I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

The archbishop pondered for a moment and said:

"Since you've asked, Hero, I can't hide it from you."

Then he began to recount what he had learned.

It turns out that the church had long been aware of the underground arms trade in Lionfang City.

They sent several trusted deacons to investigate in secret, but the people behind those cannon-casting workshops were very well hidden, and the clues would always go cold just when they were about to reach the source.

It can be confirmed that the casting technology of those cannons far exceeded the average level, and they were definitely not something that an ordinary blacksmith shop could produce. Who exactly was behind it and where they were sold are still under investigation.

Ji Tian nodded, then said:

"Among the pirates I captured, many were novices, but there were also a few leaders. They had robbed merchant ships and killed people. You are to handle the compensation for the families of the victims on board, which will be deducted directly from the bounty."

Bishop Villar paused for a moment, then said seriously:

"This is our duty, Brave One. Rest assured, the Church will handle it properly."

Ji Tian glanced at Ophelia, and only felt relieved when she nodded in agreement.

He looked away. "Thank you very much. Also, I have something else I'd like to ask the bishop."

"Please speak, hero."

"Which island is the second highest in this sea area? I need to go there."

According to the first hero's words, the second highest island in the Southern Seas is where his treasure is located.

You can find it using the map provided by the elves, but considering that the elves' concept of time is different from that of humans, there may be discrepancies between the map and the actual situation. It's safer to ask the locals.

Bishop Veral was clearly taken aback by the hero's question, and after a moment's thought, he spoke:

"The second highest island... should be Lily of the Valley Island, about half a day's sail to the northwest. The island is high up, and its top is shrouded in mist all year round. It is named after the various wild lilies of the valley that grow on the island. It is said that some strange things have happened on the island."

Elena pressed on curiously, "Strange thing?"

"There are different accounts of what exactly this strange thing is. Some say that people who go to the island will encounter moving boxes on the mountainside, some say that there is a fog above the mountainside, and people who go in will always return to the starting point no matter how they go up, and some say that strange noises will come from the top of the mountain at midnight."

In short, local fishermen and merchants avoid the island, saying it's "occupied by something."

After listening to the letter, Ji Tian understood and confirmed that this was the "place to hide things" mentioned in the letter left by the first hero.

After all, given his personality, it would be abnormal not to set up some obstacles in that kind of place.

As I left the police station, the afternoon sun was pouring down through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating the greyish-white stone streets of Lion Tooth City.

Ji Tian pushed open the door and stepped out of the police station, where he was greeted by a low, rhythmic cheer.

The streets were already crowded with people, their eyes fixed on Ji Tian and the holy sword at his waist.

"Hero-sama! It's Brave-sama!"

"Thank you for eliminating the pirates for us!"

May the Holy Light protect you!

Lilith was startled and involuntarily moved closer to Elena.

"Why are there so many people? There weren't this many when we arrived..."

Elena lowered her voice and said, "News travels fast, and the church's influence here is indeed very deep. Those people's expressions don't seem like they're acting."

It certainly doesn't look like it.

Those eyes held a natural trust in the identity of "hero." They were dressed in different clothes and of different races, but at this moment, their gazes toward Ji Tian were surprisingly consistent.

It's highly likely that the church has deeply ingrained the image of the hero as a savior in people's minds.

Ji Tian smiled and waved politely in return, and the cheers from the crowd grew even louder.

The brave team strode through the crowd and headed towards the dock.

As the procession passed, the crowd spontaneously moved aside to both sides, revealing a narrow but clear path in the middle.

Lilith followed behind him, initially a little nervous, but quickly adapted to the atmosphere and began to look around.

Her gaze swept across the crowd and landed on several cat-eared girls dressed in coarse cloth shirts, their ears twitching slightly as they turned.

Lilith sighed with longing:

"Their ears are so flexible. The girl who ran past just now had her ears pressed back, but this one can turn them."

Elena gently tugged at her arm. "Stop staring. Your eyes are practically piercing through her."

"I'm just curious~ I really want to touch their ears."

Bishop Villar, who was accompanying them, walked at the front of the procession. He overheard Lilith's mutterings and smiled:

"Little girl, you can't just touch other people's ears in Lion Fang City."

Why?

"In the customs of the local orcs, the ears are... a rather intimate part of the body. Generally speaking, only parents and partners can touch them, and it would be considered offensive for a stranger to reach out and touch them. But considering that you are a member of the hero's party, it might be alright to ask."

Lilith knew what intimate contact meant, and somewhat awkwardly, she silently pulled her hand back into her sleeve.

"...Then I won't touch it."

She walked a little further, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards Ji Tian's ear. When she saw Ji Tian turn around, she quickly looked away, pretending to be looking at the lighthouse in the distance.

Ji Tian didn't pay attention to her scrutiny, assuming she was just observing the difference between human and beastman ears.

When we arrived at the port, the crowds that had gathered to watch the spectacle were no longer there.

Captain Evelyn was leaning against the ship's side, holding a sea puffin in her hand. Seeing Ji Tian and his group return, she tossed the pit into the sea and clapped her hands.

"Is it all done?"

"The prisoners have been handed over."

"That's good. Ready to set off?"

"Okay, let's go to Lily of the Valley first."

He first bid farewell to the archbishop who had escorted him to the port, then led everyone up the gangway. The Sea Sparrow weighed anchor again, its sails filled with the south wind, and the ship slowly left the dock, heading towards the southeast sea.

The greyish-white outline of Lion Tooth City gradually shrank at the stern of the ship, eventually disappearing into the horizon where the sea meets the sky.

Captain Evelyn adjusted the helm and casually asked, "Lily of the Valley Island? We elves call it Misty Island, but there are indeed many lilies of the valley there, so the name is quite fitting."

"Do you know him?"

"I've been there a few times. There's really nothing worth seeing."

The Seagull cut through the calm waters of the South Pole, its hull making a continuous, low thud as it slid across the surface.

Ji Tian stood at the bow of the ship, holding the letter from the first hero in his hand. He unfolded the map attached to the back of the letter and checked the orientation against the occasional outlines of islands that appeared on the sea.