[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader":3,"chapter-lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-chapter-1085":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1553612,2017,"Chapter 1085: The Meeting","lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-chapter-1085",1085,"\u003Cp>Dong, dong, dong—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone knocked on the captain’s cabin door of the Blue Avenger\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come in,\" Alger said in a deep voice. He had just secretly finished practicing his \"singing\" ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sailor pushed open the door, glanced back nervously, and—under the urging of several companions—stepped inside with hesitation. He pressed his right fist to his left chest and saluted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Storm above!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Alger responded, the sailor forced a smile onto his face and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Captain, the brothers have all been hearing terrifying howls at night lately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We suspect a sea monster is following us... or something unclean has latched onto the ship...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So could we return to a busy port first and have a professional check things?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alger used every ounce of willpower to keep his expression from collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He inhaled deeply several times before saying after a moment’s thought:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand how you feel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How about this—we’ll head toward Lindor Harbor, resupply there, and stay for one day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, Captain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sailor pressed his right fist to his left chest again, excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Storm be with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Storm be with you.\" Alger watched the sailor leave and closed the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression immediately darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is my singing really that terrible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I always go very far away to practice... how can they still hear it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No... this shouldn’t bemyproblem—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be caused by the abilities of a Sea Singer!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said different Sea Singers produced different effects with their songs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some used beautiful melodies to disturb the enemy’s spiritual body, making them dazed or unfocused, or enhancing their own explosive strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some simulated thunder to intimidate foes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some used chaotic, grating sounds to irritate the enemy and make them lose rationality...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he might have gone a step further than the third type—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice had greater penetration and power, not only distressing but even capable of directly causing harm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alger struggled to analyze the situation, his spirituality was suddenly stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone seemed to be observing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grabbed his extraordinary weapon and swung toward the source of the gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two uninvited guests had appeared silently inside the captain’s cabin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was \"Doctor Strange,\" whom he had met once before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other was a strikingly beautiful lady—someone he was very familiar with from bounty posters:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Vice Admiral of Ailment, Tracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Doctor Strange\" was one of Mr. Tower’s identities...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Alger remembered him abandoning that disguise...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he remained wary, Doctor Strange’s face began shifting—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, he became a young, handsome gentleman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, this was Ebner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled at Alger, who was maintaining a defensive stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I showed that face earlier so you’d recognize me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you’re unsure, you can pray to Mr. Fool to confirm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Alger frowned and glanced at Tracy, displeasure hidden in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had now confirmed the visitor was indeed the Tower, but the Towershouldn’texpose Alger’s identity in front of a pirate admiral!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already planning how he would complain to Mr. Fool about this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Relax. No matter what she sees or hears now, she won’t remember it afterward,\" Ebner explained with a glance at the Tracy he had \"charmed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Charm Human ability was far stronger than he had anticipated—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if he had added a new personality into her spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, he hadn’t used high-level contamination or hypnotic suggestion; otherwise, she might never recover even after the ability faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roselle might very well have been PUA’d like this by the Fallen Mother Goddess on the Moon...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though of course, the being on the Moon was far more domineering than him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alger scrutinized the Vice Admiral of Ailment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes were locked on Ebner’s face with an expression like a pet gazing at its master...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was absolutely not how a pirate admiral should act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s been controlled... by the Tower?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instantly prayed to Mr. Fool without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the chance was small, if Tower used this ability onhim, he probably couldn’t resist at all—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His only hope would be the Fool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ebner allowed him to finish chanting the honorific, then smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now you can relax.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alger steadied himself, looked between Tower and Tracy again, and asked heavily:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sir, what have you come to me for?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ebner broke the seal on a card and drew out a sack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These are the heads of all pirates on the Black Death with bounties over 1,000 pounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope you can redeem them for bounty rewards—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Same split as always: thirty–seventy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heads of all pirates worth over 1,000 pounds...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alger was stunned for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, when he realized the implications, joy flickered in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though exchanging bounty was risky, the profit was enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he still owed the World a considerable sum...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced himself to remain calm and said after thinking a moment:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It will take some time to exchange all of these...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You understand that I can’t bring all the heads out at once—that would attract unnecessary trouble.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No problem,\" Ebner replied, \"and I can make it easier for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed at Tracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I remember you once said you received missions to join the fleet of the Vice Admiral of Ailment, the Pale Admiral, or the Admiral of Stars...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, now’s the perfect chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tracy won’t refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Afterward, how you use her original subordinates’ heads to redeem bounties—I don’t need to teach you that, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course, you’d best leave her fleet before the end of the year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My punishment for her lasts only until then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And during this period, the Vice Admiral of Ailment will be the most aggressive pirate in the seas when it comes to destroying the slave trade.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alger narrowed his eyes, weighed the situation, then nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright. I’ll accept your suggestion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good. I have other matters to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Black Death is only a few hundred nautical miles away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just speak with the ’normal’ Tracy when the time comes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Ebner removed his hat, pressed it to his chest, saluted Alger—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then vanished with Tracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alger stood there stunned for a long moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he looked toward the undulating sea outside the window and whispered a single word:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Demigod...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Backlund, inside a private room at Serenzo Restaurant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorian paced anxiously across the room, waiting for his student Fors and the Viscount Bryan to arrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he had prepared himself, now that the moment of truth approached, his heart was inevitably nervous and uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know how much time had passed before aknock knock knocksounded on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His student’s lazy voice followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorian listened for a few seconds, took a deep breath, walked to the door, turned the handle, and pulled it open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside stood Fors—brown hair slightly curled, wearing a dark long dress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At her side was a young, handsome gentleman carrying hints of the sea on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hello, Mr. Dorian Gray Abraham.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1153,"2026-06-06T07:27:25.441Z",1,"novelbin.me","4a3d412545b361126a2133e987cd63bc8ef46b5a39944fe7247b656d0bbaed50","lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-chapter-1086","lord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-chapter-1084",1326,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-mysteries-starting-as-a-reader-cover.jpg"]