Chapter 20: The Cleaning Operation
Narrow Sea, The Stepstones, Cutthroat Isle, Pier Warehouse
Although the pier of Cutthroat Isle was crude, the pirates had established a complete set of port facilities here.
Simple breakwaters, rough stone-and-wood warehouses, anchoring embankments, and whale oil lighthouses made the entire Cutthroat Isle quite famous in this region.
At this moment, as the night had gradually darkened, this usually bustling place had fallen into a complete, cold silence.
Normally, the lower-level pirates from the Pirate Fortress would come to the taverns and casinos on the pier for entertainment. However, due to "Skullcap" Bill's manipulation, many of the gold coins he bestowed upon them eventually found their way back into his hands.
Since his control over this area was not yet very strong, Garo, the pirate instructor, ordered everyone to strictly implement a curfew policy during this period.
Meanwhile, in a hidden space within a certain warehouse, a group of murderous-looking pirates had gathered, all holding weapons in their hands.
They talked in low voices in groups of twos and threes, and from time to time, someone would look toward the exit, as if waiting for someone.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
Accompanied by three dull and rhythmic knocks, these pirates all closed their mouths in unison, and soon, the pirate guarding the door approached.
After exchanging a few secret codes, a sneaky-looking fellow slipped right in. After scanning the faces of everyone present,
He finally found a cold-looking man with a pointed chin in a dark corner. The man appeared to be about 30 years old and had a very prominent scar on his face.
Protected by a black cloak and clothing, this fellow looked like a monster hidden in the darkness.
Upon seeing the sneaky figure, the man seemed to transform into a monster stretching out tentacles from the dark, revealing his greedy gaze and expression.
"Aro! How is it? Have Kapo and the others moved yet?"
The wretched young man called "Aro" instinctively shuddered upon seeing the scarred man's expression.
"Na... Naru, Boss! I... I saw them enter the Godswood. They should succeed very soon!"
"Hahaha, good! Although those two idiots are a bit annoying, their spirit of sacrifice is something we should be very grateful for!"
"Hahaha..."
The pointed-chinned man called Naru was in an excellent mood after hearing this news, and his sentiment was shared by the other pirates.
These dozen or so pirates laughed heartily upon hearing Naru's joke, but with a wave of Naru's hand, everyone fell silent at once.
"Hahaha, since they are so self-sacrificing, we naturally cannot let them down. Once we lock up those slaves, Cutthroat Isle will be ours again!"
"Hurrah!..."
After hearing Naru's motivational speech, everyone shouted in excitement.
"Set out! Let those sheep see what real combat is, and let that idiot Garo see what true power looks like!"
Naru naturally knew that these words alone wouldn't be enough to stir the pirates' ferocity, so he added:
"Everything tonight belongs to whoever grabs it. Those little bitches have probably been unable to wait; let's go comfort them a bit!"
"We must let them know that slaves will always be slaves; it's impossible for them to stand on equal footing with us. They are only fit to be played with by us! Hahaha!"
"Hahaha..."
Laughter with a special implication echoed among the pirates, causing many of them to feel a surge of heat.
"Hahaha, I don't think you'll have that chance!"
Just as the pirates were cheering and jumping for joy, a cold figure suddenly appeared outside the door.
"Bang bang... Boom..."
Soon, amidst the sounds of heavy impacts and the door shattering, Kapo's somewhat playful, smiling face appeared before their surprised eyes.
"Ka... Kapo, why are you back so fast?"
Upon seeing Kapo's appearance, Naru's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition rose in his mind.
"No... that's not right! You... you chameleon, you actually betrayed us?"
"Pah... trash! What right do you have for me to betray you?"
After hearing Naru's question, Kapo spat directly at him and then asked with disdain.
"You... you..."
Hearing Kapo's contempt, Naru shook with rage, his face turning as red as an angry pufferfish.
"Accept the gift I've prepared for you!"
After glancing at the situation inside, Kapo nodded with satisfaction. The people here were basically the remaining die-hard delusional elements.
As long as these guys were eliminated, Kapo's 'blood oath' would be established. As a clever man, he knew exactly how to perform to gain trust.
Thus, Kapo was very clear that only by killing these former companions with the most vicious methods could he truly integrate into Jon's circle and become Jon's 'loyal dog'.
After experiencing that terrifying scene in the ruins of Valyria, Kapo felt both love and fear for that kind of mystical power.
Kapo also knew very well that only by clinging tightly to Jon's leg would he have the chance to become a being like Narsas and the others.
"What... what do you mean?"
"Hahaha, repent your sins well in the flames!"
Although he had sensed something, Naru still held onto a bit of hope until the very moment he had to face it, or perhaps he just didn't want to admit or face the reality.
Soon, the distinct smell of whale oil began to echo through the area, followed by small flames appearing at the exit where Kapo was.
"Fire! Fire? It's on fire!"
"Help!"
"drowned god save me!"
"Run!"
...Amidst a series of panicked cries, the pirates present fell into a complete mess. Some shouted for help, some searched for items, and some prayed for divine protection... As the surrounding temperature continued to rise, the scene became increasingly chaotic. Fortunately, there were at least three exits, although there was panic at first.
Naru managed to lead a few confidants to a certain backup exit, but when he reached for the door handle, he felt a wave of intense heat.
"Boom... Whoosh..."
"Ah... save me!"
As the backup exit door opened, terrifying flames surged in like a monster.
The lackey who opened the door was instantly engulfed in flames. He struggled desperately, but the fire only grew larger as the ambient temperature rose.
"It's over!"
Looking at the passage completely engulfed in flames, Naru, whose lungs felt as if they had been ignited by the fire, let out such a sigh.
At this moment, on the main road of the pier warehouse, Jon, dressed in a grey cloak and black leather armor, looked with a complex expression at Kapo, who was directing the arson and fire prevention measures.
Regarding this ruthless pirate, Jon's heart was also somewhat conflicted. However, considering he would have more subordinates in the future, Jon didn't place much importance on certain issues regarding this fellow.
In any world, beings like Eddard Stark were only a small minority. Therefore, Jon didn't feel there was anything wrong with taking Kapo, who had already offered a 'blood oath,' under his command.
Thus, Jon would not only need loyal and benevolent knights but also insidious and cunning assassins, as well as ruthless thugs.
As the fire continued to burn, shrill screams came from behind the sealed doors. These pirates usually lived lives centered on burning, killing, and looting.
So, when that terrible calamity descended upon them one day, many of them seemed to recall the beings they had killed over the years.
Sometimes fate is just so fickle and full of karma. It was just a pity that these pirates wanted to repent now, but it was already too late.
The fire burned brighter and brighter, soon swallowing these people completely. With the collapse of the main timber and stone walls, those who had been begging for mercy just now fell completely silent.
"Lord Jon, besides these fellows, your team now only has some newly joined rookies and slackers left. The 'Chainbreakers' have been completely 'cleaned'!"
Kapo, kneeling on the ground, sounded very casual when he said the word "cleaned," as if the burnt smell permeating the air had nothing to do with him.
Meanwhile, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry were quite agitated, their eyes fixed intently on Kapo, who was still kneeling on the ground.
If Jon were to give the order to attack, it was likely these fellows would swarm up and kill Kapo, because some of his actions seemed absolutely atrocious to them.
"Good work! Kapo, you did well in this matter. From today onward, you are an existence like Narsas."
After Kapo completed the massacre mission, the system also preset him as Jon's subordinate. In normal circumstances, as long as an entity swore loyalty to Jon, they would basically be preset by the system as his subordinate and could use system items.
As the Rogue class awakening item was activated, Kapo, opposite Jon, felt a wave of comfort, as if something was taking root and sprouting within his body.