From the Ship of Fools to Earl of Wugang

At noon, Edmund arrived at Wangchao Fort by taxi.

Fritz made slight adjustments to the table for his unexpected visit, allowing him and the Count to have a regular lunch in the small restaurant facing the sea.

The count was clearly used to his collaborator's unpredictable visits, and the discussions during their meetings were mostly about practical issues that didn't need to be resolved that day.

The moment passed by with specific, non-urgent matters such as the workers' wages and the ships to explore. After dinner, the Earl put on his coat and invited Edmund to take a walk along the sea cliffs outside the manor.

The trail behind Wangchao Fort extends northward along the coastal cliffs. At midday, the sunlight falls on the light gray rock face, and the blue-green seawater below appears dreamlike and transparent.

The waves crashed against the rocks, turning into rings of white foam, which miraculously made Edmund, who had once drowned and therefore had mixed feelings about the sea, not particularly dislike it.

Further away, the twilight harbor shrinks into a cluster of rooftops, chimneys, and cranes, with cargo ships slowly turning in the bay, their horns drawn out by the sea breeze.

"How's the first exploration fleet doing?" Edmund asked after stepping over a rock.

The count parted the straw with his cane: "We now have two retired naval divers, an old engine room engineer, and a radio operator who used to work at the Chart Bureau, but we are still short of divers, mechanics, and experienced crew members."

He mentioned the descendants of several former subordinates he had contacted: some preferred to reminisce about the Knights of Laurel and the Schenkel family in taverns, while others had settled down or had stable jobs elsewhere and were unlikely to risk returning because of a letter.

"This is nothing to blame. I'm still vetting them; it's better to be slower than to have reliable manpower." The count gazed at the sea.

"The existence of Red Anchor Company obviously makes this matter more difficult. It controls most of the local dock jobs through stable wages. Most of the truly experienced people in the union have already signed exclusive contracts, which can be regarded as another means of Red Anchor besides capital penetration."

Edmund then brought up Matthew Green's disappearance and the brewing shutdown and protests at the bowling alley.

The Earl slowed his pace: "The Citizens' Council decides the port budget and key appointments, and the Port Authority also relies on the Council's funding. Red Anchor has long been responsible for wharf maintenance, dredging, and equipment procurement, so it's not surprising that they have connections."

"So the report likely went through Red Anchor first, and the accident was covered up... a classic revolving door scenario?"

"They might even decide whether it should be called an accident," the Earl said, brandishing his cane. "Wells will portray the union's reaction as a political act that undermines port development and prevents jobs."

Edmund was more concerned with something else: "Can we get involved?"

"A fallen nobleman taking advantage of the situation to incite the workers? That would probably give them ammunition against us." The count glanced at him. "Turning the accident dispute into a power struggle between the new company and the old nobles wouldn't do them any good."

Edmund understood the Count's reminder: "Therefore, it is permissible for the office to visit the union."

"If you'd like, you can go and find out what's going on. The head of the local union is a shrewd and clever man," the count said.

"But my personal advice is to be careful and not to speak on behalf of the unions. They must make demands in their own name."

Edmund then inquired about Lane Hall's identity documents. The Earl replied that the collateral records, family acknowledgments, and guarantee documents had been sent to the Duchy's Heraldry, and the process was underway.

Having finished their conversation, the two had reached a platform jutting out from the sea cliff.

The wind blew from the vast ocean, the grass lay flat on the ground, and a few seagulls glided across the sky in the rising air currents.

The count stood for a long time, leaning on his cane, before finally speaking:

"Mr. Hall, I've spent decades searching for the old port, and sometimes I even thought... it was just an excuse for the Schenkel family's unwillingness to accept defeat. Now the agency is established, and manpower and ships are starting to appear. Overall, everything is moving in a positive direction."

He looked down at the old relief center below the mountain: "Fate is truly wondrous. The dawn I've been waiting for has been brought by a young man who fled from a foreign land."

Edmund laughed and said, "At least your letter wasn't written in vain."

The Earl smiled and said, "You are still young and talented—that 'Study in Scarlet' was brilliantly written. Twilight Harbor probably won't be your final destination."

He paused, turned, and faced Edmund directly: "So, after the events of Old Port and even the Black Crown are over, what are your aspirations?"

Edmund thought for a moment, feigning seriousness, and said, "Let's get to the point right now. Finding the Schenkel family's lost treasure is very appealing to me. In the future, I'd like to travel to more places."

Of course, this answer omitted the earliest part.

Upon discovering that he had been transported to a world with computers, Edmund realized that he had hit the jackpot.

He had once made a very small vow in his heart:

He runs away with the money, opens a game company, and waits until Orichalcos has applied computer technology to personal PCs to develop games, playing "Minecraft" in another world.

He was determined not to die until he had accomplished all of this.

This ideal is certainly not suitable to be made public, but it still seems very promising now.

Of course, now there's another target—to kill Jacob.

Upon returning to the old relief center, Edmund told Otto about the results of his discussion with the Earl, instructing him to send a letter in the name of the Knights of Laurel Maritime Survey Office, explaining that Lane Hall was preparing to visit the union leadership.

The union sent a reply at 4 p.m., and arranged to meet at the union office at 10 a.m. the next morning.

At 10 p.m., Edmund dialed the security line left by Rebecca as agreed.

After the call connected, Rebecca didn't exchange pleasantries: "I'm listening, Mr. Blake."

"Let me correct you on one point first. You can call me Ryan Hall, which is the identity I plan to use long-term. Evan Black and Adrian Cole were the identities I used while on the run."

"Anything else?"

"The rest involves the extraordinary incident and the Ninth Bureau, which is not suitable to discuss over the phone. Perhaps I can explain it to you in person when we meet?"

In the silence on the other end of the line, Edmund gave a succinct assurance that the Ninth Bureau was investigating his escape and identity, and would not cause her any trouble; the server and MUD project's funds, contracts, and her company would not be implicated.

Rebecca finally spoke: "Okay, I'll trust your judgment for now. But I want to emphasize two points: First, inform me in advance of any dangers that may affect me or the project. Second, do not sign documents under an undisclosed identity."

It was a perfectly reasonable request, and Edmund had no reason to refuse. He answered readily, "Yes, I accept it all."

"Very good, I hope this will be a good foundation for continued cooperation."

Taking advantage of the phone call, Rebecca turned to Edmund to discuss previous work matters.

"The plan you sent is very detailed; the login, character data, and map structure are sufficient to begin testing."

Rebecca's tone finally returned to its usual crispness and efficiency. One of the reasons Edmund chose her as a collaborator was because he appreciated her ability to always put aside emotions and ensure the work was done properly.

"I'm preparing to launch the first round of small-scale testing. The testers will mainly be acquaintances and members of university computer clubs, with a small number of paid slots also available. Let's see how real players will mess up your world."

Edmund leaned back in his chair, watching the indicator lights on the computer case flash steadily.

"Let's begin then."