Victoria Harbour.
This is the largest port at the southernmost tip of the Kingdom of Gold Oak.
Since entering the steam age, the kingdom’s national strength has significantly improved through industrial development. The rapid economic growth and industrial expansion have created an urgent demand for more raw material sources and markets for surplus goods.
Victoria Harbour serves as a crucial hub connecting the Kingdom of Gold Oak with its many colonies.
Every day, massive merchant ships belching thick black smoke enter the port, unloading huge quantities of cargo while loading equally heavy local goods onto their decks. Whether they are local administrators, artisans, dockworkers, or even street vendors and courtesans, everyone always appears to be in a hurry.
To them, time is life! Time is money!
Proudly standing at the center and highest point of the port, the multi-tiered steam-powered clock tower is the only landmark in the entire kingdom capable of measuring time precisely down to the second.
When Victor and the others arrived at this port, they were immediately amazed by its monstrous throughput and bustling activity.
“This place symbolizes the wealth and power of the Kingdom of Gold Oak. With customs tax reductions and other incentives, you can see unique goods from all over the world here!”
Wu Ming led the team to check into a hotel, then said, “Now we’re dismissed. We can spend a week here before taking a yacht out to sea! Just remember, casinos and bars aren’t places for you right now!”
He couldn’t help but add that at the end.
Gambling and certain service industries have flourished here to meet the needs of a large number of sailors.
“Tsk!”
Victor scoffed and made a rude gesture.
Back in high school, this guy proudly declared to Wu Ming that he had “gloriously” lost his virginity, and now he’s considered quite the playboy in Yinchu City, a true connoisseur of food, drink, women, and gambling.
Of course, most of this is hidden from his parents, or he’d surely be beaten to death.
“Steven, don’t worry, we’re all adults now, and we know what’s appropriate!”
Navy said calmly, but Wu Ming rolled his eyes inwardly.
He knew this guy he had personally trained far too well. Navy’s eyes had lit up at the mention of Victoria Harbour, clearly showing his long-standing yearning for it.
Not to mention, through business profits over the years, he had saved up quite a fortune, apparently ready for a grand spending spree.
“Angelina, shall we go shopping? You always liked fashion from the Cercis Federation, right? There’s plenty here!”
Wu Ming turned to his sister beside him.
“I’m tired!”
The little girl haughtily lifted her head and slammed the door shut.
“She’s going through her rebellious phase. Don’t worry about it.”
Lanny said gently to Philip, while secretly pinching him.
“What are you doing?”
Philip raised his hands in protest, “I never had any intention of going to the red-light district! That was all Victor and Navy!”
“And you dare to say!”
As always, in any world, when it comes to arguments, no man in love can ever win against a woman.
“Hehe…”
Seeing the two bicker playfully and then discuss whether to dine at a famous restaurant for couples and take commemorative photos, Alice suddenly leaned over, “Steven, what are you doing tonight?”
“I have a date!”
“What?”
Alice clearly misunderstood something, her little face flushed with anger, “I never thought you were that kind of person!”
“Uh…”
Wu Ming watched her retreating back, feeling rather speechless, “I was going to handle some serious business!”
…
Nighttime.
Brilliant neon lights flickered throughout the port, especially in the outer harbor, where massive searchlights shone like the sun, their beams even brighter than daylight, making it possible to spot a dropped pin on the ground.
After the day shift dockworkers finished their work, a new batch of night shift workers took over.
The entire port operated day and night without rest, continuously absorbing and expelling cargo from around the globe.
“A port that never sleeps! Truly lives up to its name!”
Wu Ming wore a black trench coat, a hat, and sunglasses.
His tall stature, combined with slight disguise, made him almost unrecognizable even to Navy and Victor if they met face-to-face.
He was currently sitting under a roadside parasol at a cafe, with a red rose placed in front of him.
“Are you… the boss?”
A fashionable young woman approached, her lips painted with bright red lipstick, and heavily perfumed, sitting directly across from Wu Ming.
“It’s me!”
Wu Ming’s voice had also deepened, “Why are you dressed like this?”
The woman was naturally Diya. She chuckled lightly, “What could be more suitable for showing one’s face in public than a courtesan? In Victoria Harbour, this identity is the best cover.”
“What is it?”
Suddenly, she licked her lips, her expression seductive, “Want to play a game, handsome?”
“Although your mental powers have improved, don’t bother showing off your tricks in front of me!”
Wu Ming remained unmoved.
“Tsk, so boring!”
Diya rested her chin on one hand, sipping her drink through a straw. The semi-transparent lemon water elegantly disappeared between her red lips, causing envious looks from all the men nearby.
“How did it go?”
Wu Ming leaned closer. The fragrance around Diya became more intense.
“I’ve made contact. The other party agreed to sell their treasured copy of ‘The Book of the End’ for 300,000 gold coins! Cash only, no checks or mortgages…”
Wu Ming had a great interest in the history of this world.
Through Diya’s covert investigation and pursuit, he finally obtained a clue about an ancient book possibly left by ancient supernatural beings.
However, ‘The Book of the End’ was too famous. As a mysterious item, it was even linked to several historical incidents of heretical cult rebellions. Although it had now become an ordinary collectible, the seller also wanted to avoid trouble.
“Only three hundred thousand?”
Wu Ming smiled slightly. This price wasn’t too high, but rather too low, “It seems our trading partner is in some serious trouble…”
“As long as it’s the genuine article, it’s acceptable!”
The wealth Wu Ming could access was only a small portion on the surface, managed by Navy and James.
The real fortune came from this woman, Diya.
After all, with her hypnotic techniques, accumulating wealth secretly was extremely simple.
“There’s no time to waste. Set up the transaction immediately! I’ll go in person! Once this matter is settled, we can fully investigate the ruins beneath the Red Coral Sea.”
Wu Ming set the tone.
…
At the same time.
In a warehouse at Victoria Harbour.
“It wasn’t me, let me go, please let me go!”
A middle-aged man knelt on the ground, sobbing, “I really don’t know where John went, only that he carried that book with him!”
“Pathetic maggot, daring to covet our wealth!”
A handsome man dressed in a black tailcoat, pale skin, and a bowtie murmured, “Could it be… that we’ve been too quiet for too long? Letting the world forget our terror?”
“Hehe…”
Red light flickered as a gorgeous woman in a blood-red robe entered gracefully, her high heels making sharp sounds against the floor.
“Now, what era do we live in, Joseph? If you still can’t abandon those outdated ideas from your coffin, one day you’ll die a most miserable death!”
“Where is Zak?”
The man named Joseph didn’t answer directly but instead asked.
“That fool has some issues. He recklessly charged into battle on the colonial battlefield, even daring to storm steam-powered tanks, nearly getting blown to bits by cannon fire. I stuffed him into a cargo box, and he should arrive soon. Anyway, his recovery ability is at a freakish level…”
The gorgeous woman smiled.
“Good. To reclaim the holy relic, we are willing to pay any price. Once we go to war with this city, we’ll need a suitable meat shield to stand at the front!”
Joseph nodded.
If not for this reason, that reckless guy Zak would have died countless times already.
“Is this useless one still of any use?”
The gorgeous woman’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the ordinary captive on the ground, licking her lips, “How about handing him over to me?”
“Wait a second!”
Despite his dullness, the captive now realized that the two in front of him probably didn’t belong to the ordinary human category. Under the fear of death and intense shock, his mind suddenly became clear and accelerated rapidly, “I remember! John said he had arranged a buyer for that book, planning to sell it and then retire honorably after this deal…”
“Just this little bit… is far from enough!”
The woman stepped forward, using her fingertip to lift the captive’s chin, “Let me take a look myself…”
The next moment, blood splattered within the small warehouse!
…
“What’s going on?”
Meanwhile, Wu Ming, carrying a briefcase, waited quietly with Diya in a deserted factory area.
“Why hasn’t he come yet?”
Diya complained.
“I have a bad feeling…”
Wu Ming trusted his intuition very much.
However, this time the feeling was much milder than before, clearly indicating that even if something had happened, it wasn’t anything too serious.
He waited for another ten minutes before turning his gaze to the nearby bushes.
“Diya?”
Rustle!
The bushes trembled, and someone walked out.
He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, with a scruffy beard and bloodshot eyes, looking like he hadn’t slept for days.
“John?”
The vixen cried out in shock, “What happened to you?”
“Because of that damned book!”
John laughed bitterly.
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