From the Ship of Fools to Earl of Wugang

After confirming that none of the three could continue their attack, Edmund put the revolver back into his jacket and searched himself.

His throat was still very sore, and even when he tried to speak, he could only manage a weak, unpleasant sound.

The Banshee's Wail is effective, but the cost is equally obvious; this technique can no longer be used as a reliable opening move.

The heavy stench of blood in the air was unpleasant, and Edmund could only try to mask the lingering smell with the anticipation of the spoils.

He picked up the square leather suitcase Gregory had brought from the doorway. The side of the suitcase was decorated with a ring of blue-gray symbols drawn with fish glue; his information quickly confirmed that this was merely a low-level warning rune to prevent unauthorized opening.

He used the key from Gregory's pocket to open the suitcase. The top layer contained neatly stacked documents, while the bottom held two tin-sealed boxes and several material bags.

Edmund first looked at the identity documents prepared by Corbyn.

The identity document belongs to Adrian Cole, 35 years old, and has complete records, including a background profile.

Once a photo of the actual user is added, the identity can be put into use.

Edmund then found Gregory's latest orders hidden in a compartment of the suitcase. The document was only two pages long, with all locations and personnel listed using code names.

The first order required all regions to immediately destroy the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' old ledgers and cease using the original financial numbering system.

No one may use the old identification number to verify their identity, and local contact points must complete the cleanup within seven days of receiving the notification.

The following content concerns Gregory's mission to Prishini.

[The second batch of silencing ash, attendant identification samples, and materials used to disrupt lower-level security ceremonies should be delivered to Priscilla's "Silver Bell" by the 23rd of this month. In case of uncontrollable risks, the identification samples and written orders should be destroyed first.]

The still gray color here is undoubtedly the item in the two tin-sealed boxes.

Edmund pondered that the order seemed to be preparing to enter some important place with ritual protection.

As for what they intended to do there, Gregory's orders did not provide an answer.

Edmund folded the two useful pages of paper and put them in his pocket, then began to examine the cabinets in the room.

Corbyn clearly used this place as the last warehouse for the Eagle Harbor liaison point. In addition to blank documents, old ledgers, and forged seals, the cabinets also contained some ritual remnants that had lost their spiritual significance.

Edmund found two still-usable items deep inside the cabinet.

【Listening to the Tide Stone】

Made from a unique auditory ossicle found in the deep sea, it amplifies echoes transmitted through objects when placed near a hard surface. It can help the user identify the presence of water currents, cavities, or hidden spaces. Frequent use may cause temporary inattention and insomnia.

This device has limited use for formal superhumans, but it is well-suited for port liaisons to inspect hidden cargo compartments, underground drainage systems, and dark compartments in the ship's hull.

【Sealed Ash Wax】

[Made from a mixture of ashes, fish oil, and a small amount of the influence of "Winter," this can be used as part of certain rituals. Applying it and then burning it can incinerate any remaining spiritual energy within a certain area, weakening the effects of summoning spirits, communicating with spirits, tracking souls, and locating low-level spirits.]

Upon seeing this message, Edmund immediately changed his original plan.

He dragged the three bodies to the center of the recording room and cleaned up the scene.

After checking the clothes to make sure he hadn't left anything of his own in the room, he piled up old ledgers, contact records, and other miscellaneous items around the body.

There was still a lot of waste in the warehouse on the first floor of the processing plant. Edmund found some flammable materials and laid them in the sound-receiving room. Then he applied ash wax to the mouths, noses, chests, and foreheads of the three people, and left a roughly closed wax ring around the bodies.

The grayish-white wax residue looked very dim under the kerosene lamp.

After doing all this, Edmund used the tools here to remove the hand-drawn photo from the Gulfstream forger on Evan Black's previous document, pasted it into Adrian Cole's passport, added the crucial embossing and seal, and checked the name and cabin class on the ticket.

The Grey Swallow departed from Eagle Harbor the following morning, bound for Cape Loch in the Principality of Plichni.

Edmund packed the items and a small bag of still-wet ash into his suitcase, then mixed the rest with gasoline and threw it on the ground.

Finally, he made a crude delayed-fire device from candles and rolled-up old cloth.

The sound chamber made extensive use of fish glue and wood, which could completely cover up any trace of the stronghold once the fire was fully spread.

Edmund picked up his suitcase, left the recording room, locked the door, and went down the stairs at the back of the factory to the first floor.

The side door closed behind him again.

A dozen minutes later, Edmund had crossed the warehouse district and arrived at a ramp overlooking the harbor.

He continued walking along the street until the night sky behind him gradually turned a dark red.

Flames shone from beneath the warehouse roof, followed by thick smoke that drifted slowly across the low-rise buildings in the sea breeze. Finally, the belated fire alarm rang in the port area.

Edmund carried his suitcase and circled the port area twice, first passing through a cluster of still-operating labor taverns, and then using his intuition to choose several streets that made it easier to observe what was happening behind him.

Chaos had broken out in the direction of the processing plant. Fire trucks sped past from a distant street corner, their wheels churning through puddles, followed by several port police officers on motorcycles.

The night shift workers from nearby warehouses rushed out onto the street to watch the spectacle from a safe distance from the sparks.

No one noticed the young man carrying a suitcase, hurrying along with his head down.

Edmund made sure no one was following him before circling back to the inn from the other side.

Back in his room, he first used a chair to block the doorknob and checked under the bed and window frames to make sure no one had come in and that his personal belongings were intact.

Edmund took off his coat, trimmed the stains off the cuffs and hem, and then used hot water from the inn's kitchen to clean his arms and neck.

Gregory's final impact left a large bruise on his shoulder and back, and his wrist, which was holding the gun, was also somewhat swollen. These injuries had begun to ease under the influence of his vitality.

As for his vocal cords, he estimated it would take at least a day for them to return to normal speaking.

Edmund sat down at the table and began to organize his new identity, memorizing Adrian Cole's identity information and several entry and exit records one by one.

The shipping equipment agency he worked for was called North Shore Shipping Equipment Trading Company, which had previously acted as an agent for various types of marine electrical equipment.

The company is now bankrupt, and its remaining operations are currently in liquidation, which provides ample explanation for "Adrian's" departure abroad.

Edmund repeatedly memorized the identity information until he could answer most of the questions without having to think.

Then he laid out Gregory's orders on the table and listed the information he currently had on another sheet of paper.

Due to insufficient funding at various liaison points, the religious organization is changing its internal financial system and proactively destroying old accounts.

The Principality of Plichni has a contact point codenamed "Silver Bell," and a large amount of material is being sent there in batches, which means that the operation is quite large.

Edmund had only intended to use the Order's false identity to reach Dusk Harbor, but it now appears he has stumbled upon the tail end of an operation.