The Wizarding World's Forbidden Book Administrator

Chapter 21 Relentless Pursuit

Since the presence of Aoyama oranges in the bone marrow port indicates that ships have departed from the trough port to reach this location.

There are many ships on this route, and perhaps it is not the one Henry is looking for, but he does not want to miss even the slightest possibility.

Henry stepped forward and asked about the origin of the green mandarin oranges.

Only then did I learn that the latest batch of Aoyama tangerines was very fresh and was selling like hotcakes at the market.

Following the clues, Henry went to the market and quickly found the fruit shop.

A large crowd had gathered in front of the shop, and the bags of those leaving were all full, proving the rumors to be true.

Henry squeezed through the crowd, bought two pounds of green mandarins, and took the opportunity to strike up a conversation with the shopkeeper:

"These Aoyama tangerines are so fresh, were they all transported from Caogang?"

"Of course! The Aoyama oranges from the Montero Hills have a wonderful and unique flavor, but they also age quickly. They take longer to travel by land and won't be as fresh!"

"So, the purchase price must not be cheap?"

Upon hearing Henry's question, the boss smiled smugly:

"To be honest, I bought this batch of Aoyama tangerines at an even lower price than I usually pay."

"Oh? What happened?"

"That trading ship arrived at Bone Marrow Port five days ago. They planned to transport the goods to the royal city and make a killing. Unfortunately, the continuous headwinds hampered their voyage. The port was also shrouded in storms for those few days, and the ships were unable to leave the port."

"Waiting idly would only cause the quality of the fruit to be wasted. I seized the opportunity and persuaded them to sell all of their Aoyama tangerines to me, and I drastically reduced the price. Unexpectedly, the storm stopped today. They must be kicking themselves."

Seeing his boss laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes, Henry went along with his emotions and said:

"You're quite the shrewd businessman."

"Although being calculating is not a bad thing for merchants, I didn't cut the price too low. Considering the purchase price and the voyage, they should still make a profit, and the empty space in the hold is enough for them to replenish some other goods at the port of marrow."

Countless ships travel between the capital and the port of Marrow, so Henry wondered if it was truly profitable to buy goods in the port of Marrow and sell them in the capital.

However, this question was irrelevant, and Henry took the opportunity to ask:

"Is that trading ship still in Bone Marrow Port?"

"Maybe, but young man, I know what you're thinking. You'll be wasting your time going. I've already bought up all the green tangerines they have."

"I have another purpose; please tell me the address."

With that, Henry took out five small silver coins and put them into the other man's hand.

The shopkeeper shook the silver coins in his palm; the pleasant sound of the metal clashing seemed to bring him joy.

He scrutinized Henry with a sly grin, and casually began to speak...

……

Henry successfully located the target berth, where the trading ship was still moored, much to his delight.

O sea god, could today be the day of our reunion?

Unable to contain his excitement, he walked very fast.

Below the ship, a sailor was standing on the gangplank tending to the ship's side planks, seemingly preparing for departure.

Henry stepped forward and struck up a conversation: "Are you from Caogang?"

The sailor stopped what he was doing, frowned, and scrutinized Henry with suspicion:

"Our starting point was much farther away, but we did stop at Caogang. By the way, who are you, and what brings you here?"

Henry got straight to the point:

"I'd like to ask you if there's a new short guy who's joined the crew?"

"Oh, yes, how did you know?"

"I know him personally, and I've tracked him all the way here. Where is he now?"

"They should be working on the ship right now, but I can't let an outsider like you board."

Upon hearing this, Henry took out two small silver coins and handed them to the other party.

The sailor accepted the bribe and then smiled, saying to Henry:

"However, it's not impossible if someone is watching. You come with me, and you're not allowed to leave my side later."

Henry nodded and followed the other man.

The moment he stepped onto the boarding board, Henry's mind went blank.

"Am I finally going to see her?" Henry thought anxiously. "Do I look presentable now? Will she be happy? What should I say to persuade her to come back with me?"

Countless questions lingered in Henry's mind, but he couldn't find the answers to any of them.

"Found him! That's him!"

When Henry heard the sailor announce the answer and point ahead, he eagerly stared in that direction.

Henry's smile froze instantly.

The sea breeze was indeed cool at this time, but not cold enough to make one feel cold.

However, Henry felt as if ice was covering his body.

His expectations were dashed; with just one glance, Henry knew that the person before him was not Natalie.

He was indeed short and thin, with tiny, rat-like eyes, and an unattractive appearance.

More importantly, he didn't have the bright orange-yellow hair that resembled the rising sun.

"Have I... followed the wrong person the whole way?" Henry thought desperately.

At this moment, the sailor leading the way gave Henry a push:

"Hey, what are you daydreaming about? Didn't you want to see him? Say what you have to say and then get off the ship right away."

Henry then came to his senses and looked at the short man in front of him.

He couldn't help feeling a little resentful, so he stepped forward and asked the shorter man:

"When did you board the ship?"

"First, a month ago, from Caogang."

From the port?

Henry frowned in thought.

No, Henry started from Cod Village and followed this trading ship all the way.

If this short man boarded the ship at Caogang, then who boarded at Cod Village?

Henry pressed further, "Besides you, are there any other people on the ship who are about your age and build?"

The short man shook his head repeatedly: "No, at least not now. There seemed to be one before me."

Henry's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this: "Where is he?"

"I don't know. I met him at the harbor. He said he worked on this ship. I've always wanted to be a sailor, so I thought that since this ship took him in, it would definitely take me too. So I came to try my luck. As it turned out, the captain really let me stay. However, he never boarded the ship again."

"Describe him to me."

"He said his name was Cathy, and he had orange-yellow hair."

Kathy?

Catherine?!

Catherine's Amorous Travels!

Yes, that must be Natalie.

Even more direct evidence is that Kathy has orange-yellow hair!

The new clue made Henry feel a little better.

However, it is indeed a fact that he took the wrong route.

For some reason, the short man on the trading ship was replaced by this young man instead of Natalie, which led Henry to make a misjudgment.

Henry had no reason to stay any longer, so he left the ship.

He wandered aimlessly around the dock, pondering what to do next.

"Thank God, I've finally found you, boss!"

Just then, Henry saw Benson running up, panting, with his hands on his knees, and say this to Henry.

Henry sensed that something unexpected might have happened:

"What's wrong?"

"Wall and Wilson have been arrested!"

Benson looked flustered and was clearly not joking, so Henry asked him to explain the situation in detail.

"After we sold our goods and purchased supplies, we rented a warehouse to store them temporarily. We planned to have some fun at the port, but Wall and Wilson's arrogant attitude attracted the attention of an officer. After a few words, they were detained."

Henry frowned: "An officer?"

"Yes, a fully armed officer with a squad of soldiers, his armor is olive green."

It was him! Henry suddenly realized.

If the opponent is the same knight Henry faced before, then this is going to be troublesome.

If this person is indeed the loyal Hubert Peyton, then his ultimate goal must still be to sink the entire Soaring.

Henry asked, "What did Wall and Wilson say when they were arrested?"

"They were utterly vulgar and swore they would sleep with every woman around that officer, including his eighty-year-old grandmother."

At least they didn't immediately reveal any important information.

However, while there were many ruthless pirates, few were truly tough.

If the two were subjected to torture and forced confession, it wouldn't take more than a few lashes for them to reveal even the number of moles on their bodies.

If they reveal the location of the Flying Sail's anchorage, Henry's small boat would be no match for the enemy warships and would likely be unable to return in time.

Without the octopus's command, the shrimps are ultimately just a mob, and Henry has no hope that those mediocre men can escape the pursuit of the warships.

Although Henry was more than happy to have the knight eliminate Wall and Wilson, two of his biggest concerns, he couldn't have asked for it.

But for now, Henry has to influence the course of events before they are subjected to interrogation.

Henry asked, "How long ago did this happen?"

"I followed them and found that Wall and Wilson were locked in a stone house in the Northwest Highlands. I came to find you immediately after that, at least ten minutes have passed."

Time is tight.

"Are there soldiers guarding the stone house?"

"Besides the officers and their men, there were soldiers stationed in the house itself."

If heavily guarded, Henry and Benson alone wouldn't be able to cause much trouble.

We must outsmart them.

Henry rubbed his fingers against his beard, and after a moment, he looked up:

"We'll split up, and you must strictly follow my orders."

After Benson nodded, Henry laid out the entire plan:

"Go east and set a fire, making sure it's big enough that the smoke is visible to everyone in the harbor. Then, have a ship set sail immediately, and after it leaves, spread rumors that the ship that just left was a pirate ship."

"How can I incite the ships to leave port?"

Henry smiled:

"If pirates are as cunning as foxes, then merchant ships must be as cunning as rabbits to avoid being preyed upon. Rabbits have a habit of fleeing immediately at the slightest sign of danger. If you simply tell them that pirates are attacking, they will immediately waver and follow your advice."

News of the pirate attack on Chau Harbor must have spread throughout the entire southern coast, serving as a warning to all those who make a living at sea that even major ports are not without their dangers.

The thick smoke rising from the fire will surely shake their confidence again. With just a little embellishment, they will undoubtedly do the most selfish thing!

Henry, who was born a pirate, knew all about these things from a young age.

Benson nodded, and Henry agreed to meet him later at the warehouse where the goods were stored, after which the two parted ways.

Henry arrived at the northwest of the port and immediately saw the stone house.

It sits atop a high hill overlooking the harbor, a prime location from which one can easily monitor the entire port.

Henry, below the stone house, also began spreading rumors of an impending pirate attack.

Before long, Henry saw thick smoke, like a black python, slowly creeping into the sky from the east side of the harbor.

The plan is proceeding smoothly.

Henry did all this to lure the enemy away from their prey.

Henry only has room to maneuver when the defense is weak.

If we capture Sir Wall and Wilson, who are truly loyal dogs, they will certainly not remain indifferent upon hearing the news of the pirate attack.

Once he takes his men with him, Henry can sneak into the stone house and act as he sees fit.

If this person does not choose to attack in this situation, it means he is not a loyal dog.

Others' hatred for the Soaring Ship would not be so intense and urgent.

Henry and Benson then had enough time to row the small boat back to the Soaring.

The two could then abandon Wall and Wilson without any qualms, which would also be a good opportunity to use them as pawns.

Henry could accept either outcome.

A moment later, a group of soldiers came down from the hill.

The one leading the group was the knight in olive-colored armor.

As he walked past Henry, he immediately noticed Henry and stared at him with narrowed eyes.

Henry met his gaze without looking away.

The knight did not turn eastward again until he had traveled a sufficient distance.

As Henry watched the departing procession, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He was certain that this man must be the loyal dog Hubert Peyton!

Henry had no time to waste and immediately set off, sneaking up the hill.

He hid behind the bunker and observed the situation of the stone house.

Currently, only four soldiers remain guarding the outside of the stone house, and the number of soldiers inside is unknown.

The situation remains difficult, but it's unlikely to improve.

Henry can't think of any other way but to resort to force.

Henry crept closer to the stone house, thinking that assassination would be the best option.

But they were still discovered, and a soldier drew his sword and shouted:

"Hey! What are you doing sneaking around like that!"

Henry raised his hands in surrender and approached, saying:

"Sir! Something terrible has happened! Pirates are attacking the port!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers relaxed their guard slightly.

"That nobleman has already led his troops to investigate. You just need to find a safe place to hide."

By this time, Henry was close enough to the soldier that the instant the soldier sheathed his sword, Henry immediately drew the axe hidden under his coat.

The axe struck the soldier squarely in the face, and the soldier died without even uttering a sound.

Henry drew his axe and, seizing the moment, continued to gain the upper hand before the other soldiers could react.

He immediately saw a soldier with his back to him and rushed towards him.

Grip the axe handle tightly with both hands and leap down to chop at the back of the opponent's head.

The magic axe, enchanted with the attributes of "sharp" and "hard," easily pierced through the helmet's steel plate and cleaved into the opponent's skull.

The second soldier was also easily dealt with by Henry.

However, the piercing noise from the metal clashing quickly attracted the attention of the other soldiers.

One of them spotted Henry first and shouted, "Enemies!"