Chapter Seventy-Five: Arthur’s Adaptation

All the citizens of Dunkirk were destined to spend a sleepless night. There had just been a massive explosion at the harbor, followed by a bloody battle. Not long after, another tremendous blast echoed from the forests several miles south of the city, painting the sky a fiery red.

The first explosion had already been explained: the Unicorn on the sea had used a magitek whaling harpoon to slay a knight of the heavens. That formidable warrior had managed to sabotage one of the harpoon launchers. The Unicorn’s crew had thrown the damaged launcher into the sea; its fire-elemental array collapsed, and this triggered the blast.

But the cause of the second explosion was entirely mysterious. Major Wotu, indefatigable as ever, had personally led several hundred elite soldiers into the forest to investigate. All fifty thousand Dunkirk militiamen had been mobilized, scouring every street and alley for escaped orcs or the human scum who colluded with them.

Beyond the soldiers and militia, able-bodied men from every household in Dunkirk had poured into the streets, donning the armor left to them by their forebears, brandishing the swords and bows that every family kept, and dragging along hunting dogs meant to guard their homes.

The chaotic throngs surged through the city’s streets and alleys. That night, Dunkirk burned through a month’s supply of candles and lamp oil, making the general stores a small fortune. In the end, the search became a ridiculous carnival; the exhausted militiamen and citizens, having failed to catch even a single orc hair, crowded into the city’s taverns. As dawn broke, they began to drink and boast.

The heroic deeds of Lin Qi and Enzo, spread by the loyal retainers of the Black Tiger family, quickly became the talk of Dunkirk. These brawny, frustrated men, seeking solace in early morning feasting and drinking, brought wealth to the hundreds of tavern owners throughout the city.

At last, Baron Miro and many of Dunkirk’s leading figures gathered at City Hall for Major Wotu’s report.

First, within ten miles of Dunkirk, not a single orc remained. The Black Spirit warriors had likely fled, for the soldiers had searched even the sewers several times over, killing more than ten thousand rats. Yet the Black Spirit warriors and the two women who had been rescued were nowhere to be found.

Second, the explosion in the forest had left a massive crater and flattened trees; it appeared that a small meteorite had fallen. The “Disaster of the Falling Star” was well-known across the Western Continent: every year, dozens of meteorites struck earth, sometimes devastating entire towns or cities.

Baron Miro and the others could only pray to the gods that this little meteorite had landed in the forest outside the city—misfortune, yet fortune within misfortune.

While the city buzzed with activity, Lin Qi and Enzo, claiming weariness, slipped away to the ancestral house. With Bal and a squad of elite retainers, they entered the Green Rose Hotel through a secret passage.

The Green Rose Hotel, seat of the Dunkirk United Chamber of Commerce, was also the city’s most opulent and extravagant high-class hotel. It boasted thirty-six lavish suites, each with its own secret passage leading to different points in Dunkirk, ensuring the utmost privacy for its distinguished guests.

Of course, the Black Tiger family knew the locations of all these secret passages. The one Lin Qi was taking led directly to Arthur’s suite. Lin Qi, face clouded and a large machete in hand, trudged painfully through the passage, cursing the army logistics officer responsible for purchasing wound salves.

What damned wound salve was this? It was no life-saving elixir, but poison! Lin Qi’s entire body still burned as if on fire, shuddering with every step. The agony only stoked his anger—he was determined to confront Arthur about tonight’s chaos.

Yah and Ling, those two peculiar women, would not have targeted him without reason. The only one who could have orchestrated this was Arthur. All tonight’s troubles stemmed from him, and he would have to answer for them.

“Uncle Bal, look, every bit of tonight’s chaos is his fault!” Lin Qi rasped, voice hoarse with a bitter laugh. “On a night so cold and dark, those poor soldiers, the unlucky militiamen, and the good-hearted neighbors should all be in bed, holding their wives and sleeping soundly!”

“But now, because of that bastard Arthur’s meddling, all of Dunkirk has been thrown into turmoil!” Lin Qi growled through gritted teeth. “He must pay for this! Does Dunkirk have a million people? No? Well, let’s say it does! A full million people lost sleep because of him—what a crime! He should be tied to the stake!”

Enzo blinked hard—indeed, disturbing a million people and plunging a city into chaos was a grave offense. But did Dunkirk really have a million inhabitants? Surely not even close.

They climbed a narrow stairway to a concealed door, which was locked tight. Lin Qi pushed against it, but the heavy iron-bound oak didn’t budge. Snorting, he raised his foot to kick it in, but, remembering his wounds, wisely stepped back.

“Uncle Bal!” Lin Qi called affectionately.

A twisted smile flickered on Bal’s gaunt face. He stepped forward and punched the secret door. With a thunderous crash, the door and a large section of wall blasted inward, and Lin Qi, swinging his machete, led his men in a rush into the suite.

The air was thick with the pungent scent of alcohol and a strange, ambiguous fragrance.

Suddenly, Lin Qi’s foot slipped on something slick. Looking down, he saw a pink silk undergarment—a woman’s, unmistakably.

He paused in surprise. On the sofa ahead, Arthur, naked as the day he was born, staggered to his feet. Staring dully at the machete-wielding Lin Qi, Arthur giggled, “Lin Qi, my dear brother, what brings you here? Ah, do you want to meet my little sweetheart?”

With a thud, a girl with platinum-blonde hair, flushed from drink and entirely unclothed, tumbled heavily from the sofa. She murmured indistinctly, her pale arms winding slowly around Arthur’s legs.

The rage boiling within Lin Qi evaporated; he suddenly laughed, tossed his machete aside, and smiled with elaborate courtesy. “Ah, my mistake. Sorry, Arthur, I thought Angel had come with you. You know, I have a certain interest in her!”

Shrugging, Lin Qi backed away with a grin. “Ah, carry on, don’t mind me!”

After a moment’s thought, Lin Qi shook his head and said, “But I must say, Arthur—yours is not as big as mine! Truly, not even close!”

Chuckling oddly, Lin Qi and his companions stormed out of the room like a whirlwind.