Inside the room, hearing Bilt's sigh, Sothoth pressed his eyelids and said in a low voice:
"Boss, that important person will arrive the day after tomorrow."
Bilt glanced back with a serious expression:
"I know."
"We only have two choices: one is to entrust the mission to Gehrman Sparrow regardless of his trustworthiness, hoping for the best outcome; the other is to immediately abandon our assets in Oravi, take our cash and jewels, and leave to become pirates on the high seas. I'm confident I can get most of the Sailor and adventurers on the ' Pirate Hunter ' to follow us." Sothoth paused, then added, "Boss, when you were an adventurer, leading us to navigate the ships and hunt pirates, you were so resolute and decisive. I think you've already made your decision, and I don't need to do anything more."
"Haha, no need to flatter me." Bilt chuckled bitterly. "I'm no longer the fearless Pirate Hunter I once was, braving blood and gunfire. The long, comfortable life has unknowingly Corrosion my will. I don't even want to continue seeking advancement. The images of my comrades who turned into Monster still seem to live on in my mind."
He exhaled, his expression immediately turning serious.
"However, you're right, we don't have time to hesitate; we must make a decision immediately."
At this point, Bilt tilted his head and gestured with his chin toward the window.
Sothoth was taken aback at first, but then he understood what his boss meant.
After leaving the " Sweet Lemon " bar, Klein strolled along the street, preparing to hire a horse-drawn carriage at the crossroads.
Just then, he heard a loud crash at the upstairs window and saw a figure fall down.
Perhaps because of the terrifying events he had experienced, such as the Antigonus Family Notebook and the bizarre telegraph office in Bansy Harbor, Klein's first thought was that Bilt Brando had suddenly died after visiting him, falling from the building and landing on the ground with his eyes wide open.
This is just like when he Door Opening and saw Riel Bieber's mother dead in an armchair, her body already highly decomposed, her eyeballs falling to the ground with a thud due to the external vibration.
A similar thought flashed through Klein's mind, and he realized that the figure falling from the building was Sothoth Yang, not Bilt Brando.
Moreover, the other party appeared to be in good condition and was clearly still alive.
Oh no, trouble's at hand... Klein's heart skipped a beat, and he made a more accurate assessment.
If he were truly himself, he would have pretended not to see Sothoth Yang off the building to intercept him, turned around and ran away before the other could speak, just like the " Admiral of Stars " when being chased by knowledge.
Unfortunately, I am now Gehrman Sparrow, a mad adventurer who wouldn't run away over something so trivial... Ah, gaining a clearer understanding of myself is an added bonus... Klein stopped and watched Sothoth, dressed in a linen shirt and brown jacket, land steadily, place his hand on his chest, and bow:
"Mr. Gehrman Sparrow, we have something very important to ask you."
"Here it comes..." Klein replied calmly.
I haven't had any free time lately.
"This won't take up too much of your time. You can listen to what it entails first, and then decide whether to refuse or accept," Sothoth, with his black mustache, said sincerely.
I'm afraid that after hearing this, I'll have to accept it... Well, actually it's not so bad. If Bilt Brando and Sothoth Yang dare to threaten me and force me to take on the mission, I wouldn't mind turning them into gold pounds and extraordinary materials... Klein thought about it seriously and found that he didn't seem to need to worry too much at sea. With the strength of a pirate general, he could basically roam freely in most places.
He took out the gold-cased pocket watch from inside his clothes, turned it on, and glanced at it:
You have five minutes.
"Okay, that's enough." Sothoth pointed to the entrance of the " Sweet Lemon " bar behind Klein.
Back in the room, Klein glanced at the wall clock and said coldly:
"3 minutes and 12 seconds left."
His attitude inexplicably calmed Bilt, making him believe that Gehrman Sparrow was absolutely capable of completing the mission.
"Mr. Gehrman, I've heard you can transform into anyone, like the former ' Admiral Hurricane ' Qilangos," Bilt quickly asked.
Who leaked this information? Klein's eyebrows twitched, and his gaze toward Bilt instantly turned deep.
If word gets out that Gehrman Sparrow can transform into anyone, it will be a minor problem for Klein, because it will either remind people of " the Creeping Hunger " and the death of Qilangos, or it will make Beyonder with certain Concealment suspect that he is " the Faceless." The former might attract the attention of the " Hermits of Fate," while the latter will most likely attract the attention of the Church of the Evernight Goddess, which will send people to investigate.
Of course, the Church of the Evernight Goddess doesn't have much influence at sea, so Klein isn't too worried. He's just reluctant to clash with the Nighthawks.
At that point, he would have to give up the identity of Gehrman Sparrow, at a crucial juncture when his image as a crazy, powerful, yet soft-hearted adventurer became more widely known, recognized, and received more and more feedback.
Bilt noticed the change in Gehrman Sparrow's gaze, tensed up instantly, and chuckled:
"This is a message from the Black Death."
Tracy... she's getting revenge on me. One day, I'll finish my hunt on her... Klein nodded slightly.
You can take this news as true.
He didn't deliberately explain where his ability to change others came from, because that fit Gehrman Sparrow's character.
Bilt breathed a sigh of relief, and after a couple of seconds of calm, said:
"We're helping a big shot find a body double."
Under the cryptic gaze of Gehrman Sparrow, he explained in detail:
"That important person needs to handle a Concealment matter on his own, so he needs a stand-in to handle his daily affairs, meet different guests, and deal with his mistress without revealing any problems. He can probably return in three to five days."
"We had already found someone who looked a lot like him, spent a lot of time correcting his mannerisms and accent, and reported this good news to that important person. But then, the homeless Gluttony overate and died suddenly the night before last."
"That important figure is about to begin his operation, and we don't have enough time to find another person who looks very much like him. We have no choice but to ask for your help."
This is exactly the real Acting I've been looking for... Klein's heart skipped a beat.
But he also keenly noticed one point:
Anyone whom the leader of the " Adventurers' Mutual Aid Society " Bilt calls a "big shot" must be a truly big shot. Things surrounding big shots are often not simple and contain considerable risks!
Klein thought for a moment, then asked in a low voice:
Do you think this is dangerous?
"No, as long as you don't expose yourself, there won't be any danger. All you need to do is represent that big shot in the open. Heh, no one dares to assassinate him. Hmm... I know what you're worried about. Are you afraid that big shot will kill everyone who knows afterward? Don't worry, the pirates have made up a lot of vicious rumors about him, so as long as it ends successfully, no matter how much you leak this matter afterward, no one will believe it. It will just be treated as those ridiculous rumors." Bilt spread his hands and laughed.
Klein didn't dwell on the question and instead asked:
What kind of compensation can you offer?
"1000 pounds in cash, plus three opportunities to have it made by a ' Artisan,' haha, I'll cover all costs except for the materials." Bilt started with Gehrman Sparrow's previous commission, offering what he believed the other party couldn't refuse.
It's alright... but the most important thing is the opportunity to actually Acting... Klein glanced at the wall clock and said:
"I'll think about it and give you an answer tonight."
Regardless, it's essential to first go above the Gray Fog to Divination the level of danger!
Considering that Bilt and Sothoth were Sequence 7 or even Sequence 6 Beyonder, Klein did not ask to go to the restroom in person, lest they notice something amiss.
Since the identity of that important figure hadn't been revealed, Bilt wasn't worried and nodded.
"OK.
I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration.
On Williams Street, a nearly two-meter-tall, muscular man named Feysac is searching for clues.
Suddenly, he was struck by Spirit Intuition and raised his head.
Dawn -like light emanated from him, illuminating the surrounding houses and gas streetlights as if they were hallucinations.
At the same time, flames rose up in the streets, and all sorts of supernatural phenomena appeared.
Sure enough, the Sauron Family also sent people... The Feysac man, who had been suspicious before, turned his gaze towards the street ahead.
He saw Nighthawks appear, some wearing Red Gloves and others black gloves, and saw dark, intricately patterned gun barrels protruding from the rooftops, pointed at him, while the surrounding pedestrians seemed completely unaware.
He also saw Archbishop Horamick of the Church of Steam and Machinery of Backlund, and Archbishop Saint Anthony of the Church of the Evernight Goddess Backlund.
Immediately afterward, he caught a glimpse of the Sauron Family members raising their hands above their heads.
... The powerful Feysac spies followed suit and made the same move.
They made a decisive decision and chose to surrender!
Resistance will only result in immediate death, while surrender offers a chance to be redeemed!
At 6:30 p. m., Klein arrived at the " Sweet Lemon " bar again and met with Bilt and Sothoth.
He said expressionlessly:
£500 prepayment.
"Then tell me who you need to become."
Bilt couldn't help but let out a clear smile, gesturing for Sothoth to go to the safe as he said in a deep voice:
He is the supreme naval commander of the kingdom in the Central Sonia Sea.
" Amyrius Rieveldt!"
"A true Demigod!"
P. S.: I'll update first and then revise later. From today until February 12th, there will only be one update at noon.