Chapter 423: Ambush (Part 2)
"You need to be careful. This island isn't simple. Two thousand years ago, it was once the holy ground of the Doomsday Direwolf, Gleipnir. According to historical records, Gleipnir should still be sealed somewhere within the Motley Islands."
At that moment, Molly—who had been seasick for most of the journey and rarely spoke—said softly, "This place was also once the most devout center of the Wolf-Worship Cult. Over ninety percent of the natives are followers of the cult and carry some degree of werewolf bloodline."
"Gleipnir? Could the giant wolf from Robinson's legend be Gleipnir?" Zhou Ning asked curiously after a moment's pause.
"Probably not. Based on his description, it's more likely the Moonlight Direwolf, Seras—Gleipnir's offspring. Born an angel, Seras is considered the progenitor of all werewolves."
"I see." Zhou Ning nodded slightly. Moonlight Direwolf Seras… an angel… As Molly explained, two words immediately flashed through his mind—
Oh, hell.
The tier-seven summoning scroll in that fat noble's hand sacrificed life force to randomly summon a high-tier creature, with an extremely small chance of summoning a demigod-level entity.
But with the red moon amplifying everything, all bets were off. Zhou Ning had to prepare for the worst.
Though his current strength was at a "Pirate General" level—enough to dominate most areas—that didn't include monsters found in history books.
Just then, a new mission notification suddenly appeared on his interface.
[You have triggered an A-Rank mission: "Rescue Angus Motley." Accept? Yes/No.]
[Mission Summary: Angus Motley, ruler of the Motley Islands, is in danger. If you can save him, you'll earn the Motley family's gratitude and trust. The choice to intervene is yours.]
[Note: This mission is extremely difficult. Forming a team is highly recommended.]
[Reward: 5.2 million EXP, 2 random rewards, Favorability unlocked with the Kingdom of Sepharic and the Motley family.]
[Failure Condition: Angus Motley dies.]
[Failure Penalty: None.]
"A team-type A-rank mission…" Zhou Ning murmured, slightly surprised. Even the Darkland incident had only been rated S-, and that was a main storyline event.
He had never seen any record of this quest in his previous life, meaning no player had ever triggered it. Could the events here really be that significant?
Still, Zhou Ning wasn't the type to let a mission dictate his actions. He accepted the quest for now, deciding to act based on the situation later.
After a moment of thought, he created a new regional task and broadcast it to nearby players:
[B-Rank Mission: Warn Angus Motley]
[Summary: The Governor of the Motley Islands, Angus Motley, is about to be assassinated. Warn him by any means necessary.]
As for rewards, Zhou Ning casually filled in 160,000 EXP and 20 Vecktas. Early congratulations to the players here—they were about to profit off Wayne Sturwell's expense.
Letting the players serve as messengers and stir up the waters in advance would ensure that Angus Motley, with his sharp mind and considerable power, would be alert enough to gain the upper hand—or at least avoid being caught off guard. For Zhou Ning, this plan carried zero downside. After all, the man was a real demigod.
Now it was up to the players to perform. Zhou Ning, for one, wasn't stepping in just yet.
Regional quests displayed the number of participants, and within seconds, more than ten players had accepted the task—including Yanran Weile, whom he had met before. Knowing that a professional player was involved put him at ease.
In the next few minutes, two more formidable pirates entered the bar, making Zhou Ning's eyelids twitch. He could probably defeat either one of them in a one-on-one fight, but a crowd of extraordinary beings working together—with their bizarre powers and unknown artifacts—could overwhelm even a demigod.
Once everyone had arrived, the werewolf Mason stood up, adjusted his wide-brimmed hat with a feather, and said in a low voice, "Let's move."
As the eleven pirates filed out of the Insider's Bar, Zhou Ning didn't immediately follow. Instead, he waited a full two minutes—enough to avoid suspicion.
Then he removed his ring, tilted his head back, and finished his entire drink in one gulp before setting the glass down. Exiting the bar, he switched his Spider Sense title to Phantom Thief, vanishing into the shadows.
The group of pirates remained within the detection range of his Observation Haki—less than two hundred yards ahead—completely unaware they were being tailed.
Moving quietly, Zhou Ning followed them through several narrow alleys until they reached a wide main road. The Governor's Mansion was to the right. With supernatural agility, the pirates climbed onto the rooftops lining both sides of the street, peering down at the road below. Among them was the fat noble himself, now wearing a "Pluto" mask. Zhou Ning could even hear his nervous, uneven breathing.
"Your stealth needs work," Zhou Ning muttered, expressionless, positioning himself roughly ninety yards away, closer to the intersection.
——
Meanwhile, at the naval harbor, a man wearing a deep-blue admiral's uniform stepped off a warship. He had brown hair, a full beard, and a broad, unremarkable frame. A tricorn hat rested on his head. Boarding a lavish carriage, he was followed by his adjutant and attendants, who entered another. The two carriages rolled forward side by side.
The man was none other than Angus Motley, the de facto ruler of the Motley Islands.
Before long, the carriages halted abruptly at the harbor gates. Angus lifted the curtain and looked outside, his voice calm and emotionless.
"What's going on?"
His adjutant, Harry Barrett, stepped forward and said, "Admiral, a group of Chosen Ones has blocked the road. Their leader, a man named Yanran Weile, claims someone intends to assassinate you on the way."
"An assassination?" Angus nodded faintly. "Bring them here."
After a brief interrogation, the two carriages remained parked for a while before setting off again.
The players were elated—just a few lines of dialogue and their mission was complete, earning them Motley reputation points. Clearly, sticking close to the main story had paid off.
"Let's follow him! Maybe there's another hidden quest ahead!" Yanran Weile decided quickly.
About ten minutes later, Zhou Ning spotted two carriages in the distance approaching the ambush site. The emblem of a seagull over crossed swords hung from the side—definitely the Motley family crest. It was still unclear, however, which carriage held Angus himself.
The eleven pirates ahead of him suddenly tensed, their bodies poised to strike.
Moments later, torrents of water cascaded from the sky—followed by several massive lightning bolts, each as thick as a tree trunk, crashing down onto the road where the carriages rolled. The water guided the current, electrifying both carriages in an instant.
The four horned horses screamed in agony, bodies convulsing under the surge. The carriages overturned in a shower of sparks and smoke.
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