Chapter 146: Someone Looking for Brando
Golden Dream.
"So Brando is missing," Iceberg Admiral Edwina calmly said to her old classmate across from her in the captain's cabin.
"Pretty much," Anderson sighed, slumping into the sofa.
"Have you tried divination?" Edwina asked.
"I tried, it was useless," Anderson spread his hands. "Like I wrote in my letter, that storm sank the entire ship, not even a large piece of wood could be found.
The old men in the Church told me to look for him, but where do I look? I barely escaped myself!"
Anderson gestured wildly for a moment, then smiled again.
"That's why I came to you."
"Old classmate, I'm in trouble, you wouldn't refuse to help, would you?" Anderson played the emotional card.
Anderson played the emotional card, evidently forgetting that he had pulled Edwina's pigtails during the previous semester.
Edwina gave him a cold glance: "I haven't received orders from the Church. Besides, this is your own mission."
"Hey, hey, don't be so heartless. That Brando was on your ship before, wasn't he?"
"Strictly speaking, he was a guest, not someone on my ship."
"But—" Edwina thought of the key and the scenes from all her previous research notes. She parted her cherry lips: "As Brando's teacher to a certain extent, I also have an obligation to ensure his safety."
She paused, then added: "For this, I have already hired a professional."
"Already?" Anderson was a bit confused.
A moment later, a knock sounded on the captain's cabin door. A man wearing a well-tailored black trench coat, a top hat, and a silver badge pinned to his chest walked in.
"Victor?" Anderson was startled to see the newcomer.
As a bounty Hunter who roamed the seas, he was very familiar with the other party. The other party had a fleet that served as a mobile black market at sea and could be considered the most famous merchant and intelligence dealer on the sea.
He himself had bought many good things from the other party.
"Why are you here?"
"Where there's business, there's me," Victor showed a merchant's characteristic business smile.
Originally, he was routinely providing supplies to the Golden Dream, but he didn't expect Edwina to keep him and proactively find him a business opportunity. As a merchant, he had no reason to refuse.
"After you informed me of this matter, I contacted Victor," Edwina explained to Anderson. "In terms of intelligence gathering, he is more professional than us."
"And sufficiently discreet."
"Hey, hey, why were you so nonchalant just now? Turns out you were more anxious than me!" Anderson's words immediately revealed him as an experienced "Hunter."
Edwina frowned slightly, completely ignoring his teasing, and turned her gaze to Victor: "What about the matter I asked you to investigate?"
"Regarding that shipwreck, I have investigated it thoroughly," Victor reined in his smile, adopting a serious and professional tone. "Essentially, that storm was indeed an accident."
"At the time, the Storm Church was besieging the Sea God. From the information I obtained, the Sea King, Arne Courtman, also took action."
"Sea King—" Anderson's expression became solemn. "Mm."
"Quite clearly—" Victor nodded. "The passenger ship you were on happened to be right in the center of their battlefield, so it was affected."
"Along with the pirate ship that wanted to rob you, they were all swept to the bottom of the sea."
"So that's how it is—" Anderson mused. "That level of storm certainly isn't something an ordinary Demigod can unleash."
"That passenger ship also had bad luck, deviating from its normal course. If it had been on its normal route, it wouldn't have sunk," Victor added.
"What's the situation with the Storm Church now? I heard that Bayam seems to have been inexplicably put under martial law," Edwina asked after hearing Victor's intelligence.
"The Storm Church has sealed off the news, completely blaming this incident on that group of pirates, publicly claiming that the pirates ransacked the passenger ship and brutally massacred everyone."
"Heh, those pirates are probably already feeding the fish at the bottom of the sea, and they still have to take such a big fall," Anderson chuckled, jesting.
"—" Edwina and Victor simultaneously turned their gazes to him.
"Why are you looking at me? Continue your discussion," Anderson waved his hand.
"Ahem." Victor cleared his throat. "There are indeed rumors of martial law in Bayam recently, but the current situation is still normal.
It has some connection with the Storm Church, but whether it's specifically due to this incident, I'm not clear yet. Of course, if you want to find out, I can also help inquire, but—that's a different price."
Upon hearing this, Edwina shook her head slightly and analyzed softly:
"This matter should not be enough for the Storm Church to make such a big move."
Anderson also nodded: "Although it involves high-ranking officials of the Storm Church."
"But incidents of accidentally harming civilians happened frequently in the early years, and the Storm Church are all people who act without thinking." After Victor left, Anderson and Edwina exchanged glances.
"Given that, Brando is most likely in dire straits!" Anderson spoke first.
"No." Edwina gently shook her head. "I think he shouldn't have met such a simple demise."
"Let's go to the accident area first."
"Mother—" Tracy looked at the suddenly appearing Katarina, a hint of sadness welling up in her eyes, followed by fear.
Mother being here meant that the matter of those materials couldn't be kept secret!
"Tracy, I finally found you. Where have you been all this time?" Katarina cupped her face with a worried expression, her voice full of tenderness.
If one didn't know they were both Demoness, this would truly be a deeply touching scene of a loving Mother and filial daughter.
"I—" Tracy was about to speak, but she looked up and saw Mirso and the other Sailors behind her Mother.
Her eyes turned cold, and she immediately ordered: "You, get out of here quickly!"
"Yes," Mirso, with a guilty conscience, didn't hesitate and hurriedly led his Sailors away without looking back.
"That subordinate of yours is quite restless—" Katarina's red lips parted slightly, smiling. "If I hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid little Tracy, you would have been in trouble."
"What, he actually dared—" Tracy was a little surprised. She had just been immersed in the despair brought by the huge blow,
and had completely failed to notice her subordinate's small actions.
"So, what exactly were you thinking about just now, that you were so engrossed?"
"I—" Tracy bit her lip and didn't speak.
"Sigh, it seems little Tracy has grown up and has her own secrets now," Katarina sighed softly, feigning displeasure.
Her gaze was then drawn to the items in the storeroom.
"I didn't expect you to find such a Tracy," she said, looking at the warehouse full of Beyonder materials with some surprise.
"Mother—" Tracy stood in front of her Mother, spreading her arms to shield the storeroom door.
She knew that if these materials were discovered by her Mother, it meant they would be discovered by the Demoness Sect, which meant there was a high probability they would be "confiscated" and used as so-called merits.
Of course, Mother might intercept a portion for personal use.
But without a doubt, Tracy's previous plans would all go to waste: becoming a Demigod, gaining freedom, living happily ever after—thinking of this, a strong sense of unwillingness rose in her heart.
"Only half of the materials here are mine," Tracy said stubbornly.
"Oh," Katarina's smile became playful. "Then whose is the other half?"