Blood tax

Chapter 69 The Clippers to Neopolis Part [-]
This is a black magic attack!
Griffith is pretty sure it was an attack and not a prank.His inspiration is very certain, and the feeling of ominous and dangerous is about to come out.

What kind of black magic can make the living disappear out of thin air?I've never heard of it.However, this black magic is certainly not used to fold clothes like nesting dolls.

"Tell the captain, raise your alert," Griffith turned to the security director and said, "I am the official Beyonder, Griffith apprentice knight, and now take over the investigation of this matter, if there are other Beyonders and official personnel on board, Please contact me immediately. My cabin is in room 309."

"Understood." The safety supervisor nodded seriously, "We will notify the captain immediately."

"Can I go back?"

"It's definitely not possible. Maritime law doesn't allow it, but we can seek the assistance of nearby fleets and Beyonders, and report to the regional governor's office."

Unexpected result.Cultists who dare to attack should also know that such a ship cannot easily return.Griffith nodded and said:
"I need every first- and first-class passenger information, and I can't hide it. I can check it in the captain's room."

"Okay, I will apply to the captain," said the security officer, who seemed to have experience in this kind of thing, "but it is not guaranteed to be complete, and some passengers only have simple information."

Passengers who were watching outside were persuaded to leave by the sailors, and only the sailors and the ship's doctor were allowed to enter.

The doctor confirmed the physical condition of Miss Milia, and finally thought that she was just nervous and dizzy.

"Can you tell us what happened? Miss Milia." The security director asked when the guest's mood eased.

"In the afternoon, Eke had been playing in the casino, and I went for a massage when I was a little tired," Miss Miria said, "When I came back after seven o'clock, I found that Eke was not in the room. But When I opened the door and came in, I seemed to see a big snake-like thing that disappeared under the sofa in the blink of an eye. On the sofa was Eck's full suit, even a tie and a belt. His socks oh my god, those socks are just...is this a prank?"

Griffith approached the sofa cautiously.A strange stench lingered next to Eck's full suit.He touched his clothes, and there was still a little warmth left.

Griffith stood up and asked the security chief, "It smells bad. Are there any dogs on this ship?"

"No," the safety supervisor replied succinctly, "Dogs cannot be brought on board, and there are no animals on board."

Well... this smell is very special, as a Beyonder with a keen sense of smell, I think I can make a cameo, if it is safe.Griffith left the cabin with the thought of investigating, but did not return to his bedroom.

Mr. Eck's bizarre and terrifying disappearance occurred in room 307, Miss Miria saw the snake, and Griffith's own room 309 also saw a sea snake.

But how far apart could the two be in time, what connection could the sea snake have with a missing passenger?
……

The passenger information provided by the captain was of no use at all.

Griffith closed the roster annoyed.There is only name and citizen number here, no identity, occupational information.

The captain put away the materials, arranged for the sailors to investigate and said to Griffith, "In order not to cause panic, we did not spread the news, but we also informed the first-class and first-class passengers to pay attention to safety, I think, on board There should be other Beyonders, and he will come to contact us soon.”

Yes, the mission of that Beyonder was to come to the ship to investigate the cultists. He should contact the captain as soon as possible to confirm the identity of his teammates.However, this Beyonder should have been selected by other departments long ago. Why didn't he inform the Earl in advance and send it to me?

Griffith thought for a while, and came to the conclusion that the mission of Earls Court may have come from the War Department, the Central Bureau of Investigation or other agencies, and the information conveyed to his level is likely to be incomplete.As the most basic on-site personnel, he can't complain and complain.

"Good night, Captain," Griffith stood up to say goodbye, "I may rest in the library tonight, please notify me immediately if there is any news."

I won't go back to the cabin alone to rest, what if I disappear for no reason.

Griffith had just left the captain's room and took a few steps when a tall blond girl walked towards the captain's room from the front.She looked no more than 18 years old, tall and tall, with long pale blonde hair that was fluffy and slightly curly, hanging casually down to her curvaceous and elastic waist, as beautiful as pure gold in the light.

She was wearing a short and capable short dress popular in the south, but the top was more like a slim leather armor, with plump twin peaks eye-catching, and a small coat tied around her waist, which swayed slightly with her swaying figure.

Infected by Baron Anselm's depraved nature, Griffith occasionally had a dark and uncomfortable feeling.The apprentice knight, who should be full of blood, likes the warm sunshine like a cold-blooded snake.When the girl walked towards Griffith, she exuded a special brilliance, oppression and momentum like the rising sun, dispelling the darkness and filth, and making Griffith feel sincerely happy.

"Aurum potestas est (gold is power)." Griffith sighed softly.

The hot and sunny beauty heard Griffith's compliment and gave him a smile: "Thank you for the compliment."

Such a girl made Griffith feel a strange sense of disobedience. He showed his identity card and said according to his own thoughts: "Good evening, I'm apprentice knight Griffith Brandon, Assault Cavalry II Captain."

The blond girl stood not far in front of Griffith, shaking her slender fingers, "You are so direct."

"I didn't mean to strike up a conversation with you," Griffith denied seriously. "I'm not denying it, and I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't for you being so attractive. But I have a vague feeling that you're going to Who was fighting?"

"Oh, that's right," the girl smiled and looked at Griffith carefully, "I'm Amber Roselite, a trainee investigator, a Sequence 8 Beyonder from Beacon, a huntress in training. , was ordered to come to this ship to investigate cultists and dark magic items."

It was you!Why didn't you come and contact the captain earlier, I didn't find you until so late.Griffith refrained from complaining.The coordination of operations among the various official agencies is really messed up, and there is no exchange of basic identity information between friendly forces.

Amber apparently didn't realize this:
"I know you, you are different from the descriptions of Pera and Hakan. I thought you had a laughing clown face."

"They survived?" Griffith asked happily, while mentally berating them for what they were saying behind their backs.

"Yes, it's a pity that Hank and LaVine, and the instructor Karius who led the team are still missing," Amber shook his head.

He is gone, and the Beyonder characteristics are still in my pocket.Griffith asked calmly, "Are there any other friendly troops?"

"No, this is not an advanced task.

"Miss Erza Valkyrie asked me to say hello to you and tell you that she is working as a training instructor for witchers and huntresses at Beacon Academy after she retires."

"Squadron Captain?!" Griffith blurted out, "I haven't spoken to her since I left the front."

"But she has always known your whereabouts. She originally wanted to come to this mission in person. But in her capacity, it is impossible to take the lead. When you arrive at Neopolis Island, you can go to the Echo Hub in the port area. There should be a message she gave you there."

What a coincidence, what did the squadron commander want me to do?Griffith put the question aside and said the problem at hand: "Just today, Mr. Ecker from the cabin next to me disappeared, his full suit, tie, trousers and socks as complete as a Suvian doll. It was completely put together and spread on the sofa in the guest room. He himself disappeared from the clothes like a shedding snake, without loosening a button and tie."

The blond girl's expression became serious and serious.After a slight pause, she asked, "Anything else special?"

"I smelled some peculiar smell next to his clothes," Griffith thought for a while, and felt that it didn't matter to say it. "I'm looking for the source of the smell. If only there was a dog. His whereabouts are still unknown."

"Got it," the blonde took a document out of her pocket and showed it to Griffith, "I'm here to assist you. Are you going to search tonight?"

Not tonight.

Griffith shook his head: "The light at night is very poor, we are understaffed, and it is unrealistic to search such a large ship all night. Although the situation is not very good, but I plan to wait until the early morning, and the sailors on the ship will conduct a preliminary round of investigation first. , and then act."

"Yes." The girl nodded.

"I hope to alternate nights with you, since there are already signs of a black magic incident, it would be dangerous for us to spread out and sleep until dawn," Griffith suggested, "I have a first-class room where I can sleep sofa."

"Yes." Amber agreed without any objection. "If you have other actions, let me know."

……

That night, Griffith had a bad rest.He was really worried, for fear that something would happen when he fell asleep, and even worried that someone would attack him.Fortunately, there is Amber on duty, otherwise he will definitely hide in the library or the sailor's duty room to rest.

Although a passenger and a sailor were missing, according to the rules of navigation, the captain did not need to return and could not return.The seven-masted sailboat Spring Equinox followed the current and continued to fly away to its destination.As a regular clipper between Bayeran and the island of Neopolis in the Broken Sea, the Equinox takes nearly three full days at sea from departure to arrival.

Early in the morning of January 1444, 1, the cabin attendant reported that a preliminary round of searches had been carried out in the early hours of the morning and found nothing.

Although this boat is big, there are not many places where there will be such a smell... Griffith thought.There is no such smell near first class or first class.The more likely places are the cargo hold on the bottom floor, as well as unnoticed corners and near pipes and toilets.

"Have you heard? Someone jumped into the sea yesterday!" Griffith heard two middle-aged ladies chatting while passing by a cafe.

"It's just missing, not necessarily jumping into the sea."

"I heard that the man took off his clothes neatly, and then disappeared without a trace. I haven't found it yet."

News of Mr Eck's disappearance has spread.

(End of this chapter)