Final Lord

Chapter 367 Rongyun

The crisp sound of the anchor breaking, the roar of the mast falling, and the most sleepless night—the dying scream of the deputy commander urging him to run.

The memories of the past are unbearably painful.

Edward suddenly clenched the purse, the metal edge digging deep into the old scars on his palm.

For the first time in many years, he examined the empty lapel of his garment after the bronze badge had been removed.

To be honest, I'm not used to losing my position as the group leader.

"Traveler from afar, please pause here. Within the sea of ​​clouds lies boundless treasure..."

The sound of a piano drifting from a distant tavern seemed to come from near and far, much like the tunes that fallen comrades often hummed.

Edward suddenly realized that he was unconsciously tapping the scabbard in rhythm—a discovery that sent a shiver down his spine.

Beneath those unforgettable fears, there always beats a passion that never cooled.

But because of his own fear, he could never ignite his passion.

"Two hundred and sixty thousand gold coins," he muttered to himself, staring at the red marks on his palms from the money bag.

The sea breeze suddenly picked up, blowing the white hair at his temples away.

As Edward gazed at the lights of Yungang gradually illuminating the twilight, he suddenly recalled that twenty years ago when he first arrived in the vast Yuncheng, he stood on the dock in the same way, vowing to make a name for himself amidst the forest of masts.

“Just consider it… going to see.” He finally took a step, his boots crushing a few scattered seashells. “If I don’t even have the courage to witness it, I might as well have followed them and sunk into the sea of ​​clouds.”

If they were alive, they wouldn't want to see me continue to sink into depravity, would they?
As Edward passed the blacksmith's shop, he inexplicably stopped.

The new cloud-patterned armor displayed in the shop window gleamed coldly, reflecting his haggard, unshaven face.

In his reflection, he subconsciously assessed the durability of his armor with his eyes.

"This...hehe."

Edward suddenly laughed out loud. His mercenary instincts were ingrained in his bones and not so easy to break.

“Old buddy.” He patted the sword at his waist that hadn’t been drawn for years. “If that arrogant rich lord underestimates the danger Yun Yu Hai poses tomorrow, we might still have a chance to save him.”

Is it too much to ask for a little gold coin after being saved?

Edward took out the gold coins from his purse and twirled them between his fingers.

"My mentor once said that sometimes fate doesn't offer you a rope, but rather an excuse to get back on your feet."

……

At dawn, at berth No. 7 in Yungang.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and under the gray-blue sky, a steel behemoth lay silently at the port.

Its outline was faintly visible in the hazy mist, like a sleeping ancient sea beast, with fine water droplets condensing on its black shell, gleaming with a cold metallic luster in the faint morning light.

Thousands of dusty, dwarf-like figures scurried across the deck, their thick arms slick with engine oil, wrenches and hammers clanging in their hands.

Boxes of crystals shimmering with a dark glow were thrown into the giant furnace in the center of the ship, instantly turning into wisps of blue smoke that formed a faint magical halo at the stern.

Edward stood at the edge of the dock, his pupils slightly contracted.

"[Rongyun]..."

This name is not unfamiliar to adventurers in the vast cloud city.

Three years ago, a group of dwarven engineers from the underworld arrived in Cloud Harbor with their proud blueprints, claiming they would build a steel warship capable of conquering the Cloudfeather Sea. They borrowed a huge loan from the merchant guild, hired hundreds of craftsmen, and used countless rare materials to finally build this behemoth.

However, fate dealt them a heavy blow. On its first trial voyage, the Rongyun had just entered the Cloud Feather Sea when it was overturned by chaotic currents and nearly sank.

On the second trial voyage, the ship's structure deformed under the twisted rules, forcing the dwarves to return in disarray.

On their third sea trial, they couldn't even leave port—the furnace exploded out of control, blowing off half the deck.

Since then, no one has been willing to invest in this "iron coffin." More than two thousand dwarves were burdened with heavy debts and forced to work in various shipyards to pay them off. The Rongyun became the biggest joke in Yungang.

Such is fate, always rising and falling, falling and falling...

But now——

Edward's gaze swept over the dwarves on the deck. Their faces no longer held their usual dejection, but instead displayed an almost fanatical excitement.

They shouted and adjusted the complex mechanical devices as if the ship was about to perform a miracle.

"More than 600,000 gold coins..."

Edward murmured softly.

This amount was enough to buy dozens of ships, yet the mysterious lord didn't hesitate to throw it all at this "failure."

He directly bought out all the debts of Rongyun and the dwarves, and took more than two thousand dwarf engineers with him.

A number of adventurers and merchants had already gathered around the port to watch the spectacle, whispering among themselves with mocking smiles on their faces.

"Look at this sucker! Didn't he even bother to find out anything about the Rongyun?!"

"The dwarves said they had solved all the problems."

"Didn't those dwarf engineers say they had solved all the problems last time? And what happened? It exploded!"

"Tsk tsk, 600,000 gold coins, enough for me to live a carefree life for the rest of my life... He actually used it to waste. I don't understand the world of the rich."

Edward ignored the gossip. His gaze fell on the bow of the Melting Cloud—where a new line of dwarven runes had been carved, gleaming in the morning light.

[Dissatisfaction]

"Ah……"

Edward's lips curled up slightly.

Are you dissatisfied? Are you dissatisfied with Yun Yuhai, or with these mediocre people?

Edward struggled through the crowded dockside crowd, his coarse linen shirt soaked with sweat.

The harbor was filled with the salty sea breeze and the smell of engine oil in the early morning. The shouts of sailors, the cries of vendors, and the metallic scraping of chains mingled together to create a noisy cacophony.

He had to sidestep the workers carrying boxes and was nearly hit by a vendor who suddenly rushed out.

When he finally arrived at berth number 7, looking disheveled, the sight before him made him gasp for breath—

In the morning mist, the steel behemoth, more than 30 meters high, resembled a moving black mountain, with the rivets densely covering its hull gleaming coldly in the rising sun.

Dozens of dusty, dwarf engineers were running up and down the gangway, their thick arms covered in machine oil, the wrenches in their hands clanging against the gears.

At the bow, Wang Bufu was leaning over and talking to a white-bearded dwarf wearing goggles, the parchment drawings rustling between them.

"Lord Kate!" Edward couldn't help but shout, his voice cutting through the hustle and bustle of the harbor.

Wang Bufu turned around at the sound, the sea breeze lifting the hem of his dark blue cloak. He flashed Edward a bright smile and gestured for him to board: "Perfect timing, Commander Edward—let's talk on board!"

(End of this chapter)