Chapter 87

(Please note: After this update, there are 2.5 chapters left in the draft. I didn't write much this morning, but I hope to write more this afternoon. There will be another update at 6 PM. I appreciate your support and request your recommendations, monthly votes, and subscriptions. Thank you to all my supporters.)

"… Since I can remember, I've grown up in an orphanage. Later, the royal family, also known as the Lan family, recruited servants. The supervisor saw that I was clever and recruited me as well, so I became a foster child of the Lan family."

"… We all come from Mo Bi Mo Bi, which you land dwellers call the Dream City. We work for our master, the current head of the Lan family. The original head, the Great Lord, passed away not long ago, and the current head has become even more reckless. Not only did he send us to this pirate stronghold, but he also gave us orders to expand the Shadow of the Blue Sea pirate group, making it five times larger than it is now. The number of slaves required has also increased significantly…"

"… Where do the slaves go? The more qualified slaves, such as stunning beauties, are mostly used by the head to bribe senators and nobles. Some are for the head's personal enjoyment. As for the slaves with strong vitality, after we hand them over to the head, they disappear. Among the servants, there are rumors that the head might be practicing some martial arts that require human sacrifices, or that he is sacrificing them to the Azure. But no one knows the truth. Slaves sent to the head never reappear. Over the years, at least tens of thousands of slaves have been sent, but not one has been seen again."

"… This pirate group? When the pirate group first appeared, the Great Lord was still alive. According to the laws and regulations announced by the Grand Elder, people from Mo Bi Mo Bi were not allowed to interfere with the world, so we did not drive away these pirates. The head only secretly contacted them, and at that time, he did not dare to demand slaves on a large scale. He only asked the pirates to plunder wealth to exchange for heavenly treasures and various materials. The support the head provided was martial arts and some social connections."

"… The Great Lord did not ignore these matters, but he was powerless to do anything. We servants all know this. It is said that the Great Lord refused the position of the Ninth Martial King under the Emperor and decided to maintain the tradition of the guardian family not interfering with the world. However, this greatly offended the headquarters of the Human Alliance and the several Ninth Martial Kings under the Emperor who supported the headquarters. So, the Great Lord spent most of his time in seclusion almost a hundred years ago, before I was born. Although the laws and regulations set by the Great Lord were still enforced, no one dared to openly defy them, but in private, the head did things the Great Lord did not know about. After the Great Lord's natural death not long ago, the head became the true head of the Lan family, and the pirate matter became almost public. Only a few people in the Lan family and the common people of Mo Bi Mo Bi do not know. Most of the nobles, officials, and senators are aware of it."

"… The head has used the wealth, heavenly treasures, various precious materials, and beautiful women accumulated by the pirate group over the years to bribe a large number of senators. The head is demanding a change in the constitution, especially the most important clause, which the Great Lord established: the guardian family, the Lan family, will never interfere with the secular world. The head hopes that as a guardian family, the Lan family can rule over the Blue Sea. I don't understand the specifics, as I am just a servant of the Lan family…"

"… The Lan family? The Lan family is the royal family of Mo Bi Mo Bi, and it is recorded in history books. The Lan family is the oldest family in the Blue Sea, the guardian of the Blue Sea, and the supreme ruler of Mo Bi Mo Bi…"

"… The way to enter Mo Bi Mo Bi is underwater. When the Azure is asleep, most of its body is underwater. There are some holes on the surface of the Azure's body, and these holes can be used to enter the Azure and then Mo Bi Mo Bi. Mermaids? No, that's impossible. Humans are humans; how can they become fish? We can't do that, and we haven't heard of anyone who can. The people of the Lan family can't do it either. Although we live in Mo Bi Mo Bi, we are all humans, no different from ordinary humans. Some nobles, senators, and the direct descendants of the Lan family consider themselves more noble, born aristocrats, but fundamentally, we are all humans and cannot become mermaids."

"… The political system of Mo Bi Mo Bi is a constitutional monarchy. However, the head is very dissatisfied with this and is contacting loyal nobles and senators he has bribed to discuss reforms. I don't know the specifics. If you want to enter Mo Bi Mo Bi, it's best to pretend to be refugees. Occasionally, people who fall into the water enter Mo Bi Mo Bi unintentionally. Since the time of the Great Lord, they have been treated well, allowed to settle in Mo Bi Mo Bi, and allowed to leave. However, when they leave, they are blindfolded so they cannot find their way back. The Great Lord died not long ago, and although the head wants to reform, public opinion still sympathizes with the occasional refugees. As long as you are confirmed as refugees, you can basically settle in Mo Bi Mo Bi."

"… Lan Ling'er? The little princess? She is the pearl of the Lan family, the treasure of the Lan family, the most beloved descendant of the Grand Elder. There were even rumors that the Grand Elder hoped the little princess would inherit the throne and become the queen to lead Mo Bi Mo Bi. However, the Grand Elder's natural life ended, and the little princess is still young, so she did not become the queen. Because of this, the head is very wary of the little princess. I heard that the little princess left Mo Bi Mo Bi a few days ago and was put under house arrest when she returned."

Hao Qi and Zhang Heng kept asking questions, and Lan Qi kept answering. After several hours, Hao Qi and Zhang Heng finally had a preliminary understanding of Mo Bi Mo Bi and knew how to enter it. The ship that Lan Qi and the other person drove had a device that, when activated, would seal the entire ship and enter a diving mode. Then, it could enter one of the larger holes in the Azure and subsequently enter Mo Bi Mo Bi.

By this point, there was not much left to ask. Although this person was from Mo Bi Mo Bi and a confidant of the current head of the Lan family, he was still a low-level servant, and the information he knew was sufficient. Hao Qi looked down at him and said, "Now, answer one more question. During your trips to and from this pirate island, have you harmed any of the slaves here? If so, to what extent?"

Lan Qi's eyes gradually became vacant, and he murmured, "Basically, my trips here are very short. I pick up the goods and transport them back, with no time to enjoy anything on the island. The head is very suspicious, and doing so would be courting death… If I had to say, I probably did harm one girl, and I hurt her badly…"

"That time, in that batch of slaves, there was a stunning beauty. She had a fierce personality, and when she was transported to the ship, she tried to bash her head against the steel plates. Such a beauty is rare, the best of the best. The head might use her to bribe the Grand Senator or enjoy her himself. We couldn't let her be disfigured or defiled, or we would all be held responsible. So, I deceived that girl. I told her we were not pirates, that we were just taking her to Mo Bi Mo Bi, the Dream City, where she could receive help."

At this point, Lan Qi's eyes were filled with pain, and his voice was hoarse. "Our ship can dive, and our technology is far more advanced than the outside world. The girl gradually believed me. She stopped trying to kill herself and stopped causing trouble. She followed us to Mo Bi Mo Bi. Then, in Mo Bi Mo Bi, she was taken away by the head's people. When she left, I couldn't bear to look at her eyes… Two months ago, I saw her from a distance. Her eyes were unrecognizable…"

Tears streamed down Lan Qi's face, and Hao Qi and Zhang Heng were silent. Then, Hao Qi kicked the still groaning man into a pile of plants and lifted Lan Qi, walking towards the door. As he walked, he said, "I won't kill you. Your heart is already dead. If you want to do something, do it yourself. Whether you want to inform on us, leave Mo Bi Mo Bi, or do something else, you can choose your own path. Take care of yourself."

Upon hearing this, Lan Qi's tears flowed even more, and his suppressed voice let out a low, mournful growl…

Then…

Mo Bi Mo Bi!

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