Chapter 559: Proactive contact after a great purge
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
Fortunately, the trio had stepped forward with loud rallying commands, as they coordinated with bustling navy officers to provide guidance.
Only after a good long while, did they barely managed to contain the chaotic commotion. Otherwise, if such a hellish situation were to persist, a horrifying catastrophe may have befallen the entire city; causing the entire Port Royal to turn into a ghost city before the virus dies out.
The reorganized marines finally sealed up several crucial roads, before they located for flammable objects. Then, they raised several massive bonfires to intercept the infected puppets. Eventually, they managed to regain control of the upheaval.
Of course, this was an optimal opportunity for the trio to meet leading characters face to face. As such, they didn’t spare Governor Swann who presently didn’t even have the strength to truss a chicken. The trio escorted him to a safe district. Although no unfortunate mishaps befell him, the trio at least allowed their faces to be familiarized with him. Then, they allowed him to calm his own emotions.
Half an hour later, an ashen face Norrington returned. He appeared filthy and pathetic, and permeated out an unexplainably foul stench.
Evidently, his chase had failed. Even his gentlemanly elegance had vanished where he probably received the short end of the stick. Instead, Will Turner was nowhere in sight, where Sheyan reckoned that love sick fool hadn’t given up but continued his pursuit.
Approximately five minutes after Norrington’s return, those fanatically roaring and deranged infected puppets turned stiff before slumping to the ground consecutively. Their skin simultaneously blackened and withered like dried up wood, as though a blowing wind would change them into a dried corpse of ashes. It was clear, the existential period of the virus had concluded.
The frightened and on-edged civilians and the marines strict in formation remained dumbstruck for a moment, before they unanimously staggered to the ground and lamented mournfully. Amidst the chaos, the majority of casualties were their kins, comrades and friends.
Without awaiting for Norrington’s order, a massive purge was implemented throughout Port Royal with great indignation and hatred.
Thanks to Sheyan’s earlier foresight, though the trio was still awkwardly branded as criminals due to their questionable identities, they managed to come out unscathed from the purge.
Moreover, Governor Swann naturally approved and vouched for them. Hence, they obviously had no cause for worry.
Furthermore, most of the marines had personally witnessed the actions of the trio storming the frontlines to resist the infected puppets, while roughly 20 civilians had been rescued from imminent crisis by them. Therefore, under the protection of those ‘protective talismans’, there wasn’t a single misgiving channeled towards the trio during the purge.
Very evidently, the contestants who devised this fearsome ambush had prepared long beforehand. Even before the start, they had washed away all sorts of traces. Thus, not being able to find a single clue was pretty reasonable.
Despite so, ten random pirates, who had been hiding in Port Royal, became the scapegoats to face the wrath of the public. After their limbs were broken, they were hung on gibbets by the reefs at the outskirts of the port.
One also had to mention. Captain Jack Sparrow and Joshamee Gibbs was extremely ‘fortunate’ to have suffered a calamity as well, due to them being different fishes in the same pond.
Due to their inability to provide any verification, they were treated as suspects and thrown into the prison. As such, the history storyline and this present storyline astonishingly converged. Sadly, the revered Captain Sparrow was still thrown into the prisons of Port Royal after all.
Furthermore, he didn’t even get the chance to declare the words ‘Gentlemen, my lady, you will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow.’ Of course, an additional Joshamee would now accompany him in this storyline.
*****************************
Quickly and peacefully, the evening sky elapsed from blue to black.
The air was mixed with the whistling sea breeze and black smoke from the burning corpses.
This originally vibrant port now carried a rich ambience of bereavement.
As he gazed at the ashen clouds looming across the horizon, Sheyan frowned while standing by a tavern entrance.
"I’m afraid there’ll be a hurricane tonight."
Ol’Seadog squinted his eyes to observe before replying.
"Might that be a true possibility. The nefarious color of those clouds terrifies me! Meeting such clouds out at sea, even lowering the sails wouldn’t work except for choppin’ the masts off!"
At this moment, the boss presiding over this tavern overheard the conversation between Sheyan and Ol’Seadog. He immediately scolded his mates, ordering them to make preparations for the hurricane; pressing stones over the roof, keeping the clothes and nailing the windows shut. The boss then went out to procure food at higher prices.
This boss understood the terrifying foresight of those pirates who toiled at sea, and straightforwardly held faith in their words without doubting; because, if the foresight of those pirates weren’t accurate, they would’ve died out at sea.
At this moment, the scout that Sheyan dispatched out to scour for information returned.
According to what Jack Sparrow mentioned, that person named Shawen was a must to be located. As the saying goes, know thyself and thy enemy to come unscathed through a hundred battles. If not, attempting to steal the Aztec gold from the tiger jaws of the Black Pearl would truly be an unaccomplishable mission!
Of course, it wasn’t appropriate for Sheyan’s subordinates to carry out a manhunt during this period. Furthermore, it was a manhunt for a civilian who resided in Port Royal previously.
Nevertheless, they had already established a rather cordial and cooperative relationship with the underground illegal networks after that entire affair with Chris. Thus, Sheyan had directly ordered his pirate subordinate to carry a loaded purse of guineas to seek out Mr Wilson, who gladfully agreed to another round of effortless and delightful partnership.
When that pirate messenger whispered several peculiar words into Sheyan’s ear, Sheyan cried out involuntarily.
"What?! He was thrown into prison? And a prison for important criminals?"
Both Reef and Mogensha couldn't help but exchanged glances. They had just established a cordial relationship with rulers of Port Royal today, could it be now they had to commit a prison break?
This piece of information was truly out of Sheyan’s expectations, but could only console himself. After all, bad news was still better than no news. However, he had to adjust his plans and responses subsequently.
"It seems like Shawen is truly a pivotal character, where the underlying difficulty arrangement of the realm isn’t small at all pertaining to seeking out his help."
"We cannot rush this matter." Sheyan calmly issued. "Let us carefully consider this."
The others similarly understood there wasn’t a need to turn anxious. As the saying goes, speed may not bring one to the destination. Hence, they retired into the tavern to contemplate while drinking.
By now, the gales had gradually turned fiercer, causing the windows to begin whistling. After the tavern master nailed the remaining windows shut, he started to deliver dinner to the trio.
Probably because of the hurricane, their dinner meal was rather simple. A large basin of pulped onion cabbage stew and a large plate of roasted meat, served with black bread. Although the bread had turned hard from the cold, the vegetable broth was boiled and the vegetables pulpy, providing a wondrous chew when soaking black bread into the broth; a truly distinctive flavor.
The roasted meat was rather fatty but pretty dry as well, emitting dried crunches when being chewed in one’s mouth. The delicious fat overflowed in their mouths, blending delightfully with a mouthful of irrigating rum.
After their meal, the gales outside remained raging tempestuously. One could even sense the main structures of the house being pressurized and emitting creaking sounds from shouldering the immense wind force.
Fortunately, this tavern was built rather firmly, appearing as though it could withstand the long test of this hurricane. Therefore, the boss was without worry and retired to his slumber long ago.
Yet at this moment, a knocking sound drifted it from outside.
"Gong gong gong, gong gong gong."
The beat was gentle and rhythmic, not a sliver of panic could be fathomed. Still, it was extremely firm as though it would obstinately persist in knocking as long as the door remained closed.
Ol’Seadog frowned and scolded.
"What be tis’ weather but there be scoundrels seekin’ a drink? Even for accommodations, it be rather late."
Sheyan’s eyes flickered and replied.
"Speaking of this, they should be seeking us out."
Following that, Reef proceeded to open the door, where the howling winds and rainwater flooded in from the door gap. Fortunately, they had prepared and place the candles and other items at unreachable areas. Except, a single gale of the wind still caused the dust in the tavern to swirl messily. The remaining food on the table could no longer be eaten.
But at this moment, everyone’s attention was congregated onto the individual at the entrance.
This individual was handicapped and had to crawl across the ground to advance. Looking at the glossy black shine of his tattered clothes, one could decipher he was a commonly seen beggar one could find in every city.
A filthy, back and smelly crippled beggar.
After the door opened, he strenuously crawled into the tavern with a face devoid of emotions.
They watched as the drenched beggar braced up his body with both arms. His revealed festering skin was oozing with blood from the grinding gravels of the ground, where his eerie white bones could even be seen in certain areas. His wounds were muddled with mashed sludge.
In spite of all these, he remained unfeeling. His perfect right arm was tightly strung across the pit of his stomach, as though not permitting a certain precious object from knocking anything!
That beggar strained himself to squeeze out the words.
"Who, is, Sea, Man?"
Sheyan replied indifferently
"I am."
The beggar stared vacantly at Sheyan. Then, he stooped his head down, and passed away!!
The surrounding individuals instantly felt incomparably perplexed. Ol’Seadog furrowed his brows and warned.
"Cap’n, careful the witchcraft of the Voodoo Cult."
Sheyan waved his hand away.
"Don’t worry, I know what’s happening. Strictly speaking, I am the only one that can help them at present."
All of a sudden, a ringing drifted out from the beggar’s corpse. A ringing totally foreign to the pirates yet exceedingly familiar to the trio.
"Toot~toot~toot~~hellomoto."