Chapter 973: Assassination and Robbery
“Bang!”
After exchanging glances, Crazy Blade and Mountain Sparrow sprang into action at the same time, lunging at the hulking, mountain-like body.
The humans leaped through the water. The sluggish currents added considerable resistance, but they could not stop the two men from shooting forward like arrows loosed from a bow.
“Damn you! How dare you attempt to assassinate a Sea Demon Regent here!”
The food on the table was sent flying. The heavy, mountain-like body hit the ground, and a piercing alarm rang out.
“Whoosh!”
The heavy black iron greatsword cleaved through the flying roast fish and seaweed. Fiery light like molten lava flowed through the cracks in its blade, continually vaporizing the surrounding seawater. It charged at the obese Sea Demon like a demon wreathed in the flames of hell.
“Shalala!”
Sheets of white comic paper flew out. The panels, covered in grid dots, were filled with the pitch-black sound effect “Silence,” depicting an atmosphere of complete quiet!
The sound effects swirled through the currents and swallowed the alarm entirely from the instant it began.
“No one’s coming to save you, you fool.”
The young man declared, taking out a beautiful paintbrush and dragging a streak of ink through the water.
The buzz-cut man’s greatsword came next, cleaving the entire sofa in two. The edges of the cut were uneven, the lines seemingly melted, revealing the deadly nature of the blade’s strike.
“Do you think you can look down on me, you bastards? Do you think you can look down on me?!”
The Sea Demon’s flesh quivered all over. His roars were filled with boundless fury, and an iron-gray light shone in his eyes.
The seawater began churning once more, but this time, the sea was moving according to the Regent’s will.
“As expected of a Sea Demon Regent and noble. The upper echelons of every other race are mostly useless layabouts, just waiting to die… Only the Sea Demons have preserved the fine tradition of linking violence with power!”
A voice rang out in admiration. Opposite it was a frenzied young man, speed lines trailing behind him as he gripped his greatsword.
“Die, you disgusting scum of the sea!”
“Damn humans! You want to start a war? Then I’ll give you one!”
Roars and shouts filled the air, compressed within this space by the surrounding “silent sound effects.” Their fury and violence were compressed and concentrated as well.
The deadly fight was like a cage match, yet even more brutal. Amid the steaming seawater and turbulent currents, it reached its frenzied climax just seconds after it began!
Without a doubt, this battle would end with one side dead!
……
Meanwhile, in another corridor.
Lin Yu and April stepped out of Sea Eye Sovereign’s private collection room. Sea Eye Sovereign, standing by the door, waved goodbye to them.
“Until next time, you two.”
Lin Yu turned back and gave a slight nod. “All right. Until next time.”
Clearly, both sides had reached some sort of mutually satisfying understanding.
Only April’s gaze toward Lin Yu had grown complicated.
“Yayu… what exactly is your plan? Why are you keeping even me in the dark?”
At the final stage of the negotiations, April had been excluded from the conversation between Lin Yu and Sea Eye Sovereign.
Lin Yu looked at April and fixed his gaze on her. “Because you’re fairly clever, I couldn’t be sure… If you’d been there, would you have figured out my real objective, or would you have let something slip?”
April froze. “What do you mean? Are you saying you were deceiving that Sea Demon?”
“Of course. We’re Marauders. Keeping our word and honoring deals with people isn’t our style… Also, your expression is way too obvious right now. I was worried you’d make that exact face.” Lin Yu let out a breath. “That Sea Demon thinks I’m a human from the Central Sea, so he’ll misjudge my motives… But you know I’m not from this world, so you’d realize I was lying as soon as you heard certain things.”
“My deception isn’t particularly clever. I can’t use quick thinking on the spot to cover for you if you react out of character.” Lin Yu rubbed his brow. “In the end, although I don’t mind using deception, I’m really not good at lying. I’m more used to taking things by force.”
Lin Yu paused, then continued with satisfaction, “Fortunately, the second half of this plan really does require us to take things by force.”
April asked in astonishment, “So what exactly is your plan?”
“I can tell you now, but I hope you don’t give anything away when the time comes.” Lin Yu looked at April. “Since Sea Eye Sovereign hates the Mermaid Royal, I discussed with him that I’d pose as an anonymous buyer and drive up the price of the Mermaid’s Tears, acting as if I absolutely had to have them…”
“Afterward, the amount we actually have to pay for those two Mermaid’s Tears can be lower than the price we bid. Then he’ll publicly invite us to his mansion’s private collection room and, afterward, loudly announce that we bought the remaining five. Of course, those five will actually stay in his collection room. No real transaction will take place between us.”
At this point, April understood. “So your real plan is to go into his private collection room and simply steal those five Mermaid’s Tears?!”
Lin Yu nodded. “That’s right. Let’s give this Sea Demon collector a taste of what we Marauders can do.”
April looked at Lin Yu, her expression complicated, her eyes holding both admiration and helplessness. “You’re not even an ‘official member’ yet… But with an attitude like that, I bet everyone in the organization will like you, Yayu.”
Then April continued, “Still, this plan sounds incredibly dangerous… We’re going to rob a Sea Demon noble and famous collector in the Sea Demon capital. Looks like we’ll have to find the Lost Treasure beforehand.”
Lin Yu pursed his lips. “Thanks for the compliment, but there’s actually one small detail in your version of the plan that’s different.”
April looked curious. “What’s different?”
“The one who enters the collection room and takes the things won’t be me, or us. It’ll be you, by yourself.” Lin Yu looked at April solemnly. “You’ll handle that part.”
April froze and pointed at herself. “Me?”
“Don’t worry. Most Sea Demon nobles are well-versed in violence, unlike that Mermaid Prince who only knows how to call for bodyguards. But Sea Eye Sovereign is an exception. Because of that transformation, he’s lost most of the Sea Demons’ innate magic, and he’s just as helpless as a newborn. Based on my experience fighting you… taking him down shouldn’t be difficult.”
Lin Yu spoke with complete confidence.
But April clearly wasn’t so confident in herself. “This has nothing to do with whether I can beat Sea Eye Sovereign one-on-one. I already told you, we’re in the Sea Demon capital! His mansion will have security, his family has private soldiers, and the capital has Sea Demon police and troops!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. I’m not telling you to enter the collection room because I plan to hide away myself.”
As he spoke, Lin Yu looked at April.
“You have to trust me. I’ll plan everything out… including how we’ll escape and how we’ll clear the dungeon. I’m willing to risk my own life, but I won’t risk yours.”
“You have to trust me. As long as I’m here, I won’t let you get hurt. Not in any way.”