Old Gods, Rapid-Fire Guns, and Prohibition

Chapter 281 [Past Events]

"Actually, West is a little girl."

On the way, Johnny Blackbird, who was driving, suddenly spoke up.

"She seems mature and strong, but she's very simple at heart. She just wants to do things that are difficult to do, like... changing the world. Sounds silly, right?"

Ethan remained noncommittal.

"But I just love her spirit. Do you know where we met? I had just robbed a bank and was drinking with my brothers in a bar in the middle of the country when she suddenly came up to me and started scolding me, saying that I was a selfish person who only thought about myself, that I squandered all the money I stole and only shared a little with others, and that I was enjoying the empty reputation of being a chivalrous thief. She looked down on me."

At this point, Johnny Blackbird suddenly laughed.

“She was so captivating, you know? At that moment, she was absolutely mesmerizing. I fell completely in love with her. I vowed to be her man, so I chased after her and told her I wanted her to be my woman.”

She was surprised and said I didn't know you at all.

“I said my name is Johnny Dieter, I’m from Siesta in the Midlands, I live in Homan Village, my mother died when I was young, my father was an alcoholic who liked to beat me, I killed him when I was nine. I like robbing banks, drinking, playing with guns, driving, and you.”

"You're so cool, it's hard for her not to fall for you."

Ethan finally spoke.

He had to admit that the man next to him, wearing a bird-beak mask, black leather gloves while driving, and whose speech was sometimes humorous and sometimes forceful and unyielding, was very charming.

"cool?"

Johnny Blackbird didn't seem to understand the word.

"That means your charm is irresistible."

"I agree with that, so you also think I'm better than that Joseph, right?"

He suddenly changed the subject to Joseph.

"Joseph is a good man; he asked me to take West away."

"Well, in that respect, he's really good."

The two chatted for a while, and finally, the car arrived at its destination.

This is a residence located in the heart of the central district, right next to the River Delwin, the central river of the kingdom, and not far from the fall of the kingdom. It can be said to be the very core of the core.

The people living here are certainly not ordinary people.

"Michael Bate, former Minister of Finance of the Kingdom and one of the key figures of the Industrial Party."

Johnny Blackbird parked the car not far from the house and introduced Ethan to the people they were going to visit that evening.

As expected of the Industrial Party members.

In fact, when Ethan first arrived in the capital, he read the newspaper controlled by the Industrial Party, which went to great lengths to mock the Royalist Party's inaction by using Johnny Blackbird. This already gave him a clue.

“At first, we only worked hard in the central region. We naively thought that as long as we robbed all the banks in the central region and distributed the money to everyone, everyone's life would naturally get better. But... we were wrong.”

"The War of Morma has broken out."

"Excuse me, so you experienced the Battle of Morma?"

"I guess so, but I've only seen it. If someone of my level were to actually participate, they probably wouldn't even know how they died."

Johnny Blackbird chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"So, what is the truth behind the Battle of Morma?"

"The truth? Perhaps, it's just a group of hungry people wanting to fill their stomachs."

Johnny Blackbird did not provide a clear qualifier.

"After that, the entire Morma was destroyed. We realized that all our previous efforts were useless. No matter what we did, the other side could change everything with just a word. So we came to the capital."

"Of course, the other side found West first, or to be more precise, they found the organization behind West first, the Morma Self-Help Society. They needed some people to come to the capital to do some things, and obviously, no one was more suitable than me."

At this point, Johnny Blackbird shook his head.

"Forget it, let that old guy tell you the details himself."

Johnny Blackbird was about to get out of the car when Ethan stopped him.

"Don't move. Slowly sit back down, breathe gently, light a cigarette, and pretend nothing's wrong. After you finish your cigarette, start the car and head towards the East District."

Johnny Blackbird glanced at him, somewhat puzzled, but did as he was told. He even tried to offer Ethan a cigarette.

Ethan refused.

After he finished his cigarette, he started the car again and headed towards the East District.

Meanwhile, at the home of the former Kingdom's Minister of Finance, a group of fully armed members of the Kingdom's Security Service were waiting for something.

As for Mr. Michael, he is no longer at his residence and is currently a guest at the headquarters of the Kingdom Security Service.

"That car just now..."

"Nothing's wrong, don't worry about it."

This conversation ended.

In the car, Ethan said, "Your finance minister is probably in trouble. That house was full of people just now."

Ethan made this judgment based on two aspects.

First, it's the information that Johnny Blackbird just gave him.

West does indeed belong to a Morma rebel organization, the Morma Self-Salvation Society.

Previously, Heisenberg had said that he had returned to deal with certain people.

This alerted him, prompting him to use his abilities to perceive the mansion more meticulously.

Sure enough, there were many people inside, well hidden. If it weren't for his ability to sense subtle malice, they would have really been in trouble.

"We're doomed. We have no one left to use. The other party is our only contact."

Johnny Blackbird shrugged, not showing much frustration.

"Keep driving forward."

Since Johnny Blackbird and his men can't be relied on, they have to rely on themselves.

"Where?"

"pier."

The Poseidon is not currently in the capital. Ethan previously sent Sophia away, using the connection to the Poseidon left behind by Carlos.

Before Carlos left, he told him that if he encountered any serious trouble, he could seek help from the Church of Poseidon.

"The dock?"

Johnny Blackbird was a little confused, but he still headed towards the dock.

About half an hour later, the car finally arrived at the dock.

However, the capital's docks are enormous; from a distance, they look like a small city.

Johnny Blackbird looked at the dock and asked, "Are we going to head straight out to sea?"

"No, let's go grab a drink first. Do you mind showing your face?"

Johnny Blackbird has been wearing a mask ever since Ethan met him.

But his mask is so distinctive that no one in the capital doesn't recognize it now.

"Of course I don't mind."

Johnny Blackbird removed his mask, revealing a face that could be described as wildly handsome.

No wonder West liked him.

(End of this chapter)