Welcome to Caledon

"Ah ha ha ha! Welcome to Caledon, my dear friend." The fat man spread his arms wide, letting out a hearty laugh.

As his laughter echoed, the fat on his body jiggled up and down, waves of flesh rippling non-stop.

Zuo Si couldn't imagine how much unrestrained gluttony it would take for someone to end up looking like this.

Bernard quickly disembarked and embraced the other man, saying in a slightly apologetic tone, "Apologies, Chief Epke. I encountered some unexpected trouble at sea, so I'm a bit later than scheduled."

"Trouble?" The bald, fat man, addressed as Epke, was taken aback for a moment. He then quickly glanced at another pirate ship docked at the adjacent berth, his face quickly showing a look of realization. "You ran into pirates!"

"Yes. My ship and I were unfortunately targeted by Captain Bloodhand, Harlett. But fortunately, it was a close call, and I managed to deliver this important cargo to you."

With that, Bernard beckoned the First Mate and a few Sailors to carry a large, sealed planked crate. He then used a crowbar to pry open a few planks, revealing the true cargo within.

It was a row of Steel Crossbows, the kind Amn equipped its army with, along with specialized Armor-Piercing Arrows that possessed extremely high penetration power.

The sharp, rhombic arrowheads reflected a faint, cold light, looking intimidating just to behold.

It was obvious without asking that these were contraband, through and through.

At least officially, Amn prohibited their export, let alone their circulation in the civilian market.

The reason was simple!

These weren't ordinary swords, armor, or bows and arrows.

They were "great weapons" that could take down a large unit of fully armed soldiers with just a few dozen of them, or a single volley.

Furthermore, using a crossbow didn't require the long-term training needed for a bow.

One simply needed enough strength to draw the string, nock the arrow into the groove, aim at the enemy, and pull the trigger.

In fact, in most cities across Faerun, crossbows were typical contraband, never openly sold by merchants and vendors like in games.

Upon seeing the crossbows and Armor-Piercing Arrows, Epke's eyes lit up instantly. He quickly took one out of the crate, pulled the bowstring taut with force, nocked an Armor-Piercing Arrow, aimed at the ship's side, and pulled the trigger.

Whoosh!

Bang!

As expected, the arrow embedded itself deep into the wood, piercing the hard, thick planks completely.

"Excellent! This is exactly what I need. How much did you bring this time?" Epke asked directly, satisfied, as he placed the crossbow back into the crate.

Bernard answered without hesitation, "Five hundred crossbows, ten thousand Armor-Piercing Arrows, and thirty thousand regular arrows. That's enough for you to launch several guild wars, or even make a hefty profit by selling them to other Calishite cities."

Epke's plump face showed satisfaction. "That quantity certainly puts my mind at ease. As agreed, I will pay you a generous reward. However, the docks are crowded and visible right now; the transaction will have to wait until after dark."

"No problem! We'll exchange money for goods after dark. Also, I've brought many specialties from Athkatla to act as a cover, and I need to contact buyers in the market. Can I entrust the safety of the ships to you?" Bernard seized the opportunity to make his request.

He had fallen out with his sailors and didn't dare trust them to guard the cargo properly.

Moreover, the docks in Caledon were infested with thieves to a maddening degree; with just a moment's inattention, the cargo on the ships would inexplicably dwindle.

"Certainly. I'll send someone to watch over your two ships later. But if I'm not mistaken, the other ship isn't a merchant vessel but a warship, is it?"

Epke stared at the pirate ship that originally belonged to Harlett, his gaze filled with amusement.

As the leader of a Thieves' Guild, he had maintained close ties with the pirates operating around the Nylanthian Islands.

After all, the pirates often relied on the Thieves' Guild channels for fencing stolen goods and purchasing weapons and supplies.

And the leaders of the Thieves' Guild occasionally needed the pirates' help to eliminate troublesome enemies.

Their business dealings were unusually close.

However, before Bernard could explain, Epke saw Harlett, his upper body bound like a mummy, being escorted from the ship's hold by a Leopard.

Instantly!

The bald, fat man's mouth dropped open in shock. He quickly rubbed his eyes as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

After a good few seconds, he asked in a less-than-certain tone, "You... you defeated and captured Captain Bloodhand?!"

"No, it wasn't me. It was Lord Soth," Bernard quickly corrected.

"Soth? You mean that young warrior in the chainmail?" Epke pointed to the soldier standing on the deck not far away.

Bernard shook his head with a wry smile, "You're mistaken. It's the boy beside him, who looks about ten years old."

"What? Are you joking? Captain Bloodhand, who has roamed the seas for so many years, was defeated by a child?"

Epke felt his worldview crumbling.

"Don't be deceived by Lord Soth's appearance.

He's not some child.

He is a cunning, cold, and cruel Necromancer.

I personally witnessed him cunningly poison and kill Harlett's pirates in batches, then resurrect them one by one as Zombies, overwhelming the enemy with hundreds of Undead."

As he spoke, the merchant's eyes revealed a strong sense of awe.

Unlike most Amnian people who disliked and rejected magic, Bernard, in his youth, had traveled to Luskan and Waterdeep in the north to open up trade routes, encountering many Wizards and Sorcerers.

He knew very well what it meant to transform and control so many Undead in such a short period.

However, the merchant was unaware that Zuo Si didn't actually have the ability to control the more than two hundred zombies. He was merely using a magic ritual to direct them toward the nearest targets.

This was also why he only appeared after the zombies had been almost completely dealt with.

If he had shown up too early, those undead would likely have attacked him as well.

"A necromancer?" Epke's pupils dilated sharply, as if he had realized something. "You mean..."

"Shh! Don't say it out loud! Lord Soth doesn't like people pointing fingers at his current state," Bernard warned in a low voice.

"I see! No wonder you managed to escape Captain Bloodhand's pursuit unscathed. So you were lucky enough to run into a powerful necromancer. It looks like Harlett is going to have to cough up a lot this time," Epke said, a gloating expression spreading across his face.

"More than just coughing up a lot, he almost lost his life."

"What do you think about me going over to say hello to Harlett? He should be quite happy to see an old friend like me."

"Perhaps. Look, he's walking over this way."

As the two finished their hushed whispers, Zuo Si finally packed up his belongings and gear. He intended to go ashore with the leopard, soldiers, and his captive.

The long periods of rough seas had almost shaken his brains into mush.

Although he himself hadn't gotten seasick, he desperately wanted a truly rich and delicious meal, followed by some fresh fruit to supplement his vitamins, and finally, a soft bed that didn't sway to get a good night's sleep.

As for anything else, all of it would have to wait.