Alien world

Chapter 1714, Section 347: Fishing
In mid-May, the weather was comfortable, neither as hot as midsummer nor requiring heavy clothing.

A small boat drifts on the azure sea in a bay far from the free port.

Like every day, every month, every year, Laila sat on her boat, fishing with her rod in hand, enjoying the simplest pleasure: satisfying her anticipation and curiosity.

Through the rippling blue sea, Lela could vaguely see a school of fish swimming underwater, but they all avoided the small boat. Only one small fish lingered near the hook, seemingly very interested in the bait.

Just then, a large fish, rarely seen in the nearshore waters, swam by, startling the smaller fish and piquing Lera's interest.

……

Annan gazed at the priests with a divine, compassionate look, which the world did not understand. They simply believed that the Inquisition was eliminating dissidents and slaughtering its own people...

"It is precisely because you take pride in the empire that you are so cold to your people. I apologize for my previous prejudice. If the royal family is the trunk of the empire, then you are the roots of the empire. It is because of you that there are lush branches and leaves."

Just as the priests were beginning to believe Annan's words and were about to consider him one of their own, a figure holding a human skull suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Your Honor!" the priest stood up straight and called out the figure's identity.

"give it to me."

The judge, holding the human skull, stepped out of the shadows. His hard-won emotions had been interrupted, but Annan was not discouraged and prepared to start over: "Your Excellency, I have finally met you."

The young priest stepped back behind the judge.

Annan carefully examined the presiding judge. He was thin, dark-skinned, and his hands, which held the skull, were calloused. He looked more like an old farmer than the fearsome presiding judge of the courtroom.

"I've always been curious about what a presiding judge would be like. Now I finally understand. He truly is the cornerstone of the empire. He's no different from an ordinary imperial citizen. He comes from the masses and goes back to the masses."

Talk about profits with merchants, talk about treasures with dragons, talk about the future with the poor, and talk about the past with the powerful.

The presiding judge seemed like a down-to-earth person, so he was associated with the people.

“I’m just the deputy presiding judge.” His face was expressionless.

Annan smiled and said, "Your Honor, you know I have a Free City. My two deputy city lords have practically taken over all the affairs of the city, doing far more than I have. But the people only think it's my achievement... Who says only those who stand in the light are heroes?"

“You are indeed as rumored,” the judge said calmly, “capable of manipulating people’s emotions like a succubus.”

Why does this person have such a cold face when I say nice things?

Annan suddenly realized that associating himself with the devil was not a good thing for the court, so he explained, "These are all misunderstandings about me. A few words are not enough to make people willingly walk into Freedom Street."

The presiding judge had no intention of engaging in sophistry using Annan's preferred logic, and simply asked him to leave: "Leave now, the court does not welcome outsiders."

"I just want to contribute my own strength."

“No need.” The deputy judge looked at the priest. “Gandhi, send the outsider out.”

"Yes, Your Honor."

Annan didn't move: "What if I said I had a way to make the Blackwatch talk?"

"you have not."

Well, the deputy judge was right, he didn't.

Gandhi walked to his side and gestured for Annan to leave.

……

"Quickly...quickly bite the ditch..."

Lera stared intently at the water, watching the large fish approach, swaying its tail fin as it passed by. Not only was it uninterested, it even scared away the small fish that was about to take the bait. Enraged, she grabbed the magic gun beside her and pointed it at the large fish in the distance.

……

Annan was unwilling to give up and quickly searched his mind for a way to keep himself in the courtroom.

"Your Excellency, if I were to beat you up right here..."

The deputy judge calmly read out the rules: "Intentionally harming court personnel will result in the loss of a hand and imprisonment."

“I’ll beat him up,” Annan said, pointing to Gandhi.

"In the courtroom, there is no distinction between high and low; whether you harm the presiding judge or a priest, the punishment is the same."

“I am an envoy; all actions within the Empire are managed by the Ministry of Rites.” “The Court of Judgment has priority.”

"I will be back!" Annan had no choice but to make a tough statement.

……

Lera put down her magic gun, watching the big fish leisurely drift away, unwilling to accept it.

Calm down. I'm here to fish, not to catch fish... There's no fun in that, and fish that's been shot with a musket can't be eaten.

Don't ask her how she knew.

Thankfully… Lera looked at the little fish swimming back; there was still a chance.

……

Annan followed the priest away slowly; this was the first time Gandhi had ever seen anyone leave the courtroom so reluctantly.

"Your name is Gandhi?"

"Why don't you speak?"

"I think the vice judge only asked you to escort me out, not to keep me silent."

"Are you holding a grudge against me because I said I wanted to beat up the deputy judge?"

“I thought you could understand. That’s the Blackwatch, one of the eight legions of the Empire. Their families sent them in, hoping they would bring glory to their country, but not only did they die outside, they were also falsely accused of colluding with Chaos. How heartbroken they must have been…”

"How long has it been since you went home? Do you need me to pass on a few words to your family?"

The light was already visible ahead, and seeing that time was running out, Annan quickly spoke: "I have one last question, just one..."

The young priest named Gandhi finally spoke: "Ask away, I will not answer."

……

squeak-

The fishing line taut instantly, pulling away into the distance. Lela suddenly stood up, pulled up the fishing rod, and the swaying boat collided with the waves, sending up spray that shimmered in the sunlight.

The fish is hooked!

……

As Annan walked out of the courtroom, Gandhi, who had brought him out, stopped at the door, both to block his way and to watch him leave.

"You were kicked out?" O'Lin asked.

“That’s too harsh to say. They think the courtroom is cold and ominous and not suitable for children, so they sent me out early.” Annan walked up to Oulin.

"child?"

"Would you believe me if I said I'm an adult?" Annan said irritably.

"It seems we've gained nothing."

If everything had gone smoothly, Annan wouldn't be in this state.

Annan followed Oulin toward the carriage: "You can't say that..."

In his final question to Gandhi, he asked how he could meet the Blackwatch.
Gandhi replied: They are imprisoned deep in the dungeon, and can see no one.

Oulin thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "The answer is in the riddle itself."

“That’s what I think too.” Annan nodded. “As long as I become an accomplice of Blackwatch, I can be locked up with them!”

The only problem is...

"How did you get out?" Even the Blackwatch Legion commander couldn't escape punishment, so how could Annan save himself?

"Oulin, what are the Ancestor's preferences?"

(End of this chapter)