Bang, bang, bang!
There was a knock on the door, followed by a sweet voice from outside. "Sir, may I come in?"
Ed opened the door with a bright smile. "What do you think?" He asked, making space for the beautiful visitor and giving her a wink.
"Well, I should come in," She replied with a chuckle as she entered.
The lady had a beautiful face with long blue hair, blue eyes, pale skin, a breathtaking figure, and, most notably, her E-cup size breasts. She appeared to be around 28 years old, stood about 1.8 meters tall, and wore an erotic blue net gown that left very little to the imagination.
Ed carefully closed the door, locked it from the inside, and walked toward the lady who had cost him six silver snakes for twelve hours. The price was steep compared to Yukino, who cost only one and a half silver snakes for an entire night, but there were reasons for that.
Not only was this woman one of the most famous ladies in this particular love house, but there was also the advantage of location. If Turan Island, where Yukino lived, was like a village, then Meister Island was undoubtedly a major city.
Naturally, the price of everything here was higher. The room itself was more luxurious and even included a private bathroom with a large bathtub.
"Sir, how would you like to spend our precious time? First, let me introduce myself. My name is Ginny, your humble servant," The lady said with a teasing smile, giving a slight bow.
Ed, who was no longer a novice and had developed a thick enough skin to handle such teasing, walked toward her. He took her into his embrace, placing both hands on her bubbly buttocks. Giving them a light squeeze and pat, he spoke with a chuckle.
"My name is Tom, my dear servant Ginny. How about we take a wonderful bath together before moving on to the main course?"
"Sure, Master. Whatever you want, your humble servant will accept without hesitation," Ginny replied with a light chuckle. She kissed Ed's right cheek and walked toward the bathroom, not forgetting to turn around and curl her finger in a seductive gesture, inviting him to follow.
Sigh, it seems I hit the jackpot. She's a real professional. Compared to her, Yukino... well, forget it. There's nothing to compare. Yukino is more like perfect housewife material than a professional, Ed thought, shaking his head before walking to the window and looking outside with a frown.
"So, what should I do now? Do they know someone like me is with the Blue Fist as well? I hope not, otherwise my entire plan would be ruined. At the very least, I have to take full advantage of the money I've spent."
No way, this change came too suddenly. He wasn't prepared at all and never even considered this possibility. Now he has no way to contact Andre and the others to find out what the f*ck they did to go from treasure hunters to wanted criminals overnight.
Ding, ding, ding!
A faint sound suddenly came from the inner pocket of his coat, pulling Ed from his thoughts. He reached in and pulled out a thin sliver of crystal.
The crystal piece Elena gave me… is it making that sound?
Ed looked at the crystal, which was vibrating slightly and emitting a soft chime.
"What does this mean? What's its purpose? How do I answer it? Damn it, that unreliable girl didn't tell me anything about how it works!"
Ed complained inwardly, having no idea what the vibration signified.
Tap, tap, tap!
Then, suddenly, there was a light knocking sound behind him.
"What's that noise?"
Ed shifted his gaze from the crystal toward the source of the sound. Something was tapping on the corner of the window. The knocking from outside and the chiming from the crystal in his pocket now echoed each other in the same rhythm.
"Is this a trick from Andre and the others?" Ed wondered as he walked over. Outside the window, a spider was knocking on the glass with its front legs. However, the spider's body was brass-colored, and its head was studded with four ruby-like gemstones.
What kind of high-tech gadget is this? Ed muttered curiously. He drew his pistol before cautiously reaching out to open the window.
The spider scurried inside using all eight legs. Ed kept his pistol trained on it.
A faint sound now emanated from the spider's back. Listening closely, Ed could make out a human voice. He reached out slowly; the mechanical spider didn't react, so he picked it up. It had some heft but felt light for its metallic appearance.
Holding it closer to his ear, he heard, "Edward? Edward? Can you hear me?"
The voice was faint but clearly female, and somewhat familiar. It had to be Elena.
F*ck! I didn't expect this thing to be a phone. Damn it, why didn't I know about this before? I should have gotten one for Raila so I could talk to her daily, Ed grumbled internally.
He didn't keep the other party waiting long. "I can hear you," He answered with nostalgia. If there is anything he misses from his previous life, then it is undoubtedly his smartphone.
"Phew, I finally found you. How are you now?"
"Hmm... Very well..."
"Master? Are you okay? Why aren't you coming in? I am getting bored alone?"
Just as Ed spoke, Ginny poked her head out from the bathroom, a look of concerned innocence on her face. She clearly assumed that Ed, who had been so bold earlier, might be getting nervous, and she was prepared to use her professional skills to put him at ease.
"I'm coming, dear. I just thought of something. Please give me a moment; I'll be right there," Ed said with a smile, quickly stuffing the spider into his pocket. He feared Elena might overhear their conversation, and though he suspected she already could, he sought psychological comfort in muffling the sound.
"Alright," Ginny said. She was a smart girl. She nodded with an innocent expression, blew Ed a flying kiss, and retreated back into the bathroom, acting as if she hadn't noticed anything unusual about his behavior.
"...Ahem. I'm in hiding," Ed said into the silence, trying to dispel the awkwardness.
"That's good! It seems you've found a good place to hide... A very good place," Elena replied, sarcasm evident in her voice. It seemed that while she knew Ed was off enjoying himself, she didn't grasp the exact nature of his activities; otherwise, her tone might have been less concerned and more furious.
This is the benefit of having a novice on the team, you can fool her even when she suspects something.
"Alright, don't talk; just listen," Elena continued. "The Shark Bite Gang somehow colluded with the Governor of Meister Island. They issued a warrant and had us expelled."
"What a bunch of scum, only knowing how to use despicable means. But we're all fine now. The warrant is only valid on Meister Island. They don't have the authority to issue a bounty across the entire sea."
"Where are you now? Let us pick you up. It's too dangerous to wander around alone."
Hearing this, Ed felt his worries ease. Then a thought struck him. "Am I exposed? Do they know someone like me exists?"
"Probably not. The only people who have seen you are villagers. The Shark Bite Gang has no idea you exist. They probably think all of our people have already retreated from the island."
"Not exposed, huh?" Ed muttered to himself.
This is an opportunity, He thought with a smile.
After a calculated pause to seem thoughtful and honest, he replied seriously, "I've found clues to the exact location of the treasure house. It will only take a little more time to investigate."
"Really?" A surprised voice came from the other end. "But it's too dangerous. You've just joined us, and you're not even a Toucher yet."
Hearing this, Ed smiled meaningfully. "It's okay. I haven't been exposed, right?"
The voice on the other end pondered for a moment. "Alright. We'll cause a commotion on the coast to draw their attention. You look for clues in the city. If you encounter danger, just crush the crystal piece. We'll come to rescue you immediately."
Hearing this, Ed responded at once, "No problem. But if I find a clue, how do I contact you?"
"Carry the spider with you. It still has some energy. You can communicate by tapping its four 'eyeballs,'" Elena explained.
"Okay, no problem. Wait for my good news," Ed said, making a victory sign even though she couldn't see it.
"Be careful. It's not worth dying for a bit of information."
"Don't worry. I know the difference between wealth and life. You have to live to enjoy the wealth."
After he spoke, the spider's four gemstone eyes dimmed, turning from red jewels into dull, gray stones.