Black Sail
Chapter 434: LXIX. East Sea Superhero

Chapter 434: LXIX. East Sea Superhero

Although it was a tavern for the general public, it was well-equipped with a small stage for singing and dancing, or to put it bluntly, for Salsa Dance.

Different from brothels where consumption was high, here, you could spend three to ten copper coins for a little sister to dance with you for the duration of a song, a chance to get fresh with them.

The patrons who frequented this place were usually middle-aged or older customers, the old folks’ hang-out.

The reason why many of the Black Sail’s core members came here to spend lavishly was precisely because it was completely detached from high-class tastes. Moreover, having frequented upscale venues often, they needed to return to their roots and not lose touch with the masses.

The dance floor, illuminated by intertwining dark purple and dark pink neon lights, cast a hallucinogenic glow on the corpse.

Celeste, in order to seduce Liszt, wore a burning, blood-red, backless, high-slit, hip-hugging long dress.

Kai Deng continued Liszt’s usual attire, donning a white shirt with an open lapel, overlaid with leather armor including elbow and shoulder guards, as well as a chest plate. He wore black riding breeches and the army’s standard tactical boots.

Kai Deng inquired what had happened to Shadi, and to his surprise, he got a shocking answer.

"These two are from the Thief Guild. Saleret suggested we weed out the spy, and since everyone is here, now is a good time... wait, Mika seems to be missing."

Shadi quickly dispatched a pirate subordinate to drag Mika over.

Kai Deng maintained a poker face outwardly but inwardly, he was uneasy. Damn it, Diaz’s men had come so quickly. Hadn’t they agreed on a secret sign to meet with him first? It appeared Diaz, this caveman, had his own ulterior motives and was surreptitiously keeping an eye on him, supervising the supervisors, as it were. It was a pity that they were like an instructional team that got chopped up as soon as they arrived at their location.

He absolutely wouldn’t be able to continue like this; he needed to find a way to blunder through this predicament.

His eyes glanced towards Rein, the Werewolf. He appeared so relaxed smoking his cigarette. Was this situation his doing? No, if that had been the case, he would have been attacked by everyone by now.

Thankfully, for the moment, Rein seemed to be a reliable ally who would also help him out of this mess.

What Kai Deng didn’t know was that Haywood, another person present besides the Tiger and Wolf Alliance, was also aware of her identity.

Half a month had passed, and the project Haywood was now managing had taken off. The relics investigation department, with a quarterly budget of 1,200 Golden Dragons, was under his complete control. He had found the foundation over these days: archaeologists, professionals, and armed personnel.

One batch of employees worked on a piece-rate basis. If they found any clues in libraries or historical sites around the world, they could go to Haywood for payment. The other batch of employees had formal positions. Haywood wouldn’t go deep into the Mulong Duchy with them but would lead them northward, crossing the icy seas to reach the Northern Realm, and then venture into the so-called Extreme North to search for a world of paintings from 1,800 years ago.

The Fake Liszt simply could not stay. Two Hall-level adventurers, Morison and Celeste, along with Clown Ben, were all bunched together – it was a just mob beating, a predicament not even a Netherworld Envoy or an Immortal could escape from.

Taking advantage of Mika’s absence.

Kai Deng quickly rejected the proposal, "Doubting each other like this is not appropriate. Even if someone from the Thief Guild really infiltrated us, we need a more secure way to handle it to prevent a trust crisis in the future."

She spread her arms, speaking calmly. She was now the highest decision-maker of the Black Sail.

"That makes sense. I think we should disperse here. We can individually confront and investigate each other afterward."

Rein supported Kai Deng.

Swan also concurred. The message had been sent to Heaven Port. Black Sail’s second-in-command, Fen, would soon know of the current situation. He always stood on the same side as Fen.

With two core members saying so.

After pondering for a while, Shadi agreed that indeed, it was better this way. Saleret and Archer’s idea was constructive, but if no spy was found in the end, there were bound to be disgruntled people. By deduction, the first suspect identified is often the one most disadvantaged, the one with the least say.

Planting the seeds of rebellion and harboring double thoughts was not impossible.

"I think that’s a good idea. Liszt dealing with it privately would be more prudent."

Shadi expressed his view.

The others, upon hearing this, felt a bit deflated, having originally looked forward to treating this as entertainment.

Haywood was able to send a message to the Demon God Army without these people noticing earlier, which showed he was quite scheming. The Fake Liszt really impersonated him down to the smallest detail – if it weren’t for the real Liszt sending a letter from Aran, he would never have been able to tell.

The imposter had to be dealt with tonight. Before, Haywood had informed him about the Demon God Army, and it was something he needed to resolve quickly. If they used it to hold him hostage, that would be highly problematic.

The paper from the previous letter had been burned to one-fifth, but the remaining content was still intact and kept in Haywood’s breast pocket.

Letters could be forged, news could be faked, and producing the letter now wouldn’t be very convincing.

They needed to keep the Fake Liszt here and force him to reveal his identity under duress.

It seemed to Kai Deng that the matter was settled, with no cliffhanger in sight.

However, out of the blue, Haywood made a comment.

"What if Liszt is the impostor? Allowing him to handle it privately, could there be any outcome?"

Haywood thus spoke.

And he dragged the situation back.

Kai Deng remained calm in the face of disaster, ready to leave the scene, but now she had to halt in her tracks and turn back. Silent, she watched to see if Rein would extricate her from this predicament.

"Fucking hell, if Liszt is the impostor, what then? Is the real one already dead?"

Rein stepped in once more to help Kai Deng out.

Although his tone was calm, his words were thought-provoking, implicitly carrying a dangerous meaning. Even as a question, the underlying implication was perilous. Even if they did find out Liszt was a fake, they would have to keep up the act.

"Why always so negative, can’t you say something auspicious?"

Kai Deng instantly transitioned into the role.

With such coordination, Haywood’s punch felt like it hit cotton.

Kai Deng looked at Haywood with a puzzled expression. The Demon God Army had a huge impact on her; she knew Haywood was a Demon and believed that someone like Liszt, from the dregs, couldn’t have gotten this far without relying on the Demon Clan’s strength. That’s why she had agreed to Haywood’s request, letting Liszt’s good name be ruined, pegging him as a traitor.

But Kai Deng also didn’t know how to threaten Haywood right now because Haywood’s backing was so powerful that no one in the Western Continent, indeed the entire world, could afford to provoke them.

Being an officer of the Demon God Army, could this demon actually be pointing at me?

What could be the reason? Had I been exposed? Had Rein informed on me? That’s impossible; did he realize it on his own?

Kai Deng’s mind raced with thoughts. Luckily, Rein was there as a cover, or else I would have been doomed tonight.

I saw the sloppy gaze about to move over once again.

"Impossible, Liszt is alive and well, he couldn’t be a fake."

Celeste had never doubted it.

Inside with Aran, the lantern used by the Warlock Apprentice to monitor Mu Ran and the others was the same kind of Magic Prop.

Celeste was the East Sea Commissioner, in charge of ensuring Lostra’s asset’s safety. In other words, Liszt, the highest decision-maker of the Black Sail, was under her protection. To put it plainly, although it might sound vulgar, Celeste was Boss’s personal beautiful bodyguard.

Celeste had collected hair and blood samples from Liszt and also made a lantern mirroring the Light of Liszt’s life.

"His Life Fire is still burning, the Liszt by my side is the real deal."

Celeste even ambiguously took Liszt’s arm.

As a straightforward woman, Kai Deng first felt a tingling on her scalp, followed by a shiver running up her spine to the top of her head.

My hair?

Rein and Swan’s eyes flashed, Life Fire? That’s a very ancient spell, now only known to those in the court. Celeste says he didn’t hang, so could he really have not?

What’s going on with this guy? Still alive but not sending any letters back home, was he captured or what?

Haywood wasn’t surprised at all.

At this moment, Mika was also dragged back from the brothel.

Kai Deng was somewhat stunned. With Celeste’s corroborative evidence, she could now leave; however, the news was too explosive – she had personally poisoned the wine, wiped the throat, and thrown the body into the sea.

What East Sea Superhero?

"Weren’t we about to play Werewolf?"

Mika adjusted his magazine, "Wow, everyone’s here; this is a big deal. Mr. Archer, the chosen agent of chaos, has arrived, so it must be a sky-piercing event."

"What Werewolf game, there’s no such thing."

Kai Deng’s gaze remained on Rein, worried about any unwise actions he might take. My hair—Liszt is still alive.

Rein was also hesitating.

The situation now was extremely complex, Kai Deng feared being exposed, Rein and Swan had other things on their minds, and Haywood was looking for excuses to continue the confrontation.

"Alright, problem solved, the worry about Liszt’s death and the collapse of the Black Sail has been dismissed—he’s still jumping around. Also, what bloody trust crisis? Did we ever have trust between us? Just bring it on, even if I’m the first to be suspected, I don’t care," Morison said indifferently.

"He makes a lot of sense!"

Mika echoed, Black Sail was not established on any moral grounds in the East Sea; it was all about a stable chain of interests and common goals. There was never any notion of loyalty among these people; internal fighting would be no surprise.

Morison was determined to play Werewolf, "Do you care, Archer?" he asked the person he admires the most.

"What trust crisis?" Archer was clueless.

"Just take a rest," Morison said, then turned to ask Shadi and Mika.

They all agreed.

Saleret was an even stronger supporter. He and Chuan Che were no informants and had nothing to fear. As old-timers duped by the Black Sail, they were not concerned with any trust crisis.

"So... shall we begin? Who wants to start?"

Morison, a fan of board games, loved them to death, "Let’s start with me, alright? Just to be clear, no one is allowed to drop out midway, old rules, set long ago. If anyone tries to run, the rest of us gang up and slaughter him. Who agrees, who objects?"

Kai Deng’s eyes narrowed; now she was truly in trouble.

If it were an assassination, she could easily kill everyone present, but for a direct confrontation, the room was truly filled with experts; many were strong enough to compete in the Continent Martial Arts Competition.

She began brainstorming.

Who was the most valuable person present? Who could be used as a hostage?

Luckily it was night time, she had already memorized all the light sources in the room and was ready to plunge the room into darkness at any moment and escape.

Rein hadn’t made a statement yet; he was still indecisive.

Strictly speaking, only Haywood was nitpicking. If she could handle him, she might survive this game of Werewolf.

Haywood stared intently at Kai Deng, noticing her glances darting everywhere, not giving her any chance.

"It comes to this then; let’s all sit together, disarm ourselves to prevent anyone wanting to run. What do you think? It has to come from you. In fact, we have discussed this before, and we all felt that you have been behaving somewhat abnormally," Haywood said to Kai Deng.