Chapter 136 The Pandora's Request

Even within the Dawn Mercenary Group, few people knew of Pandora’s existence. Now, with her sudden appearance, the crew was initially stunned, then their faces turned serious.

How did this woman appear out of thin air?

They hadn't noticed her at all!

The crew's eyes were filled with vigilance, and their hands instinctively gripped their weapons.

Suren, however, had sensed her arrival beforehand. Seeing the reactions of the others, he guessed that they had likely been subjected to Pandora’s mental illusions, a kind of "selective blindness."

At the same time, he was grateful that he had signed a covenant with this woman.

If those bizarre mental control methods were used by an enemy, few on this ship would survive.

The crew noticed that both Qian Tiao and Suren seemed to know this woman, and that was the only reason they didn't react.

After all, she was known as "the most beautiful woman under Heaven." Even veiled, Pandora's maxed-out charm couldn't be hidden.

Her skin was like snow, her figure enchanting, and her exquisitely veiled face was without any discernible flaws. Most peculiar was the aura of purity and holiness that seemed to surround her. To onlookers, she appeared to be enveloped in a radiant, sacred light, inspiring a sense of awe and reverence.

As she walked slowly, she captivated everyone's attention.

Kama, the newest member, was especially curious. She couldn't believe there was such a beautiful woman in the Dawn Mercenary Group. She thought this woman was even more beautiful than the priestesses in the Agapenan Temple!

.......

Listening to Pandora explain the uses of the Golden Fleece, Suren roughly guessed her intention. "You..."

He wasn't sure what would be the most appropriate way to address her. After a moment of deliberation, he said, "Miss Pandora, what is it?"

Pandora clearly didn't intend to have much contact with others. She replied calmly, "I wish to speak with you alone."

Suren's eyebrows twitched slightly as he heard this.

Having been together every day before, he hadn't noticed any changes.

Now, after a few days apart, he realized that Pandora's aura was becoming increasingly ethereal.

Suren guessed that it was due to the power of faith.

After all, she had gathered the faith of the Mountain Hermit's "Tsukuyomi Great God." With the "Moon Empress" now in power, the power of faith would continuously empower her. That imposing feeling was becoming more and more like that of a supreme deity.

"Alright!"

Suren agreed immediately.

Hearing this, the crew on deck understood instantly. They stopped staring at the woman of unknown origin and dispersed to attend to their own tasks.

Qian Tiao could have listened in, but she looked bored and didn't intend to stay.

She tapped Tani and Lolota, who were staring intently, with her scabbard. "Let's go, we'll go clean up the cabin."

"Oh."

The two adolescent children awoke as if from a dream, the dazed look in their eyes clearing. They realized they had been immersed in a strange mental state, and their faces flushed with embarrassment as they lowered their heads and followed Qian Tiao to the cabin.

With no one else around, Pandora directly stated her purpose. "I need that [Golden Fleece]."

"Oh?"

Suren raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, not rushing to respond.

This Golden Fleece was a top-tier material, its value immeasurable.

However, he wasn't particularly interested in the fleece itself, but rather in Pandora's attitude.

Having a request was a good sign.

Pandora didn't hide her motives as she explained, "The reason this [Golden Fleece] was sacrificed to the gods is that it's a rare material capable of bearing the power of faith. It's somewhat wasted in the hands of mortals."

Having never gained an advantage in their previous encounters, she knew that the most direct way to deal with this cunning fellow was to negotiate an exchange of benefits.

Seeing Suren's calm expression, Pandora added, "If you give it to me, I can help you with a few more things. For example, resolving the issue with that ship in the distance. I don't think you want to kill them all to silence them."

Communication between intelligent people was convenient. With the purpose and conditions stated, Suren weighed the options for a moment and immediately realized that the deal was worthwhile. He agreed decisively. "Alright!"

This transaction might not seem equal right now, but it was definitely not a loss!

Pandora's strength would continue to grow, and her abilities were very useful.

Suren had previously thought that a simple contract was too weak to bind this powerful ally for the long term.

He needed her to feel indebted, even if it meant taking a slight loss, it was much better than a one-time deal.

This was the opportunity.

Hearing Suren's agreement, Pandora didn't waste any time. A surge of mental energy suddenly emanated from her, her eyes flashed like lightning, and her temperament suddenly became majestic and indescribable.

Looking again, her figure emitted a burst of white light, almost blinding to the eye.

With a flash of white light, her figure appeared on the "North Wind" not far away, and the expressions of the people on that ship instantly froze.

.......

Suren glanced sideways at Pandora's body, which was still standing in place beside him.

A sidelong glance saw that the radiant figure in the distance was actually a manifestation of pure mental energy?

He knew what that meant, and was shocked. "Mental Manifestation! Astral Projection!"

Suren had read descriptions of this in ancient texts. Only when mental power was strong to an unimaginable degree could one condense a "Mental Avatar."

This technique was somewhat like astral projection, allowing the mind and will to leave the body and roam freely.

Moreover, it was said that the gods of the mythical era used a similar method to descend upon the various planes of existence.

With a thought, the incarnate will would descend.

This was definitely divine magic.

Just as Suren was still in shock, the light around Pandora dissipated, and she said calmly, "It's done."

Suren: "..."

He didn't ask Pandora what she had done, but he could roughly guess. The "Tsukuyomi Great God" was most skilled in mental illusions. She had probably cast some kind of mass illusion on the people on that ship, altering some of their memories.

But she had indeed solved a major problem for Suren.

He had killed the few hostile individuals on the North Wind, but there were still several hundred innocent adventurers who had been caught up in the incident.

Letting them go would inevitably leak the Dawn Mercenary Group's ambush of the North Sea Fleet, leading to significant future problems.

But not letting them go and killing them all was out of the question.

Although Suren was decisive in his killings, he was not a indiscriminate murderer.

Now that the problem was solved, he looked at Pandora and said softly, "Thank you."

Pandora didn't say much, responding nonchalantly, "It was just a transaction."

As she spoke, she put away the box of Golden Fleece, not wanting to show her face on the deck any longer, and returned to her cabin.

Suren's eyebrows twitched slightly as he watched her.

As expected, accepting favors made one soft.

Although Pandora's attitude was still cold, it was much better than before.

This was a good sign.

.......

Having gained a pirate warship, the Dawn Mercenary Group was busy painting and recoloring it, preparing their new ship.

In terms of wooden warships of this tonnage, the North Sea Fleet's ships were already the best, with their speed, powerful cannons, and sturdiness...

With a slight modification to its appearance, it wouldn't be easily recognized.

Suren sat on the deck, enjoying the sea breeze, lost in thought for a long time.

Pandora had just explained the purpose of the Golden Fleece, and now he was basically certain that the pirates had brought the [Golden Fleece] to perform some kind of mysterious ritual.

After all, the Roman Empire was a nation with a belief in gods, and various ritual activities were normal.

But the timing was a bit intriguing.

Suren's thoughts drifted, imagining one possibility after another.

The value of this [Golden Fleece] was extraordinary. What existence in this sea would require a sacrifice of this level?

Gods?

Suren thought of the treasures on Devil's Island.

So many precious things appeared in the same place, and they weren't from the same era either.

Could it be that it wasn't an ancient ruin, but also a collection of sacrifices left behind through such rituals?

Aside from the priests of the Agapenan Temple, perhaps no one knew why.

Once this idea surfaced, it became terrifying to contemplate.

If the treasures on Devil's Island were all sacrifices, then why would the temple allow adventurers to seek them out?

When the news of the "Devil's Island Treasure" first spread, the Agapenan Temple had played a role in fueling the flames.

The news had spread so quickly this time that Suren felt there was someone behind the scenes pushing it.

The news leaked, the treasure hunt, the nautical chart leaked...

Each step seemed to be perfectly timed, piquing people's curiosity and attracting adventurers to explore.

In just one day yesterday, at least one hundred thousand adventurers had set sail to hunt for treasure, and there would probably be even more in the following days.

......

"What are those Roman Temple guys trying to do by attracting so many adventurers?"

Suren couldn't figure it out.

If he hadn't intercepted the [Golden Fleece] by chance, he might still have been in the dark.

"Right, the Temple!"

Suren thought of the [Causality Golden Spear of the War God Tyr] that had fallen from the sky and tried to kill him in the city.

Why did the people from the Temple want to kill him?

Suren was visiting the Roman Empire for the first time, and he was certain that he had no previous conflicts with the Agapenan Temple.

Could it be because of "divination"?

But if that were the reason, it would make the cause-and-effect relationship seem somewhat inverted.

If you didn't come to kill me, why would I provoke you?

Now that the feud had been formed, they were enemies, whether they wanted to be or not.

Suren felt that the mysteries were multiplying.

But lacking some crucial clues, he couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he tried.

At that moment, another thought suddenly popped into his head: "Oh, I almost forgot... Barrett!"

Suren had almost forgotten that Barrett and his two lieutenants were still in his "Small Void Realm."

They were already far from the coastline, and it wouldn't matter if he released them.

Suren performed a Warlock seal, and a spatial black hole slowly materialized in his palm.

Once the opening was large enough, three figures leaped out of the void.

......

The sailboat sailed through the azure sea, rising and falling with the waves.

Looking at the surrounding environment, Barrett knew that they had escaped the Molossian city-state, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking at Suren before him, his expression was very complex, with shame, gratitude, and shock... a hundred flavors in his heart.

After all, the reason he chose to lead his brothers to the Molossian city-state to rescue people was that he was afraid of burdening the Dawn Mercenary Group.

He didn't expect that in times of crisis, it would still be the people from the Dawn Mercenary Group who reached out to help them, and they were able to survive.

Counting this, it was the third time Suren had resolved an almost certain death situation for them.

This life-saving grace could never be repaid.

Barrett didn't know how to express his gratitude at that moment, and sighed softly, "Young friend Suren, you've troubled yourself again."

As he spoke, he and his two lieutenants behind him gave Suren a solemn salute, placing their hands over their chests.

Suren reached out to help Barrett, who was bowing very low, and said, "Mr. Barrett, there's no need to be so polite. It was just a coincidence, and a small effort."

Barrett shook his head, sincerely grateful. "The 'Judgment Knights' will never forget young friend Suren's life-saving grace..."

A small effort?

Absolutely not!

The people from the Luyin Intelligence Agency were not to be trifled with, and rescuing people in the Molossian city-state must have been extremely risky.

Suren shrugged, noncommittal.

It wasn't that he hadn't pursued them, but that he had taken the [Golden Spear], which had led to a city-wide curfew, disrupting the Luyin Intelligence Agency's plan to encircle and capture them.

He didn't continue to be polite on this topic, and instead said, "There is reliable intelligence that the members of your 'Judgment Knights' have escaped from the underground caverns of the Molossian city-state. The people from the Luyin Intelligence Agency did not capture them."

"Really?!"

Hearing this, joy instantly appeared on the faces of Barrett and his two lieutenants.

At this time, one of the lieutenants quickly took out a communicator that he carried with him and began to make contact. Seeing the green light on the communicator, he instantly confirmed something and looked at Barrett in surprise, excitedly saying, "Commander, there's a signal!"

Barrett was also unable to hide his excitement, and his face was radiant. He explained to Suren, "This is the communication signal we agreed upon earlier. Once they come out alive, they will activate a specific signal frequency, which we can receive even from a great distance. Now they should have escaped to the sea according to plan."

As he spoke, his breathing became heavy, and he laughed loudly, "Hahaha... my brothers have finally come out alive!"

When they went to rescue people this time, they had already resolved to die.

Now that the brothers in the group had escaped alive, this was the best news, even more important than their survival!

It was as if the depression that had accumulated in his heart during these days had been released all at once. As he laughed, Barrett's eyes were already filled with tears.

Suren looked at this tough man, who was vaguely moved to tears, and was happy for them.

This was a group of people with true feelings and courage.

The sun was shining brightly, and the sea breeze was blowing.

It was as if after enduring the darkest time in their lives, everything was developing in a positive direction.

At that moment, he felt relieved.

The knightly glory, status, rank, family, and concerns of the past... had all become the past.

He could embrace a new future.

The light of hope shone in Barrett's eyes, which were no longer as dark and dead as before. He looked at the seabirds soaring freely in the sky.

At this time, Suren also spoke at the right time, asking, "Mr. Barrett, what are your plans for the future?"

Hearing this, the excitement in Barrett's eyes faded, as if he had already made a decision.

He looked at Suren before him and said with an extremely solemn expression, "If possible, I would like to join 'Dawn'."

Suren smiled slightly. "You are most welcome!"

......

Barrett and his Holy Judgment Knights chose to join, and the Dawn Mercenary Group grew stronger again.

According to Barrett himself, after obtaining the [Silver Hand], his strength was even greater than during his peak. He could break through to the sixth rank and enter the realm of top-tier professionals at any time.

And the "Judgment Knights" still had four or five hundred Royal Knights. After merging, they would double the number of people in the Dawn Mercenary Group.

The overall combat power of the Dawn Mercenary Group was already not to be underestimated. Even if they encountered a complete fleet of the North Sea Fleet, they might not be much weaker.

Suren announced this good news to the members of the Dawn Mercenary Group, and everyone gave a warm welcome to the new members.

No one thought they were defeated Royal Knights. On the contrary, Barrett's actions of saving his companions at the risk of his own life were admired and respected by everyone.

But before they had time to hold a welcome dinner, Suren organized a meeting for the top echelons of the group, holding an important conference.

Soon, in the captain's cabin.

Qian Tiao, Dr. Banks, Barrett, and the squad leaders gathered together.

The chandelier above the conference room swayed, and the dim light illuminated their serious faces.

Suren recounted all the intelligence he had obtained and guessed, saying, "This is all the known intelligence so far. Next, how should our Dawn Mercenary Group act? Let's hear everyone's opinions."

For a time, everyone was lost in thought, and the conference room was silent.

They thought it would be an ordinary treasure hunt adventure, but they didn't expect it to involve such a complex situation.

After a long while, Qian Tiao spoke first, her face full of solemnity. "So... Suren, you think this Devil's Island treasure is actually a conspiracy orchestrated by some people?"

Suren nodded, saying, "Yes. There are too many coincidences in this, and it's hard not to suspect it. Moreover, I even suspect that certain 'prophecies' or the like may still be directed at our Dawn Mercenary Group."

If there was any force in the future that could bring great change to this world, Suren felt that their "Dawn Mercenary Group" was definitely one of them.

Although the Dawn Mercenary Group was still very weak, it was also growing vigorously. There was Leader Mirror, who held the great ideal of reviving the alchemical civilization of mankind, and members like them who worked hard for a common goal. The light of dawn might not be able to dispel the darkness and illuminate the earth.

There was no unprovoked hatred in this world.

Suren thought for a long time and felt that the only reason the people from the Agapenan Temple took action to assassinate him was probably these mysterious reasons.

Oleg, the King of the North Sea, had intervened in the affairs of the Agapenan Temple, and the faith of the Roman Empire was no longer pure.

Barrett quickly entered the role of a member of the Dawn Mercenary Group, and at this time, he also used his own experience to analyze, "I think this possibility is also very high. When we went to explore certain unknown seas in the past, when we encountered some primitive tribes, we also found that the beliefs of some ancient evil gods were very cruel, and we often saw scenes of live human blood sacrifices."

Dr. Banks' face became very gloomy as he listened. "But... this time there are more than 100,000 adventurers! Do those people want to use these 100,000 people as sacrifices?"

Sacrificing 100,000 people?

This evil act was appalling just to hear about it.

Suren let out a breath and nodded, "If that's what I guessed, it probably is. Those treasures on Devil's Island won't be taken away so easily. The target being sacrificed will probably be a very terrifying existence."

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the conference room became very solemn.

.......

Now that they had suspicions, the Dawn Mercenary Group would definitely not rush to Devil's Island again like fools.

Although the members of the Dawn Mercenary Group were not saints, they were definitely people who would draw their swords when they saw injustice on the road.

With the meeting reaching this point, the key to the topic seemed to be on those "100,000 people."

The frowns on everyone's faces had not disappeared.

At this time, Qian Tiao said, "Even if what we guessed is the truth, I'm afraid we can't salvage the situation. Those adventurers have been blinded by the lure of treasure, and they will definitely not give up their treasure hunt plan because of someone's unfounded speculation. What's more, we can't contact them now at sea..."

Suren didn't look embarrassed either, saying, "Yes. That's the most troublesome thing."

Yesterday, the feats of the "Flying Fish Group" returning from their treasure hunt had been seen by too many people.

Greed made people reckless.

Even if they were to intercept and stop them ship by ship, they would probably be seen as having ulterior motives.

The question now was, where should the Dawn Mercenary Group go?

Go back?

After a brief silence in the conference room, Dr. Banks thought of something and suddenly said, "I've thought of a feasible plan!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone's eyes looked over.

Banks said, "Before, when Suren sent us the news, I arranged for the people at the dock to leave a biological marker on the 'Whitebeard Seabird.' Now I sense that the direction of that ship should only be a few hundred nautical miles away from us..."

After a pause, he continued, "I suspect that a ritual of this level should require a very complex ritual procedure. Since the [Golden Fleece] was found on that ship earlier, could there be other sacrifices on other ships?"

Hearing this, everyone understood immediately.

Qian Tiao's expression brightened, and she also said, "Does the Doctor mean that if we intercept all the ships of the North Sea Fleet, we might be able to stop this conspiracy?"

"Yes!"

Dr. Banks nodded and said, "Moreover, that ship, the 'Frost Moon Princess,' is also a key point. Even if they want to carry out some kind of evil sea sacrifice, the people of the Agapenan Temple wouldn't dare to sacrifice a member of the Mafa Royal Family! Now that the 'Whitebeard Seabird' is nearby, this will be a good entry point..."

Suren also felt that it made sense.

He knew from the memory he had extracted from Vasily that the North Sea Fleet had dispatched at least three squadrons to sea this time.

If they were all intercepted, they might really have a chance to foil this conspiracy.

......

Dr. Banks' proposal gave everyone a glimmer of hope for breaking the situation.

But a new problem arose.

If the Dawn Mercenary Group stayed out of it, they would probably have no trouble at all.

But if they went to intercept the people from the North Sea Fleet, not only would the battle be risky, but they might also get caught up in some unknown situation.

Such decisions concerning the safety of the group could not be made unilaterally.

Suren proposed a vote and asked, "What does everyone think?"

Qian Tiao had no fear and was the first to raise her hand: "I agree to intercept the North Sea Fleet."

Banks: "Agree!"

Barrett: "Agree!"

A group of squad leaders: "Agree!"

In the end, the members of the Dawn Mercenary Group unanimously decided to go.

There was risk, there was the unknown,

This was the meaning of maritime adventure.