Chapter 163 - 127: Warning

"Red Nose, the Ark coin can actually strengthen the old fellows we hold!"

Beside the dock at Seagull Port, a short-haired man flicked his shiny curved saber: "It’s a rare opportunity, why don’t you give it a try?"

"Hey, your news is outdated."

The nearby Red Nose Captain polished the Ash Soil coin in his hand, responding with a smile: "Now they’re saying this thing can act as a protective talisman at sea, carrying it scares off the filth beneath the waves."

"Tsk, I think you’ve been drinking yourself into a stupor; the rare opportunity for enhancement is right there, why not grab the solid survival assurance quickly?"

The short-haired man was clearly a practical type: "By consuming one more Ark coin, our weapons will be more reliable. Don’t let yourself be fooled by rumors about a ’protective talisman’."

"Can’t we try if it can be a protective talisman and find out? Ah..."

Red Nose Captain instinctively bit the Ash Soil coin, instantly grimacing in pain.

"Good stuff! It’s great!"

He wasn’t annoyed; he put the coin into the pocket on his chest, chuckling: "Anyway, I plan to give each sailor on the ship an Ark coin."

The short-haired man curled his lips: "Come on, those young guys have already picked up your bad habits; they’ll squander it as soon as they turn around."

"Anyway, I’ve been hanging around Ark Island these days."

Red Nose Captain leaned lazily against the wall; he surveyed the bustling dock and asked his friend: "By the way, you must have seen the plight of the Ark Kingdom, haven’t you?"

"Lack of food, lack of medicine; Blood Plague destroyed most of Ark Island’s food seedlings; at least until next spring for the next round of planting. The war chariot can’t solve this problem."

The short-haired man’s words hit the nail on the head: "Many poor souls will starve or die from disease in winter; if the Ark Leader is a wise king, the future days will not be easy for him."

"How about we team up?"

Red Nose Captain suggested: "We can navigate through Fog Strait and Thorn Cloud Valley and bring some food and seedlings from the Rosa Kingdom."

"What if it ends in a loss?"

The short-haired man was hesitant: "Too many fellow traders, can’t sell food at high prices; if the Ark Kingdom suddenly raises taxes, wouldn’t we have made the trip in vain?"

"I don’t think the Ark King would be so greedy and shortsighted. Look at those diligent young men and women; a cruel king can’t nurture lively young people."

Red Nose Captain mused: "The Alliance’s newspaper talks nonsense; only by seeing with your own eyes can you see the truth. I suspect those Fes People aren’t playthings but were recruited to work..."

The two chatted idly; life drifting on the seas is quite monotonous, and mariners rarely meet congenial fellows.

It’s a pity Ark Island hasn’t lifted the prohibition yet, and mariners can’t drink to their heart’s content.

But it’s understandable; all the local distilleries were polluted by Celestial Calamity, and the former Lion Heart nobles all turned into mad lunatics; this was publicly acknowledged by the Ark officials the day before, and now no drunkard would rile themselves up courting death.

The port, originally chaotic, was now well-managed; though the docks were still crowded, at least there was space left between the ships.

Every now and then, the Ark’s war chariot would patrol overhead, chasing out those who tried to exploit the gaps between ships to trade slaves or prostitutes.

"It’s bustling and clean; I’m tempted to retire here..."

Red Nose Captain murmured: "Once I’m too old to sail, I’ll sell the ship and open a small shop here..."

"You’re thinking too much; Alliance’s merchants will eventually corrupt Ark."

The short-haired man toyed with the curved saber, sighed: "Do you think the Alliance’s Cooperation Letter gives benefits to Ark for nothing?"

"Why worry about the distant future?"

Red Nose Captain wore an indifferent expression: "Live a good life every day, cherish the present, and you won’t regret it when you die."

"Oh, you ignorant old drunk, now you’re lecturing me on philosophy."

The short-haired man laughed and scolded, ready to tease a few words, when he suddenly sniffed, frowning: "Red Nose, do you smell something?"

"A smell?"

"A faint floral scent; it makes you a little dizzy when you smell it..."

The short-haired man’s expression turned: "Not right, the scent is getting stronger!"

He turned his head, staring steadfastly at the endless sea horizon; the next moment, vivid colors filled everyone’s eyes!

"What is that?!"

Some mariner had already cried out in surprise.

Flowers’ fragrance overflowed; the rich scent swiftly engulfed the entire coastline.

A distorted floating object suddenly appeared on the nearby sea; it emerged from Fog Strait, heading directly towards the bustling Seagull Port!

It turned out to be a small merchant ship filled with ’flowers.’

More and more people saw that strange flower ship, piled high with corpses that all transformed into gruesome flowerbeds.

Countless buds grew like snakes from the corpses’ facial features; they twisted and swung, blooming petals in competition, causing the ship’s vibrant colors to writhe and change constantly.

The flower ship, as if a living entity, ignored the ships lined along the coastline, heading straight for the crowded dock!