Chapter 92: Distribution of Military Merits

Neville quietly reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a white handkerchief to wipe his nose. When he put the handkerchief back, the small note Lin Qi had slipped in was already resting securely at the bottom of his pocket.

Puffing out his chest, Neville looked at the ‘severely wounded’ men lying in pools of blood on the deck and frowned. “You’re really unlucky. How did you run into those Barbarians’ patrol fleet? Well, at this time of year, their patrol fleet doesn’t show up often.”

Lin Qi let out a long sigh and said in a heavy tone, “That’s why we need your help. What we encountered wasn’t their regular patrol fleet, but the Odin Holy Guards from the Odin Temple. There were even four Temple Warlocks among them. Respected Lieutenant Colonel, we need you to write us a certificate. To fend off the attacks from these Odin Holy Guards, we used up all one hundred and twenty Magic-powered Harpoons!”

Neville was stunned. He looked at Lin Qi in shock and took a sharp breath. “One hundred and twenty Magic-powered Harpoons? What were your results?”

Lin Qi said seriously and earnestly, “Under the command of my partner Enzo—by the way, Enzo is a top student at the Imperial Army Academy and my good brother who came back with me for the New Year holiday—we killed two Stone Titans, one Berserker Viking Warrior, and two Temple Warlocks!”

Shrugging, Lin Qi added lightly, “As for the ordinary small fries, there were probably several hundred, right?”

Neville and his deputy stared at Lin Qi wide-eyed. If a Whaling Ship really eliminated so many Alien Race warriors, especially the elite Odin Holy Guards among them, this achievement was significant!

Especially for Enzo, a student from the Imperial Military Academy, to command a Whaling Ship and achieve such merit—undoubtedly, if Neville reported this to the Military Department and convinced the big shots there, Enzo’s future in the military would be smooth sailing.

“I need evidence!” Neville raised his eyebrows in surprise and shook his head. He frowned and asked, “Where are their bodies?”

Lin Qi spread his hands. “There’s no evidence. Their comrades took the bodies away. But I believe if you report this, the Imperial Military Department’s intelligence network in the Five Great Archipelagos should be able to confirm your report!”

Lin Qi looked directly into Neville’s eyes and said in a deep voice, “Moreover, I will have the whaling association affiliated with the Sea Windmill send an official document to the Military Department, certifying that it was Lieutenant Colonel Neville who arrived in time and led our brave sailors to fight valiantly, killing a large number of Odin Holy Guards and driving away those vicious religious fanatics. You have achieved great merit!”

Neville’s eyes flickered. Lin Qi leaned close to Neville’s ear and whispered, “Actually, one of the Stone Titans that was killed was slain by your own hand, wasn’t it? All I need is for you to transfer all the credit that belongs to us to Enzo in your report to the Military Department.”

Enzo stood beside Lin Qi like a sharp sword. His face was slightly red. While moved by Lin Qi’s actions, he also felt deep shame at this blatant theft of military merits. But he knew Lin Qi was doing this for his own good. Just imagine—a student from the Army Academy, out of curiosity, boards a Whaling Ship during the New Year holiday to hunt whales, and ends up killing a Berserker and two Temple Warlocks. This achievement would give Enzo a huge head start over his peers once he officially joined the military.

Perhaps Enzo could even start his military career with the rank of Major!

Long Cheng’s expression was somewhat unpleasant. While killing that Berserker might have been Lin Qi’s doing, the Temple Warlock on the Dragon Boat was truly killed by his own hand. As for Lin Qi telling Neville that they had killed two Temple Warlocks, without a doubt, Lin Qi was also attributing the Warlock Long Cheng killed at the Viking Great Axe Gorge to Enzo’s credit.

Brazenly stealing military merits right in front of Long Cheng, and even secretly bribing an Imperial Navy Lieutenant Colonel to do it!

“This shameless, lowdown scoundrel—I like him more and more! What a pity he’s not one of us; otherwise, with proper cultivation, maybe he could really spar with those cunning old foxes at court!” Long Cheng curled his lips and made no objection to Lin Qi’s shameless behavior. He gazed deeply at the sky and nodded inwardly. “Well, when it comes to shamelessness, I really can’t compare to this kid. After all, I, Long Cheng, am such an upright and great man, never willing to engage in such underhanded dealings!”

Neville’s facial muscles twitched several times as he stared deeply into Lin Qi’s pitch-black eyes.

Lin Qi’s eyes were clear, pure, like a mountain stream just thawed in spring, sparkling and flawless without a hint of impurity. Neville saw nothing threatening to himself in Lin Qi’s gaze, so he immediately accepted Lin Qi’s proposal.

Neville needed military merit—he desperately needed it to escape his current awkward position. An Imperial Navy Lieutenant Colonel, only commanding a patrol squadron? It was practically a joke. He needed solid military achievements to add a brilliant stroke to his record, to give certain people a taste of their own medicine, and to provide his supporters with more ammunition.

Besides, this young man knew how to read the situation. Neville’s heart grew warm as he thought of that small note that had made his thigh burn—the strange sensation it gave, he knew what it was.

It was just an official document—as Lin Qi said, the results of killing Stone Titans, Berserker Viking Warriors, and Temple Warlocks could be confirmed through the Imperial Military Department’s special intelligence channels in just a few days. He only had to report it as Lin Qi suggested, without taking much risk.

As for using one hundred and twenty Whaling Harpoons, what was the big deal? Magic-powered Harpoons were expensive and powerful, but without the proper launchers, they posed no threat or harm to the Empire. And facing the threat of nearly a thousand Odin Holy Guards, it was only natural for a civilian Whaling Ship to fire all its harpoons.

Lin Qi blinked and said in a deep voice, “You could even add this in your report to the Military Department: the Viking Great Axe Gorge was destroyed, and you played a role in it. Of course, the details would be up to you to decide.”

Neville shuddered abruptly and looked at Lin Qi in horror. How could he not know the name Viking Great Axe Gorge? It was practically the most notorious bandit port in the Five Great Archipelagos, facing Dun Er Ke across the sea!

Lin Qi’s words immediately tipped the scales in Neville’s heart. He looked at Lin Qi hesitantly, needing to confirm: had the Viking Great Axe Gorge really been destroyed?

Lin Qi smiled and looked at Long Cheng. Helpless, Long Cheng casually waved his hand, and a stream of Purple Qi flew out. Neville immediately believed everything Lin Qi had said. With a Celestial Knight present, what was impossible?