Black sail

Chapter 659 XXXIX. The Abyss Walker

The entire audience erupted in uproar, because what the hell was this Underworld Stele?

A primitive man resting his chin on his hand watching two professors talk. (Image: A primitive man resting his chin on his hand)

It's not that these editors lack broad knowledge; ordinary people can't exaggerate the flowery claims made in newspapers. Only those with formal academic training can get this job.

Only the most accomplished scholars who have studied ancient historical documents, or those with great power in higher arcane academies, have access to the forbidden library and know that these ancient artifacts, also known as royal artifacts, are from a time even earlier than that of the overlord Cyrodiil, and were only described in scattered and vague terms before the historical break.

Legend has it that it was even able to command the gods.

The uproar wasn't over the so-called stone tablet, but rather that Kaden couldn't hold back and swore, instantly shattering the carefully cultivated image the organizers had created for him.

A reformed, mysterious, chivalrous thief? A young female warrior suffering from psychological trauma?
Don't make your sister Kai laugh.

"Where are the guards? Someone's causing trouble, get them out of here right now!"

Kaden frantically flexed his muscles, urging the royal army to speed up.

It's impossible for someone to suddenly appear and directly focus on the key path to find the tipping point; there must be a hidden story. Without even thinking about it, it's clear that Li Si was specially sent to guide public opinion.

To put it bluntly, all these actions were simply to win over the Emperor's attitude. Not only Li Si Te himself, but also the interest groups behind him had to avoid conflict with the royal court as much as possible.

As a top contender among the top sixteen, Kaden was immediately surrounded by armored royal guards, their armor gleaming in the strong sunlight.

Ben was terrified. He was already furious after being locked up by the cops all night. Dark elves' lives matter too! Dark lives are precious!
Let's get right to the smooth combos!
"This is a rogue knight! The top sixteen of the Continental Martial Arts Tournament, a tournament organized by His Majesty the King, and a rogue knight appears? I have a press pass, is there no law left in the capital?!"

I'm so angry! If Lister doesn't send money this time, I'm gonna switch sides and follow Lord Kaden to fight the pirates in the East China Sea! I'm so tired of winning! Retired courier and double agent from the Great Thief Guild!
One trick is enough to make a living, but the filming still has to be done domestically.

Because the word "emperor" has changed its connotation over time, making the person in a high position seem very powerful, people have gotten used to it in private, and that is indeed the case. However, in public settings within Aran, when referring to the emperor, one must use his title and call him "king," which is an extremely cautious practice.

He yelled like that, but it was completely useless. Did he threaten the general in Alan? Instead, it had a side effect. The soldiers moved even faster and immediately grabbed Ben, pinning his hands behind his back so he couldn't move an inch.

Kaden's persona crumbled even more drastically. She started making thieving faces, with a cold smile and a playful look that was full of contempt. "I'm a celebrity now, I'm in the legitimate world, I play the game in the officialdom. Even the rats in the underworld, even if they're the bosses, are just little Li. Get lost."

"I'm sorry..."

I'm speechless. If they really kick me out, I'll be furious! I'll just go straight to the Dark Panther Party in the beer hall! I have a dream!
"As he said, he was wearing the badge of the Adventurers' Guild News Agency, and according to the law, there is currently no reason to remove someone with news dissemination qualifications."

A middle-aged man in his thirties or forties said calmly that he was instantly wide awake upon hearing the words "Netherworld Stone Tablet".

His voice was deep and had a strange sense of composure. His tone was not one of sharp intimidation, but rather a natural power that came from deep consolidation, which quieted the surroundings.

The man had high, straight brow bones, a sharp, vertical nose, and a well-defined but not aggressive jawline. He had medium-length brown hair and dressed very plainly, wearing a black shirt, pants, and boots—a typical straight-man outfit.

As soon as he spoke, Wang Chengjun immediately stopped what he was doing.

"Who the hell are you? Where's your captain? Throw this troublemaker's accomplice out too!"

Kaden flew into a rage and immediately summoned the captain of the royal army.

Various media outlets and newspapers frantically printed on the notebook with charcoal pencils, portraying Kaden's character as a diva.

"This is... Mr. Wesker, the instructor of the Royal City Army."

The captain reminded Kaden.

"My hair?"

Kaden was dumbfounded. The Imperial Guard Instructor? Don't you have a job? What are you doing here?
But I immediately regretted it. Damn it, accomplices!
This person's status isn't particularly high, just average, but he's definitely one of the most capable fighters in Alan, ranking high wouldn't be a problem.

The military government of Aran has a complex system of various legions. They are bloated and unwieldy due to ties of blood or interests. Once they become too big to handle, it is impossible to keep them lean and efficient.

While military merit is indeed required to rise to the upper echelons, the good benefits for soldiers and the presence of many regular soldiers with strong connections lead to a wide range of quality. In battles where experience is often prioritized for advancement, unexpected incidents can easily result in disastrous consequences. The Royal City Army, being the emperor's private army, has extremely strict and rigorous selection criteria.

In comparison, let's only discuss the most basic soldier formations: one is a living corpse wielding a broken sword, and the other is the Farron Undead Legion.

And the Imperial Guard instructor is nothing but a damn Abyss Walker.

"Young man, please don't mind. Feel free to ask any questions you may have."

Wesker said this, with one hand across his chest and the other resting on his chin.

Ben's revelation provided Wesker with crucial information, allowing all the questions to be answered step by step.

The Royal Court of Aran did take action regarding the train robbery at the end of last year. Because it was damaging to the national image and the emperor's reputation, different departments within the Royal City Army also sent people to investigate.

Because train operations are of paramount importance, not only for economic stimulus but also for victory in war, the official denial is that the train was not robbed, but simply experienced a malfunction.

But in reality, the truth behind it all has been thoroughly investigated. It's just that the Black Sail gang, being pirates adrift at sea, were like shadowy figures on the vast ocean when attacked, and like divine soldiers appearing out of nowhere when attacked by them. They were intercepted by the pirates inland, which was quite embarrassing, so it wasn't made public, and they weren't really involved afterward.

It wasn't until the Black Sail crew got into another argument with the train in Muron that, after some wrangling and discussion about personal and territorial jurisdiction, the matter was handed over to the Navy to handle.

However, both the navy and the army suffered heavy defeats, and since it coincided with the military competition on the mainland, they could only keep the news a secret.

The news about the descendants of the Overlord is likely fake, but the royal court won't remain completely silent; it will simply send Wesker to investigate.

Coincidentally, Wesker also knew the inside story of the train case that was closed last year.

Based on the on-site investigation by the expert team and the use of arcane magic arrays to detect residual elements, Joshua, a sergeant from the Department of Energy's Special Operations Division, who was blown into a V-shaped blood powder, died from an extremely powerful and unprecedented destructive force.

The expert team in Alan is top-notch. After a week of searching through literature and overcoming technical difficulties, the expert team confidently determined that it belonged to the ancient royal artifact, the Netherworld Stone Tablet.

However, the case was rejected by his superiors, and Joshua's cause of death was hastily closed.

Wesker was initially skeptical, but today he finally believes it.

Now everything makes sense.

After Li Si Te dominated the East China Sea, he did not receive the wealth commensurate with his achievements. Instead, he had to take a risk and immediately open up a battlefield in Mu Long. This was almost an act of irrationality. His power was not yet fully consolidated, and he threw himself into another high-stakes gamble. This interest group was likely to collapse if it suffered a setback.

The whole thing was caused by Diaz's suppression of Lister's businesses, which made many foreign investors hesitant to act for fear of Diaz's retaliation, resulting in a significant reduction in Lister's wealth.

Let's continue reasoning.

Last year's train robbery involved a real underworld stone tablet, which the Black Sail gang took from Diaz. This is the reason for the rivalry between the two sides.

This has led to today's turmoil, the so-called Thieves Guild and the Century Showdown at Heaven's Harbor.

So, is it possible that the descendants of the Overlord are real?

"As expected of the head instructor, he never harms the people in the slightest, is impartial and incorruptible, and is absolutely fair and just."

With Wesker's backing, Ben immediately switched to his thief's face, his lips curving upwards to the sky, his eyes filled with extreme contempt, "What kind of thief is this? This bitch is just a dirty worker, and she even had a snake kiss with Lister, the current leader of the East China Sea pirates!"

This really ignited the entire audience.

It boiled and exploded immediately.

The Sword King's disciple, the Highway Ranger, and the Lady of the Golden Land were all as if listening to a heavenly book, and were greatly shocked.

(End of this chapter)