Chapter 391 Coral Courtyard

"The Church, the Governor's Mansion, and the Bay Chamber of Commerce."

"These three powers are like three cables twisted together, towing the great ship of Barracuda Bay."

"Sometimes they pull in different directions, and the ship pitches violently. Occasionally they pull together, and the ship sails a little faster."

"But most of the time, they know sinking the ship doesn't benefit anyone, so things stay relatively stable overall."

"As for those of us crammed together on the deck and in the cabins—"

Paddy grinned, revealing his slightly yellowed, gapped teeth.

"Learning to scrounge for food in the cracks of the deck, holding on tight when the ship pitches so you don't get thrown overboard, and staying far away when the cables strain against each other so you don't get caught in them—that's the greatest skill of all."

Listening to the petty merchant, Xia Nan looked thoughtful.

The power dynamics of Barracuda Bay were clear enough.

The Governor's Mansion controlled order and authority, the Church steered faith and divine right, and the Bay Chamber of Commerce gripped the economy and trade.

Although the three often clashed, they were ultimately tied to the same ship and shared common interests. After countless years of friction and adjustment, things would never turn completely ugly.

Backed by their respective foundations and the abundant wealth accumulated over the years, these three organizations commanded nearly ninety-five percent of Barracuda Bay's resources.

As long as one wanted to make a living in this port city, contact with them was inevitable.

Even for starving vagrants, choosing to beg near the Chamber of Commerce's shops meant generous "lords" might casually toss them a handful of copper coins, enough for them to live well for a while.

That was to say nothing of their relationship with the patrolling guards of the Governor's Mansion who maintained street order, and the Church, which frequently distributed supplies.

In all of Barracuda Bay, comparatively speaking, the only ones who could remain somewhat detached from these three factions were probably adventurers like Xia Nan, whose material desires were low.

Suddenly recalling something, Xia Nan raised an eyebrow and asked Paddy, "What about the Adventurers' Association? I remember Barracuda Bay should have a branch, right?"

"How is its relationship with the other three factions?"

If one looked solely at the scope of its influence and the sheer scale of its power, the Adventurers' Association was undoubtedly a crushing behemoth compared to the three factions currently controlling Barracuda Bay.

The Bay Chamber of Commerce, a merchant organization primarily dealing in the economic trade of coastal regions, was not worth mentioning.

The Governor's Mansion was merely a local administrative body of the Servia Kingdom—never mind the governor of a small seaport, even their king wouldn't rank highly enough to matter.

As for the Church, it was entirely fragmented. The various branches couldn't even sort out their internal faith disputes and the sordid affairs between their deities. If any conflict actually arose, the Association wouldn't even need to act; the so-called "heretics" of rival churches would intervene themselves.

Under these circumstances, since Barracuda Bay clearly had an Adventurers' Association branch yet excluded it from the major factions, there could only be one reason:

—It didn't care.

It might have even proactively withdrawn from the power struggle.

Suddenly recalling what he had learned in Rivervale Town about the Association's operating style and organizational structure, Xia Nan already had a vague answer the moment the question left his lips.

And Paddy's answer was exactly as he suspected.

"The Adventurers' Association—" The gray-haired, middle-aged man looked up at Xia Nan with a hint of caution in his eyes, weighing his words. "Mr. Xia Nan, you certainly know more about this than I do."

"The Association has its own resource channels. Compared to the profits in the port, it cares much more about developing and cultivating adventurers."

"It basically never involves itself in the disputes within Barracuda Bay. And when the other three major factions touch upon matters concerning the Adventurers' Association, they tacitly exercise restraint and minimize contact."

Rather than an "organization," the Adventurers' Association functioned more like an interactive "platform" for adventurers. That dynamic wouldn't change just because they went from Rivervale Town to Barracuda Bay.

It rarely took the initiative to participate in the games played by local factions, nor would it dispatch its core members over some dispensable profits.

Just as before, it merely provided a platform for adventurers operating around Barracuda Bay to take on quests and earn bounties.

This allowed Xia Nan to breathe a sigh of relief.

He had come to Barracuda Bay mainly for two purposes:

To trade the [Tide-Surge Lure Pole], and to find the key for the [Dream Weaving Corridor].

In between, he might take on a few commissions to earn some meal money.

Being able to avoid getting dragged into the conflicts of the local factions was naturally for the best.

"Take me to the Adventurers' Association first. I should learn the way," Xia Nan suggested at the appropriate time, seeing that Paddy had finished his introduction to the general factions within Barracuda Bay.

"Of course!"

The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly and led Xia Nan and Colin toward the other side of the street.

The Adventurers' Association branch was located in the Cormorant District, which was quite a distance from where Xia Nan and the others currently were.

Naturally, Paddy couldn't just walk in silence and act only as a guide.

Along the way, he introduced the notable buildings and shops lining the street to Xia Nan.

"This is the Silver Frost Cellar. They sell local vegetables and fruits. If you like to cook for yourself, you can buy ingredients here. The prices are fairly reasonable for the Saltwater District, and if you come in the morning, freshness is guaranteed."

"Over here is Siri's Textile Shop. It's full of affordable daily apparel, and they also offer custom tailoring services. I bought the outfit I'm wearing right now from his shop. If you find the goods in the clothing stores of the Cormorant District and White Cliff District too expensive and don't want to spend that much, you can consider this place."

"And then there's—"

Paddy's words involuntarily came to a halt, and even his footsteps slowed a fraction.

His gaze toward the side of the street took on a somewhat inexplicable look.

Xia Nan followed his gaze.

What entered his sight was an exquisitely and luxuriously decorated three-story building that clearly highlighted its functional purpose.

The exterior walls were painted a faint light red with some unknown material. All the windows were fitted with frosted stained glass, and under the illumination of the ever-burning orange and dark purple lights inside, the blurred silhouettes shifting within took on an indistinct, ambiguous allure. The porch was supported by two coral-colored stone pillars carved into spirals, with two custom-made, small seashell-shaped lanterns hanging from the top. In front of the doors, several plump women in heavy makeup were calling out to solicit customers.

The lettering on the signboard above the main entrance was pieced together from coral branches, forming slight curves with tiny pearls embedded along the edges.

It looked somewhat like a form of stylized art text. Xia Nan studied it for a moment before barely managing to make out the building's name:

—"Coral Courtyard."