Pillar of Yita

”I’m afraid that’s exactly the case, Lord Captain. Idus has always had quite a few archaeologists conducting excavation work here, which is indeed quite misleading,” Bakins took off his hat and hung it on the nearby hook: ”Moreover, the Elfendo Council received news of the Blood Shark Pirates landing in Ankuid much later than they sent their first team to Idus, so the delay in information is quite normal...”

”And the people sent by the Elfendo Council are searching for Nikopolas’s whereabouts. They are not aware of the plans behind the Dragon Worship Sect, so they naturally wouldn’t suspect any connection between the conspicuous excavation work by the Blood Shark Pirates and their agenda,” Fang Hong asked: ”So what exactly are the Blood Shark Pirates excavating?”

”The ones we’ve captured are merely peripheral members, and coupled with the fact that the captain refuses to speak, the rest of them don’t know what the higher-ups are actually digging for. They seem somewhat discontent, as they came to be pirates, not slave laborers.”

”The only news we can gather now is that excavation work is simultaneously underway in about three places, one of which, according to descriptions, was originally where the Idus Municipal Hall was located,” Bakins replied.

”How long have they been there?” Fang Hong asked again.

”About two months.”

”Two months?” Fang Hong was a bit surprised: ”Wasn’t that before the Fanric incident?”

”Pretty much, Lord Captain,” Bakins answered: ”However, the large-scale excavations only started in the last half month; before that, the Blood Shark Sky Pirates seemed more subdued.”

”So the raids around Ankuid also began during this time frame?”

Bakins nodded.

Fang Hong frowned slightly. Though still unclear of the Blood Shark Sky Pirates’ intentions, it seemed evident they had reasons for speeding up the process—perhaps due to a discovery or a change in circumstances, forcing them to risk exposure and accelerate the excavation.

The only significant change in circumstances over the past half month would be the Dragon Worship Sect’s setback in Fanric, which coincidentally relates to them.

After thinking it over, he asked, ”Are members of the Dragonfire Guild in Idus as well?”

”Those people are unaware, but there are Invokers within the city.”

”That’s just it,” Fang Hong thought, wondering who would be dealing with these people—the Dragonfire Guild, Blood Shark Sky Pirates—who else but those Dragonfire Guild guys that would flock together.

He then asked, ”So what is the ’current’ situation in Idus?”

Bakins answered, ”Since they seized numerous slave laborers from all over, they have completely taken control of Idus; now, the core area of Idus is almost entirely under the control of the Blood Shark Sky Pirates. It’s nearly impossible for outsiders to enter.”

”Interesting,” Fang Hong squinted slightly.

He wasn’t fooled; he quickly realized the Blood Shark Sky Pirates’ shift in strategy was not merely due to urgent circumstances; they appeared genuinely to have made a discovery within the city.

Thinking of this, he asked, ”Do you have any other information?”

”There is indeed something; they started blocking off a section within Idus City half a month ago. According to the Sky Pirates, even they as peripheral members cannot approach the area.”

”Did this change happen only over the past half month?”

”Indeed, I repeatedly verified various accounts, and the timing showed almost no discrepancies,” Bakins replied: ”Do you know about that place, Lord Captain?”

”I actually do know that place,” Fang Hong nodded: ”Originally, it was the central plaza of Idus; after Idus became ruins, the ground there sunk, forming an expansive underground area.”

”What does Lord Captain think is there?”

”I’m not sure.” Fang Hong glanced at the map in his hand; the information from the captured Sky Pirates was even more than he had imagined, making their subsequent action plan much clearer.

”But we can go take a look first—”

”Where to look?”

Fang Hong nodded: ”To see what the Blood Shark Sky Pirates, Dragon Worship Sect, and Dragonfire Guild are actually doing.”

”So how do we get into Idus?”

”I do have a preliminary idea,” Fang Hong replied: ”But it still needs more planning.”

...

Fang Hong descended from the platform and found Bunigu. The platform could now no longer accommodate more people, but fortunately, Bunigu’s Beast of Burden still had some tents and supplies on its back that could be set up in the valley.

After being comforted by Elisa and Gita, the young girl who had lost her hand no longer seemed so apprehensive, possibly due to sharing the same gender, she would occasionally nod or shake her head to express her thoughts in front of Tianlan and others.

Other members simply dealt with the corpse of the little boy’s mother, and Luo Yu used materials from the ship to make a simple coffin for the poor woman, waiting for an opportunity to find a suitable place to bury her.

The little boy kept watch by his mother’s coffin for quite a while before finally departing reluctantly. When he learned that Fang Hong was going to scout near Idus, he silently led a Beast of Burden to Fang Hong, looking up at him.

”I don’t need this, Pasha,” Fang Hong looked at the little boy, and couldn’t help but think of himself—the child now bereft of family was still luckier than him because he had an uncle, aunt, and cousins.

He only learned the boy’s name not long ago; both he and his mother were Istania people, apparently from another similarly troubled Merchant Group. Fang Hong pulled out a Clockwork Fairy, gesturing in front of him: ”I’m a craftsman.”

The little boy seemed to understand his meaning, remained silent, and simply led the Beast of Burden away, soon returning to his side.

”Pasha?”

”I’m going with you, Lord Captain,” Pasha said softly: ”You are good people; I can be of help.”

Fang Hong was a bit surprised. The boy had been taciturn, presumably due to the hardship he had endured. To his surprise, Pasha spoke clearly and coherently, displaying a maturity and reason beyond his years.

But Fang Hong thought perhaps he was driven by thoughts of revenge, and couldn’t help but ask: ”You want to come with us? But we don’t plan to confront the Blood Shark Sky Pirates yet.”

Pasha nodded: ”I understand, Lord Captain, I will follow your orders.”

”But why?”

Pasha looked back at his mother’s simple wooden coffin, then turned back and gazed steadily at him.

Fang Hong felt a stir in his heart; so it was because Luo Yu had crafted the coffin for his mother that he made this decision. He intended to refuse but reconsidered, eventually nodding—since scouting meant relying on the Clockwork Fairy, it wasn’t too dangerous:

”Alright, but you mustn’t stray too far from me; if you disobey my orders, there won’t be a next time.”

Pasha nodded gently.

...