Jayce still had some doubts, but considering that today's experiment application concerned the entire experiment, he let Duke go. Even though an unpleasant argument had occurred last night, Jayce still intended to communicate with Duke on equal terms.
It was just that perhaps they would gradually drift apart.
"Let's go, we're going to City Hall!"
"City Hall, that's Okao's territory!"
With a cigar always in his mouth, just like a weapon always on his person, Graves lit a new cigar and slowly followed behind Jayce.
"Will everything go smoothly today, after killing Gangplank yesterday?"
.....
"The atmosphere on the street feels a bit off, sir."
Captain Lister acutely noticed the unusual atmosphere on the street; everyone was staring at them with indifferent eyes, as if scrutinizing pieces of meat not yet on the chopping block.
"I know, but getting to the dock is the most important thing right now!"
As Duke led Neeko forward, he also adjusted to Neeko's speed. Neeko instinctively sensed the indifference and rejection of the people around them, and her cute face turned fierce as she glared at those nearby.
"Don't mind them, Neeko!"
"Neeko isn't afraid of anyone. Who dares to provoke Neeko?"
"That's right, Neeko isn't afraid of anyone!"
Duke, who smiled and comforted Neeko, still had an undiminished cold glint in his eyes, as Edith continuously helped him scan the entire street.
Everyone was watching them, and lurking gang members were stirring in the shadows.
Swish!!
The sound of a blade cutting through the air suddenly rang out, and a burly figure leaped high, slashing down at Duke, his eyes glinting with cruelty and excitement.
"The bounty is mine!"
Thud!!
Before he could even touch Duke's clothes, the assailant inexplicably flew backward, a large bloody hole in his forehead, his face still etched with excitement and cruelty.
"Hiss!!"
Captain Lister looked at the burly man who had been inexplicably headshotted, his gaze towards Duke filled with awe; Duke had been moving forward at his own pace, not even glancing at the person who had attacked him with a knife.
"Attacker neutralized, drone to continue surveillance!"
Edith transmitted the sound to Duke's ear via bone conduction, and Duke expressionlessly led Neeko to the dock.
They arrived at the place where they had previously moored their ship.
But only an empty sea remained, with a pierced Swordfish flag floating on the surface—that was their Swordfish's flag.
Besides that, seven or eight crosses stood on the dock, with the remaining crew members nailed to them; now, apart from their faces above the neck, only skeletons remained. The dock rats, however, were creatures that would openly follow people and seize opportunities to attack.
Immediately, Duke covered Neeko's eyes.
"Duke, what are you doing? Neeko can't see anything!"
Duke released his Arrogance and had him watch Neeko, trying his best not to let Neeko witness such a cruel scene.
When Duke and his companions arrived, there was a man in a hooded leather coat using gold needles and silver thread to sew the eyelids and lips of the corpses.
He was also softly murmuring ancient prayers.
"Little John, Big Gold Tooth, Old Sea Dog, One-Eyed..."
Captain Lister saw the bodies, his eyes wide, rapidly bloodshot, especially when he saw the man in the leather coat and hood using needle and thread to Defile their corpses, which filled his heart with grief and burning rage.
"You bastard!"
Captain Lister, using his one remaining arm, drew his sidearm and pointed it at the back of the man's head. "Dare to touch them again, and I'll blow your head off!"
"Calm down, Captain!"
Duke saw the silver threads sewn on the faces of the deceased and stepped forward, pushing down Captain Lister's sidearm. Captain Lister, his eyes bloodshot with fury, glanced at Duke, his tensed arm trembling constantly, but he eventually lowered the gun.
But this man, who had been strong his whole life, turned around, squatted on the ground, and wept, holding his head.
"The Requiem Ritual was well done!"
Duke quietly thanked the hooded man in front of him: "Thank you for letting their souls rest!"
The other party seemed deaf, showing no reaction, only continuing to recite prayers, his needle and thread never stopping.
Duke also took this opportunity to have the sailors behind him lay down the bodies of the sailors for whom the Requiem Ritual had been completed, carefully placing them in body bags to be taken back to their hometown later.
What the hooded man was doing was not Defiling the dead, but performing a Requiem Ritual to prevent the deceased from being invaded by Shadow after death.
By using special needles and thread to sew the eyelids and lips of the deceased, they can find eternal peace after death.
This is a special ritual from the Sentinels of Light, which allows the deceased to not be disturbed after death.
Only specific, benevolent people understand this ritual.
Soon, the hooded man finished everything, put away his needles and thread, and silently prepared to leave.
"Thank you, let them rest in peace!"
Duke called out to the hooded man and threw him a bag of golden sea. The hooded man did not reach out to take it, but instead let the money bag fall to the ground. At this moment, the hooded man slowly raised his head, took off his hood, revealing a stern, dark face.
His eyes were pitch black, as if filled with the flames of hatred and revenge.
His chiseled face carried an aloofness that warned strangers away, and his long braid cascaded behind him. Duke also noticed the two strange pistols in holsters at his waist.
His pistols were meticulously forged from flagstone and an unknown, gleaming metal. They had no triggers, making one wonder if they were purely decorative.
However, Duke, who was familiar with the heroes' backgrounds, knew that these two guns were not only not decorative, but were a pair of very powerful and magical weapons.
No trigger doesn't mean they can't fire. As long as the wielder possesses strong will and conviction, these two guns can fire infinitely, and each light projectile can easily eliminate undead and Shadow creatures.
As for their Master, he is the Purifier, Lucian, who has always mourned his deceased wife and pursued revenge.
He came for the impending The Harrowing, and for the devil who took his beloved.
That devil is Thresh, the Chain Warden!
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