Black Sail
Chapter 254: CCLIV. Manor Feast

Chapter 254: CCLIV. Manor Feast

The carriage designated to welcome Brenda slowly stopped by the roadside, the horse shook its head and snorted.

Doringger was fastidious, and although the coachman was not exactly handsome, he certainly met the criteria of having a well-proportioned face and a presentable demeanor.

Seeing six people following her, he realized she had quite a large retinue; usually, three or four attendants were common, making it hard not to be suspicious.

"Madam... Who might these be?"

He was somewhat puzzled.

"Oh, Reggae Defense is taking this meeting very seriously. Apart from two bodyguards, the other four are all management personnel from the company."

Brenda forced a smile. With this sort of incident, as a major shareholder, she wouldn’t be ousted, but she would be demoted to a non-decision-making role, merely sharing in the profits.

The coachman didn’t think too much about it. Reggae Defense was indeed a significant corporation. He respectfully invited everyone to board the carriage.

The exquisite carriage normally seated five, but it could accommodate one woman and six men, although Qi Liwenkui, being rather large, made it a bit cramped.

As the coachman took the reins, the two steeds left footprints in the snow.

In reality, the hotel was quite close to the castle entrance—a walk would take less than ten minutes. The main point was the ceremony of it all. Esteemed guests were to be invited in.

It was just a three or four-minute journey.

The roads of the Inner City were smooth, ensuring a bump-free ride.

Seeing everyone so high-end, Wen Kui urgently asked the hotel’s duty manager to strip off his clothes, which he wore himself to cover up the holes in his shirt.

He had never worn such constraining clothes before; they felt terribly tight. The Far East Islands were a fascinating place, home to a multitude of races. Wen Kui came from a country called Gao Tian Country, where the traditional dress resembled martial artists’ robes with long, belted sleeves.

Of course, Wen Kui’s ship harbored wise individuals, but this evening was to be bloodless, mainly a contest of wit—he was merely there to represent.

Liszt, concerned that Doringger wouldn’t hesitate to start a fight, repeatedly instructed him not to speak later, merely to show his face, saying, "Watch how I handle Doringger."

All a punk needs to consider is brute courage, just act, but a master must control the entire interest group, always showing just cause.

Although he was the Boss of Heaven Port, as the distribution center in the East Sea, it wasn’t his alone; public opinion mattered greatly.

To confront Doringger right away, declaring an opposition, would be foolish. Cutting off someone’s financial means gives them a reason to kill you. Even pirates on the island would think you an idiot, and colliding with Doringger was asking for trouble.

If Doringger wanted to take action against him, he’d have to consider the cost. With their relationship intact, there were options for maneuver. If he just sent men to destroy Black Sail because of resentment, even if he succeeded in killing him, he would gain nothing. His forces would suffer losses and damage his reputation—how foolish! How would he then command respect?

He must carefully maneuver, providing just enough "jelly"... to keep Doringger from acting rashly against him, while still ensuring he had his share of the New Continent, causing disruption and weakening his influence. Then tonight would be deemed a huge success, even if publicly he seemed under Doringger’s thumb. The game was worth the candle, playing a big game.

Privilege only extends as far as one can command respect.

This was the essence of what Liszt had gleaned from years on the streets.

Whether it’s a microcosm like a Pirate Gang or a macrocosm like Aran.

Simply put, they are systems of privilege; every society is a society of privilege.

As long as there are groups and power disparities, privilege will exist.

Trustworthy people are given certain privileges to undertake reliable tasks; this is the hard rule by which the world actually operates, superseding all laws or so-called philosophy, a sociological axiom.

If Doringger were to make a stupid move, using his position of power within his sphere to target him without having openly broken ties, his ability to command respect would diminish, and his power would be weakened.

Liszt was sure he wouldn’t dare kill him.

This was the art of the "Emperor Skill."

He needed to manipulate subtly, leveraging the weight of Doringger’s own followers, who supported him because they benefited from or were bound to the system he led.

If he could offer Doringger’s men a better future, a more robust system with himself at the helm.

In this tug-of-war, he would be invincible.

This time, it wasn’t Xiang Yu inviting Liu Bang to the fateful Feast at Hong Gate; this was him actively going to the meeting, aiming to decapitate the Boss and hang it high atop Yanyang Building. Now Black Sail was at its most powerful, unparalleled, a perfect opportunity. Flowers do bloom again, but youth never returns.

Fen was also initially unsure, but Fafna’s performance had given him a strong dose of encouragement. Everything has two sides; having already taken the consequences of kidnapping the dragon, it was now time to enjoy the benefits.

Liszt had thus managed both Goria and Caroso extensively, demonstrating his brilliance today.

Heaven Port was Fafna’s home, the only place besides prison and exile where she had spent a significant amount of time.

This "home" was still hers to "guard."

Not long after, the carriage came upon an uphill road where they could feel the gravity changing. Within half a minute, they arrived at Doringger’s opulent estate, sprawling across approximately sixty hectares.

As the coachman indicated their arrival,

Shadi, who was accompanying them, got out first. Extending a hand to help Brenda alight, he made her descent steadier.

The others followed suit.

Liszt, who had spent years at Heaven Port, rarely visited the castle located on its outskirts, a place where idlers were not welcomed.

The thirty-meter-high white walls were solid as a fortress, built by the Emperor, clearly majestic.

Amidst the snowy night, the luxury sanctuary was bright with lights, suitable for the Doringger’s all-in-one CBD of gambling, prostitution, and a constant business, earning the title of Sleepless City of the East Sea.

Doringger was meticulous; to shield his distinguished guests from the snow, wooden pavilions were constructed at the entrance and along the walkway leading to the banquet site. They were also covered with Magic Beast skin fur blankets—a quiet nod to pirate gatherings, or one could mistake it for the birthday of the Minister of Aran.

By now, many luminaries had gathered at the entrance. Representatives from the Gold Trading Company had also alighted from the carriage, all dressed in their finery, looking radiant.

The women were enough to make Mika solid as a rock.

The men enough to irk Archer, thinking you’re showing off like a pretentious butcher.

Wen Kui sighed that he had dressed down, otherwise too conspicuous, though he didn’t really care, finding these posers foolish, boasting big but likely earning less than he paid in taxes.

As the richest among the pirate gangs on the island, Wen Kui was definitely one. But having overpaid dues to the three powerhouses over the years turned him into a Doringger-hating madman. Riding on his old rival, Iron Soul Pirate Group’s fortunes in discovering the New Continent, their conflict had escalated.

Iron Soul Pirate Group: "Yo, isn’t that Wen Kui? You’ve really let yourself go in the few years we haven’t seen you."

Wen Kui: "Straw Hat’s lip language."

Morison frowned deeply. Too elitist, even during holidays, entering this banquet was like going to Hell.

Brenda, being a major arms dealer, was naturally familiar with some faces here. People came over to greet her.

Not wanting to maintain a stoic demeanor, she engaged in professional pleasantries.

Shadi scanned the impressive setup saying, "Damn, went to Aran once and came back, and the East Sea has changed again; the matter of the New Continent isn’t just regional anymore but somewhat global."

Many representatives Shadi recognized were present, all top executives from major companies.

Liszt sneered, his identity disguised, he could speak freely.

"Ah, I suppose those pirate gangs from the island aren’t here, huh? Like Black Sail or something. Those pirates on the Warrant, freaky as hell."

Liszt feigned fear and since Brenda was happily chatting with a few people, he probed their thoughts.

"What pirates? Those people are just Doringger’s tools, not worthy of the table."

A middle-aged man in a flamboyant red suit remarked.

Wen Kui exploded on the spot, ready to send him to meet the Holy Spirit with a slice of his blade.

Qi Li stopped him, insisting that wasn’t the way to handle it.

"Hey, I don’t think so. I’ve got connections within the Aran Court. The news was like a sensation of the century, about the train that stopped operation, apparently robbed by the East Sea pirates."

A woman in a light blue dress spoke, seeming a bit cold, quickly asking her kept young man to wrap her in a fur coat.

The newspapers in Aran naturally brushed it off officially. But foreign newspapers were not so; they sensationalized it gravely, speaking of ruthless bandits, nobles slain, wives and daughters slaughtered, sheer inhumanity emerging incessantly. But home is best, "The world’s strongest nation, Aran," where even the wealthy nobles didn’t have a life to spend their money, "better a dog’s kennel than living in a golden house," as they say.

Qi Li pondered for a moment, first glancing at Wen Kui. That’s impossible. Neither Twin Group nor Skull Club, both construing mourning as of paramount importance, nor Iron Soul involved in the study of the New Continent, could have done it.

Only the most capable on the island was... Liszt, who had been out at sea for three months.

Qi Li studied Liszt’s expression, whose mental fortitude was unshaken by catastrophe, always a step from exposure but fearing naught, becoming perhaps even a revered figure in the underworld, a real influencer more formidable than the Turbid River Dragon by a hundredfold—a story for when he would conquer the world.

Addressing the immediate crisis,

"Fucking hell, brother, you have pioneered the criminal world; if they force their way to the banquet, it’s going to be tough. Doringger is certainly sophisticated, but those guys are lawless desperados. I heard that Black Sail even wiped out an entire family at Blue Bay Port; damn, how tragic. What if they sneak in and murder us?ı

Liszt anxiously exclaimed.

Among the elites present were not just from the arms companies, but also legitimate businessmen from mining, timber, and other industries, risking it all for a piece of the New Continent.

At Liszt’s alarm, many faces turned ashen—a matter they weren’t joking about.

Fen coughed twice, "Can you fucking curse a bit less while you’re dressed in a tailcoat?"—utterly dropping the elegance.

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