novelnext Page 192
Page 192
-
soup!
Chapter 84 The Dance of the Cicada
For the residents of Foy, this year's Plum Moon full moon was just like any other, with nothing unusual happening.
Young people have never witnessed the horror of the curse of the ancient abyss, nor do they know what a desperate scene it was when the black waves, carrying countless evil creatures, surged onto the shore... And the older generation has mostly only heard some vague fragments from their parents.
Most of the elders who actually witnessed the chaos and natural disasters of a century ago have passed away. Even those who are still alive are all very old and remain silent about the past.
The only difference from previous years was that the Star Abyss Society intensified its patrols in the days following the full moon. Their actions revealed vigilance and urgency, as if they were searching for something terrifying and frightening.
Black Sea Tavern.
In the silent tavern, an old man tenderly stroked the scattered bullet marks on the solid wood counter, his eyes filled with regret.
"This thornwood table was brought back from Falcha Island on my first voyage. It has stood in the Black Sea Tavern for decades. It has survived countless tavern brawls without being damaged... but this time it took at least eight bullets."
"Just the repairs alone will cost the carpenter a lot of money."
Through the dim, yellowish light in the tavern, one could vaguely make out his wrinkled, deep-set eyes and brows, which seemed somewhat familiar.
Captain of the “Leviathan”, Niflüg Milton.
Complaining, the old man picked up his meerschaum pipe. He took a deep drag on the mouthpiece, then exhaled a long, sullen puff of smoke.
"Those sons of bitches pirates have absolutely no manners. Fighting in a tavern is one thing, but they've even brought out flintlock pistols... I'd like to see which dares to take on this kind of job and cause trouble in my tavern."
The Black Sea Tavern is an asset under Niflår's name, used to subsidize certain special expenses of the Leviathan. Of course, in reality, this tavern is not just a restaurant; it is also recognized throughout Foy City as one of the safest places for intelligence trading.
之前也并非没8有闹事者，5但大多只是酗7酒客的胡闹6。只要不影响6酒馆营业尼3福尔也就不4会阻拦，4甚至乐于将2其作为酒馆余兴节目的一环。
But now such a horrific assassination has occurred... This is completely different from a simple fight.
Reputation takes years of persistent effort to build, but can be destroyed in an instant. Besides repairing the tavern afterward, he also had to use his own methods to bring the troublemakers to justice.
As Niflår was puffing away in frustration, a tall figure pushed open the door and carried two men into the tavern.
"Grandpa, I'm back. Could you please open a bottle of amber rum for me? I've been chasing this kid the whole way and haven't had a drop of water."
Utus rubbed his neck with a hint of complaint, then tossed the two people in his hands aside like trash.
"You little rascal, all you ever do is covet my stock. Here you go."
Nifl took a bottle of rum from the liquor cabinet behind him, poured half a glass, and then deftly shaved a cube of ice and threw it in.
Utus then stepped forward with a relaxed expression, picked up the quartz wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp.
While he continued pouring himself a drink, Niflü walked over to the two men who had been left aside, put on a pair of gold-rimmed round-framed reading glasses, and began to examine them.
"Let me see who you brought back..."
The two people apprehended were a man and a woman. The man appeared to be in his early twenties, looking flustered and terrified. The woman, on the other hand, seemed completely dazed, as if she had lost all response to her surroundings… and, moreover, she was an acquaintance.
Louisa, an intelligence broker for the Moth Cult.
"Tsk tsk, I never thought you, an old swindler, would turn into such a foolish person. What a miserable end. But it certainly suits your fate."
With a slightly wry, sarcastic remark, Niflü turned her gaze to the man beside her.
"Who is this kid?"
“Oh, he was one of the pirates who participated in the assassination that day. Those guys scattered after the assassination; I only tracked down one, so I brought him back.” (Sol)
Utus drank half of the pale golden rum from the bottle, then explained the man's identity.
"Oh—" group
Niflough drawled, feigning sudden realization, his eyes narrowing with a hint of malice.
"So you're the one who smashed up my shop, right? Who's your captain? I'd like to see who trained such an ill-mannered brat who'll take any job for a little money."
The pirate, breathing heavily, suddenly stood up and, with all his might, scrambled and ran towards the door.
The next moment, Utus, who had been at the counter, appeared in front of him without his noticing and delivered a perfectly fluid punch to the man's abdomen.
Although Utus's movements were quite nimble, the moment his fist struck his abdomen, a heavy, painful thud was heard. The pirate immediately collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach and vomiting. VII
"Hey, Utus, go easy on him. Don't make him vomit all over the floor; I just mopped it." Lu
Nifl gave a slightly displeased remark.
However, judging from his tone, he seemed more concerned about his solid wood flooring than the pirate's life.
"Don't worry, he already threw up on the way here." - Yan
With that, Utus brought the pirate back.
In fact, the oceanography professor did try to hold back his strength; otherwise, that punch could have pierced his sternum.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
The pirate coughed violently, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Niflår, filled with rage and hatred. He showed no sign of backing down.
"Old man... I won't tell you anything..."
"Hey, not bad. Tough guy, I admire your backbone and loyalty."
Niflour showed no surprise at this, his deep eyes remaining completely calm.
These clueless guys are all the same; they can only hold their tongues for a while before the real interrogation begins. They'll be begging for mercy after a short tango on the diving board in the shark tank.
However, now that he is older, he prefers gentler methods.
"You're very tough. However, I'm afraid your captain doesn't respect you as much as you admire him."
"The few of you aren't qualified to make contact with Louisa. If I'm not mistaken... this assassination mission was issued and assigned by the captain, and he also provided the weapons and firearms, right?"
Upon hearing Niflöll's words, the young pirate simply stiffened his neck and remained silent, offering no response.
But he was only in his early twenties, and was far too easy to understand in front of Niflüe, like an unlocked diary of an underage girl.
Judging this guy's state is simple: no rebuttal means he admits it.
"Your beloved captain had already received Louisa's payment and then carelessly sold your lives to her. After taking the lion's share, he left you with only a pitiful scrap..."
"And yet you still think it's a considerable reward, and you risk your lives for it... but you have no idea of the consequences of doing so."
Nifl maintained an almost sighing tone, gradually eroding the young pirate's psychological defenses.
"The White Cup Order's Granter Flying Squadron"⌒: Dad▲∴珷ˉ●鑥.～榴弎＂寺￡'缌●‖佴姆 was willing to award me the title of honorary professor, so I promised him to try my best to improve my reputation, change my old bad habits of being irritable... and stop mentioning those scary nicknames."
“Child, now you can tell me which ship you came from. Or, let’s do it your pirate rules… I’ll give you a bottle of water, a gun, and a bullet, and then throw you onto a cannibalistic desert island in the Abyss.”
"Or do you prefer 'keel dragging' and 'dance with sharks'?"
The young pirate's Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes gradually softened, losing their earlier ferocity. He didn't even dare to meet Niflöll's gaze.
He had a strange feeling. The old man in front of him, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was not at all as refined as he appeared. His words and expressions concealed a sinister ferocity, making him seem more like a real pirate than his own captain.
"...If I tell you, will you let me go?"
"If I were you, I wouldn't negotiate at a time like this."
Niflü's tone remained firm, and the oppressive atmosphere grew even heavier. Finally, unable to withstand the immense psychological pressure, the young pirate reluctantly and slowly relented.
"I come from the 'Spirit Serpent,' and the captain is..."
Just as he was about to say the name, Niflöll interrupted him and continued.
"Jerome Bata".
"I remember him, that skinny little monkey who guarded the mast on my ship back then. I think he later went out and joined some pirate family... Pshaw, he's still the same as before, only good at playing dirty tricks."
Having obtained what he wanted to know, he slowly rose, paying no further attention to the young pirate. The latter stood there stunned for a long while before hurriedly running out of the Black Sea Tavern as if he had seen a ghost.
"Now that the little guy's done seeing things, let's see how the old man fares." —Bah
Niflé observed the dazed Louisa, then, with a hint of curiosity, waved his hand in front of her eyes. Suddenly, without warning, he pulled out a dagger and thrust it towards her eye, stopping just inches from her eyeball.
This disciple of the Moth Cult had unfocused pupils throughout, only a blurred, grayish look.
"She didn't even have a basic reaction; she's probably truly insane... Utus, how did you bring her here? Didn't the Moth Cult send anyone to retrieve her?"
"No. She was abandoned on the street, and I just picked her up."
Utus was also somewhat puzzled by this.
Although the members of the Moth and the Misty Society are mostly "untraceable," they shouldn't be allowing a disciple close to the High Priest to wander the streets like this. Hiss.
Louisa's body is rich in the moth-like spiritual essence she has acquired throughout her life. Even if it cannot cure her madness, taking her back for research or dismantling her into materials would still be of considerable value.
"To drive a follower of the Night Moth mad, it would probably have to be a higher-ranking disciple... or perhaps it's some internal strife and obstruction within the higher echelons of the Misty Society." (Zhong)
Niflütt picked up his meerschaum pipe again and took a puff, a complex expression appearing in his deep eyes.
"Sigh—although the full moon of this year's plum month has passed, I still have a feeling that something big will happen... just like when Morion was destroyed a few years ago."
"I hope it's just the old man's delusions due to his neurasthenia."
-
Foy, 07 Oddington Street, dark alley.
This is a working-class neighborhood far from the city center, so land prices are relatively low, making it a place where most people with limited financial means live. While it lacks the bustling atmosphere of Su Lan Bay Street, it's not as chaotic as the outskirts of the border cities.
The places sandwiched between the two poles have always seemed to be less likely to receive attention.
This is why some esoteric Buddhist followers choose to rent a place here, or use it as a meeting point.
At this moment, the inchworm was navigating the dark and winding alleyways, taking out his key to open the door to his dwelling. For days after the full moon gathering, he had been gripped by an uncontrollable frenzy.
I never expected that a trip to the Third Habitat would lead to an encounter with a Moth Servant of the Apostle rank. How lucky I am!
Foolish mortals have no idea what the sixth step represents.
That is an ancient being, whose existence is unknown since its birth, a walking oracle, capable of distorting reality with spirit and will, and even having truly met with the gods high in the heavens... If one could serve that hermit lady, promotion would seem to be just around the corner.
This is much more promising than working for those old men on their deathbeds in the Misty Society...
Just as he was still lost in his thoughts and opened the door, he suddenly heard a strange breathing sound coming from the shadows beside him.
Heavy and somber. Like a grown man.
The inchworm suddenly turned its head, its eyes warily fixed on the newcomer.
Oddington Street has a generally low crime rate, so it's not impossible for burglars to break in, and he didn't sense any spiritual power from the occult. Therefore, he didn't immediately take any aggressive action.
But soon, the inchworm regretted it.
He saw a tall man wrapped in a dark woolen overcoat walking towards him. The man was empty-handed, carrying no gun or other weapon... but it still gave him a strong sense of danger.
"Who are you!"
He let out a sharp shout, then retreated into his house as quickly as possible.
When it makes a "backward" movement, the inchworm's body twists and contorts in a bizarre way, like the steps of some exotic dance. If an ordinary person were to witness its movements, they would completely lose control of their limbs within moments.
The second category of lower-level secret arts: [Cicada Dance].
This secret technique can distort the witness's bodily commands; for example, the brain's command to lift a leg might be twisted into opening the mouth or blinking. Its only drawback is that it takes a long time to take effect, unlike the [Cicada-Shaped Song] which can act on others in a short time.
In a one-on-one confrontation, the moth disciple who has not yet become the high priest has no advantage. The inchworm must first find a way to escape to a sufficiently safe environment before attempting to gradually erode the spirit of this uninvited guest.
He now needs cover... and a "strategic buffer zone".
Just as the inchworm rushed into the room, his expression suddenly changed, and his face, which had not shown much panic before, turned pale in an instant.
He heard it, the same breathing sound as before... the location was right in the entrance hall of the residence, just a hair's breadth behind him.
The figure approaching from outside the door dissolved like liquid under the streetlights.
Before the inchworm could react, a pair of large, calloused hands covered his face from behind and stared into his eyes.
■〇≥:＄〉中－转群}∮： ……
Meanwhile, Fran, who was on his way to Norlington's main store to have Sigrid inspect the finished chainsaw sword, strolled leisurely through the foggy streets, looking relaxed and walking slowly.
It's right after dinner, time for an after-dinner stroll.
But soon, the doctor raised his eyebrows slightly, his amber eyes revealing a hint of surprise.
Just now, she received the monthly outpatient schedule announcement.
[Dear Dr. Fran, the monthly outpatient call for April has been triggered. The target is 'Sirius Humphrey' (the inchworm) from the 'Hidden Society'. The patient is in hemorrhagic shock; please begin treatment as soon as possible. The target is expected to die within 10 minutes.]
"Oh? So the inchworm was the first to run into trouble?"