The fastest updating, most complete novel is Novel Web Chapter Forty-Six: Hell! Updated on: 2011-11-02 13:50

That small piece of headscarf seemed useless, but a meticulous mind could discern numerous clues from it. What is the headscarf on Novel Web used for? Naturally, it is wrapped around the head. For the endlessly charming Jack Sparrow, it was a tool for charming women; for most pirates, it served to keep their heads warm and shield them from wind and rain. Discovering no corpse near the headscarf implied the original owner had removed it themselves. The cross-section of the cloth indicated it was torn, not cut by a sharp weapon—let us paint this scene in our minds: a pirate arrives here, leans against a tree, takes off the headscarf covering his head, and tears it apart. What was he trying to do? It is obvious: the headscarf is the least likely piece of clothing to get soiled, bar none. Therefore, the most logical explanation is—to bandage a wound on the body!

If this inference held true, Fang Senyan could deduce even more information from it. If Old Butch, the owner of the headscarf, had bandaged his wounds and fled toward the Bell and Glass ship, he should have encountered them by now. This was sufficient proof that Old Butch had no intention of returning to the ship. Many possibilities could lead to this situation, generally falling into the following categories.

The highest probability is that Old Butch found something hugely beneficial and was unwilling to share it, so he bolted. He obviously knew that doing so would invite immediate pursuit from everyone aboard the Bell and Glass. Thus, either the value of the item was so great it drove him mad with greed, or the deterrent power emanating from the Bell and Glass had diminished to a level he found acceptable. Given that Old Butch was mediocre in ability, the chances of him stumbling upon some rare treasure were slim—making the second explanation more reasonable: the party led by Charles and Blind Matt had suffered such a devastating blow that the pirates who knew the inside story became demoralized, fostering the base urge to grab what they could and run.

Of course, there was another possibility: Old Butch encountered something terrifying in the castle, and in the aftermath of survival, he completely lost his sanity, running around in a state of mental collapse to vent the horror within him. However, it seemed contradictory for a man who had lost his wits to still stop and bandage a wound, though it could perhaps be tenuously explained by instinct.

In any case, regardless of the outcome, Fort Toussaint Castle must be a veritable den of vipers, perilous at every step. The reason Fang Senyan dared to lead his team in first was because he understood one thing… A good hunter, after setting a trap, will always wait until all the prey have taken the bait before casting the net. He would not spring the trap prematurely just because one piece of prey was caught, thereby alarming the others. The moment he saw that "coincidentally" discovered secret passage, he immediately realized it was a trap—the trapper had cleverly exploited the pirates' greed and competitive spirit to lure them in. If not for the fact that this wealth was not of paramount importance to contractors like Fang Senyan, he might have been blinded by such immense profit himself.

At this moment, angry curses, screams, and the crack of flintlock pistols were beginning to sound intermittently within Fort Toussaint Castle. Yet, these noises seemed muffled, as if transmitted from enclosed spaces. Then, flickers of light appeared throughout the castle, and faint silhouettes flitted through the corridors like ghostly spirits, amplifying the sense of inscrutability and latent menace. It seemed Fang Senyan’s deduction was entirely correct; the forces guarding Fort Toussaint were indeed insufficient. But under Fang Senyan’s deliberate arrangement, the pirates had been split into six small squads… which undoubtedly gave the defenders the perfect opportunity to use the terrain to corner them and annihilate them piecemeal!

The painstaking scheme orchestrated by Fang Senyan was, in essence, aimed at drastically weakening both engaging parties. Although the defenders of Fort Toussaint possessed formidable strength and the advantage of terrain—they had likely dealt with several groups, including Charles's men, in succession before this. Now, facing these elite pirates from the Bell and Glass, even a victory would be a pyrrhic one. Furthermore, the traps and mechanisms set within the castle must have been largely destroyed by flesh and blood during those prior battles!

If Fang Senyan were to press his advantage and enter at this point, the worst-case scenario would be killing a few heavily wounded guards, taking their dropped keys, and retreating safely. But the best possibility was acquiring the true accumulated treasure of Fort Toussaint, built up over seventy long years! Even if he couldn't take all of it, selecting a few pieces would guarantee him a massive windfall and enormous prestige—surely a far better outcome than being a suspected master-at-arms under Armand?

Time slipped away swiftly. After waiting a moment, Fang Senyan tidied his appearance, making himself look thoroughly disheveled—even smearing some blood onto his face.

Combined with his stumbling gait and dull eyes, he looked like he could collapse into unconsciousness at any second and still be believed. He re-entered Fort Toussaint, tiptoeing cautiously toward the location from which the shouts and fighting emanated.

The darkness within the castle remained intensely gloomy, and the smell of blood in the air was overwhelmingly pungent. This time, Fang Senyan did not ascend the stone steps but crept into the dark corridor to the right. His purpose in doing so was simple—legendary treasures were most often found in the castle's underground chambers.

Fang Senyan was currently wearing the "Drunkard" title and had taken a swig of liquor to boost his critical hit chance. Simultaneously, wary of potential traps, he trod with immense care, placing his feet with extreme lightness.

Flickering firelight suddenly appeared in the darkness ahead. This was followed by shouts of rage and a piercing, agonizing scream. Fang Senyan recognized this scream clearly; it belonged to a trusted confidant of Scar Henry, a hardened man who usually wouldn't even flinch at a knife wound. Whatever he had encountered made him cry out so miserably. The screams gradually faded, signifying the tortured man had reached the end of his life. Another voice stammered:

"Don't, don't come over here! You monsters! Oh God, please, open your eyes. If anyone can rescue me from the very bottom of this hell, I will give up everything and serve them loyally for the rest of my days!"

Fang Senyan had already crept close to the doorway. Peeking in, he saw a secret passage opening from the adjacent castle room, drenched in gore that splattered everywhere—it looked as if someone had violently flung buckets of blood around, testifying to the brutal nature of the preceding fight. Firelight shone from the end of the passage, revealing a very solidly constructed vault, its surrounding walls built of massive stone blocks, appearing as sturdy as ramparts. Inside the vault stood three men clad in dark, close-fitting chainmail. The craftsmanship and material of this armor bespoke exceptional quality; in this world, such attire was equivalent to the finest grade body armor worn by US special forces. These three men stood silently with their backs to the door, their shadows stretched long by the dancing flames. Their skin possessed a sickly pallor, intensifying the atmosphere of sinister wickedness.

From Fang Senyan’s vantage point, he could see a pirate bound to a stone bench on the right. Although he couldn't see the pirate’s face, he knew this man was paralyzed with terror, his entire body trembling violently. Between the silhouettes of the three men in black chainmail, a stone altar was visible. A victim was presumably tied to this altar, their exposed limbs twitching in their final death throes; clearly, this victim was beyond saving. The horror of their fate had broken the morale of the other captive.

Fang Senyan took a deep breath of the blood-laced air. At this moment, he activated his "Insight" ability to probe the strength of these three figures. If the risk was too great, he would retreat without hesitation! Saving the prisoners was, at this moment, only a secondary concern; the main objective was to preserve his strength and secure the treasure within the castle.

As the necessary universal points were deducted again, the data profiles of the three men before him poured forth like a stream, presenting themselves to Fang Senyan:

Black Guard Elite Guard of Fort Toussaint Port Castle. Status (Injured) Description: They are all affected by dark magic, which lowers their pain threshold and boosts various attributes, but their lifespans will shorten rapidly. Height 5 feet 4 inches, Weight 50. Strength 10 (Injured) Agility ?? points Stamina 8 points Perception 6 points Charm 8 points Intelligence 7 points Spirit 7 points Basic Melee LV3, Basic Strength LV1 Elite Guard Special Passive Ability: Retardation LV1. The flow rate of the Black Guards' blood has been affected by bone-chilling cold, causing it to flow slowly; they are immune to the Bleeding status. Elite Guard Special Passive Ability: Walking Corpse LV1. A portion of the Black Guards' souls has been dedicated to their master; thus, they are immune to negative status effects like Fear. Elite Guard Special Passive Ability: Tenacity LV2. Grants an additional 300 maximum Hit Points. Current Maximum HP: 177 points (Injured)

Fang Senyan looked at these three injured figures, weighed the risks versus rewards, and made his decision. He closed his eyes, began to regulate his breathing, and his muscles slowly relaxed, then tightened, then relaxed again. He had made up his mind to eliminate these three and resolutely rescue the prisoners. Just then, a Black Guard suddenly spoke:

"If you still won't talk, we'll have to use torture. As you can see, once this kind of punishment is inflicted upon you, even if you immediately relent and divulge the information, death is certain. Therefore, this is your last chance to survive."

A silence transcending ages.