Chapter 638: Storm Pirates
Early morning.
After washing up, Li Yahong reluctantly said, "I'm heading back."
Wu Heng pinched her cheek. "Once the airport's ready for our own planes to take off, it'll be much more convenient."
"I feel planes aren't that safe," Li Yahong replied directly.
"Don't worry, we'll have a few Skeleton Wyverns escort."
"That might work," Li Yahong's eyes lit up.
As they spoke, Li Yahong's walkie-talkie went off again.
"Sister Hong, we're ready to go."
Li Yahong pressed the walkie-talkie, "I'm coming down."
She ended the call, gave him a big kiss on the cheek, and then headed downstairs with the owl.
She got on the truck and left the military factory.
Returning to the Xinfu City base.
Wu Heng watched the convoy leave from the window, called Xiaoxiao back with a Wraith, and opened the realm gate to return to Gold-Silver Island.
...
Lighthouse Street, tavern.
The bards continued telling stories as usual, and the tavern guests, despite having heard them many times, still cheered enthusiastically.
When the story paused for intermission, the bards took a break.
The guests began chatting.
"It's been three days since fountain pens went on sale, and every day the lines are packed."
"The port's full of merchant ships. They even added two temporary docks overnight. You can imagine how many people came!"
"The island lord is really amazing. This expo is making even taverns and shops profit."
"I heard the housing prices on the island are going up."
"Way better than during Occam's time."
"Shhh~! He's dead, why bring him up? We're an Guild island now."
...
"True! But why haven't we seen the tavern maids lately?"
"Don't you know? A few of them went to see the island lord. They want to turn stories into stage plays like the bards."
"Them? Their voices are nice in bed, that's for sure."
"I heard the island lord agreed, and even promised that if they work hard and perform well, he'll give them class-change scrolls."
The surroundings fell silent instantly.
After a while, someone said, "The island lord is trying to help them."
"Of course he is. Just like Miss Beni."
...
Guild, Deputy Steward's office.
Wu Heng handed over two gift-boxed fountain pens. "These are for you, one each—special collector's edition."
Sheila Grey and Shiyali looked at the gifts, opened the boxes.
Inside, the pens were different from the ones sold—black glass barrels, much more elegant.
"Why the gifts?" Sheila Grey asked curiously.
"Felt like they'd suit you, so I brought them. Like them?" Wu Heng asked with a smile.
"I love it! Thank you, Island Lord Wu Heng." Shiyali thanked him cheerfully and kept hers.
Both had bought regular pens.
But these were clearly better. They'd use the regular ones and keep these.
Wu Heng gave the gifts mainly because of the expo.
Most of the security and patrol arrangements were handled by Sheila Grey, who even went on patrol herself.
Now that the pens were bringing in over 100,000 silver coins daily…
It was only right to give Sheila Grey something.
And the pens were readily available. Mass production would soon follow.
Seeing her sister accept the gift, Sheila Grey also thanked him. "Thank you. I like it too."
"No need to be polite," Wu Heng said, sitting on the sofa. "By the way, I saw the fifth princess of the Ekow Kingdom the other day. Her name's 'Brittany.'"
Sheila Grey's brows furrowed slightly, her gaze shifting from the pen. "She came to the island? Why?"
"She wants me to join her team and help reclaim the throne."
"She… What is she thinking?" Sheila Grey's frown deepened.
Shiyali brought tea and pastries, then returned to her seat.
She rested her chin on her hand, listening to their conversation about the Ekow Kingdom.
"Maybe she's desperate, just randomly reaching out for help," Wu Heng said. "She also mentioned something—claimed the old king was murdered and that the chaos around the succession is due to cult interference."
"A cult? Which one?"
Previously, Wu Heng and Sheila Grey might have doubted this.
But not long ago, Wu Heng had wiped out a cult of Destiny, so it wasn't impossible that Ekow had cults too.
"She didn't say. Seems she doesn't know either."
Sheila Grey looked at him. "So what's your plan?"
"I agreed to report it to Guild headquarters and ask them to have the local branches in Ekow investigate," Wu Heng said.
"Good. That's fine." Sheila Grey looked at Shiyali. "Shiyali, write a report. Say the fifth princess of Ekow Kingdom gave intelligence about a cult and requests an investigation by the local Guild branches."
"Got it!" Shiyali turned and began writing.
Using one of the fountain pens from outside.
"Why is she staying on the island?" Sheila Grey continued.
Wu Heng thought for a moment. "Feels like she's trying to rally helpers and also joined the troupe adapting stories—wants to turn Beni's story into a stage play."
"Huh? Trying to reclaim the throne and doing stage plays?"
"I think she's just holding in a lot of frustration. She hates what's happened to the kingdom but doesn't know how to act on it." Wu Heng analyzed.
"That might be it."
The Ekow princess matter concluded.
Wu Heng asked, "Anything going on around the island?"
"Nothing major. The island's pretty safe," Sheila Grey said, flipping through documents. She pulled one out. "A merchant ship docked and brought word that a pirate group is raiding convoys on the trade route."
Wu Heng frowned. "Pirates again?"
"Can't be helped. Merchant convoys coming to Gold-Silver Island are huge. It's not strange pirates got drawn in," Sheila Grey said calmly.
"What kind of pirates? Are they strong?"
"According to reports, they fly a blood-red tornado flag. I checked the wanted list—they're called the Storm Pirates. Not native to the Emerald Sea."
Pirates from other seas.
They saw no pirates here and many merchant ships.
So they came over directly.
"How many ships? What's the leader's level?" Wu Heng asked.
Sheila Grey reviewed the intel. "Five pirate ships. The leader is level 17, possibly already level 18. Fleet includes flying units—Harpies. Brutal and low intelligence."
That was a large-scale fleet.
With flying units—an elite setup among pirate groups.
But Wu Heng didn't seem too concerned.
Given current naval power, unless they had a level 20 Hero onboard, there'd be no issue.
And even a Hero hadn't faced their forces before.
No telling what their strength really was.
"I'll have Felipa prepare. We'll head out and wipe them out," Wu Heng declared.
With so many merchant groups attracted to the island—
Pirates couldn't be allowed to ruin the business environment.
They had to be dealt with quickly.
Sheila Grey thought for a moment. "I'll assign a Deputy Steward and a squad to go with you—just in case."
"Alright. I'll have someone notify you when we're setting off."
"Okay."
Wu Heng stayed at the Guild until noon.
When Sheila Grey headed out, Wu Heng didn't linger.
He pulled up his hood and left the Guild.
...
Afternoon, sun blazing.
After lunch, Wu Heng sat in the courtyard and checked his fame panel.
[Fame: Level 19 (2955/66000)]
With the expo drawing many merchants and attendants—
And Detective books being sold by merchant guilds—
His fame only increased by 2,200 or so.
A far cry from the newspaper launch results.
"At this rate, reaching level 20 is too hard."
"No way. I need another method. If it takes ten or twenty years, that's too long."
Wu Heng muttered, thinking of other ways to boost fame.
Can't just stay limited to Gold-Silver Island—must target a wider area.
Deep in thought—
The gate opened.
Shanaila, in a long dress, entered with her steward.
She glanced at Wu Heng and gently sat sideways on his lap.
The recliner creaked under their combined weight.
"You stayed up late again?" Wu Heng asked.
"No, just overslept," Shanaila replied with a smile. Then she pulled out several lists from her spatial ring.
"I've finalized the procurement needs with several guilds. They'll be shipping them over soon."
Wu Heng glanced over the papers. Each listed a few merchant guilds.
Shanaila then asked, "What do you need oak sap for? And why such a large amount?"