章 557: Chapter 557: Alger and the Sea
Chapter 558: Alger: Gehrman, Even You Come to Kill Me!
The schedule was very tight. Alger only stayed in Backlund for five days before he, along with other members of the Storm Church, boarded a steam train under the leadership of the Ace Snake. They were heading to Puning Port in Southville County, from where they would take a ship to the Abyss of Storms.
As for why they didn't use more convenient methods like the spirit world or travel portals to reach the Abyss of Storms directly, the internal explanation of the church was that every journey to the Abyss of Storms was a pilgrimage. If it could be reached directly through a travel portal, it would inevitably lose its mystique and sanctity.
During the few days they were in Southville County, new information came from the battlefield of the Feneport Kingdom. As the situation at sea became increasingly chaotic, reinforcements from the Southern Continent were temporarily halted. This forced the Southern Continent army, which was in high spirits, to pause their offensive and gather necessary military supplies on the spot.
This allowed the Feneport Kingdom to catch its breath and, along with reinforcements from the Loen Kingdom, establish defensive lines to counter the upcoming offensive. If the war turned into a protracted one, the final victory would undoubtedly belong to the alliance of the Feneport Kingdom and the Loen Kingdom.
Therefore, the actions of the Storm Church in this war were extremely important. If the Feneport Kingdom lost control of the seas held by the Storm Church, it would face an even more brutal war. The more Alger understood the importance of the Storm Church, the more uneasy he felt. Unlike those simple believers who saw the journey to the Abyss of Storms as an honor, his vision was much broader.
The stronger the Storm Church's importance in this war, the more terrifying the attacks it would attract. The recent list incident was just a prelude; the real storm was about to sweep across the entire sea.
Upon safely arriving in Southville County, Alger knew he had to find a way to escape. Once he boarded the ship from Puning Port, he would lose any chance of leaving. He had already formulated a suitable plan in his mind based on his situation.
His identity had been exposed, making him one of the primary targets for pirates. He could use this to stage an attack on himself, then fake his death or disappear after being severely injured. This way, he wouldn't have to follow the Ace Snake to sea and participate in the upcoming naval war.
However, he had one problem to solve: who would help him stage this act? Simply leaking his whereabouts to the pirates wouldn't necessarily attract their attention, and their abilities varied greatly. He needed a reliable and cooperative partner, preferably someone with a pirate background.
The only one who met these criteria was Mr. World, Gehrman Sparrow, a notorious bounty pirate with formidable strength. Even if he encountered the Ace Snake, he could still escape safely.
After working out the details, Alger prayed devoutly to Mr. Fool at night, asking Him to convey his request to Mr. World.
Above the gray fog, Klein listened silently to Mr. Hanged Man's request, his expression slightly strange. To escape, Mr. Hanged Man wanted Mr. World to pretend to assassinate him. Only Mr. Hanged Man, the most cunning member of the Tarot Club, could come up with such a plan.
Klein could only log out and, as Gehrman Sparrow, record a video agreeing to the deal, then send it to the anxiously waiting Alger.
In the inn, Alger felt relieved after receiving a definite answer. Now he just needed to wait for Mr. World to arrive and create an opportunity for himself to be alone.
He hoped that the Ace Snake was as slow as the rumors suggested.
...
"Assassinating Mr. Hanged Man, this is going to be an interesting operation."
Already in Southville County, Klein changed his appearance from Dawn Dunst to the well-known bounty pirate Gehrman Sparrow. He had come to Southville County to confirm his suspicions with Mr. Hastur, and it was convenient to help Mr. Hanged Man stage a play.
"The best time to act is near Puning Port. This way, the Ace Snake will weigh the pros and cons and choose to board the ship first, without giving him too much time to react."
After planning his actions, Klein headed to Puning Port.
When Alger and his group arrived at Puning Port, Klein had already been there for a day. Their communication through Mr. Fool's gray fog platform was very discreet and unnoticed.
Soon, Alger found an excuse to buy some items and began to act alone the day before boarding the ship. As he walked from an alley to the street, Gehrman Sparrow, who had been waiting, attacked with a sinister smile. An air bullet shot towards Alger's back. Alger dodged, his clothes torn, leaving a terrifying but shallow wound.
Blood flowed from his back, and Alger rushed to the street to ensure more people saw him being chased. He shouted, "Madman Gehrman, even you come to kill me!"
The public chase naturally attracted attention, and members of the Storm Church rushed to the scene. The Ace Snake was enjoying afternoon tea in a café and only left when notified by a church member.
After causing a commotion, Alger followed his escape route, diving into a river outside the street. Blood flowers emerged from the water, and he disappeared.
To attract the Storm Church's attention and buy Mr. Hanged Man enough time to escape, Gehrman Sparrow pretended to search slowly along the riverbanks. When the Ace Snake arrived, he left leisurely. The Ace Snake, Snake, glanced at the blood-stained river and snorted, chasing after Gehrman.
Despite his mastery of the wind and speed, Snake couldn't catch the elusive Gehrman. He returned to the riverbank and ordered the Storm Church members to search for Alger, but by sunset, they found no trace of him.
"Not finding a body is good news," Snake thought, knowing a follower of the Storm Lord wouldn't drown in a small river. He guessed Alger had escaped along the river and was hiding to heal.
By the next morning, they still hadn't found Alger and had to entrust the search to the local Storm Church before setting sail for the Abyss of Storms.
Watching the Storm Church's ship depart, Alger, who had hidden for a night, finally relaxed.
"Your back injury?" Gehrman asked, looking at Alger's bandaged back.
"Don't blame yourself; I asked for this," Alger smiled. "Avoiding the trip to the Abyss of Storms with a minor injury is worth it."
"Isn't going to the Abyss of Storms a dream for you Storm Lord followers?"
"Depends on the timing," Alger sighed, thinking of the chaotic sea. "The naval war is about to start. I don't know if the Storm Church can maintain its dominance."
"You think the Storm Church will lose?"
"At least it won't be easy. I don't want to get involved in this war," Alger said self-deprecatingly. "I fear death too. My life comes first."
"Death is to be feared."
Alger agreed, looking at the burly Gehrman. "Why are you here? Does Mr. Fool have a task for you? If you need help, I'm willing."
"That's a secret," Gehrman smiled and left, busy with his own matters.
Watching Gehrman leave, Alger murmured, "I wonder what Mr. Fool thinks about this war and which side He will support."
He quickly suppressed his thoughts, knowing it was dangerous to guess a deity's intentions. His priority was to stay hidden from the local Storm Church.
If the Storm Church won the naval war, Cardinal Alger would reappear. If they lost, Alger would vanish, leaving only Mr. Hanged Man of the Tarot Club.
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