Chapter 437 Charter Approval Officer

As mentioned before, in the Servia Kingdom, a title was not tied to territory—especially for nobles at the bottom of the hierarchy pyramid like a "Baron."

Take Baron Farrow, for example.

Despite holding the title of "Baron," he had no subjects of his own, lacked the authority to dictate the life and death of local commoners like a petty king, and fell far short of the inland magnates in terms of income.

On the surface, he owned a rather luxurious three-story mansion in the White Cliff District and lived a life of luxury and opulence. He traveled with a dedicated carriage and guards, looking completely respectable. Yet, when compared to the inland barons who lived in towering fortresses and vast estates, surrounded by throngs of servants and bathing in milk, he truly paled in comparison.

Of course, his position wasn't entirely without its perks.

After all, one was a remote countryside where you could barely see a few professionals, while the other was a major seaport city of the kingdom housing a branch of the Adventurers' Association. The living environments were entirely different.

Furthermore, although lower-tier nobles like Baron Farrow had no territory of their own, their aristocratic status and titles ensured they would never have to sell their physical labor for gold coins like the laborers at Wave-Breaking Wharf.

Normally, they would hold important, high-paying, and powerful positions in town.

If they were capable and possessed a certain degree of ambition, they would smoothly enter the official promotion system of the Barracuda Bay Governor's Mansion from a very high starting point.

If they had only average ability and no desire to climb the ranks, they could generally coast until retirement in some lucrative, leisurely deputy post.

Baron Farrow belonged to the former.

Born into a military family and raised with an elite education, his competence went without saying. However, his relatively inflexible personality meant his promotion speed had been rather slow.

Even so, his status as a "Baron" still allowed him to become a Charter Approval Officer at the Barracuda Bay Governor's Mansion by the age of forty-two.

The title alone might not sound like much, but if one listed his actual duties, anyone with the slightest sensitivity to the political ecosystem could see the true weight it carried:

1. Issuing franchises for fishing, mining, salt flats, and shipbuilding;

2. Approving dock expansion permits, exclusive selling rights for specific goods, and temporary concessions for shipwreck salvage;

3. Reviewing the qualifications of permit applicants, investigating and assessing local resource reserves, and setting the profit-sharing ratios for concession operators...

There were many more beyond these.

But these three items alone were enough to prove just how high the authority of this so-called "Charter Approval Officer" truly was.

To put it bluntly, if he harbored even the slightest malicious intent, given the sheer scale and prosperity of Barracuda Bay, the illicit profits he could skim from this single position would likely exceed the total income of an inland local magnate's entire territory.

This was exactly the source of Hein's interactions with Baron Farrow.

As a druid of the Coral Society, her core philosophy was to maintain the ecological balance of the ocean.

Even though her current strength was average, she was still a Level 3 professional, and the organization had assigned her to actively protect a coral reef located southwest of Barracuda Bay.

At the same time, she was also an adventurer. Because of her role as a spellcaster, she held a near-core position in her team and frequently needed to go out on missions.

Under these circumstances, she naturally couldn't live by the sea for long periods to guard the coral reef like a professional gravekeeper.

Given this premise, Hein had established a partnership with Baron Farrow through channels at the Three-Legged Sea Dog.

The Baron had his eyes on the Coral Society behind Hein. After all, sitting in the position of "Charter Approval Officer," establishing mutually beneficial relationships with more factions would only secure his seat further. At the same time, it was an investment in a spellcaster like Hein, with hopes of reaping returns once she grew stronger in the future.

On Hein's side, she would receive regular financial assistance, allowing her to hire professionals to guard the coral reef and prevent it from suffering large-scale destruction or pollution.

Under the Baron's behind-the-scenes manipulation, the waters surrounding the coral reef were even incorporated into a business concession zone that would never be developed. It enjoyed a fishing moratorium during specific seasons every year, restricted coral harvesting, and outright banned destructive fishing of reef creatures.

Hein could not be anything but grateful for Baron Farrow's assistance.

She also knew very well that if anything happened to him, or if he stepped down from his post as Charter Approval Officer, his successor... might not be as easy to talk to as the Baron.

Now, hearing the rumors of the Baron's daughter being abducted, it was impossible for her to remain indifferent.

"Is the information accurate?" Hein suddenly stopped in her tracks and asked Xia Nan with a serious expression.

"It shouldn't be wrong," Xia Nan nodded. "I learned about the situation from Hera at the Three-Legged Sea Dog earlier, and the relevant commission is already up on the quest board in the Association hall."

"It's not entirely certain she was actually attacked by someone, but his daughter's disappearance is definitely real."

Hearing this, a deep anxiety surfaced on Hein's pale face. She twisted her body, looking as though she was about to rush right back to the Association to check the commission details.

But a second later, she suddenly hesitated.

She frowned and gritted her teeth, then stomped her foot abruptly. She took a few quick strides to catch up with Xia Nan and continued heading in their original direction, though her pace was noticeably faster.

"I need to go back to the tavern first and explain the situation to the captain and the others. After all, this is an unplanned incident, and acting alone could easily lead to accidents," she offered, almost as if explaining to herself.

Xia Nan offered no opinion on this, his expression noncommittal.

Naturally, he wasn't going to get involved in this incident.

Hein was merely a trader he had just met, not even a friend. As for the Baron and his daughter, he had only seen them once in passing and hadn't exchanged a single word with them; he had only learned the name "Baron Farrow" later from someone else.

Although the 500 gold intelligence fee on the Association's commission was quite eye-catching, and Xia Nan did need ample funds to forge equipment and renovate the pirate ship, his current savings of over three thousand gold coins were likely enough to keep him from being strapped for cash. Right now, the most important thing was to wait for Hera to introduce her contacts to him so he could secure the connections needed to attend the Lunar Tide Banquet.

Unless there was some temptation far greater than gold, he would maintain a wait-and-see attitude regarding this "missing baron's daughter" incident and would not rashly intervene.

Thinking this over, Xia Nan kept his feet moving, returning to the Three-Legged Sea Dog Tavern with her.

Unexpectedly, however, after walking for only another two or three minutes, he suddenly spotted a few familiar figures by the street.

Accompanied by a brief clamor, they vanished into the shadows of an adjacent alley.

He paused his steps, his brow twitching slightly.

...

...

Jerry felt that things were not going quite his way today.

He knew he used to be just a petty street thug. Even with the moniker "Bloody-Nosed Rat," it was only due to a humiliating past experience, not because he had forged any glorious reputation worth bragging about.

But times had changed.

Now, to some extent, he could be considered a member of the Horned Shark Gang.

Even though he hadn't yet been formally introduced to all the brothers in the gang, he had recently taken the risk to keep watch for several of the gang's big shots and had already secured their promise.

Once this current affair was completely over, he would become a true member of the Horned Shark Gang.

And no one would dare look down on him ever again!

As for the possibility of being deceived...

For one thing, Jerry didn't think the big shots in the Horned Shark Gang had any reason to trick a small-time thug like him.

On the other hand, if they were truly playing him, they could have just kicked him to the curb when it was done. Why would they give him that item as a reward?

Thinking of this, a dreamy smile unconsciously surfaced on Jerry's face as his right hand instinctively reached for his waist.

Feeling the cold, hard texture pressing against his fingertips, it felt as if his bright future had condensed right there.

Unfortunately, even though he considered himself a member of the Horned Shark Gang, the merchants in the Saltwater District didn't seem to recognize him yet.

That "Salmon Roe" or "Sturgeon Caviar" or whatever grocery store this morning was just his bad luck. He hadn't investigated properly before going and didn't know the owner had a professional-grade adventurer friend present.

Fortunately, he had reacted quickly, likely hadn't offended anyone, and slipped away fast.

However, the two lackeys following him didn't seem to grasp the situation. Even after he explained it to them, they still looked half-convinced.

Jerry had been wanting to find an opportunity to prove his strength so others wouldn't underestimate him.

Right now seemed to be exactly that time.

"Thud!"

A thin but hard fist smashed heavily into a stomach, producing a muffled sound.

"Ah!!!"

A scrawny middle-aged man wailed in pain. He leaned forward, instinctively struggling with all his might, but was pinned firmly against the wall by two pairs of large hands, completely immobilized.

"Please, s—sir, I'll never dare do it again!"

With the scrawny man's pleas ringing in his ears, Jerry stood rooted to the spot.

The knuckles on his right hand were still throbbing with pain, but at this moment, he didn't feel the slightest bit of discomfort.

This unprecedented, exquisite sensation of towering over someone else made this petty thug, who had spent his life scraping by in the labyrinthine alleys of the Saltwater District, feel as if his feet had left the ground and he was floating in the clouds.

Only in this moment did he truly feel like he had finally made it.

He tensed his facial muscles, wanting to feign seriousness to assert his authority. But driven by an overly thrilled heart, an involuntary grin tugged at the corners of his mouth, contorting Jerry's entire face into a stiff, twisted expression.

Shing—

A cold light flashed.

He suddenly drew a dagger from his waist. It was entirely silvery-white, bizarre in shape, looking as though it were forged from a single piece of steel—short, refined, and exquisite.

He took a sudden step forward.

While signaling his two lackeys to press harder to prevent any resistance, he pressed his index finger flat against the spine of the blade and rested its edge against the side of the middle-aged man's face.

He deliberately lowered his voice, mimicking the posture he had seen those "tough guys" display in the past.

Staring into the man's terrified eyes, he leaned his face in close.

"I'm only giving you three days."

"If you haven't scraped together the protection money by then..." Jerry exerted a slight amount of pressure with his right hand, and the sharp tip of the blade pierced the skin on the man's cheek almost instantly.

Thick, bright red blood slowly trickled from the wound.

Clearly, not even Jerry himself expected this dagger rewarded by the Horned Shark Gang to be so incredibly sharp. His pupils contracted instinctively the moment the blood welled up.

But a second later, the terrified wails of the scrawny man in front of him, along with his desperate, frantic promises made just to stay alive, sent another indescribable surge of superiority washing over him.

It was as if, at this moment, he too had become a big shot capable of deciding the lives and deaths of others with a flick of his wrist.

"I... I'll definitely hand it over!"

"My Lord... please, I'm begging you!"

Fortunately, some rationality still remained in his heart.

Normally, he only engaged in petty theft and mischief. If it actually came to killing someone, Jerry really didn't have the guts.

Right now, just coming over to collect the protection money, scare the guy, and gain some face in front of his two lackeys was already enough.

"Hmph!" He snorted coldly, moving the small, bizarre short knife away from the man's face.

Feigning coldness, he waved at his two burly lackeys, signaling them to let go.

"Get lost."

The scrawny middle-aged man nearly slumped to the ground. He panted heavily and frantically wiped the back of his hand across his throbbing cheek, smearing half his face with a bloody red.

Even though it was just a flesh wound, it looked rather gruesome.

Hearing Jerry's voice, the man didn't even dare look back. He scrambled away on his hands and knees, fleeing toward the other exit deep within the alleyway.

Watching the man's wretched, fleeing figure, Jerry was filled with an unstoppable surge of excitement and satisfaction.

A few days ago, who would have thought that he, "Bloody-Nosed Rat" Jerry, would ever see a day like this.

Even his previously frustrated mood instantly relaxed.

"Let's go!" He waved his hand grandly, acting immensely generous. "Come drink with me, my treat... put it all on our Horned Shark Gang's tab!"

Seeing this, although they both saw through Jerry's financial constraints, his two lackeys proactively played along and cheered.

Jerry looked satisfied. Taking advantage of the moment they weren't paying attention, he turned around and, feeling a pang of distress, used his shirt to wipe the residual blood off the strange short blade's surface.

Only then did he turn back around, leading the two of them toward the street exit of the alley.

Whoosh—

A cold wind blew through the dimly lit, cramped alleyway.

A familiar, sinister chill suddenly surged up his spine. He shuddered violently, goosebumps erupting all over his body.

Jerry instinctively halted his steps.

"Hiss..."

A terrifying hiss echoed between the walls.

A smooth, cold, and delicate sensation suddenly pressed against his ankle, continuously climbing upward.

He could even faintly feel the tiny scales scraping past the surface of his skin, along with the writhing of the muscles beneath them.

He froze completely, standing there completely motionless.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

A pair of terrified, panicked eyes stared straight ahead.

There, accompanied by the sound of metal and fabric rubbing together and approaching footsteps, two figures gradually became clear within the deepest part of the shadows.