A man wearing a naval cap poked his head out of the wheelhouse window and said in astonishment, "It wasn't me! I didn't do anything! It's the ship-the ship's moving backward on its own!"
"???"
Everyone froze, then ran to the side to take a closer look. The ship really was moving backward!
"Boss, our ship's moving backward!"
"It really is!"
Aldrich watched the White Agate drawing closer with a grim expression. After a moment's thought, he suddenly raised his head and called, "May I ask which esteemed person is playing a joke on us? Would you come out and meet us?"
Edward was just about to show himself when he noticed Aldrich suddenly give his men a meaningful look. Six or seven of them then moved to surround a spot piled with barrels.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, Klein grew anxious behind the barrels. If I'd known, I would have brought Edward along when I heard the noise.
He had been startled awake and followed the sound, only to discover these people furtively carrying something off the White Agate-
His first reaction had been to make a noise to alert everyone, but then he saw the White Agate's captain among them. Looking again at the "things" they were carrying, he realized they were people wrapped in blankets!
Human trafficking again?!
Having only just experienced a related incident, Klein was instantly furious. He followed them quietly, planning to investigate before returning to inform Edward.
But the moment he boarded the "small ship," it set off.
This really caught Klein off guard. More than a dozen people had acted meticulously in the middle of the night, bringing in another ship and colluding with the White Agate's captain, all to abduct just a dozen or so people?
*Are you sure you won't lose