An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2503

Chapter 2503
As night fell, Warrick sat motionless in his room, attempting to calm his mind through meditation. He had always been able to clear his thoughts with ease, but tonight, focus eluded him. No matter how hard he tried, a restless unease settled over him, refusing to let him relax.

Nearly two hours passed before Mulder’s scouts finally returned, bringing good news.

The smuggling route they had scouted was completely safe—there were no signs of an ambush, and the West Lucozia army had yet to discover this potential escape path.

With everything confirmed, Mulder let out a breath of relief. Warrick, too, felt the weight lift from his chest.

“Since the route is secure, we should leave immediately to avoid any unforeseen complications,” Warrick said.

He had no intention of waiting any longer. As a wanted man, every moment spent in West Lucozia increased his chances of capture.

There was no telling when the army might close in. Only by reaching Thaloria would he truly be safe.

“Pack up. We’re leaving now,” Mulder ordered without hesitation.

After a quick disguise, the group set out.

The countryside was quiet, and their plain van blended in as it rumbled down the road. After about an hour, they reached a fork where the road ended.

“There’s a narrow path ahead. The van can’t go any further—we’ll have to walk from here,” Mulder said.

He stepped out first, with Warrick following in silence. Moving swiftly along the narrow path, they reached the smuggling dock in less than half an hour.

The dock was small, with over a dozen fishing boats scattered along the shore. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a temporary mooring spot for local fishermen.

By now, most of them had already gone home. Out on the water, the boats drifted in the darkness—except for one, where a dim light flickered. A man dressed like a fisherman lay on the deck, his straw hat pulled low over his face.

“This is the smuggling route you mentioned?” Warrick frowned Read on agrokhabar net at the sight of the fishing boats ahead. “You’ve got to be joking.”

These were private fishing boats, none longer than twenty-five feet. They might be fine for short trips in calm waters, but even a mild storm could capsize them.

And their journey would take several days at sea. If they encountered rough weather, a boat this small wouldn’t stand a chance—it would be torn apart by the waves.

Even being halfway to becoming an ultimate grandmaster wouldn’t save Warrick if he got thrown into the ocean. He couldn’t decide whether Mulder was a fool or if he simply had no regard for his own life.

“Calm down, Sir Prescott,” Mulder said evenly. “Of course, I know these fishing boats can’t handle an open sea voyage. Sailing to Thaloria on them would be suicide.”

“So, what’s your plan?” Warrick’s frown deepened.

“I’ve got everything arranged,” Mulder explained. “These fishing boats are just for the first leg of the trip. About thirty miles out, the Hall of Gods has a luxury ship waiting—that’s our real vessel. So there’s no need to worry about safety.”

“Oh, so that’s how it is. You nearly had me thinking you’d lost your mind.”

Warrick let out a breath of relief, chiding himself. Of course, Mulder wasn’t the type to make such an amateur mistake.

“If the situation weren’t so tense, I wouldn’t have pulled a stunt like this,” Mulder said with a faint smile.

A fishing boat’s small size and unremarkable appearance made it the perfect cover. A larger vessel would only attract attention and invite trouble, so to be safe, the main ship was anchored farther out.

“Sir Prescott, I just checked the area—no ambush, all clear. Let’s move.”

Mulder scanned the surroundings one last time before leading Warrick forward. Under the cover of night, the group moved cautiously toward a dimly lit fishing boat.

“Hey, everyone’s here. We can set sail now,” Mulder said as he leaped onto the bow.

The fisherman lying on the deck, legs crossed, didn’t react. He looked as though he hadn’t heard a thing.

“Hey! Wake up!” Mulder kicked the man’s boot impatiently.

“Oh! You’re finally here. Took you long enough.”

The fisherman seemed to have just Read on agrokhabar net woken from a deep sleep. He stretched lazily, let out a long yawn, and slowly sat up.

“We already paid you, so cut the chatter and set sail,” Mulder urged.

“Set sail? Where to?” the fisherman asked with a sluggish drawl.

“Where else? Out to sea, obviously,” Mulder replied, frowning.

“Sorry, but this boat isn’t going anywhere past the shore,” the fisherman said.

He slowly removed his straw hat, revealing a strikingly young, handsome face.

Grinning, he added, “But I’d be more than happy to ferry you gentlemen straight to the underworld. Are you interested?”