Chapter 50. "King"
Emerging from n0v@lbin☆, this material harbors clandestine details.
Pulling out the invitation he purchased from the skull tattoo bartender, Charles entered the auction venue.
The inside of the ship was large but with just a few pieces of furniture. A simple stage was erected in front of the audience area, and it was blanketed in a blood-red carpet.
Naturally, pirates couldn't care less about decorum and were drowning in debauchery. There were those drinking alcohol, some feeding on Comfort Fruit, and even a bunch sniffing powdery substances. The stale air in the auction venue was a blend of various smells.
Amid the hushed whispers of pirate leaders, Charles' being alone seemed rather conspicuous. He hadn't let Audric follow him. He knew the pirates had vast experiences and was worried that they might notice that Audric was a vampire and the potential troubles it might bring.
As the hall gradually filled up, the oil lamps illuminating the surroundings were dimmed to the lowest.
Snap!
A spotlight shone down on the center of the stage. Dressed in ostentatious clothes, a dwarf bounced onto stage.
"Welcome, everyone, to the 157th Sottom Auction! We've got quite a number of amazing items today! Have you brought enough Echo with you?"
The crowd was unresponsive. Most of the pirates in the audience seat didn't even spare a glance at the host.
The dwarf wasn't affected by the dull atmosphere as he clasped his hands together and said with a smile, "And now, please welcome our most esteemed, invincible 'King'!"
As soon as the dwarf's words fell, the spotlight shifted toward a nearby cabin door.
A behemoth of a man who looked as though he weighed a ton was pushed out on a wooden cart. His unusually greasy face was marked by large boils. Coupled with his stomach that was nearly scraping the ground, "King" of Sottom was a startlingly hideous figure.
"King" paid no attention to the audience. His attention was solely fixated on the mountains of meat on either side of his cart.
Watching "King" chow down the food, occasionally exposing his rotten teeth and all, Charles felt a wave of nausea. Frankly, King's appearance was far from what he had anticipated.
However, the pirates seemed to think otherwise. Their previous defiance was now gone and replaced with deference and respect as they rose from their seats and bowed to "King".
Taking a forceful approach was even more impossible since "King" was far more powerful, and his men greatly outnumbered Charles. Charles was thrown into a predicament.
The auction was nearing its end, but Charles still didn't have a plan. He stared at the corpulent, round figure stuffing meat into his mouth from a distance. A sense of annoyance was gnawing at his heart.
Cough.
The sound of someone clearing their throat from beside Charles broke Charles out of his intense gaze. "Don't stare at "King" so intensely. He might take it as a challenge."
Charles turned and nearly jumped out of his seat when he saw the white triangle on the stranger's forehead.
His eyes burned with hostility as he looked at the follower of the Divine Light Order. "Sonny must be surprised to see that I'm still alive, isn't he?"
Out of his anticipation, the follower showed genuine surprise. "Sonny? I'm sorry, but I don't know him well. He is an orthodox believer, whereas I follow the new faith."
Charles eyed the man with suspicions. He couldn't figure out the newcomer's intentions.
"There's no need for suspicions. As you know, we followers of the Divine Light Order can never lie."
It was only then that Charles left his doubts aside. As far as he knew, it was indeed as the stranger said. Once followers of the Divine Light Order underwent their initiation rites, they not only lost the capacity to feel fear, but also the ability to lie.
Charles carefully studied the appearance of the follower before him. He seemed to be on the older side, about sixty years of age, with graying hair and small round glasses on his nose. Coupled with his long, yellow, robe, he almost looked like an amicable grandfather.
"I'm Kord. I'm a Sacred Acolyte of the Divine Light Order. Nice to meet you. Captain Charles."
The name triggered a memory in Charles' mind. He recalled that Sonny had requested for him to come to Sottom to exterminate other followers from his religion. Was Kord the intended target?
"Do you know me?"
Kord flashed a smile. "Of course, I do. When you mentioned that you were seeking the Land of Light in the Explorers Association, we received word. Captain Charles, may we have a chat?"
A flick of interest ignited in Charles. The enemy of his enemy could be a friend, and this man might be useful.
"Sure, let's talk aboard my ship."