Moria waited quietly in the shadows. The cursing and venting noises in the shack gradually subsided, replaced by a suppressed and heavy breathing with exhaustion. He could imagine the inner suffering that the worker was experiencing at this moment - fear, anger, but unable to resist, so he could only pour out his grievances on these simple furniture.
After a while, the door curtain was suddenly opened, and the dock worker from before came out cursing. The flesh on his face twitched with anger, but his eyes showed unconcealable exhaustion and fear, as if he had just escaped from a nightmare.
He looked around warily, and when he saw no one around, he lowered his head as if nothing had happened, and walked out along the path he came from, with empty steps.
Moria followed quietly. He was not in a hurry to show up, but kept a distance where he could observe without arousing the other party's alertness. He needs a more suitable opportunity, a moment where the other party can relax their guard a little without attracting Eternal Life Blessing Cult's attention.
The worker staggered, obviously restless, as he walked through several narrow and dirty alleys, and finally stopped at the end of a dead end where discarded fishing nets and broken wooden boxes were piled up. He turned his back to the alley, fumbled for a low-quality cigarette from his arms, tremblingly Ignite, took a long puff, choking and coughing repeatedly.
In the smoke, his rickety back looked particularly desolate.
That's it now.
Moria adjusted his breathing, gathering the breath from his body, making himself look more like an ordinary, slightly confused and well-intentioned traveler. He walked slowly out of the shadows, the soles of his boots making a slight sound on the slippery stone slabs.
"This brother." Moria's voice was gentle and calm, with just the right amount of hesitation, as if he was just passing by by chance and couldn't bear to be disturbed.
The worker turned around like a frightened rabbit, and the fingers holding the cigarette trembled violently. When he saw clearly the simple but clean clothes on Moria, and the young face that was not malicious and even had a bit of compassion, the fear in his eyes slightly subsided, but the vigilance was still strong.
"Who are you? What do you want to do?" The worker's voice was hoarse and rough, with a strong local accent and a hint of unnoticeable vigilance. He subconsciously shrank back, as if he wanted to hide himself in the pile of musty debris behind him.
"Please don't get me wrong, I don't mean any harm." Moria leaned forward slightly and said in a sincere tone, "I was just passing by here. I was near Fog Bell Alley earlier and I seemed to see you walking out of a house, looking a little hurried. I want to ask the owner of the house something, but no one answered the door for a long time. I wonder if it would be convenient for you to tell me something.
He deliberately blurred the details of his observations, only pointed out the fact that Fog Bell Alley and no one answered, positioned himself as an ordinary person asking for directions, and at the same time hinted that he was aware of the scene where the workers came out of Sivell's residence.
The worker's face instantly became uglier, and a trace of panic flashed in his eyes. "Fog Bell Alley? I don't know what you mean... I'm just a laborer, delivering goods everywhere. I don't remember where I went Fog Bell Alley."
He denied it, but his eyes involuntarily drifted in the direction Moria was pointing, obviously feeling guilty.
"Really? "Moria's tone was still calm, without the slightest hint of coercion, "Maybe I saw it wrong. It's just that the owner of that house seems to be troubled by someone. I saw some people in gray and white robes at the entrance of the alley, and they looked unfriendly."
He paused and looked at the worker with gentle eyes, "If that person is in trouble, maybe I can provide some meager help. After all, when you are away from home, it is reasonable to help each other."
His words were part temptation and part release of goodwill. Mentioning the Cult of Eternal Life disciple in gray and white robes is to point out the other party's dilemma, and "offering help" is to extend an olive branch.
The worker was silent. He took a long drag on his cigarette. The choking smoke spread in front of him, covering the complicated expression on his face. His furrowed brows and slightly trembling lips showed the fierce struggle in his heart.
Moria didn't urge, just waited quietly. He knows that for a person who has been under fear and depression for a long time, any hope of changing the status quo is enough for him to take risks.
After a while, the worker seemed to have made up his mind. He threw the half-sold cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his toes. He raised his head, his cloudy eyes flashing with a hint of ruthlessness, but more of a deep-seated exhaustion and helplessness.
"Help? He sneered, his voice hoarse, "What help do you want?" Those... those Cult of Eternal Life madmen, they have strength in numbers, Port Belen is almost their territory now! How can you, a foreigner, fight with them?"
"Cult of Eternal Life may be powerful. "Moria replied calmly, without denying this, "But not all problems need to be solved with fists. Sometimes, some seemingly insignificant information, or a right moment, can change a lot of things."
He took a step forward and lowered his voice, "I just want to know, is the lady in Fog Bell Alley okay? Does she need outside help?"
The worker stared at Moria, his eyes full of scrutiny and suspicion. He seemed to be judging the authenticity of Moria's words, and whether he really had the ability or the courage to fight against Eternal Life Blessing Cult.
"Are you... from the church? "The worker suddenly asked, his eyes falling on Moria's simple but still somewhat extraordinary clothes.
"I am a servant of Radiance. "Moria answered calmly, in many cases, it is easier to gain trust as a clergy, especially when facing ordinary people who are oppressed by evil forces.
"Radiance Church? A trace of mixed emotions flashed through the workers' eyes, including awe and a trace of disappointment. "It's a pity that people from Radiance Church can't speak here. Those bastards from Cult of Eternal Life don't even look down on Radiance." "
He sighed, like a deflated ball, "That old witch... maybe the lady you mentioned, she is still alive now, but she is almost dead. The Eternal Life Blessing Cult people kept a close eye on her, and sent me in every day to deliver some food and drink, without even daring to say a word."
"Did I specifically ask you to deliver it? Why? "Moria frowned slightly.
"I don't know. "The worker is just as he has always appeared to be, an innocent person who knows nothing about anything.
"Then you know, why do they treat a lady like this? "Moria asked. He could feel that the attitude of the workers had begun to loosen.
"Well..." the worker stammered, "That lady seems to be a fortune teller or something... The madman at Cult of Eternal Life wants her to help divine the ghost places called 'Black Reef Bay' and 'Sunken Horn'! But the lady refused, so they kept her locked up, deprived of food, and sent people to keep an eye on her every day until she figured it out."
"Black Reef Bay...Sunken Horn..." Moria muttered to himself.
"That lady..." The worker hesitated, lowered his voice, and moved closer to Moria, "She seemed... to have no intention of leaving there. There were obviously opportunities to escape sometimes. Every time I go to deliver food, I can feel that she... seems to be waiting for someone or some opportunity."
After saying that, he took another step back and looked at the alley warily, "No, no, I can't say any more. If those lunatics find out, my little life will be gone!"
"Please wait. "Moria stopped him, his tone gentle but unquestionable firmness, "I'm not asking you to take risks. I just need you to do me a small favor, a small favor that may help Ms. Sivell and get you out of trouble."
"What's the rush? "The worker looked at him warily.
Moria took out a small silver holy emblem strung with a string from his arms. The holy emblem was engraved with the seal of the early sun of the temple, and it still exuded a soft halo in the dim light.
"This is a blessing emblem. He handed the Holy Emblem to the worker, "Next time you deliver food to Ms. Sivell, please pass this to her." Tell her that there is a waiter from Radiance who hopes to meet her."
The worker took the cold holy emblem and weighed it in his hand, the expression on his face changing. He knew that this small emblem might be a key that could break the predicament, but it might also be a branding iron that could set a person on fire, enough to cause a person to be doomed.
"Why should I believe you? the worker asked hoarsely, with a final struggle in his voice.
"You don't have to believe me. "Moria looked at him calmly, "You can even choose to tell Eternal Life Blessing Cult about this matter, which may bring you some temporary stability. But do you think that after those 'lunatics' achieve their goals, they will leave behind a 'food delivery boy' who knows too many secrets?"
These last words hit the workers' hearts like a heavy hammer. He shuddered violently, and the color drained from his face. He knew very well that what Moria said was true, and he had seen too much of the behavior of those Cult of Eternal Life people these days.
"Okay! "The worker gritted his teeth and held the Holy Emblem tightly in his hand, as if holding a life-saving straw, "I can help you, but, you must keep your word, and you can't hurt me!"
"Committed in the name of Radiance. "Moria nodded slightly, with a solemn expression.
The worker said no more. He carefully hid the Holy Emblem in his arms, looked around warily again, then lowered his head and hurriedly disappeared at the other end of the alley.
Moria watched his back go away, and then slowly breathed a sigh of relief until he could no longer be seen.
The rest is just a matter of waiting.
He turned around and left, rejoining the Port Belen crowd. As the night gets darker, the lights of the port flicker in the distance, like countless prying eyes.
And beneath this grotesque shadow, a deeper storm seemed to be quietly brewing. He needs to find a place to stay as soon as possible and find a way to recover some physical strength to cope with any situation that may happen next. The "Sycamore Inn" mentioned by Princess Victoria may be a good choice.
At this moment, several hurried figures passed by, and the one walking at the end even accidentally stepped on Moria's shoes.
"Sorry. "The other party just said a casual sentence and walked away, as if there was something very urgent that needed to be dealt with.
Moria paused, and he seemed to smell something very familiar and particularly subtle.
He looked back and saw that those people had disappeared into the sea of people.
But that feeling should be correct, they are Kingdom Investigation Bureau people.