Chapter 328: Chapter 282: Reincarnation: Major Overhaul of the Royal Port
Raging cannon fire relentlessly carved a deadly divide between the military harbor and the port area.
Any Coral People daring to step into the forbidden zone instantaneously turned into a heap of shattered seafood.
Just as a group of Coral People tried to rush into the sea and continue their slaughter in the port area by detouring underwater, a swarm of Privateering Pirates, pale as ghosts with dark circles under their eyes as if they were dead, emerged one after another from alleyways and from beneath the waves. They stood firmly before them. Armed with Deck Cleaners and Fischer Slash Swords, they fearlessly charged into the bizarrely-shaped army of seafood creatures.
"With the Wings of Death, I am invincible!"
With their roars, the swarming Coral People crashed against what seemed like an indestructible dam and were firmly held back by the Wings of Death.
At the same time, the Fleet had already successfully landed in the port area. Large groups of organized Marines formed tidy firearm formations and fired at the Coral People from a distance, with no need to worry about the undead at the forefront. Moving steadily under the command of the drums, they pushed back the Coral People little by little.
"Oh, we are saved!"
"Lord Sea Hunter has returned with the Fleet! The Sea Hunter has returned, and with him comes peace!"
"Is the vanguard on the battlefield his Guardsmen? They can actually push back and fight the Coral People! They’re incredibly strong!"
"Why aren’t they parasitized by barnacles? And they don’t fear bullets either?"
"Nonsense! Lord Sea Hunter is the only Third Order Great Pirate who has obtained a pirate relic, completed the Pirate Chest Ritual, and returned from Silvergold Island unscathed. With the protection of those 882 Aztec Cursed Gold Coins in his hand, these undead pirates, whose flesh isn’t even fit for consumption, naturally won’t be parasitized."
Some wept with joy at their narrow escape, while others looked on with longing. "With the physical attack immunity this mere gold coin brings, doesn’t it already surpass many First and Second Order Transcendents? If I sign up to join the Pioneer Guiding Colonial Trading Company tomorrow, I wonder if there’s a chance to become a member of these Guardsmen."
Out of the total 882 Aztec Cursed Gold Coins, aside from one Thomas, the parrot first mate on Silvergold Island, kept, and one Andrew kept, Byron had already distributed four hundred. The Wings of Death had thus established four hundred-man squads. Originally, selecting loyal elites from pirates of dubious quality was very difficult. However, with the return of the Lancaster Party, the need for elites capable of being the tip of the spear was largely met. With Byron’s current abilities, giving them a new public image was no trouble at all. The Wings of Death could not remain hidden forever; this was their first collective public appearance, and they stunned everyone with their brilliant performance in their first battle!
If they achieved corresponding battle honors and reached a certain level of renown, these Guardsmen could obtain a unique legion title, just like Castilia’s "Invincible Armada" or "Treasure Fleet." The powerful legions of history, still renowned today, all started and developed this way. Once a legion title was granted, future Fourth Rank Heroic Level Transcendents could summon Heroic Spirits from history to forge their own heroic troops. For many ordinary mortals without innate talent, this was also one of the few opportunities to acquire transcendent abilities.
"Kill! Those who block me shall die!"
Byron, brandishing Frost, became one with his sword, transforming into a blazing white sword light as he too charged into the port area, wreaking havoc. He made sure everyone clearly saw the expression on his face: three parts rage, three parts anxiety, three parts self-blame, and a final tenth of regret. At this moment, he was a master actor.
"Lord Sea Hunter is worried about the Governor and the Commodore’s safety, yet he’s delayed here by the Coral People because he chose to rescue us first! What a good man!"
The onlookers all exclaimed, "Truly a heroic figure, full of compassion and righteousness, like a protagonist straight out of a knight’s novel!"
The Storm Cloaks, who had already blended into the crowd, began to steer public opinion. "The Newman Brothers are nothing! Since their appointment last October, they’ve been in office for over half a year without a single accomplishment and suffered heavy losses in the battle between the two Overlords. If it weren’t for Lord Sea Hunter’s Privateer Fleet providing full support, we would have lost our peaceful days long ago!"
"You’re so right! If only His Majesty the King would appoint Lord Sea Hunter as our new Governor. We wouldn’t have to live in constant fear anymore!"
The local residents’, merchants’, and sailors’ need for security outweighed everything else. Under the deliberate guidance of intelligence agents, the calls for Byron to become the protector of Royal Harbor grew louder and louder.
"Sea Hunter!"
"Byron Tudor! The new Governor! The new Governor!"
"Huzzah! Huzzah!"
Before long, the port area was a sea of cheering and shouting.
This time, Byron had orchestrated and performed a "descent of a Heavenly God," achieving results no less impressive than his rescue of the Lancaster Party. Not only did the residents and sailors of Royal Harbor cheer for him, but the Navy soldiers accompanying him were also overwhelmingly grateful. If Byron hadn’t requested the Governor to deploy troops to fight Lancaster, they too would undoubtedly have been among the bodies strewn everywhere. Such a life-saving favor was beyond repayment. The deeper their previous resentment, the more profound their current gratitude. The Sea Hunter’s reputation soared to its zenith; no one in the entire Hightins Colony could compare.
Simultaneously, another premeditated undercurrent began to surge quietly. The entire port temporarily fell under military control. Byron’s "pirates," after altering their appearances, swaggered back into the city. Under the guise of the Privateer Fleet maintaining public order and hunting down attackers, they began to fully take over Royal Harbor’s defense operations. The "Body Snatching Plan," delayed earlier due to time constraints, was finally initiated, and now no one could stop them.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK...
"Open up! Routine search!"
In the core area of the port, there was a knock on the door of Warden Akman Cyril of Royal Harbor Prison. The invasion was successful without any violence. A group of pirates in the uniforms of the Pioneer Guiding Colonial Trading Company, led by Violet and Jacqueline, filed in. They then suddenly turned aggressive and swiftly subdued the warden.
O’Neill Darren, one of the Lancaster Party members who had previously followed Jacqueline to infiltrate Torrent Fortress—a Second Order Warden from the Tribunal Sequence—stepped forward. Standing beside the warden, who was shackled with Law-Breaking Stone manacles and looking bewildered, O’Neill faced a silver mirror held by Jacqueline and asked, "Do I look exactly like him?"
The mirror suddenly spoke, "Of course, you do."
No sooner had its voice faded than O’Neill’s appearance began to change, transforming him into an exact replica of the terrified warden, even his voice becoming identical. This was the power of the Lying Mirror (details in Chapter 190).
Effect:
This Cursed Object was created by a wicked stepmother jealous of her stepdaughter’s beauty. Ask the mirror a question about your appearance, such as, "Mirror, mirror, tell me, who is the most beautiful woman in the world?" The Lying Mirror will surely answer, "Of course, it’s you." This lie will then, to some extent, become reality, altering the questioner’s appearance.
Alternatively, one could ask, "Am I a handsome young man with a high nasal bridge, fair skin, and blue eyes?" It will similarly lie, "Yes," transforming you into the desired disguise. This is a true physical transformation that Spirit Vision cannot penetrate. Moreover, the power of the lie protects the transformed individual, making even their ordinary deceptions difficult for others to detect.
Evidently, the Lancaster Party intended to exploit the turmoil, replacing key figures in the governing systems of Royal Harbor and even Arawak Island with their own carefully chosen candidates!
Meanwhile, a large shadow fell upon the house of Quartermaster Mallory Barton, one of the port’s prominent officials and a core member of the Newman Party. It was none other than Tilly, the last scion of the Newman Family.
He had naturally heard the cries outside proclaiming, "By order of Earl Warwick, divine retribution upon the Newman Family!" Regardless of their truth, he wasn’t willing to take any risks and was eager to disassociate himself from the Newman Family. His facial muscles twitched as he offered a forced smile. "Miss Tilly, my home is too small. I’m afraid I can’t invite you in."
"Tilly" beamed at him, patted her chest magnanimously, and said, "No worries. I can just squeeze in with your family of five."
The Quartermaster General was taken aback. "Squeeze in? How?"
A horrifying scene unfolded. The "Tilly" standing before him had her scalp slowly part, revealing another figure lurking beneath. Winking a pair of exquisite, heterochromatic eyes at him, this new figure said, "Like this. If I just squeeze into your skin, I won’t take up any extra space, even with me added, right?"
"AARGH—!"
The scream was abruptly cut short.
Quartermaster General Mallory Barton had long been selected by Rigel as the medium for her bloodline sublimation ceremony. If she could successfully play the role for a month, "Fairy" Rigel would ascend to become a Serpent Woman, just like the "Versatile Enchantress" Beatrice before her.
Before long, the commotion throughout the port returned to normal; any disturbances during the interim went unnoticed. After all, a ruckus was to be expected during a hunt for bandits. Quietly, the entire Lancaster Party had completed a "blood transfusion" for Royal Harbor, using the colony as a host body to revive itself! The "Stealing Home Plan" was now thoroughly executed. The only thing missing was a royal edict from the King appointing the Sea Hunter, Byron Tudor, as the colonial governor.