Chapter 471: Old Friend

Chapter 471: An Old Friend

A small-scale naval battle broke out just like that.

The old captain immediately took the helm himself, turning the ship away from the combat zone, even going so far as to activate the acceleration array; the effect was quite good, and this small pirate ship instantly received a boost in speed, but it wasn't long before consecutive bursting sounds echoed from beneath the deck, and the acceleration array broke down.

This small pirate ship was not only small... it was also dilapidated.

Fortunately, the scale of the opposing fleets was not very large, bearing absolutely no comparison to the scenes of confrontation between the two Great Churches' navies that Karen had witnessed before, so the small pirate ship they were on was not affected.

But honestly, this slap to the face came a bit too quickly.

Hadn't it been said that rules were valued above all else on Fire Island, hadn't it been said that the Lomaford Pirate Alliance had established regulations here, and hadn't it been said that fighting and killing were forbidden within the territory of Fire Island?

Looking at it now, that didn't seem to be the case at all.

Therefore, either the old captain had lied to him... of course, he had no reason to lie; Karen had not only saved him but had also clearly expressed his intention to leave, and he wouldn't take this pirate ship for himself, so the captain would have to be completely brain-dead to harbor other motives at a time like this;

That left only one final possibility: a massive change had occurred on the island, a change that stripped Fire Island of its peace.

"Sigh."

Karen let out a sigh.

"What are you sighing for, meow?"

"It seems like every island we set foot on is never peaceful."

"Would you even want to visit primitive indigenous tribes and small fishing village islands? Go sightseeing, travel, and experience the local exotic customs? Watch the young and old dance the hula for you?

It's not that the sea isn't peaceful, but rather our destinations themselves are inherently areas where peace is hard to come by.

However, I really do want to go and take a look at the island where that stupid dog was born."

"So many years have passed; that island might have ceased to exist long ago."

"Not necessarily. Think about it, that's an island that gave birth to two deities."

"True, but will Kevin give you the coordinates?"

"I haven't had the chance to ask it yet; I'll go when there's an opportunity in the future. But the level of military command of these two fleets is so primitive, it's practically a disgrace to pirates, meow.

Did you see that? They really look like two factions of hooligans splitting up to have a brawl right here.

In the future, when we have a fleet, I believe Count Rekar will definitely be able to command it wonderfully."

"This topic is a bit far off; even if you want to lay the groundwork, there's no need to do it so early."

Purr never concealed her attitude of liking to 'form factions.' For instance, at home, she clearly pulled Kevin into her own camp to distinguish it from what she called the radio sprite; outside, she wouldn't hide her intention to give her own family a helping hand.

"It's not far off."

"Even if I could immediately possess the ability to keep Count Rekar continuously awake, what about the fleet? The war engines on the Black Prison Castle are already enough to give me a headache; I truly find it hard to imagine what kind of price it would take to assemble a fleet."

"Oh, isn't there Her Highness Ophelia? After you marry Eunice and have a few babies, you can just take Ophelia as a mistress, and won't the Dark Moon Island fleet become your own?"

"Are those words an elder should be saying?"

"I feel that once the marriage is done and the babies are inherited, one has already done right by the family."

"The Order of Light has long since stretched its hands into the Dark Moon Island fleet; in a few more years, the Dark Moon Island fleet will probably only obey the deployments of the Order of Light."

"Oh, damn it, I forgot that detail. Sigh, but I really do hope that one day I can lead a fleet on a long voyage, giving a full volley to anyone who looks unpleasant. Did you see that in the last war? Even a temple elder couldn't withstand a full volley from a fleet."

"Except for the orthodox churches, no other churches have navies of such a large scale; besides, why didn't you think about building your own fleet before? Were you only thinking about playing?"

"Yeah, I was only thinking about playing. Back then, I felt I was still young and had plenty of time to squander in the future, but I didn't expect..."

Karen stroked Purr's tail, offering no words of comfort, because he knew the cat in his arms was putting on a performance.

After a long time, seeing that no comforting words were forthcoming, Purr lifted her head in confusion and asked, "Shouldn't you say something?"

"You deserve it."

Purr: "..."

"Heh, Karen, seriously, you and Dis are just too alike. You know, when Dis was young, I quite liked going to chat with him, but he always liked to mock me!"

"I think Dis always regarded you as a friend; bullying a friend is inherently a source of joy."

"Hmph, hmph."

"Right, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. I didn't see any photographs concerning Grandma at home..."

"Karen, matters regarding your grandmother can only be told to you by Dis himself. I can only say she was a very gentle woman; she liked to hold me while knitting sweaters for the children. At that time, I wasn't quite used to being treated truly as a domestic cat, but I didn't dislike lying in her arms.

As for the rest, I feel there's no need for me to say more. She passed away from illness not long after giving birth to Winnie; your father, as the eldest brother, didn't have a deep impression of his own mother, and it was Dis who raised the children.

He kept your grandmother entirely in his own heart, unwilling to bring her out to share with anyone else."

"Alright, I understand."

"Mm, later when Dis wakes up, you can ask him yourself, but please rest assured, your grandmother's story is very heartwarming but very ordinary. I promise you that you won't inexplicably run into your grandmother's relatives like you did with the Guman family."

"So, Grandma was an ordinary person?"

Purr frowned slightly and replied, "Can a woman who conquered Dis be ordinary?"

Karen nodded his head.

At this moment, the old captain shouted, "The weapons on the shore have been raised!"

The external defensive fortifications of Fire Island were all opened, shore defense cannons were raised, and they even fired a calibration shell toward both of the fleets that were currently exchanging fire.

"The Delan family's fleet has come out, the Castle family's fleet has come out, oh, and the Watson family's fleet too! Those are the three oldest pirate families in the Lomaford Alliance, and they are recognized as the three with the strongest capabilities!"

"Is this an attempt to break up the fight?" Karen asked.

Purr nodded: "It looks like it should be."

Sure enough, under this kind of warning, the two fleets in the middle of exchanging fire quickly flashed signals to retreat, but during the retreat, both sides did not forget to continue firing at each other until they were completely disengaged.

Those vessels on the periphery, which had been lingering and afraid to advance like this small pirate ship due to the previous firing, now began to continue their progress toward the port.

The accuracy of the artillery fire from the two pirate fleets seemed rather poor; each side only sank two ships, and the rest were basically damaged. How should one put it, it was a bit of a disservice to the vast amount of crystal stones wasted.

"Sir, let us also pull ashore." The old captain came to ask for Karen's opinion.

Karen nodded his head.

Finally, when the sun had completely set and the moon had grown very bright, the small pirate ship Karen was riding on at last made landfall.

"Sir, I will personally lead you ashore," the old captain said very obsequiously.

"Then what about the matters on the ship?" Karen asked casually.

"My sons will handle them."

"Those four who were tied up together with you, they are your sons?"

"Yes, I have five sons."

"Is there one more on Fire Island?"

"No, he was cleaved to death by your sword."

"Hmm?"

"Yes, it was him."

"It seems your family upbringing requires some reinforcement."

"He wasn't entirely in the wrong, truth be told. I do not wish to die, yet watching the one attempting to overthrow me be my own son brings a touch of solace to my heart. My Lord, can you comprehend this feeling of mine as a father?"

"I have no desire to."

"Yes, yes, of course, I spoke out of turn. But please rest assured, My Lord, you have saved both me and my four sons, and I shall serve you with the utmost devotion to repay your benevolence."

"Very well."

After the old captain led Karen ashore, Karen witnessed the prosperity of Fire Island. Even though a naval battle had only just erupted on the nearby waters, the place remained bustling and clamorous.

Karen first headed to the office of the Lomaford Alliance, which bore a slight resemblance to the administrative building of the Church of Order. Upon entering, he discovered that the communication and teleportation arrays had both been cordoned off. A group of pirates clad in uniform suits of armor stood guard there, evidently prohibiting any usage.

Under such circumstances, a forceful assault was out of the question. The utilization of either array demanded sufficient time for calibration and preparation. The communication array might be manageable, but if someone disrupted the teleportation array mid-transport, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Karen took Purr and Philomena to a nearby restaurant to order a meal, sending Muri to accompany the old captain to gather information.

The meal was quite sumptuous. Karen requested a private room and ordered several rather expensive dishes; the food that arrived looked exquisitely prepared as well.

"It seems this island must be quite secure under ordinary circumstances," Karen remarked.

"Why is that?" Philomena asked. "I notice many people on the streets carry a resentful aura, most of them being pirates."

"It is not impossible for rules to exist even among pirates. Take the cuisine of this restaurant, for instance—a restaurant in a volatile region cannot produce such exquisite dishes."

"Oh." Philomena nodded.

Purr looked at Philomena with a hint of curiosity and asked, "Why do I feel as though you have changed a little?"

Philomena asked in return, "Have I?"

"Yes, there is a sense of you becoming somewhat brighter."

"I do not feel it."

Karen said nothing. He picked up his spoon, scooped some food onto his plate, and began to eat.

He still recalled during the final selection how Philomena, leading a squad of troublemakers entirely on her own, had nearly advanced to the finals. After joining his squad, she had displayed an attitude of profound dread toward being isolated by him once more.

She was a girl sensitive to her core, a trait forged by the environment of her upbringing since childhood. Yet, sensitive individuals were prone to internal shifts.

Karen remembered that when the woman in red was "reclaimed" back into the bottom of the well, her silhouette was visibly fainter than when she had emerged. This implied that the woman in red had likely left behind a legacy for Philomena.

Coupled with his own promise to help her deal with her grandmother;

For a girl who had grown up lonely and friendless to suddenly receive aid from two strangers, it was entirely natural for her mindset to undergo a shift.

How old was she, after all?

Just as he had expressed that night, were it not for that dreadful curse, perhaps she would have been a lively young maiden of the Velsher family, her personality perchance as carefree and boisterous as Aisly's.

Purr asked inquisitively, "You haven't gone and fallen for Karen, have you?"

Philomena shook her head and replied, "I would sooner fancy Richard."

This was a negation, and a multi-layered one at that. In this context, Richard was a word of multiple meanings, serving as a substitute for "dog shit."

Purr stared blankly for a moment, then silently lowered her head to take a sip of the coffee placed before her, murmuring in her heart:

"Is this the destiny of the Guman family men..."

At that moment, the old captain and Muri returned and reported the situation.

It turned out the Lomaford Pirate Alliance had received "offers of amnesty" from both the Moon God Church and the Reincarnation God Church. This could also be understood as the churches seeking to recruit mercenaries. After all, the current war between the two factions was primarily being waged at sea; building ships on short notice was clearly unfeasible, and more importantly, there was no time to train crews.

To sustain the war, all available forces in the vicinity were being rounded up. By now, the respective subordinate minor churches of both sides had already mobilized to assist their respective patrons.

A division of opinion had arisen within the Lomaford Alliance. The three most powerful pirate families were unwilling to take sides at this juncture, preferring to maintain their independence and refrain from meddling in this conflict.

For unless one side completely annihilated the other, any orthodox church would find it exceedingly simple to crush a pirate alliance once the war concluded. This was, in truth, the wisest course of action.

However, the four lesser families below them had each taken a side, two siding with Reincarnation and two with the Moon God. The skirmish that had erupted earlier was precisely a conflict between these opposing factions.

The communication and teleportation arrays were also shut down starting today. The upper three families of the Lomaford Alliance had handed down a ruling that Fire Island and the surrounding pirate fleets were to maintain complete silence during this period.

Those who wished to leave and serve as mercenaries could do so without issue, but they would henceforth be struck from the alliance's rolls.

The old captain concluded with a sigh, "They are utterly determined to play the tortoise."

While sipping his soup, Karen inquired, "So, neither the teleportation array nor the communication array can be used anytime soon?"

"Indeed," the old captain replied helplessly.

"Are there any illicitly established ones?"

"There might have been in the past, but there should be none now. To strengthen the alliance's cohesion and integrity, Fire Island launched a crackdown last year against privately erected communication and teleportation arrays. It was conducted by all seven families jointly, exposing several smuggling families and pirate factions guilty of such practices, and quite a few lives were taken."

Purr sighed in resignation, "Then we are in a tight spot. The official channels are currently closed, and the private channels no longer exist."

Karen nodded and said, "Then our only option now is to attempt to establish contact with one of these three upper families. If we reveal our identity as believers of the Abyss God Church, there should be a certain chance.

Do you have any channels to introduce us?"

If they were to seek anyone, they must seek the three strongest families. The lower four families had already taken sides prematurely and were clearly unreliable, and the arrays on the island were bound to be under the control of those three families; approaching other factions would be futile.

After all, their current objective was to depart from these waters as soon as possible and return to "civilization."

"I... I am terribly sorry, I do not," the old captain lowered his head in shame.

"Then do you know which churches these three families hold grievances against?"

"As for specific grievances, I am unaware, nor am I qualified to know. I only know of one incident: just over three months ago, Lomaford organized a sizable expedition fleet intending to expand territory in the nearby waters. However, they encountered the Dark Moon Island fleet, which was also an expedition fleet. An encounter battle broke out between the two sides at a location far removed from their respective home islands."

"Oh?" Karen was unaware of this affair; after all, the *Order Weekly* would not report an event so distant and minor. "What was the outcome?"

"The outcome was a victory for the Lomaford Alliance."

"A victory?"

"Yes, yet to me, it did not resemble a victory. Not many vessels returned, and no second expedition fleet was dispatched afterward. Furthermore, many core kinsmen of the upper three families perished in battle.

I heard a friend of mine, who serves as a chief mate in one of those families' fleets and with whom I share a good relationship, mention it over drinks. He said the Dark Moon Island expedition fleet possessed the backing of the Church of Order, receiving enhancements to their artillery and defensive arrays, leaving our Lomaford Alliance expedition fleet utterly outmatched.

Therefore, I believe the Lomaford Alliance must have suffered a devastating defeat in that conflict. And as for which church they hold a grudge against..."

"Very well, I understand."

The old captain picked up a plate, used a spoon to scoop some food, and rose to his feet. "I shall eat outside. Please take your time, everyone."

Once the old captain had departed the private room, Muri let out a sigh. "The grudge is precisely with our Church of Order."

Philomena asked, "If we do not pass through this Fire Island, how long would it take to reach the next place equipped with a teleportation array?"

Purr spoke up, "Based on the travel speed of the sea beast, it would take roughly a month."

"That long?"

"Indeed. One could certainly find places with teleportation arrays nearby, but there is a high probability they would only teleport here to Fire Island. The deployment of ultra-long-distance teleportation arrays is inherently high in cost and immense in difficulty."

"What about going to Dark Moon Island?" Philomena inquired.

Purr shook her head. "Do you think an expedition fleet sails there step by step? It is bound to be transported via array ships. If we were to head directly to Dark Moon Island, the journey would actually be even longer."

"Let us return to the ship first. Next, we shall go purchase some supplies."

"Yes, Captain."

Stepping out of the restaurant, the old captain led the way, bringing the group to the marketplace.

Marse and Memphis had depleted a great deal of their strength along the way, requiring a replenishment of tactical array materials.

Muri led the old captain into the shop to make the purchases, while Karen remained outside waiting, holding Purr, with Philomena beside them.

Purr extended a paw and poked Philomena.

Philomena looked down at Purr, who pointed toward a distant dessert stall: "Buy two portions for us to eat?"

"Shouldn't it be three?"

"Karen doesn't eat sweets."

"Alright." Philomena walked off toward the dessert shop.

"Oh, it seems our voyage will have to continue for some time yet, though I suppose we could just wait here a while longer; perhaps the teleportation array here will reopen in a few days."

Seeing no response from Karen, Purr looked up and found him staring at the signboard of the shop ahead, where a decorative patterned motif rested in the bottom right corner.

"Perhaps, we have a way," Karen said.

Purr asked in confusion: "A way? Is that pattern a contact signal for the Whip of Order?"

"I truly wouldn't know what the contact signals are outside of a Whip of Order squad."

"Then whose signal is it?

Wait a moment, don't tell me the answer just yet, let me guess first.

Could it be those who always skulk in the cracks and margins of the orthodox churches' domains,

who are forever plotting trouble yet forever failing to achieve it,

living their lives like absolute cockroaches,

our old friends—the Remnants of Light?"

"Yes."

"Meow, I knew it."

"This is a notice for a secret gathering, and it was freshly carved, likely called temporarily in response to the naval clashes on the fringes of Twilight."

"So, you plan to use them to find a way back?"

Karen shook his head,

correcting him:

"No, I have simply found the organization."