Silent Crown

After it had been reconstructed, Avalon Shipyard Three already occupied all of the workshops on an entire island, leaving only the largest factory.

The disassembled hull of the Mountain of Nomadism was laid out on the ground, forming what looked like an awe-inspiring mountain range. Bit by bit it was lifted up into the air by tower cranes with crisscrossing steel cables.

Amid the shrieking of steel and iron, a large number of engineers shrouded in protective clothing were in the midst of careful preparations for the secondary construction and refitting. This legendary warship from the frontlines had been disassembled and added to the construction.

Ye Qingxuan had fulfilled his promise to Egor.

He had given him the best ship in the world.

The best warship in the world.

Egor, who had already joined the Inquisition, would have been crazy about this place. As a former pirate who had become a running dog for the Anglos, it was a surprise that he had received such high treatment. If this news got back to those fools on the Illusion Islands their eyes would pop out of their heads in jealousy.

After finding out how fast the engineering was progressing, Ye Qingxuan turned to leave.

The main reason he had come here was to look for Shi Dong.

He didn’t know what the old b*stard had been up to this last month. His face was red and healthy, he had a good appetite, and he had even gone through two extra oxygen canisters.

As a boss who cared for his subordinates, Ye Qingxuan felt that he should find out what that group of old wretches was up to.

Since he was the official who would save the nation in its darkest hour, Queen Mary had generously promised the Inquisition large amounts of material support. Now, Maxwell’s manor island was already covered in all kinds of materials, and was in the process of being turned into a fortress.

The place was being turned into the Inquisition’s headquarters, but of all the installations in Avalon it was merely a subsidiary institution, responsible for communications and incidental recruitment.

These days, the status of the Inquisition was like that of the Chainsaw Fraternity in Canaan: it was a world apart.

Moreover, Shi Dong’s old face was still obviously worth a bit of money. After he had learned that he would get no help from the Church, he had started to walk the path of the Chainsaw Fraternity. They had recently reached an agreement. Within a few days they would help the Inquisition build new workshops in the Anglo Kingdom, in order to build all-new Power Armor for the Witch Hammer.

The Inquisition had brought out their secret codexes, and the Chainsaw Fraternity had supplied them with new technologies, and thus they had started researching armor for the new century. The Royal Institute of Research had also lent a hand, unrestricting part of the technology for Archangel Armor and Armor of the Round Table.

And Mephistopheles from Westminster Abbey had been involved as well, disguising himself as an arms dealer in order to lend a hand.

By now the Inquisition was truly a fellowship of heretics.

The Inquisition, the Chainsaw Fraternity, and Westminster Abbey, which the Sacred City was starting to frown upon, had unhappily entered into shady deals and illicit relations.

If Ye Qingxuan had been a cardinal bishop, he would be kicking himself right now.

But there was nothing to be done. The ways of the world were now out of order, and the nations, while seemingly working together, were at odds with one another. All kinds of subordinate organizations had begun planning their betrayals, seeking a way out.

The cracks that Hyakume had created before it died had gradually begun to expand. Now, people were gradually becoming aware of them…The world was changing.

The shackles had begun to loosen. Everyone was as eager as a wild dog let off its leash, just waiting for the big news.

“What have I been doing lately?”

Helplessness was written all over Shi Dong’s face as he was intercepted by Ye Qingxuan. “I’m doing what you should have been doing in the first place…at any rate, you’re a Captain of the Inquisition, don’t you ever get out? You didn’t look at the things I gave you again, and on the ones you did look at you just wrote that I should do as I see fit. So I’m just doing as I see fit…oh by the way, that young man named Watson is pretty good, can you lend him to me and let me train him for a while?”

Ye Qingxuan was suddenly dumbfounded.

“You two have spoken?”

“Of course.”

Shi Dong’s face lit up as he spoke about this: “He’s got real potential. I didn’t think you still had such useful young people. Leaving him to deal with those gangsters is a real waste of his talents. Why don’t you transfer him to the Inquisition, let him be my assistant? In five years…no, not even three, I’ll be able to completely set my mind at ease.”

Ye Qingxuan didn’t know what to say.

What could he say?

Sorry, the one you are talking about was once the original high priest of Hyakume in the Anglo Kingdom, was once a genius Dark Musician, and at such a young age had been the force behind the scenes for so many important events?

Oh…and that b*stard had, with his own knife…

“What’s wrong? You’re not willing to let him go?” Shi Dong watched Ye Qingxuan’s distorted expression, and his spirits fell. “Hey, this is all the interest of working for you.”

“Uh…”

Ye Qingxuan was suddenly even more conflicted. He didn’t mind Watson taking on this burden, and he was quite useful. He could leave any dirty work to him, and not have to worry about doing it himself. But…

“You don’t care about his past?” Ye Qingxuan asked carefully, lest the old b*stard grab his knife and rush into Avalon to clear it of heresy.

“It’s pretty bad.”

Shi Dong clearly knew what he was talking about. He turned his head with a look of disdain and called, “Old Cripple! Is Old Cripple here?”

An old man came floating over from a distant workshop.

He wore a black ferraiolone. His body was withered and his legs were different lengths. He was floating in the air. Viewing him from behind from this distance, he looked like a bald mop, sliding back and forth across the floor.

It was only when viewing him from the front that he looked like a normal old man, but he concealed a darkness that was difficult to describe. His hooked nose and pair of empty eye holes were enough to frighten away children.

“What is it?”

The old man’s mouth did not move. His gravelly voice came from his chest.

Shi Dong scratched his bald head and asked, “What did you originally do before I cut off your leg? I’ve forgotten, remind me.”

The old man spat. “I was the chief of the Dark Musicians of Canaan, what of it?” he said unhappily. “It was so many years ago, why are you bringing up the past?”

“Alright, its fine. Go on back now.”

Shi Dong waved his hand lightly. He looked back at Ye Qingxuan. “Any more questions?”

“…”

After a while, Ye Qingxuan, who had held his breath for so long he had nearly suffocated, finally breathed a helpless sigh. “Fine, you go talk to him. If he’s willing, I won’t get in the way.”

What was wrong with the world?

The Inquisition was full of heretics, the Silence Governance had let loose the Revolutionary Army, the College of Cardinals had cultivated the incarnation of Hyakume…it was completely f*cking preposterous.

“The Inquisition has always been accepting of all.”

“Besides, aren’t the Dark Musicians and the Dark Sovereign still bottled up?” Shi Dong boasted without realizing it. “Oh right, if that guy Dominic is free, why don’t you have him come over to the court for a while? It seems like he’s been pretty idle…”

The old man’s club was really filling up!

“Beat it!”

Ye Qingxuan felt that talking to this old man was sapping his energy, and he was tired of it.

“Oh, right. There is one matter that I haven’t been able to handle myself. You’ll need to decide for yourself.”

Shi Dong gave a one of those sly smiles that was his specialty, making Ye Qingxuan a bit uneasy.

He pulled out an invitation.

“Her Highness the Queen would like you to attend a banquet.”

Ye Qingxuan suddenly felt the world go black before his eyes.