NOVEL NEXT Chapter 96: Time to Pick Up the Old Trade Again!
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A little later, Link returned to the air harbor.
This trip had been quite satisfying for him.
He had witnessed the unique scenery of Bilgewater, so different from the Twin Cities, learned about the local customs, tested his weapons during the attack, obtained a list of targets, and most importantly, he had captured Graves, a native hero of Bilgewater.
According to his plan, coming to Bilgewater was not just about killing Gangplank and eliminating the threat to the shipping routes controlled by the Ferros family. It was also about establishing the first branch of the Bluebird Trading Company here.
The Bluebird Trading Company was currently conducting a pilot program in the Twin Cities, exploring a viable commercial system and structure.
Once successful, it could be implemented in Bilgewater, allowing Link, the Ferros family, and Janna to reap wealth and faith, respectively.
As for the native faith of Bilgewater, Nagakabouros...
To be honest, Link didn't see it as a problem.
Within the Nagakabouros sect, aside from Illaoi, no followers were willing to preach or spread the faith here.
As long as Illaoi was dealt with, the Nagakabouros sect would automatically abandon Bilgewater, giving Link and Janna an opportunity.
Standing on the air harbor for a moment, Link looked down at the bustling port below. Ships from all over docked there, but the rental fees for the docks were much lower than those for the air harbor.
For the people of Bilgewater, the belief that "the higher the mountain, the lower the water" was a lifelong principle.
The higher the place, the more gold it cost to access.
And the safer it was.
After watching for a while, Link returned to his airship.
"Sir—" A spy approached, holding a stack of documents. On top was a report detailing how Miss Fortune had bypassed the altitude restrictions to attack the airship.
Picking up the report, Link began to read.
As he scanned the text and diagrams, his eyebrows raised slightly.
"Has the loss of craftsmen from the Twin Cities become this severe?" Link asked the spy. The spy replied expressionlessly, "Sir, before you took power, the loss of skilled craftsmen and talents was one of the most troubling issues for the families. The evaluation committee under the former council was an insurmountable barrier for many ordinary craftsmen."
"I see—" Link's eyes showed understanding. The influence of the Piltover Council extended to every aspect of the city, and the evaluation committee was one of them.
For the families, they only wanted the most talented craftsmen. Everyone else was deemed unnecessary.
This monopolization of skilled craftsmen by the families left those who didn't meet the standards to work in various workshops. The rest had no choice but to leave Piltover and settle in other cities, using their skills to change their fate.
Miss Fortune's ability to attack the airship was made possible by craftsmen from the Twin Cities. They had designed a specialized tool for raiding airships based on the concept of a springboard.
This raiding tool was essentially a modified harpoon launcher with a deformable anchor head, connected to thick ropes and equipped with special climbing gear. It allowed raiders to ignore altitude differences and attack airships.
"Bring Sarah to me!"
After putting away the report, Link dismissed the spy.
Once the spy left, Link headed to the guest cabin.
This was where Vander was resting.
Since Link had gone to the Leviathan yesterday, Vander and Jinx had been waiting here.
As soon as he entered, Link saw blue monkey graffiti sprayed on the walls of the cabin, along with a mess of tools and gadgets bearing Jinx's signature style.
Jinx had taken off her armor and was now wearing a crop top and hot pants, sitting cross-legged on the floor. She was wearing goggles and modifying her Fishbones.
The girl was so immersed in her work that she didn't even notice Link's arrival.
Vander approached Link. His resting area in the cabin was just a simple mat on the floor. His massive frame made ordinary beds unsuitable for him.
"Is it done?" Vander squatted in front of Link, who nodded slightly. "It's mostly done. There are just a few minor issues left. I'll send you a list of names later. You and Jinx will follow one of my employees to deal with these scumbags."
"Got it," Vander replied, showing no hesitation.
After being reborn, Vander had come to understand many things, including the reason he and Silco had parted ways.
In short, having the determination to protect everything wasn't enough. You also needed the power to match that determination to safeguard what you held dear.
"Also, I've brought you a new companion. Help train him," Link said, tossing Graves out of his inventory. Graves landed headfirst on the floor, clutching his forehead and groaning in pain.
"Ouch, that hurt!"
Link watched him coldly for a moment, only looking away when Graves finally quieted down. He then turned to Vander.
"Vander, he's all yours."
"Don't worry," Vander said, looking down at Graves with a menacing grin. "I'll teach him well."
Graves swallowed hard, feeling like the events of today were more bizarre than anything he'd experienced in decades.
First, he encountered an impossibly strong young man, and now this monster.
Ever since he and Twisted Fate had parted ways, his luck had taken a nosedive.
As Graves was dragged away by Vander, Link turned his attention to Jinx.
"What are you working on?" Link asked. Jinx paused her work, lifting her goggles as she looked up. "Just giving my baby a makeover!"
Link's gaze fell on Fishbones. His designs always followed a minimalist style, never focusing on aesthetics but rather on simplicity and functionality.
However, in Jinx's hands, the sleek machine gun had gained a pair of cat ears, and the barrel was now painted in a riot of colors.
"I'm modifying it based on your blueprints," Jinx said, picking up the design documents Link had given her. She studied the schematics as she spoke. "I'm adding my own touch without messing with the core functionality!"
"That's a good idea," Link said, showing no objection. If Jinx could add her own flair without compromising the integrity of Fishbones, it would be a sign of real progress.
This kind of progress was exactly what Link wanted to see.
After exchanging a few more words, Link left and returned to the guest cabin.
With Graves in hand, Twisted Fate couldn't be far behind.
But just to be safe, Link decided to impose some control measures on Graves.
Thinking this, Link drew some blood and turned it into capsules, which he handed to a spy to feed to Graves.
After completing this task, Link took off his lab coat and handed it to Pride, whom he had just summoned, instructing him to hang it up. He then sat on the sofa, deep in thought.
He was familiar with the events of the Harrowing, but the help he could gather was limited.
Graves and Miss Fortune were just the beginning. Later, he might seek out Lucian and Olaf, who also appeared during the Harrowing.
Besides that, he needed more firepower and stronger guarantees.
So—
Link opened the dimensional mailbox and stared at the blank draft paper.
It was time to pick up the old trade again.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 140 on my patreon go take a look and remember if you reach 160 stones of power I will publish the next chapter.