Chapter 128: A Bounty That Can Bestow the Title of Baron

Chapter 128: Chapter 128: A Bounty That Can Bestow the Title of Baron

Dawei Province.

Golden Flower City.

Inside a vast, luxurious manor.

"The Green Tree Pirate Gang! The Shell Pirate Gang!"

An old man with white hair and a beard roared in a sudden fury, slamming the documents in his hand onto the floor.

The officials and guards standing before him said nothing, waiting for the old man to vent his anger.

They all knew his temper. Staying silent was the wisest course of action.

"This is the result of your efforts against the Pirates?! Blue Whale Town! An entire Baron’s Domain, brazenly wiped out by two Pirate Gangs! How absurd! How unbelievable!"

The old man berated them, his imposing presence suffocating.

Lumbar Donner, the Helmsman of Dawei Province, the powerful Count of the Lanton Duchy.

"It was a dereliction of our duty."

Faced with Count Lumbar’s direct rebuke, one of the middle-aged men bowed his head and admitted his fault.

He knew full well why the Lord Count was so furious.

A small Baron’s Domain could fall in war, or even be stripped of its title by the Count himself. But to be ignominiously wiped out by a band of roving brigands was unacceptable. It was the provocation of a bug to a tiger—something Count Lumbar could not tolerate.

News of this incident would soon spread throughout the Lanton Duchy, and the ever-prideful Count Lumbar would become the laughingstock of the nobility. A Count who couldn’t even prevent a domain under his command from being destroyed by Pirates would be labeled incompetent.

This was the reason for Count Lumbar’s immense fury.

"The fires of war on the front lines have yet to be quenched, and now our rear has been ambushed by this scum! Tell me, what am I supposed to do?"

Count Lumbar, a man known for his excellent composure, had let out a rare curse.

"Please rest assured, Lord Count. I will personally lead the Elite Guard Team to annihilate the Green Tree Pirate Gang and the Shell Pirate Gang."

The middle-aged man said, forcing himself to speak.

Count Lumbar sneered but did not respond immediately.

"Kirk."

Count Lumbar called out.

A man who looked to be about thirty years old raised his head. His face was expressionless, his eyes without a ripple of emotion. "Lord Count."

"You will personally lead one hundred elite Guards. First, go to Blue Whale Town and clean up the aftermath. While you’re there, hold a mourning ceremony for Enton in my name. After that, find the two Pirate Gangs and exterminate them." Count Lumbar paused, his tone icy. "Leave none alive."

"Yes, Lord Count."

Kirk replied.

’One hundred elite Guards, plus myself... Wiping out the two merged Pirate Gangs would be a simple matter.’

"Also, release a statement to the public. If anyone kills the leaders of the two Pirate Gangs, they will be enfeoffed as the new Baron."

Although Count Lumbar believed no one but Kirk could kill the two leaders, he still wanted the announcement made.

This both demonstrated his resolve to crush all opposition and served as a flimsy fig leaf to cover his shame.

...

Diamond Town.

Looking at Hephar, Baron Kels felt a little dazed.

’Blue Whale Town is gone? Baron Enton is dead?’

’Two merged Pirate Gangs wiped out a Baron’s Domain... Something like this actually happened.’

Suddenly, Baron Kels’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly asked Hephar, "What about Vili? Where is he?"

Baron Kels would only feel regret for Baron Enton’s death, but if something had happened to Vili, he would fly into a rage.

He had personally groomed Vili, who was the future core figure of Diamond Town. If Vili had met with an accident in Blue Whale Town, he would be kicking himself. A coastal settlement and several tens of thousands of Gold Rums were nothing compared to Vili’s value.

"Lord Vili was not in Blue Whale Town. He went to an overseas island to eliminate a small group of Pirates."

Hephar adopted the most humble posture possible. Baron Enton’s family and his own had just arrived in Diamond Town to seek Baron Kels’s protection. If Baron Kels refused to take them in, the wandering, ruined noble family would quickly be devoured.

"Is that so..."

Baron Kels breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Vili was safe, everything was fine.

However, he immediately remembered that Vili was still out on the open sea, and a new wave of worry washed over him. Baron Kels couldn’t fully relax until he saw Vili return with his own eyes.

"Lord Kels, Baron Enton’s family..."

Hephar’s voice was tinged with pleading.

Baron Kels glanced at Hephar. Hephar had already told him that Baron Enton was willing to offer ninety percent of his fortune in exchange for Baron Kels’s protection of his family.

Baron Kels considered it for a moment. "I will have someone arrange for their settlement."

Baron Kels’s words instantly put Hephar at ease. He said gratefully, "Thank you, Lord Kels."

"You may go."

Baron Kels waved his hand, left alone in the room to his thoughts.

...

「Evening, on the sea.」

Vili’s fishing boat sailed slowly. Compared to before, his body was spattered with more blood, and a rusty Iron Sword now rested beside him.

At this moment, Vili had no idea what had transpired in Blue Whale Town during the day. Just an hour ago, he had completely destroyed the Pirates on one of the islands. Of the more than eighty Pirates in the gang, Vili had slain over thirty. The rest had fled in the chaos, either by boat or by jumping into the sea.

Although he hadn’t managed to wipe them all out, they wouldn’t be able to reorganize for an effective attack on Blue Whale Town anytime soon.

This could be considered Vili’s successful takedown of the first target.

After eliminating this small Pirate Gang, Vili didn’t stop to rest. He immediately set off for the next target.

Although the chances of running into major trouble on the open sea were small, if something did happen, it would be difficult to resolve. After all, no one knew if a giant whale might suddenly shoot up from the depths and devour him.

There were too many uncertainties in the ocean.

So, for now, Vili just wanted to deal with his targets quickly and return to Blue Whale Town as soon as possible.

Moonlight spilled across the water, making the night sea look mysterious and serene.

Vili was now approaching the second target location.

Thanks to his incredible eyesight, Vili had already figured out the general patrol and defense layout of the target island long before the patrolling Pirates spotted him.

Vili stopped rowing forward and brought the boat to a halt at a suitable distance.

He tucked the Iron Sword into his belt and dove headfirst into the water.

Swimming underwater to approach the island would prevent him from being discovered. That way, it would be easier to take action once he was on shore.

Although he possessed the strength of a Middle Knight, Vili didn’t like to rely solely on brute force. Sometimes, using his head could save a lot of effort.