The human ranger, Seli, who deserted the battlefield, was the longest-surviving member of the Iron Rock Shield Team, but her end was the most tragic, reduced to an abstract lump of indescribable flesh under siege, dead beyond dead.

Xia Nan stood in place, wiping the blood-stained blade of [Ash Fall] with gauze, his chest slightly heaving.

Such prolonged high-intensity combat, even with his physique, was not without exhaustion; the sharkskin lining was soaked with sweat and blood.

The battle had just ended when the opponent fought fiercely.

His facial expression couldn’t help but ease a bit, his gaze subconsciously swept over the corpses of several teammates, his expression becoming somewhat nuanced.

The smooth cooperation experience with the Vengeance Blade Squad made Xia Nan feel he had proven that his past teammates meeting tragic ends had nothing to do with him.

Yet now, the annihilated Iron Rock Shield Team seemed to suggest that this point still needed discussion.

But...

Xia Nan didn’t feel that the death of these people had much to do with him.

Wanderer A Gu died due to being overly reckless in the raid, Half Orc Howl was severely injured after being hit by a Fireball Technique, and he was executing the beheading tactic at the time, unable to assist. The dwarf Habi was first corroded by Gerry’s venom, weakening his defense ability before being besieged, and Seli chose her own end and died out of carelessness, impaled by a sword from a wanderer she did not anticipate while escaping.

He really couldn’t be blamed.

Thinking so to himself, Xia Nan turned around and returned inside the warehouse.

One hand was placed on Aurie’s three crates of goods, while the other reached inside the armor lining along the chain, lightly touching the button near the [White Pot] pocket watch.

"Click."

A crisp sound echoed through the air, the watch hands swiftly rotated.

As the hand completed a clockwise rotation, the three crates were stored into the pocket watch, transforming into mini stacked wooden box icons on the dial.

According to the original plan, these three mission goods were supposed to be carried out with manpower.

Now that those obstructive teammates were dead, Xia Nan no longer needed to worry about exposure, directly storing the crates into the pocket watch, avoiding wasted time and energy carrying things back to the shore one by one.

While intending to go out to gather loot, he suddenly recalled something.

Xia Nan turned his head, his gaze towards the window on the other side of the warehouse.

...

...

Like a startled quail, Hogan trembled, being nestled deep within the shrubs.

When Xia Nan threw him out the window earlier, he thought the opponent wanted to kill the witness and had reconciled with being slain.

Only when his body hit the ground and an abrupt orange-red flame erupted from the warehouse window, accompanied by rushing heat waves, did he realize what happened, quickly hiding within nearby shrubs.

Then, the roars and cries from the other side of the wall confirmed his guess.

The Ebbtide Gang discovered these adventurers’ intrusion.

Actually, Hogan had the time and opportunity to escape.

The battle at the scene was intense, even if someone noticed, no one would care about such an insignificant figure.

But... where could he run to?

The island’s ships were strictly controlled by the Ebbtide Gang; alone, he certainly couldn’t seize one.

This meant that even if he temporarily escaped the battlefield, he could only wander around Wildberry Cliff, unable to leave.

If the Ebbtide Gang won, with the teammates stationed in the warehouse dead, if he survived alone, suspicions would surely arise.

According to what he knew about Pirate Leader Gerry’s personality, he feared being sent to Heaven alongside those fellow members.

Should the adventurers survive under gang members’ siege, how they would handle his escape would likely be obvious.

Hogan didn’t think he could avoid a professional-level search in the relatively constrained area of Wildberry Cliff.

Thus, considering multiple perspectives:

No matter how fearful and panicked this little gangster was, he didn’t choose to escape but hid deep within the shrubs.

Until the battle sounds from the other side of the wall gradually diminished, he didn’t dare make a sound.

"Thump, thump, thump."

A sound from his heart beating fiercely.

Countless chaotic thoughts tangled and flew within his mind.

What should I do? Who won? Will I die?

It’s unclear how much time passed.

An undisguised footstep suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

Hogan didn’t even raise his head, caught in a contradictory state of reluctance to flee yet unwilling to actively make contact.

But evidently, the owner of those footsteps had already noticed his presence, walking directly toward the shrubs.

What met Hogan’s eyes was a pair of thick leather boots caked with blood, one stepping down after the other.

A tall shadow cast downward, enveloping him.

Hogan only felt an unyielding force at the back of his neck collar, dragged directly out of the shrubs.

Casually tossing the trembling little gangster onto the ground, Xia Nan’s expression remained unchanged, although somewhat surprised internally.

Originally, he’d planned for Hogan to escape, even contemplating how to locate this little gangster again, to have him guide him to the island’s civilian prison.

Unexpectedly, the kid was quite sensible, hiding near the warehouse waiting for his return.

"Get up." Xia Nan said casually, "Think of the specific location of the island’s prison, and take me there later."

But before that, he needed to clean the battlefield, collecting valuables from the Fishman and Ebbtide Gang members to sell upon returning to Suo Yu Bay, making for some extra income.

Thanks to the [White Pot] pocket watch’s capacity, he could carry many more items than in the past.

However, he’ll still select a few worthless junk armor and weapons to avoid occupying storage space.

Notably, Xia Nan initially planned to use the Fishman and gang members’ heads for large rituals upon upgrading.

At least there were dozens, nearing three figures worth of heads.

Collecting them would help enhance his craftsmanship.

Moreover, these heads were bigger than average goblins’, potentially appearing more impressive.

Time was limited, unfortunately.

The merchant ship from the Outer Sea was waiting, and many civilians were incarcerated in the island’s dungeons awaiting rescue, with scattered Ebbtide Gang and Fishman members around the island needing clearing before they’ve reacted, lest troubles arise.

Therefore, Xia Nan had to abandon these valuable training materials on-site, only waiting for future opportunities to progress pile techniques.

"By the way, you should know where your boss’s residence is, right?"

Suddenly turning, he asked Hogan, who was trembling while struggling to stand.

The little gangster was briefly stunned, hastily nodding:

"I know, I know!"

"Mm." Xia Nan nodded slightly, "Take me there later, too."

Having killed the Ebbtide Gang’s leader "Carrion Vulture" Gerry, he certainly couldn’t miss the legacy left in his lair.

As the payment for this commission was Aurie agreeing to sell his [Proof of Diligence], how much it would sell for was uncertain.

Even if this collector hadn’t fully assessed the chain’s effects, only by exploring part of them, the bracelet’s price would be undeniably high.

After paying the [Abyssal Stream] armor balance, his small treasury significantly shrunk, requiring replenishment.

Hopefully, this already beheaded Pirate Leader could contribute something to his finances.