"Physician, treat them."
After arranging for Bearded Man and the other man to stay in the warehouse, Charles called out into the depths of the warehouse. A tall, thin man emerged, wearing a gray-white long coat with pockets full of various items.
The man Charles called 'Physician' had a cold demeanor, as if nothing interested him. He walked towards Bearded Man and the other man, his voice as clear and cold as his appearance, saying, "Wounds."
Bearded Man quickly removed his outer clothing, revealing the blood-red marks left by the Fire Whip. The Physician glanced at them, then placed his hand over the surface of the wounds. A faint, weak green light emanated from his palm.
Bearded Man felt the previously burning and stinging area become cool and somewhat itchy. After a while, when the Physician removed his hand, the skin there had returned to its original color, having shed a layer, but it was no longer bleeding and had scabbed over. If left alone, it would heal in a few days.
While the Physician was treating the other person with the same method, Charles walked deeper into the warehouse. Tables and chairs were set up there, and a burly man with a full beard sat cross-legged on the ground.
This burly man had Highlander blood, wearing only a brown leather jacket with no clothes underneath. His developed pectoral muscles and well-defined abdominal muscles were vaguely visible beneath the jacket.
Even sitting cross-legged on the ground, he was not much shorter than Charles.
Hearing footsteps, the burly man, who had been feigning sleep with his eyes closed, opened them and asked in a deep voice, "How did it go?"
"Very smoothly."
Charles sat on a single-seater sofa, crossed his legs, and clasped his hands on his knees: "We now know that Mr. Rayleigh is alone, with no companions. He is a Pyromaniac, not difficult to deal with."
"Pyromaniacs, also known as Fire Mages in ancient times, possess destructive power that shouldn't be underestimated at Sequence 7," the burly man kindly reminded his companion.
Charles smiled slightly: "You can rest assured on that point; don't forget we have 'that item' in our hands. He probably won't have a chance to use his favorite abilities."
"However, to be cautious, it's better if I make some preparations."
He pulled out a citrine pendant from under his collar, let it hang completely still, then whispered, "Hunting Rayleigh will be dangerous."
"Hunting Rayleigh will be dangerous."
After repeating it seven times, he found that the pendant remained unchanged, still motionless.
The burly man looked at Charles: "What does this mean?"
Charles murmured as if talking to himself: "Does he have an anti-divination item on him? It's possible, but it's also possible that he's using a fake name, so it can't be divined."
Soon, he regained his smile: "Don't worry, Sandy. If there's danger, I'll receive a revelation. Of course, to be safe, I'll perform a few more divinations using other methods later."
"Why not consider giving up? It's only two thousand pounds; we can choose a more stable job," said the Physician, who had finished the treatment and naturally had a cold face, as he walked back.
Charles shook his head: "For this matter, I've already paid 50 pounds to bribe the Navy. Those three Adventurers used for probing cost me 280 pounds. I've already invested in this matter; if I give up now, I'll lose 330 pounds."
"What's more, what's important isn't the two thousand pounds rewarded by the Blood Admiral; what's important is that we can use this matter to establish a connection with the Blood Admiral."
"My materials, your Potion formulas. If we have an additional channel, and one from a figure like the Blood Admiral, it will be much easier to gather them."
The burly man Sandy said in a deep voice, "I don't think dealing with the Blood Admiral is a good idea, but if you wish to do so, I will support you."
Charles smiled and patted the burly man's shoulder.
The Physician sat down on a sofa on the other side, took a cigar from his pocket, but didn't light it, only smelled it between his nose: "The Blood Admiral has offered a 2000-pound bounty for this hunter named 'Rayleigh,' and there are rumors in Bansi Port that Mr. Rayleigh might be carrying a large sum of money."
"Of course, he might have already hidden the wealth gained from his adventures somewhere. If we successfully hunt him, Charles can communicate with his spirit, allowing us not only to gain the Blood Admiral's channel and bounty but also to obtain more benefits."
"The only thing to note is that the opponent is a hunter capable of independently hunting a pirate ship; we cannot be careless."
Charles leaned back in his chair: "When have we not been cautious? Besides, hunting the 'Blood Shark' might not be as powerful as it seems. The only noteworthy thing on that ship was its captain, Quint."
"I heard Quint is skilled in some demonic rituals and has mastered several demon-type Spells, making him quite difficult to deal with."
"But that's all there is to it. Don't forget, we've hunted guys more powerful than Quint. And to this day, we are still alive and well."
He stood up: "Alright, I'll try divining again using other methods, but I think it might not be very useful. It's a pity those Adventurers had limited strength; otherwise, if they could bring back Mr. Rayleigh's blood, I'd be confident in getting a more accurate revelation."
"Go on, I won't let anyone disturb you," the burly man Sandy promised, waving his fist, his fist being the most powerful guarantee.
Fire Dragon Bar.
After finishing three beers, Lex stood up and left the bar.
The change he had just given the Bartender was enough to buy three beers.
After leaving the bar, Lex recalled the information the Bartender had provided, stopping occasionally to ask for directions. A moment later, he found a Storm Church located not far from the port.
"Reef Church," Lex said with a smile on his lips, looking at a sign next to the church, "I've been getting a bit close to the grumpy old brothers lately, but I can't help it, since I'm now an 'informant' for the Storm Church."
He walked into the church. There weren't many people inside. Lex went straight to the offering box, took out his loose change—1 soli, 5 soli, 1 pound... Counting roughly 40 pounds, Lex stuffed it all in.
This caused a nearby priest to unconsciously nod, believing Lex to be a devout believer. Then he saw the storm emblem on Lex's chest, and his eyes changed again.
Next, he saw Lex walking over, and the priest's expression softened and a smile appeared.
"Storm Above."
Lex was becoming more and more proficient at this 'slogan,' then lowered his voice and said, "I need help."
The priest confirmed the storm emblem he wore on his chest again, then nodded: "Perhaps the Bishop can help you resolve your doubts."
He looked towards the confessional booth next to them, its door open, with several gentlemen and ladies queuing, about four or five people.
Lex followed the priest's gaze, nodded, and walked over to queue up.
About 10 minutes later, it was finally Lex's turn.
He stepped through the door, closing it behind him, and immediately, the surroundings became dim.
"Charles, is there something you wish to say?" The Bishop's voice sounded from behind the wooden partition.