Wu Heng nodded and continued, "Do you have any preferences for your squad members? If I find suitable candidates, I'll assign them to your squad."
"Having connections is great," Kavina remarked before saying, "I'd like a ranger and preferably a magic class. Other than that, no specific requirements."
Rangers were standard in most squads.
Beast taming remained a primary scouting method.
Finding a magic class would be challenging. Most were warlocks, as mages were scarce on Golden-Silver Island and rarely joined professional squads.
"Alright, I'll keep an eye out for you."
"Did the captain invite you to his wedding?" Kavina asked.
"No, but he wrote to me when he started dating the captain of Squad Two," Wu Heng replied.
"That must've been around the time you were transferred, so you weren't notified."
"Yes, I was probably en route and wouldn't have received it anyway."
"I never thought the captain would end up with Captain Turisa," Kavina reminisced.
"I saw them on dates a few times. Dragging it out until now seems a bit late."
"Really?"
"Yes."
After chatting for a while, Wu Heng issued her dormitory papers.
He asked Andviel to accompany her to choose a room and familiarize her with the guild's facilities.
Kavina's arrival was a good thing for Wu Heng.
Their relationship was amicable, having stayed in touch through letters.
She could lead a squad he could rely on during missions.
Additionally, her loyalty was harder to compromise, making betrayal unlikely.
The two women left.
Wu Heng tidied up briefly and returned to his residence.
...
Back at his residence.
In the study, he opened a portal to the zombie world.
Kalema was still at the desk, engrossed in [Battlefield of the Dead] and had read more than half.
He was likely to finish soon.
Once Kalema mastered [Battlefield of the Dead], he could completely take Wu Heng's place.
Leading the skeleton army to clear zombies.
Wu Heng would also gain experience.
After glancing at him, he picked up a charging walkie-talkie and called Qi Hancai.
Soon, Qi Hancai came upstairs.
"The military has withdrawn, but before leaving, they sold us a large number of military-grade devices and equipment."