A Mountain of Gold Coins

Milta, dressed in a similar trench coat and wide-brimmed hat as Ian, fully armed with a long and short firearm, and with his considerably grown stature, truly cut an imposing figure.

Milta always unconsciously imitated Ian, from his attire to his demeanor. Ian didn't correct him, letting him be.

Lia also donned a hat and wore relatively neutral clothing, including a trench coat. In the Sea of Miracles, beautiful women were generally synonymous with trouble, and even extraordinary individuals were only slightly better.

As the Leviathan and Swordfish approached, the pair also drew the attention of people on the docks, especially the Swordfish, which had clearly been through a fierce sea battle.

People whispered, speculating about the relationship between the two ships.

Under the guidance of the dockworkers, the Leviathan and Swordfish berthed smoothly. Milta and Lia didn't lower a rope ladder, instead jumping directly onto the shore.

An Evil Crow circled in the air a few times before landing on the Swordfish's broken mast. "Back to the ship's cabin—"

The voice Ian projected through shared senses was rough and hoarse, startling the crew into a mad dash back to their cabins.

Ian turned to the temporary captain. "Please invite Sam out, and the First Mate, the First Mate, the boatswain. Hurry..."

Stared at by the nightmarish crow, the temporary captain's scalp tingled. He responded with a tremble and quickly went to fetch them.

It took Lia quite some time to conclude her negotiations with the dock staff. She then hurried towards them with Milta.

Milta's face was cold. "These people are too bold."

The dockworkers were respectful towards the two extraordinary individuals, but if they weren't paid, they dragged their feet, citing regulations here, demanding inspections there. A sufficient amount of gold coins smoothed over all procedures.

Lia, however, was used to it. She chuckled lightly. "These workers are just after money; they're all old hands. They have the Government Affairs Hall and the Governor's mansion behind them. Most extraordinary individuals wouldn't dare act rashly."

Governor's mansions only existed in Storm Cape and Paradise Island, a new political system implemented by the Crown Prince. Governors served fixed terms, replaced every five years, with candidates appointed by the royal family.

By the time the two arrived at the Swordfish, Captain Sam and the others had been waiting for a while.

Ian had no idea how significant the repercussions of him picking up Rebecca would be. He had to prepare for the worst. If a conflict broke out, they needed to return to the ship immediately and set sail. The sea was his domain.

Next, Ian and his group would split up. Lia, with Captain Sam, the contract he signed, and the crew's testimonies, would head straight for the Extraordinary Professions Union. After notarization, they would quickly obtain the ransom and deal with the spoils of war.

Milta, along with an Evil Crow and the Leviathan, would guard their home base while also watching over the Swordfish at the docks. Ian would act alone.

Ian looked at Lia, his expression serious. "Dispose of them quickly. It doesn't matter if you lose some money. It's best not to consign or entrust them; it takes too long. We must be ready to leave at any moment."

Lia nodded solemnly, knowing that conflict could erupt at any time. She then headed for the Extraordinary Professions Union with Captain Sam.

Ian turned and patted Milta's shoulder. "Don't hold back! If anything happens, have Beatrice notify me."

Milta patted his chest and nodded earnestly. "I understand, Captain."

Ian pulled down the brim of his hat and turned to walk out of the docks. At this moment, on the other side of the high ground where Calvin City's castle was located, above a small, independent cemetery, a crow was circling low.

It then seemed to confirm something, rapidly diving down and landing on a low-statured camphor tree. The tombstone beneath the tree was engraved with: Arnold Calvinde.

Ian was all too familiar with Storm Harbor. His favorite thing to do in the past was to stand in the castle attic, overlooking the bustling city not far away.

Ian didn't enter the prosperous city. Instead, he followed a small path, bypassed the port warehouse district, and ascended a winding stone road. This road led directly to the high ground and was rarely used.

Ian walked for three to four kilometers along the stone road, finally reaching a plateau. One side of the plateau, with its gentle slope, led directly to the city, while the other faced the high cliffs by the sea.

The plateau was quite large, covering over twenty square kilometers. Ian stood at a fork. To the west was a dilapidated castle, and to the east, a forest. Without hesitation, Ian turned and headed east.

A few minutes later, a small, low-lying woodland came into view, with dozens of tombstones standing within it.

Ian gently slowed his pace, his immense Spirituality spreading out, quickly exceeding a hundred meters and covering the entire cemetery.

A few minutes later, he confirmed the cemetery's authenticity, lowered his head, and sighed dejectedly. Ian didn't approach further. His gaze swept over each tombstone, and after several passes, he suddenly turned and walked towards the distant castle.

A quarter of an hour later, Ian left the castle with a cold expression. Not a single complete chair could be found inside. It was obvious that after a destructive search, arson had been carried out. There were no signs of the fire being contained; it had extinguished itself only after burning out all flammable material.

Although he had anticipated it, Ian's mood was still terrible. Pirates looted; they were pressed for time, how could they have cleaned up so thoroughly?

In a small tavern not far from the residential area of the Church of Truth and Justice, Ian had been sitting for two hours.

The residential area was actually the family quarters of the Church of Truth and Justice. Bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and their families could live there for free. Additionally, orphans of these clergy members were also raised and educated by the church.

The residential area was constantly guarded by church knights and soldiers, making it difficult for unidentified individuals to enter.

The problem facing Ian now was how to enter the residential area and bring Rebecca out, or have her come out on her own.

At this moment, a crow, its Spirituality concealed, circled above the residential area. It attempted to land several times but was spotted and driven away by the guards. Crows were indeed conspicuous during the day.

"Looks like I'll have to wait until night."

Ian's gaze refocused. He hadn't found Rebecca, but he had spotted a familiar figure. If the person was here, it was likely correct. The operation would have to be postponed until night.

In the evening, the three of them stood on the dock, watching a tugboat slowly tow the Swordfish away.

Ian exchanged a look with Lia. "Let's talk back at the ship."

In the Leviathan's crew mess hall, the long dining table was piled high with mountains of gold coins. The sight was truly impactful.

Not only Milta but even Ian was momentarily stunned. Lia, however, remained composed, smiling with pursed lips as she watched the scene.

"This, this... how much money is this?!" Milta looked at Lia in disbelief.

Lia smiled. "There are seventeen thousand six hundred gold coins here."

She turned to Ian: "Things went pretty smoothly. Capturing ships happens occasionally. Both ships and crews are in high demand right now, fetching a premium. If we're not in a hurry, selling them for an extra thousand or two gold coins won't be difficult.

The main asset is the Swordfish, valued at nine thousand gold coins. Next are the crew members; these dozens of experienced sailors are worth over five thousand. The rest comes from the ransoms paid by the captain and some crew, plus a small difference in cargo value.

We've sold all of this to the Extraordinary Professions Union officially, so we don't have to worry about any subsequent trouble."

Each Poderia Gold Coin is about 15 grams, so these coins weigh over 255 kilograms. Gold is very dense; 100 kilograms of gold forms a cube just 17 centimeters on each side.

However, converting this gold into 17,000 coins and pouring them out of the metal crates was quite a sight.

Ian had previously partnered with the Whaling Group, earning over a thousand gold coins weekly, which was already beyond the imagination of many extraordinary individuals. Tens of cannonballs had netted tens of thousands of gold coins. Truly, murder and arson lead to riches!

As the sky slowly darkened, Ian turned to Lia and said, "Take your share. Pack the rest back into the crates and put them in the captain's cabin."