In a corner of The Leafy Bar, Airlan spotted a man wearing a coffee-colored jacket, gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder, and chuckled: "Why not try the strong Larchie?" The man was in his thirties, with a universally appealing face, though it was clear he carried a strong trace of Roon blood. Brown hair and brown eyes, with a slightly high nose, his previously drunken demeanor vanished instantly, and his gaze sharpened. He glanced at Airlan and then at Cline, before his eyes grew cloudy again, as if filled with the lingering warmth of wine. "I've already had one. How about a Zalha to clear my head?" Zalha was a local specialty—a malty beer known for its affordable price and pleasant flavor. Airlan smiled and nodded toward Cline. "Germán Spáro." Then he added, introducing Uss Kent to him, "Uss Kent—call him Kent." "Go on, chat," Airlan said, waving him off. "I need to head back—I'm leaving for port tomorrow morning." He turned and walked away without hesitation. Caine pulled over a chair beside him and sat down, drinking nothing, simply staring at Us Kent. Kent grew increasingly uncomfortable, taking a swig of zharha and saying, "From now on, you're free to come to me whenever you have something to share—whether it's valuable intelligence or if you'd like to assist us with any tasks." He didn't worry that the surrounding drunkards might overhear their conversation, as many crime syndicates and pirate crews often say the same thing when recruiting informants. "Very well," Caine would have liked to add, asking whether the costume he'd worn to impersonate Ilean—used to carry out the assassination of the sick admiral—would be reimbursed, though that expense had been covered by Daniz. Yet he merely thought it over in his mind. Us Kent chuckled warmly, clearly still tipsy. "I've heard a few things about you from Aelran, but I still need to remind you—on the sea, you can't be quite so reckless. There's one point in particular: avoid the pirates as much as possible. I mean, you don't have to face them head-on. In fact, sharing intelligence with us privately is perfectly fine, and we'll keep your affairs confidential." This time, he clearly lowered his voice. Seeing that Garmen Sparrow didn't respond, he added, "The pirates won't uphold chivalry, nor will they abide by the kingdom's laws or customs. Heh—if you settle in port cities or island colonies, they'll absolutely strike at your family." Family… Caine remained silent for a moment, then spoke calmly. "I have no family." "...” Us Kent nearly didn't know what to say next, so he shifted to, "And they'll also attack your friends." Then he heard Germán Sparo respond in a steady, unvarying tone: "I have no friends."... Us Kent felt suddenly choked, instinctively took a sip of Zalha beer before he could catch his breath again. He cleared his throat and spoke in a low voice: "They'll strike you again. They'll recruit people, find out your schedule, intercept the ships you're on. At sea, individual strength often proves insignificant." Kline replied calmly: "I won't refuse anyone who offers me money. 'That's courtesy.'" Money? Us Kent clearly paused, puzzled by Germán Sparo's meaning. A few seconds later, he suddenly realized—the pirates were being treated as mobile rewards. He took a sip of beer, then another, and found himself at a loss for words. ...In the underground area of the Xiangliu Leaf Beer House. "A stranger, an adventurer?" Misoel Kin, the one known for his polished speech, was instantly energized and sat up straighter. Ozel, the mighty man, nodded: "According to 'Blue-Eyed' Mis, the adventurer was quite unfamiliar—he must have just arrived in the群岛 waters recently—but he gave off a very dangerous impression." A very dangerous impression? Could it be the very one who teamed up with 'Flame' Daniz to defeat 'Steel' Mavith's crew? Could it be the one who impersonated Ilean and attacked the captain? Misoel's mind immediately linked several dots, and he asked in a steady tone, "Do we have a photograph or portrait of him?" Ozel gestured to his attendant, who handed him a sheet of white paper. "We used a ritual to have 'Blue-Eyed' Mis sketch the stranger's appearance—you know, to establish a foothold in the underground world of Bayam and succeed as a pirate, one must have support staff. In fact, I've spent quite a bit of money just to hire them." "Misoel caught the underlying meaning and smiled lightly, saying, 'As long as we clear up this matter, the captain won't be stingy with rewards.' He took the portrait, unfolded it, and found a tall, reserved man with black hair and brown eyes, slender and with sharp features, dressed in a black double-breasted formal suit, wearing a half-high silk hat. He hadn't seen him before—couldn't be sure if it was someone posing as Eileen. Misoel raised his head and said, 'We need to verify his identity and movements.' 'I've already dispatched people to investigate,' said Ozel, the 'Powerful Man,' with a calm smile. Both of them fell silent at once, each sipping a glass of Nan-Wel red wine. A few minutes later, a bar attendant entered, breaking the quiet. He glanced at Misoel, then leaned close to his boss, whispering a few words. Ozel's expression suddenly became rather odd, tinged with a smile that was hard to conceal. He set down his high-footed glass cup and paused, saying, "I've found that stranger adventurer." "Where?" Misor asked immediately. Ozer pointed upward. "He's right here in the bar." Misor looked up at the ceiling, then silently for a few seconds, said, "I'll go up and verify." He had previously interacted with the person pretending to be the red-haired Elean, and had a general sense of the kind of abilities such individuals possess. He believed that even if the person were exceptionally skilled at impersonation, he would likely recognize them to some degree. Thus, he decided to personally confirm it. By his usual habit, he wouldn't simply step forward like this—he would first conduct background investigations and only engage once he had substantial confidence. But this time, he didn't fully trust Ozer's staff. If it truly were the person impersonating Elean, the moment they sensed any discrepancy, they would immediately alter their appearance, change their identity, and vanish. Moreover, Misor knew he was currently under the captain’s displeasure and had to quickly prove himself if he hoped to regain a place aboard the Black Death. "Oh well—whether it was a lack of ability or simply too cautious, the outcome remained unchanged: overlooked by the impersonator, entrusted with 'her,' and nearly costing the captain his life. Had this happened in the old days under Zilinger, I would have been forgiven, no—Zilinger has always been greedy, and he has longed for my exceptional abilities. The captain didn’t see me as a collaborator merely because Zilinger himself could mimic the 'craving hunger' to change his appearance; instead, she summoned others to surround and confront me, and only sent me off to Biam to investigate—this was already a remarkable act of clemency. Compared to Zilinger, she truly deserves my loyalty. I must now swiftly earn her favor, find a reason to engage with her, and not fall short of her trust." As Misor. Kin rose to face the outside, his thoughts stirred with quiet turbulence. Though he was a pirate who had killed many and seized numerous ships, he possessed a tender side as well. In fact, he had not realized that, over the course of his prolonged interactions with the "Sickly Lady" Tracie, he had been repeatedly enchanted by her, his affection deepening into his very bones. Even if Tracie, without any support, had made him kneel and kiss her feet, he would not have resisted—would have done so without hesitation. Of course, this did not prevent him from imagining and fantasizing about more intimate, less suitable activities with Tracie. Should the opportunity arise, even without the captain's permission, he believed he would take the initiative to do so. As a pirate, he had done such things many times before. She could simulate extraordinary abilities she had witnessed—changing her appearance like Zhilingers was very much possible. Misor paused for two seconds, then carefully withdrew his gaze. At that moment, the intuitive spiritual sense of the seer conveyed to Caine that someone was observing him. Caine didn't conceal it; he immediately turned to look back and spotted a man with short eyebrows, deep-set eyes, and brown-brown eyes. "The Orator" Misor Kin...the third officer of the flagship Black Death, "the Ship of Illness." Caine instantly recognized the man observing him. Suddenly, two thoughts flashed through his mind simultaneously: one, "A bounty of 5,400 pounds!" and the other, "Why is he watching me? Has he traced me back to Daniz?" The military liaison, Us Kent, noticed the anomaly in Gorman Sparrow's demeanor and followed his line of sight, only to be blocked from view by several drunken guests. At this point, Caine had already instinctively devised a plan: he would feign not recognizing Misool Kin, withdraw his gaze, order a glass of wine, and quietly observe where Misool went, then use the Unseen's abilities to blend in and silently pursue him. The idea flashed through his mind, and suddenly he realized a problem: "This is exactly what I'm doing. Yet right now, I am Germain Spaulo, an adventurer who appears calm but is in fact wildly driven!" In an instant, he turned around, drew his revolver, and in the bustling, lively bar, aimed directly at Misool Kin, the Speaker. Bang! The gunshot shook the entire bar, prompting many guests to instinctively clutch their heads and crouch down—some with remarkable experience. Several drunk patrons collapsed to the floor, while around a dozen others rolled or dove aside with flawless, practiced movements, including Misool Kin himself. But Klein actually didn't pull the trigger, for he was afraid of accidentally injuring the innocent—there were many wine guests between him and Misol. The sound of the gunshot came from his ability to create illusions! At this moment, the space before him was now open, with people falling down like stalks of grain. So he calmly aimed at Misol, who had just rolled to the ground, and truly pulled the trigger. *Bang!*