40: Chapter 40 Unknown Dissuasion

Richard ordered five mugs of ale, then walked to the bar with Morpheus.

Behind the bar was a white-bearded old man in his fifties, wiping a glass with a greasy rag, his face wearing an expression of extreme boredom.

Morpheus ordered a glass of undiluted wine, pushed over a gold coin, and then described the appearance of the wealthy merchant's daughter and the guard.

The white-bearded old man looked down at the gold coin but didn't take it; he simply shook his head and said he didn't remember anyone like that ever coming by.

There were too many travelers coming and going on Golden Island every day, and countless young men and women; unless they were someone of particular status or someone in particular trouble, it was impossible for him to have any impression of them.

Morpheus pushed over another gold coin, but the old man still shook his head. This time, he didn't even speak, just wiped the glass even more vigorously.

They asked a few other patrons in the tavern, but the result was the same—there were no leads whatsoever.

After leaving the tavern, the group walked along the main street of the harbor, visiting several shops and inns, asking around with the portraits of the merchant's daughter, Haiwei, and the guard.

The shopkeepers' answers were much the same: "Haven't seen them," "Don't remember," "Can't help you."

This unusual situation made Richard feel that something was not quite right.

A wealthy young lady and a young guard should have been an eye-catching pair; it was impossible that no one on the entire island had noticed them.

It was as if someone were deliberately erasing their tracks.

Morpheus suggested finding a quiet place to use the divination cards for positioning again.

The group found a secluded coconut grove by the beach and sat on the sand in the shade of the trees.

Morpheus took the deck of obsidian cards from his sleeve, spread them out on his lap, closed his eyes, and silently chanted for a few minutes, his fingers slowly tracing runes above the cards.

Then, he flipped over the top card. On its face was a skull holding a scythe, stepping on a withered rose.

The Reaper's eye sockets had no eyeballs, only two hollow voids of darkness. It was reversed.

Morpheus's expression shifted slightly, and his fingers stopped at the edge of the card without moving.

"An upright Death signifies death, while a reversed Death signifies being trapped, a death from which one cannot escape... or rather, a situation worse than death."

He gathered the cards, his tone remaining calm, but his voice was lower than usual.

"That merchant's daughter has likely met with some misfortune or is in a state of extreme danger."

"But the location provided by the divination cards is very clear... She is still on Golden Island. Right here on this island."

"Golden Island should be safe," Cecilia said in a low voice.

Her helmet turned slightly toward Morpheus, her voice coming through her veil, tinged with confusion.

"Theoretically, that is the case." Morpheus stood up and brushed the sand off his robes.

"So this in itself is a signal worth being wary of. The safest tourist destination, yet two people have gone missing without a single witness."

He paused, then added: "However, I do know someone, a local information broker, who might be able to give us an answer."

Just then, a voice drifted out from the palm forest behind them.

It didn't come from a single direction, but from several at the same time.

It was as if the speaker were standing in the shadow of every palm tree, all speaking in unison: "I suggest you stop wasting your energy."

As Richard turned, his halberd was already in his hand, the tip pointed toward the source of the voice.

Black Cat's hand crossbow was cocked in an instant, the bolt aimed at the other side.

Lia's sword was unsheathed, and Jinbao pulled a paralysis potion from his kit, holding it in his hand without throwing it.

Everyone's eyes rapidly scanned the surrounding woods, but there was nothing unusual in the forest.

Sunlight filtered through the palm leaves onto the sand, tree shadows swayed, and the sea breeze rustled through the coconut leaves—there was nothing there.

Then the voice sounded again, this time from a coconut tree right above their heads:

"If you are just here for fun and pleasure, Golden Island welcomes you."

"Hot springs, casinos, brothels, fine food—enjoy yourself. But if you insist on continuing to ask about those two missing people, it would be best to leave by boat now."

Richard looked up at the coconut tree and saw a blurry human silhouette on a slanted trunk.

The silhouette stood in the shadow of the trunk, as if it had merged with the darkness. Its specific features were unclear; he could only vaguely make out the outline of a head wearing a mask.

It was a pale, ghastly clown mask painted with a twisted smile, the corners of the mouth curved almost twice as wide as a normal person's, extending all the way to the ears.

"Who are you?" Richard asked, his tone icy.

"A friendly warning."

The Masked Man's figure began to fade from the shadows, disappearing layer by layer into the darkness of the trunk.

The last sentence he spoke before vanishing was so soft it sounded like a laugh:

"The two people you are investigating already belong to someone else as playthings. Give up while you can."

By the time Richard lunged forward with his halberd in a Charge, only a few bent coconut leaves and a small patch of dissipating shadow energy remained on the trunk.

Morpheus judged that this was more likely some kind of racial ability or high-level magic that allowed one to merge into shadows.

Black Cat ran to the coconut tree, squatted on the ground to inspect the tracks for a moment, then stood up and shook her head: there were only their own footprints on the sand; the person had left no marks whatsoever.

Morpheus put the divination cards away, stood under the coconut tree in silence for a moment, and then turned to face Richard.

"Now the situation is very clear... There is indeed something on this island that doesn't want us to find that girl."

"But this also happens to prove that we are on the right track."

"If we can't find any clues, I suggest asking my friend for help. Her name is Serina; she is the headliner at the Moulin Rouge and also the best information broker on Golden Island."

Jinbao and Black Cat spoke almost simultaneously, expressing that they did not want to give up the mission. The reason, of course, was the same: the reward of two hundred gold coins plus membership in the chamber of commerce was simply too tempting.

Morpheus also agreed to continue, saying that Serina's intelligence-gathering capabilities were trustworthy, and if they still had no information after consulting her, it wouldn't be too late to leave then.

Richard glanced at Cecilia.

Cecilia stood half a step behind him, her helmet tilting slightly, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear:

"Giving up the mission will affect our reputation for future contracts. I think we can continue to try."

Richard nodded to Morpheus: "Lead the way."

The Moulin Rouge was located on the entertainment street in the central area of Golden Island and was the tallest and most conspicuous building on the entire street.

Completely different from the taverns hidden in the alleys of Blackwater City, the storefront of the Moulin Rouge was wide enough for two carriages to enter side by side, and the stone steps at the entrance were paved with polished rose-colored granite.

A magnificent red crystal chandelier hung above the main entrance, glowing with an ambiguous pink light even during the day.

Standing on both sides of the door were not fierce-looking thugs, but several attendants dressed in proper black formal wear.

The air was filled with the scent of expensive incense, and the background music was the sound of a harp drifting from some unseen room.