May 10th.

In Aran territory.

Using the technology from the Age of Great Navigation, no, even by Earth standards, Aran's infrastructure was exceptionally exaggerated.

They were running later than expected.

It was only by tonight that they could reach Chenxi Port.

With a distance of twenty or thirty miles left to their destination, they rode on a well-paved road, where the stone slabs were seamlessly fit together. Illuminated by the Magic Energy street lights on either side, Liszt and his fellow mighty veterans hired a carriage. It was called a carriage, but it was actually pulled by two creatures named 'land dragons', which bore no resemblance to dragons, but were rather a scaly hybrid between a rhinoceros and a horse, known for their stamina and most suitable for long-distance travel.

"Why are there so many people near the port?"

Inside the carriage, which was nearly bump-free due to the smooth road, Liszt donned a face-covering, hardly believing that even in this different world there were traffic jams.

You move a mile or two, then stop. Truly bumper to bumper, it couldn't get any more champ or seamless.

"Although it's usually crowded, it might be due to special circumstances."

Galen in the carriage had already guessed why.

"Fucking hell, are they doing a rigorous check for the railway construction or what?"

Now Liszt was an illegal resident, not even having the identity of an adventurer. If he got checked, he'd be in deep trouble, and he was also a notorious Da Ming person in Aran.

Even Tai Shen didn't dare rob a train, but Liszt dared, making him even bolder than Tai Shen.

"It's not because of that, it's because of the preliminary selection for the Continent Martial Arts Competition."

It was an annual grand event, and Galen, who had been living in Aran for a long time, knew it well. Not just in Aran, but people from the Western Continent, Far East Islands, Southern Continent, and even the Northern Realm, anyone who thought they were unmatched, would all come to join the excitement.

It was not just about being the champion; those who performed well and survived in the competition could also have the opportunity to be recruited by the Royal Court to work.

In theory, this was the case, but the actual situation was somewhat complicated, with a bit of political consideration.

The first Continent Martial Arts Competition had put the Royal Court in an embarrassing position because the Aran Sword King, such a formidable figure, was actually from the Far East Islands.

But the Sword King was also savvy, didn't wish to dabble in politics, and agreed to settle in Aran long-term, teaching and lifting the Emperor to the skies. Even at the pinnacle of the martial arts world, one had to submit to the Emperor. The Emperor, pleased, granted an estate and pursued the matter no further.

Yet overall, the affair with the Sword King proved that the Continent Martial Arts Competition was a fair arena that built a huge reputation. Anyone who won, local or foreigner, became instantly famous throughout the Four Seas, with immense wealth and endless streams of stunning beauties.

Not only the Continent Martial Arts Competition, but also the World Martial Arts Competition, Aran's grand stage, if you have the life, you come.

In this world, there were even people who trained rigorously from young just for the competition.

"Preliminaries?"

Liszt didn't understand; he'd been traveling the sea, not paying attention to these things.

"Yes, the number of competitors is countless. The event in Aran Imperial City will have to wait until the Stargazing Festival in mid-September, which is still a quarter away. They're vying for qualification spots, and depending on the number of people, there could be several rounds. Last year there were seven rounds; in the end, there are always one thousand spots for the final competition in the Imperial City."

Galen actually had some longing, but knew he wasn't cut out for it. Such competitions were no joke; blades were blind in their battle, and life or death was of no concern. Even in the preliminaries, once you entered the arena, you had to be ready to die.

Liszt sighed at the wicked imperialism; like father, like son. The Military Government just loved to stir up trouble.

You could say it was like the Western Continent Olympics, but with deaths.

Liszt was wondering if he should participate if his identity was exposed. Still, he decided against it. It was common sense in his line of work not to engage in such fanfare.

Playing along with the Emperor, where would he, the Boss of the East Sea, place his face?

Besides, Liszt believed he'd probably get thrashed if he entered.

"Even with so many participants, it shouldn't be this congested, right?"

While discussing, they hit another traffic jam. Bloody hell, Mika's birthplace turned out to be a major city, just like sending uprooted intellectuals to the sea for reeducation.

"You see, it's like this, as you know, Aran is different from other places. Brothels, casinos, and opium dens have to be conducted in secret, strictly prohibited by law. However, during the Continent Martial Arts Competition period, gambling is legal. Of course, the government takes a cut. It's about betting who wins and loses, and it's a big affair. Many people here are gamblers, not competitors. I guess this year, a lot will jump from buildings again."

Galen recalled last year, with many reports in the newspapers about suicides. The press also continuously appealed to the public that a small gamble refreshes the spirit, but heavy gambling can ruin lives.

Liszt was utterly shocked. What World Cup?

"Can anyone from the Aran Royal Court enter the field?"

Liszt asked Galen.

"Officers below the rank of Officer can participate—those are the rules, but in reality, officials won't actually enter. It might be because those high-ranking people care too much about face. Even if their subordinates participate, they won't get good rankings or the championship. It's quite embarrassing to be treated like gambling pawns in the ring."

Galen idolized Liszt and spared no details.

Liszt felt a tingling itch to go and place a few bets.

The Western Continent had plenty of underground boxing, but Liszt had no interest in watching worthless good-for-nothings fight. You could send Mika up, and he would chop all those guys down.

But the Continent Martial Arts Competition, watching experts fight and earning money from it—sounded insanely cool, didn't it?

Still, he had to take care of business first.

After some thought, Liszt had made a decision; the most reliable person in Golden Palm Port now actually turned out to be that beautiful woman with the great butt. She was the most cultured, the smartest one who could make decisions.

But Celeste was ultimately an outsider, unreliable. That type of secret agent could boost their likability out of nowhere, but it would reset the next day—pointless.

Morison was also out of the question.

To be honest, Liszt thought that not Rein but Brother Sha was the most enigmatic. Rein had nothing but his mouth, while Morison was a certified madman.

He could only entrust it to Haywood. He had gone against the opinion of many to bring Haywood up, who was grateful to him. Otherwise, the people from the Church Court would have sent him for experiments.

Who knows, they might have even had Haywood sleep with women from various races to see if he could produce offspring.

Oh...

He was so jealous of Haywood!

The stops and holds took their toll, and after two long hours, they finally entered Chenxi Port. Due to the special period, there was a significant influx of people, and it wasn't an information society—no electronic backend.

The Military Master didn't have the time to search everyone, just a casual glance that justified their salary before letting people through.

The Da Ming person Liszt had successfully infiltrated Chenxi Port.

Mika's old home.

The locals seemed to love holding firework festivals. As Liszt entered the city, the sky was continuously lit with splendid fireworks.

It had to be said.

Aran's moon was so round.

The food in Heaven Port was awful, but Aran's food—delicious.

We Aran people are truly amazing!

As a port city of Aran, although it couldn't match the cultural hub of Duguli in Cast Province, it had become a top-tier metropolis after years of development.

Gothic buildings lined up in row upon row, an endless sight for the eyes. Chenxi Port boasted many high-level institutions, even universities, and the adventurer's guild had three buildings here—an indication of the city's prosperity.

Liszt, being a murderer from the streets, naturally first looked for a place to stay. The adventurer's guild was open 24 hours, so he could go later.

"You're Aranese, find a low-profile inn. We don't need good conditions, just somewhere hidden."

Liszt planned only to stay here for one night, as he needed to head to the Imperial City the next day.

No...

After some thought, he figured, after sending the letter, staying another day or two wouldn't hurt.

Everyone on Black Sail kept mum about the past, completely sealed away, and Mika was no exception.

For all anyone knew.

Mika might still have family living in Chenxi Port.

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