Morning in Wen Harbor, with its salty sea breeze and the bustle peculiar to a port city, roused the hungover Cui Ciyou and Rujierd from their restless sleep.
Last night's seafood feast and several glasses of strong fruit wine made the headache all too real.
"Ugh... my head hurts..." Cui Ciyou rubbed his throbbing temples and sat up on his bedding on the floor.
He glanced at Alice and Sylphy, sleeping soundly in the bed beside him. The two girls had still been full of energy last night when they hauled the two drunks back to their room.
Rujierd had woken up too, his face showing a trace of hangover-induced weariness.
He shook his bald head and looked at Cui Ciyou, his voice slightly hoarse. "Ciyou, about the ship tickets..."
"I know." Cui Ciyou took a deep breath and quickly gathered his thoughts, a glint of resolve flashing in his eyes.
Exploring a labyrinth is too risky, and there's no telling how long it would take. We don't have that much time to waste.
Find a smuggler to sneak us aboard? We don't know anyone or anything around here...
What about continuing to take S-Rank commissions? Cui Ciyou looked over his party's lineup.
One Emperor-level, two Saint-level, and one Advanced-level. Rujierd and Alice can handle the front and middle; Sylphy can handle the middle and rear; and I can cover all three positions.
No, forget it! Doing commissions would still waste time!
Then the only option left is that...
Cui Ciyou's gaze sharpened.
He remembered the Demonfolk employee at the docks yesterday.
The man's fawning expression when he mistook him for "North God III" because of his black hair and baby face, and the ship ticket for which he had waived the fare.
*The Immortal Demon King Atofe is North