Chapter 10

Hearing Luo Zhengdao's argument, which was full of the air of a big boss, he stroked his chin, where stubble had grown, and seriously considered it. Zola Hegel's tone clearly became lower as he said:

"Hmm, alright then! The distribution ratio of the spoils: Captain, as the owner of the warship, can take thirty percent of the total earnings, which will be considered rent. The remaining part will be distributed according to the rules. How about that?"

Luo Zhengdao, who was determined, let out a slight sigh of relief. He had been worried that Zola Hegel would insist on following the pirate rules, which would make the negotiation very difficult. He couldn't compromise, whether for his dignity or his reputation.

Luo Zhengdao turned to look at Vina and saw a hint of a smile in her eyes. At this moment, he felt confident and said to Zola Hegel:

"Um, that's a reasonable proposal. I agree."

Hearing this, Zola Hegel grinned widely and said:

"Hehe, Captain, you'll soon find out that I and my men are the best."

Seeing this, Luo Zhengdao also smiled brightly and said:

"Let's hope so! In ten days, the Ambon shipyard will hold a launching ceremony for the newly renovated ship. Zola, I hope to see all of you there."

With the crucial issue of profit distribution settled, the rest of the matters became much easier. After discussing the welfare benefits and other details with Luo Zhengdao, Zola Hegel hurriedly turned and left the Golden Cat bar. Watching his hurried departure, Luo Zhengdao suddenly realized that Zola Hegel, who led dozens of criminals living off plunder, must also be under great pressure, having lost his main source of income. It wasn't just Luo Zhengdao who feared the breakdown of the negotiations.

Watching the pirate leader, who might have Drow elf blood, leave, Luo Zhengdao sighed inwardly, thinking:

"Damn, there wasn't even the atmosphere of a gangster negotiation! I was so nervous that I was sweating cold sweat."

Luo Zhengdao could only mutter such discouraging words to himself; if he said them out loud, he would be crazy. The sweating was not an exaggeration; if it weren't for the noble identity that forced him to wear multiple layers of heavy clothing before leaving, the sweat on his back would have been visible long ago.

As Luo Zhengdao's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, the half-elf beauty noticed his nervousness and said in a low voice:

"Will, remember, at sea, the most revered is the divine, and the second most revered is the captain. You cannot be intimidated; you must never show weakness or hesitation at any time, or your subordinates will pounce on you like hungry wolves, devouring your flesh and blood."

Hearing this chilling advice in her gentle and pleasant voice, Luo Zhengdao, who had yet to fully integrate into the new world, shivered and solemnly replied:

"Um, I understand."

Every era has its unique spirit and character. People are inevitably influenced by the times they live in, and this is not something that can be changed by personal will. Just as in the old world, where people would sell their kidneys to buy an iPhone, leading to the famous saying, "A single camera can impoverish three generations, and an iPhone can ruin a life," in the new world, with its strong magical elements, the launching of a warship is a matter of great importance that requires everyone's serious attention. Not only does the shipyard hold a blessing ceremony to pray for the new ship's divine protection, but the shipowner must also be present to personally write the ship's name.

From Luo Zhengdao's perspective as a穿越者 (穿越者 means "穿越者" in Chinese, which can be translated as "time traveler" or "穿越者" in English, but in this context, it refers to someone who has been transported to a different world, so "穿越者" is more appropriate), sailors clearly view warships as living entities, hoping to gain their protection through certain rituals.

The reality is probably not far from this. A ship sailing on the vast ocean is the lifeline of the sailors, and their attachment to their warship can be compared to a farmer's passion for the land. Therefore, people in the new world firmly believe that changing a ship's name at any time and place is extremely unlucky. Even ships captured from enemies are not easily renamed, not only because of the widespread belief in this tradition but also due to the intense opposition it might provoke from the sailors.

Recently, Luo Zhengdao bought this second-hand Yaling warship. Unfortunately, when it was decommissioned from the Yaling navy, its original name had already been given to a newly launched warship. If changing a name is considered unlucky, then having the same name would be doubly so. To avoid unnecessary disasters and bad luck, this second-hand Yaling warship, which had been refurbished, needed to undergo a renaming ceremony before its second launch.

After patiently listening to Vina Dubov's introduction to the customs of the new world, Luo Zhengdao was surprised to find that he had greatly underestimated the extraordinary passion and reverence people here had for ships.

Although he inwardly scoffed at the effectiveness of such rituals, as an unbeliever, Luo Zhengdao could not ignore the sailors' serious attitude towards them. Their stubborn adherence to tradition was as strong as the brainwashed fans who queued up all night to buy iPhones. Even if there was no logical basis for the validity of these customs, the majority's belief in them was so strong that few were willing to go against the common expectations.

Luo Zhengdao, who could be considered an unbeliever in the new world, could not afford to oppose the sailors on such a trivial matter. It was not a matter of life and death, and being stubborn would be counterproductive.

Perhaps due to the aftereffects of his穿越 (穿越 means "穿越" in Chinese, which can be translated as "time travel" or "穿越" in English, but in this context, it refers to the act of being transported to a different world, so "穿越" is more appropriate), Luo Zhengdao had been suffering from insomnia, only managing to fall into a light sleep late at night. He was woken up by a servant before dawn, and he groggily got up, dressed, and prepared to attend the ship's launching ceremony and baptism.

Luo Zhengdao was naturally unhappy about this. No matter how big the matter, not even a moment's rest was allowed, which seemed unreasonable.

The captain's breakfast, as usual, consisted of a warm glass of milk, two fried eggs, a plate of grilled sausages and cold smoked fish slices, and a freshly baked croissant. Vina Dubov, who had been invited to join him for breakfast, propped her chin with her white hand and looked at the dejected Luo Zhengdao with interest, saying:

"Hey, Will, you need to be on your toes today! The goblins are very worried about the prophecy; they won't let any descendant of the Light Emperor escape. You're on their hit list, right at the top!"

Mentioning this chilling topic, Luo Zhengdao finally shook off his drowsiness and opened his eyes wide, asking:

"Hit list?"

As she spread strawberry jam on the bread with a dining knife, the half-elf beauty teased Luo Zhengdao, saying:

"Oh, right, I almost forgot to tell you. You suffered a soul shock and don't remember anything, how pitiful. Well, a long, long time ago, there was an ancient prophecy that the goblins, who once ruled the past, would replace humans as the favored ones of the future. However..."

Hearing this poorly told story, Luo Zhengdao, who had been fully focused, couldn't help but frown and retort:

"However, they will be defeated by a human and sent back to their homeland. Vina, is that what the prophecy says?"

"Hey, have you recovered your memory? Why didn't you tell me?"

To be more precise, in the old world, starting from 1999, people were repeatedly deceived by various predictions of the impending end of the world. First, it was the French prophet Nostradamus, then the mysterious Mayan civilization. In short, every character that appeared was a top-tier prophet, whose fame far exceeded that of the politicians who appeared on TV every day. Unfortunately, time and time again, people prepared for the end of the world, only to hear the stairs creak but see no one come down.

After being deceived so many times, even a fool would learn to be smarter. Luo Zhengdao rolled his eyes and said:

"No, I haven't recovered my memory. Prophecies are always so boring. First, they tell you some terrifying bad news, then they scare you. If their predictions are wrong and the prophecy doesn't come true, it's because you didn't understand the true meaning of the prophecy, not their fault."

Hearing this, the half-elf beauty, who was laughing so hard she was bent over, rubbed her stomach and said with a flirtatious tone:

"What a smart little Will! I can't help but like you!"

At this moment, the overly hairy one-eyed boatswain, Ful Chopin, came to report, just in time to hear Vina's ambiguous words. He cleared his throat to cover his embarrassment and bowed, saying:

"Cough, cough! My lord, Miss Vina, the carriage is ready."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao, who had already lost his appetite, put down his utensils and said:

"Alright, Teacher Vina, let's go!"

"Clang, clang, clang, clang..."

"Wow! Yeah! Hooray!"

Amid the continuous hammering sounds characteristic of the Ambon shipyard, the sailors and shipbuilders who came to witness the launching of the warship let out deafening cheers. The newly refurbished second-hand Yaling warship slid down the wooden slipway, greased with a large amount of butter, and plunged into the sea, creating a wave several meters high. In the direction of the Ether Sea, a few meters away, the disturbance in the sea caused by the launching of the ship produced a faint but brilliant golden light, which, though fleeting, was as beautiful as fireworks.

The launching of a warship only signifies the completion of the main construction. It still needs to be fitted out and have the buyer's ordered cannons and other supplies loaded before it is ready for a long voyage. The launching ceremony is more symbolic than practical.

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