An Unexpected Encounter

Bai Zhu's hand paused on the doorknob.

There was more than one person inside.

After a cup was set down on the table, a man's suppressedly angry voice soon followed.

"Nishimatsu, I've made myself very clear. This isn't an ordinary commission."

"The Association gave me the authority, not so I could sit here with you waiting for children to play house."

Milluki was pressed against Bai Zhu's back and had just opened his mouth when Bai Zhu covered it with his hand.

"Mmph!"

Without turning around, Bai Zhu raised his other hand to his lips.

Milluki glared at him and forcibly swallowed the curse he had been about to spit out.

Captain Nishimatsu's voice came from inside the captain's quarters.

"I've also made myself very clear. You can borrow the ship, but you have to take the people."

"This ship is currently flying the Hunter Exam's temporary dispatch flag."

"Not all the candidates have arrived yet. I can't leave early."

The other man snorted.

"All of them?"

"A batch has already been taken away by the big ship at the main pier, and another batch will be sent off by the one at the harbor. How many people capable of finding this place are even left?"

"You're delaying the investigation just to wait for that junior Lippo mentioned."

"Every extra hour we delay at sea could mean another ship full of people dying."

Outside the door, Bai Zhu raised an eyebrow.

Lippo?

A junior?

Put those two words together, and he got a bad feeling.

Milluki had heard it too and lowered his voice.

"Was Lippo talking about you?"

Bai Zhu turned his head to look at him.

Milluki immediately shut up.

Inside the captain's quarters, a chair scraped against the floor.

Nishimatsu seemed to have stood up.

"Morel, I