abnormal mutation

Chapter 151 Gill People
Many people also held a disdainful attitude, thinking that Roland was just a brute and that people should have a sense of awe, awe of power, money, and the extraordinary.

They're a mid-tier extraordinary being; they could crush you with ease. You should at least show them some basic respect.

Falk's face was ashen. He had made it clear that he was going to protect Roland, but the deacon of the Thistle Flower Merchant Guild didn't give him any face at all. Wasn't this a slap in his face?
If a regional manager behaves this way, one can imagine the attitude of the higher-ups at the Jihua Chamber of Commerce.

Nelson turned to look at Roland, his chubby face looking harmless: "Young man, don't talk nonsense. The Thistle Merchant Guild serves the royal family and never does anything illegal or taboo."

Roland chuckled lightly: "Stop pretending. Is there any way to salvage your reputation? Not to mention anything else, weren't those steam cannons that were just seized yours?"

Richard was afraid of your madness and tried to back down, but you killed him, not even sparing his only daughter.

Unfortunately, you were out of luck. You failed to silence them and even lost a senior deacon named Brown. You were caught red-handed, and both the ship and the people are now being held at the Milmarcos Enforcement Agency.

You don't... know, do you?

Nelson's expression froze. This matter had just broken out today, but everyone present was well-informed. Denying it outright would only make them a laughingstock.

"This matter has not yet been fully investigated. It is normal for the Jihua Chamber of Commerce, being a prominent and influential organization, to be framed."

As a high-ranking member of the Chamber of Commerce, Director Otto had better be careful with his words and actions. Making baseless accusations and labeling others without evidence could easily bring trouble upon himself. He narrowed his eyes, his words calm yet carrying a veiled warning.

“You’ve tried to kill me time and time again, and you won’t even let me tell you the truth?” Roland spread his hands, completely unconcerned. “Whether what I say is true or false, you and I know, and everyone here knows too.”

However, you are right about one thing: even with overwhelming evidence, this matter may not be thoroughly investigated. It might just become a minor issue, and then be easily dismissed – isn't that your usual tactic?

They hijacked our ship, then staged a self-inflicted injury by claiming their own ship had also been hijacked, fooling the public and always treating others like idiots.

We are civilized people, and we have our bottom line. You... your level of moral civilization isn't bad either, you're on par with those savages.

The banquet hall fell silent, then a suppressed chuckle rose in the air. The whispers and buzzing noise made Nelson's face even more grim.

Black people, also known as black slaves, were slaves brought from the southern overseas. As for their level of civilization and intelligence, it can only be said that their animalistic nature outweighed their human nature!
In fact, the reputation of the Thistle Flower Merchant Guild isn't that bad. Roland did have some malicious attacks, but what can you do when they have a lot of bad deeds to their name? Their reputation is tarnished, and once someone dares to expose their dirty secrets, their reputation will inevitably plummet.

Beyana crossed her arms and looked at Roland with admiration in her eyes. If it were her, she might not have dared to say that, as she had too many concerns.

But speaking so readily can't avoid bringing trouble, and a few shadows rose in her heart.

“Roland is young after all, and he speaks without thinking. Let’s eat…” Seeing that Nelson and the other man were getting a little carried away, Falk quickly stepped in to end the conflict.

The other guests chimed in, shifting the conversation to food, and the atmosphere immediately relaxed.

Due to the circumstances, Nelson and his companion did not lose their temper on the spot, but the glances they occasionally gave Roland were filled with naked murderous intent.

Roland remained calm and composed; the two middle-ranking individuals were not worth his fear.

The Sunflower is just the beginning. If the Black Flag is indeed an imposter from the Thistle Merchant Guild, then the Silent Strait will be their no-go zone.

The dinner party finally returned to normal, with Falk chatting and laughing, firmly controlling the conversation, and maintaining a restrained yet cheerful demeanor.

Roland received a lot of attention, but due to his "recklessness," few people dared to get close to him, and he was happy to have a quiet life.

Of the more than one hundred guests, there were few familiar faces. At least the higher-ups from the Northern Merchant Guild were not present, presumably preoccupied with the disappearance of the cargo ship.

I didn't see any officials either; I don't know if it was to avoid suspicion or if they were all just busy.

Near the end, Roland finally got what he wanted.

"Ding Dong, Ding Dong..."

The three-person group—a top-secret operation—knocked on and on.

Mermaid: "Found it! About 200 Delhi southwest of Milmakos."

Singer: "Cool, Nami is awesome. My friend hasn't sent me any messages, I thought I'd lost her."

Mermaid: "Something's wrong! There are three ships. They're not heading towards the coast; they're sailing south."

Mysterious man: "Can you see the ship's name?"

Mermaid: "I have a sense of danger and dare not approach. The other two ships are sailing in complete darkness, without flags or lights, and their sides are obstructed. It's very eerie!"

Singer: "Something may have happened to my friend. I haven't received any messages since nightfall."

Mysterious man: "Nami, stay away, just don't lose me, I'll be there."

Mermaid: "Okay." Roland had a bad feeling. Cargo ships usually don't change their routes easily unless they detect danger in advance, but only the three of them knew about this, so there was no possibility of exposure.

However, he still planned to go and see for himself. If things went wrong, he would disappear and run away; he could activate the "Enter the Unknown" ability simply by thinking about it. As long as he wasn't instantly killed, there was no problem with him not being able to escape.

After dinner, guests moved with their dance partners to the adjacent ballroom, where melodious music filled the air, creating an even more lively atmosphere.

"Is something the matter?" Beyana came to Roland's side and noticed that he seemed a little distracted.

"Hmm, I've had too much to drink and I'm dressed a bit too warmly. Is there a private rest room? I'd like to wash up." Roland wanted to go to the restroom, but thought that the public restroom would be easy to spot.

After he enters the spirit world, his clothes will remain in place, leaving a somewhat obvious flaw.

Beyana raised an eyebrow, looking at his smooth skin without a drop of sweat, and said without asking any further questions, "Come with me."

She led Roland, bypassing the ballroom, straight up to the second floor.

Annabeth approached with small, quick steps, lifting her skirt, and watched the two disappear at the top of the stairs, her eyes filled with disappointment.

"No way, is it progressing that fast?" Percy seemed oblivious to his sister's expression, his eyes burning with a fierce thirst for gossip.

"Brother! What are you talking about? Roland is not that kind of person." Annabeth secretly pinched his waist.

Percy winced in pain: "I meant... a tour of the estate or something..."

"Humph."

…………

Bang! The door slammed shut.

Roland let out a soft breath, somewhat liking Beyana's aloofness.

Time was of the essence, so he drew the curtains, locked the doors and windows, and then went into the bathroom. In a flash, he left behind only a pile of clothes.

He first put on the Eye of Pro, thinking he might need it. Then he leaped into the endless sky, anchored at Nami's location, and entered the real world.

A flash of light and shadow, and the night becomes hazy before your eyes. All around you is the boundless, deep ocean, which gives you a sense of loneliness and fear.

'bad thing!'

In his invisible state, his body is ethereal and sinks upon landing. However, he did not sink but was pushed by a repulsive force to float on the surface of the sea.

"It's alright." The invisibility is peculiar; jumping up will cause you to fall down, and diving down will cause you to float up.

Nami was nearby and didn't notice his arrival.

One or two miles outside Delhi, three cargo ships were arranged in a triangular arrowhead formation, rapidly approaching his location, billowing black smoke and the rumbling of their machinery carrying far.

The lead cargo ship looked normal, with the words "Sunflower and Thistle Chamber of Commerce" written on its hull. It was about 80 or 90 meters long and more than 10 meters wide, and its full load weight should be more than 6,000 tons.

The two ships behind were about the same size, but they were completely dark, without flags or lights, and the markings and names on the hulls had been erased.

All three are large cargo ships with mature and common designs, making it difficult to determine their origin from their appearance.

He used the beehive to signal Nami to swim further away, while he quietly waited in place.

Nami was clever; she circled ahead of the course in advance. If she had appeared behind the ship, it would have taken Nami quite a while just to catch up.

As the Sunflower approached, he leaped lightly onto the deck and, like a ghost, silently wandered through the various cabins.

The cargo ship was much larger and bigger than a yacht, with a crew of nearly a hundred people, including thirty or forty boiler operators alone.

Roland could clearly sense the panic, fear, and despair emanating from their lives; no one dared to speak, and they were all busy with their work.

Overseeing them were dozens of strange men dressed in black, who looked similar to humans but had gills on their cheeks or behind their ears, and their skin was smooth and covered with a layer of mucus that made it look shiny.

Something's not right. It seems someone beat them to it and hijacked the Sunflower.

'Are these sea creatures?' Roland thought carefully. It seemed that there were no sea creatures in the Silent Sea, and even legends about them were rare.

“Not sea creatures,” Pro said with certainty. “These are mutants infected by extraordinary beings from the deep sea, also called gill people. They can't live without water, only live for about twenty years, and are infertile.”

(End of this chapter)