Chapter 776: Section 564: Empire Investigation (Extra for 2100 votes)
The Golden Level warship rode the winds and cleaved the waves in the night sea.
The squared bow of the ship glittered resplendently, its wealthy aura unmistakable even in night.
It was indeed the Empire’s warship, the Treasure Chest.
The captain, who was also the Empire’s vice admiral named Tan Mo, stood at the bow, gazing into the distance.
In the thick of the night, an island gradually came into view.
“Twin Eyes Island, we’ve finally arrived!” Tan Mo rejoiced internally.
At this moment, intelligence about Twin Eyes Island surfaced in his mind.
The island was strategically located, nestled between the Magic Route and the Masked Route, flourishing commercially.
Twin Eyes Island was quite unique, being a gigantic living entity called the Coral Ballcage Tree. It had developed from a single seed of a Ballcage Tree into two branches, a result of human intervention. The blue-green coral Fishman Tribe had put in tremendous effort and paid a heavy price, with Hun Tong eventually reaping the benefits.
The Patrol Fleet sent out a signal and greeted the Treasure Chest.
The leader of the fleet was a Silver Level one-eyed man, who with a broad smile said, “Lord Tan Mo, you’ve arrived. Our Island Master has been waiting for a long time. Please follow me into the harbor.”
Tan Mo suddenly leapt up, jumping directly from the Treasure Chest onto the patrol ship, startling the one-eyed man slightly.
Tan Mo, smiling, patted the one-eyed man’s shoulder, “Then let’s head back to the port quickly.”
Although he was the captain, the days aboard the Treasure Chest had been hard for him. He was carrying several dignitaries: one was a Holy Domain Level Shield Guard, another a Golden Level member of the secret door, and one more even more formidable, a member of the Blood Light Sanction Court!
In their presence, Tan Mo could only nod and bow, diligently serving them.
The patrol fleet, along with the Treasure Chest, successfully entered the harbor.
Twin Eyes Island had no natural docks, not even a beach.
The dock was filled with man-made traces, with roots, vines, and coral everywhere.
“Lord Tan Mo, welcome to Twin Eyes Island,” Hun Tong, the Island Master of Twin Eyes Island, exclaimed, spreading his arms wide and giving the first-to-dock Tan Mo a big hug.
He had long harbored concerns about these people’s arrival.
The reasons were the sightings of an Undead Mage on Twin Eyes Island and his own switch of sides during the Fishman battle, where he had killed many of his own comrades.
All of these issues required investigation.
Thus, Hun Tong was extremely enthusiastic and nervous.
Tan Mo also hugged Hun Tong tightly.
His mind, however, thought, “I made quite a sum on Snake Rat Island, but Twin Eyes Island is far wealthier. Despite experiencing the Beast Tide and the Fishman battle, Hun Tong has made a fortune.”
“Beach Loach’s spoils of war are nothing compared to his gains!”
With Hun Tong now facing investigation, there was immense potential to capitalize on.
Thinking this, Tan Mo squeezed Hun Tong’s back harder, as if trying to clutch a pile of Gold Coins to his chest.
Tan Mo’s heart burned with anticipation.
Feeling this “heat,” Hun Tong’s tension slightly eased.
He whispered in Tan Mo’s ear, “My lord, the dinner is ready for you. And there’s after-dinner entertainment, guaranteed to give you a taste of Twin Eyes Island’s exotic charm.”
Tan Mo cracked a silent grin.
Hun Tong—understands!
“Wait a moment, the main subject of this investigation is still on my ship,” Tan Mo said.
“No hurry, no hurry,” Hun Tong said with a broad smile.
As the warship docked, the investigator from the Blood Light Sanction Court stepped off the ship and approached Tan Mo.
He directly rejected Hun Tong’s invitation, his tone harsh and his gaze icy, “What’s there to eat? The investigation comes first.”
“Any delay might mean missing the last chance to capture the Undead Mage!”
“It’s precisely because you don’t take it seriously, because of your carelessness and negligence, that Twin Eyes Island has become a paradise for the Undead Mage!”
Frightened by the investigator’s words, Hun Tong cried out in protest.
Hun Tong instantly understood the investigator’s temperament and turned to Tan Mo with a pleading look.
But Tan Mo shifted his gaze away as if the warmth he had shown just moments ago was merely an illusion.
“Let the investigator make his move first; there’s nothing bad about that.”
“The more Hun Tong realizes the seriousness of the matter, the more money he’ll cough up, right?”
Tan Mo had his own calculations.
Thus, the lavish dinner was directly disrupted by the investigator, and he had no regrets about it.
What’s a meal anyway!
Even the most entertaining “supporting programs” couldn’t compare to the lovely little Gold Coins.
While Hun Tong inwardly cursed the investigator as a madman, he had no choice but to lead them into the City Lord’s mansion.
As per previous contacts and arrangements, he had already prepared an interrogation room.
As the City Lord, he had arranged an interrogation room in his own mansion.
Though Twin Eyes Island was far from the Holy Bright Empire, Hun Tong was still under the tight control of the Empire.
Separated by a desk, the two parties sat down.
The investigator took the main seat, staring at Hun Tong who stood opposite him and directly questioned, “Island Master Hun Tong, traces of the Undead Mage have appeared twice on your Twin Eyes Island.”
“First question, when the first Undead Mage appeared, why didn’t you report it to the Empire or the Blood Light Sanction Court, instead choosing to search on your own?”
Tan Mo sat beside him, his tone gentle and smiling, “Island Master Hun Tong, don’t be too nervous, speak freely.”
“The Empire is fair; it doesn’t let any criminals go, but it also doesn’t wrongly accuse anyone.”
The investigator slightly frowned but ultimately did not object to Tan Mo.
He knew that Tan Mo’s role was not only as a captain but also as the Empire’s investigator.
The investigator had one goal, which was to capture the Undead Mage. Whereas Tan Mo was there to investigate and verify issues concerning Hun Tong’s alleged fratricide during intense battles.
Hun Tong forced a slight smile at Tan Mo, then turned to the investigator, speaking earnestly, “The situation is quite complicated, I need to start from how I seized control of Twin Eyes Island.”
The investigator’s brows furrowed even more, about to interrupt with, “Get to the point!”
But Tan Mo spoke first, his voice cheerful, “No rush, Lord Hun Tong, the more details the better. It helps us make judgments and verifications, and who knows, we might even discover clues about the Undead Mage hidden in the information.”
Of course, Tan Mo’s last remark was aimed at the investigator.
The investigator snorted coldly, not objecting, but fixed Hun Tong with an even more piercing gaze.
Hun Tong took a deep breath, trying his best to keep his tone calm and convincing, “Although I seized Twin Eyes Island, I never completely eradicated the victims.”
“The victims are the Blue-Green Coral Fishman Tribe.”
“I have attempted underwater attacks before, suffering heavy losses, and spent months recovering from injuries.”
“Since then, I realized that trying to eliminate the Fishman Tribe entrenched at the bottom of the sea with my own strength was quite difficult.”
“And just when I was at my wit’s end, an Empire spy approached me on his own initiative.”
“He goes by the code name Shadow and is specifically responsible for the intelligence of Twin Eyes Island dispatched by the Empire’s spies.”