I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 531 The situation is becoming increasingly complicated.
The fishing boats glided silently through the narrow, dark waterways, leaving the fighting and bloodshed in the warehouse far behind.

The waterway is flanked by slippery, moss-covered stone walls, and the occasional shadow of the arched bridges connecting the buildings on both banks looms overhead, creating an oppressive atmosphere that makes it hard to breathe.

However, this repression did not last long.

As the oars moved, the darkness ahead was gradually dispelled, replaced by a hazy and vast halo of light.

When the fishing boat finally sailed out of the narrow tributary that was like a throat and merged into the main channel, the scene before us suddenly opened up, as if we had stepped from a dark hell into a bustling human world in an instant.

This is the Grand Canal of Taiwan.

Even though it was late at night, the canal was still bustling with activity, a stark contrast to the deathly silence of the warehouse and the darkness of the waterway behind.

On the wide river, boats of all sizes shuttle back and forth in an endless stream.

The heavy cargo ship, with its deep draft, moved its massive body slowly, the boatmen shouting their work songs, the oars or poles cutting through the water with a heavy splashing sound.

The lighter fishing boats are much more agile, with lanterns hanging from their bows, weaving through the gaps between the larger boats like fireflies. The boatmen occasionally shout to acquaintances across the water, their voices echoing across the surface.

Some were even more ornately decorated, adorned with lanterns and colorful streamers, clearly flower boats run by players. The faint sounds of string and wind instruments drifted over, accompanied by the banter of men and women, adding a touch of extravagance and frivolity to the bustling waterway.

Various lights hang from the bow, sides, or masts of the boats, their orange, pale, and crimson halos intertwining and reflecting on the shimmering river surface, adorning the entire canal like a flowing ribbon of light, dazzling and spectacular.

"Damn, it's so lively outside..."

Hexogen, clutching the still-bleeding wound on his shoulder, leaned against the ship's railing, watching the endless stream of ships and dazzling lights before him, and couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath.

They had just escaped from the brink of death, exhausted in body and mind, carrying wounds and the corpses of their companions, yet just inches away, they witnessed such a scene of singing and dancing in peace and prosperity. The stark contrast created an absurd sense of unreality.

"A large number of people and a lot of eyes are not necessarily a bad thing."

One of the players at the bow of the boat glanced warily around the river, but then relaxed and said with a smile.

"If we blend in, those idiots can easily find us."

Ximen Da Guanren, sitting at the entrance of the boat shed, remained silent, still thinking about the attack.

The player's fishing boat silently blended into the flow of boats, moving forward with the current and the force of the oars, completely inconspicuous.

It's simply because there are too many fishing boats working at night; one more or one less boat on the canal makes no difference.

"What should we do now?"

Inside the shed of the fishing boat, someone spoke softly.

Simon turned and glanced at him.

"There's a first-aid kit under the deck. Find it and bandage the wound."

"We should..."

"Bandage the wounds first. We only have nine people left now, and we can't afford to lose any more."

The space inside the boat shed was cramped and filled with the smells of blood, sweat, and the fishy odor of the river.

Ximen Da Guanren's words made the atmosphere even more tense. The surviving players remained silent, and some began to grope for hidden compartments under the ship's deck.

"it's here."

One of the players said in a low voice, pulling out a small box tightly wrapped in tarpaulin from under the wooden plank.

Inside were some clean strips of cloth, a small bottle of liquor, needles and thread, and several common wound medicines... These were emergency supplies they had prepared for themselves, and they didn't expect to need them so soon.

There's not much to say about the healing process. All the players here know first aid. Even if they don't quite understand, they can just ask someone nearby for help. The injured are all flesh wounds, not gunshot wounds, so bandaging them is very easy. As long as you don't worry about the possibility of infection later on, everything is a minor issue.

After the wounds were treated and the person was deemed fit for the time being, the boat left the flow of traffic and came to a relatively calm riverbank. The boatman dropped anchor and moored the boat about twenty meters from the shore. Everyone gathered in the boat shed to prepare for a meeting.

"Our attack this time was due to both external factors and internal problems."

As soon as the meeting began, Ximen Da Guanren started by criticizing himself.

"I was too flamboyant within the Restoration Army."

Ximen Da Guanren's voice was low and tinged with regret.

“Our training of new recruits and our purchase of our own weapons are too big of a deal, and we’ve probably already attracted the attention of some people. Sir Doron’s reminder to preserve our usefulness may not only be a prediction of the uprising’s failure, but also a warning that the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow against it.”

He looked around at the faces in the boat shed, some tired, some indignant, and some still calm.

"We think we are an asset, but in some people's eyes, we are all outsiders. The well-trained and uncontrolled force led by us is probably more feared by them than Bagnia's spies."

Tonight's attack may not have been solely aimed at silencing witnesses; it could also be... a purge, or rather, eliminating a destabilizing factor.

"You mean, Earl Lawrence?"

Hexogen, his shoulder bandaged, asked, his face pale.

"Uncertain, but highly likely."

Ximen Da Guanren had sharp eyes.

"Sir Dorron hinted that he couldn't get involved in many things that Earl Lawrence was in charge of, including buying that batch of decoy weapons from Rex. The storage point we exposed was likely leaked through Rex or Lawrence's line."

They probably don't want our force to slip out of their control or disrupt their true plans in tomorrow's chaos.

"What's their real plan? To surrender to Chris?"

One player spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and said hatefully.

"It might be more complicated than that, but we can't rule out that possibility."

Ximen Da Guanren took a deep breath.

"Sir Dorron's attitude is quite intriguing. I can't rule out the possibility that he's putting on an act, and he may have been involved in tonight's attack as well."

"Doron also has a problem?"

"Stay skeptical."

"Master Ximen repeated, his voice particularly clear in the cramped boat shed," Ximen Daguanren said.

"Sir Doron reminded us to preserve our bodies, which is not wrong in itself, but why didn't he warn us more clearly about the specific dangers?"

Was he unsure himself, or did he tacitly approve of or even participate in some kind of... purge?

This speculation almost froze the air inside the boathouse.

If even the nominal military leader, Sir Doron, cannot be trusted, then they are truly fraught with danger within the Restoration Army.

"So what do we do? Quit? Are we just going to give up on the game?"

A younger player's voice was filled with frustration.

"Let's preserve our current strength first." Ximen Da Guanren's voice remained calm.

"We need to get ashore now, and then split into two groups to accomplish two things before dawn."

All the players present perked up, instinctively straightening their backs and waiting for Simon to continue... Although they had been quite frustrated not long ago, seeing Simon's confidence rekindled their fighting spirit.

It's not time to give up yet; this battle is far from over.

“Hexogen, take five men to our training base. Our recruits are well hidden; even Sir Doron doesn’t know them. They shouldn’t have been discovered yet. We must move them as soon as possible.”

"clear."

Hexogen nodded.

"The remaining two, come with me. We'll go find Sir Doron."

"Go find Duolong?"

Hexogen frowned, his tone filled with strong disapproval.

“Simon, you just said he might also have problems. Going to him now would be like walking into a trap.”

The other players in the boathouse also looked doubtful. Having just experienced betrayal and a bloody purge, their distrust of any high-ranking officials had reached its peak.

"It is precisely because there is a problem that I need to go to him. The doubts lie here. Avoidance is not the solution. Only by facing the problem can we solve it."

He paused, lowering his voice.

"Besides, I'm not going to just walk right up to him. I want to get closer to his place first and observe him. If he orchestrated what happened tonight, then he'll definitely take some action after the failure."

"understood."

"Then take action."

Soon, the players began to act. Black King left with his men, and Ximen Da Guanren quickly abandoned the fishing boat and quietly went ashore with two of the most agile players.

Just as they expected, the atmosphere inside the city was completely different from the hustle and bustle on the canal.

News of King Chris's arrival tomorrow has clearly spread, and the events that occurred in the dock area tonight have prompted the city's defense forces to temporarily increase the frequency of their patrols.

Blue Banner soldiers, dressed in Bagnya-style breastplates, marched in groups of five, carrying halberds or muskets, their steps heavy and orderly, the clanging of their armor carrying far in the quiet night.

Armed police officers on the island also set up temporary roadblocks at some key intersections, with more than 20 officers stationed there, checking a few pedestrians who were still out and about late at night.

"Damn it, martial law has been declared."

One of the two men following Ximen, Night Cat, huddled in the shadows of a small alley, watching a patrol of soldiers walk past the alley entrance, and muttered curses under his breath.

"Detour."

Ximen Da Guanren was concise and to the point: they could not take the main roads, but could only rely on their familiarity with the terrain of Treasure Island City to navigate through the maze-like alleys, abandoned courtyards, and even low rooftops.

Night Owl led the way, his figure almost blending into the darkness, only occasionally gesturing back to indicate direction. Iron Anvil followed behind, vigilantly watching for any movement behind him.

The detour was not smooth; they nearly ran into the patrol twice. Once, they hid in a corner full of garbage and endured the stench until the soldiers left.

Another time, he was forced to climb over the wall of a house, which startled the guard dog inside, causing it to bark wildly. Fortunately, the owner did not investigate further... or perhaps he was frightened and hid at home, too afraid to make a sound.

Time slipped away slowly in the tense stealth, and a faint, almost imperceptible glimmer of dawn began to appear on the eastern horizon.

As dawn approached, the three finally made their way to the area where Sir Doron was hiding. Across two relatively wide streets, they could already see the outline of the dilapidated apartment building.

However, the sight before them froze the three of them instantly, their pupils shrinking sharply.

The light we had just seen was not the sun before dawn, but a towering flame.

Sir Doron's apartment had become a giant torch, with raging flames greedily licking the wooden structure, and thick smoke shooting like a hideous monster into the still-dark sky, casting an eerie orange-red glow over the surroundings.

The crackling and popping sounds were incessant, and burning wood and rubble fell from above every now and then.

The area around the apartment is in complete chaos.

Some Taiwanese firefighters, wearing protective suits and pushing water cannons, were frantically spraying water at the apartment building in an attempt to contain the fire, but their efforts were woefully inadequate in the face of such intense flames.

The water jets from the water hoses crashed into the sea of ​​fire, quickly turning into billowing white steam. To suppress the fire, they still needed to...

Many more were residents who had been awakened or gathered around. They stood at a safe distance, pointing and whispering, their faces a mixture of fear, shock, and a hint of numbness. Clearly, something had happened inside the apartment building before the fire.

The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and burning food, and the heatwave could be felt even across two streets.

"Hold……"

Night Owl uttered a single word unconsciously, his voice dry, and he instinctively gripped the hilt of the knife hidden at his waist, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Ximen Da Guanren's face was ashen as he stared intently at the burning building. The flames danced in his eyes, reflecting the turmoil in his heart.

The mastermind behind this reacted so quickly!
Or were the people in the warehouse just incidental, and Sir Doron in the apartment building their real target?
Besides that, there's another question: who started the fire?

Is it Earl Lawrence?
Or is there someone else?

Simon forced himself to calm down and began to think about another question... Was Sir Doron dead?

Whether Sir Doron is alive or dead, the fire in the apartment building signifies that the situation has completely spiraled out of control, heading in the most extreme and bloody direction.

The so-called Minisian Restoration Army is rotten to the core, completely destroyed!
“Simon, we…”

Night Owl looked at Master Ximen, awaiting instructions. Continuing to approach was pointless and extremely dangerous.

Ximen Da Guanren took a deep breath of the smoke-filled air, and took one last look at the towering flames, as if he wanted to etch this scene into his mind.

"Walk."

He uttered a single word, his voice hoarse and cold.

"Where to go?"

"Leave here first, find a place to hide, and wait for Hesokine's message."

Ximen Da Guanren turned away, no longer looking at the fire.

"Then, we need to rethink our plans... Perhaps we need to be more direct and devise a strategy of 'pacifying the internal situation before resisting external threats'."

As they spoke, in the darkness before dawn, the three silently retreated into the deeper alleyways, leaving the firelight and chaos far behind them.

This morning in Taiwan was destined to begin with blood and fire.

Their path ahead, like the sky shrouded in thick smoke, is shrouded in mist and fraught with danger.

(End of this chapter)