"A few months? Is the Hunter's Dream that far?" Redd asked with an astonished expression.
"Hahahaha! You're really clueless, Redd. Is this your first ever trip on a ship?"
"Yes!"
"Well, you're right. The northern seas are vast so crossing them takes a lot of time. But, that shouldn't be the problem you think of, friend. There is an even bigger one." Limmy said with a frown.
"What problem?"
"The one you almost got yourself into. The man who killed that woman is Maleck. He's a powerful hunter that apparently left the Hunter's Dream for a while with his group and now is coming back."
"Why did he kill the woman?"
"I don't know, man. Ever since I stepped foot on this godforsaken ship, I saw hell with my eyes. Malek basically rules this place. He only allows people who pay him money to eat or have a bed they could sleep on. If you don't pay him, you're beaten to a pulp and then thrown on the lowest floor."
"Why didn't anyone fight back?" Redd blinked as he already started hating this guy named Maleck. He was a complete and utter piece of trash.
"Fight back? Hahahaha, you're really naive, Redd. That man is truly strong. Way stronger than anyone else on this ship. Some people did try to fight back and well… Their corpses are now resting at the bottom of the sea."
"..."
"That woman really saved your ass, friend. If you really went to the highest floor, you would've gotten killed by that man."
"This isn't right…" Redd clenched his fists as he looked at Limmy. "Why is the tall guy not stopping him? Isn't he the sailor of this ship?"
"You mean Butler? He's a passive third-party. From what I heard, he's just the transporter. His sole task is to bring all of us to the Hunter's Dream. Who dies and lives is none of his business. If anything, this ship works like a strainer that gets rid of the weak-willed idiots and leaves those who truly want to survive at all costs."
'Survive…'
Finally, Redd understood why Butler told him to survive. This ship wasn't meant to simply be a transporter but also a test in and out of itself.
"So, Redd, tell me. Do you have money on you?"
The boy looked at Limmy silently without responding.
"Hey, hey, I'm not trying to rob you. I'm just asking out of curiosity because if you do, well, you're one of the lucky few, my friend."
"I'm not paying that bastard," Redd replied.
"If you don't want to die then you have to do it. He only takes 20 bronze coins per week."
"I'm not paying."
'That money is something Lodra gave to me to use when I reach the Hunter's Dream. I won't give it to some random person.'
"Sigh, you really don't understand, do you?" Limmy shook his head with a grave expression. "Follow me. I will show you something."
"Hm?" With a confused expression, Limmy walked back inside the atrium followed by Redd. The two reached the stairs but instead of going up, they went down.
"The smell…" Redd held his noise when that unpleasant odor filled his nostrils. But, he still continued walking down.
The sound of the stairs screeching filled the quietness of the darkness around him.
"Where are we going, Limmy?"
"Down to hell." He replied with a solemn tone.
The trip down didn't take long as they quickly found themselves on the lowest floor of the ship. The smell of rotten flesh and blood was now everything Redd could smell and it made him want to vomit.
"What the hell…"
"This is the place where all the people that can't pay are thrown. Look around you, Redd. Take a good look." He said in a low voice.
Redd's squinted eyes finally opened slightly and the sight he saw was the worst thing he could've ever imagined… No, it far exceeded even his worst imagination.
The room was made out of cheap wood that creaked with the smallest of movement. It was a miracle that this wood wasn't penetrated by the salty water of the raging sea. Inside this hell were tens of people, all scattered across the room like butchered animals.
Blood covered every nook and cranny. Each one of the people there was dehydrated and malnourished to the bone. Their weak bodies barely moved and the only thing that hinted that they were still alive was the groans of pain that leaked out of their dry throats.
Blemishes and horrifying injuries riddled their bodies. Some of them even looked like the bites of an animal.
"What…" Redd's eyes flashed with a hint of shock, fear, and disgust. How could humans be treated like that? This is far worse than even the lowliest of animals.
"This is what happens to those that defy Maleck. They're thrown here to die before they're thrown into the sea when they breathe their last breaths."
"Why?"
"Why, you ask? Why, I wonder?" Limmy murmured. "Maybe because they're weak or maybe because they simply didn't have the means to defend themselves. I tried to help them… I really did. But, there is only so much one person can do."
Limmy's painful expression only grew more and more intense when he felt a hand touch his leg. One of the men lying on the ground had crawled to Limmy.
"Ple… he…" The said man couldn't even beg properly with his dry mouth.
Redd's shocked face turned into deep, fiery anger. He might be naive, stupid, and even clueless. But, Redd wasn't someone who shut up when he saw such horrible things happen in front of his eyes.
"Screw this… I'm going to kill that bastard." Redd's whole aura became cold and menacing. The sheer hatred he harbored for this man was now way over the limit.
"Don't do it, Redd. You will only get yourself killed. That man is really strong… I have seen it with my own eyes." Limmy quickly grabbed Redd's shoulder before the latter went up again.
"I won't…"
"Listen to me, friend. You can't just rush toward him like this. Maleck has many strong subordinates. They're the ones that actually do the dirty work for him most of the time. Are you going to fight him along with his group alone?"
Although Redd was boiling with anger, he was still sane enough to know that Limmy had a point. Running toward him like a maniac would just be suicide. Besides, Redd didn't know whether he could fight Maleck head-on or not.
"What do you suggest?"
"Lay low for a while. Search for weak points that you can use and then strike at the perfect time when he least expects it."
"Weak points you say?"
Redd thought about it for a few moments before he nodded his head. It did sound like a good idea considering the fact that Redd was very good at hunting down bigger, more menacing animals without sustaining damage or putting his life at risk.
Granted, this wasn't an animal he was hunting but a strong, experienced, and most likely ruthless hunter.
But, for now, Redd decided to focus on something else. With a sigh, he walked up the main deck again and put down his bag before he sat down and started rummaging through it.
"What are you going to do?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm going to fish."