Chapter 16: Rhode Island
Rhode Island is an unremarkable island in the Bermuda Archipelago, located in the southern part of the Abyssal Sea. Islands such as Shagga are geographically more advantageous, Manlisha is larger in size, and Clousso boasts more beautiful scenery. Yet no one would ever guess that this place is the headquarters of the “Gray Skulls,” who control all maritime traffic in the entire southern Abyssal Sea region.
At the northern end of the island, two huge, jagged headlands extend deep into the sea from the northeast and northwest, forming a massive oval harbor. The headland to the northeast juts further into the sea, with a lighthouse built from huge basalt rocks standing tall at its peak. Its light can be seen from at least fifty miles away at night. Due to the headlands’ deep indentation into the sea, although the one extending to the northwest is not as far as the northeast one, its terrain is quite flat. The several hundred meters wide neck of this headland is also much smoother, and there is a lighthouse at its peak as well, though it is much shorter. Both headlands have a small split at their tops, resembling the pincers of a scorpion or crab, hence they are named East Pincer Headland and West Pincer Headland.
These two headlands extend outward into the Abyssal Sea, forming an arc-shaped island chain. Inside this chain lies a natural deep-water harbor. A series of docks of varying sizes along the inner side of the island chain appear neatly arranged and orderly. Outside the island chain lies an excellent fishing ground, while the series of reefs along it are the most famous coral sources in the southern Abyssal Sea. However, to fish or collect corals in this area, one must consider the mood of the island’s owner.
The lower section of the island chain is where most of the buildings on Rhode Island are concentrated, making it the most prosperous area on the island. When foreign ships enter the harbor between the East Pincer Headland and West Pincer Headland, they can immediately see a dark three-story building standing at the center of the lower section. On top of the building, a large white flag bears a vivid gray human skull. The skull’s eye sockets are especially prominent, embroidered with black thread, making it stand out sharply against the backdrop.
A window in the middle of the second floor is wide open. An elderly man with a slightly hunched back faces the bay. He wears a fitted velvet vest, with a golden chain hanging from his left chest. His eyes are half-closed, as if about to fall asleep, while his hands are behind his back. A hawthorn wood pipe twists skillfully between his fingers. The sea breeze brings a salty, fishy smell, but the old man seems to enjoy this scent from the open sea greatly, his nostrils flaring as he savors it.
The bearded giant stood behind the large desk, bowing respectfully, not daring to show the slightest lack of deference toward the hunched old man. Perhaps in another setting, strangers might have thought this aged man, half-buried in time, to be some elderly noble or wealthy gentleman, never associating him with the fearsome leader known as “Gray Skull” in the southern part of theMing Seahan Sea.
“So it seems this new lord of the Caucasus has quite ambitious plans. This doesn’t quite match the information passed down by that old fool Philip.” His half-closed eyes remained fixed on the calm sea within the harbor; there weren’t many ships coming and going—this wasn’t the busiest time. Occasionally, a few small patrol boats would leave the harbor to conduct routine patrols along the cape’s edge. Under any circumstances, such patrols must not be neglected—this was an iron rule set by the old man. Those who violated it ended up hung from a high noose in front of a three-story building.
“Yes. I heard that 150,000 immigrants are already on their way, and they should start arriving in the Caucasus within half a month at most. This time, the orc attacks from the north have been too fierce; several countries and city-states have already been conquered, which is why there are so many refugees. As soon as this new lord arrived in Ugru, he began to act actively—gathering support from various local forces while seeking opportunities to make a big impact in the Caucasus. It’s said they discovered an iron mine in the southwestern corner, near the border with the barbarians’ territory. The lord is already recruiting and mobilizing people to build a road from Ugru to that place, probably aiming to use the iron ore to address the financial difficulties in his territory.” The bearded giant added, “Right now, Hes and his son are quite close to that lord. Especially Hes’s son has a close relationship with one of the lord’s attendants. Almost all daily affairs in the Caucasus territory are now handled by that attendant and Hes’s son.”
“Oh?” The last words of the bearded giant finally caught the attention of the previously indifferent hunched old man. He slowly turned around, and it was clear to see a spark of sharpness in his light gray eyes—something untypical for his age. His neatly combed hair was shiny, his thick nose framed by tidy mustaches, and dressed in a crisp gentleman’s coat, he appeared to be a man of impeccable manners.
“Are you saying Hes and that Komer have become allies?! Didn’t you say he was involved in the last assassination attempt as well? Isn’t Hes afraid that the other party will discover the truth behind this?”
“That’s also strange to me. It seems Hes keeps his distance from this lord, but his son is indeed very close to him,” replied the bearded man carefully, choosing his words carefully.
“Are there any changes in Matdan?” Not wanting to dwell on this issue any longer, the hunched old man was most concerned about his own supply and logistics base.
“There haven’t been any major changes for now. However, the lord of Ugru has issued a call for people from various places—refugees, disaster victims, and others—to come and work in farming and mining. This announcement has been spread across the continent through merchants traveling between places, especially within the Kingdom of Nicocia. Besides the large group of refugees still on the road, quite a few scattered refugees have arrived in the Caucasus region, with the highest number in Ugru. In Matdan as well, two or three hundred people have settled down. Most of them are struggling to make a living; they came to Matdan in search of work, usually engaging in farming and logging in the surrounding areas. Two new logging camps have opened up near Matdan’s market, reportedly to provide enough wood for building houses. Many workers have been recruited, and the lord’s representatives have designated an area three kilometers from the center of Matdan all the way to the docks as residential land. It seems this was planned by the lord’s entourage. It appears that Matdan will eventually see a large influx of immigrants. So I’m a bit worried about our supplies…” At this point, the bearded man’s face showed concern.
“Hmph, there’s no need for you to worry needlessly. Do you think that Komer is some easy target? As one of our ‘Gray Skulls,’ he must already be aware of it. On the surface, you appear to be the biggest grain merchant in the Caucasus, but instead of staying in Ugru, where the population is dense, you reside in Matdan, a place with less than a thousand people, importing so much grain each season—far more than what this small population needs. Do you think that lord doesn’t know? Just by the fact that he’s thoroughly studied everyone with some influence in the Caucasus yet left you alone, it’s clear they already know your true identity. But that’s fine; he’s already shown his intentions through this—we’re separate entities. He can be his lord of the Caucasus, and I’ll continue with my pirate ways. As long as he doesn’t interfere with my supplies, we can coexist peacefully. Who knows, maybe we might even cooperate someday.” A sinister smile appeared on his lips. Only at such times did the hunched old man reveal a hint of cunning and darkness, utterly unlike that of a gentleman.
“But now they’re recruiting troops in large numbers to expand their army!” the bearded man blurted out in panic.
“Idiot! Can’t just recruit a bunch of half-orcs to deal with us? Hmph, this lord’s enemy isn’t us—at least not yet. He has many other things to deal with. When will it be our turn? Besides, we haven’t provoked him, and I don’t want to either. He’s a magician, but that doesn’t mean I’m afraid of him. Many things can’t be accomplished just by being a magician. I believe he understands this as well.” Glancing at him sharply, the hunched old man’s gray eyes flashed coldly, making the bearded man shrink back and straighten up quickly.
“Titch, try not to provoke him for now. I believe he won’t trouble you either. From the information I have, this Komer is no ordinary person. Even the famous fallen knights on the continent haven’t been able to defeat him. Heh, this magical lord is quite skilled. Right now, the forces of Catalina in the south are growing stronger and pose a serious threat to our ‘Gray Skulls.’ I don’t want to create an enemy for no reason at this time, but I hope his enemies won’t spare him.” The hunched old man turned his gaze back to the distant bay. “Let’s keep watching. See what tricks he can pull in the Caucasus. Go back down and follow the usual rules, but be careful not to draw too much attention.”
He nodded quickly. The bearded strongman did not dare say more, bowed as a gesture of respect, and silently stepped out through the door.
Staring eastward, the hunched old man murmured to himself in a voice so faint even he could barely hear it, “That old fool Philip actually thought of such a scheme—sowing discord and using others to do the killing by sending pirates ashore. He really thinks I have to rely on your intelligence network. Hmph, you underestimate me, Gott.”