Chapter 13

"Is there usually a lot of ships on this route?"

To dispel the tension building in his heart, Luo Zhengdao took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Vena Dubov. Fortunately, the half-elf beauty, not only an excellent reader, had also roamed as an adventurer in her early years, making it not too difficult for her to answer Luo Zhengdao’s myriad questions.

Tilting her head to observe Luo Zhengdao’s unpredictable and strange expression, Vena Dubov smiled and comforted him, saying, "The route we are taking is the most convenient one between Selan Island and the Alu Archipelago. Over the years, merchant caravans coming to Ambon to purchase spices have taken this route to save time. If it weren’t for those damned green skins, the merchant ships on this route would be so numerous that they could line up to the horizon. Now, it’s uncertain when we’ll see such a bustling scene again."

The limited information at hand was not enough to reassure Luo Zhengdao. He said anxiously, "Vena, tell me about those green skins! Why are they chasing me? Is it just because of that absurd prophecy?"

At the sound of this, Vena looked at Luo Zhengdao with a peculiar expression, gently combing her dark green, smooth hair, and said, "The prophecy states that a descendant of the Bright Emperor will destroy the second goblin empire. Human nobles are always keen on intermarriage, and the dynasty has been established for over a thousand years. Anyone in the noble class has some blood relation to that emperor, so the goblins have decided to hunt down every human exiled noble, even if it means chasing them to the ends of the seven seas."

Luo Zhengdao felt extremely depressed after hearing this. Then he recalled another matter and said, "Did my parents die like that too?"

Mentioning this sensitive topic seemed to trigger some unpleasant memories, causing Vena Dubov’s body to tremble. After a brief pause, she continued, "Yes, they refused to abandon the fief of Qiongzhou. The old earl said he was supported by his people, and as a lord, he could not protect them from the invaders, which filled him with shame. Abandoning the fief and the people to continue living would be a disgrace to the founding emperor who left the teaching of 'a ruler dies with his state.' I tried to persuade the old earl, but he wouldn’t listen, and in the end..."

When the half-elf governess mentioned the "founding emperor" and the phrase "a ruler dies with his state," she used a pronunciation distinctly different from the common language, which sounded to Luo Zhengdao like some difficult dialect from southern China. To him, it was as if a foreigner was just starting to learn Chinese, struggling to say, "ni hao, wo shi meiguo ren" with a strange accent.

Shivering, Luo Zhengdao suddenly thought of the "Fulu" earl he had inherited. Initially, he thought it was some obscure term, and there were similar pronunciations in foreign languages. However, based on the context of the "founding emperor," it clearly didn’t fit this coincidence, let alone the additional note of "a ruler dies with his state." At this moment, feeling utterly confused, Luo Zhengdao began to suspect whether he was truly the first outsider to cross over to the new world, or if there had been predecessors from the old world who had already arrived.

"Vena, can you tell me more about the life and deeds of that founding emperor?"

Amidst the turmoil in his mind, Luo Zhengdao suppressed his doubts and asked the half-elf beauty as calmly as possible. Thanks to his claim of amnesia, he didn’t have to explain how he had forgotten such basic knowledge.

The first emperor of the Bright Empire, who was praised for pioneering many aspects, was not only a hero and idol worshipped by the human race but also a respected strongman and wise man by other intelligent races in the new world. Even the goblins, who most despised human dynasties, could not deny the abilities of the Bright Emperor, as such self-deception would only invite ridicule from onlookers.

Vena Dubov looked at Luo Zhengdao with curiosity, seemingly unable to understand how his thoughts had so quickly jumped to another track. Could this be the joy of a brain-dead child? Unable to figure out how Luo Zhengdao had switched his focus, the half-elf beauty thought for a moment and said, "That great conqueror is your direct ancestor. According to the minimum requirements for noble children, those who cannot recite all their ancestors’ names and achievements are considered impostors, and the College of Arms would remove such scoundrels from the rolls. Will, you must work twice as hard in the future!"

Crossed over! Cheated! What a mess! Listening to Vena Dubov’s brief account, Luo Zhengdao felt so awkward about the glorious achievements of his bloodline ancestor that he could only describe his conflicted feelings with exaggerated and distorted words. From the details, it was clear that the predecessor emperor who had crossed over was from the old world’s China, but not a modern person. His various reforms, innovations, and technological introductions were all in line with the ancient Chinese level of knowledge, especially in the granting of titles. This human king, who called himself the "Bright Emperor," adopted a naming convention that Luo Zhengdao found extremely tacky.

An, Ping, Fu, Xi, Ning—these five neat Chinese characters corresponded to the five noble ranks from Duke to Baron in the Bright Dynasty. For example, all dukes were named "Duke of An," and the same naming pattern applied to other ranks. The "Fulu" earl that Luo Zhengdao had inherited was also a product of this naming convention.

Learning about the great achievements of this predecessor, Luo Zhengdao, who had unexpectedly gained a fellow townsman and a cheap ancestor, felt a mix of amusement and frustration. He didn’t dare let Vena Dubov see his true emotional changes and could only force a smile, causing his facial muscles to twitch, making his expression look increasingly strange.

No matter what, Luo Zhengdao could only envy and resent the accomplishments of his predecessors. He muttered, "Different people, different fates! We all crossed over, but why did he get such a good start? Starting from scratch is better than having a bunch of green skins constantly thinking about killing you!"

Indeed, Luo Zhengdao, who had crossed over to the new world, had yet to find his place and adjust his mindset. Often, he still had the mentality of a mere observer, feeling that everything happening here was alien and irrelevant to him. The attitude of "if it doesn’t concern me, I’ll stay out of it" meant that even if the world outside was in chaos, it had nothing to do with him. Needless to say, with such a lazy and complacent mindset, an outsider could never truly integrate into the new world, let alone become a strongman.

There’s a saying that failure is often accidental, but success is never by chance. Without a strong will to strive and become stronger, relying solely on brute force to barge through, one might become a bully in a village, but it’s far from enough to become a tyrant or a demon king.

Of course, it’s meaningless to harshly criticize Luo Zhengdao’s low level of ideological awareness. His way of thinking is a common manifestation of how most modern people’s ambitions are worn down by the mundane life of a 9-to-5 job and the trivialities of a peaceful life.

The old world is not friendly to individual development. Everyone’s work is like a gear in a machine, and modern society leaves very little room for personal growth. The things people encounter in daily life are often institutionalized, and those who cannot conform to uniform standards are either forced to assimilate or brutally suppressed. This brutal method, in a more elegant interpretation, is called "standardization" and "legalization." In short, a person’s distinct personality and differing views are unwelcome traits in modern life. Everyone must learn to live in a cage and dance in chains. Even those seemingly arrogant second-generation rich kids, who seem to have someone backing them up and can always find someone to clean up their mess, must still follow other rules. They are merely kept in a gilded cage, and there’s nothing to envy about it.

It’s hard to imagine a towering tree growing in a glass greenhouse. The cold, harsh reality of modern society doesn’t welcome such individualistic outliers. If a person is not accepted by society, they are destined to achieve nothing. To be recognized by society, one must give up as much as they gain.

Just as Luo Zhengdao was lamenting his misfortune, the boatswain, Zola Hegel, quickly ran up to the command deck. His black face was unusually stern and serious as he said, "Captain, the ships behind us are speeding up to catch up."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao, who was mentally prepared, remained calm. He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before saying, "Zola, are you a qualified warrior?"

Pirates never know humility. If you are capable, you must show it openly. Zola Hegel, despite being more calculating than the average sailor, still retained the pirate’s habit of showing off. He slapped his chest and said, "Of course, being a pirate isn’t a job for the weak. Only the brave can brave the storms of the sea."

Luo Zhengdao was waiting for this response. He then smiled brightly, patted Zola on the shoulder, and said approvingly, "Very good, then let’s see what those guys chasing us are up to."

Suddenly realizing he might have been tricked, Zola Hegel looked at Luo Zhengdao with suspicion. From the fair, smooth face of this handsome young man, he saw the shadow of a cunning old fox. Was this just an illusion? Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Zola Hegel quickly resumed his usual cool demeanor, which could make a group of girls scream, and said indifferently, "Captain, as you wish, but regarding the reward..."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao’s smile became even more suspicious. He waved his hand and said, "We should abide by the agreement, shouldn’t we?"

Looking at Luo Zhengdao with confusion, Zola glanced back at the increasingly clear sails at the stern and then at Luo Zhengdao again, saying, "…You mean… we treat the pursuers as our targets? Are you joking?"

Zola Hegel’s words hit Luo Zhengdao’s sweet spot. He immediately spread his hands and said calmly, "Oh, do you think they are stronger than us?"

"How could that be! The Yangwei is a fine ship. Can those ragged merchant ships compare to a battleship? Don’t make me laugh."

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**Note:** The original text includes a request for support and a note about the author’s expectations for reader engagement, which is not translated here.