Under the daylight sky, seagulls pierce through the heavens.
Steel steamships are docked at the shore, and red-gray buildings extend from the port towards the mainland.
Black chimneys stand tall, gray smoke billows incessantly, graying everything around.
"Cough, cough..."
"Old Ge’er, your cough is getting worse."
"Yes... I feel like I might not see next spring."
Coughing and chatting sounds echo near the streets of the garden district, an elderly white-haired man in a thick coat leans on a cane, holding a handkerchief stained with specks of blood.
Chen Feng passes by expressionlessly, walking towards the villa where Lei Long’s house is located.
Jia Ta inford that the fleet returned safely to Banli Port.
The ti here passes faster, so Chen Feng knows that was already a few days ago.
For the Blue Heart Stone, he pondered for a mont and chose, on the sa night, to co through a second-ti dream, intending to enhance the Steel Bones further.
Although he is limited by severe injuries from Qinggang City, leading to a poor state, his strength just surpasses the Fourth Rank in this dream.
But with the Holy Shield Giant that can stay in this realm for a long ti, these are not problems.
Tap, tap.
He stepped closer.
Suddenly, his footsteps halted, and Chen Feng frowned slightly.
The standalone villa in front of him was locked with an iron gate, sealed with a notice.
Inside the iron fence, the small garden was wilting, the white flowers planted by Antti were covered in a layer of soot, as if burdened by dust.
Perception quietly amplified, and Chen Feng looked inside the entire villa.
The servants were gone, leaving no trace.
Inside the empty house, only overturned tables and chairs, shattered porcelain bowls on the ground, and brown coffee long solidified and stuck to the carpet.
Chen Feng frowned, soon hearing other voices.
"Old Ge’er, try to see it through."
"Look at the Long’s family, they probably won’t see this winter, let alone next spring."
"Ah... what a good family they were..."
Voices rose, Chen Feng turned his head towards those speaking.
But before he could inquire further, his perception detected a sneaky figure coming from the alley behind the villa.
He quickly circumvented and stood in front of the hastily approaching person.
A small boy wearing a ragged sweater and black trousers, his face full of freckles, with short brown hair.
Deliberately wearing a patched woolen cap, his slightly lowered face anxious and pale, stained with so blood and stench.
In an instant, a shadow lood over him, and the boy who was walking fast trembled as if scared, trying to evade.
Thud.
A thick hand grabbed him.
"Trin."
A deep voice, and the boy’s terrified and frightened expression froze suddenly, then disbelief followed as he looked up.
Smudges and freckles crossed, the fear in his eyes all faded, soon replaced with excitent of seeing hope, and tears welled up, turning red and damp.
"Lord Feng Chen!"
"You’ve finally co! I’ve waited for so many days, I knew you would co!"
He cried out, excitedly sobbing.
"What happened?"
Chen Feng frowned deeply, asking in a low voice, already having so unpleasant guesses in his heart.
"L-Lord!"
"Lord Reilon is in trouble!"
Trin tearfully began, finishing everything in one breath before Chen Feng could ask.
"Captain Reilon was captured by Young Master Lunde shortly after returning from the sea."
"And Aunt Susan and Antti, and my mother and sister too!"
"I found out midway and didn’t dare show up, because I knew only you could save them! Please save my family and Captain Reilon!!"
As Trin spoke, he tried to kneel, but found himself seemingly held up by an invisible force.
Before he could react, the deep voice sounded again.
"Why did that Lund Charles capture them?"
Chen Feng asked, glancing imperceptibly at a deserted corner of the alley.
Trin didn’t notice, just wiped his tears with his sleeve, explaining with reddened eyes: "Young Master Lunde said, Captain Reilon colluded with pirates, attacked the kingdom’s rchant ships with Blood Sea Admiral’s third officer, Giant Shark - Tiger, and stole the cargo."
"Everyone from the Lei Long Fleet was captured... They are to be executed at the guillotine this afternoon."
Chen Feng fell silent at this, knowing he might have implicated Reilon.
"What evidence is there for the charges?"
"A ring!"
"They found the Giant Shark - Tiger’s ring in Captain Reilon’s house!"
...
Tap, tap.
Horse hooves echoed crisp and clear near a vast square carved with a Judgent statue.
A carriage convoy with Golden Spearfish flags passed by slowly, Duke Charles, in silk attire, sat inside.
With a newspaper spread open in his hands, the young man beside him, dressed in a black gentleman’s suit, with brown hair, adjusted his bow tie and lifted a corner of the curtain, his gaze towards the commoners outside growing increasingly indifferent.
"Wasn’t the matter of the factory already resolved?"
Suddenly, Duke Charles spoke.
The indifference in the young man’s eyes paused briefly, quickly turning respectful, turning his head to receive the newspaper handed over by the Duke.
It reported on the large-scale outbreak of an epidemic.
It was even speculated that the never-ending gray smoke from the Sal Factory was the cause.
Startled for a mont, Lunde soon smiled, explaining: "Father, this was just an accident."
"Prince Seth added a temporary order, all those goods had to be produced with overti."
"You know, this can greatly enrich our lands and warehouses."
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