Chapter 435, No Authority to Arrest
The investigator quickly flipped open the notebook.
Wu Heng instructed the skeletons to unfold the straw mats, then directly cast [Speak with Dead].
The corpse riddled with bullet wounds suddenly sat upright, its cloudy pupils gazing at the group.
"It's your matter; you ask," Imiro said.
Wu Heng stepped forward and directly asked, "Who instructed you to capture someone from the Nautilus Tavern?"
The corpse answered, "The newly appointed Guard Captain, Greco!"
Everyone froze at these words.
It wasn't revenge from pirates.
But rather the island's captain?
Newly appointed, yet instead of going after pirates, his first move was targeting the Guild?
Wu Heng glanced at the others.
He avoided asking further questions to the corpse and instead looked at Sheila Grey. "Who is this?"
"Lighthouse Street's new Guard Captain," Sheila Grey explained and then asked in confusion, "You don't know him? Why would he target you?"
"I don't know him. I don't even know who's in this new Guard team."
Imiro raised a hand to interrupt their conversation and directly said, "Sheila Grey, you know this person. Take a squad to apprehend him. If he resists, kill him outright."
"Understood!" Sheila Grey responded, gripping her sword hilt as she exited, calling two squads to head ashore and capture him.
Imiro turned back. "Continue questioning."
Wu Heng nodded and asked the corpse again, "What exactly did Greco say to you?"
The corpse replied, "Kidnap the tavern owner to draw out the person behind them. Payment: five gold coins afterward."
Five gold coins might not sound like much, but it far exceeded typical bounty rewards.
Kidnapping a tavern owner was already a sky-high price.
Wu Heng continued, "Before seeing me, did you know who was behind the tavern owner?"
"No."
"If I hadn't appeared, what was your next step?"
The corpse replied, "Kill her, bury the body, and return for the reward."
"Aside from Greco, who else was a key figure?"
"No one. I only knew him."
With five questions done, the corpse lay back down.
The investigator resumed writing furiously in the notebook.
Wu Heng then cast [Speak with Dead] on the second corpse.
He confirmed the mastermind and asked other details.
The answers were almost identical to the first corpse's.
The five individuals were hired by Greco to kidnap Milisen directly from the tavern.
However, they didn't know this matter was connected to the Guild and thought it was just a simple abduction and murder task.
If they had known, they likely wouldn't have taken the job.
"It seems it's indeed Greco's doing," Wu Heng concluded.
The others looked at him in surprise.
The second corpse's answers clarified the situation for them.
The abduction happened at dusk, and by early nightfall, Wu Heng had already rescued the person.
Not only did he kill a squad, but he also uncovered the mastermind.
Such efficiency!
Even the kidnappers weren't this fast.
The others were astonished while the investigator kept recording.
Imiro asked, "What conflict do you have with the Guard team?"
"I don't even know them. We've never spoken!" Wu Heng replied, then hesitated. "A few days ago, some Guard members came to inspect my place but were chased off by skeletons. Still, that's hardly a reason to want me dead."
"It wouldn't be over something so minor," Imiro said flatly.
Wu Heng agreed.
"Then it's likely related to the Blank Envelope or the Secret Cult. I've had grudges with them over previous cases."
"You're suggesting this captain is affiliated with one of those organizations?"
"That's the only explanation. I haven't had dealings with other factions. The fact that they knew about the Nautilus Tavern proves someone has been investigating me for a while," Wu Heng analyzed.
"Makes sense," Imiro nodded.
As they spoke, a squad member rushed in.
"Steward, Deputy Steward, Greco has been found at the port and is already fighting Deputy Steward Sheila Grey."
At the port?
He was trying to leave the island.
It's definitely him.
"Steward, what are your orders?"
Imiro said, "Capture him before the island's Guard intervenes."
"Understood!"
Wu Heng led his skeletons out of the cabin quickly.
...…
On the deck.
His gaze shifted to the public port.
Sheila Grey, wielding a longsword, stood within rings of magical light, moving swiftly and nimbly as she launched relentless attacks on a young man.
Several squad members coordinated their assault.
The young man, cloaked in gray, retreated while fending off the Guild's encirclement.
...…
"It's him!"
Wu Heng recognized him immediately.
The man had left a deep impression on him.
Last time, when he brought Philipa back to see her mother, this man had been giving a speech at the port.
The speech was mediocre, but a crowd of noblewomen had cheered and applauded.
Wu Heng had taken note of his appearance back then.
This man is Greco?
Wu Heng truly didn't know him.
At the moment, the man was holding off Sheila Grey and the squad members. Though retreating, he held his ground.
His strength was undoubtedly above level 12.
Among humans, he could be considered a genius.
Wu Heng descended the ship with his skeletons, pushing through the crowd and hurrying over.
"I'm the Guard Captain of Gold-Silver Island. You have no authority to arrest a local captain."
"Sheila Grey, know your place. If we go down together, you'll gain nothing."
The man spoke while fending off attacks.
When he saw Wu Heng and his entourage, his expression darkened further.
Parrying Sheila Grey's sword, he stepped back and tore open a scroll.
Whoosh~!
A blizzard surged, toppling people and obscuring vision.
"He's escaping!" a ranger shouted.
Wu Heng sprinted sideways, avoiding the wind.
He raised his firearm and fired.
Bang-bang-bang~!
Gunfire rang out, and the fleeing Guard Captain staggered.
His thigh, buttock, and lower back were each hit.
He fell to the ground.
Sheila Grey burst through the storm, her sword at his throat. "Don't move. The Steward said I can kill you outright!"
The scroll's effect dissipated.
The squad members closed in.
"Bring him to the Steward," a squad member ordered, dragging Greco toward the ship.
The man glared venomously at Wu Heng.
...…
In the cabin.
Greco gritted his teeth. "I just kidnapped a woman. Paying her compensation should suffice. There's no need to blow this out of proportion."
"What you're doing is completely against the rules. I'm the Guard Captain of this island, and your Guild is unlawfully detaining me."
The interrogation yielded no results.
Greco adamantly insisted he was merely lustful, had taken a liking to the tavern owner, and ordered her abduction.
He feigned ignorance of any connection to the Guild.
Wu Heng glanced at Imiro.
Since they were following Guild procedures, the next step would depend on Imiro's decision.
"Kill him and question the corpse," Imiro declared.