81: Chapter 81 Infiltrating

Under the cover of night, the docks of Donghai Prefecture were brightly lit, yet they were permeated by an air of grim hostility, vastly different from usual.

At this hour, it should have been a scene of bustling activity, with fishing boats returning to port, cargo ships being loaded and unloaded, and coolies clamoring; now, however, it was replaced by swarms of naval soldiers.

The entrance to the docks had been fortified with layers of barricades and caltrops. Under the illumination of torches, dozens of fully armed soldiers stood at attention with halberds, their gazes scanning everyone attempting to approach like hawks.

Jiang Hanzhou, in the Incarnation of a weathered middle-aged man, carried a satchel and mingled on the outskirts of the crowd.

At a glance, he spotted Old Third Zhao in the front row of the crowd, hopping with anxiety.

"... Officer, please, have mercy. I just want to go to my boat to retrieve a forgotten fish basket! I have to go out to sea tomorrow morning!" Old Third Zhao said with a fawning smile, bowing to the officer guarding the gate.

The officer's face was as dark as water, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade, his voice cold and hard: "By the joint decree of the Admiral's Office and the Prefectural Governors Mansion, all civilian docks are sealed effective immediately. Entry is permitted, but exit is forbidden! No ships or personnel may pass without a special permit! Violators will be treated as spies!"

"But this... how long will it be sealed for?" Other fishermen and boat owners nearby also began to complain.

"Silence!" the officer shouted sternly. The soldiers behind him took a uniform step forward, pointing their halberds, the cold light gleaming, "Anyone who dares to clamor or charge again will be arrested without exception!"

The crowd immediately fell silent, terrified. Old Third Zhao and the others had no choice but to retreat with bitter expressions, gathering together to whisper curses about this sudden turn of events.

Jiang Hanzhou watched from afar, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

The blockade was so tight, faster and more thorough than he had anticipated.

It seemed that the escape of the Ghost Ink Venerable, along with the serious injury of Li Chongshan and the death of Li Jingming, had caused the entire official power structure of Donghai Prefecture to explode in chaos, determined to dig him out at any cost.

He silently retreated into a dimly lit alleyway nearby, where fishing nets and wooden barrels were piled up.

The alley was damp, filled with the stench of fish and rotting seaweed.

Jiang Hanzhou quickly took off his coarse outer garment and satchel. With a thought, he retrieved the set of officer's leather armor and the black water token from his sumeru pouch.

He circulated his Qi and blood again, his facial bones and muscles adjusting slightly. His posture straightened, and in an instant, he transformed back into the appearance of that low-ranking officer.

He put on the leather armor neatly, hung the black water token in the most conspicuous place on his waist, took a deep breath to suppress all emotions, and his eyes became as cold and professional as if he were on duty.

He turned, strode forward, and walked out of the alley.

This time, he no longer concealed the rhythmic and forceful gait characteristic of a soldier, heading straight toward the dock entrance.

"Halt! Who goes there?" The soldiers guarding the barricade immediately looked over with vigilance.

Jiang Hanzhou did not stop his pace; he raised his hand to reveal the black water token, his voice not loud but carrying an unquestionable tone: "Admiral's Office, urgent dispatch."

The officer guarding the gate stepped forward quickly to inspect the token, then carefully scrutinized the face of Jiang Hanzhou, which had been altered by disguise.

Jiang Hanzhou met his gaze calmly, his eyes revealing just the right amount of impatience at being delayed.

There were thousands of low-ranking officers in the military camp, and especially in these chaotic times, it was perfectly normal for them not to know each other. The style and aura of the black water token could not be faked; it was specially made within the navy and featured simple anti-counterfeiting runes.

The officer verified it was genuine, and seeing that Jiang Hanzhou's demeanor was steady and not feigned, he waved his hand to let him pass: "Go ahead, my lord! They are assembling inside, do not be late."

Jiang Hanzhou nodded slightly, took back the token, and walked quickly through the barricade, stepping into the dock area.

Once inside, the atmosphere became even more tense.

On the vast docks, torches were as dense as a forest, illuminating the area as bright as day.

Teams of naval soldiers were running from the direction of the barracks, lining up under various warships. The shouts of officers, roll calls, and the clashing of weapons merged into a cacophony.

Deep within the docks, the few main warships that had sustained minor damage in the anti-demon battle had already hoisted some sails. Their massive black silhouettes lurked in the night, like marine behemoths about to awaken.

Jiang Hanzhou was just about to observe the situation and find a relatively secluded corner to wait for an opportunity when a man, also wearing the attire of a low-ranking officer and bearing a scar on his face, hurried over and grabbed his arm.

"Old Chen! What are you dawdling here for? Hurry! Your team is almost all on board, they're just waiting for you! The Centurion is losing his temper!" The scarred man spoke with urgency, clearly having mistaken him for someone else.

Jiang Hanzhou's heart stirred, but he immediately put on a look of realization and apology, lowering his voice: "I went to fetch something just now and got delayed! I'm going now!"

"Go, go! Ship Number Three! Don't go to the wrong one!" The scarred man shoved him, then hurried off elsewhere to urge others.

Jiang Hanzhou took the opportunity to walk quickly toward the third warship on the east side of the dock.

It was a "Sea Patrol Fast Ship," slightly smaller than the main warships but faster. The gangplanks were already set, and teams of soldiers were boarding in an orderly fashion.

He mingled into a team of soldiers who were boarding; no one questioned him.

There were many low-ranking officers on the ship responsible for managing their respective teams, and with the scene being chaotic, no one scrutinized him closely.

Successfully stepping onto the deck, Jiang Hanzhou immediately felt the even heavier atmosphere on the ship.

The deck was packed with soldiers, most of whom were silent, checking their weapons and armor.

The air was filled with a scent mixed with tung oil, rust, and a faint brininess of the sea, along with a stifling sense of tension.

Before long, a Centurion wearing iron scale armor, possessing a powerful aura and sharp eyes, strode to the high point of the foredeck, his gaze sweeping over the sea of heads below.

"Silence!" His voice was resonant, carrying Protective Aura, overpowering all the noise.

The deck instantly fell silent.

"Brothers!" The Centurion's expression was solemn, his voice spreading throughout the ship, "I trust some of you have already heard! In the recent anti-demon battle, the Ten Thousand Gu Sect demon known as the 'Ghost Ink Venerable,' who had infiltrated our Donghai Prefecture, took advantage of the chaos to ambush the Head of the Li Family, stole the essence of the demon's flesh and blood, and cruelly murdered the Eldest Young Master Li before fleeing!"

Although many had already heard rumors, hearing the Centurion confirm it personally still caused a wave of stifled gasps and intakes of breath to ripple across the deck.

A cold light flashed in the Centurion's eyes as he continued: "This villain is extremely vicious and uses ruthless methods; furthermore, he possesses the secret arts of the Ten Thousand Gu Sect and is a major threat to our Donghai Prefecture! The Admiral has ordered: the entire navy, except for those necessary to remain on guard, is to set sail immediately with all capable warships. Coordinate with the forces of the various clans to launch a dragnet search! The target: the waters outside Donghai Prefecture, within a radius of three hundred miles, including all islands, reefs, and suspicious ships! At all costs, he must be dug out, dead or alive!"

"This voyage may be dangerous. That demon is adept at concealment and treacherous poisons. Every team must be on high alert, obey orders, and watch out for one another!"

He paused, his voice suddenly rising, carrying an air of iron-blooded slaughter: "For the peace of Donghai Prefecture, for our fallen brothers, and for the honor of the navy! In this battle, we must win; defeat is not an option!"

"Understood!" On the deck, all the soldiers roared in unison, the sound wave shaking the ship's hull until it hummed.

Jiang Hanzhou stood in the crowd and roared along with them, but his eyes remained calm.

As expected.

The navy was deploying its entire force, determined to scour the earth.

With Xu Zhaoyang's cultivation in the Dragon Fetus Realm, combined with the Li Family in a state of fury, and the assistance of the Zhou and Wang families, this formation was truly astonishing.

He secretly warned himself.

At this moment, the ship was filled with a mix of people, and with high-ranking officers in command, it was definitely not the time to show off.

Once exposed, even if he could fight his way out, he would surely alert Xu Zhaoyang. Facing the pursuit of a powerhouse at the second level of the Dragon Elephant Realm on the vast open sea, the hope of escape would be slim.

"Very well," Jiang Hanzhou calculated calmly in his heart, "I will follow the naval fleet out to sea and move away from the center of this vortex in Donghai Prefecture. Once we reach the open sea, I will find an opportunity to escape. The Ghost Ink Venerable is skilled in concealment; it will not be easy for the navy to find him. They will likely be circling the sea for many days, which is exactly my opportunity."

Having made up his mind, he completely settled down and began to perfectly play the role of an ordinary low-ranking naval officer.

Soon, as the signal flags of the various ships waved, the low sound of horns rang out again.

"Weigh anchor! Hoist sails!"

The Sea Patrol Fast Ship shuddered slightly, and the hull began to move slowly, sailing away from the docks.