Chapter 101: An Unexpected Turn of Events

A young lady, just revived by smelling salts after a faint, gazed curiously at Enzo. Enzo smiled, rose slightly on his toes, nodded to the heiress, and said, "When we were dealing with that big fellow, we ran into the fleet of the Five Linked Isles!"

The entire hall was stunned; the vast city hall fell dead silent. Even Blackbeard was unaware of this—the news had been kept secret by Lin Qi, who had ordered Captain Joahan of the Sea Windmill and all his sailors to remain silent. This earth-shaking revelation had to be announced publicly, either by Lin Qi or Enzo.

As Lin Qi had anticipated, the news shocked everyone. The heiress, who had just come to, gasped several times, rolled her eyes, and fainted again. The young gentleman supporting her looked tearful and emotional as he glanced at Enzo, then brought the smelling salts back to her nose.

Under countless astonished gazes, Lin Qi spoke in a deep voice, "Indeed, the alien races from the Five Linked Isles—those damned, hairy, barbaric brutes. And what’s worth our pride is that we didn’t just encounter their ordinary patrol fleet."

Enzo rolled his eyes, slammed his wine glass heavily to the ground, and asked with a sinister tone, "Odin’s Sacred Guards, what kind of creatures are they? Ha! They call themselves Odin’s Sacred Guards! According to the military academy textbooks, they’re the most elite, terrifying, and fanatical armed force of the Five Linked Isles. But the ones we encountered—what were they?"

Lin Qi straightened his chest, clasped his hands behind his back, and winked at the dumbfounded Blackbeard with a smile.

"Yes, I found it strange myself. There were many of them, and they had five blood-red dragon ships!"

Blackbeard coughed lightly and said calmly, "Blood-red dragon ships… If you two youngsters aren’t exaggerating, then you truly encountered Odin’s Sacred Guards. Damn it, how did you make it back alive?"

Blackbeard’s eyes flickered. He didn’t believe Lin Qi was lying. If so, Lin Qi and his companions really did run into Odin’s Sacred Guards? The question is, how did they survive after encountering a fleet of those religious fanatics at sea? Those zealots never leave survivors!

Everyone in the city hall thought at once of the large hole at the stern of the Sea Windmill, surrounded by radiating cracks as if struck by lightning. It was winter, and a stormy, blizzard-filled winter at that. Except for the wizards of Odin’s Sacred Temple—said to be able to channel the spirits of heaven and earth to summon natural storms—even the Western Continent’s magicians would find it difficult to call lightning amidst the northern sea’s hurricane.

Using lightning’s power in a North Sea winter blizzard was a privilege exclusive to Odin’s Sacred Temple’s wizards.

Lin Qi spread his hands, his expression calm, and said, "Therefore, all the whaling harpoons aboard the Sea Windmill were fired; we killed a barbarian berserker, whose strength after transformation should have equaled a heaven-ranked knight. Then, we took down two sacred temple wizards!"

Lin Qi casually uttered these words, yet they triggered a tremendous outcry in the city hall.

Killing two sacred temple wizards with whaling harpoons was entirely plausible. Everyone knew how frail those wizards and magicians were; when not using magic, even a slightly robust twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy could easily kill them with a stone.

But a barbarian berserker whose transformation reached the level of a heaven-ranked knight—such warriors were among the elite of the barbarians, on par with the ancestral warriors of the Black Spirits and the beast berserkers of the beastfolk. They were among the three most fearsome types of fighters.

With only Lin Qi and Enzo’s abilities, and the sailors of the Sea Windmill, could they really have slain a transformed barbarian berserker?

Baron Milo, trembling, stepped out from the crowd. Hands clasped behind his back, he stared sternly at Lin Qi and said, "Mr. Lin Qi, I must remind you: if what you say is true, then without doubt, you have rendered a great service to the Empire. Such merit could earn you a military medal."

He coughed with authority and said sharply, "But if you’re merely joking, I believe we can forget the matter immediately—because your father, the honorable Lord Tiger, is a respectable man in Dunelk. For his dignity and honor, we may let it pass!"

Lin Qi, without a hint of guilt, looked steadily at Baron Milo and answered in a deep voice, "In the name of the gods, esteemed Baron Milo, in the name of the gods, we slew a barbarian berserker and a sacred temple wizard. Colonel Navi, commander of the Dunelk local garrison patrol fleet, can testify. Brave and fearless Colonel Navi led his team to rescue us in time, and he personally beheaded a… Stone Titan!"

Another wave of exclamations swept the hall, accompanied by the alluring sight of heiresses rolling their eyes and fainting.

No one paid attention to these unfortunately timed fainting ladies; everyone’s eyes were fixed on Lin Qi. With Colonel Navi testifying, the matter would certainly be reported to the Imperial Military Department! In that case, false claims of military merit were impossible—the military’s investigators would surely discover whether so many elite forces of the alien races had been lost near Dunelk in the past days.

If everything was true, then the merits Lin Qi and Enzo had earned were astonishing!

A bright future! Everyone cast complex looks at Enzo by Lin Qi’s side. Lin Qi would clearly not join the military, but with such a rich military achievement, Enzo’s prospects were boundless!

Baron Milo coughed softly and asked in a deep voice, "When you returned to Dunelk, why didn’t you report this to me?"

Baron Milo felt some regret; if Lin Qi had reported earlier, perhaps his son, Aaron, could have shared in the glory.

Enzo looked calmly at Baron Milo and replied in a deep voice, "Well, at that time everyone was cheering for the Unicorn Whale King. If we spoke of these bloody matters, wouldn’t it dampen everyone’s spirits?"

Thunderous applause erupted in the city hall, and Enzo’s popularity soared even higher—such an honest and considerate young man! So accomplished at a young age, yet able to remain humble and not boast immediately—what a steady and reliable youth!

Those dignitaries whose families happened to have beautiful young women of Enzo’s age began to eye him brightly.

Lin Qi was satisfied as he watched the varied reactions of the crowd. This was precisely the effect he desired.

Just as Lin Qi smiled smugly, suddenly an angry shout echoed from the entrance of the banquet hall.

"Damn yellow-skinned monkey, I challenge you to a duel!"

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