<div> Chapter 52: LII. Sudden Rainfall
 Inside Londen City, Dream Blue Hotel.
 Zahak had experienced an emotional rollercoaster throughout the afternoon.
 Around two o’clock.
 The Constitutional Soldiers heading to a secret port had lost contact, and the high-ranking officers sent to investigate had not returned.
 At three-thirty, news came in.
 Edmond had captured Goria and the fugitive target, and would soon rush to Londen City to rendezvous before returning to Imperial City.
 And now.
 Several dozen Constitutional Soldiers killed by Caroso and Claude, two, shattered in morale, had fled. They sent an urgent message using the Constitutional Army’s trained hawks—Edmond’s life or death was unknown, and the target might pass through Lavender Town to reach the coast.
 It was almost nightfall now. If Edmond had started to come over with troops on fast horses, they should have arrived by now.
 There was only one possibility.
 "Edmond... that kind of man, is actually dead."
 The two-meter-five tall Leopard Man couldn’t believe it, realizing the situation was dire, he hoisted a special large blade weighing over three hundred pounds, indicating his intention to intercept them on the road to Lavender Town.
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 </div> "It seems I have to take matters into my own hands."
 Zahak’s tone was calm, he had already laid a perfect trap, the official ports in Londen City were airtight, and patrols were covering the other secret harbors.
 Thinking back to the team of Constitutional Soldiers who lost contact at noon, a guess formed in Zahak’s mind.
 "Go to the Admiral Mansion now and tell the Admiral to send troops to the main road to Lavender Town. Say it’s a command from the Constitutional Soldier Commander, he won’t refuse, given legal obligations, and will likely lend some forces."
 Zahak’s face was ice-cold as he stood up and instructed the Yisu Girl.
 Many of the soldiers stationed here were simply burnishing their resumes, yet there were also elites that he had brought with him.
 All means eventually lead to the same end, even within the political sphere, adhering to the principle of keeping distant states as allies while attacking nearby states.
 Within the same institution, every colleague on the same level is an enemy, a competitor blocking one’s way to the highest position. Others within the institution must be allied and combined to take on competitors within one’s own department, and not all of the people brought under one’s command are loyal; those wedged into allied institutions are the most trustworthy.
 This is how one operates flexibly in the Imperial court, gradually usurping the upper echelons of power to solidify control.
 However, almost every capable person does this, leading to endless dangers within the Imperial court.
 Zahak had to take care of those planted by his political allies, to let them bolster their resumes here, but real battles had to be fought as well—he had around two hundred well-trained elite soldiers at his disposal.
 "This is urgent, leave immediately," he commanded.
 Zahak set off immediately, accompanied by the Leopard Man. Although the Leopard Man only held the rank of Officer, that was merely due to a lack of military achievements; his real capability wasn’t much inferior to Edmond’s.
 After a swift preparation, Zahak led the Constitutional Army through the streets. Along the way, the citizens of Londen City cast hostile looks their way. The dominance of foreigners in their homeland left a sour taste, yet they only dared to feel anger without expressing it.
 Ten minutes later.
 The coast was nearing nightfall, the winter monsoon piercing to the bone.
 Eight miles outside Londen City, at the main intersection of the main road, surrounded by trees and swaying wild grass, an ominous silence prevailed.
 The imposing group of two hundred soldiers, each holding a torch, illuminated the area leaving nowhere to hide within hundreds of meters.
 From here one could take a forked path to Lavender Town and another town, or follow another dirt road leading to a secret port where a team lost contact at noon.
 When Zahak, leading his troops, arrived here.
 The patrol Constitutional Soldiers here had all been butchered, with over ten bodies in a grisly state, as though dissected by an expert. The ulna and radius bones of several arms had been split down the middle, a bizarrely precise strike. Other body parts resembled meat hung on hooks, blood thoroughly drained, leaving only bare flesh, a bizarre scene unheard of.
 The rest were brutally disemboweled, with claw marks suggesting a wild beast had killed them.
 "This is creepy as hell," cursed the Leopard Man as a chilling wind blew and the torches flickered. This damned place on the East Shore was seriously eerie.
 "It’s someone supporting Caroso and the others, someone quite capable."
 Zahak looked at the fork in the road leading to the Sea Erosion Cliff Cave several miles away, as if remembering something, could Marcus actually possess some sort of divine power? The location was exactly where the "petition umbrella" tree’s bloodied hand had pointed.
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 </div> Zahak had made a decision; his group would intercept Caroso and the others, and naturally, Marcus would hold the fort here. For the sake of caution, he still dispatched a hundred men to reinforce the secret port, including several high-ranking officers, capable of forming a regiment.
 From now on, the troops would divide into two groups.
 Word had it that Goria and the target had been captured but were most certainly rescued by their supporters. Zahak led the remainder of his men to continue toward Lavender Town to block their escape.
 At this very moment.
 At the secret port.
 Mika shook Fen out of his reverie; two messengers returned who had been sent by Archer stated that a group of Heavy Priests and a giant over five meters tall were heading this way.
 "Damn it."
 Wolman had never expected that he would be up against the madmen of the Church Court.
 Fen also lost interest in using his Spiritual Body to support the other two groups; plans could not keep up with changes. It seemed that some unexpected event had occurred at Liszt’s end as well, as those people had locked down the secret port, sealing their conclusions, believing this ship to be the one for the rendezvous.
 "The one thing I love most is killing people from the Church."
 Haywood imitated Wolman’s words.
 "Don’t worry, I have this in my hands."
 Fen took a sack out of his bosom, which had Netherworld Stele Fragments sealed by Magic Stones within. Although he had never tried and dared not attempt it lightly, if pushed to his limits and he could not win, he would utilize the Stele Fragments as a medium to cast Necromancy. Unless the one coming was the High Priest of the Eternal Sect, they would be no match for him.
 Mika looked at him with newfound respect; this Magician was extremely powerful yet exceedingly cautious, so stable.
 Meanwhile.
 Elsewhere.
 Zahak had already traveled some distance on the main road toward Lavender Town.
 The highway, built along the coast and gradually penetrating inland, now carried a stiflingly hot air as a downpour was imminent. Dense clouds covered the celestial bodies above, reducing visibility to that of midnight.
 At that moment, screams came from the front of the march.
 Zahak immediately ordered a halt.
 "What’s happened?"
 Zahak rode to the front line to find a horse gutted on the ground, its insides spread all over, and the soldier who had been riding it had his throat ripped open, still alive but spurting blood intermittently and clearly beyond saving.
 "I didn’t see it clearly, a black shadow pounced and then disappeared again. It seemed like a massive wolf."
 The soldier being questioned was shaken by the scene and stuttered slightly in his speech.
 "A gigantic wolf... it must be a Werewolf that came down from the Western Plateau."
 The Leopard Man also came to the forefront, estimating that it was one of the culprits who had killed the patrolling Constitutional Soldiers.
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 </div> Suddenly, the dark shadow burst out of the trees again.
 Rein kept the strategy in mind, eliminate minor characters instantly, stall the big fish when possible, and if time can’t be bought, join up with the main forces of Morison and Ox.
 This time, Rein wasn’t as lucky.
 Zahak was at the front of the troops. In an instant, he drew his sword and slashed, sending a blood-red sword energy roaring like a dragon.
 Rein put up his Arm Armor to block it, almost dislocating his elbow joint, and a scratch appeared on the steel armor.
 "You must be the apprentice of the Aran Sword King."
 Rein didn’t dare stay long. He was no match for human foot speed. Even if Zahak was strong, once Rein ran into the woods, he couldn’t be pursued.
 He blew a whistle; around a dozen pirates ambushed behind the troops, not to kill, but merely to harass and weaken their strength.
 After the pirates had cut down a few men at the rear, they too quickly slipped back into the woods.
 Rein himself, using all four limbs, sped toward the main road ahead. It was time for the real bruisers to do the slaughtering.
 "Pursue."
 Zahak understood that the situation had now become a deadly annihilation battle between them.</div>
 

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Chapter 52: LII. Sudden Rainfall

Chapter 52: LII. Sudden Rainfall Inside Londen City, Dream Blue Hotel. Zahak had experienced an emotional rollercoaster throughout the afternoon. Around two o’clock. The Constitutional Soldiers heading to a secret port had lost contact, and the high-ranking officers sent to investigate had not returned. At three-thirty, news came in. Edmond had captured Goria and the fugitive target, and would soon rush to Londen City to rendezvous before returning to Imperial City. And now. Several dozen...

Black Sail

Chapter 52: LII. Sudden Rainfall

Black Sail - Chapter 52: LII. Sudden Rainfall