Chapter 173: Mechanical Fortress
After news of the Dunkinson Trading Company’s destruction spread, it stirred waves across Islands 6, 9, and 12, Dunkinson’s primary business territories.
Law enforcement officers from the Bass Archipelago immediately mobilized, rushing to one Dunkinson shop after another.
Initially, the incident was classified as a robbery, but soon the authorities revised their statement, suggesting this was likely a revenge killing.
This was because they later discovered more information at the residences of Dunkinson’s management personnel.
"Keep investigating slowly. It’d be a miracle if you actually found me."
Carlotta grumbled secretly.
She’d only briefly checked the latest developments before withdrawing her attention and returning with Amelia to their inn.
Time to sleep.
...
In the blink of an eye, an entire day passed.
The moon and stars emerge; twilight settled over the archipelago.
After waking up, Carlotta checked the Dunkinson Trading Company situation again and found that Bass Archipelago law enforcement was still investigating, with no new information compared to earlier that morning.
"By the way, which country does the Bass Archipelago belong to?"
Suddenly recalling this question, Carlotta turned to ask Amelia.
"This place is independent without any nation."
Amelia replied.
She explained that initially, the Bass Archipelago were indeed under the control of the Sun Moon Federation, but the location was too strategically important, serving as the world’s center, connecting the northern and continental southerns, that a single Sun Moon Federation couldn’t maintain dominance.
"In the end, all powers jointly occupied this area, forming the Bass Archipelago Alliance, jointly sharing control."
Amelia said.
The islands were co-owned by various northern continent factions. These factions weren’t merely nations, but also included powerful organizations like Life Tree, Star Spire, and Elven Homeland.
Of course, different powers held varying shares within the Bass Archipelago.
"So, does that mean the Wendell Empire also has representatives here?"
Carlotta pondered.
"I recall that the Wendell Empire’s representative here is a member of the royal family. I’m not close to her."
Amelia replied.
Still, she mentioned the princess’s name, Bianca Leicester, younger sister of the current Wendell Emperor Alex Leicester. She likely resides on Island 1, just like the other rulers.
"What about Elven Homeland? Do you know anything?"
Carlotta was equally concerned about Elven Homeland.
Her primary reason for coming to the Bass Archipelago was to obtain the continuation of the Elven Knight path, so she could continue advancing her own knight path.
Amelia shook her head. "I know very little about the elves. This race is extremely low-key, and there’s scarce information about them. They don’t even reside on Island 1, and no one knows where exactly the elves that manage the Bass Archipelago live."
Such matters would require further investigation, but how to investigate needed careful consideration.
Carlotta suddenly slapped her thigh in frustration. When she interrogated Isaac Dunkinson and the others yesterday, she should’ve casually asked about the elves. The intelligence system might have provided relevant information then. How could she have forgotten?
"Suddenly running into traitors from the White Trading Company made me completely forget my original purpose for coming to the Bass Archipelago... Never mind. The traitors haven’t all been dealt with yet. I can still ask the remaining ones about the elves."
Carlotta thought to herself.
She then took Amelia for a leisurely stroll around Island 9, enjoying a relaxed date until the early hours of the morning.
The new day’s intelligence arrived as scheduled.
[ 1: Jessica Gray of the Swan Trading Company regrets not accepting Carlotta’s initial price. She is afraid Carlotta might no longer purchase her alchemical materials. If given another chance to communicate, she’s willing to offer the lowest possible price.]
Carlotta smiled in satisfaction.
The first piece of intelligence was good news, leaving her quite pleased. Once the money from the arena fight arrived, she should be able to contact the Swan Trading Company again.
[ 2: Zorn Wilson is currently on Island 8, staying at the hotel located at 214 Maple Red Street.]
Carlotta’s eyes lit up. She was extremely interested in the Sky Cornerstone reward from being ranked sixth on the Sky Island. She definitely needed to make contact and purchase it, especially since he also had intentions to sell.
The only issue was whether they could agree on a price.
This was a reward from being sixth on Sky Island, undoubtedly of immense value. Carlotta wasn’t sure if her offer would satisfy him.
[ 3: After the Dunkinson Trading Company was established, under Isaac Dunkinson’s arrangement, his son Simon Dunkinson, along with Lars Houston and Sally Lake, withdrew from the Dunkinson Trading Company to create the Simon Trading Company. The Simon Trading Company’s business distribution is as follows (a map).]
Carlotta was very satisfied.
’It seems yesterday’s Kelly Newman wasn’t lying to me.’
Carlotta thought.
Yesterday, she had separately interrogated Isaac Dunkinson, Winnie, and Kelly. Each had answered under interrogation, but now she could confirm the first two were definitely fabricating lies.
The Simon Trading Company was slightly smaller than the Dunkinson Trading Company, mainly dealing in alchemical goods, alchemical tools and potions, both in considerable quantity.
Simon Dunkinson served as the company’s president, while Lars Houston and Sally Lake acted as vice presidents.
From Carlotta’s memory, Isaac’s Son Simon wasn’t simple. He had begun his knight path at a young age. Within the original White Trading Company, although Simon wasn’t one of the five top managers, he had been the strongest member, and was already a Listener back then.
That was why yesterday, when Carlotta interrogated Isaac, she didn’t just ask about the other managers, she specifically inquired about Simon’s situation.
She didn’t know how much Simon’s strength had improved since then, but no matter how much he’d advanced, he couldn’t possibly surpass her.
Carlotta wasn’t particularly worried. Ever since she could use her ultimate technique as casually as a basic attack, many things no longer deserved concern.
She turned to the fourth and final piece of intelligence, and her expression instantly changed.
[ 4: Long ago, Isaac Dunkinson harbored intentions to steal the White Trading Company. He schemed and arranged for his son Simon Dunkinson to disguise himself as a bandit, murdering the original White Trading Company leaders in the wild, before subsequently dividing the company among themselves.]
Upon seeing this intelligence, Carlotta was struck like lightning.
Although she’d suspected some foul play behind her parents’ deaths, she never imagined Simon Dunkinson would be the one responsible!
In that instant, murderous intent surged within her heart, rising like a storm.
On a chair by the roadside of Island No.9, Carlotta sat pretending to rest, but in truth, she was reading intelligence reports, her murderous intent surging uncontrollably, barely concealed.
"What’s wrong?"
Amelia clearly sensed something amiss.
Carlotta took a deep breath, trying her best to suppress her killing aura.
Yet inside, her emotions raged without cease. After all this time, she had finally learned the cause of her parents’ deaths. She longed to draw her sword immediately and cut down the murderer before her eyes, to avenge their blood.
Although she was a transmigrator, she had fully integrated the memories of her previous self. When emotions belonging to that former life surged, she couldn’t possibly remain indifferent.
’Your vengeance is mine. Rest in peace. I will kill everyone who deserves to die.’
Carlotta silently vowed in her heart.
She took several more deep breaths before finally calming herself.
Seeing Amelia beside her looking worried, Carlotta explained, "I just figured something out. I’ve roughly deduced who was responsible for my parents’ deaths."
Amelia’s expression immediately turned grave.
"Is the killer on this island?"
She asked.
"Yes."
Carlotta stood up. "Tonight, I’m going to kill."
"Fine. Kill as many as you need."
Amelia supported her unconditionally.
Law enforcement across the Bass Archipelago were investigating the Dunkinson Trading Company. This was hardly the time for bold actions.
But when it came to the matter of Carlotta’s parents’ deaths, Amelia knew there was no point trying to dissuade her.
Some things could wait. Others simply couldn’t.
Carlotta stared at the map provided in the intelligence report, which marked the Simon Dunkinson Trading Company’s properties and residences. Without hesitation, she strode toward Simon Dunkinson’s private residence.
It wasn’t far from Isaac Dunkinson’s home, a house with a yard.
Under the cover of night, the house lay silent, as if everyone inside had already fallen asleep.
Carlotta circled twice, then, seizing a moment when no one was watching, quickly scaled the wall and entered.
If even Isaac Dunkinson kept sea-dogs in his courtyard, Simon naturally had them too.
The moment Carlotta landed, the Rose Cross was already in her hand. She quickly and cleanly slaughtered every sea-dog that had just opened its eyes. The speed was so great that everything happened in an instant.
Then, following the same method, she activated a soundproofing card to envelop the area, ensuring no noise could escape. She then kicked open the door and stepped inside.
As the alarm bells rang, the living room lights suddenly turned on.
Inside the living room, a man sat on the sofa.
A young man with stubble, clad in silver armor, sword planted on the ground in both hands, like a general ready for battle. Yet here, in this living room, he seemed to be waiting for something.
"So someone actually came. I was wondering, if the one responsible wasn’t too foolish, they probably wouldn’t dare show up. Maybe I overestimated them."
The young man slowly stood, his cold eyes fixed on the newly entered Carlotta.
"Simon Dunkinson."
Carlotta recognized the man before her.
Simon had clearly been prepared for her arrival, but she had expected as much. What difference did preparation make?
"Who are you, and why are you attacking us?"
Simon suppressed his hatred, wanting to first clarify some things.
But Carlotta no longer had yesterday’s leisurely mood. She no longer wishes to conduct a slow interrogation. At least not with Simon. She had no patience for him, because he was the one who killed her parents.
She gripped her sword and prepared to strike Simon. But at this critical moment, a sense of danger arose in her heart. Almost instinctively, she quickly withdrew backward.
The instant she stepped back, a mass of black mist emerged at her original position, forming a vortex and exerting a faint devouring force, only to swallow empty air.
Someone else?
Carlotta glanced behind Simon, and saw a room’s door slowly opening. Then, several figures stepped out.
"To actually dodge my ambush... impressive. Someone like you, why attack the Dunkinson Trading Company? Can you give me a reason?"
The speaker was a black-robed man holding a staff. He spoke in Farrell language, but not fluently, it sounded awkward.
Carlotta looked at the black-robed man, then at the others, momentarily unsure of their identities.
"Is she a Resonator?"
One young man in the group asked.
This young man speaks fluent, standard Farrell.
On the Bass Archipelago, languages from various countries coexisted, with no single dominant tongue. So was this man from the Farrell Kingdom?
The black-robed man shook his head. "I’m not certain. She’s wearing an alchemical artifact that conceals her magical fluctuations. But to evade my ambush, she’s most likely a Resonator. A Listener couldn’t have done it."
Clearly, he himself was a Resonator, hence his confidence. He was absolutely sure no Listener could have dodged his sneak attack.
Carlotta’s gaze settled on the young man. She noticed he seemed to be the group’s leader.
Simon had withdrawn beside him, deferring to him as the main figure.
"Who are you?"
Carlotta asked.
The young man replied, "You haven’t answered our questions, yet you want us to answer yours first?"
"My question needs no answer, does it? Hasn’t the Bass Archipelago’ law enforcement already reached a conclusion? It’s revenge-driven murder, isn’t it?"
Carlotta said coldly.
"Revenge from which side?"
The young man asked again.
Carlotta’s tone remains icy. "Looks like the Dunkinson Trading Company has committed too many sins, so much so that even you can’t guess what kind of grudge this is."
Hearing this, Simon’s chest heaved involuntarily. Yet he truly couldn’t figure out who this person was, what enemy would strike so viciously?
The young man smiled slightly, then introduced himself: "I’m Chad Castro. I’m from the Mechanical Fortress."
Mechanical Fortress?
Carlotta’s heart stirs. The name sounds familiar, yet not quite clear.
Amelia, who had been standing behind, stepped forward and whispered, "The Mechanical Fortress is an organization similar to the Life Tree or the Stellar Spire, primarily composed of alchemists. They also hold influence within the Bass Archipelago."
Carlotta understood.
She then asked, "Why are members of the Mechanical Fortress involved with the Dunkinson Trading Company? There shouldn’t be any necessary connection between you, should there?"
As she spoke, she touched again at the black-robed man and the others behind Chad, sensing that their strength seemed far from ordinary.