Chapter 10

In the northern part of the Sulu Sea, a small fleet was sailing eastward, with a British naval warship leading the way. However, the St. George's Cross of the British Navy on the warship had been replaced by the pirate's skull flag.

The HMS Coventry, although only a sixth-rate warship, was far superior to the pirate ships of Feiyu Island in terms of seaworthiness and speed, not to mention its 24 cannons, which gave it a firepower that the pirate ships could not match. The victorious pirates were filled with beautiful visions of the future. If they could have such a warship join their ranks, their success rate in future raids would surely increase significantly!

Long Yufei couldn't stay in the cabin for more than a day. The air inside was stuffy, and the smell made him very uncomfortable. Besides, the wound on his shoulder was not serious; it was just that his left hand was temporarily unusable.

After coming up to the deck, Long Yufei felt much better with the sea breeze. Li Hu had been following him all along, as the leader Luo Sangu had ordered him to take care of the injured Long Yufei. On the deck, he met other pirates, who now respected Long Yufei even more. This encounter with the British warship had been a near-death experience, but thanks to Long Yufei's strategy, they had turned defeat into victory, which greatly impressed the pirates! The pirates were rough men; they could easily charge into battle with their swords, but coming up with strategies against the enemy was beyond their capabilities. Therefore, Long Yufei's actions won the pirates' approval. Moreover, his willingness to step forward and shield Luo Sangu from bullets in a critical moment was a sign of great loyalty, which pleased the pirates even more! It was from this moment that Long Yufei truly became a part of the Feiyu Island group.

After chatting with the pirates on the deck, Long Yufei walked to the stern, looking at the deep blue sea, lost in thought!

Although Feiyu Island's operation was a success and the gains were significant, the losses were also considerable! During the attack on the armed merchant ship 'Black Pearl,' dozens of pirates were killed or injured. Subsequently, the attack on the HMS Coventry also resulted in some casualties. For Feiyu Island, which had only about 300 well-equipped pirates, these losses were unbearable! If this happened a few more times, Feiyu Island would surely decline! Being a pirate was not a long-term plan!

Moreover, although they had captured the HMS Coventry, they could not use it for raids in the short term. The British were gradually expanding their influence to the East, and the South China Sea was the first step. If the British discovered that the HMS Coventry had been captured, Feiyu Island would be doomed! The British Navy could easily crush the pirates like squashing an ant! Thinking about this, Long Yufei felt anxious.

"Mr. Long, what are you thinking about?" Luo Sangu had come up to Long Yufei without him noticing. After Long Yufei saved her, their relationship had improved significantly!

"Leader, I'm thinking about the future of Feiyu Island!" Long Yufei said frankly.

"Oh? Mr. Long, do you have any suggestions?" Luo Sangu was slightly surprised and then asked.

"Leader, how many casualties did we have this time?" Long Yufei did not answer immediately but asked a counter-question.

"32 brothers died, and 15 others were seriously injured!" Luo Sangu's mood was low. Such heavy losses were almost the greatest since she became the leader of Feiyu Island!

"Leader, the losses this time are too great! Feiyu Island can't bear it! Moreover, Feiyu Island is no longer safe! The British lost a warship, and they will definitely intensify their search. If they discover it was us, Feiyu Island will be doomed!" Long Yufei said.

"The British? Humph! We can just keep this warship out of service for now. After all, the loot from this raid will last us a long time!" Luo Sangu said.

"Leader, Britain is now the most powerful country in the world. After eliminating their European rivals, they have entered a peak period of global expansion! Even if we hide this warship, how long can we hide it? Once the British expand their influence to Luzon, we will eventually be exposed!" Long Yufei said.

Luo Sangu's expression turned grim. Although she didn't know much about the British, she trusted Long Yufei and knew he was telling the truth. The pirates were strong, but they were far from matching the regular army!

Long Yufei continued, "Leader, in recent years, hasn't life as a pirate become increasingly difficult?"

Luo Sangu nodded. In recent years, it had indeed become harder for pirates to make a living! Merchant ships sailing in the South China Sea were increasingly well-armed, and almost all large merchant ships were equipped with firearms. The cost for pirates to successfully rob them was getting higher and higher! Additionally, more and more warships from various countries were patrolling the South China Sea, and these warships had a policy of immediate destruction upon discovery of pirate ships, causing significant losses to the pirates. Luo Sangu had also received news that the navies of various countries had launched a crackdown on the most powerful pirate groups, leading to the elimination of several major pirate organizations. Although the navies had not yet targeted Feiyu Island, it was probably because the pirates of Feiyu Island were too weak. However, if Feiyu Island were to be targeted by the navies, it would be doomed!

Luo Sangu took a deep breath to calm herself and then asked, "Mr. Long, do you have any suggestions?"

"Leader, I think being a pirate is not our only way out! Everyone became a pirate out of desperation! If there were a way out, who would want their descendants to be pirates?" Long Yufei said.

Luo Sangu nodded. The people on Feiyu Island had all become pirates because they had no other choice.

"But Mr. Long, what else can we do besides being pirates?" Luo Sangu asked, somewhat lost. The pirates on Feiyu Island had made piracy their lifelong career, and they seemed to have no other skills.

"Leader, we can think of other options! To the east and south of Feiyu Island, there are many large islands! These islands have fertile land and a significant number of Chinese people! These Chinese people also live in hardship. We have weapons and brave soldiers; we can help them! Once we unite these Chinese people, we can form a powerful force in the South China Sea, and even the foreigners will not dare to look down on us!" Long Yufei said.

Luo Sangu looked at Long Yufei in surprise, not expecting him to have such grand ambitions. This was completely unimaginable for her! Her only hope had always been for the people of Feiyu Island to live a good life.

"Mr. Long, your idea seems too ambitious!" Luo Sangu said.

"Yes, Leader, this idea may seem too ambitious now, but it has a great chance of success! If we succeed, the people of Feiyu Island will benefit, and we will no longer be the pirates everyone wants to eliminate. We might even be able to establish our own country!" Long Yufei said excitedly.

Luo Sangu looked at the excited Long Yufei, not knowing what to say. Although she was somewhat inspired by Long Yufei's passion, she was more pragmatic! The South China Sea was now largely under the control of foreigners, and the Chinese in the South China Sea were completely oppressed by the foreigners. Resisting foreign rule would be extremely difficult. However, Luo Sangu had a faint glimmer of hope, hoping that Long Yufei's ideas would succeed!

"Mr. Long, your idea is too shocking. I need to think about it carefully!" Luo Sangu said and then turned to leave. Before this, she was just a pirate, but Long Yufei's suggestion had far exceeded the scope of piracy.

Long Yufei nodded, not saying much. He knew that convincing Luo Sangu and the others would be very difficult! Their living environment had shaped their perspectives. They just wanted to live a good life. Long Yufei's proposal far exceeded their imagination. Thinking about this, Long Yufei felt helpless. Now, he was just a lone commander, and the only people he could rely on were the pirates of Feiyu Island! Although the South China Sea was now under the control of the Westerners, their control was not strong, which was Long Yufei's last chance. If a few more years passed and the Opium War broke out, the Western world would suddenly realize that the vast Qing Empire was just a paper tiger, and they would accelerate their invasion of the East. At that time, it would be almost impossible for Long Yufei to establish a powerful force! It was now 1835, and the Opium War would break out in less than five years. He hoped to have at least the strength to protect himself within these five years!

The fleet continued to sail eastward, and it was not far from Feiyu Island! They expected to return to Feiyu Island by evening!

For the surviving pirates, they were lucky. Facing a powerful enemy, they not only saved their lives but also gained significant benefits. As for the pirates who had died, perhaps this was their fate! Being a pirate was a high-risk profession, and they might die at any time. Death might also be a form of relief!

PS: Second update! Please collect and recommend! The collection is not strong enough! Readers can collect first and then read when it's ready!