Chapter 6: Terror at the Harbor

After concluding their conversation with the elders, Mels followed Mont into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Although he hadn’t slept all night, it was nothing for someone with Mels’ martial skills. Half an hour later, carrying a tray of breakfast, Mels nervously followed the Thunder Elder toward Lannis’s cabin.

“This is it. I’ll leave the rest to you,” the Thunder Elder teased, watching Mels’s nervousness.

“Third Elder, you have to promise she won’t be the fierce woman from last night!” Mels implored, his eyes welling up, seeking final confirmation. His worry wasn’t unfounded—last night, not knowing Lannis’s identity, Mels had dared to fight her to the end. But if Bagina appeared again, she might attack Mels without a word. If that happened, not only was Mels’s martial skill inferior to Bagina’s, but even if he could defeat her, the prestige of the Magic Family would make Mels shudder! It was the fear of being beaten half to death by Bagina that made him so anxious!

“Don’t worry, it’s definitely Miss Lannis in the room now!” The Thunder Elder gave Mels a gentle shove, pushing him into the cabin.

Though Mels was extremely reluctant, now that he was inside, he could only muster his courage and step cautiously inward. Looking around, Lannis’s room was different from the other cabins. It consisted of two rooms side by side. The left room was simple and exceptionally tidy; the right room was ornate but cluttered and filthy. From what he knew of her, Mels didn’t hesitate before entering the clean, simple room. As he lifted the cloth curtain hanging over the door, he saw Lannis holding a book, deep in her reading.

“Ah! Why are you here?” Taken aback by Mels’s sudden appearance, Lannis retreated like a frightened rabbit.

“N-no need to be nervous! My masters asked me to take care of you. From now on, I’ll bring your meals directly, so you’ll see me often.” After confirming the girl had rose-colored hair, Mels knew the young lady before him was the gentle, timid Lannis. Once her identity was confirmed, his earlier tension vanished, and his actions and speech became less restrained.

“So that’s how it is! Then I’ll trouble you, big brother, from now on.” Lannis gave another bow to Mels.

“Don’t be so polite! It’s just making some food—I had to do it before anyway. By the way, I’m Mels. You don’t need to call me big brother; just call me Mels.” Mels smiled as he placed the food on the round table.

“M-Mels… big brother.” Lannis timidly tried the name, her pale face flushing red.

Looking at her lovely face, Mels suddenly felt his heart race. The two in the cabin both looked down, caught in this strange mood, standing quietly facing each other. Perhaps to break the awkward silence, after a while, Mels spoke first: “Lannis, you… try this porridge I made. If there’s anything you don’t like, tell me right away. Next time, I’ll whip up something even tastier.”

“Thank you, Mels big brother. Not just me, even my picky sister never said your cooking was bad! I’m sure this will be delicious.” Lannis still kept her head down.

However, her innocent words struck Mels like a thunderbolt. He thought to himself: That’s right, Lannis is Bagina; Bagina is Lannis! I absolutely cannot be fooled by her cute appearance now! If she suddenly turns into Bagina, I’m done for! Hmm, better leave early! Having made up his mind, Mels immediately made up an excuse to leave Lannis’s room. Although he saw the disappointment in her eyes as he left, the threat of Bagina still made him hurry away.

Meanwhile, in the room next to Lannis’s, the Wind Elder and Cloud Elder closed the peephole. The Cloud Elder said, “Strange, could it be that the young lady really lacks friends? Usually, she’s very well-behaved but rarely talks. Today, she spoke with Mels for quite a while in just a few minutes!”

“That’s not so strange. The young lady is sixteen. Under normal circumstances, she might already be betrothed to some noble! Now, being isolated for so long, of course she’d develop feelings for a boy her age! Anyway, at least that silly boy’s appearance hasn’t upset the young lady. Since that’s the case, let’s just wait and see!” the Wind Elder said to his sworn brother.

Mels, having run out of the cabin, didn’t know the Wind and Cloud Elders were spying on his every move. As usual, after finishing his work, Mels climbed up the main mast of the mothership, leaned against the sail, and watched the sun slowly rise over the river. This time of day was Mels’s favorite moment. Sitting here, he felt as if he were back on the big rock on Skull Ridge, back in those carefree days. Little One would always obediently appear by Mels’s side, quietly resting on his shoulder, sharing with his master the boundless power of nature.

“Little One, do you think I’ve become like Sol?” Mels said as if talking to himself.

“Huh? Sol? Why do you say that?” Little One lifted his head, puzzled.

“Sigh, I don’t know why, but when I look at Miss Lannis, I have a very strange feeling. It seems… pleasant, but also… a bit uncomfortable! Anyway, I can’t really explain what it is!” Mels said confusedly.

“Big brother, are you sick?” Little One looked at Mels doubtfully, then reached out to touch his forehead.

“No! Sigh, why am I even telling you this? How could you possibly understand!” Mels laughed self-deprecatingly, then continued gloomily, “If only Sol were here! He’d definitely know what’s wrong with me!” Seeing Mels’s unprecedented downcast expression, Little One, though not understanding what was happening, knew it wasn’t something for him to grasp. Man and beast quietly watched the sun in this peculiar unspoken bond.

“Oh right, Little One, I forgot to ask you. Why do you understand so many Summoned Beasts I’ve never seen? Why do you know so much about them?” Mels suddenly turned, grabbing Little One in his hands.

“Big brother, I’ve told you many times. I really don’t know why I know, or maybe I should say I don’t know at all. It’s another ‘me’ inside my body telling me! I’m just repeating what he says!” Little One explained.

“Wait, so many ‘me’s—you’ve confused me!” Mels completely didn’t understand Little One’s meaning.

“Hmm… let me put it this way. Big brother, you know me, right? But inside my body, there exists another omniscient consciousness! The me you know actually understands nothing; everything I know is based on what you know! But that other consciousness inside me knows a lot of things! Usually, no matter how much I ask or call out to him, he ignores me.

But every time your life is threatened, he awakens, tells me everything he knows, and has me relay it to you! Like when you fell off the cliff, I couldn’t save you at all! When I was most anxious, he suddenly appeared and told me how to transform. You know the rest! Also, about the knowledge of Summoned Beasts—I don’t really understand it; he just explains it directly to you!” Little One tried to explain everything to Mels as simply as possible.

“Ah! So you have a split personality too!” Mels exclaimed in shock.

“Split personality? What’s that?” Little One asked, confused.

“This… never mind, that’s probably not it! Maybe you just haven’t discovered your own abilities yet! Whatever, it’s not a bad thing anyway! It’s getting late; the five masters must be getting impatient! Let’s go down.” Mels smiled, brushing off his earlier idea. Little One didn’t ask further. Like all summoned beasts, he trusted his master completely and wouldn’t ask unnecessary questions. After the two returned to the deck, Mels’s busy life of daily training and work began again!

The Magic Family fleet left the Simaqi River over the next six days, turning into the “Qingzi Lake” that led to the sea. According to the original itinerary, the fleet would make its final pre-voyage resupply at a port near Qingzi Lake. However, because of Mels, the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes decided to skip resupplying there and instead replenish supplies at Bomart Port, which they would reach three days later.

Over the past week, Mels had been taking care of Lannis’s meals up close. Their prolonged interaction finally allowed him to gradually let down his guard, no longer treating Lannis with the awe and fear he had before. Slowly, besides training and work, Mels’s favorite place to go became Lannis’s room, and the Seven Immortals did not forbid his actions. Thus, Mels and Lannis’s affection grew day by day, and Mels gradually learned more about her.

Having lived like a princess since childhood, Lannis was always surrounded by loyal guards. Although her elders provided her with an exceptionally comfortable life, they were often too busy with work to spend time with her. In the sparsely populated Magic Family, there were no siblings or cousins close to her age, and the children of the guards and subordinates, hindered by status, dared not approach Lannis.

In her accumulated loneliness, Lannis learned silence. Because of this, her obedience made her elders even more reluctant to let her interact with others. Now, Mels’s sudden appearance was like receiving the most precious treasure for Lannis. The life of thieves that Mels described seemed like paradise to Lannis!

In their conversations, Lannis loved hearing about all kinds of events in the vast world. Mels would always use his way with words to present the most beautiful things before her. Slowly, Lannis’s cabin was no longer filled with prolonged silence but with bursts of cheerful laughter. The Seven Immortals heard it and smiled in their hearts. They believed bringing Mels to Lannis’s side was completely right. Of course, their surveillance of the pair also became less frequent.

“Hehe, Mels big brother, you’re just making things up! How could an ant be as big as a cow!” This day, during lunch, Lannis and Mels were together in the cabin.

“I’m not making it up! You don’t know—not long ago, the three of us fought a Sand Worm as big as this ship!” Not wanting to lose face in front of the young lady, Mels told her about their battle with the Sand Worm!

“What? A Sand Worm that big? It didn’t eat you?” Seeing Mels’s serious expression, Lannis asked in surprise and doubt.

“We almost got eaten that time! If not for our good luck and our superb martial skills, we would’ve been done for! That time…” Mels vividly described the process of their three-person battle with the Sand Worm.

“Wow! That was really dangerous! Mels big brother, if you encounter something like that again, you have to run away quickly!” Lannis said fearfully after hearing it.

“Hehe, if I could run, do you think I wouldn’t? That day, I blamed my mother for one thing!” Mels said.

“Your mother? What does encountering a giant Sand Worm have to do with your mother?” Lannis asked innocently.

“Of course I blame her! If she had given me two more legs, wouldn’t I have been able to run away?” Mels said seriously! Hearing this, Lannis was stunned for a moment, then laughed so hard she trembled, breathless with laughter.

“Phew… hehe… M-Mels big brother, you’re so funny! Listening to you talk is so much fun!” Lannis said between laughs, finally catching her breath.

“There are plenty more interesting things, but I can’t talk about them now. This afternoon, Sixth Master is teaching me martial arts. You know how stern Sixth Master always is—if I’m late, he’ll definitely punish me severely!” Mels stood up.

“Ah? You’re leaving already? What big brother says is true; Uncle Frost is very strict! Sigh, I really envy you, big brother, having so many things to do. I can only stay here all day, either sleeping or reading!” Lannis said despondently.

“Then… I know! How about practicing martial arts with me! I think if you ask, the masters will definitely agree!” Mels said excitedly. Actually, if not for the threat of Bagina, what Mels wished for most was to be with Lannis!

“No.” Lannis gently shook her head. “Uncle Wind taught me martial arts before, but later said my body was too weak to learn swordplay and such! So besides simple self-defense, I haven’t learned anything else!”

“Oh, I see!” Mels seemed to understand the intentions of the Wind Elder and others. Actually, it was obvious—Bagina’s martial skills couldn’t be innate. If someone practiced martial arts all night and didn’t rest during the day, how could her body endure it? That’s why the Wind Elder and others had Lannis stop learning martial arts.

“But Mels big brother, you mustn’t look down on me! Otherwise, if you get injured, I won’t heal you! You should know, I studied orthodox healing arts under the Royal High Priest of the France Empire!” Lannis stood up, seeing Mels out while saying proudly.

“Wow! That’s amazing! Then I must see your skills someday!” Mels said as he opened the cabin door.

“Actually, I never want you to see my skills, because that would mean you’re not injured.” Lannis, following closely behind Mels, said with her head down.

“Lannis, you’re so kind!” Mels looked at the young lady, touched. After a moment of silence, Mels suddenly peeked out of the cabin, nervously glancing left and right, then turned back and leaned close to Lannis’s cheek, whispering, “Lannis, don’t make a sound. I’ll come to your cabin this afternoon! I have something to tell you! You’ll be very happy when you know. Remember, wait for me!” With that, Mels looked up and gave Lannis a mysterious smile before disappearing down the corridor.

After half a day of strict training, Mels used the time for bathing to sneak toward Lannis’s room. Since everyone on the ship now knew Mels, this newly important person, even the guards of the upper-class cabins allowed him to move freely.

Finally avoiding the sight of the elders, Mels slipped into Lannis’s room. Before he could even close the door, an impatient Lannis rushed over, her tone full of excitement: “Mels big brother, what good news do you have to tell me? Did you remember something interesting again?”

“Shh…” Mels raised a finger to stop Lannis’s questions. He slipped into her room, then lifted a decorative scroll on the wall. As the scroll fell, a small peephole immediately came into view.

“Ah! Mels big brother, what is this…” Seeing the shocking sight, Lannis covered her mouth.

“Don’t speak! This is a little hole the masters use to watch us. Luckily, they weren’t listening to us today!” After rehanging the scroll on the wall, Mels pulled the still bewildered Lannis to sit on the bed.

“Don’t worry. The masters installed this device because they were afraid I’d bully you!” Seeing Lannis’s slightly pale face after the scare, Mels smiled and explained.

“Phew, I thought something was wrong with the uncles! That scared me! By the way, big brother, how did you know there was a small hole here? I’ve lived here a long time and never noticed.” Lannis said innocently.

“Hehe, never mind that. Let me ask you, do you really want to go outside and see?” Mels said.

"I do! I dream of it all the time!" Lannis exclaimed excitedly, but moments later, she continued in a resigned tone, "But whenever my uncles take me out, they make me sit in the carriage, and I can only see the scenery through the window!"

"Hehe, in that case, how about we go out and explore together?" Mels suddenly suggested.

"By ourselves? No, my uncles definitely won't agree!" Though Lannis wanted to say yes, she still couldn't make up her mind.

"Silly girl, of course they won't agree if we tell them! We can sneak out! The day after tomorrow, we'll reach the port city of Bomart. I'll go find my two brothers then and I'll be leaving the fleet anyway! If you want to go, I can secretly take you ashore!" Mels revealed his plan.

"What? Sneak out on our own? My uncles will be angry!" Lannis worried.

"They won't find out! We'll only be ashore for one day, and as long as we don't get caught, they won't scold us! Besides, the fleet will be resupplying at the port that day, so the masters will be very busy! If you say you're not feeling well the day before and just want to stay alone in your cabin, they won't realize you've left the fleet! You'd better think about it. If you don't go this time, there might not be such a good chance later!" Mels urged.

"This... this..." Lannis still couldn't decide, just nervously twisting her clothes with both hands.

"So, what do you say? Tell me!" Mels asked anxiously.

"Are you sure we won't be discovered by my uncles?" Lannis looked up, her resolve seemingly wavering.

"Of course! I'm a rogue, after all. If I can't even sneak a little girl ashore, what's the point!" Mels thumped his chest and assured Lannis loudly. Seeing Mels' confident face and filled with longing for the outside world, Lannis finally nodded, agreeing to Mels' request.

"Great!" Seeing Lannis had agreed, Mels couldn't help but exclaim in excitement. Then he quickly lowered his voice, leaned close to Lannis's ear, and whispered to her. As Mels spoke, Lannis's hesitant and doubtful expression gradually brightened.

After Mels finished explaining the entire plan, Lannis happily said, "Brother Mels, you're amazing! How did you come up with such a plan?"

"Hehe, do I look like a fool? Alright, you just wait here quietly for another day! I should go now. If the masters find me here, the ruse won't work!" With that, Mels sneaked away again, leaving Lannis in her cabin, both excited and slightly worried.

The plan of Mels and Lannis indeed went unnoticed by the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes. Just after lunch the next day, Lannis pretended to be sick in her cabin. After diagnosis by the Angry Thunder Fairy, Crainy, confirming Lannis was fine, the Seven Immortals thought it might be fatigue from the voyage that made the already delicate Lannis feel unwell. Thus, they paid no further attention and agreed to her request to rest alone in her room.

Time slipped by quietly. When the sun's rays once again shone upon the Caxiu Continent, the Magic Family fleet finally approached their last supply port on the continent—Bomart! As usual, Mels, sitting on the mast, gazed through the morning mist at Bomart Port, still shrouded in fog. According to earlier estimates by the sailors, in about two hours, the fleet would enter Bomart for a day of rest and resupply.

Bomart was located in the southeast of the Fijinando United Kingdom. Originally built over a hundred years ago by the Fijinando Kingdom for naval warfare against the France Empire, this majestic city became the best haven for sailors and maritime adventurers after the century-long war between the two nations ceased upon its completion.

Although Bomart Port was now a civilian port, the tall, imposing gun batteries beside the docks and the three-layered anti-ship seawalls still revealed its original purpose, reminding people of the brutal war that plagued both nations for a century. When the long ship whistles of the Magic Family fleet echoed across the sea, Mels knew his plan with Lannis was about to begin. Standing up on the mast, he said to Little One, "Little One, whether we succeed or not depends on you now!"

"Don't worry, it's just a transformation. Leave it to me," the green Little One said confidently.

"Hehe, then I'm counting on you!" After hearing Little One's words, Mels smiled slightly, then leaped down from the mast and headed toward the foredeck. Meanwhile, the Seven Immortals had already left their cabins, dispersing across the three motherships and the remaining nearly ten smaller vessels to oversee the various tasks about to commence. Mels' special status was already known to the sailors and guards, so they did not interfere with any of his actions on board.

As Mels swaggered into Lannis's room and closed the door, a fragrant breeze wafted from behind him. Lannis, who had been waiting for a while, excitedly approached Mels and whispered, "Brother Mels, why are you so slow!"

"Hehe, I'm here now, aren't I? There's still over an hour before we reach port. If I came too early, it would raise suspicion!" Though Mels said this, he thought to himself: My dear lady! I already came to you early! If I came any earlier and you were still the shrew Bagina, I wouldn't have enough lives for her to chop!

Unaware of the little calculations in Mels' mind, Lannis, now that the person she was waiting for had arrived, felt everything else was unimportant. She pulled Mels back into the room and asked with a mix of worry and excitement, "Brother Mels, will your method really work?"

"Of course! You have to have faith in me! Little One might not be useful most of the time, but he's best at this sort of thing!" After answering Lannis's question, Mels raised his left hand and slowly waved it, saying, "Little One, stop lazing around, come out quickly!" Under Mels' urging, Little One indeed appeared on his shoulder, accompanied by the glowing light from the Summoning Gem.

"Brother, it's still early. No need to be in such a hurry!" Little One stretched lazily and complained.

"It's not me who's in a hurry, it's the young lady here! Show her what you can do," Mels said.

"Alright!" Little One glanced sideways at Lannis, then suddenly retracted its head and limbs into its green body. At the same time, green light immediately shot out from its small form. Amidst this light, after about three seconds, a thin, green carpet-like object, over two meters on each side, appeared before Mels and Lannis.

"Wow! It can really get that big!" Lannis exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course! It saved me once with this skill! Later, you'll crawl inside Little One, and I'll 'package' you up and carry you out like luggage! Hehe, even if the masters see me, as long as I say Little One is evolving, I'm sure they won't suspect a thing!" Mels said proudly to Lannis.

"Brother Mels, when are we leaving?" Lannis asked eagerly.

After hearing Lannis's words, Mels slowly walked to the porthole, watching as the fleet gradually approached the port, and said, "As soon as the ship docks, I'll take you away from here! For now, all we can do is wait!" At this moment, Lannis didn't know that Mels wasn't thinking about whether he could successfully take her out, but rather hoping to reunite with his brothers who had shared hardships with him!

Amidst the long whistles, the massive ship Mels was on finally docked at the port's wharf. At that moment, Mels, carrying the "huge" Little One, headed toward the gangway ladder on the deck. Along the way, Mels remained calm and composed despite the strange looks from the sailors, as if they weren't looking at him at all! Humming a tune softly and occasionally adjusting Little One's position on his back, Mels walked toward the gangway ladder with this composure.

At the gangway entrance, Cloud Elder was inspecting the personal belongings of the sailors disembarking. Facing this situation, Mels showed no nervousness. Instead, he swaggered up to Cloud Elder, waved, and said with a smile, "Hi, Second Master, what are you busy with?"

"Hmm? Mels? What are you carrying? Why is it such a big bundle?" Cloud Elder asked suspiciously.

"It's nothing. Little One suddenly got this big, and I can't put him back into the Summoning Gem! Normally, I wouldn't go out, but today I need to find my brothers, so I have to carry him along!" Mels said with a pained and helpless expression.

"Oh... I see! Ah, Summoned Beasts are such a hassle. When they're about to evolve, they mutate, and their masters can't stay too far away! But it's really rare for a Summoned Beast to become this strange!" Cloud Elder gave Mels a strange smile and slowly approached.

"Haha, yeah. Really no choice! It's getting late, I should get off the ship now." Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, Mels hurriedly tried to find an excuse to leave the massive ship.

However, Cloud Elder quietly moved closer to Mels and whispered, "You rascal, even if you want to steal something valuable for sightseeing expenses, you don't need to steal such a huge thing! You usually seem clever, but turns out you're still a clumsy thief! Just dig up a few gems from the cabin—they're light and valuable! Luckily, you ran into me, or you'd definitely get a good scolding!"

"Ah! Second Master is truly wise and mighty, with unparalleled insight! I hid it so well, yet you still saw through it. You're amazing! Actually, I'm just broke and have no money, so I took some worthless stuff... hehe, please be magnanimous and let me off this time." Seeing Cloud Elder's misunderstanding, Mels didn't explain but went along with it, admitting to the crime.

"Silly Boy, if I weren't letting you off, why would I spout nonsense like 'Summoned Beasts mutate when evolving'? Hurry up and get off the ship! If Big Brother sees you, you're done for! Remember, tomorrow morning at eight, the fleet will depart on time. Whether you find your lost companions or not, you must be back by then!" Cloud Elder pushed Mels toward the gangway ladder and said with a laugh.

"Okay, I remember! Thank you, Second Master!" Waving goodbye to Cloud Elder, Mels immediately ran away from the wharf where the fleet was docked and rushed toward the port city.

This silly boy, I really wonder where he got such a huge thing! He didn't take all the pots, pans, and dishes from the kitchen, did he! Watching Mels hurry away, Cloud Elder thought with a smile.

Once away from the port, Mels, after making sure no one was following him, quickly hid in a dark alley between two warehouses. After swiftly unpacking Little One, the lovely girl immediately appeared before Mels.

"Brother Mels, are we out now? That was really scary just now! Uncle Cloud almost saw through us!" Lannis patted her chest, breathing heavily.

Seeing Lannis's pale face from the fright, Mels smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry! My plan was flawless. How could it be seen through?"

"Hehe, Boss loves to talk nonsense. How is this a 'flawless' plan? I think it was just your good luck!" Little One, having returned to its original form, stood on Mels's shoulder and laughed loudly.

"Shut up! You always like to argue with me! If you say more, I'll send you back to the gem!" Embarrassed, Mels threatened Little One.

"Heehee, Little One is so cute. Thank you," Lannis said, gently bending down to kiss Little One's cheek.

"Huh? Little One gets a reward, what about me?" Seeing Little One's "good fortune," Mels immediately exclaimed.

"You... originally there was one, but you carried me in such an uncomfortable way earlier, so... none for you!" Lannis deliberately made a face at Mels, then ran toward the street like a little bird.

"Hey, that's so unfair! Wait for me!" Feeling greatly wronged, Mels called out as he followed Lannis's figure. At this moment, both of them were caught up in the joy of successfully leaving the massive ship, completely unaware that unknown enemies were watching their every move from the shadows, and invisible demonic hands were slowly reaching out for them!

For Lannis, experiencing the bustling streets for the first time, everything was fascinating. Whether it was the steaming variety of snacks or the dazzling array of fancy handicrafts, Lannis always wanted to look at this, touch that, and then beg Mels to buy them for her. Though Mels was happy to bring joy to the beautiful girl, the money pouch at his waist was rapidly emptying.

Carrying the large pile of items Lannis had bought, Mels found himself seemingly transformed from the "leader" into a "pack mule." From morning until noon, Lannis, who had purchased heaps of things, showed no sign of giving up shopping. Unable to bear it any longer, Mels finally spoke up, "Young lady, that's enough. We should go have lunch and then look for my brothers!"

"Brother, please don't! Stay with me a little longer, just a little!" Seeing Mels preparing to leave the bustling street, Lannis immediately turned back, grabbed Mels's arm, and pleaded.

"Alright, we'll just go eat first, and then we can go find them later, okay? There are lots of fun things in restaurants too!" Seeing Lannis's lovely face, Mels couldn't bear to disappoint her. Besides, he had already arranged a meeting place with Sol and the others, so he didn't insist on Lannis accompanying him to find his brothers too early. Hearing Mels's words and with her own stomach starting to growl, Lannis reluctantly glanced back at the shopping street and said to Mels, "Okay, then let's go eat first, then find your friends, and come back here after we find them."

"Mm, good girl!" Seeing Lannis so understanding, Mels said happily. Then Mels looked around and muttered to himself, "Which restaurant is better? This is troublesome; it's my first time here!"

Just as Mels couldn't decide which way to go, a middle-aged man in his forties, with an ordinary appearance and a seemingly kind demeanor, suddenly spoke up by the roadside, "Young man, you don't seem to be from around here! Is there anything I can help with?"

"Uncle, we're having trouble choosing a restaurant! You're right, we just arrived and aren't familiar with this place. Could you recommend one?" Seeing the man looked like a good person, Mels asked.

"Haha, so that's it! Young man, don't worry. There's a small restaurant near my place. It's not big, but the food is great and the prices are fair. If you trust me, I'll take you there," the middle-aged man said with a smile.

"That's great! Thank you, Uncle!" Feeling like he had met a good person, after talking with the middle-aged man, Mels and Lannis followed him through streets and alleys toward the restaurant he mentioned. After walking for about thirty minutes, Mels still hadn't reached the restaurant. Seeing the surroundings becoming increasingly secluded, a faint sense of foreboding arose in Mels's heart.

"Uncle, aren't we there yet? If it's too far, we won't go!" Mels stopped, holding Lannis back, and said.

"Almost there, just up ahead," the middle-aged man replied, repeating the same words he had used over ten minutes ago.

"Mister, thanks, but we've changed our mind. We'd better head back to the port for a meal!" With that, Mels took Lannis's hand and turned to leave.

"Hehe... Think you can just walk away? Kid, empty your pockets! Now!" The middle-aged man suddenly dropped his previously amiable expression, his face turning fierce as he drew a weapon hidden in his belt, shouting sharply at Mels. Almost simultaneously, over a dozen rough-looking, armed men appeared at both ends of the alley where Mels stood! Some of them leered at Lannis, while others greedily stared at the large bags of items in Mels's hands.

"B-big brother, who are these people?" Lannis, pale-faced, hid behind Mels and asked.

"Heh, don't be afraid. They're just some shameless little thieves! Stay behind me and watch me deal with them!" Mels reassured her.

"Brat, didn't you hear what the boss said? Leave the stuff and that pretty girl behind, and we'll let you go. Otherwise... hehe, don't blame us if you get cut!" One of the thugs, holding a long knife, sneered as he approached Mels.

"Oh? I should really be scared then! But I think that knife in your hand can only cut yourself! What do you think?" Of course, Mels wasn't afraid of these thugs. After gently pushing Lannis aside, he swiftly charged into the arms of the thug who had just spoken. With a nimble dodge, he not only avoided the enemy's long knife but also struck the man's chest hard with his elbow. Following a scream like a stuck pig, the thug collapsed to the ground.

"See? That knife's only good for cutting yourself." Mels, holding the long knife he had snatched from the thug, stepped on the man's chest and said triumphantly. However, in the heat of battle, Mels had forgotten something very important—Lannis was still standing in place!

"Ahhh..." When Lannis's scream rang out, Mels finally realized his foolishness! Turning around in a hurry, he saw the middle-aged thug who had first led them, now approaching Lannis and grabbing her into his arms. The thug stared at the delicate Lannis, swallowed his saliva, and said, "What a tender little thing. She'd fetch three, maybe five gold at a brothel... Ah!"

Unfortunately, before the thug could finish his fantasy, a gleaming sharp knife suddenly appeared in his chest. A tall man dressed entirely in black, wearing a cloak, had silently driven his long knife through the thug's body! After calmly withdrawing the knife, the black-clad man said coldly, "Ignorant fool! Her value is measured in mountains of gold! Scum like you have no right to touch her!" With that, he kicked the thug to the ground.

"Ah..." As blood gushed from the massive wound on the thug's chest, Lannis screamed and lost consciousness!

Watching Lannis collapse and observing the black-clad man's clean and efficient killing technique, beads of cold sweat formed on Mels's forehead! At this moment, he had lost his earlier absolute confidence, because he knew the black-clad man he was facing was no ordinary person!