Chapter 128 Mei Mei's anger
Chapter 128 Mei Mei's anger
Mei Mei’s fist clenched so tightly at her side that her nails bit into her palm, drawing tiny crescents of pain. The urge to drive her knuckles straight into Lady Safura’s arrogant face, to hear the satisfying crunch of cartilage and watch blood spray from that haughty nose, surged through her like wildfire. But she was no fool.
One impulsive strike would doom them all.
She forced her fingers to relax, drew in a slow breath of salt-laced air, and let her serene smile bloom once more across her lips. The expression felt like a mask glued to her skin.
“My apologies, Lady Safura,” Mei Mei said smoothly, dipping her head in a respectful bow. “I spoke out of turn. As a mere disciple, I should have known better. Please, if you would be so kind, pass my message and regards to the Grand Elders on behalf of the Devourer’s Choir. I trust your words will carry the proper weight.”
Internally, venom boiled.
Insufferable bitch. Towering over everyone like you shit gold while hiding licking your master’s boot. I’ll remember this humiliation.
Safura’s lips twitched in satisfaction at the submission. “See that you remember your place next time.”
Mei Mei bowed again, the picture of graceful obedience. “Of course. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must check on the ship. We’ve been at sea for a long time, and I need to ensure the vessel is ready for departure. We wouldn’t want any unexpected issues when the time comes.”
Without waiting for further permission, she turned and walked away with measured steps, her back straight and her expression calm. The moment she was out of Safura’s direct line of sight, the smile dropped like a discarded veil. Her eyes burned with cold fury.
She moved quickly toward the workers near the cargo holds. Karlison was directing several crewmen, his broad shoulders tense as he oversaw the final crates being shifted. Mei Mei caught his arm and pulled him slightly aside, her voice low and urgent.
“Karlison. Carry out the command I gave you earlier. Do it now.”
He blinked, confusion flickering across his rugged features. “Captain… are you sure? That seems...”
“I know exactly what I’m doing,” she cut him off, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Don’t question it. Just make it happen. Quietly.”
Karlison searched her face for a moment, then gave a small nod. He had always trusted her instincts, even when they seemed mad. More than that, he harbored deeper feelings. His gaze flicked almost involuntarily over her elegant figure, tracing the graceful curve of her waist and the subtle swell of her bust beneath her robes before he caught himself.
Mei Mei was breathtaking, a dangerous beauty that stirred something protective and hungry in him. One day, he hoped, she might see him as more than a loyal subordinate. For now, loyalty was enough.
“As you say, Captain.” He turned and slipped away to fulfill the mysterious order. Only the two of them knew its true nature.
Mei Mei lingered just long enough to watch the last of the cargo being transferred onto the desert camels waiting on the dock. The elite guards of the Resonance Council oversaw every step with watchful eyes. Crates and bundles disappeared into carriers, carried away under Lady Safura’s careful orchestration. Mei Mei’s smile returned as she observed from afar, but her mind was already spinning new threads.
\---
Meanwhile, far from the blood-stained harbor, Grand Elder Ragab sat in a special room beneath the Resonance Council’s central fortress. The room was carved from black quartz and reinforced with suppression arrays that prevented him from breaking out.
He was allowed visitors but was told he would remain here as he orchestrated the recapture of the prisoners under their watch.
The vault under his personal control had been breached. Key artifacts were missing among a trove of priceless treasures, items that could shift the balance of power within the Council. Investigations revealed his two sons were also missing, along with three elders he had secretly dispatched from his fortress on an undocumented mission.
None of these activities had been properly recorded.
Under intense questioning by the other three Grand Elders, Ragab had spun a desperate tale. The escaped prisoners, highly skilled and dangerous despite their deceptively young and innocent appearances, had been underestimated.
He claimed they killed his sons during a mission to hunt for treasure and stole the vault’s contents. He pinned every failure on them, painting the white-haired boy and his cohorts as the ultimate threat.
The other Grand Elders, cold and unforgiving, had given him exactly 42 hours to rectify the situation: recover the artifacts, eliminate the escapees, and restore order. Fail, and he would be stripped of his title, treated as a common criminal, and face probable execution. His situation was beyond dire. Everything now depended on silence, diversion, and swift elimination of loose ends.
\---
Once the procession moved off, Mei Mei returned to the dock where Safura and Hamisa still stood. The blood on the planks had begun to dry into dark, sticky patches under the lantern light.
“Lady Safura, Hamisa,” Mei Mei said warmly, gesturing toward the ship’s upper deck. “While we wait, would you care to join me? I can have food and drink brought up, something to refresh you after your journey here.”
Safura waved a dismissive hand. “That won’t be necessary.”
Hamisa nodded in agreement. “We will wait here until the white-haired boy and his cohorts arrive.”
They spoke loudly, their voices carrying clearly across the deck and down into the lower levels of the ship. Below deck, Vandal, who had not yet retreated fully into his quarters, heard every word. His presence remained hidden for now, but the warning rang in the air like a tolling bell.
Mei Mei kept her face neutral, revealing nothing. She had not betrayed Vandal and his group. Not yet. The delicate balance of alliances still held, though it grew more fragile by the minute.
Respectfully, she tilted her head. “If I may ask, Lady Safura… how can you be so certain they will come here?”
Safura remained silent, her gaze distant and cold. It was Hamisa who answered, a sharp smile curving her lips.
“We believe they are, in fact, already here, close by. Hiding on one of the ships that haven’t departed yet. We will search each and every one of them thoroughly.” Hamisa’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. “And when we find them, we’ll return with their heads.”
The words hung heavy in the night air. Mei Mei’s stomach tightened. The search was coming, and it would be merciless. The spared sailor still sat slumped against the railing, a silent, tongueless witness to the violence that had already unfolded. The salty breeze carried the lingering metallic scent of blood. Somewhere in the shadows of the harbor, Vandal had heard the threat.