Chapter 281: Bansi Harbor in the Mist

Aboard the Golden Dream, Reckton leaned against the ship's rail, holding the spoils tally report Edwina had given him, carefully reading through it.

Suddenly, thick gray mist welled up in his eyes, and in the deepest part of the gray mist, there was a blurry figure seated on a high-backed chair, like a deity looking down upon all.

The next moment, a voice belonging to Mr. Fool but more casual in tone reached his ears:

"What is the danger hidden in Bansi Harbor? Under what conditions might it be triggered?"

Didn't I leave a letter for Tu Ba Ge? Why ask in this way? Reckton hesitated for a moment before responding in a low voice:

"That is a place where the Source 'City of Calamity' transmits its influence through a seal. As long as one is not a high-sequence powerhouse of the Hunter or Witch pathways, and does not actively touch the corruption, nothing will happen."

The Source 'City of Calamity'? The Source corresponding to the Hunter and Witch pathways? Klein murmured two lines in his heart, then returned to the real world.

After leaving the washroom, he found a chair and sat down. After pondering for a moment, he rose again and looked at Tu Ba Ge sprawled on the sofa, saying:

"We're going to Bansi Harbor."

With that, he turned toward the coat rack by the door and took down his double-breasted tailcoat and half-high silk top hat.

"Huh? But isn't there danger there?"

Tu Ba Ge looked blankly at Klein and said, somewhat reluctantly.

Klein glanced at Tu Ba Ge, who was equipped from head to toe, and said in a calm tone:

"It's not dangerous for you, and besides, you can call for help."

"Alright."

Tu Ba Ge reluctantly jumped down from the sofa, walked over to a cabinet on the side, and rummaged through a metal suitcase to find his cane.

Seeing Tu Ba Ge's actions, Klein shifted his gaze to Daniz nearby and said expressionlessly:

"You're free."

"Huh?" Daniz found this not real at all.

Then he thought of something and blurted out in some astonishment:

"You're going to save that captain? And those ordinary people?"

Klein put on his half-high silk top hat, casually picked up his black hardwood cane, and while turning the doorknob, responded flatly:

"They've worked with me."

"They kept my secret, treated me to mermaid meat, and helped me compensate for the 'White Shark's' losses."

Daniz was stunned for a moment, unable to react in time, and asked subconsciously:

"How much was the compensation?"

"A few sols."

As he spoke, Klein had already opened the door and walked out. Tu Ba Ge imitated Klein's movements, carrying his cane and wearing his top hat, following behind him with an imposing air.

Lunatic! This guy is an absolute lunatic! Both him and the rabbit he keeps... Good thing I'm a normal person, I'll stay somewhere safe!

Daniz then withdrew his gaze, thinking half-mockingly, half-gleefully.

His thought had barely settled when a gust of fierce wind struck, rattling the glass creakingly and making the candlelight in the room flicker unsteadily.

Daniz froze for a moment. He suddenly thought of a problem:

This ship is docked right at Bansi Harbor. If something unexpected happens, this place could also face risks.

Staying here alone is worse than following that monster. At least he's powerful enough — at a time like this, he still has the mood to take his rabbit out together.

The moment this thought surfaced in Daniz's mind, his body was already in motion. He ran out of the room clattering away and finally caught up with Klein and the rabbit before they left the cabin.

Seeing the looks from Gehrman Sparrow and that fat rabbit, he laughed and said:

"To choose to retreat from such a small danger — I'd be mocked by all the pirates on the Sonia Sea."

"Tsk! You're obviously just scared."

Tu Ba Ge gave Daniz a disdainful look and said in a voice full of contempt.

It had already seen the spiritual light on Daniz's body flickering with colors of fear and unease.

Daniz pretended not to hear Tu Ba Ge's voice, walked over to Klein's side very familiarly, casually found a topic, and started chatting with him in fits and starts.

On the mist-shrouded streets, it was utterly silent. The surrounding houses had their doors and windows tightly shut, pitch-black and lightless, as if no one had lived there for a long time.

Klein carried a dim horse lantern borrowed from the cabin guard in one hand and gripped his solid cane in the other, quickly making his way toward the Lime Restaurant that Daniz had pointed out.

Whoosh!

In the thin mist, a cold wind swirled in. Tu Ba Ge, following at Klein's heels, shrank back. It already regretted coming along. In a place like this, what if there were ghosts?

The next moment, it saw a shadow the size of a watermelon dart out from the mist.

Bang!

The shadow had barely gotten close when Klein swung his cane and sent it flying. It hadn't even seen clearly what it was.

Only after Klein carried the dim horse lantern a few steps closer did it see clearly what the dark thing that had just been struck away was.

It was a human head!

A head without a body, yet still with an esophagus hanging from it!

Phew! Good thing it's not a ghost. Tu Ba Ge breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a human head — it wasn't even afraid of people.

Then, a pure, clear light descended from the sky and fell upon that head.

Ah!

A scream rang out as the shriveled, hideous head rapidly evaporated, dissolved, and turned to ash, leaving not a single trace behind.

"So weak!"

Daniz commented subconsciously.

Then from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a similar head flying out from the mist to the side, trying to bite at his neck.

Bang!

A classic revolver had appeared in his hand at some unknown time. He pressed his elbow down and quickly pulled the trigger.

The brass-colored bullet accurately struck the mold-covered head, shattering the opponent's brow, causing it to tilt backward and hover in midair.

Immediately afterward, Daniz made a grasping motion with his left hand, and a mass of crimson flame quickly rose.

He leaned forward, dragged his arm, and threw the mass of flame, which slammed with a boom onto the stiff head.

Flames rose, crimson burning; the head's skin quickly blackened, emitting a sizzling sound.

Just as Daniz thought it was over, the head, seemingly unaffected, lunged forward, mouth wide open, biting toward his neck.

Daniz was startled by this unexpected development, barely having time to dodge; he hurriedly curled up and rolled forward, narrowly avoiding the potentially fatal injury.

"'Hiss!' the sound of breaking earth rang out, and he hurriedly rolled and maneuvered to the left."

Only then did he see that several thick vines had burst from the ground, tightly entwining the head that had lunged at him.

Daniz glanced in surprise at Tu Ba Ge, whose paw was pressed to the ground, said nothing, and crimson flame reappeared in his hand.

This time the flame did not expand quickly; instead it contracted inward, layer upon layer.

In just a second, Daniz hurled the compressed orange-yellow fireball, now only the size of an eye, accurately into the shriveled head's mouth.

Boom—

With a flash of fire, the explosion erupted outward, shattering the vine-wrapped head; countless fragments and blood splattered all around.

The vines that had originally entwined the shriveled head were also flung aloft by the blast's immense impact, then retreated back to the ground.

"'Phew!' Finally resolved. Daniz exhaled in relief, pushing himself up from the ground."

Only now did he realize that these head-only monsters were not easy to deal with, whereas Ge'erman·Siparuo had easily disposed of one just moments ago.

Mainly, the "Sun" domain's extraordinary ability greatly restrains such things! Daniz muttered to himself in disdain, finding an excuse.

After regaining his composure, he turned to look at Ge'erman and the fat rabbit beside him, seeing that they hadn't waited for him and had already hurried off, carrying a horse lantern.

"'Damn it! Wait for me!' Daniz's pupils contracted; he quickly sprinted after them, for in this eerie environment he dared not linger alone."

Near the Lime Restaurant, Tu Ba Ge reached out a paw to feel the tall hat on his head.

"'Whoosh!' a gust of wind suddenly arose, rapidly centering on Tu Ba Ge and sweeping outward, blowing away the small pebbles on the surrounding ground."

The surrounding thick fog also dissipated a bit, but soon the fog rolled back in.

Thanks to that brief clear visibility, they also saw Tang Na's family not far away, just having left the Lime Restaurant.

There was also a shriveled, moldy head, which had been hidden in the fog beside them just moments before.

Next, a pure, clear, radiant beam of light descended from the sky, falling upon that shriveled head and quickly dissolving it.

The fog quickly thickened again, and the two sides, who had just been able to see each other, once again lost sight of one another.

"'This,' Keliuweis and company swallowed hard, finding the scene just now somewhat beyond their comprehension."

Shortly afterward, Kelaisen led Tu Ba Ge and Daniz through the fog, appearing before Keliuweis and company.

"'Uncle Sparrow!' Tang Na and Dan Dun exclaimed delightedly."

They felt their inner unease instantly diminish by half.

Kelaisen tossed the horse lantern in his hand to Daniz beside him, leaning on his walking stick as he said:

"'First, go to the telegraph office.'"

"'Are there any others?'"

"'There's also the Dimoduo family; they're still in the restaurant.'"

Tang Na and Dan Dun's father, Wuerdi, replied instinctively.

Immediately afterward, he pointed to the spot where that shriveled head had been purified and asked urgently:

"'What was that just now?'"

To maintain his persona as Ge'erman·Siparuo, Kelaisen gave no response, glanced at Daniz beside him, walked straight past Tang Na's family, and headed toward the tightly shut doors of the Lime Restaurant.

Daniz straightened his back, narrowed his eyes to scan the ordinary people before him, then, imitating his captain's dignified demeanor, spoke:

"'You don't need to worry about what this is; just remember it's a monster that will hurt you.'"

After saying that, he glanced at Ge'erman·Siparuo not far away; if he weren't just a few meters off, he would still have wanted to say

"'Only I, Blaze Daniz, can protect you!'"

Tu Ba Ge quietly put away the pale yellow paper in his hand and loudly spoke the words Daniz had wanted to say.

(End of chapter)