Above the mage

Chapter 373 The Heart of Xidian

Upon hearing this, Gao De raised an eyebrow.

Sea Sentinel Mages are part of the official system of the Golden Flower Dynasty.

This identity has many advantages.

First, it is backed by the government, so its resources and knowledge system are incredibly comprehensive and abundant, and the entire system is orderly and disciplined.

He can get anything as long as he makes enough contributions.

In addition, Sea Sentinel Mages have extremely high status and are respected by others when they are out and about. Few dare to have any ill intentions towards them, which can save them a lot of trouble.

There are many other benefits, which I will not go into detail here.

However, it does have its drawbacks.

For example, as an official legal practitioner, one must act justly and in accordance with procedures.

After a normal mage kills an enemy, the next step is to naturally take the enemy's wealth for himself.

Murder and arson bring wealth and honor.

However, such behavior is not permitted within the Sea Sentinel system.

If the water beasts are eliminated, their corpses will naturally belong to the mage personally; there is no doubt about that.

However, if it's like Gaode, which "punishes evil and eliminates wickedness," Gaode cannot directly seize the property of the wicked; instead, it must hand it over to the public.

This is, to some extent, also to prevent the Sea Sentinel Mage from abusing his power.

Otherwise, if the property of the person can be confiscated directly after the evil is eliminated, how many more cases of "power corruption" and "wrongful convictions" will be bred under the influence of greed?

Of course, most of the confiscated property will go to the Sea Sentinels, but a small portion will be given to Gao De as a reward.

However, the process must be that all items must be handed over and registered first, and then the sea sentinels will reward those who have made contributions, rather than Gaode picking a few that he likes first and then handing over the rest.

Aldridge's statement now reveals that he has seized upon this pain point, hoping to use it to make a deal with Gaode.

"You have quite a few ideas," God said, looking at Aldridge.

"Sir, what do you mean?" Seeing that Gao De's tone seemed promising, Aldrich cautiously probed further.

"Very tempting," Gao De nodded, ignoring Aldrich's increasingly bright eyes, and said regretfully, "Unfortunately, I'm not interested."

With the Northern Border at his back and the full support of the Zhenbing Tribe, the largest tribe in the Northern Border, how could he lack the wealth of a second-ring mage?

Although you can never have too much money, and Aldridge kept saying it would be a complete secret, whether he was being sincere or not is another matter.

Furthermore, even if Aldrich were truly capable of keeping secrets, wouldn't he be forced to tell the truth under the influence of magic if the sea sentinels were to inquire?

Then he'll be the one who suffers.

It would be utterly not worth violating the rules and regulations of the Sea Sentinels for such a small amount of money that is not important to you, thus creating potential problems for your future development within the Sea Sentinels.

Even if he didn't have the backing of the North, he wouldn't have made such a deal with Aldridge.

He knew perfectly well whether sesame seeds or watermelons were bigger or smaller.

Gao De was very clear-headed, so he refused decisively, not even listening to Aldrich's conditions and specific treasures.

Aldridge's prepared remarks suddenly stalled after Gao De's firm refusal, leaving him unable to utter another word.

His forced composure crumbled instantly.

That's normal. A mage who is so young yet possesses such skill, strength, and magnanimity must come from an extraordinary background. Why would he possibly covet the treasure of such a nobody?

To think that you can use your meager savings to tempt others is just plain foolish and shameful!

No discussion. No discussion!

Those who play with fire will get burned.

Honestly, do people who do this kind of work never think about this day?

But when that day actually arrives, even if you think you've been mentally prepared, you'll still find it still so unexpected.

"It's Viscount McKinley, but it's no use me saying anything. He never personally commissions me tasks; he always uses intermediaries. All transactions are conducted through these intermediaries. I only know it's him; I have no proof."

Aldridge's head suddenly drooped, and he answered weakly.

"These important figures are meticulous in their work and will not leave any incriminating evidence against them."

"I don't care about that," God said calmly, shaking his head as he wrote down Aldrich's statement on the parchment. "I'll arrest you and take credit for it. That's the end of my business. What happens next is none of my concern as a mere apprentice mage."

Those who are not in a position should not concern themselves with its affairs.

The water beasts of the Marco district have connections to the nobles of Lagos, and the relationship is very significant.

Matters at the top should be resolved by the top.

"A trainee mage?!" Aldrich was clearly taken aback for a moment before noticing that the sea sentinel uniform that God was wearing was indeed that of a trainee mage, and even the lowest-ranking second-class trainee mage.

"A second-class novice monk. I actually fell into the hands of a second-class novice monk." After a long while, he seemed to be talking to himself.

"When did you start releasing the aquatic creatures into the Marco district? How often? What were the specific steps? Who was involved? What were the details of the transactions? Explain everything clearly." Gao De didn't care about Aldrich's inner thoughts and got back to the point, asking very detailed questions.

This is his achievement, so naturally we should do our best to make it perfect.

Aldridge bit his chapped lips and obediently explained everything as Gao De had asked.

The entire interrogation process went exceptionally smoothly, unlike the villains often portrayed in novels and biographies who are stubbornly defiant.

Firstly, this is reality; most people are ordinary, and the so-called "tough guys" are ultimately a minority.

Secondly, in a world with extraordinary powers like magic, everyone understands that unless one is determined to die, lying is not very meaningful.

Master, you have plenty of ways to get me to talk.

To exaggerate a bit, even if it were a real corpse, a mage could temporarily bring it back to life and make it speak.

After recording the ins and outs of the Marco District water beast incident, Gao De rolled up the parchment with satisfaction and put it into his pocket.

"Sir." Seeing that God was about to leave, Aldrich suddenly called out to God.

"Um?"

"Tell me," Aldrich said, a faint glimmer of light in his eyes, "Will I live?"

"Difficult," Gao De said calmly.

Whether the nobles involved in this incident will ultimately receive the punishment they deserve remains uncertain for Gao De.

But as the perpetrator in the open, Aldrich's chances of survival are slim.

Whether he's taking the blame or enforcing the law normally, his crime is too serious, there's no chance of a turnaround, and he has virtually no chance of survival.

Port of Lagos.

Although the fishing industry is in decline and the economy is depressed, there are still many boats here, large and small. The hulls rise and fall slightly with the waves, and the boats occasionally collide slightly with each other, making a dull thud.

The masts stand tall, resembling a wooden forest.

The shore was bustling with people, noisy and chaotic.

Porters carried heavy goods, while vendors shouted out their wares.

Today marks the official departure of the two-masted sailing ship from Harland Shipyard.

The process of a new ship setting sail generally follows this procedure:

First, preparations and ceremonies related to launching the ship are carried out. After launching, inspections, adjustments, and equipment are carried out. Then, crew members are recruited and trained. Finally, the ship can officially set sail after all preparations for departure are completed.

Depending on the size of the vessel, the distance to the destination, the complexity of the route, and the efficiency of the authorities, the preparation time can generally range from several weeks to several months.

The comprehensive inspection and commissioning of the ship, as well as the procurement and stockpiling of supplies, were carried out simultaneously with the recruitment of crew members.

Because it is a traditional fishing city, and because of the "layoff wave" that followed the Fiery Cross, there are many unemployed sailors in Lagos.

In addition, it was just a two-masted sailing ship, so it didn't require many crew members.

Therefore, the recruitment and training of crew members, which should have been the most time-consuming task, proceeded very smoothly, and everything was completed in just two weeks.

As for the sea travel permits, Harland used his extensive network of connections and money accumulated over most of his life in Lagos to get all the necessary permits and licenses in just two weeks.

The port management officials, dressed in crisp uniforms, carefully checked the ship's documents with registers in hand, leaving nothing out, from the ship's construction permits and registration certificates to the crew's list and identification.

They then boarded the ship themselves for inspection, randomly checking the types and quantities of goods listed on the cargo manifest and verifying the trade license to ensure that the ship was not engaged in illegal smuggling or human trafficking activities and was in compliance with regulations.

Only after completing this series of rigorous checks did the officials affix the official Lagos seal to the sea travel permit.

Everything is ready; it is time to set sail.

However, according to local custom, there is a ceremony to be performed before a new ship sets sail, which carries people's wishes for safe and successful navigation.

Many people might think this is superstition, but for those who make a living on boats, this is what they believe.

The beginning of the ceremony, and an extremely important part of it, is naming the new ship.

The person who names the ship is usually a highly respected woman or a woman with a close relationship with the ship owner.

Elsa shouldn't be in the public eye, so Danica was ultimately chosen to name her.

Dressed in a dignified nun's gown, she stood at the bow of the ship, holding a bottle of Murraya Champagne, and solemnly announced the ship's name.

"I hereby declare that this two-masted sailing ship, bearing the gifts and blessings of the sea and bringing abundant wealth, is named—Columbus!"

Of course, this was the name that Gaode himself gave it.

Although Danica couldn't understand its specific meaning, she certainly wouldn't object; she was simply responsible for announcing the name.

Danica's announcement was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crew of the Columbus.

Immediately afterward, amidst cheers, Danica raised the Mulantan champagne in her hands high and slammed it down on the bow of the boat with all her might.

With a crisp, melodious sound of a bottle shattering, the liquor splashed out like fireworks, scattering across every corner of the bow of the ship.

This symbolizes blessing the new ship, giving it a unique identity and good fortune.

After this step was completed, the crew members, including the captain, hung their own mascots in various places on the ship.

These mascots come in various shapes and sizes, including small and exquisite horseshoes, amulets painted with mysterious patterns, and more.

These mascots are all very old, having withstood the test of time.

These mascots have been with them on countless voyages since they became sailors; they're old buddies.

According to the sayings passed down among the sailors, the more times a mascot has been to sea, the more luck it carries, and hanging it on the ship can ward off bad luck and bring good fortune.

After all this was done, the captain wasted no more time and loudly issued instructions.

"Attention all crew members, prepare for departure!"

Upon receiving the order, the sailors acted swiftly and began turning the winch.

As the winch turned, the chains connecting the anchor rattled, and the heavy anchor slowly rose from the seabed.

At the same time, the crew members responsible for raising the sails quickly climbed the mast, untied the ropes securing the sails, and pulled hard on the sail ropes, causing the huge sails to slowly unfurl in the sea breeze.

The sailor in charge of steering gripped the rudder tightly with both hands. Under the captain's command, he slowly turned the rudder and sailed out of the port of Lagos along the prescribed route.

The rudder turns underwater, causing the ship to slowly turn.

Gao De watched the Columbus gradually disappear into the distance under the golden sunlight and the azure sea, and slowly exhaled.

"I hope everything goes well," he thought to himself.

This voyage was of great importance to the development of the North.

Because the Columbus actually had the important mission of opening up the Lagos-Walar Bay shipping route.

If this voyage goes smoothly, the waterway will be opened up, and the northern border will be initially connected with the outside world.

After that, with mutual exchange of goods and services, resource swapping will no longer be an issue.

In addition, the Columbus also carried much-needed timber and craftsmen, as well as two stranded princesses.

—The first voyage was fraught with uncertainty, and Gao De did not allow the orphans from Rongguyuan to board the ship.

Let's keep it for now.

In any case, with his current financial resources, supporting an orphanage is not too difficult for him.

"It's time to go back," Gao De sighed, thinking to himself.

He received his mission on the 11th of the Frozen Moon and came to Lagos City.

Now it's already the 5th of the winter solstice, and 25 days have passed.

This task took almost a month to complete.

But without a doubt, the gains were enormous.

When not on a mission, sea sentinels generally do not have jurisdiction over where the mages under their command are or what they are doing.

However, if the mission takes too long, it will still attract attention.

So on the 15th of the Frozen Moon, after completing the mission to drive away the water beasts, God wrote a briefing and sent it back to the White Tower in Dorne.

The gist of it is that he has completed the mission to drive away the water beasts, but due to personal matters, he needs to be delayed for some time before returning to hand over the mission.

Although there were unexpected complications, the harvest was enormous.

Aldridge's unexpected achievement was enough to place him at the top of the first year's Sea Sentinel year-end evaluation.

Go claim your credit!

Gao De, full of confidence, turned and left the port.

He had only taken a few steps when his gaze suddenly sharpened.

A familiar figure appeared in his line of sight.

It was a man dressed in a black robe, his whole demeanor somewhat gloomy, his head slightly lowered, his face indistinct.

But Gaode still recognized the other party at a glance.

It was the same Ovoga Principality mage I had met at the front desk of the Palm Tree Hotel who was searching for Elsa.

The other person's unusually long ears peeked out from under the brim of their hat, making them very memorable and easy to recognize.

Gao De's heart skipped a beat, but he remained expressionless, merely smiling slightly as he walked past the man without stopping.

Clearly, this mage from the Principality of Ovoga no longer remembered God.

He was just looking around, searching for something, his eyes filled with barely perceptible anxiety and weariness.

"She clearly asked the hotel staff for information about the shipyards in the city, so she must have wanted to escape by sea. But why couldn't we get any information about her from all the shipyards in the city?" The man frowned.

"I've been waiting at the port for several days, but I haven't found anything."

He looked up again at the sea dotted with ships: "Am I too late? Has she already set sail?"

"If she has truly already sailed away and left this place, how could we possibly find her again?"

"The Heart of Western Den is too important; if I cannot bring it back, how can I explain it to my lord?"

(End of this chapter)