Sieg awkwardly tossed two 500 Berry coins onto the table and was about to leave when the bartender reminded him, "Two glasses of orange wine and two glasses of beer, that's 1200 Belly, sir."
"You didn't give me change for the beer earlier!" Sieg said with righteous indignation.
Bartender: … …
Not letting the profiteer succeed, Sieg left the tavern and then cautiously began to follow.
Although he didn't yet possess advanced skills like psychological stealth, at least Sieg's "Telepathist" ability prevented him from easily arousing suspicion when observing others.
It was already late, and Sieg's nimble tracking went unnoticed by Becarre.
"Damn it! Are there no other warships that can be mobilized? To actually send Rear Admiral Kuri all the way to capture those fish-men…"
"Damn fish-men, damn pirates! Causing trouble everywhere. Missing this chance, who knows when we'll be able to eliminate the Two-Headed Wolf!"
Sieg couldn't help but curl his lip—getting angry, getting angry! Once I get the information about the Two-Headed Wolf, I'll send you flying! Such a perky butt, it's a pity not to kick it…
"Have you heard? It's said that within our navy, there seems to be someone connected to the Two-Headed Wolf…"
"Shut up!" Becarre stopped the dangerous remark from his two henchmen.
After another round of arguing, Becarre finally sighed and relented, saying, "Alright! You guys go back and pack up, and dismiss all the lackeys you've gathered locally."
"Sergeant, what about you?" The henchman asked worriedly.
Everyone knew that their leader was prone to "losing her head." It was because she had offended a superior that she was sent to investigate the Two-Headed Wolf's secret base. After more than a year, she had actually gained some information.
Unfortunately, just when they were about to close the net, the main force responsible for the encirclement couldn't come!
Who knew how long they would have to wait to catch the Two-Headed Wolf's tail again…
"I'm going to check on the orphanage," Becarre said, already turning and waving her hand.
Sieg followed Becarre all the way to a somewhat dilapidated orphanage outside the village.
"Aunt Becarre is here!"
"Aunt Becarre, I didn't cry today…"
Seeing the children's welcoming expressions toward Becarre, Sieg could feel that although the orphanage looked dilapidated on the outside, it was still very warm on the inside.
At this moment, a young nun walked out of the shadows, smiling and greeting, "Becarre, you've come to see the children again?"
Sieg immediately frowned. On the surface, there seemed to be no problem, but Sieg's "Telepathist" ability could feel that her smile… was very awkward!
Becarre obviously didn't notice anything unusual and forced a smile, saying, "Yes… Take this money. I might not be able to come for a while."
The nun asked in surprise upon hearing this, "Did something happen?"
"It's nothing, just a small matter in the gang," Becarre said, forcing herself to appear energetic.
According to Becarre's investigation, Machu Island was indeed the place where the Two-Headed Wolf slave-hunting team made contact every year, but… rabbits don't eat grass near their own burrows. There had been no incidents of children disappearing on Machu Island. On the surface, it just seemed like an ordinary island.
Becarre had only coincidentally investigated the date of the Two-Headed Wolf slave-hunting team's meeting this year, without thoroughly investigating which sleeper agents the Two-Headed Wolf had here.
She only knew that the internal contact usually stationed here, inside the Two-Headed Wolf slave-hunting team, was a guy codenamed "Wolf Tail."
"If you have something going on, this money is still…" The nun wanted to refuse Becarre's donation.
"No, it's nothing big, and it's not something that money can solve," Becarre shook her head.
Seeing that Becarre was in such a hurry to leave this time, the children were a little reluctant, but they were stopped by the nun, who taught everyone to say "goodbye" to Aunt Becarre properly.
"Aunt Becarre! Will you come again?" A little blue-haired girl asked in a childish voice.
"Yes! I'll be back soon!" Becarre wasn't lying. She was going back to question her superiors about why this operation had ended without success, and then bring people back.
Although she had already stirred up the grass and startled the snake, it would still be good to clear out all the sleeper agents of the slave-hunting team on Machia Island, otherwise, the Two-Headed Wolf might take revenge on Machia Island if they knew they had been exposed.
"Take good care of the children. If there are any difficulties… I'll be back in a while," Becarre said before turning to leave.
"Say goodbye to Aunt Becarre," the nun prompted the children.
"Goodbye, Aunt Becarre!" the children said in their childish voices.
Becarre forcibly dispelled the gloom on her face and turned back to wave goodbye to the children…
Bang—
Becarre's expression froze, the children's voices also stopped abruptly, and Sieg's eyes in the dark also suddenly narrowed!
The nun actually maintained a seemingly kind smile while using the children's voices to cover it up, took out a firelock from her arms, and shot Becarre in the abdomen, immediately revealing a large amount of blood…
Screams and cries rang out, and the twenty or thirty children on the scene were in chaos, looking at the somewhat unfamiliar nun in horror.
"Now that you've said goodbye, it's time to leave the stage… Becarre, no, Sergeant Bellmère," The nun not only knew that Becarre was a Marine, but even knew her name.
Sieg hadn't even seen such specific information in the Navy's files!
Just as the children were either crying on the spot, or sitting on the ground in disbelief, or… trying to scatter and escape, a dozen burly men appeared around them, wearing cloaks and holding firelocks.
If the nun could very likely deceive ordinary people with her appearance, then these burly men had "I'm a bad guy" written all over their faces!
"Sister Tail, is this all the merchandise? It doesn't quite match your status!" A bearded man gently stretched out his foot and kicked the little blue-haired girl who wanted to run back into the house, sending her flying back, while his tone seemed to belittle but actually praised.
"Tch, stop talking sarcastic, we're changing locations next year anyway, just conveniently uprooting the grass around the burrow that's providing cover," the nun said, pulling off the nun's hat on her head, revealing long gray hair that resembled a wolf's tail.
"You…" Becarre… no, Bellmère gritted her teeth and stood firm, while pulling the little blue-haired girl who had just been kicked behind her.
"Is this the little brat? Causing us to change locations next year… Do you think you've done something great? Want to catch us?"
"Pfft, that guy took so much money from us… Rear Admiral Kuri, was he transferred away under some other excuse?"
"The only thing you've accomplished is that since Machu Island has been discovered, there's no need to leave any cover here anymore. These dozens of children, let's sort them out and sell them off!"
"Tsk tsk, they could have grown up as our cover, and those who were ruthless enough might have even joined us. Now… let's see their luck at the auction house."
The slave-hunting team mocked Bellmère.
At the same time, from the direction of the distant town, there was also a faint sound of clamor, and the firelight reflected in the sky!
Bellmère wanted to pull out the short firelock from her waist, but just as she got it in her hand, it was shot down by the nun… no, by Wolf Tail—obviously, this guy had already grasped the rudimentary form of some Observation Haki.
Although Bellmère quickly pulled out a long dagger from her high boots, she still seemed weak and isolated. The group of slave-hunting thugs obviously didn't take her resistance seriously.
But just then…
"Alright, quickly finish her off, then there's still…" Wolf Tail's voice from behind paused.
The sense of incongruity caused the group of slave traders to turn their heads one after another, only to see a young man who had suddenly jumped out, standing in front of Sister Tail, with a strange-looking short firelock in his hand, the muzzle almost pressed against Sister Tail's face.
The hunting night wind fluttered the young man's open shirt, the corner of the sun was revealed behind him, and the bright moonlight shone on the skull flag on his arm…