Chapter 211 - 194: Exploration and Assassin

Chapter 211: Chapter 194: Exploration and Assassin

Still, Vili had to make this decision.

To use the Pirates for his own ends, he had to give Count Lumbar a legitimate excuse. Otherwise, a noble Baron intentionally recruiting Pirates was something that would be difficult to justify publicly, even if everyone knew Vili had no malicious intent.

Recruiting Pirates to strike at the Sosen Duchy’s coastal defenses was a perfect excuse.

The Pirates forced to return might die horribly, or they might defect and flee to the distant seas, but none of that mattered to Vili. As long as he made the right impression, the actual result was unimportant.

His second order was to have the recruited Pirates, led personally by Budar, explore the distant seas for safe shipping routes.

In truth, this was Vili’s real objective.

Of course, Vili wasn’t having them sail aimlessly. He gave them a rough area to search.

And the center of that area was the location marked on the Cold Lion Kingdom’s Treasure Map.

Vili’s target was that treasure!

White Bear Town now had sufficient resources to mount an expedition.

The legacy left behind by a Kingdom’s royal family was a truly tempting prospect for Vili.

To ensure the crew wouldn’t defect, Vili not only took Budar’s family hostage but also forced the other Extraordinary members of the Tusk Pirate Gang on the voyage to ingest a special poison, ensuring their loyalty with their very lives.

As long as the few Extraordinary members of the Tusk Pirate Gang, led by Budar, remained in control, the ordinary crew members would have no way to resist.

In this way, Vili brought the Tusk Pirate Gang firmly under his control.

"Oh, right, Sandoor."

Vili suddenly recalled something. "Just a few days ago, I received a letter from Count Lumbar. He told me to be absolutely sure of my personal security. Apparently, the Wata Duchy has activated many of its sleeper agents within the Lanton Duchy. They could be spies or assassins, and they represent a huge, unpredictable threat to us."

"White Bear Town just destroyed their raiding cavalry and foiled their plot, so they’ll likely see us as a thorn in their side. As the Baron of White Bear Town, I’m the primary target, but the Extraordinary Power I have at my disposal can largely protect me. You, however, are a different story. You must be doubly careful. If you have any doubts about your safety, you can move directly into my manor."

Vili wasn’t just saying this as a simple reminder or to win favor; he was genuinely concerned for Sandoor’s safety.

As the Town Mayor of White Bear Town and its highest-ranking official, Sandoor was a conspicuous target. If something were to happen to him, Vili would be hard-pressed to find someone of his caliber to manage White Bear Town on such short notice.

"Lord Baron..."

Sandoor could hear the sincerity in Vili’s voice and was touched. He quickly said, "Please don’t worry, I will be sure to look after my own safety."

Sandoor felt very fortunate to be serving Baron Vili.

Baron Vili not only possessed extraordinary talent but also treated his subordinates with great generosity and kindness. He remembered the contributions of each one and was never stingy with rewards.

It was a rare blessing for a capable official to find a worthy Lord.

"Hmm..."

Vili considered for a moment. "I’ll assign two Senior Knight’s Squires from the manor to act as your guards. That will put my mind at ease."

"This..."

Sandoor was about to refuse, but he saw the firm look on Vili’s face.

Seeing this, he nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Lord Baron."

...

Outside White Bear Town, a carriage stopped, and a man and a woman stepped out.

The man appeared to be around forty, slightly stout, and with a constant smile on his face.

The woman, however, was very young, likely in her late teens. She had a timid look on her face and trailed behind the man.

"Ten Copper Rums."

The driver called out to the pair.

"That fare is outrageous."

The man grumbled but reluctantly pulled out the coins and handed them to the driver.

The driver took the money without a word of courtesy and immediately drove the carriage away.

The man watched the retreating carriage and spat. "Ten Copper Rums, that’s way too expensive. Once this operation is over, I’ll definitely find a way to make that back!"

"Lord Abel, are you sure this mission will go smoothly?"

The young woman glanced around cautiously. Seeing that no one else was nearby, she lowered her voice and said timidly, "Our target this time is the young Baron of White Bear Town... I’m afraid..."

"Don’t worry, Senya. It’s not a problem."

Abel vigorously rubbed the corner of his mouth, scraping off some food residue. He rolled it into a small ball and flicked it to the ground.

Then, his eyes narrowed, and a look as sharp as a razor flashed across his broad face. "This Baron Vili... is as good as dead."

Senya nodded woodenly, her expression still showing a hint of fear.

But when she thought of Lord Abel’s Great Knight Cultivation, her frantic heart calmed down a little.

’He’s said to be some kind of super genius... but what good is that?’

Abel seemed both jealous and mocking. "Who told him to trample on the duchy’s dignity? And now, the duchy has activated us..."

"Alright, let’s get into White Bear Town and find a place to rest for the night. We’ll make our move when the time is right."

Abel shook his head, then forced a smile and lowered his voice.

Seeing Abel like this, Senya’s heart fluttered with anxiety. She just hoped she wouldn’t hold Lord Abel back.

The two of them were pawns from the Dark Department, sent by the Wata Duchy to the Lanton Duchy many years ago.

Their main purpose was to assassinate troublesome enemy figures during wartime.

They had been lying dormant until now. Today, they had finally been activated.

"Relax, Senya. I brought you along this time mainly so you could see how things are done and gain some experience."

Abel looked at the young, not particularly powerful girl before him and comforted her in a low voice, "Don’t worry too much. Just use your Ability to keep yourself safe. That’s enough. Leave the fighting to me."

Abel was filled with anticipation for this mission.

The feeling of personally eliminating a genius was exquisitely wonderful, almost beyond description.

In Abel’s eyes, taking care of a Senior Knight was no difficult task at all.

Even if the intelligence from the duchy’s spies mentioned that this Senior Knight also had a Peak of Bronze Level Magical Beast and two Secret Masters under his command, he could deal with them easily enough.

The only thing that gave Abel pause for thought was where he should flee to after eliminating Baron Vili of White Bear Town.

Count Lumbar was not someone to be taken lightly.

"Mmm..."

Senya nodded blankly and followed behind Abel.

"Senya, act more natural."

Abel didn’t look up as he spoke to Senya. "See that Sea Eagle circling in the sky? That’s surveillance from the Silent."

"Surveillance from the Silent..."

Senya seemed a little nervous, but she suddenly remembered the intelligence report saying that the Silent only had First-Mark strength, so her pounding heart relaxed slightly.

"That’s more like it. Act natural. If you seem out of place, the Silent will notice you."

Abel led Senya toward White Bear Town.

White Bear Town had no dedicated inns. Instead, some commoners with larger homes would rent out their spare rooms to visitors.

Abel and Senya found one such family and took up lodging there for the time being.

"Lord Abel, when do we make our move?"

Fearing that the walls had ears, Senya kept her voice extremely low.

"Hmm..."

Abel thought for a moment, then said, "Tomorrow night. Yes, tomorrow night..."