After this battle, the Dora Merchant Alliance's authority in Andal plummeted to rock bottom, and even the entire Free Alliance suffered a tremendous blow to its reputation! The Ironblood Brotherhood's prestige, meanwhile, soared straight into the skies, to the point that they seemed poised to become Andal's true rulers.
Faced with such a predicament, the Dora Merchant Alliance could hardly sit idle. They dispatched troops and gathered powerful fighters to hold the fort in Andal. Only after exerting the strength of nine oxen and two tigers did they finally bring the situation under control, establishing a balance in which they could stand against the Ironblood Brotherhood as equals.
That stalemate persisted. For a local gang like the Ironblood Brotherhood to hold its own against a major official power like the Free Alliance was certainly something to be proud of. As a result, its members became outrageously arrogant, throwing their weight around and hurling insults at anyone they encountered. The merchants traveling to and from Andal seethed but dared not speak out. They could only grit their teeth and endure, hoping the Dora Merchant Alliance would hurry up and cut out this malignant tumor.
"Heh heh, Lancelot's back. Let's see how those clowns in the Ironblood Brotherhood keep dancing now!" Luo De looked positively gleeful at their impending misfortune. Clearly, he had suffered at the Brotherhood's hands himself.
"Luo De, I've had a new idea about my training these past few days, so I'll be going away to train in seclusion for a while. Five or six days at the least, ten or so at most. I'll be back soon. But Andal's going through troubled times right now, and we don't have the means to get involved. Try not to go out much while I'm away. If you run into trouble when I'm not here, things could turn ugly!" Zhang Yao told Luo De about his planned seclusion and warned him to be careful during his absence.
"Seclusion? Zhang Yao, are you about to make a breakthrough? That's wonderful! The stronger you get, the more at ease I feel! Go train without worrying about me. I'll stay put and behave myself while you're gone! Come on, it's getting late. Let's head downstairs and get dinner out of the way. We can wish you a smooth breakthrough while we're at it!" Delighted to hear that Zhang Yao was going into seclusion, Luo De grabbed him and headed downstairs.
Zhang Yao offered no further explanation for Luo De's misunderstanding. After all, his seclusion was merely a cover. If he said too much and Luo De started asking questions he couldn't answer, things would become truly awkward.
Zhang Yao and Luo De ordered some food at the inn's ground-floor dining room and tucked in heartily. After dinner, Luo De picked up a pot of black tea as usual, ready to follow Zhang Yao back to their room.
Just then, several people walked through the inn's entrance. A burly bald man led the way, accompanied by a bespectacled man who looked like a scholar. Two enchanting women followed close behind. The four were Maluk, Yaliansi, Guleiya, and Amelia of the Free Pirates.
The four Free Pirates entering the inn came face-to-face with Zhang Yao and Luo De, who were about to head upstairs. For a moment, both sides simply stared at each other without a word, and the atmosphere grew terribly awkward.
"Ha ha, what a coincidence, running into you here! Haven't eaten yet? Dinner's on me!" At a time like this, Luo De was the one to count on. Ignoring the awkwardness, he brazenly laughed a few times and broke the deadlock.
"Ha ha, great! I want a big serving of roast beef leg!" Blunt and straightforward, Maluk stood on no ceremony with Luo De. The instant he heard that Luo De was treating them, he shouted his order to the innkeeper. Seeing Maluk speak up without the slightest hesitation, the other three Free Pirates had little choice but to order a few things themselves.
And so Zhang Yao and Luo De, who had finished dinner and intended to go upstairs for a chat, sat back down at the table with the Free Pirates. The moment Zhang Yao saw the people from the Freedom, he wanted to return straight to his room upstairs. But Luo De kept giving him meaningful looks, asking him to do him this favor. With no other choice, Zhang Yao patiently sat back down beside him.
"How have you been lately, Luo De?" As soon as they sat down, Yaliansi asked after Luo De to ease the awkward atmosphere at the table.
"Heh, pretty well. How about you?" Luo De answered with a quiet chuckle.
"Ah, not well at all. The captain still hasn't found a pirate crew willing to work with us. If we can't find one in the next few days, I imagine we'll have to brave the danger alone!" Yaliansi sighed, looking helpless.
"Exactly, exactly! They always act like they'd lay down their lives for their friends, but when it really matters, every last one of them drops the ball! Honestly!" Hearing Yaliansi's words, Maluk lowered the roast beef leg from his mouth and grumbled indignantly.
"You can't really blame them. There's nothing they can do about it! That place is the infamous Death Sea. Eight or nine out of every ten people who go there die inside and never come back. They have to think of themselves, their brothers, and their families too!" Yaliansi shook his head, his face clouded with worry.
"Well, I know I can't do much, but if there's anything I can help with, just ask! I may not be one of the Free Pirates anymore, but I'll do everything I can to help you." Seeing how troubled Yaliansi looked, Luo De patted him on the shoulder and spoke earnestly.
"Thank you!" Yaliansi nodded gratefully.
Throughout the meal, Zhang Yao never said a word. He simply sat there quietly, like an outsider. Guleiya and Amelia opened their mouths several times, but whether out of reserve or embarrassment, neither managed to speak. Fortunately, Yaliansi, Luo De, and Maluk kept up their conversation, preventing the table from falling silent.
Dinner had to end eventually. Luo De escorted the people from the Freedom outside the inn and watched their retreating figures until they disappeared from sight before going back inside.
"Heh, if you hate to see them go, catch up and spend a little more time with them!" Zhang Yao couldn't help chuckling at Luo De's forlorn expression.
"What good would that do? I've already left! Once you leave, there's no going back! Ha ha, I think I'll get used to it eventually!" Luo De shook his head, then laughed as he picked up the freshly brewed pot of black tea and turned toward the stairs.
Zhang Yao shrugged without saying anything and followed Luo De upstairs. He knew Luo De truly hated parting with them. They had been companions for years, after all. How could he simply let go at will? Zhang Yao wanted to help, but he was afraid of hurting Luo De's pride. From their time together, he had learned that although Luo De seemed easygoing and unconcerned about anything, deep down he was fiercely proud.
Unsure what to do, Zhang Yao could only let things take their course. Perhaps, as Luo De himself had said, he would gradually get used to it.
"Ah, if you go into seclusion, won't I be left all alone? And I can't even go out during that time. I'm going to go stir-crazy!" After pouring Zhang Yao a cup of tea, Luo De picked up his own cup and sighed.
"Mmm, good tea! Luo De, I've noticed you're getting better and better at this!" Zhang Yao took a small sip of the black tea, savoring the sweetness of the honey and the tea leaves' rich flavor, and couldn't help praising it. Then, seeing Luo De's miserable expression, he chuckled. "Heh, don't worry. I'll be back soon. Just bear with it for a little while!"
Knock, knock. As the two drank their black tea and chatted, a knock sounded at the door.
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