Mystery: Big Alarm Clock Ghroth Path

Chapter 226 A Troublesome Faceless Man

Upon hearing Roger's question, the little "clown" said:
"I only saw Mitron when he was a child. He moved to Bansie Island when he was 12 years old, and he didn't return until five years ago. By then, he was already Sequence 6, which is what he looks like now."

“I was just an ordinary sailor, but he found me and helped me become a ‘fortune teller’ and made me work for him.”

“Two years ago, Mitrom helped me become the ‘clown’ again, and ever since then he has often gone out to sea and asked me to handle things on the island for him.”

Roger frowned upon hearing the words of the short "clown":
"So, not only do you not know what your cousin looks like, you're not even sure if Mitron Gadirs is the same Mitron Gadirs from the beginning, shall I put it that way?"

Even the small, bewildered "Clown" was slightly taken aback when he heard Roger's question.

After several seconds, he said, looking completely bewildered:

"I have no idea……"

There's a "faceless" brother like this...

The most important rule in becoming a "Faceless Man" is to perform a deep disguise that can fool everyone, truly masquerade as another person and gain corresponding social feedback.

In this process, he must immerse himself in the role, try his best to play it, and truly integrate into the social identity of the person he is playing, taking their joys and sorrows as his own.

This means that the role of the "Faceless Man" is not a temporary performance on the surface, but a genuine replacement of a person at a deeper level, becoming that person in a social sense.

Only when his relatives and friends have been unable to detect it for a long time can it be considered that the disguise was successful.

Klein's reason for going to sea was to break away from his original social circle and become a true "German Sparrow".

Therefore, Roger is currently very suspicious that Mitroncard is not the original person, but someone who has taken his place.

While this would provide a lot of information, it also contained pitfalls, making Roger's idea of ​​using it as a breakthrough point very unreliable.

Roger sighed softly and asked again:

Do you know what his relationship is with Ivan Bratov?

"Know.

"Blatov and Mitron are friends. Every time he comes to Port Olavi, the two of them meet and go out to sea together."

Do you know what they do when they go out to sea?

Roger pressed on with the question.

"do not know……"

Roger nodded slightly, waved his hand, and released the psychic connection, allowing the little "clown's" soul to leave on its own.

He then took the "Clown" extraordinary characteristic that had been extracted from the corpse at the scene and another piece of the "Provocateur" extraordinary characteristic and put them away.

Since fully digesting the "Leaksman" potion, Roger can know the sequence level and approximate properties of any extraordinary property that is no higher than Sequence 5.

Combined with Roger's thorough understanding of the 22 pathways, he could easily identify which pathway and sequence number this extraordinary property belonged to.

Just as he was about to move forward, Zeus Newman, with Bandit on his shoulder, came out from the back with another extremely burly, dark brown-skinned, short-haired man in his thirties, about the same height as Roger.

"Bandit can stand on your shoulders, so you're a big shot too."

Roger smiled at his subordinate.

After all, Bandit had only treated Roger and Klein this way before. Both of them were people who carried Source Matter, and in terms of sheer rank, they could be said to crush 99.99% of Extraordinary Beings.

"Yes Yes."

Zeus nodded, very respectfully, but he did not mention that Bandit could speak.

"Who is this gentleman?"

Roger looked at the man next to Zeus and asked.

"Let me introduce you. This is Matteo Monroe, an experienced sailor and the boatswain I selected for you, Captain."

Upon hearing Zeus's words, Roger extended his hand in a friendly manner and shook hands with Matteo Monroe:
“Hello, Mr. Monroe, my name is John West, captain of the ‘Star Lord’.”

"Zeus has already told you the specifics. I would like to ask which path you are an extraordinary being, and what sequence you belong to?"

Matteo Monroe also greeted him humbly before replying:
"To be honest, I am a Sequence 8 'Wrathful People', 'Sailor' pathway."

"That is indeed very suitable."

Roger said sincerely that "the Wrathful People" was the most suitable boatswain he could think of.

"Let's find a quiet place to eat and drink first, and talk while we eat."

At Roger's invitation, Matteo, along with Bandit, Zeus, and Philip, headed outside.

On the way, Matteo saw people lying on the ground, sprawled out in disarray. Although he showed slight surprise, he restrained himself and did not ask any questions.

This made Roger think more highly of him, and he added some points to Matteo's reputation in his mind.

The four people and one cat found a quiet, ordinary little bar, sat on a wooden bench outside, and chatted while drinking.

"Let me introduce my abilities and experience to you."

Matteo Monroe spent about twenty minutes recounting his nearly 15-year seafaring career, including how he started as a sailor on ocean-going merchant ships and escort vessels, how he became an extraordinary person by chance, how he gradually became a bosun, and how he left his original ship to seek better opportunities.

Roger listened very attentively, and after this conversation, his opinion of Matteo improved even further.

Although they are a “people of rage,” they are exceptionally humble, steady, and have extensive seafaring experience.

"To be honest, I've met a lot of people."

"I didn't believe what Zeus said at first, thinking that you were just pretending and that you were essentially the same as those pirates."

"But after talking to you, I'm sure you're not that kind of guy."

Matteo also had a good impression of Roger, who nodded and asked:

"What are your salary requirements?"

“Normally, a boatswain with my seniority would earn over 600 gold pounds a year, but considering that I am an extraordinary being and the complexity of what I am about to do, the price would have to be doubled. Is that acceptable to you?”

Matteo said somewhat nervously. In fact, he felt that Roger was a decent employer and was prepared to make some compromises.

But to everyone's surprise, Roger readily agreed.
"1200 gold pounds, I will cover your food, lodging and medical expenses, and give you an annual family allowance of 300 gold pounds, as well as priority promotion to Sequence 7."

"But you have to use your connections to help me recruit enough high-quality sailors, and you have to do things well, otherwise I will find someone to replace you at any time."

Matteo was slightly taken aback, then said with some emotion:
"Rest assured, Captain West, I will do my utmost to serve you."

"If it doesn't involve classified information, could you take me to the 'Star Lord' later? I'd like to learn about the ship's details before deciding on the appropriate service."

Roger nodded:

"It involves classified information, but you are free to look at it."

This means that he himself can cover for any leaks of the "Star Lord's" secrets.

This is from the perspective of strength. A fleet is essentially a large organizational structure. If it does not have absolute strength, it will not have a voice.

Secrets that were meant to be kept could not be kept, the crew members were not obedient to management, and some even mutinied and tried to kill the captain.

This is not an exaggeration. In fact, there are far too many such incidents at sea. Even in the era before Roger's time travel, it was not uncommon for captains of ocean-going ships or fishing boats to be murdered and their bodies dumped by their crews.

Matteo was a seasoned veteran. Upon hearing this, his expression turned serious, and he immediately nodded to assure everyone that he would not leak the secret.

Roger didn't care at all. The four of them finished the wine in the bottle and then boarded the "Star Lord" with Matteo.

Just as Roger had predicted, the Star Lord greatly shocked Matteo. The composed boatswain kept uttering various dialect words that were unclear in meaning but clearly expressed admiration and surprise after boarding the ship.

After Roger manipulated the "Heart of the Star Lord" to switch between several spaces behind the doors and showed them to Matteo, the latter even unconsciously uttered the honorific name of the "Lord of the Storm," leaving Roger and the others both amused and exasperated.

Later, when he met the exceptionally beautiful "Pleasure Witch" Linssaya Louise, he was almost bewitched. In the end, it was only a glare from Roger that stopped Linssaya from her perverse pleasure of randomly seducing others.

Fortunately, Matteo was quite adaptable. He quickly grasped the situation on the ship and its various rules and regulations, and went to recruit manpower with Zeus and Philip as his companions.

Before the three left, Roger deliberately threatened Philip with the "Crimson Gem of Pantax" before handing it over as a backup plan if necessary. Although Philip was not interested in the sealed artifacts of the "Mystic" pathway, it was his first time encountering a Sequence 6 level magical item, and he was somewhat curious. So in the end, he accepted Roger's arrangement and set off on his mission.

"This should provide the usual manpower, but we are still lacking some more specialized personnel... such as a proper cook and a ship's doctor."

Although Linsaya had promised to take charge of the ship's meals during this period, there would be at least several dozen people on board once the manpower was recruited.

With so many mouths to feed, Lindsay was definitely overwhelmed. On the other hand, Roger also needed at least two people to keep an eye on her and prevent her from adding anything strange to the food on a whim.

The chef was one thing, and Roger had already given Matteo some instructions, but as for the doctor, Roger still preferred the "pharmacist."

However, Roger had previously asked Matteo, who said that it was highly unlikely that a place like Oravi Island would be able to find a "pharmacist," a profession that was not common at sea.

According to his analysis, the resources and trade on the island of Oravi are very limited, and the extraordinary profession of "Pharmacist," which relies on various herbs and alchemical products, cannot fully utilize its advantages.

On the other hand, considering the activity trajectory of the "Life School", the probability of "Pharmacist" knowledge being passed down on Oravi Island is not high.

As for Bayam, the "City of Generosity," there is great hope, as it is the political, economic, and cultural center of the entire Sunia Sea, the White Whale Sea, and even the Raging Sea. Many talented individuals and extraordinary beings with exceptional abilities live in seclusion there, and there must be "Pharmacists" among them, but it would require enough luck and a considerable price to persuade them to come.

However, having something is always better than not having one.

Not to mention that Roger himself is an extraordinary being in the realm of "destiny," so at worst he could just take the "life-risking revolver" and shoot himself a few times.

At first, Roger would feel pain from being shot, but he gradually got used to it. In addition, he figured out how to use the "Rose Bishop's" ability to temporarily numb some of his pain nerves and reduce pain. Now he can basically improve his luck in a not-too-serious state.

So he felt relieved for the time being. After helping Bandit to make some simple arrangements for the defenses of the "Star Lord" and ensuring that no one would sneak onto the ship at night, he went back to his cabin in the captain's room to rest.

The weather in Port Olavi wasn't great the following afternoon, but Roger was in a pretty good mood.

In less than a day, Matteo Monroe successfully found Roger 20 experienced sailors, some of whom had experience in preparing meals, and managed to negotiate a reasonable price for their services.

There were also some people in the middle who were still up to no good and seemed to be related to Mitron Gadirs, but Philip decisively used the "Crimson Gem of Pantax" to kill them and successfully replenish his flesh and blood.

This was almost a soldier's self-awareness—although Philip still felt uncomfortable when using the "Rose Bishop" ability, he later admitted that "the ability of the Mystic is indeed unique."

This amused Roger, Zeus, and Lindsay, and even Bandit pursed his lips but ultimately said nothing.

Although Matteo had already assessed the new sailors, Roger still used "Secret Insight" to quickly review them, eliminating three problematic sailors and keeping the remaining seventeen.

That's perfectly fine, because Matteo was very shrewd in hiring, deliberately leaving some leeway so that his boss could lay off some people, so the current situation is a win-win situation.

Afterwards, because the beer at the "Coastline Tavern" was not yet fully prepared, Roger stayed on the island for another day to allow Matteo and the others to purchase some necessary supplies for the voyage. At the same time, he went to inquire about information about the Star Core but ultimately came up empty-handed. Only then did he transport the fifty barrels of beer to a special room on the ship and set sail.

Since there was a new boatswain Matteo, Zeus no longer needed to work as a boatswain and could focus on being his second mate. He could also learn ship-handling skills from Philip to quickly adapt to his new role and position.

During this time, Roger, as captain, together with Philip, carefully explained to the sailors all the taboos on board.

At first, some sailors who lacked understanding of extraordinary power were somewhat nonchalant, but after Roger opened a door and showed them the terrifying space behind it filled with magma and high temperatures, the young men were terrified and carefully studied the crew rules of the "Star Lord".

Afterwards, Philip, like an instructor, repeatedly tested and checked the new members to make sure they had fully mastered the ship's discipline before he went to Roger's cabin to report to Roger.

“Well done. Tell Linseria to find two helpers who can cook tonight to prepare a sumptuous meal, and open a few barrels of beer that were just moved onto the ship. We’ll have a ‘Star Lord’ team inauguration ceremony.”

Roger laughed.

"Yes, Captain, I'll make the arrangements right away."

Philip now seems to have fully embraced his role as first mate, and is temporarily refraining from mentioning his earlier verbal promise that he was only "temporarily joining."

……

At seven o'clock in the evening, the moon rose, and the "Star Lord" was bustling with activity on the calm seas of Sunia.

As captain Roger, holding a large glass of premium Port Olavi beer, looked at the table laden with seafood, barbecue, cured meat, bread, and the exhausted "Pleasure Witch" Linsaria, who showed no signs of "pleasure," and delivered his first public speech as captain.

Roger first formally introduced himself, along with the ship's first mate, second mate, and combat officer, while also introducing his cat, Bendit. He then gave a warm welcome to the 18 new crew members.

He then talked about the founding purpose of the "Star Lord" and his future plans for establishing a fleet.

Roger even mentioned some potential difficulties the team might face later, such as being labeled a pirate ship due to certain unforeseen events, having a bounty placed on their head, and so on.

However, perhaps because Roger paid a high salary, or perhaps because his speeches were very inspiring, or perhaps because Matteo had carefully selected them, these sailors not only did not show any fear, but even cheered for Roger.

This pleased Roger greatly; he raised his glass and exclaimed:

"Thank you all so much for your support. From today onwards, we are brothers and family."

"For the 'Star Lord'!"

"For the 'Star Lord'!"

After saying that, everyone drank the wine in their glasses in one gulp, and then began their meal.

The party lasted until late at night, and even Roger, who had a high alcohol tolerance, ended up a bit drunk.

However, he must admit that beer is truly indispensable at sea.

He had heard from old Wiseman since he was a child that sailors on large ships absolutely could not do without beer, because it was the most effective and cheap form of entertainment, which could quickly unite the crew and was also an important pillar in ensuring a stable and harmonious atmosphere on board during long voyages.

He understands this deeply now.

After the crew went to rest, Roger took Bandit back to his captain's cabin to rest as well.

Just then, Roger heard the layered, illusory voice from Mr. Fool once again.

This gave him a jolt of energy, and he immediately closed the door and connected with the message transmitted from "above the gray fog".

Sure enough, he saw the blue-haired "Hanged Man" Alger again, seemingly praying in a quiet, cozy room that wasn't the captain's cabin.

“Respected Mr. Fool, please inform Mr. Wheel of Fortune that I have arrived in Bayam, the City of Generosity, and will stay here for about ten days.”

"There are two other things."

"First of all, my colleagues have spotted the 'Obsidian' you mentioned earlier in the waters north of the Rothschild Islands, and it is expected to arrive in Bayam by tomorrow night at the latest."

"I have already secretly arranged the protective measures, so please rest assured, Mr. 'Wheel of Fortune'."

"The second thing is some incidental intelligence."

"The 'Supporters' of the 'Lord of Storms' Church have discovered that a fleet suspected to be 'Admiral Twilight' Bratov is rapidly approaching Simim Island from the northeast and should be nearing the southern waters of the Rothschild Islands in about three days."

"We can discuss the specifics in detail at the next 'Tarot Meeting'."

"May everything be well with you, Mr. Fool."

The scene ends there. Roger thanks Mr. Fool and Alger the Hanged Man before exiting the "Gray Fog" as well.

Besides what he had previously told Alger, there were several important variables in the information the other party was conveying.

First, Alger arrived in Bayam and told Roger that he would be staying there for about 10 days, which Roger interpreted as an indication that he could meet with Roger.

Although Roger knew perfectly well that "The Fool" Klein did not want members of the Tarot Club to contact each other privately, especially not with him as "The Wheel of Fortune," he did not explicitly prohibit it at the Tarot Club either.

Not to mention that in the original storyline, Mr. Fool, who is "German Sparrow," also contacted Alger and conspired to kill "Iron" McVitie, the second mate of "Blood Admiral" Theonir.

This is the second point worth considering: according to the current timeline, Roger may have some overlap with Klein, who has now become "The World" Gehrman Sparrow.

Based on Roger's understanding of his friend, the evil god, he must be worried about seeing him again. Even though he had transformed into Gehrman Sparrow, Roger, with his extremely keen insight, could easily discern the secret of his relationship with "Klein Moretti."

This situation is unlikely to change until Klein truly integrates into Gehrman Sparrow's identity and becomes completely accustomed to being him, so Roger is very curious about what Klein will ultimately do.

Finally, Alger confirmed for Roger that "Twilight Admiral" Bratov's sailing route was not heading towards East Bayron, but towards the south coast of the Rothschild Islands.

This made it possible for Roger to encounter and fight him; the only questions were when and how.

In any case, it will definitely be a major event at sea, and even Roger himself cannot predict what kind of ripples it will cause.

This made him excited.

"I'm really looking forward to it..."

(End of this chapter)