The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 731: Volume 21: The Dark Road, - 13: Pivot

Chapter 731: Volume 21: The Dark Road, Chapter 13: Pivot

The first dock on Xifnos Island had begun to take shape, its breakwaters solidly built along the rugged cape effectively defending against the fierce winds and massive waves coming from the eastern Cang Mang Ocean. Behind the breakwater, the layouts for three additional docks were emerging. Although they would require more time due to their larger scale, Hayreddin thought it necessary to plan for the long term. Aside from the three docks for foreign merchant ships, another dock would eventually become the dedicated docking site for the armed vessels or even the fleet he would establish in the future.

The flattening of the land around the sea cliffs was proceeding in an orderly manner. The hefty expenses brought on by the recruited laborers caused Hayreddin immense heartache; the exorbitant labor costs made him long for the cheap and diligent Barbarians and Half-Beastmen of Caucasus and Leon. These Mortals from the South were indeed much more expensive in comparison, but one had to admit that in terms of labor efficiency, they were far superior to the Barbarians and Half-Beastmen, especially in certain skilled tasks where the somewhat clumsy Barbarians and Half-Beastmen could not match up.

It was said that Lord Hayreddin was considering recruiting Dwarf Craftsmen proficient in construction techniques from those Dwarf Settlement Areas in the South. If this issue could be resolved, many important construction projects on Xifnos Island could be significantly accelerated. Hayreddin even fantasized about attracting a large number of Dwarf Craftsmen to settle on Xifnos Island. As the future traffic chokepoint between the Southern Mediterranean and the Continent, Hayreddin felt that Xifnos Island was entitled to its own dedicated artisans.

The lighthouse had already begun construction of its third layer. According to Hayreddin’s vision, the lighthouse should be at least seven layers high, with the top encased in high-quality glass and the light powered by the most exquisite of Magic lamps. Although this would consume Fire Magic Ore, the light’s range would at least double, allowing ships within a dozen maritime leagues to navigate their way into harbor even on nights with sudden storms.

Hayreddin had initially opposed Komer’s decision to use Xifnos Island as the springboard to the sea heading southward from Caucasus. Even with the covert support from the Carter Fleet under the Red-haired Witch, he could never trust the bloodthirsty witch who killed without blinking. For her own interest, the Carter Fleet could destroy the base he was painstakingly building without a second’s hesitation.

Regardless of whether Katrina harbored ambitions to march into the Storm Ocean in the south, just the mere fact that Xifnos Island was pinned under her watchful eye was intolerable to Hayreddin, even from Katrina’s perspective. Unless Komer had never truly planned to establish a real naval fleet, in which case he did not pose a threat to the Red-haired Witch’s status. Otherwise, how could Komer expect to deal with those greedy Demisheme Pirates without a powerful maritime force?

To Hayreddin’s surprise, it seemed that the Carter Fleet was actually prepared to honor the Lord’s promise of defending the security of Xifnos Island as previously said. The banner of the Bloody Rose, representing the Carter Fleet’s powerful martial presence, deterred even the arrogant Demisheme Pirates from provoking them lightly. Numerous naval clashes had proven the Red-haired Witch’s unchallenged status in this region.

But for the Carter Fleet to reach this point was simply unimaginable to Hayreddin. With the Red-haired Witch’s arrogance, he could not fathom what terms Komer could offer to sway her. Commercial interests? To the Red-haired Witch, those had little significance -- the Carter Fleet were pirates, not traders; logistical support? The Carter Fleet had long established a comprehensive support system in the Southern Mediterranean, with numerous City-states securing their fleet’s safety in exchange for logistics; financial assistance? Also unrealistic, Katrina’s funds were likely not much less than those of Caucasus now, and it was probably more realistic for Katrina to offer financial support to Komer, now an exile in the Southern Mediterranean.

The only possibility must be the weapon issue that Lord hinted at in vague terms. Yet, what weapon could so captivate the Red-haired Witch’s heart that she would concede control of Xifnos Island within the Carter Fleet’s sphere, and even bear a significant duration of security duties?

This question troubled Hayreddin for a long time, but he knew Komer’s habits well -- things he didn’t want to share with others are best left unasked. Perhaps when the time was ripe, he would naturally tell him, and for now, he only needed to grasp the current situation. The priority was to complete the infrastructure on Xifnos Island as quickly as possible and rapidly assemble an armed fleet for operational activities.

The ancient street stretched straight toward the distant city district, and the patchy buildings on either side revealed the city’s historical heritage. Spires, wooden houses, and stone buildings intermingled prominently. Prostitutes languished against the door frames on the streets beside the dock, their indifferent gazes cast toward the depths of the sea, waiting for the returning sailors and fishermen.

For these prostitutes, it was the best outcome to wait for those long-voyage sailors to return. The traders from various regions wouldn’t deign to stop by here; the city was filled with younger and more beautiful women, and the parched desires would lead the sailors to prefer venting on these pitiful creatures before going home. Having just received their wages from the captain, they were quite generous at this time, though their rough manners were tolerable given the long abstention.

As for the ragged and filthy fishermen, they were a last resort. Not only did they reek of fish, but they also tended to be stingy, preferring to hand over the meager earnings they obtained from fishmongers to their own wives.

Hayreddin pushed away several prostitutes who had been pestering him nonstop, even though he too hadn’t enjoyed the pleasures of a woman’s company in quite some time. But he had not yet fallen to the sailors’ level of desperation, and besides, he was not interested in being distracted by such matters at the moment. His visit to the tavern was purposeful.

He pushed open the somewhat worn Door of the Tavern, and the clamor that hit him instantly took him back to years past. The ancient oil lamps clung to the tops of the pillars or hung from the ceiling, oblivious sailors downing poor quality beer one cup after another. The prostitutes hanging around them grinned and tried to sneak a few coins out of their open pockets, but they knew better than to touch the pouches tied to their waists. The daggers hanging by their sides, still with an intimidating chill, served as a clear warning to the somewhat inebriated prostitutes not to entertain thoughts of stealing. That money was the hard-earned wages the sailors brought back from their voyages at sea, and crossing that line could provoke the sailors, enraged with humiliation, to torture them to death.

Poseidon’s Trident stood erect in the very center of the Tavern, encircled by the central bar. Hayreddin’s gaze cut through the smoky, noisy haze to the center, where several smartly dressed men casually sipped Lime Wine at the bar. The amber color of the Lime Wine gleamed in the transparent glass, distinct from beer.

Hayreddin knew that Lime Wine was not actually these fellows’ favorite drink. Whiskey was considered a luxury here; the more potent Wedga and gin were their true favorites. But those were too pricey, and wanting to distinguish themselves from the common sailors around them, they had no choice but to settle for Lime Wine, which was different in essence from beer but still affordable.

As soon as Hayreddin’s gaze turned to the center of the bar, the men seemed to feel the piercing force of his stare, their bodies tensing as if stimulated by something. The three men instinctively straightened up, but the one in tattered clothes with long hair at the farthest end of the bar remained slouched, nonchalantly summoning the barkeeper, "Peter, another Lime Wine for me!"

"Mr. Drake, you’ve already accrued a debt of thirty-six Gold Shields, and the owner has instructed us that, I’m afraid, we can’t serve you any longer," said the barkeeper with a smile, trying to sidestep the gaze lifting up from the bar.

"Did Kusri really say that?" The sharp gaze almost made the barkeeper shrink behind the bar, muttering something inaudible, too afraid to make eye contact and trying to dodge it.

The thick palm resting on the oak bar creaked, as if drawn by the atmosphere there, and the riotous Tavern began to quiet down.

"I’ll cover Mr. Drake’s tab. Peter, serve a large Wedga for each of the gentlemen here, and don’t you add any disease to it. When did men from the Mediterranean start needing that stuff!" boomed a resounding voice from the entrance, where Hayreddin leaned with arms crossed, a half-smile looking towards the bar.

All eyes suddenly focused on Hayreddin, who still had not removed his cloak. The cloak that half-concealed his face only left a pair of shining eyes visible at the doorway, but as soon as he spoke, many shivered, especially the middle-aged man sprawled at the bar. It was as if he’d been jolted by Psychic Magic, he suddenly stood erect and locked his eyes on Hayreddin’s face, as if trying to discern something.

"What, have I been gone so long that even my voice is unrecognizable?" He lightly lifted the hood of the cloak, casually removing the cloak altogether. A small leather pouch traced a beautiful arc as it landed on the bar, letting off a heavy metal sound. Even a fool could guess what was hidden inside, "Peter, tonight’s tab for all friends present is on me. Serve my brothers a big cup of Wedga!"

(To be continued. To find out what happens next, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM for more Chapters, support the author, support Authorized Reading!)