The Chronicles Of New Havens

Sure enough, the slaver kept his word and they boarded the ship the next day. It was a medium-sized two-masted ship suitable for ocean faring. There was around twenty in the crew, including the slave trader who was the captain. To prevent any mishaps, he had also employed around twenty soldiers as a deterrent. The Imperial Sentinel was able to roughly gauge their skill level by their movements alone. Achieving Perception Realm meant a qualitative transform in bodily mastery. It was not simply being able to focus your senses to superhuman levels but being able to elevate your entire being to another stage. In other words, it was transcending mortal limits! Meanwhile, the soldiers before him lacked smoothness or edge. Like an edgeless sword, they could put on airs, but nothing else. In a fight, the Imperial Sentinel was confident in suppressing them.

Feeling satisfied, the two Imperial Sentinels forced Elizabeth and her friends to the lower deck. As a publicly well-regarded merchant, the slave trader had no intentions of letting his contraband for all to see. Below the deck, there were hundreds of crates ranging from jewelry to clothing. The slave trader did not solely rely on his illegal trades, but also engaged in legal trade. Otherwise, his identity would be swiftly exposed if he sold nothing. The more nefarious goods were normally stored out of sight, away from prying eyes. However, as the ship was still being loaded, sailors were openly carrying crates with weapons, armor, and even drugs.

That was not the worst of it though. Elizabeth saw there were many others like her, who were bound and gagged, being tossed around like trash by the soldiers. Beaten, bruised, and bloodied, they were in a far more pitiful state than her. It went without saying that they were slaves! Elizabeth's eyes grew cold seeing this scene. Treating lives as if they were worthless, how could they do such a thing? The soldiers almost looked happy as they sadistically whipped the slaves into submission. The slaves cowered like sheep and herded into isolated cells. No one was spared, not even the elderly, the women, or the children… Elizabeth flew into a rage and she wanted to stop this madness, but she was firmly held in place by an Imperial Sentinel.

Eventually, a soldier noticed Elizabeth's hateful glare and snorted in amus.e.m.e.nt. As she was not part of the captain's precious merchandise, he could not punish her. Well, not indirectly that is. He held the whip even more firmly in his hands and lashed out at a woman, tearing her clothes into rags, and leaving a deep bloody gash. Her feminine parts were exposed, earning the lecherous gazes of the other soldiers. Elizabeth's last bits of rationality threatened to collapse as she shouted horrible curses. Unfortunately, with the gag in her mouth, she made murmurs rather than words. The Imperial Sentinels holding her back ignored the commotion and dragged the four captives into a private cell. Realizing that the fun was over, the soldiers went back to work. Within an hour, the ship unfurled its sails, raised anchor, and set off for the Xingyuu Empire!

Even in the dark and damp cell, guarded by the two Imperial Sentinels, Elizabeth and her friends remained gagged. The risk was small, but if it somehow got out that they were holding the heir of the Alzar Kingdom hostage here, the slave trader would not hesitate to switch sides. Although the Imperial Sentinels were more than enough to overpower everyone, it was best not to cause a storm in Alzar Kingdom waters. The leader humored to himself because the inverse was true. Once they entered the Xingyuu Empire, he would not show mercy.

Two hours into the trip, a small Alzar reconnaissance patrol cornered them. One ship stopped in front, while two others flanked them. A haughty voice sounded, "Halt! No unauthorized vessels are permitted to cross the Maelstrom Gulf at this time! State your identity and purpose immediately!"

The slave trader jumped in fright. Normally, crossing the Maelstorm Gulf did invite unwanted attention from the naval fleets patrolling. It was due to his reputation that some of the smaller patrols would turn a blind eye. From the words he just heard, he could tell there was something more behind the scenes…

He hastily replied, "I am a humble merchant. May I know the reason for this obstruction?"

"General Illion, Third-In-Command of the Quinvoren Army, has issued an emergency to all Alzar fleets. We are looking for this individual," the captain said, taking out a poster of Elizabeth. "In light of this, please allow us to search your vessel. We expect your understanding."

The slave trader cursed violently internally. He recognized that red hair anywhere and realized he was being used! If he were to accept the search, then he would inevitably be implicated. Furthermore, the amount of illegal goods he had were not few! It was usually in deference of his reputation that he would be ignored. However, under General Illion's direct orders, the situation was quickly turning south. If he adamantly refused the search, then the military would not hesitate to arrest him and confiscate all his belongings. His fortune, reputation, and connections would be destroyed instantly! He could not bear to witness his decades of effort go up in smoke. Imagining the man who brought Elizabeth to him, he envisioned a million daggers ripping their skin and organs apart!

"Haha… That is a bit difficult," he replied slowly.

"Difficult?" the captain raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "How so?"

"Well…" the trader struggled. "I have some secrets that I would like to disclose with you. Could you board my vessel for a moment?"

Currently, they were speaking from several arm's lengths away on their respective sh.i.p.s. The captain did not mind. If the trader was foolish enough to make a move on him, then he was as good as dead! A gangplank was lowered between the two sh.i.p.s and the captain made his way across with thirty men. The trader gritted his teeth so hard they were groaning under the pressure. This was basically inviting the enemy into his base! But he had no other choice. Flames of rage bubbled up as he thought of the Imperial Sentinels! He silently resolved that if he escaped this predicament, then those who messed with him would be killed!

"What did you wish to discuss?" the captain asked.

"It's like this…" the trader hushed. "I'm a trader for the Whispering Shadow. I hope that you'll turn a blind eye to this and let us go."

The Whispering Shadow was a massive criminal network that even the Alzar Kingdom or the Xingyuu Empire could not suppress. Despite that, it could not openly flaunt its might whenever it wished. It was from the pressure of the wars that the civilizations ignored them for the time being. If they bore their fangs to the Royal Family or the Imperial Family, the civilizations would bring down the hammer of justice! Speaking of his identity was a last resort that he was commanded never to do.

Hearing this, the captain was stunned. "You're from the Whispering Shadow? But even so…"

"Here, take this as a sign of goodwill from me," the trader said, sneaking a hefty bag of coins into the captain's hands.

The captain discreetly checked the contents and was dazed again. It was a massive fortune! "I must reject your gift. This is a direct order from our Third-In-Command…" Before he could finish those words, another coin pouch was sent his way. This time, it was twice the previous amount! He could not help but waver. "I…" Once again, a third pouch! Finally, he thoroughly surrendered to his greed.

"I appreciate your understanding in this matter. Worry not, I will remember this debt," the trader said.

The captain's heart thumped. A debt from the Whispering Shadow was equivalent to its weight in gold! With this, soaring through the ranks was more than possible! All along, he felt infuriated over his stagnant rank. How many decades did he serve as a meager reconnaissance captain? It was humiliating! His worries thoroughly disappeared, and gratitude filled his heart. Of course, the trader was not influential enough to speak on behalf of the Whispering Shadow. He purposely worded his response in such a way that the captain would misinterpret it.

"Men, there is no longer any need to search this vessel. Let the vessel go," the captain shouted before boarding his own ship and departing. When the sh.i.p.s finally disappeared in the horizon, the trader grinned ominously. He slammed his fist into a nearby mast, rattling it. To convince the captain, he had to sacrifice most of his fortune! No matter what, he was going to make the people who wronged him pay a million times over!