The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air, unmistakable and eye-catching.
The pirates in the tavern, accustomed to the sight and smell of gunpowder and blades, paid no heed to the lingering smoke.
One by one, their gazes pierced through the smoke, fixing on Maude.
A mix of astonishment, surprise, and amazement colored their expressions.
Moments ago, when they realized what was happening, the two revenge-seeking pirates had already been shot in the forehead and were now lying dead on the floor.
Though the pirates had entered with clear intent, raising their guns and aiming to fire, the masked undertaker had been faster.
And he had shot with both hands, simultaneously placing bullets in their foreheads.
Quick, ruthless, and precise!
Several pirates sitting near the door glanced at the lifeless bodies of their comrades, realizing the malicious intent behind the attack.
Choosing this time and place for revenge likely meant the pirates had tailed Lafitte, hoping to use the crowded tavern as an obstacle or shield.
However, the would-be assailants hadn’t anticipated that a dangerous individual would be seated at Lafitte’s table.
“Just when I was about to leave…”
Under the scrutinizing gazes of the tavern’s patrons, Maude sighed inwardly. He discreetly placed the still-warm flintlock pistols under the table.
He didn’t rush to leave but instead focused on reloading his pistols.
Though his blind reloading was inefficient, he remained calm and steady.
By now, Maude had deduced that the two pirates were after Lafitte. Their synchronized entrance and immediate attack made it obvious.
Lafitte’s unfortunate decision to share Maude’s table had exposed Maude to the danger as well.
In such a situation, Maude couldn’t sit idly by even without sensing the intent to kill.
It didn’t matter who they were after; aiming a gun at him meant facing the consequences.
So, without hesitation, Maude had drawn his pistols and killed the two pirates.
In effect, Maude had eliminated two of Lafitte’s enemies. But in truth, he acted solely to eliminate a threat to himself.
“Good shooting.”
Steel Pipe, loosening his grip on his weapon, looked at Maude with interest.
His real name was Sabo, and he was a revolutionary with extensive training in various skills, including marksmanship.
Though he rarely used guns, he could appreciate the skill.
Earlier, he had noticed Maude gathering information, suspecting he might be with the Navy. Seeing Maude’s expert marksmanship reinforced this suspicion.
Maude ignored Sabo’s compliment, focusing instead on reloading his pistols.
Seeing Maude’s continued silence, Sabo smiled, unbothered.
Despite being from different factions, Sabo didn’t judge a person’s character based on their affiliation alone. He held a relatively free and open-minded view of the world.
Lafitte, however, took a longer look at Maude.
Lafitte knew the two dead pirates were after him, given the clear murderous intent aimed his way.
But he was surprised by Maude’s decisive and ruthless response.
He didn’t believe Maude had acted to help him; it was clear Maude’s actions were self-preservation.
“Heh.”
This quality, however, was something Lafitte admired.
Lafitte’s gaze swept over Maude’s exposed features: eyes, lips, ears, neck.
Memorizing the details, he turned to signal a waitress.
Having regained their composure, the tavern staff quickly removed the bodies and cleaned the blood. They also sent someone to notify the undertaker.
As the commotion subsided, the pirates gradually withdrew their attention from Maude.
Finally, Maude finished reloading his flintlocks.
Lacking practical experience, his reloading efficiency was dismal.
With the pistols reloaded and secured, Maude stood up, ready to leave this troublesome place and find a spot to stake out his targets.
“Leaving already?”
Despite being ignored multiple times, Sabo continued to engage Maude in conversation.
Maude glanced at Sabo’s oversized sunglasses and chose to ignore him, heading straight for the door.
On the other hand, Lafitte watched Maude’s departure with keen interest, noting his physique.
The surrounding pirates also cast a glance at Maude.
The tavern returned to its lively state once Maude left and the door closed behind him.
Outside, Maude surveyed the area, looking for a suitable hiding spot.
In a place with uneven and densely packed buildings, shadows were abundant wherever there was light.
Soon, Maude found a temporary hiding place.
He moved through the crowd, blending into the shadows.
From there, he watched the tavern entrance, ready to follow his targets when they emerged.
If the targets left, he would follow them, looking for an opportunity to strike.
He didn’t need to ask for names; he could simply search for their bounty posters, which they carried as a badge of pride.
As time ticked by, only ten minutes remained until the auction started.
Maude’s attention, however, was not on the auction.
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, he saw two familiar figures.
“It’s Kid and Killer.”
Hidden in the shadows, Maude watched as Kid and Killer headed towards the auction house. He instinctively touched the sniper rifle on his back.
“If the opportunity arises tonight, maybe I should take a shot.”
Maude withdrew his gaze, a cold glint in his eyes.
Whether it was worth the risk would depend on the situation.
For now, he focused on his targets. Missing them would make the evening a waste.
Maude continued his silent surveillance of the tavern entrance.
At 9 PM, the auction house closed its doors.
Maude saw several uniformed guards stationed around the auction house from a distance.
Must be the auction’s security detail.
He turned his attention back to the tavern.
An hour passed.
The tavern door opened, and three tipsy men staggered out.
Seeing them, Maude’s eyes lit up.
“Finally, they’re out.”
He followed them silently.
Meanwhile, the auction was in full swing.
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