73 DUSTY BLOOD (1/2)

Inside the commander's room on the twelfth deck, four of Hardy brothers were kneeling on the floor and looked to be in dire straits. The four of them were wearing lockets made of a single tooth. Fimbry wasn't with the others, for he was not only suffering from severe fever but was also injured too much to tag along with his brothers.

\”There's a rule that none shall be murdered on this ship,\” Sean, who was seated in his chair, coldly looked down at them. \”You guys didn't keep that rule in mind, but if it wasn't for that same rule, you five brothers would have probably lost your lives by now, given the ruckus you've caused in the hall.\” He chewed his cigar that was almost over. \”Dozens got burned by the flames, but fortunately, only a few suffered serious injuries; however, if any of those people die, then you guys are doomed.\”

The five brothers couldn't directly look in Sean's eyes.

\”I don't care how angry or insulted you may feel, but always take things outside the hall,\” Sean said, his eyes shimmering with cold light. \”Teach someone a lesson or two if you want, but never go for a man's life on this ship. The rules are set for a reason, and it's not to restrain the strong but to teach them some self-restraint, and also not to bully the weak but to build up their backbone. That's why you are given the freedom to hurt and injure someone as much as you want if they mess with you, but in return, you are only asked to not end their lives. Can't you even obey that?\” A few seconds of silence passed. \”You can't polish people without pushing them to their limits. Every deck on this ship, in one way or another, provides new opportunities for growth. Anyone on this ship may one day become a member of the Shambala Sect. So, we should treat others either like friends, or much better, rivals, but not enemies. How do you people expect to become members of the Shambala Sect if you think and act no better than apes on pills?\” The brothers didn't raise their heads all this while. \”Next time you brothers even think of doing something this nasty, also think about the consequences. Since this is your first mistake on my deck, I'm letting things go. Just pay for the alcohol you've wasted, and give five silver to all the injured, and then an extra five gold for the property damage. Last but not least, you should publicly apologize to the referee, the former referee, and then you will be allowed to take part in the deck tests, understand?\”

\”C-Commander,\” Betts raised his head. \”We can somehow manage and give five silver to the injured, but as for the loss of alcohol and the additional five gold for property damage.. it's a bit too much.\” Paying for alcohol is no joke. Though rum and wine barrels were stored in the twelfth deck's test hall, they were only allowed to be tasted by people from the upper decks. It was the same with all the rich and exotic foods, too. Paying for all that would not only fill holes in their pockets, but they'd be left with a huge debt.

\”Oh, fine,\” Sean's voice was indifferent, \”then make it ten.\”

The brothers' eyes enlarged, and redness crept into the corners.

Sean got up from his seat, a thing throne made to resemble a standing cat. Cat fur provided some cushion in the throne, and cat claws also served as a decoration. \”You think I'm playing games with you guys?\” Sean's voice deepened. \”Ten gold coins won't even cover half the destruction you've all caused. More importantly, you've wasted the time of many by throwing the hall into chaos. Can you bring the lost time back? Besides, if those monkeys hadn't come, I would have made you guys take responsibility for each and everything you've done.\” He ground his teeth. \”Now, all I'm asking is that you pay some coins and show some regret to the public.\”

\”B-But, Commander,\” Divas said, \”we don't have that much with us.\”

\”I don't care,\” Sean blurted out. \”Pay it within the next 300 fiifs[1] of time, or you'll all be escorted to Drill Hall, where you'll be required to live behind bars for as long as I feel like it.\”

The four of them nodded under duress.

\”You can leave.\”

After those five left, Sean shook his head.

\”You just let them go like that, Sir Sean?\” Mikey, who was waiting outside the room, just entered the room. \”Given their background, they could easily pay a lot more.\”

\”It's a pain in the ass to punish those who have potential,\” Sean sighed as he sat back in his seat. \”The Martial Way is a long walk. Not all good guys or bad guys stay the same throughout. Let's see how these brothers take this set back.\”

\”Understood,\” Mikey nodded. (All bad guys don't stay bad throughout, huh. He's right. They may change, or even we may change. Also, all of our posts are temporary, so it's better to be careful now than to cry afterward. No matter how I look at it, Sir Sean is very thoughtful. No wonder he's managed to stay as the commander of this deck for so long. I'm starting to see why even a big shot like Captain Gorka favors this man. If only I can...)

At that moment, Sean glanced at Mikey. \”Are you wondering why I didn't make you the referee after sacking Jehez?\”

\”No, no, sir,\” Mikey was startled, but Sean was starting right at him. \”Y-Yes, sir. Sorry.\”

\”Don't be sorry. I would be mad if you aren't angry at me now,\” said Sean, surprising Mikey. \”Any man without ambition is no different than these thing thrones. They only exist to serve, and they can't fill in your place. So… keep aiming for this seat.\”

Sean's words enlarged Mikey's eyes, and his impression on the commander totally changed.

\”However, don't let ambition blind your eyes,\” Sean's voice turned a bit heavy. \”Though I've heard complaints about you…\” At this point, Mikey's body shook, \”I overlooked them, solely because not just any ordinary man can stay in Cat Home for long. So don't disappoint me again.\”

\”Understood, sir,\” Mikey replied aloud and bowed a little. \”Thank you for giving me another opportunity. I will do my best to not disappoint you again.\”

\”Anyway, what's the update with that boy?\”

\”Oh, you mean the one with the scarface, sir?\”

\”Ah, yes, yes, did he recover enough to attend for his review?\”

\”I'm afraid not. He was the one who got the most injuries of all. I didn't go and see him personally, but I heard he got severe burns, and his bones were bruised everywhere.\”

\”Quite a wild kid he must be—for him to try and fight the brothers alone. I'll give him that.\” Sean smiled a bit. \”He was probably tougher than the brothers thought.\”

\”Not so tough, though,\” Mikey remarked. \”He might die if not treated soon, sir. Nobody has come forward to offer help.\”

Sean was startled, \”What? More than ten hours have passed since the ruckus in the hall, yet none stepped forward to heal him?\”

\”News has already spread that the boy was the reason why the brothers fought in the first place.\”

\”Oh, so that's how it is,\” Sean pulled his head back a bit and thought for a moment. \”Even though the brothers have clearly gone against the rules, everyone's siding with them. The brothers are doing well now, and they have a bright future ahead, unlike the boy who has uncertainty written all over him. Even though he's promising, nobody knows his name enough, let alone him as a person to make an effort. I guess I can't blame people for taking the brothers' side.\”

\”What do you want to do now, sir? Do you want to save him?\”

\”I would if he was innocent, but that's not really the case, is it?\” a corner of Sean's lips curled up a little. \”Besides, if the boy dies, the brothers will have gotten themselves into huge trouble. I would love to see them suffer for their stupidity.\”

\”But, sir, if he dies on our deck, your reputation might take a dent. Also, are you really wishing such an ill fate for someone who has donated so much for the cats?\”

Sean paused a moment. \”Donated? Who? The brothers?\”

\”No, sir. The boy.\”

\”He donated?\” Sean raised his brow. \”How much?\”

\”I'm not sure, but it's quite a lot, given that he earned it by involving every bettor during that round.\”

Sean blinked twice. \”Was his name Lirzod?\”

\”I think so, but I don't believe that's his name, sir.\”

\”Why?\” Sean's voice hastened a bit.

\”Because I'm told Lirzod was the one who tussled with Geragorn recently.\”

\”Wait, the one who moved Geragorn's ass off the tenth deck was Lirzod?\” Sean's eyes widened a bit, and he got out of his seat at once.

\”U-Uh, I'm not so sure, sir,\” Mikey made a dumb face, not knowing what to say. Sean was usually busy, spending time in Drill Hall, and even though many trainees talk about news there, they still wouldn't dare talk in front of their master, unless some groundbreaking event happened, so Mikey could understand why he wasn't fully aware of the information. \”Forgive me for being useless.\”

\”This boy…\” Sean pumped his fists. \”We can't let him die like this!\”

Meanwhile, in the Drill Clinic, on the twelfth deck.

The elf girl looked quite tired, but she also looked happy.

\”Thanks a lot, miss,\” one patient kowtowed after he got healed, \”if not for you, I'd still be suffering.\”

\”Please get up. I just did my job.\”

\”Yes, miss, but you demand less coin than others, even though you heal better than the rest, as far as I know.\” He looked at his body and looked satisfied. \”I still can't believe that all the burnt skin on my hand got healed in less than an hour.\”

\”I've used a bit of mierion in the oil applied to the injury,\” the elf girl informed in a polite tone. \”It made all the difference, that's all.\”

\”I don't know what that is, but please accept this,\” he pulled out his silver bracelet and put it at her feet.