Chapter 3041 - 1013: What? Support the Dwarf Marshal? No Way!

Chapter 3041: Chapter 1013: What? Support the Dwarf Marshal? No Way!

Murphy spent nearly an hour in the parlor chatting with Katerina, the fledgling Priest of the Giant Rock, before he finished organizing the reward entries for the new tasks he was preparing to release.

Mainly, he learned from Katerina about the valuable items held by the mermaids and their respective worth, enabling him to better plan the different tiers of rewards for the upcoming chase event.

One would not know until they asked, but once they did, it was quite surprising how many good things these Mermaid Sisters had up their sleeves.

From natural abyssal pearls that could enchant armors with "underwater breathing" and "ice armament," to various exquisite weapons forged for underwater combat using the "Water Forging Method," to the sunken treasures found by the mermaids during their underwater roaming.

According to Katerina, the internal trade among the Atlantean Shark People did not involve easily rusted coins, so their demand for precious metals wasn’t high.

Conversely, greedy land dwellers highly favored these shiny objects, and a significant portion of the important resources that the Atlantean Kingdom paid tribute to the Kalem Ancient Country each year included precious metals mined from the sea.

Katerina also informed Murphy that the precise location of the Atlantean Kingdom is approximately beneath the Misty Sea off the coast where the Dark Mountain Range meets the Kalem Ancient Country. There, they occupy vast and fertile maritime territories, living carefree lives under the protection of the fierce Dragonborn and the Sea Abyss Deity, without worrying about their livelihood.

The kingdom structure of the mermaids is a federal system composed of seven provinces, with Katerina’s Large Reef Province located on the kingdom’s frontier, near the Origin Land.

This is a standard enclave, with the mermaids stationed long-term in the Large Reef Province not only because of its rich resources and good environment but also because they undertake diplomatic duties between the Kalem Ancient Country and the Sanghai Empire.

As a loyal vassal of the Kalem Ancient Country, the Atlantean Shark People do not resist these diplomatic duties. After all, they and the Dragonborn share the same ancestry, leaving no cultural or customary barriers between the two races.

The most famous example is that the current Queen of the Dragon Emperor is an Atlantean Mermaid Queen who is about to retire and has already birthed a Crown Prince and a Princess Your Highness for the Dragon Emperor.

The mermaids are quite a unique civilization, and they themselves are not shy about their kingdom being a channel for the Dragonborn to extend their influence outwards and take pride in it.

However, what surprised Murphy the most in this conversation was:

"Why do you have so many Ghost Ships on your hands?"

The Vampire Lord looked incredulously at the Little Mermaid savoring the embassy’s special peach biscuits in small bites and asked:

"You weren’t joking just now, right? There are over fourteen large Ghost Ships in the Sunken Ship Bay of the Large Reef Province alone? What are you doing collecting these ominous things?"

"It’s for sealing and suppressing."

Katerina was clearly a glutton. During the hour-long conversation, she had polished off three plates of different-flavored cookies and two plates of jelly pudding, and now she was eager to taste the two bottles of fruit wine placed in the parlor.

Facing Murphy’s inquiry, the Little Mermaid helplessly explained:

"Because of the Hidden Worship of Daguan’s meddling in the Savage Seas, the concentration of Spiritual Energy in the Misty Sea has been rising.

Although the worldly avatar of the Sea Abyss Deity has been patrolling the sea boundaries for hundreds of years, the suppression and purification by the sacred weapon prevent subspace auras from polluting the seawater, but the increase in Spiritual Energy will inevitably cause a series of bad things.

The appearance of Ghost Ships is among the worst of these things. Especially the sunken ships that have witnessed tragic events are most likely to be influenced, giving birth to damned Spiritual Bodies, which the Daguan Fishmen manipulate to sneak along the ocean currents into our underwater border towns.

Though their attacks are quickly repelled by Tidal Hunters, it becomes quite bothersome over time.

Therefore, over a hundred years ago, the Temple of the Giant Rock added a new task to search for these affected sunken ships and drag them to the Sunken Ship Bay for sealing... Your compatriot, the cunning Captain Pablo, knows these secrets because his Plunderer should have been dragged into the Sunken Ship Bay as well.

That was a standard Ghost Ship, a highly dangerous kind, but unfortunately, each pursuit by the Tidal Hunters ends with him escaping.

However, I’ve heard in stories from my Elder Sister that, back in the day, the Bloody Captain cut off part of his soul to attach to his battleship to save his ship sunk by elves, so the Plunderer is essentially part of Pablo.

Only on that ship is the Bloody Captain complete..."

"Hmm, no wonder that guy is so weak on land, his strength only maintaining the silver rank. So, this is the root cause?"

Murphy unexpectedly learned Pablo’s secret from this outspoken Little Mermaid.

He nodded, deciding to end the conversation, got up and personally opened the two bottles of fruit wine for Katerina, who watched in delight, handed them to her, then said:

"So, I have a new request. Those Ghost Ships in your possession should also be included as rewards in the settlement phase of this ’Feast of the Mad Fish’ operation.

After all, those Ghost Ships give you a headache, and simple sealing doesn’t solve the problem. It would be better to put them to some use."