Above the mage!

Chapter 487 Sarah Fortune
In the ruins of the Broken Bones Tavern.

The wooden frame creaked painfully in the flames, and sparks flew from the crackling flames.

The oak beams of the roof were glowing red-hot, bending and drooping like red-hot irons. Each slight tremor was accompanied by a shower of burning wood chips falling, tracing orange-red arcs in the air.

The flames, like a greedy beast, were frantically devouring the building that had been converted from an old ship.

The wooden planks of the exterior wall curled and deformed under the high temperature, exposing the charred ship skeleton structure inside.

The air was filled with a suffocating mix of smells: the rich, burnt aroma of charred oak, the sweet, cloying scent of alcohol rising from the high temperature, and the acrid smell of burning fabric mixed with the smoky aroma of wood chips.

Amidst the blinding red, two exceptionally conspicuous ice-blue lights were slowly dissipating.

Those were two ice walls formed by Lan Wen's spell, rising abruptly from the ground, forming a defensive triangle that blocked all the heat and shockwave generated by the fireball explosion, firmly protecting Gao De.

The high temperature caused the outer layer of the ice wall to melt rapidly, but under Lanwen's magical infusion, new ice layers were constantly formed inside, locking all the heat outside the wall.

Gao De could clearly feel the tremors coming from the ice wall.

But that was all; there was no follow-up.

As the fireball spell ended, the blue light from the two ice walls gradually diminished, revealing the surface of the walls covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

Lan Wen casually waved his hand, dispelling the spell, and the ice wall dissipated.

The tavern was still burning fiercely.

Oxygen is consumed to the extreme during this combustion, and the rising temperature makes every breath feel hot and painful, as if the lungs are about to be scorched by the scalding air.

Even more unsettling were the occasional secondary explosions, with a dull thud as the oak barrel shattered.

The flying wood chips, carrying burning liquor, scattered like fire rain, igniting new sparks in the ruins.

Of course, this is nothing to Gaode Maps.

The existence of the "Empty Body" allows him to have extremely low oxygen requirements, almost none, when necessary.

An explosion caused by illegal magic has negligible power.

Although Walker's Fireball spell was powerful, the only ones who truly suffered were the Broken Bones Tavern and the dozen or so Embroidered Anchors gang members in the tavern's main hall.

However, Gao De and Lan Wen looked very serious.

To kill a snake, you must strike its vital spot.

To them, the Embroidered Anchor Gang was undoubtedly a local tyrant. Their ruthless intervention during the transaction was solely aimed at sending Santos directly to see his grandmother.

In a place like Black Sails City, there is no such thing as loyalty or righteousness.

If a gang leader dies, the first thing the gang members will do is divide up the gang's assets and choose a new leader, rather than seeking revenge for the gang leader as is often seen in TV dramas and movies.

There is no doubt about this.

Therefore, Gaode can engage in "black-on-black" activities without any psychological pressure.

But all of this depends on the fact that Santos can be sent to his death on the spot.

If Santos survives, he will surely seek revenge with his gang afterward.

He and Lanwen weren't afraid of Santos and the Embroidered Anchor Gang, but the crew of the Columbus were.

Therefore, we absolutely cannot let Santos go, otherwise there will be endless troubles to come.

Gao De immediately activated the Mandora's Eye, hoping to use its power to find Santos's whereabouts. Only a few breaths had passed, and he was confident that Santos could not escape the Mandora's Eye's pursuit.

However, without even needing Mandora's Eye, in the instant they looked up, both God and Lanwen saw Santos and Walker falling from the sky almost simultaneously, like kites with broken strings.

The only difference was that, with his Mandora Eyes wide open, God could clearly see the horrific wounds on Santos's neck and Walker's chest.

The former was a deep, penetrating wound that exposed the bone, with charred edges as if burned by some kind of high-temperature weapon; the latter was a blood pit with the surrounding flesh turned inside out.

Gao De's gaze swept downwards, following the trajectory of Santos and Walker's fall.

Immediately afterwards, he saw a splash of red that even the darkness of night could not conceal.

It was a woman, standing quietly on the edge of the eaves of a building next to the Broken Bones Tavern, seemingly blending into the night.

Only her burning crimson hair stood out; even the surrounding crimson flames could not conceal its color, and it even became a backdrop, making her red hair shimmer like silk.

Her hair was loose and curly, cascading freely over her shoulders, with a few unruly red strands brushing against her cheeks, highlighting her deep, azure eyes, which reflected the flickering light of the tavern.
The fiery red and the ocean blue, concentrated in a pair of eyes, create an indescribable sense of contrast.

The woman wore a dark blue tricorn hat with gilded trim, a crisp shape, and a slightly upturned brim.

The red hair peeking out from under the hat brim contrasted sharply with the dark brim, making her face even more radiant, yet also carrying a hint of unruliness and arrogance.

She was wearing a white low-cut top with loose puff sleeves that hung down her forearms, and delicate lace trim could be faintly seen at the cuffs.

She wore a black corset on her chest, the leather surface secured with interlaced gold metal buckles, each line precisely outlining the body's beautiful curves.

A dark vest was worn over the bodice, the edges of which were also inlaid with scrolling patterns embroidered in gold thread, adding a touch of luxurious elegance to the wildness.

The woman's appearance and figure were already eye-catching enough, but at this moment, Gao De's attention was focused on what she was holding.

The woman's left hand was holding a dark, old-fashioned flintlock pistol.

The musket had a dark, thick, and short barrel that gleamed with a cold light, likely made of some kind of meteorite iron or precious ore. The stock was made of black wood with gold thread inlaid in the wood grain.

Its design looks very primitive and backward, without complex energy patterns or exquisite design. The gun even has marks of gunpowder blackening on the body.

Indeed, this design of muskets often requires a tedious and lengthy reloading process after each shot is fired.

But this “backward” old relic is full of rugged power, exuding a dangerous, heavy and ominous eerie aura.

Gao De couldn't quite put his finger on the feeling, but compared to the modern pistols of his previous life, he definitely preferred the firearm in front of him just by looking at it.

The former is a weapon, while the latter is both a weapon and a work of art.

At this moment, a wisp of bluish-white smoke rose from the muzzle of the gun, and the pungent smell of sulfur mixed with magic drifted away with the sea breeze.

Clearly, the musket had just fired a shot not long ago.

The woman lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath them. Her gaze passed over the burning ruins of the Broken Bones Tavern and landed precisely on Gao De and Lan Wen.

Her eyes were slightly upturned, with a hint of casual scrutiny, as if she were examining two interesting toys.

Then, she raised her left hand holding the gun, brought the barrel to her lips, and gently blew on it.

The wisp of smoke dispersed with her movement, intertwining with the faint magical fluctuations around her, causing the two of them to feel a sudden, inexplicable unease.

“Sarah Fortune,” Godd uttered the woman’s name slowly and deliberately.

"Indeed clever," her voice came, languid yet with a hint of huskiness from tobacco and rum, but also incredibly magnetic.
"No wonder he could guess that the person behind Garr was me in just a few words."

(End of this chapter)