Chapter 104: Stealing Someone Away

Sergeant, who had expected to hear some classified information, immediately put on a pained expression. There were plenty of bounty hunters who valued money over their lives, but this was the first time he’d encountered someone so stubborn right after regaining consciousness.

This man before him had undoubtedly expanded the sergeant’s horizons as a naval officer. On a deeper level, his understanding of human limits had been broadened.

Wasn’t this guy afraid the navy would just pocket the bounty and toss him into the sea?

Qiubai wasn’t afraid at all, because if these people had wanted to throw him overboard, they would have done so long ago—there was no need to wait until now.

Just as the sergeant stood up, hesitating whether to slap Qiubai to sober him up, the doctor standing nearby spoke up:

“Sergeant, he just regained consciousness; his mind might not be clear yet, and it’s not appropriate to make him talk. If you want to ask for any information, you’ll have to wait until his condition stabilizes.”

In truth, given Qiubai’s state, it would have been entirely possible for him not to wake up at all. That he had opened his eyes within five days had already exceeded the doctor’s expectations.

Qiubai managing to open his eyes was already a huge effort. Restoring full brain function would require several more days of rest.

Sergeant: “…If that’s the case, why did you rush to notify me?”

He had clearly assumed that once the man woke up, they could immediately “handle” him, which was why he had come so quickly from the warship to this pirate ship.

“I only informed you that the man has awakened. I never made any further explanations or promises. Aren’t you very concerned about him?” The doctor gave the sergeant a sidelong glance, then continued, “Besides, from a common-sense perspective, do you really think someone with such severe injuries can be lively and energetic right after waking up?”

“…”

The sergeant was left speechless. If he had a full intestinal perforation, he would be dead—no chance of waking up.

Moreover, only a fool would argue with a doctor, especially in the navy, where frontline combatants often get injured. Offending a doctor does no good; at best, they might ignore you when you need help, or be rough during treatment… In short, it’s better to listen to the doctor to avoid further injury.

As for Qiubai, his mind wasn’t as cloudy as the doctor suggested, but after hearing the explanation, he closed his eyes and peacefully fell back asleep.

To be honest, having such a resilient heart is rare; most people couldn’t pull this off. To be fully trusted and treated like one of their own by a hostile force is far beyond mere self-hypnosis.

Helpless, the sergeant who had made a futile trip had no choice but to return the way he came, without even learning Qiubai’s name.

But upon returning to the colonel, he was informed that the basic details of the reckless “Baphomet” who valued money over life had already been uncovered.

“After reporting the battle situation to headquarters, we entrusted them to verify this man’s identity, and finally found someone matching his description,” the colonel said as he handed over a file to the sergeant.

Superiors have an obligation to inform their subordinates, as many specific tasks require the sergeant’s direct handling.

“So, he really is a bounty hunter?” The sergeant glanced briefly at the file and asked directly.

The photo clearly showed the injured man aboard the pirate ship, and his identity was indeed listed as a bounty hunter.

The colonel shook his head. “Not necessarily. The timeframe is too short, and… the information might not be authentic.”

If Qiubai had been an active bounty hunter for two or three years, there would be no doubt. But he had appeared out of nowhere, performing such a feat without any prior record.

In a sense, this could be called “rising above the rest.”

“Hyperion... I’ve never heard of that place before. The name might not even be real.”

The file contained the information Qiubai had registered at the bounty hunters’ registry that day, and beneath his photo was written:

Name: Yaezakura

Place of Birth: Hyperion...

Obviously, no one had heard of this nonexistent place, making it highly suspicious—too suspicious.

Someone like Qiubai, who practically wiped out the Komodo pirate crew, wouldn’t be dismissed as a mere coincidence by the navy. They would recognize and value his combat capabilities. He could serve the navy, but also potentially pose a threat. So once he was on their radar, collecting and managing intelligence on him would be inevitable.

The navy might create a profile along these lines:

Name: Yaezakura

Profession: Swordsman · Bounty Hunter

Identification Code: Princess

Spirit Gear: Divine Might Spirit Gear · Number Ten

Weapon: Massacre Gong

Kabbalah Points:

Inverse Kabbalah Vice:

Overall Danger Level: AAA

However, everything needed reexamination, including the authenticity of the information… that was a matter for the future. For now, they had the man in their hands.

The colonel’s thinking was, in effect, setting a standard flag.

The fleet, composed of two warships and a captured pirate ship, gradually moved away from the open sea as time passed and entered a relatively busy shipping lane.

This sandwich-like formation drew a lot of attention. Once someone noticed that the pirate ship was named Komodo, it wasn’t just attention—it was a commotion.

Some vessels even came to pay respects… Meanwhile, a small boat hidden among them showed no unusual behavior.

...

“Qiubai, that fool, has been captured by the navy on the pirate ship in the middle,” Aine said to Peipo aboard the small boat.

At this distance, the Life Card’s indication was clear: Qiubai was indeed on the pirate ship in the center. Partly because his condition made escape impossible, and partly because the navy obviously didn’t want someone like him close by.

Of course, Qiubai wasn’t truly a fool. If he was in the navy’s hands, the most likely scenario was that he aimed to take advantage of the situation to deceive them, or he was genuinely down and out.

Judging by the feeling, Aine believed the latter was more likely.

“What should we do?”

After trailing the warships for a while, the small boat stopped. Watching the commotion was understandable, but tailing them continuously would be suspicious. The two weren’t foolish enough to reveal their intentions so blatantly.

Aine thought for a moment, then said, “Wait for the right moment and infiltrate directly.”

They didn’t have much time and couldn’t prepare everything meticulously. According to the route, the warships would dock in a few days, making matters even more complicated.

Without knowing Qiubai’s exact status, a frontal assault or attempting to sink the warships was out of the question. Instead, she decided on a stealthy approach.

That seemed the more suitable strategy.