Soon, a shocking scene unfolded on the streets of the dock. A nearly four-meter-tall giant dragged a vampire corpse wrapped in pink curtains through the town, dark red blood soaking the cobblestones beneath, leaving behind a gruesome "red carpet."

  The islanders hurriedly parted to make way, panic etched on their faces. Some in the crowd, witnessing the spectacle, turned to leave.

  Charles noticed their reactions and coldly smiled; those people were likely spies for the vampires. This was the intimidation he sought. No matter how formidable the vampires were, compared to the terror of the deep sea, they were nothing but child's play.

  The crimson trail extended from the brothel all the way to the police booth at the dock.

  “Hey, your island isn’t being managed very well! How can so many of these creatures infiltrate without you noticing? What are you doing?” Charles reprimanded the two on-duty policemen, adopting an authoritative tone.

  The officers, sweating profusely at the sight of the chaotic scene, stammered.

  “Are you hot?” Charles leaned in closer, his masked face inches from theirs.

  “N-no!” one of the portly officers instinctively recoiled.

  “I’ve gone ahead and dealt with your problem. Shouldn’t you show a little gratitude? I suspect there are still hidden vampires at the dock. You’d better find them quickly; I still have crew members unaccounted for.”

  Faced with the pile of corpses at the entrance, the two officers dared not argue and quickly promised to notify their superiors.

  As soon as Charles left, the portly officer urgently turned to his partner. “Quick! Notify the chief! The newcomers just killed Durand!!”

  “Captain, will those black-skinned dogs help us find the others?” Knona, clutching his wrist, asked.

  Charles replied, “If I were the ruler of this island, I wouldn’t allow any foreign race to drain blood on my territory.”

  Removing his mask, Charles’s expression turned serious. “That’s not the point. The fact that the vampires are so brazen indicates that this island isn’t safe. We need to leave quickly. Let’s head to the shipyard.”

  “Sir, what are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you it would take a month?” The factory manager rushed over, clutching blueprints amidst the noise of the shipyard.

  “Can you speed it up? The echo coin isn’t the issue.”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Charles didn’t want to complicate matters; he just needed the turbine to get back to Coral Island. Once on his own turf, he could safely replace the turbine.

  Hearing Charles’s words, the manager’s face showed hesitation. “That’s quite difficult…”

  As he spoke, a young worker approached and whispered something in his ear.

  The manager’s expression changed instantly, fear flashing in his eyes as he looked at Charles. “S-sir! I can have the best turbine replaced for you in three days. Just three days!”

  Though Charles didn’t know what the worker had said, he could clearly sense the shift in the manager’s demeanor.

  With his goal achieved, Charles didn’t linger. He gave a few simple instructions before stepping outside.

  “Prepare everything. As soon as the turbine is ready, we leave.”

  “What about Jack and the others?” Deep inquired about the other missing crew members.

  “Can’t worry about that now. If the ship is ready and they haven’t been found by the police, their situation will likely be dire.”

  Just as Charles was talking to the crew, Lily, perched on his shoulder, exclaimed, “Mr. Charles, look! It’s that painter!”

  Charles looked up to see the disfigured blind artist stumbling toward them, sniffing the air as he approached.

  Instinctively, Charles felt the artist was searching for him.

  “Is there something you need?” Charles asked as he stepped in front of him.

  The artist jumped at the question, but soon a hint of joy spread across his grotesque face. “Sir, I finally found you! I wanted to speak with you back at Helen Square, but there were too many people, and I—”

  “Spit it out,” Charles interrupted.

  The blind man lowered his voice, nervously retracting his neck. “Sir, I have crucial information regarding your safety. I want to exchange this news for a ride on your ship to leave this cursed place. I can’t stay here any longer; everyone bullies me.”

  Though unsure of the artist’s motives, Charles agreed to the unequal exchange. He needed more local information. “Go on.”

  “I know you’re strong, but you need to leave quickly. The news of Durand’s death has reached the police. They’ve sent two dukes to deal with the situation. If you wait for them to arrive, you’ll be trapped!”

  “Dukes? What are you talking about?” Charles frowned.

  The blind man grew agitated, gesturing rapidly. “Not only were those you killed vampires! The entire island’s population is made up of vampires. This place is their stronghold—Black Crystal Island!!”

  The revelation shocked everyone aboard the Unicorn Whale, their faces filled with disbelief as they widened their eyes, scanning the surrounding islanders.

  “All of them?”

  “Yes, all of them, including me.”

  The blind man opened his mouth wide, revealing sharp fangs that glinted ominously.

  Charles’s expression darkened. If it were just a few vampires, it wouldn’t be so terrifying, but if the entire island was composed of them, then they were undoubtedly sitting ducks.

  He had thought he had narrowly escaped, only to find himself in a den of wolves.

  “If they’re all in cahoots, then just now…”

  Charles’s face changed as he realized something and hurriedly led the crew back to the shipyard.

  As soon as he entered, he collided with the factory manager.

  “Didn’t you say you’d expedite the repairs? Why are you still here?” The crew members wore menacing expressions.

  “Uh… I…” the manager stammered.

  Charles, uninterested in explanations, ordered his crew to seal all exits and gather everyone inside.

  Facing the manager, whose expression shifted from fear to anger, Charles said, “No need to pretend. That guy already told us the truth. You’re all in league with those outside, aren’t you? I’m sure you haven’t even touched my ship.”

  “Traitor!” The enraged manager lunged at the blind man, but a blood-stained black blade blocked his path.