Chapter 129: The Galiant Island (5)
RBo6d“I lost 5 gold. Taking back what you’ve given is the worst thing in the world. That woman should compensate for the loss.”j8ORFz
0FaFalcoa lifted Zis’s face. With his chin raised to the point of breaking his back, Zis couldn’t even breathe. A little more, and his spine could have snapped.xZH
yjBOc“Does it hurt? It must hurt. I’m incredibly strong, you know.”mMrmo
TXmD“Please… spare me.”g6Ag5UP
uFNntz“Should I make it not hurt? Chew on this. Then it won’t hurt at all.”rnR
j6EGJSHEven in his difficult situation, Zis turned his gaze. In Falcoa’s hand was a root.vs1
gLUEgHaving grown up on the island, he knew what it was. It was Lupe, the awakening agent of the natives. As a drug used for contacting spirits, its addictive properties were incomparable to other narcotics. Weren’t there theories that even the Kergoians perished due to excessive use of Lupe?Mv1Lvl1
QWKXfR“Please, I beg you. Anything but that…”VZUHP
UoyNZis pleaded earnestly. Once addicted to Lupe, one’s life was essentially over.mwoU3
fC49gHe would lead a life in the gutter, and his only family, his younger sister, would inevitably end up on the streets.Htg
iOd4Falcoa, as if he knew this would happen, put the Lupe he offered to Zis into his own mouth.HZYMfi
jVHeuWhat about its addictiveness? If one couldn’t live without Lupe, then just enjoy it for life.VyABS
xbWfXs“What a coward. This is a divine awakening agent. Anyway, what will you do now? Will you bring her?”3IQ1
3KHAszw“Bring who?”cfoqZ
weHWxWh“That red-haired girl. She looked fresh. Probably could sell her for a high price, heh. Of course, we’d have to offer her as used goods.”pzrqVW
9hOZis was appalled. To think of trafficking a noble, no less. But given Falcoa’s mental state under the influence of Lupe, it was entirely plausible.uwMkIF8
CvfNIQC‘He’s insane. Not in his right mind.’Kv6xXjo
nqQYhpcFalcoa was the team leader of the Freeman organization. For a mere underling like Zis, he was the highest-ranking person he could contact.wGAx
cpOsAlthough he had never seen Freeman himself, there was a clause in the directives he issued that prohibited human trafficking.jPQOL86
kEA“But doing such a thing would get us expelled from the organization. The code of conduct states… Arg!”u2d6Ag
thASEA shoe with studs turned Zis’s jaw. His mind spun, and he couldn’t think of anything.Qisl
Ia9AFalcoa grabbed Zis’s head and lifted it. The moment he heard the cold voice, Zis’s focus returned.v5Q6G
p2Ev“Or what? Will you bring your younger sister?”GvrfLzX
u9nMg“That, that’s…”Zlvk
pAGZis’s body trembled. A mix of anger and fear rose, an indescribable emotion.vOJIFU
TwQEnlHis younger sister was an irreplaceable treasure. He didn’t want to show her such a filthy world.YdIar
3hs“Ah, didn’t I say? I actually like your sister. Introduce her to me this time, will you?”xdFv
1SmbA rotten smell came from Falcoa’s mouth as he chewed on the Lupe.7RYB83
hQFN5Xx* * *cKd
jzisaShirone and the woman successfully lost Gamos’s bodyguards after running through alleys for 30 minutes.vVfSr
dciTrue to their training, they were fast, but psychological warfare using blind spots to run circles around them proved effective.ZcZP
iRuUZThe two leaned against a wall, catching their breath for a while. They had run so much that their mouths tasted of blood, and their legs were shaky.MbQZHuw
SyGUZQPThe woman looked at Shirone, who was panting, and smiled.Jju9s7
Fiut2“Heh, you’re surprisingly fit? You look so delicate; I thought you’d give up running.”ijk6
F0guI“If I give up, I’ll get caught. I’m dying of exhaustion. But are you… okay?”hcXSg
5gN2UEb“I’m Marsha. I’m seasoned in running away, so this is nothing. Let’s go somewhere to rest. I’m so thirsty, I could use a beer. I’ll buy you one as a thank you.”UegbO
b90UNShirone was puzzled. Even though they were on the run, Marsha didn’t seem tense.AzlPmR
R8M5etAnd suggesting to drink beer meant she had money. Then why resort to stealing?zDP
JSL“Ah, I should probably get going.”mMSj
alj“We can’t wander around now anyway. Let’s wait at a bar I know. Gamos might be brutal but he’s dumb and forgets quickly. If we hold out for an hour, he’ll be too distracted to chase us. And I’m actually scared. Can you just stay by my side for a bit?”Emi6jh
b5fNYSvMarsha bit her tongue and winked playfully. Shirone wasn’t swayed by her cute looks, but he decided to go along with her. After all, getting caught by Gamos now would escalate things irreversibly.x5ZS
p5J“Alright. But I have companions waiting, so I can’t stay long.”y510
y7I9“Fine. Let’s just wait until Gamos’s men give up. Come this way.”jWu
RAr7CMarsha led Shirone through winding alleys to a dingy bar. It seemed unlikely anyone would come here for a drink, yet it was bustling with people.1LmqGXA
4N2h“Hmm, this place never changes, even after years.”A00u
UnvwS“Weren’t you a regular here? You said you knew this bar…”iYf
Z2f7rB“Ah, I used to come here often. It’s been three years since I’ve been on Galiant Island. A friend of mine lives here.”8iSOg0
tnG“I see. I thought you were a local because you knew the way so well.”1Exl
TjM0fVS“Heh, I never forget a road I’ve seen. Running away is a part of my life.”fo81Xc5
uZfL9As Marsha and Shirone took their seats at the bar, rough-looking men turned to look at them all at once. The sight of a beautiful woman and a young boy together seemed out of place.qYspvwd
DGPUZT“People are staring.”Jklj
dfhVbUw“Don’t mind them. This bar is only for the island’s troublemakers. If something happens, this place is the first to receive news, so we can find out when Gamos gives up.”s0oihh
gE9yPM“Isn’t that more dangerous? His men could barge in here.”ePZ18
NqkZum“Gamos rules the island but he’s not a troublemaker. So, this place is… kind of like a resistance. A community of fate, perhaps?”GSpHK
Q5vo4xShirone didn’t take her words at face value. With so many people coming and going, controlling information perfectly was virtually impossible.Ad2Wg
qWa‘It can’t be done with just a system. Maybe a pact or rules. But why? They have nothing to gain?’HfbY
jZnQKaAs Shirone stared, Marsha gave an awkward smile, her eyes crinkling.AQnmLXR
bDBg8y“Ugh, I can’t stand it. Yeah, that’s right. This bar is colluding with the Galiant self-government. Even the officials turn a blind eye to what happens here.”GTK
CoY1ub“So, it was like that. But why would the government do such a thing?”EIfPf3
BIs8E“Money. Money laundering, slush fund creation, circulating lobbying funds. It’s called the ‘Island Gate’. Maybe it’s a system created by the insular nature of the island? There was an agreement. In exchange for circulating funds in the underworld, the safety of the criminals is guaranteed. Mutual aid. Well, isn’t that how the world works? Hehe!”mO0ok7Y
de3cqnKMarsha flicked the toothpick in her mouth. Her seagull-like curved eyes somehow seemed sorrowful.PpzjN51
5pVo6d“It’s funny when you think about it, isn’t it? Everyone talks about punishing criminals, but in the end, it’s the criminals who fatten their own pockets. Breaking down large sums of money into digestible pieces, like the microbes of society. Without microbes, life would perish.”C7ANu
OGfDiShirone had no response. The social system that goes against human nature was too complex and varied for an 18-year-old boy to judge.Bkq
9tum4“I’ve been too serious. You said your name was Shirone, right? What brings you to the island?”qOo
Kru“I came to have fun with friends. Wanted to go to the beach and visit historic sites.”9Xd2YB4
fe9ycby“Kergos Ruins? I’ve been there before. Ah, I was young back then, but now I’m already twenty-seven. I might end up dying an old maid. How old are you?”f51WwEL
i2t“I’m 18.”Sdm
qutc“Oh, older than I thought? You really look young.”mEF1ZQ
NPgSn“You look young for your age too. Uh, is it okay if I call you miss?butR
kjdB“Of course. Everything starts with miss. Later, if we become lovers, you can call me anything, hohoho!”z7N7GXJ
YZ0wuWlShirone lifted the corners of his mouth in disbelief. To an 18-year-old boy, a 27-year-old woman was an unreachable adult.4N6
2XqPeeSBut aside from that, Marsha was much more intelligent and rational than expected.4NMGxXB
cyNnThe conversation was enjoyable, and with his guard down, Shirone shared the incidents that happened at the port.EoI9z
mCUWB9Marsha nodded as if she understood, then said:omb
peyoJD“Ah, you got caught by a street hawker. They are notorious. But 5 gold was too much.”k8VXnda
zMZC“Yes. In the end, it led to a disagreement with a friend, and I’m not feeling good about it. They must be waiting for me now. I’ll probably get scolded when I return.”sC7i9
jCfMarsha checked the time and asked the bartender:LFE
CDYJ“What’s the situation with Gamos?”IHZxcwi
eK23m6When the bartender acted as if he hadn’t heard and just wiped glasses, Marsha placed a silver coin down.jCYL
PRRsMnxThen, as if he had never been silent, the bartender spoke up:jbEQGUH
6A9xXg“According to the news that came in 10 minutes ago, it has spread all around the main roads. Probably about 40 men blocking all passages.”mbmV6
9T2eCOY“Still? That man is really persistent.”4pEO3
bTdwLw“Gamos’s alerts usually fade quickly. Seems he blew his top today.”SZI
1XoKGMarsha turned to Shirone with a broad grin. Shirone had no words to say, as he was the one who had blown Gamos’s top.eA6u
3VY6kSLMarsha returned to the original topic.wiIOYC
9wMXK“Anyway, it’s best to deal with street hawkers moderately and avoid them. They belong to some kind of organization. Once you get involved, it becomes hard to handle the consequences.”ZDK6BGV
Mr3GJ1“I see. I hadn’t thought that far.”Lrz
ecUzGm“Hehe, why would you need to? You’re here to have fun, right? But there’s always danger lurking in tourists’ fun. The island is small and closed off. To share limited resources, there’s inevitably fiercer competition than inland.”g4sEqWi
47fShirone took note. He planned to stay on the island for ten days, so he would meet many hawkers.KgOb
xOfWS5VThanks to Marsha’s advice, he was better prepared; otherwise, dealing with them like today could lead to bigger problems.f3zgscu
dXEShirone suddenly realized and looked at Marsha.rtg2T
o8sAAsVFrom their conversation, she seemed like a genuinely good person. Kind, witty, and cautious not to judge others hastily.hjWD
DX2Why would such a person resort to petty theft? Throwing tips to the bartender as if money wasn’t an issue, it didn’t seem like she lacked funds.EmzT
qXAv“I’m not sure if I should ask this, but I’m too curious.”pkVf
Cc9Kr0VMarsha leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling.W48UGI7
61xa9L“Phew, I was nervous about when you’d ask. But Shirone, a woman’s measurements aren’t to be heard but imagined in the mind.”w2X
d6ZY“No, that’s not it! Why did you steal the pottery?”o5PU
ZUgovR“Huh?”mZCTlIq
JaK“You don’t seem like someone who would stoop to petty theft. And you said you had no money, which was a lie. It wasn’t even a useful item, so why the pottery…”lVvwYsJ
ocJ“Hmm.”TZcO
QUkilMarsha rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.j7Cfd
uyaY“I don’t know. Just felt like stealing?”Tpl4Tom
ef7AgNI“Is that even possible?”pmcUOvd
jWizo“It is. It’s called kleptomania. Of course, it wasn’t like that from the start. I was an orphan. My parents abandoned me when I was four. A man from a mercenary band picked me up and raised me, becoming my adoptive father.”GssVXxR
JxgcbShirone’s heart fluttered at the unexpected revelation. Marsha, like him, was abandoned by her biological parents.FTO
BMMeT“But it was far from a comfortable life. The mercenary band was full of strange folks. I think I was eleven when a notorious brute in the band tried to lay hands on me. Luckily, my adoptive father found out first and beat him up.”KU3gIK
6cqdcfu“Of course. Any parent would do that if their daughter was almost harmed.”lFEW
2JhZmX“Hehe, would they really?”mkyai0
JJdUhO“What?”MIG
zXZmMarsha looked down at the bar with sad eyes. It seemed her eyes were moistening.ALyt
99oS“I was given a piece of bread and a glass of water every day. My adoptive father gave me nothing else. No clothes, no sweets, no toys. In the end, he was just raising me. That’s when I started stealing others’ belongings. One day, I was caught stealing an apple, but he calmly compensated for it. However, as soon as we got home, he changed and started beating me. Without a word, until I passed out.”Nx6Cql
HEA“That’s terrible. If he could compensate, why didn’t he just buy it in the first place? And why didn’t you ask him to buy it for you?”kTsfvIt
FEsL“He wanted that. Submission to him. The only resistance I could muster was stealing things every day. Of course, I was beaten to death when caught. It was a dreadful routine. Then one day, I gave up on everything. So, I said to my adoptive father.”JlHOM
JtOwGdtMarsha supported her chin as if recalling that time.LJ8Eo
KoSpG“You can kill me if you want.”F5BgRK
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