Regarding the specifics of the meeting with Nicholas Geiki, Justin dared not ask further as he followed Wang Hui down to the cellar.
At the cellar door stood a composed man who instinctively blocked the entrance with his body, but upon seeing Justin behind Wang Hui, he silently lowered his head to allow passage.
Professional and perceptive.
With a creak, the cellar door opened, revealing a locked chest secured by four interwoven chains.
In the corner of the cellar sat another guard.
Justin had indeed strictly adhered to Wang Hui's orders, though he did not comprehend why such stringent precautions were necessary for a corpse…
Justin gestured for the guard to unlock the chest, but Wang Hui raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the four iron chains, each as thick as a baby's arm, were shattered with a resounding crack! Even the large iron lock on the chest fell away on its own!
The guard was left dumbfounded, yet he remembered his etiquette and refrained from speaking, bowing his head to step aside.
"Every time I witness the Master's abilities, I am left in awe…"
Justin marveled sincerely as he cautiously lifted the chest lid.
Meanwhile, the bat wings affixed to his back twitched restlessly, ready for battle.
If there were any abnormalities with the corpse inside, he would do his utmost to shield himself!
However, upon opening the lid, Justin's expression froze; the chest was completely empty…
The corpse had actually escaped?
He instantly turned to the two guards, coldly demanding, "You both were on watch outside and inside; how did the contents of the chest disappear?"
Justin did not deliberately raise his voice, but the implied threat sent shivers down the spines of the two, who immediately knelt and insisted they had not left their posts, affirming that the chest had not been moved!
"Enough, it is not their fault."
Wang Hui stepped forward, bending down to pick up a single strand of hair from the chest, his expression thoughtful.
It was a black hair!
In the Gulf, individuals with black hair were exceedingly rare; this was most likely a remnant of Liang Xiaohai.
The ends of the hair gradually turned white—could this indicate that Liang Xiaohai's rebirth in the miniature world came with a cost?
Returning from the cellar to the first-floor parlor, Wang Hui fetched paper and pen, sketching the surrounding scenery from Liang Xiaohai's updates, as well as a detailed portrait of the fisherman's daughter.
"The vanished corpse has likely been revived; investigate. If he is in Reverse Wind Port, send someone to monitor him, and do not act just yet."
"Yes, Master!"
Justin replied earnestly, though he could not suppress his astonishment.
A revived corpse? That was a taboo in wizarding circles!
Could it be that the enemy of such significance was a powerful and enigmatic necromancer?
Wang Hui was unaware of the fantastical scenarios brewing in Justin's mind; his gaze drifted towards the upper floor.
He could sense that Lilya's room sporadically emitted waves of primal energy; the elven girl seemed deep in her exploration of spells.
This was a development Wang Hui welcomed.
However, the inspiration he had provided to Lilya was insufficient to fully exploit her innate magical talent; a more rigorous and systematic understanding of spells was necessary.
What better resource for foundational education than a second-ranking witch?
After imparting a few instructions to Justin, Wang Hui took his leave and returned to the outside world, then descended once more.
This time, he aimed slightly westward, landing on a small island not far from Reverse Wind Port.
"It's a pity that the rules of the Gulf World impose significant restrictions on me, preventing me from landing precisely at my desired location…"
Wang Hui sighed helplessly, yet this did not pose a challenge for him.
Looking around, he found a suitably sized tree.
Wang Hui flicked his fingers, sending two translucent streams of primal energy to the upper and lower sections of the trunk.
Crack—
The upper crown, now unsupported, slid down, while a solid segment of the trunk was held aloft by Wang Hui's single hand.
He inhaled deeply and hurled the trunk toward the direction of the northwestern horizon of the ocean with all his might!
Whoosh!!
The trunk sped forth like an arrow released from a bow, and Wang Hui leaped, landing with hands behind his back.
"Hmm?"
He suddenly felt a sensation of being watched, glancing back at the small island he had just departed, which lay deserted.
Wang Hui was certain that the fleeting feeling was not merely a figment of his imagination, but there was no need to return for a thorough check.
"Probably someone from the Storm Kingdom—perhaps a trick of a wizard? Ha…"
Wang Hui regarded the entire Gulf World as his domain, with the Storm Kingdom merely the first course of a banquet that would not last much longer!
Whoosh—
Wang Hui glided atop the swiftly flying trunk, skimming above the water's surface, the sea breeze rushing towards him, the saline tang growing more pronounced.
Compared to the previous sailing speed of the Storm Navy, his "flying tree" was certainly swifter, quickly soaring into the depths of the sea, the intersection of two realms coming into view.
Upon his return to his corporeal form, he confirmed from above that the armies of the three clans had found a larger island on which to set anchor, busy assessing the outcomes of the battle.
More than forty aluminum-hulled warships were neatly arranged in two rows along the shore.
The prior collisions and the spells cast by the wizards had caused varying degrees of damage to each ship, but not a single one had sunk; with repairs, they could swiftly regain their full strength!
In stark contrast, only twenty-six of the Storm Navy's vessels had been dragged back, with the remaining six having sunk to the ocean's depths.
Even those still intact appeared battered and marred with cracks, a stark difference from the gleaming aluminum ships alongside them!
Only the largest vessel, the *Nicholas*, retained a semblance of robustness, barely maintaining its appearance as a flagship…
The warriors of the three clans bound the captured knights and sailors with thick ropes, escorting them to a makeshift cave prison for subsequent handling.
Crates of food, fine wines, and other supplies were unloaded from the hulls, alongside hundreds of warhorses, presumably prepared by the Storm Navy for landing operations, though they had regrettably gone to waste.
As night fell, enormous bonfires were lit one after another, and the bustling warriors of the three clans began to gather around them.
Some raised goblets of victory wine, exulting in their courageous exploits during the battle, singing loudly.
Others hung their heads low, gazing at the belongings of fallen comrades, sorrow engulfing their hearts.
"Sister Xia, let's go out for some roasted meat; everyone wants to hear you speak!"
Inside the main tent, Zuo Qiu Yue had shed her armor in favor of casual attire, inviting Nalan Xia to the bonfire celebration.
Having shared many years together, their once wary relationship had blossomed into sisterhood.
"Is it not enough yet? We've won; let their ears enjoy a moment of silence!"
Nalan Xia shot Zuo Qiu Yue a weary glance, waving her hand dismissively: "You go on ahead; I'll finish this last report before joining you."
"Alright, alright~"
Zuo Qiu Yue shrugged, lifting the tent flap as she stepped outside.
Watching her depart, Nalan Xia's gaze returned to the report in her hands, her brow gradually furrowing.
The escaped Storm Knight seemed to be continuously causing trouble…