Chapter 384: Acting As Long Fu?
The pirate fleet plowed through the waves.
On the Divine Wind, fresh sails were already unfurled.
On deck, members of the Bayonet Gang huddled together, surrounded by pirates radiating murderous intent.
Feng Lian, Bing Xiao, and others approached the Bayonet Gang members.
Two pirates escorted a captured gang member.
“Captain, the device was found on him.”
“Kneel!”
A pirate kicked the prisoner's knee from behind, forcing him to the ground.
Bing Xiao's brow furrowed instantly upon recognizing the man, "Mu Si, you betrayed us?”
The gang member named Mu Si looked at Bing Xiao with a complex expression. His lips moved, but no words came out.
Bing Xiao turned his gaze to Feng Lian.
Feng Lian was examining the alchemy device in his hand.
This communication device had been retrieved from Mu Si's stomach.
After analysis, it was confirmed not only to provide real-time location tracking but also long-range communication capabilities.
The location it tracked was Mu Si's precise personal position.
The moment Mu Si boarded the Divine Wind; the ship's positioning data was exposed.
Feng Lian shifted his gaze from the alchemy device to Mu Si but quickly turned it back to Bing Xiao.
“Bing Xiao, what's your take?” Feng Lian's tone was flat.
Bing Xiao weighed his words carefully before replying gravely, “Mu Si is an iron level veteran member of the gang. He's a compulsive gambler with no spare funds. It's impossible he'd purchase such an alchemy device without cause.”
“This alchemy device is compact and can be concealed within the body. It's clearly a specialized tool for espionage.”
“The evidence is sufficient.”
“He is the traitor!”
Bing Xiao paused before continuing, “Lord Feng Lian, the entire Bayonet Gang is eternally grateful for your personal assistance in our rescue.”
“Now, with a traitor within our ranks who nearly compromised your mission, I feel profoundly ashamed.”
“We will compensate you—specifically, double the gold promised for this mission. Is that acceptable?”
“As for this damned traitor, we leave his fate entirely to your discretion!”
"As for us... simply drop us off on any inhabited island nearby. We can build our own boat and continue our journey."
Feng Lian was somewhat surprised: “Seems you hold deep loyalty to your gang.”
Bing Xiao's face was grim as he shook his head: "We failed. Precisely because of that, we must hold fast to our principles! If we abandon everything now, we become utter failures. Even the dead Teng Dong Lang would look down on us."
“Hmm...” Feng Lian was about to speak when an abrupt change occurred.
Mu Si suddenly began bleeding from the corner of his mouth.
Soon, purple poisonous blood flowed from his eyes, ears, and nostrils.
Within two breaths, his entire complexion turned purplish-black, and all signs of life vanished.
“What the hell did you do?!” The first mate roared, his eyes blazing as he glared at the two pirates escorting the prisoner.
The pirates shouted back in panic, “Impossible!”
“We clearly suppressed him with our battle qi! He couldn't resist at all.”
“There's no device on him either—you personally inspected him with the ship's alchemy components, First Mate!”
Feng Lian channeled his battle qi.
Golden battle qi swiftly extended, seeping into the purplish-black corpse.
When Feng Lian withdrew it, his battle qi had turned purple.
He severed the connection immediately, letting the contaminated purple qi dissipate.
“That's potent poison—even golden battle qi gets corrupted.”
“This isn't your fault.”
"This traitor ingested poison before the mission. Now that the time has come, the toxin killed him!"
Feng Lian uncovered the truth.
The two escorting pirates instantly relaxed as if pardoned, flattering Feng Lian in relief.
The first mate glared, "He took poison before the operation? Was he a willing sacrificial fighter, or a forced unlucky bastard?"
Feng Lian remained silent, scanning the room instead.
The rest of the gang members were as quiet as mice, their faces showing fear and confusion.
Their expressions showed no flaw.
Feng Lian fell deep in thought: “We've found one mole, but are there others?”
Whether Mu Si was a willing sacrificial fighter or a forced victim, he had died from the poison.
The ruthless decisiveness displayed by whoever planned this operation was chilling.
Feng Lian leaned toward the belief that another traitor existed!
“Mu Si ingested poison before the operation, yet there was no trace of an antidote on his person.”
"The antidote must be held by another mole. With the antidote, this mole could effectively control Mu Si."
"If Mu Si died suddenly from the poison without receiving the antidote, it would inevitably create a suspicious case and draw investigation. Therefore, if I were the one orchestrating the mole's infiltration, I would never make such a foolish arrangement."
"Of course, if the mastermind merely intended to deploy a disposable mole—a sacrificial pawn to serve the earlier naval ambush—then a poison-induced death would be entirely reasonable."
Feng Lian turned his gaze to Bing Xiao.
Bing Xiao looked deeply troubled.
The two exchanged a glance, each understanding the other's deepest concern.
Bing Xiao had grasped this truth even before Feng Lian's inquiry.
It was highly probable that other traitors lurked within the gang!
Yet Bing Xiao used carefully measured words to present Feng Lian with his choice: to lead the Bayonet Gang members away.
The Bayonet Gang was already in shambles.
If Feng Lian insisted on investigating, it would become the final blow to crush the gang.
An internal investigation was far more terrifying than an external enemy attack. It would spark mutual suspicion and distrust among the members, causing the group to completely disintegrate.
As the former leader of the gang, Bing Xiao understood very well what the real crisis facing the Bayonet Gang was.
Traitors?
They might exist, or they might not.
But for now, in the greater scheme of the Bayonet Gang, it was a matter that could be set aside.
What brought Bing Xiao relief was that after a moment's thought, Feng Lian gave him a slight nod, "Then so be it.”
“We'll drop you off at Flower Skirt Island.”
“Be careful on your journey!”
Bing Xiao bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude solemnly: “Thank you, Lord!”
When Zong Ge led the fleet back to Snow Bird Harbor, the docks were still bustling with personnel cleaning up the battlefield.
Broken planks were cleared away, bodies recovered and burned in a mass pyre. Patrol ships maintained vigilant watch, circling the harbor with tenfold intensity.
“How could this happen...” Zong Ge grasped the full extent of the situation upon seeing Zi Di.
The half beastman snorted coldly, "He actually went after them alone!”
The target of the accusation was, of course, the dragonman youngster.
Seeing her beloved blamed, Zi Di felt displeased.
She shot Zong Ge a glance and remarked, “In hindsight, the commander's decision to pursue them was wise.”
“Who could have predicted the navy would ambush the Divine Wind Pirates?”
“From the intelligence we gathered, the navy suffered defeat. But the commander likely rescued Lan Zao amidst the chaotic naval battle.”
The navy's arrival at Snow Bird Harbor had caused such a commotion that Zi Di was initially alarmed and uncertain.
After gathering more intelligence, however, Zi Di began to feel hopeful.
Zong Ge shook his head, his expression grim.
"You had intelligence before the operation began. The Divine Wind's speed surpasses even the Deep Sea Monster Fish. What good would tracking it do?"
“The navy ambushing the Divine Wind Pirates was pure coincidence!”
“More crucially, he acted alone... That's not how a leader should behave.”
Zong Ge voiced his deep dissatisfaction with the dragonman youngster.
He drew a sharp breath, his face clouded with worry, “The navy suffered defeat—this was the Second Fleet of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.”
“Three gold level cultivators besieged Feng Lian, yet they were soundly crushed. One was even killed outright, only surviving by the grace of resurrection magic.”
“Judging by this battle, Feng Lian must possess peak gold level combat prowess, potentially even rivaling the saint level—like the Empire's gold level peak experts, Long Jia, Gang Duo, and Ge Si Rui.”
"Feng Lian once fled for his life from the saint's pursuit. This intelligence led the kingdom's navy to misjudge the situation. This was one of the primary factors in the navy's defeat."
“I'm deeply concerned for him now.”
“If he acts amidst the chaos, operating under Feng Lian's watchful eye—even with the Deceptive Disguise spell—the risks are immense.”
“Did he mention when he'd return?”
Zi Di shook her head, "No. Such agreements hold no meaning. The commander can only act according to the situation."
“No, it absolutely holds meaning!” Zong Ge declared firmly, “Setting a time limit means that when it expires, he should at least realize he ought to return!”
“Abandoning Lan Zao is the wisest choice.”
“Though he escaped the Mystifying Monster Island with us as a comrade, he remains only bronze level.”
“Sacrificing our leader and the Deep Sea Monster Fish for him would be the worst, most foolish mistake imaginable.”
“You know what worries me even more now?”
“I fear he failed to get what he wanted in the chaos yet refuses to give up. He might still be tailing the Divine Wind Pirates!”
Zi Di's heart skipped a beat, her anxiety intensifying.
Based on her understanding of the dragonman youngster, success might be manageable, but failure would likely mean he’d pursue them relentlessly, just as Zong Ge had warned!
Zi Di regretted, “I should have set a time limit with him.”
"Saying that now won’t change anything. We can only wait." Zong Ge sighed deeply, utterly exhausted.
Just then, a subordinate reported that the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord had dispatched a messenger, inviting the dragonman youngster to an audience.
“This is troublesome,” Zong Ge frowned deeply, "The alchemy puppet disguised as the commander might suffice for minor engagements. But it can't replace him in negotiations with the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord."
“Why would the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord suddenly invite him at this time?”
“Could it be related to that naval force?”
“Perhaps trouble from Bu Quan has resurfaced?”
Zi Di stood up and said, “No need to panic. We have a plan.”
“Before he departed, he discussed the plan with me.”
"Our strategy may require splitting our forces. To prevent unforeseen complications during this operation, before his departure, he entrusted me with the Deceptive Disguise Formation and some pearl bubbles."
“Now, it's your turn.”
Zong Ge paused, taken aback: “You want me to impersonate him?”