Listening to Lynn's words, Lame Laut's expression changed abruptly. He silently cursed Kora in his heart for revealing such vital information to a few apprentices, implicating him in the process.
He didn't believe Lynn was deceiving him, given that the actions of the Church in recent days were a clear signal.
It was precisely due to this concern that he had chosen to observe the situation from the shadows, ready to flee at any moment, but he hadn't expected to be exposed.
"The Ship Gang has been operating in the Harbor Town for many years, and their information network should be quite extensive. Do you know who the Church has captured?" Lynn inquired, his voice tinged with anticipation.
Lame Laut hesitated, then shook his head, replying with some frustration, "The Ship Gang is under intense scrutiny right now, and my knowledge is limited. I'm afraid the Archbishop has blocked the information. Only the town's priests have the authority to access such classified information."
Corrupting and controlling a priest was no easy task; they possessed powerful divine magic, unwavering faith, and no shortage of wealth, making them formidable adversaries.
So, even though the Ship Gang had been operating for decades in the Harbor Town, Lame Laut always kept a safe distance from these individuals, avoiding any connections with the Church's clergy.
Lynn's brow furrowed, taken aback by the revelation that Lame Laut was as clueless as he was. This was completely unexpected.
"Wizard, are you planning to rescue the captured wizard apprentices?" Lame Laut tentatively asked.
"Indeed, that's important for you as well, isn't it?" Lynn replied nonchalantly.
"It's going to be challenging. The town is swarming with guards, and they might not even be imprisoned at the harbor. Even if we miraculously manage to rescue them, we won't be able to escape the town," Lame Laut argued. "It would be easier to eliminate them. The difficulty would be much lower."
Since the other person knew the Ship Gang's secrets, making them disappear seemed like the simplest solution. In this dark, otherworldly realm, a single life didn't hold much value, especially when it involved the secrets of the wizard's territory.
Lynn wasn't surprised by Lame Laut's ruthlessness. In this grim world, a single life was expendable, and this was closely tied to the secrets of the wizards' territory. However, Lynn didn't share the same perspective, and he sneered as he replied, "Mr. Laut, are you still under the illusion that once this matter is over, the Ship Gang can continue to prosper in Harbor Town without any repercussions?"
Since Archbishop Anluke had chosen Harbor Town as their base, it undoubtedly meant they had discovered some clues. Even if Dove and Jenny were to die now, sooner or later, they would trace it back to Lame Laut.
After all, most of the town's cargo transport was connected to the Ship Gang.
Lame Laut's face became increasingly grim. He naturally understood this, but he had been unwilling to admit it. In all, he had spent a full two decades in Harbor Town, and it could be said that all of his efforts and investments had been poured into this place.
"You're a clever person, Mr. Laut. Our only way out now is to cross the Sea of Mist (Misty Sea) on a ship and head to the wizards' territory. Otherwise, with what you've done, no matter where you hide, the Church will find you," Lynn stated bluntly. "Taking a ship now allows you to salvage a portion of your accumulated wealth. But if you wait for Archbishop Anluke to act, you might not even survive."
Lame Laut cast a deep, searching look at Lynn, as if he wanted to say something but ultimately sighed in resignation. "It's too late to set sail now. The Harbor Town has already tightened control over incoming and outgoing cargo ships. Today, two large vessels were supposed to transport goods, but they were both seized."
"So soon?" Lynn paused for a moment, realizing that the situation was worse than he had imagined. However, he quickly regained his composure and inquired, "But you must have a solution, right?"
During his time in the Harbor Town, searching for this sly old fox, he had been bewildered by various pieces of information, some true and others false.
If it weren't for the formidable illusion magic that allowed him to disguise himself as Rabel of the Ship Gang, he wouldn't have been able to flush Lame Laut out.
This cautious individual couldn't possibly be unprepared for the day when the harbor would be sealed.
Lynn swiftly considered the various pieces of information he had gathered in the past few days...
Since the harbor was in a semi-blockaded state, during this period, the only ships allowed to leave freely were the warships responsible for patrolling the waters.
"Sanctus, Celestial, Watcher... which one of these ships has your people?" Lynn curiously asked.
Lame Laut's expression twitched for a moment, as he didn't expect Lynn to figure this out. He even suspected that one of his trusted confidants had betrayed him. He could only reluctantly admit, "It's... the Celestial."
Impressive.
Lynn was astonished by Lame Laut's abilities. To actually have the confidence to take control of a warship. He had only intended to test the waters earlier.
Lame Laut retorted with frustration, "It's not as simple as you think. Even though the captain of the Celestial is under my command, the ship has to report and undergo inspection every time it departs or returns. If it deviates from its course, it'll likely be spotted by the lookout posts."
On the Sea of Mist, their warships could only rely on archery or close-quarter combat with boarding, while the enemy's ship had priests on board. With a few divine spells, even the sturdiest warship could be torn to shreds.
Moreover, large-scale personnel and cargo transfers weren't easy tasks.
"You don't need to worry about that. They won't have time to bother with us when we cross the sea." Lynn said confidently.
"I have a plan, and if it goes smoothly, no matter how many military units there are, they won't pose a threat. However, I need the Ship Gang's assistance..."
Lynn looked at Lame Laut, waiting for his response. The Ship Gang consisted of over a thousand ship workers, even though they were a ragtag group. If they could be put to good use, it would be a formidable force.
"You better not rely on them to fight against the Church's guards..." Lame Laut sighed. While the Ship Gang had many members, most of them were just trying to make a living under his command.
Dealing with gang fights on a regular basis was one thing, but if they were thrown into battle against a regular army, it was likely that half of them would turn against him before the fight even started.
"Don't worry; I only need you to do some small tasks." Lynn took out a piece of parchment from his sleeve and slid it in front of Lame Laut. "Can you gather these items? The more, the better."