Endless Debt Chapter 652 - 163 Clue

Nolen had always found Free Port at night to be beautiful, with countless sparks rising between the streets and buildings, travelers from all around the world gathered together, countless ships docked in the port, like soldiers in formation, while those ships lingering near the sea formed an iron wall defending the city.

Anyone who saw this sight would sigh in admiration; however, such a beautiful scene was something Nolen had seen enough of, no matter how beautiful, it now seemed lifeless and dull to him.

Nolen wanted to leave.

Nolen longed to leave Free Port, to return to the embrace of the sea, to battle the fierce winds and waves. That was the life a true Tidefolk should have, and not waste precious time here like a shriveled, stinking corpse.

"Hert, you’re there, aren’t you?"

Nolen muttered as he gazed into the shadows at the edge of Free Port.

He knew Hert lived there and was aware of his demon hunts and the ever-expanding underground factions.

Nolen knew everything, but he was too lazy to care. He understood his brother’s current temperament, showing up in front of him would only bring conflict.

"Hert wouldn’t understand me."

Nolen muttered to Free Port, "Just like you can’t understand yourself."

Ever since exiling Hert, Nolen often spoke to Free Port this way, as if Hert could hear him.

"Hert, you..."

Nolen wanted to continue speaking, but the sound of knocking interrupted him, leaving him staring blankly into the night, the knocking persisted for a while, then the door was opened.

"Are you okay?"

A woman half-leaned into the room, Nolen didn’t immediately respond, like he was mentally dull, only reacting after several seconds.

"I... I’m fine."

Nolen blinked hard, ensuring his vision was clear.

"Sorry, I overheard you talking outside the door," the woman glanced around the office, seeing only Nolen inside, "Were you calling me?"

"No."

"Oh..." the woman nodded and didn’t say anything more.

Nolen understood the woman was hinting at something, he opened a drawer, poured out a few pills from a bottle, and popped them into his mouth.

"I’m alright, it’s nothing," after a while, Nolen said, "No hallucinations, no auditory illusions, just sometimes I talk to myself...the old family problem."

The woman gazed deeply at Nolen, her eyes full of sympathy and sadness.

"It’s nothing."

The woman’s gaze pained Nolen, he looked away and turned his chair, continuing to view Free Port.

She understood what was on Nolen’s mind, he longed for the sea but because of Hert, he was bound within Free Port and became its administrator.

Appearances of Tidefolk in historical records show they’ve always lived on the sea, keeping company with sails, battling the ocean.

With changing times, an exclusive culture within the Tidefolk emerged, they love the sea and resist the land, even when docked they live on ships and avoid setting foot on land unless necessary.

With modern technological development and the arrival of the Order World, to combat the tide of the era, all Tidefolk tribes united forming the present multi-industry United Company.

To bind all tribes, they’re pledged with a document similar to many Extraordinary Organizations, which includes interests division between tribes and most importantly, the inheritance of the Navigator position.

Internally, Nolen is the Navigator regulating tribes representing Tidefolk interests, externally he is the United Company’s chief executive, attending events and signing contracts with his name.

Nolen doesn’t enjoy his life now, he fonder days of youth spent overcoming the sea.

Yet, he couldn’t leave.

"Hert is becoming more excessive, his actions at Wrecked Ship Shore have worried the board," the woman whispered beside Nolen’s ear.

"He’s only killing demons and those disrupting order, as for Wrecked Ship Shore, just a gaggle of rabble, not worth being alarmed," Nolen replied, "The board just purely wants to get rid of Hert."

Nolen sighed deeply, although he is the Navigator and chief executive, he lacks the power to lead the Tidefolk’s will, he is merely an elected spokesperson, truly ruling everything is hidden tribes behind the curtains.

"You can’t protect him forever," the woman said, "The board plans to decide on Hert during the banquet afterward."

"But he is my brother, I can’t just watch the board kill him like that," Nolen shook his head, "As long as I’m still in office one day, I’ll ensure he can live in Free Port."

The woman was puzzled, "Look at Hert now, is he really considered alive?"

"At least his heart holds hope."

"What hope? Those crazy delusions?" the woman persuaded Nolen, "Why not tell him the truth?"

"Tell him the truth, and then? Watch him fall into total madness?"

Nolen shook his head forcefully, repeatedly, "No, it’s too cruel for Hert, he’s been punished enough, shouldn’t bear this anymore."

The woman gently embraced Nolen, knowing her words wouldn’t persuade him, Nolen was that stubborn kind of person.

Nolen also hugged the woman, knowing her devotion, aware that the more he cares about Hert, the greater the injustice to the woman.

"Please give me a bit more time."

Nolen whispered beside the woman’s ear, "You know my condition, it’s inherited in the family, every member of the Motleys basically has this mental issue."

"I know what Hert faces, the more so, the less willing I am to give up on him."

The woman said nothing, just hugged Nolen more firmly, after a long time they released each other.

"Compared to your brother, there’s a bigger problem now."

Nolen nodded, putting on a coat, "Yeah, break time is over, it’s time to check on that guy."

Every core member of the United Company, were all Tidefolk without exception; to satisfy their longing for the sea, the United Company’s headquarters was not built in Free Port, instead a huge cruise ship served as the office building.

The Paradise, that was the headquarters of the United Company, and also Nolen’s palace, although once docked at Free Port many years ago, it hasn’t moved since.

Passing through empty corridors, the elevator carried them downward, only a small area of Paradise was open to the public, the rest belonged to the Extraordinary World, for security reasons, the Tidefolk covered Paradise with a layer of the Void Realm, dividing it into two worlds.

After passing through numerous doors, Nolen found him inside Paradise’s infirmary.

He was a man looking about forty, entirely muscled, compared to him the bed seemed a bit small, and even in a coma, his expression remained tense as if battling monsters in his sleep.

Nolen had seen this man before, though it was many years ago, due to his identity, Nolen still remembered his name.

Order Bureau’s tenth group leader, Gold Luther.

Nolen took a deep breath, even he felt somewhat distressed now.

"How’s his condition? Did he wake up?"

"No, since we found him, he’s remained in a coma, and his injuries are strange, physically just some superficial wounds, but his consciousness seems to have vanished, we tried many methods, unable to awaken him."

The woman hesitated, then said, "It’s like his body still lives, but the soul is no longer in the shell."

Nolen asked, "Did you notify the Order Bureau?"

"Not yet," the woman paused, "when we discovered him, he was already in this state, covered in bruises..."

"Could it be an enemy capable of harming a Defender like this?" Nolen joked, "Or perhaps a Seeker of Glory visiting Free Port?"

The woman remained silent, this wasn’t a joke.

"Let me be alone, Lula."

Nolen kissed the woman’s cheek, Lula hugged Nolen once more, reminding, "Don’t pressure yourself too much."

"I understand."

Seeing Lula off, the infirmary was left with only Nolen and Gold, Nolen grimly stared at the unconscious Gold.

Gold’s appearance now was undoubtedly a stone cast into a pond, stirring up Nolen’s thoughts, what’s worse, Nolen remembered the recent bizarre happenings.

Ever since the Tidefolk’s attention focused on the sea, they rarely meddled in land matters, but days ago, varied Extraordinary Organizations consecutively came by boat as if attending a banquet, arriving at Free Port.

"Is it for this thing?"

Nolen’s gaze shifted to Gold’s arm, where a handcuff connected a chain to a square iron box.

The metal was exceptionally hard, doctors had tried many ways but couldn’t cut the chain or open the box, seemingly only one way to take it from Gold.

Chop off Gold’s arm.

Nolen gently touched the iron box, a chilling cold spread from his fingertip.