Black Sail
Chapter 555: CLXXXIV. Sinful Network Manager

Chapter 555: CLXXXIV. Sinful Network Manager

Holy Spirit Calendar, Year 2690, August 10th.

Right Wing Trench.

Wolman arrived with famous shaman Yiremu from the Great Wetland, along with the monthly supplies from Lostra.

Only Celeste remained in Drifting City—her identity wasn’t suitable for appearing here. Liszt trusted her completely like comrades tied to the same rope. Sharon, being a pure civilian, couldn’t come to the front lines, and the Californian Girl, despite her boldness, would surely be spooked when encountering these lawless pirates for the first time.

However, Liszt was not in a good mood.

It felt extremely eerie.

Yesterday, Uborio sent a message saying that communication with the rear Kelor Highlands had been cut off, and the current status was unknown. He cautioned Liszt to be careful and ready to retreat to Drifting City at any moment.

Liszt was dumbfounded. The nearby scout towers were all lit, and a few soldiers or small squads roaming around was manageable.

But a large-scale maneuver over a long line? There was no way it would go unnoticed.

Uborio was still in the dark about Su Yizhana being held captive by Liszt.

Liszt connected this to Mika’s experience. Santilla, that consumptive ghost, had planned to deliver the Princess to Zote as a surrender.

In an instant, the strange activities on Crocodile Island the past few days unraveled completely.

Zote and Crocodile Island were in conflict—no wonder it was so discordant.

Most likely, the Kelor Highlands had already been taken by Zote’s Madmen. Facing Uborio’s local resistance forces, Crocodile Island crushed them effortlessly, even with Black Sail’s help. Liszt, being a dark schemer, wouldn’t risk his life fighting alongside the resistance.

No wonder Crocodile Island hadn’t advanced; they were probably more worried about Zote swooping in during their fight and taking advantage.

"Mr. Swan’s report is back. The naval fleet led by Zahak and Bartlan has indeed arrived, but not at Golden Palm Port—they landed at a deserted wild port. Mr. Swan also stole some naval documents, including the timeline for Zahak’s operation, which is set to finish by the year’s end. They’re probably not in a rush, waiting for the army and the sect to wear us down before finishing us off in one sweep."

Ang Shan reported to Liszt.

Liszt, transformed into a desktop cleaning master, swept the pots and pans off the table in one go.

Now Mulong was completely chaotic. Zahak’s goal was different from Zote and Crocodile Island’s KPIs, which had the primary military objective of occupying Mulong and taking Black Sail as a secondary target. If Liszt played it safe and retreated, Zote and Crocodile Island wouldn’t bother him.

But Zahak was different. After his major defeat in Londen City, now their mission was solely to kill or capture Liszt.

"Goddamn ’clean sweep’, sakura blossoms gather in my heart, butterflies dance and pray—a study in contrasts."

Rein, lifting up his brutal punishment device, also known as Little Rein.

"Goddamn ’Guilty Crown’! Where’s your Sister Butterfly?"

Shadi feared Rein might start groping and felt his bantering was no match for Rein’s improvisation.

Rein simply pulled out his contact card for Yisu Clan’s stunning pianist, Airemu, and flashed it in front of Shadi.

"Sister Butterfly is actually Miss Shang K! So tragic! Women sing; men die. Deputy leader, the car is ready."

Fafna wailed, rubbing her eyes with her fists.

Garscek, chin held high, had come along. Watching Fafna, he showed no interest in the smelly men, only admiring the trench outside—the most peculiar military structure he’d ever seen.

Shadi flew two meters back—such a powerful quip! "Don’t use your super awesome cute girl image for such behavior, you bastard!"

"Let me ask you, let me ask you, Fafna might act like this, but it seems impossible for Fafna to act like this."

Fafna, dressed in a suit, made a cute face and stuck out her tongue.

Liszt almost flew backward but held it together. Truly the heir to the Black Sail spirit, her image and temperament were impeccable—even in her abstract nature, so adorable, damn it!

He had already decided: Fafna would be the logo. Once the new Heaven Port district was completed, both light and heavy industries would be established. Special products bought from Mirror Sea would be used to make wine, and with a cute girl in the promotion, sales would skyrocket.

Drink East Sea beer, beat your friends and family.

"Very well, but you’d better be careful. Bringing you out to train means you must follow orders. If you run wild, we’ll send you back."

Liszt spoke in a mentor’s tone, knowing that the world was dangerous, even for dragons.

"Pfft, after drinking this, not even an atomic bomb can scare me."

Seeing Archer moving the wine, Fafna effortlessly took out a bottle. With terrifying strength, she popped the tightly corked bottle with her thumb, chugged it down, and burped.

For her, hundred-pound drinking sessions were a breeze.

"Wow, who taught you? You’ve leveled up too fast!"

Rein was shocked. He still remembered her as a good girl, damn it. Now her name would be among those notorious pirates.

"Alicia, she’s really something. That girl has grit."

Fafna casually mentioned, feeling annoyed during the trip. Something that would have taken an hour, she had to drag out for days with Wolman.

She had grown bored of Magnus’s mechanical arm and began studying the machine guns mounted on the bunker walls, eager to test them out.

Liszt wanted to stop her.

"Let her be; kids grow up and can’t be controlled."

Wolman commented.

"No, what truly worries me isn’t this."

Liszt, with his fingers on his chin, listened to the Heaven Port report. Due to the Western Continent’s policy of immediate execution for this comrade, the Eastern Sea’s security had improved significantly. Although regular comrades couldn’t handle it before, the option to elope to Heaven Port was now available. The Neodymium copper trend was quite popular lately, even the slightest hint needed to be nipped.

What concerned him more was what had happened to Rein. He had gone silent for a while, causing quite a stir in Black Rock City.

Additionally...

Wasn’t this the Living Dead Magnus? How did he get to such a sorry state, looking like a sore junkie about to die?

Rein truthfully reported everything. After returning to Drifting City, he tried to find Pedan’s hideout, but it was already abandoned.

"Holy crap... General Fen might be in big trouble."

Liszt realized that this delayed bomb had been set for seven years and was now about to explode.

Aran Pedan, two powerful forces serving Black Sail, had greatly diminished its danger?

"In any case, it’s frighteningly calm now—all sides biding their time. Fortunately, Wolman brought many brothers from the Great Wetland and lots of supplies. Let Archer prepare a good meal to welcome everyone. We all do life-risking work, so we must treat each meal seriously."

Liszt issued orders.

There was no kitchen in the trenches, so they had to make do with some makeshift outdoor barbecues.

Liszt felt somewhat guilty toward Uborio and Silver Wings—a man who treated Black Sail fairly. When Wolman brought supplies, he even included a hundred live animals for the soldiers to enjoy fresh meat.

Liszt found some tough guys to assist Archer. Slaughtering cattle and sheep was no easy job and required professionals.

"Bunch of idiots! You’re dawdling slaughtering sheep. By the time you’re done, night will fall, and the only thing left for you to eat will be my foot."

On the open field.

Archer couldn’t bear it anymore, overwhelmed with rage. He had the idiots move aside, grabbed a pirate’s knife, and practiced on the restrained animal with a few mock slashes to get the feel.

Then...

In less than two seconds, his skills seemed divinely assisted as he flawlessly butchered the beast. Blood poured out instantly and completely, as if squeezed out. The meat went into one basin, blood into another—clean, precise work.

"Watch and learn, dammit."

Archer continued drinking from the bottle.

The Black Sail members were no longer surprised; Archer had some bizarre talents no one could replicate.

Only Magnus was completely stunned!

This... was astonishingly similar to Zote’s technique!

"How did you do that!"

Magnus grabbed Archer’s shoulders, shaking him, utterly shocked by this unattainable skill.

"What the hell are you shaking for?"

Archer cursed, spilling his drink.

"How did you do that?"

Magnus, dazed, repeated the question.

"I’m a court chef, you think I’m bluffing?"

Archer was speechless, calling him insane.

"I want to be your apprentice!"

"Huh?"