Chapter 2287: Tavern Games

Chapter 2287: Chapter 2287: Tavern Games

After confirming that the other party was not suspicious, Mr. Benhart actually wanted to leave. However, upon hearing Captain Rudolf emphasize once more that he knew nothing, he became intrigued instead.

The elegant Vampire Viscount smiled and said:

"Captain, stop joking. Just because you spend most of your time at sea doesn’t mean you know nothing about what happens on land. I don’t believe someone who knows nothing about Moon Bay could own such a large fleet."

The burly Vampire also smiled a bit:

"Alright, if I do have some information you might need, how do you plan to make me talk?"

"How about a game of Roder Card?"

Shard suddenly suggested, but Captain Rudolf shook his head without hesitation, which was quite rare:

"I was about to propose that myself, but since you brought it up, I must refuse. Generally, anyone who dares to speak like that is either a Roder Card expert or just a pure gambler, and you clearly don’t seem to be a gambler. But we can play some other tavern games..."

"Like what?"

Mr. Benhart raised an eyebrow, prompting the captain to place his right elbow on the table and raise his right palm towards the two:

"Sailors’ favorite game besides Roder Card—arm-wrestling. Which one of you wants to try? But let me warn you, I won’t go easy on you."

Shard and Mr. Benhart exchanged a glance before the latter rapidly stood up, wisely giving up his spot.

"Hey, someone here actually wants to arm-wrestle the captain!"

The bystanders watched their movement and noisily gathered around; many of them were actually sailors from Captain Rudolf’s fleet, drinking with him here.

Mr. Benhart stood behind Shard, having complete confidence in him. Shard moved his chair to the middle of the side of the table and extended his right hand onto the tabletop:

"What are the rules?"

"Elbows can’t leave the table, and you’re not allowed to stand up and use force. You can place your left hand on the table side, but if you damage anything, you’ll have to pay for it."

As he spoke, his right hand gripped Shard’s right hand. The captain’s right hand was also a size larger than Shard’s, and from physique alone, Shard seemed to have no chance of winning.

"I’ll be the referee."

A tall man in the crowd said, raising his left hand high:

"You can only exert force after the countdown! Fair competition, ready—three, two, one, go!"

With a bang~, even the glasses on the table jumped. Shard’s hand overwhelmingly pressed Captain Rudolf’s hand down onto the table, and the latter didn’t even seem to have realized what happened.

This wasn’t a case of Shard suddenly exerting force when people weren’t paying attention; both had started exerting their strength when the countdown began. The result occurred solely because Shard had a complete power advantage.

The onlookers were silent, as if they’d been collectively choked, before bursting into loud discussions a few seconds later. Shard released Captain Rudolf’s hand, and the captain looked at his palm in surprise:

"That’s really surprising... Let’s go again!"

"Are you going back on your word?"

Mr. Benhart immediately asked, and the captain shook his head:

"Of course not. What I wanted to tell you before was information 1. Let’s do it again, and if you win, I’ll give you information 2."

Saying that, he stood up and swiftly took off his coat. Although being shirtless in a public tavern setting was quite improper, the onlookers simply admired the captain’s muscles and strength.

He shook his arm forcefully, and as he turned, Shard saw a large tattoo on his back. It was a red dragon tattoo, lifelike in its design. If Shard wasn’t mistaken, the tattoo was likely made with dragon beast blood, one of the ways to draw on Dragon strength.

"Once more, win and ask whatever you want."

With that, the captain sat down again, and Shard grew more serious. He only took off his coat and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, then clasped hands once more with the now visibly warming captain across from him.

"Three, two, one, go!"

With the word, there wasn’t a one-sided victory this time. Instead, Captain Rudolf’s hand surprisingly bent Shard’s hand slightly downwards.

The burly Vampire, gritting his teeth, had turned red, muscles bulging, and the blue veins on his entire right arm almost seemed to burst through his sun-darkened skin.

He lowered his head slightly to exert strength, while Shard feigned great effort and stagnation in his own pressure, essentially just pretending to be matching the captain’s force.

Captain Rudolf was a Level 6 Circle Sorcerer, plus the tattoo on his back and the advantage of his physique, giving him immense strength. But even that wasn’t enough when facing someone one Ring higher than him, Shard.

The crowd watching the arm-wrestling believed it was a genuine contest, cheering and encouraging both contestants.

Even Mr. Benhart felt a bit of tension, then saw Shard suddenly let out a powerful "Ha!" while slowly pulling the hands upright before gradually pressing the captain’s hand downwards.

Although Captain Rudolf had two opportunities where he nearly stopped Shard’s hand, ultimately, amid cries of "Push harder" and "Press him down," Rudolf’s right hand back touched the table first.

Bang!

"Ha, what kind of monster are you?"

The game ended, and he withdrew his right hand, continually rubbing his sore wrist. Looking up, he saw that Shard was also rubbing his wrist, so he didn’t ask to compete again:

"I haven’t lost in an arm wrestling game in a long time. This time I admit defeat willingly, and I’m willing to call you the strongest.

Darn, people these days are getting more impressive one after another. Oh, have you guys seen enough? Disperse, I want to speak with these two gentlemen privately."

He quickly dressed, dispersed the crowd, and then moved to a corner table inviting the two to sit. But this time Captain Rudolf’s attitude was noticeably better, even calling over the tavern’s server to offer them drinks for free.

"I genuinely don’t know who locally is collaborating with those dragon-devouring cultists."

He emphasized while holding his glass but continued:

"But I do know some other things; whether they’re useful to you will be up to your judgment."

"Any information is good."

Mr. Benhart took out a notebook, and the Captain said:

"I’ve been running ships at sea, so I have some connections. Sometimes local clan members will have me do some things that aren’t convenient to expose. Of course, we wouldn’t do anything illegal; it’s just not particularly glamorous... you know Mrs. Jude."

Shard and the Viscount exchanged a glance; this was the widowed woman they planned to see at the auction tomorrow:

"Yes, very wealthy, sponsors many charities, and even runs an orphanage herself. She’s well-respected locally."

The Captain raised an eyebrow:

"Mrs. Jude and I are old acquaintances. She once asked me that if I came across poor, unsupported orphans at the docks, I could take them on the ship and send them to the orphanage she runs in Moon Bay City. She not only pays the fare but is also willing to offer an additional subsidy per head."

"You guys are trafficking children?"

Shard asked in surprise, to which Captain Rudolf shook his head quickly:

"Don’t say that, or if others hear it, I’ll be investigated by the police and Harbor Authority.

The children willingly come on board with me, and I settle them in an orphanage that can care for them. It’s not illegal; whether for Draleon or Carsonrick, this is not against the law... I specifically consulted a lawyer."

Shard was sure that the expression of Mr. Benhart, sitting next to him, must have mirrored his own:

"This situation just sounds off. A widowed vampire lady, private orphanage, willing to take in unsupported children from all over... Hmm, it seems laughable, like having a monkey guard a peach orchard. Is she perhaps...

"I’ve had such suspicions too."

Captain Rudolf lowered his voice, lightly tapping the table:

"More than once, I have either secretly or openly visited that orphanage. I am very sure; not one of the children I sent there have gone missing; they’re either still in the orphanage or have been adopted by families.

As a side note, I’ve visited even those children taken by adoptive families, and they’re all still alive. Some even live quite well."

He raised his glass, toasting lightly towards Shard and Mr. Benhart:

"I know what you’re thinking, but I won’t let myself get caught in this mess. Mrs. Jude is indeed peculiar, and you must have guessed some things in your hearts. But don’t say it out loud; you go find her yourselves, I just helped rescue some kids struggling to survive."

"We will go."

Mr. Benhart sighed:

"The clan members of Moon Bay really are... anything else?"

"About one or two months ago, can’t remember exactly when, Viscount Crown asked me if I could bring in a shipment from the New World. But I rarely run routes to the New World; I happened to be busy with other affairs then, so I refused."

That Viscount Crown isn’t among the five people needing investigation.

"Did Viscount Crown say what the cargo was?"

Shard asked.

"No, but from his tone, it was definitely related to smuggling or other illegal dealings; otherwise, he’d approach a legitimate fleet rather than test me."

"He indeed is engaged in smuggling, a matter of illegal plants and plant products, but this is unrelated to our investigation."

Mr. Benhart replied, and the robust vampire exhaled:

"And here’s another piece of news, the last one. Old Billy, the old butler of the Silver family, somehow came into a windfall recently. Few know about it; I chanced upon hearing it... think of it as a rumor I’ve heard."

This "Old Billy" isn’t one of the three people to see at tomorrow’s banquet either.

"I know him; although he doesn’t bear the Silver last name, he’s served the Silver Family for nearly fifty years, making him quite an important figure within. Is this person your relative too?"

Shard asked curiously; the Silver Family mainly operated in fleet business in Moon Bay, antagonistic to the old family shipping business, the Aphrola Family in Carsonrick, so Shard paid a bit of attention.

It was, again, Mr. Benhart who answered:

"Yes, I chatted with him last week, and his suspicion is also minimal. As for the sudden wealth... I shouldn’t say, but actually, it’s nothing; his bastard son made a fortune in business outside and wants to bring his biological father over for retirement. This matter involves a big figure in Velindale, so we better not go on."