Chapter Forty-Nine: Lin Qi's Old Acquaintance

Both host and guests were thoroughly delighted. Baron Milor personally escorted Blackbeard and his companions to the gates of his mansion. In Dunkirk, few held the privilege to have Baron Milor accompany them so far to bid farewell. Had he not misunderstood Blackbeard’s intentions, or had the gifts not been so lavish, Baron Milor would have seen them only as far as the hall.

Parting with the baron, whose mood was exceptionally bright, Blackbeard took Lin Qi to visit several prominent figures of Dunkirk—the chairman of the city's banking salon, a few directors of the United Chamber of Commerce, the leader of the Ocean-faring Freighters’ Guild, and others. With great ceremony, he introduced Lin Qi to each of them, and the unusual pairing of Lin Qi and Enzo sparked a multitude of thoughts in the minds of these shrewd magnates.

Anyone with a modicum of sense misjudged Enzo’s identity, mistaking him for a military representative cultivated by the Black Tiger family. With Blackbeard's wealth and influence, plus the talents of Lin Qi and Enzo, the prosperity of the Black Tiger family seemed inevitable.

Unable to stand in the way, these businessmen naturally chose to align themselves with the family, eager to reap whatever benefits they could. Thus, when Blackbeard casually raised the idea of running for mayor, each of these men, just as Baron Milor had, gave him unequivocal assurances: should Blackbeard announce his candidacy, all those he visited that day would rally behind him, mustering their full abilities to see him ascend to office.

As dusk neared, Blackbeard, contented, returned to Black Beech Mountain with his followers, for many affairs still demanded his attention. Lin Qi, however, did not accompany him. As he put it, he wanted Enzo to experience the bustling splendor of Dunkirk—and, incidentally, to earn a bit of pocket money.

Treading over the crunching snow, Lin Qi and Enzo strolled down the busiest harbor street in Dunkirk. To their left lay the sea, and massive fishing boats were entering the port. Fishmongers clamored up the vessels, vying for their pick of the catch. One fortunate boat had brought in an enormous tuna, easily weighing two thousand pounds. This rare prize caused an immediate sensation on the docks, with fishmongers frantically shouting bids for its ownership.

“What a colossal fish!” Enzo exclaimed, his voice betraying awe. It was his first glimpse of the sea, and every sight was wondrously new.

“This?” Lin Qi scoffed, hands in his pockets, standing beneath the streetlamp as he eyed the vessel. “This is just a big tuna. You haven’t seen a real giant yet. When I was eleven, someone caught a fin whale—a true leviathan!”

Smacking his lips, Lin Qi described the whale in vivid detail, then boasted, “My father had its skeleton mounted and donated to the city hall; it still stands in the main lobby. As for its flesh, it tasted fine—tender as veal. I even found a huge pearl oyster in its belly and retrieved seven pearls as big as my thumb!”

“Pearls?” Enzo raised an eyebrow. “Pearls that size must be worth a fortune!”

Lin Qi spread his hands and sighed, “I gave them as a dowry to my maid Maria when she married.”

“Maid?” Enzo exclaimed in disbelief. “You have a personal maid? Damn it, boss, you really are the scion of a wealthy house!”

His eyes tinged with jealousy, Enzo was less moved by Lin Qi’s ancestral home or fortune—those belonged to Lin Qi, after all—but the notion of a personal maid, the sort said to share both emotional and… other intimacies with young noblemen, unsettled him deeply.

Lin Qi shrugged, let out a piercing whistle, and drew a long breath. “Maria and I were pure—absolutely pure! She’s seven years older than I am and started caring for me when I was five. My mother adopted her, and our relationship was innocent.”

Then, turning abruptly, Lin Qi fixed Enzo with a cold smile. “Do you know why I gouged out Arthur’s eye? Because he dared to covet Maria—my mother’s gift to me. That’s why I took action. Unfortunately, my father arrived too soon; I hadn’t finished him off before my father intervened.”

A sinister smile flickered across his face as he muttered, “His violet eye was beautiful. I remember preserving it in a jar of spirits, though I’ve forgotten where I put it. A pity—it was a truly lovely eye.”

A chill ran down Enzo’s spine. He stared at Lin Qi, struggling to imagine a boy of barely more than ten, capable of gouging out a man’s eye to avenge a maid. With a sigh, Enzo said, “Boss, I honestly wonder what kind of person you were as a child. At your age, I’d never have done such a thing.”

Lin Qi pursed his lips and laughed heartily. “That’s why I’m taking you out tonight—to meet some friends and pick up some pocket money. Soon enough, you’ll see exactly what I was like back then!”

Meanwhile, baskets of fish were being hauled from the boats, the sharp tang of brine and scales permeating the air. Lin Qi breathed in the harbor’s unique aroma with relish, then, laughing, led Enzo into a winding alley.

The alley was quiet and clean, the cobblestones sprinkled with salt and etched with anti-slip patterns, making for comfortable footing. Every few steps, a lamp made from translucent, polished shells cast a gentle glow, just enough to light the way.

At the end of the alley stood a golden door, intricately carved with roses, gleaming beneath the lanterns. Enzo’s eyes widened in amazement as he ran his hand over it; indeed, the door was solid gold.

Rubbing his hands in anticipation, Lin Qi swaggered up and kicked the door. “Hey, open up! Young Master Lin Qi’s here for his pocket money! It’s been three years—surely you’ve missed me?”

A full minute passed before the door creaked open, hesitantly and ever so slowly. Two young men, faces ashen, poked their heads out. The moment they saw Lin Qi, they both cursed aloud.

“God, it really is Lin Qi! Just our luck!”