While investigating the pirates' secret codes in the shopping district of Hope Cape, Merslin and his party came across a small tavern. The place was bustling with people gathered in small groups, enjoying their drinks. Lisa and Serena decided to stop by to scan the area for any useful leads.
Lisa: "Serena, I don't know if we'll find anything useful here, but it's worth checking. There might be someone linked to the pirate crew."
Serena observed the surroundings carefully and spoke in a calm voice.
Serena: "Alright. If I spot someone suspicious, I'll act. You keep an eye on the crowd."
They moved around the tavern, scanning the people. Most of them appeared to be ordinary travelers and townsfolk, but Serena's sharp instincts alerted her to one man sitting alone at the bar.
His attire was out of place for a resort town, and he kept nervously glancing around as if wary of his surroundings. What caught Serena's attention the most was a faint tattoo on his wrist—one that matched the symbol of the Black Hat Pirates.
(Serena, internally): "This guy… He's definitely suspicious. A lone drinker, clothing that doesn't match the locals, and that tattoo… There's no way he's just another traveler."
Serena made up her mind.
Serena: "Lisa, that man over there… I think he's one of them. I'm going to tail him."
Lisa trusted Serena's instincts and nodded.
Lisa: "Alright. Be careful. I'll cover you from a distance."
Serena began following the man from a safe distance, staying in the shadows to avoid being detected. The man finished his drink and walked into a dimly lit alleyway.
(Serena, internally): "Gotcha. Let's see where you're headed."
She carefully matched his pace, ensuring she made no sound. As the man entered the alley, Serena closed in behind him and, in one swift motion, struck him on the back of the neck.
The man collapsed silently, unable to react.
Serena quickly scanned the area to make sure no one was watching, then searched his belongings with her swift and quiet hands.
(Serena, internally): "Alright, let's see what you've got…"
She pulled out a small coin pouch, a handkerchief, and a necklace with a peculiar emblem. Serena's eyes narrowed.
Serena: "This… This emblem is the same as the pirates' symbol. It's not just jewelry—it could be a key or an identification marker."
She examined the intricate engravings on the pendant. The markings bore similarities to other pirate insignias they had seen before.
(Serena, internally): "If this is a key… it might be for one of their hideouts."
Just as she was about to dig deeper, footsteps echoed from further down the alley. Serena tensed. Someone else was coming. She needed to move fast.
She found a small, crumpled note in the man's pocket. Unfolding it, she read a list of locations and dates—likely connected to pirate operations.
But one thing struck her as odd.
(Serena, internally): "Wait… These aren't remote islands or abandoned warehouses. These are addresses inside the city's residential district. Are they hiding among civilians?"
Serena hesitated for a moment. Using residential homes as pirate hideouts? That was an unexpected and clever move.
Serena: "This doesn't feel right… I need to report back."
Hearing more footsteps approaching, she left the unconscious man behind and hurried back to the tavern to reunite with Lisa.
Revealing the Information to the Party
When Serena and Lisa returned to the group, Merslin and Elena turned their attention to them. Serena held out the necklace and the note, explaining everything she had discovered.
Merslin: "A hideout in the residential district? That's… unexpected. It's the perfect cover."
Elena examined the note carefully.
Elena: "These addresses… They're mixed in with normal houses. If we don't know what to look for, finding them won't be easy."
Serena: "That's where this necklace comes in. I'm certain it acts as a key or a pass. If we use it right, we might be able to slip inside undetected."
Merslin nodded, making a firm decision.
Merslin: "Alright. We'll investigate these locations carefully. If we can expose the pirates' plans, we might stop them before they cause more trouble."
Lisa: "Let's move. This time, we're going straight into their territory."
Serena clutched the necklace tighter. She had a gut feeling that this wasn't just a simple key—it might hold more secrets than they realized.
(Serena, internally): "What if this isn't just a key? Could there be something hidden within it?"
With their next objective clear, the party prepared to infiltrate the pirate hideouts within the city's residential district.
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The Hidden Door in the Residential District
Following the clues from the note, Merslin's party made their way to a quiet residential area. The neighborhood was peaceful, filled with children playing and townsfolk going about their daily routines. Nothing about the area seemed out of place—but that was exactly why it was the perfect hideout.
Merslin: "This should be the right place… But it looks just like any other neighborhood."
Elena carefully examined the surrounding buildings.
Elena: "The note points to this area. If the pirates are hiding here, they've done an excellent job blending in."
As they moved through the streets, Lisa stopped to inspect various symbols etched onto the buildings.
Lisa: "There are too many markings here. They might not be decorations after all."
Serena suddenly pointed ahead.
Serena: "Merslin, look over there."
She gestured toward a door unlike the others. While most houses had simple wooden doors, this one was engraved with symbols that didn't match the surrounding buildings. The engravings were written in Hangul—the Korean alphabet.
Merslin's eyes widened.
Merslin: "This is… Hangul? I never expected to see this here."
Elena studied the symbols closely.
Elena: "This is different from the other markings. There's no way it's just decoration."
Lisa raised an eyebrow.
Lisa: "Why would pirates use Hangul? Are we sure this is connected to them?"
Serena smirked.
Serena: "Well, Merslin. You know Korean better than any of us. Does it mean anything?"
Merslin examined the scattered consonants and vowels on the door. They looked random, but something felt deliberate about them.
Merslin: "This might be a coded password."
Serena ran her fingers along the edges of the door and felt a hidden mechanism.
Serena: "There's definitely something here. I think we need to say the right word to open it."
At that moment, the door creaked open slightly, and a large man appeared from behind it. He eyed them suspiciously.
Doorkeeper: "What do you want?"
The party instinctively tensed. They hadn't expected someone to be guarding the entrance.
Merslin quickly adapted to the situation.
Merslin: "We're here for a 'special delivery.' This is the right place, isn't it?"
The doorkeeper hesitated, scrutinizing them for a moment. Then, he spoke.
Doorkeeper: "If you're really one of us… tell me. What comes to mind when you think of 'spring'?"
Merslin's mind raced. If this was a password-based entrance, they had to think fast.
Serena whispered quickly to him.
Serena: "Merslin, it's Korean. What's something associated with spring?"
Merslin exhaled and answered.
Merslin: "Forsythia."
The doorkeeper's eyes widened slightly, and he slowly nodded.
Doorkeeper: "You pass. Come in… But remember, once you enter, there's no turning back."
The door fully opened, revealing a dimly lit interior. The party stepped inside cautiously.
Inside, several men sat around a table, engaged in a serious card game. Piles of money were stacked in front of them, and their expressions were focused.
Elena: "This place… is more than just a hideout."
Lisa whispered.
Lisa: "This isn't just a casual gambling den. There's something bigger happening here."
Serena motioned toward another door deeper inside.
Serena: "That's where we need to go. That's where the real secrets are."
Merslin nodded.
Merslin: "Alright. Let's move. But stay sharp—this could be a trap."
The party steeled themselves as they prepared to uncover the pirates' true operations.