Chapter 239: Klein’s Guidance

Chapter 239: Klein’s Guidance

Aboard the Future, Frank Lee rolled up his shirt sleeves, shook his fountain pen, and wrote with a smile on his face:

“My dear friend Gehrman Sparrow, I have good news to tell you. Using a Rose Bishop’s flesh, I have successfully cultivated an entirely new kind of mushroom. As long as there are fish, it can reproduce endlessly, so we no longer need to worry about being unable to eat mushrooms after sailing for too long. In addition, it has crossbred with beef, and the taste is excellent!

“Its only defect is that it cannot fish or catch fish by itself and must be provided with help. However, I think this is not too big of a problem. After all, Nina said that this way, it won’t pollute the ocean. Fine, let’s say she is right.

“I have sent you some dried mushrooms. As long as they are given water and fish, they will immediately return to normal and begin self-reproduction. I hope you like my gift…”

After rambling on at length, Frank folded the letter paper, placed it inside an envelope, and stuffed in three dried mushrooms along the way. Then he applied glue and sealed it shut.

Having done all this, he took out the note Klein had given him and carefully began preparing the messenger-summoning ritual according to the description written on it.

This was not complicated for Frank. Before long, he had arranged the altar and created a wall of spirituality.

Finally, he solemnly placed a Loen gold coin in front of the candle.

After lighting the candle and softly reciting the incantation, he stared unblinkingly at the flame, watching it expand and step forth as a headless lady carrying four heads.

Frank was first startled. Immediately afterward, he gazed with fanatic intensity at the four gorgeous heads Reinette Tinekerr carried, all blond-haired and red-eyed, and murmured under his breath, “How did you do it?

“Why are they completely identical?

“If they were planted in soil, could even more grow?”

The eyes of the four heads held in Reinette Tinekerr’s hands each turned in different directions, gazing toward different places. In the end, they all landed upon Frank Lee’s face.

Suddenly, all the soil stored inside various containers in the room flew out and piled up in front of Frank.

Frank immediately floated upward. With an astonished expression, he flipped once in midair, then plunged headfirst into the pile of soil, feet upward.

His legs kicked and struggled outside, but for a while, he could not pull himself free no matter what.

Only then did two of Reinette Tinekerr’s four heads lean forward and bite the envelope and gold coin respectively.

By the time she had completely vanished, Frank Lee finally found the best point to exert force. He burst free of the soil and fell sitting onto the floor.

“So impressive…” Frank first sighed with lingering fear. Then he wiped the dirt from around his mouth and face into his mouth, carefully chewed for a while, and muttered softly, “A little too sour…”

At that moment, Admiral of Stars Cattleya, who had recently completed a sacrifice inside the captain’s cabin, seemed to sense something. Her eyes, which contained deep purple, subconsciously turned toward the room where Frank Lee was located, vaguely seeing a crudely handmade illusory doll.

The doll had no head!

The image flashed past. Cattleya’s eyes instantly shut. Inside them was a pain like being burned by fire, and two streams of tears flowed uncontrollably down her face.

Her brows knitted little by little. With uncertainty, she whispered, “An ancient evil?”

…

After “distributing” the Meteorite Crystal and the spinal fluid of the Black Hunter monitor lizard to Miss Magician and Miss Justice, Klein returned to the real world and lay down in the reclining chair. While letting his body sway lightly, he considered where he should go next.

“With news of Gehrman Sparrow’s appearance and the matter of Mad Captain Connors Victor, pirates likely won’t appear in Bayam’s public places for a long time. Either they’ve already boarded ships and left port, or they’re hiding in their safe houses, making them difficult to find.

“In other words, there’s no need for me to stay here. Matters concerning the Resistance can be controlled through Sea God’s responses and Danitz’s relay.

“Mm. Later, I’ll go to the Seaweed Bar, get a fake identity document, buy a black-market ticket, and head to Conant City in Desi Bay… Not only is that the largest port there, it is also the hometown of Daly Raymond. When I released this Red Glove from Creeping Hunger, I promised him I would visit this beautiful seaside city and tell his daughter that hatred has ended. Mm, I can also find a way to return the Nightmare Beyonder characteristic to the Church along the way.

“Heh heh. People really are hypocritical. On one side, I’m planning to return the Nightmare characteristic; on the other, I’m planning to steal a Sealed Artifact from behind Saint Samuel Cathedral’s Chanis Gate…”

Shaking his head, Klein closed his eyes and recovered his spirituality through sleep.

After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly had a premonition. He naturally opened his eyes and swiftly activated Spirit Vision.

Then he saw Reinette Tinekerr walk out from the void.

This Miss Messenger wore a complicated black dress similar to before, and one of her heads had a letter between its teeth.

Who sent this? Danitz? Vice Admiral Iceberg? Frank? Or Anderson? Klein accepted the letter and nodded in greeting.

“Thank you.”

He was very polite toward his own powerful and mysterious Miss Messenger. He did not want to someday strangle himself to death.

“Do… you… want… to…” The four heads held by Reinette Tinekerr opened their lips in sequence, spitting out words. “reply… immediately?”

Klein tore open the seal, took out the letter paper, and unfolded it to browse once. He was so startled by its contents that he nearly forgot to answer Miss Messenger. Reinette Tinekerr showed no impatience and quietly waited at his side.

One day, Frank Lee will destroy the world. I absolutely have to keep him under control and not give him any chance to advance! What is wrong with this guy? Just how much does he love crossbreeding and creating bizarre plants? Uh… The City of Silver has always lacked food… Klein’s thoughts flashed like lightning, and he suddenly had a bold idea.

That was to redirect Frank’s research toward all kinds of food suitable for the City of Silver!

This way, cows, fish, mushrooms, Rose Bishops, the ocean, and the world would all be safe!

Klein hurriedly looked up and said to Miss Messenger, “Yes. I’ll reply immediately.”

He instantly rose from the reclining chair, walked to the table, took out fountain pen and paper, and swiftly wrote:

“…I have one question. After eating the mushroom you created, if a person then eats cooked fish and drinks a glass of water, can it continue reproducing?”

After finishing that reminder, Klein began leading into the main topic:

“…Can you create a kind of wheat that can grow without sunlight, or a cow that produces milk and meat by eating monsters? This seems quite interesting!”

Following this topic, Klein wrote several more paragraphs. Finally, he folded the letter paper and handed it to Reinette Tinekerr, saying very naturally, “The postage will be paid by Frank.”

“Hopefully…” “he…” “hasn’t…” “died…” Miss Messenger’s four heads said in sequence. Only then did she have one head bite the letter paper.

Hopefully he hasn’t died? Klein was startled and was just about to ask for clarification when Reinette Tinekerr had already entered the spirit world and vanished without a trace.

After thinking for two seconds, Klein wrote down a divination statement and used his yellow crystal pendulum to confirm that Frank Lee was still alive.

He silently let out a breath of relief, put away the dried mushrooms, rubbed his temples, and lay back down in the reclining chair.

…

After dinner, Seaweed Bar.

Klein, wearing an ordinary face, came here once again.

Unlike before, the patrons inside the bar were mostly mixed-bloods with darker skin and slightly curled hair, or local natives. They either belonged to a Bayam gang, secretly worked for the Resistance, or both. There were not many ordinary people, and the pirates from different countries who had once been common here had all disappeared. Only a small number of adventurer-looking fellows drank strong liquor and discussed various rumors at sea.

Klein swept his gaze once around the place and found Deniel, whom Danitz had mentioned. This thin local could provide fake identity documents and black-market tickets.

Without any reservations, he approached and said, “One second-class ticket to Conant tomorrow, and one proof of identity.”

Deniel raised his head and glanced at him. After thinking, he said, “Twenty pounds total.”

A second-class ticket to Conant alone should only cost eight or nine pounds… But black-market tickets are more expensive to begin with, and it also includes forged identity documents. Twenty pounds isn’t too outrageous… Klein silently calculated and asked, “When can I get them?”

“Three quarters of an hour,” Deniel answered with great familiarity. “You can pay five pounds first, then the remaining amount after receiving the ticket and proof of identity.”

“Fine.” Klein did not waste words. He took out his wallet and drew five one-pound notes.

He was not worried someone might target his wallet. That might even mean he could save the twenty pounds, perhaps with extra income left over.

Deniel had just finished confirming the authenticity of the notes and was about to give instructions to a subordinate when he suddenly discovered that the bar had become extremely quiet!

Klein sensed it as well and subconsciously looked toward the entrance.

There were two people there. One wore formal tailcoat attire beneath a black trench coat. His brown hair was neatly combed back, and though his eyes were not large, they were bright and lively. A circle of shallow facial hair surrounded his mouth, making him appear both gentlemanly and somewhat carefree. The other wore a hooded robe rarely seen in public nowadays, his face hidden in shadow so that his features could not be seen clearly.

The carefree gentleman swept a look around and seemed very satisfied with everyone’s reaction. As a silver coin flipped between his fingers, he walked toward Deniel. The hooded-robed person followed behind him and, from time to time, took something from his pocket, placed it into his mouth, and crunched it noisily.

The flipping silver coin stopped, and the carefree gentleman arrived in front of Deniel. With a chuckle, he said, “Prepare ten tickets to Pritz Harbor for tomorrow. They must belong to three different ships.”

“Yes, Mr. Odell.” Deniel stood in panic and replied.

For a moment, Klein could not recall who this carefree gentleman flipping a silver coin between his fingers was, because the other man seemed to have no bounty. Only after hearing the name Odell did he vaguely feel it was familiar.

While he was recalling, he saw the hooded person take a coffee-colored candy from his pocket, throw it into his mouth, and crunch it loudly.

After receiving an affirmative answer, Odell and the other person did not linger. Amid the quiet atmosphere, they walked toward the stairs and headed for the bar’s second floor.

Deniel exhaled, turned his head, and saw Klein’s puzzled, contemplative expression. He casually said, “Odell. The adventurer Odell who serves the owner of the Dawn.”

…I remember now. Silver Coin Viper Odell! He has always claimed to serve the Queen of Mysteries, but no one has been able to prove it. Later, I can ask Madam Hermit… The last time I heard of him was in Damir Harbor. He seemed to have been mixing with Old Quinn, Blood Admiral’s intelligence officer… However, the latter was already killed by Mr. Hanged Man… Klein instantly recalled many things. After considering, he asked, “What about the other person?”

“Who knows?” Deniel turned his head and instructed his subordinate, telling them to prepare the identity documents and corresponding ticket.