Chapter 329, Not Close with Him
Hearing this news, Wu Heng frowned.
Why is this envelope showing up again?
Could it be that the pirates surrounding the Guild's ships this time are also linked to this envelope?
"Where are you right now?"
"On a route? We took a detour to avoid anyone spotting our ship. We're moving away from the Cock's Tail Island waters," Philipa replied.
Wu Heng thought for a moment, then said, "Head to Cock's Tail Island now; I'll come over, and we'll talk in person."
"I'll wait for you to come over. It's already getting dark, and what am I supposed to say to the crew when they see your ship?" Philipa exclaimed.
"I have a way to get there ahead of time."
"Alright then! But if you're not here by nightfall, I'll leave with the crew. Don't blame me—it's beyond my control," Philipa sighed.
Wu Heng didn't say anything further and hung up.
Lunch was already prepared downstairs.
He ate a little and chatted with Minnie for a while.
Then, leaving his place, he found a deserted spot, put on the [Conductor's Hat], and boarded the train.
Heading to Cock's Tail Island.
...…
The ghost train ride to Cock's Tail Island only took about 20 minutes.
Upon arrival,
Wu Heng waited at least three to four hours before finally spotting the Iron Barrel Pirates' ship approaching from afar.
When the ship docked,
Philipa, carrying Fireblade, stepped off the deck with a parrot on her shoulder, glancing around like a thief before sending her crew back and heading toward the center of the island.
She reached an old stone hut in the center, released the parrot to watch from the roof.
Then she pushed open the door and entered.
As she opened it, she saw Wu Heng sitting inside along with two servants dressed in heavy cloaks.
She immediately put on a smile and respectfully whispered, "Deputy steward."
Wu Heng nodded. "Sit."
Philipa sat down on a stone across from him.
Wu Heng continued, "That letter—let me see it."
"Oh, alright!" Philipa took out the letter and handed it over.
Wu Heng glanced at the space ring on her hand, and Philipa quickly covered it protectively, looking wary.
No doubt about it—Philipa was the one who stripped Poison Blade bare.
She really did go all out.
The Poison Blade captain's legs were blown off, and she nearly managed to decapitate him.
Wu Heng didn't bother asking about the ring.
He wasn't lacking for such items himself. He took the envelope and began examining it.
It really was the same blank envelope as before, identical in size, shape, and texture.
Just like last time, looking at it didn't trigger any item description.
This suggested that the envelope and letter weren't items or artifacts but had been delivered to the pirates by other means.
It was as if an all-knowing figure at sea had perfect knowledge of merchant routes and Guild ship movements.
The figure behind all this was a real mystery.
"So? Is it what you were looking for?" Philipa asked, leaning closer.
Wu Heng nodded, "It's the same, but I still can't tell who sent it. Keep an eye out. If you come across similar information or receive this type of letter again, notify me immediately."
"Alright, you can count on me!" Philipa patted her chest.
Wu Heng handed the envelope back to her as a reference, so she'd recognize it if she saw it again.
He then added, "This time, you delivered the intel promptly and did well. Take these and recruit some new crew members."
With a wave, five barrels filled with silver coins appeared beside him.
Pirate bounties actually weren't that high.
The most valuable things were the wealth they plundered and the seized ships.
What he gave Philipa was by no means excessive; he'd already provided quite a bit when she went undercover.
Seeing Wu Heng take out even more money,
Philipa's face lit up. This undercover gig was great—not only did she get a decent haul from the pirates,
Wu Heng was also paying her handsomely.
Her mother, living in that little village, had probably never seen so much money in her entire life.
After stowing away the silver, Philipa asked, "Sir, how is my mother doing?"
Wu Heng hadn't actually been checking on Philipa's mother much lately.
"When you left, I had her taken out of prison. She wanted to return to the village, but I didn't approve and arranged for her to stay in Guild housing."
Philipa immediately said, "She can't go back. She's too soft-hearted. If she returns, the villagers will ostracize and harass her; she wouldn't last long."
Wu Heng understood her concern.
"Do your job well, and I'll buy a property for her on Gold-Silver Island. She could even run a small business to live a stable life."
"That works, as long as she doesn't go back to the village."
With her mother's situation settled,
Philipa leaned forward, looking curious, and asked, "I won't ask for that ship-sinking device, but how about giving me one of those smaller ones the skeletons used on the deck? I'm working for you, after all. What if I run into danger?"
She was referring to the rifle.
Wu Heng thought about it—Philipa was a captain, but she wasn't particularly strong. She relied on Fireblade and skeletons for protection.
If she ran into trouble alone, it would indeed be an issue.
He had plenty of rifles and submachine guns, but he worried they might leak and be replicated.
Considering that they'd already manufactured freighters and cargo ships,
firearms and cannons could also be reproduced if they researched it enough.
After thinking it over, he took a rifle from his spatial ring and placed it on the table.
Philipa's eyes sparkled, and before he could speak, she eagerly picked it up. "How does it work? Like a crossbow?"
Wu Heng grabbed her hand and redirected the barrel. "Never point the barrel at yourself or allies. This can go off accidentally; getting yourself killed would be a waste."
Realizing she'd been a bit too excited, Philipa grinned, "Got it."
Wu Heng held the rifle, explaining the safety and firing mechanisms. "That's how it works. Remember, I'm the only one with this weapon. Keep it hidden, or people might link it back to me."
"What the hell! If I can't use it, what's the point of giving it to me?"
"Use it for self-defense. If you ever encounter unavoidable danger, don't hesitate. Follow my instructions and fire directly at them; anyone below level 15 will be shredded."
Hearing it could kill targets below level 15, Philipa's excitement grew.
A weapon capable of killing a fourth-tier professional—
that was truly a treasure.
She looked up, smiling, "Thank you."
"Here are some bullets. Don't share them with anyone, not even a single round," Wu Heng warned again.
"Got it. I'd have to be an idiot to hand over something like this," Philipa said, stowing the gun and bullets.
"Alright, that's it. After this, your bounty will increase, so be cautious."
"Understood! You sound like my mother." Philipa muttered, then asked, "Can I rename my pirate crew? 'Iron Barrel' sounds awful."
"Wasn't it named by your father?"
"I'm not close with him! I only boarded the ship to save my mom."
"Leave it for now. Your main task is gathering intelligence; you're not really running a pirate crew, so why care about the name?"
"Fine, you're the boss; your call."
They continued chatting a bit longer, deciding to use Cock's Tail Island as a meeting and supply exchange point.
Philipa left the stone hut, and the green-feathered parrot flew down from the roof.
It squawked, "You like men!"
"Shut up, you stupid bird."
"Captain, stupid bird."
"No, you're the stupid bird!"
Philipa bickered with the parrot as she boarded the ship and departed.
Wu Heng left the stone hut, put on the [Conductor's Hat], and returned to Gold-Silver Island.