Chapter 16

At the sudden mention of the name of the evil sorcerer, the sailors, who were shocked by the series of unexpected events before their eyes, scattered with a "whoosh." No matter how strong these pirates were, they were ultimately just ordinary people. An evil sorcerer, on the other hand, was a genuine professional. It would be like a self-proclaimed brave watchdog baring its teeth at a bloodthirsty beast in the mountains—wasn't that just asking for trouble?

Suddenly hit by powerful magical attacks, the pirates, who had been dominating the close combat, were instantly put on the defensive. It was clear that Zola Higgar and the others were about to be forced back onto the deck of the Yangwei by the black-robed sorcerer alone.

"Will, you're the captain. It's time for you to step up."

Hearing the tutor Vina's reminder, Luo Zhengdao, though he had a good adaptability, still felt uneasy at this critical moment. His fingers rubbed the hilt of his sword, but he remained silent. In fact, he didn't need anyone to remind him; Luo Zhengdao was all too aware of the heavy responsibility he bore. This warship belonged to him, and as the captain, could he surrender without a fight? In the New World, there was no such thing as humanitarianism. It was better to fight to the death than to kneel and surrender, leaving one's fate to the whims of the enemy.

With this in mind, Luo Zhengdao finally mustered the courage. He moved his right hand from the hilt of his sword and, with trembling fingertips, picked up a card he had prepared long ago. This was the highest-level magic card he could currently use—a two-star summoning card.

"Summon! Howling Moon Wolf!"

"Awooo—"

Compared to Luo Zhengdao's low, deep call, what followed was far more significant. A beam of silvery moonlight was projected from the sky, accompanied by a long, mournful howl. As the cold, clear light slowly dissipated, a silver-gray giant wolf, taller than the surrounding adult men, appeared on the deck, exuding a formidable presence.

Almost no one noticed that, as Luo Zhengdao issued his command, his right hand, which had rapidly retreated into his sleeve, caused a light purple card to burst into countless light points, which then silently dispersed.

What mysterious and unfathomable power these magic cards contained, capable of pulling him from another world, Luo Zhengdao still had no idea. However, this did not prevent him from figuring out their basic usage. Understanding how to use them was much simpler than understanding the principles behind them.

Compared to the basic elemental cards, which were too obscure to understand, summoning cards were relatively easier to comprehend based on their names. According to Luo Zhengdao's repeated experiments, as long as he held the card and recited its name, the creatures that existed in the two-dimensional space of the card would materialize into the real world. He couldn't explain the principle behind this phenomenon, nor could he understand how these incredible things happened, but it was a small step forward on the path to unraveling the ultimate mystery, a significant step in his life. At this moment, the enormous energy consumption of the summoning card felt like several four- to five-hundred-pound sacks of hemp had been piled on his body. He felt his bones creaking as if they might break at any moment, and his breathing became heavy and labored, like that of an asthma patient during an attack.

Luo Zhengdao, knowing he had no way out, forced himself to stand up, pointed at the black-robed sorcerer, and commanded the summoned giant wolf:

"Go, take him down!"

Luo Zhengdao designated the mysterious black-robed sorcerer as the target of the attack. The wolf, named "Howling Moon Wolf," twisted its massive, elegantly curved body and vanished from the air in an instant.

Witnessing Luo Zhengdao's display of power, Vina Dubov, who was standing beside him, was stunned speechless. Her beautiful eyes widened in shock, and everyone around her was at a loss to understand how the sword-wielding Will Nidham had become a summoner, a transition that seemed too wide to comprehend. On the deck of the opposing sail-and-oar warship, the black-robed sorcerer naturally noticed Luo Zhengdao's impressive move and the strange disappearance of the giant wolf. The threat was clearly approaching, but his body, long eroded by negative energy, could not keep up with the speed of his mind.

"Rip—"

Suddenly, the giant wolf reappeared behind the black-robed figure, its mouth full of sharp white teeth, and it bit down fiercely. After the slight sound of tearing silk, the black-robed sorcerer's figure suddenly disappeared, leaving only his black cloak, which had been torn to shreds by the wolf's sharp fangs.

Seeing this, the well-learned half-elf Vina frowned and blurted out:

"Ether Leap!"

Not far away, a thin, slightly hunched figure was gradually becoming clearer. It was the black-robed sorcerer who had narrowly escaped the wolf's sharp teeth. His signature black hooded cloak had become a sacrificial victim, torn to pieces by the sharp fangs and claws.

"Lord Najef, how could it be you?"

Vina Dubov's exclamation piqued Luo Zhengdao's curiosity. His heart felt like a bucket of water, with fifteen buckets of water being poured in, seven up and eight down. He wanted to know who, besides the goblins who wanted to kill him, had such a deep-seated grudge against him. It seemed that the half-elf beauty had not only seen the person before but that the individual's identity was not simple, as evidenced by the respectful tone in her address.

When his true identity was exposed by someone he knew, the thin, hawk-nosed, and knife-faced man straightened his back. He gave Luo Zhengdao a sinister smile and said:

"Hehehe, I didn't expect it! Those green skins were so useless. Despite providing them with accurate information, those fools still let you escape. It's very disappointing."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao felt even more confused and asked Vina Dubov in a low voice:

"Who is this guy?"

Just as he turned his head, Luo Zhengdao was genuinely startled. The Vina Dubov he saw was completely unfamiliar. The half-elf, enraged to the point of tearing her hair out, had eyes that almost spewed flames, indicating that her anger was about to explode. She spoke in a calm but venomous tone:

"A low-born, despicable noble bastard, a shameless liar who wins others' trust with false affection and sweet talk, a man of despicable character."

Before Luo Zhengdao could understand what was going on and why the usually gentle half-elf beauty was so venomously denouncing the other party, the black-robed sorcerer Najef, who had been humiliated, could no longer suppress his anger. His eyes glinted with the cruel and cold gaze of a snake about to strike its prey, and he said in a hoarse voice:

"You filthy bitch, do you know what will happen to those who humiliate me?"

Vina Dubov, a seasoned adventurer, was not a delicate flower. She sneered and made an extremely vulgar gesture that would make even street thugs blush, saying:

"Threatening others won't change your low birth and despicable character. The most notorious scoundrels and pimps in the capital would be ashamed to be associated with a scum like you. You are the excrement of cockroaches and rats in the sewers."

"Enough! You sharp-tongued half-elf bitch, I'll make you regret ever being born. Omen of Misfortune!"

As the saying goes: don't hit a person in the face, and don't expose their weaknesses. Stabbing the opponent's sore spot with sharp words might be satisfying, but it also quickly escalates the conflict. Seeing Najef hate Vina so much, he immediately launched a deadly attack. Luo Zhengdao, who was still confused, was forgotten by both sides and became a mere spectator.

"Mana Drain!"

Thanks to the recent literacy education, Luo Zhengdao had learned that the tactics of spellcasters were extremely unpredictable and varied. Therefore, he didn't act rashly but cautiously played his most reliable trump card. As he raised his hand, a glowing light band extended from his right hand to the sorcerer Najef.

It was clear that this was the mysterious power of the magic card. Even though Luo Zhengdao had only a superficial understanding of the New World and was as ignorant as a child, he had at least grasped one principle: magic power was not an inexhaustible resource. Without mana, a mage or sorcerer was as weak as a shrimp. The magic card Luo Zhengdao activated, though only a one-star card, had an effect on Najef that was no less than a high-level magic card, melting away his mana like spring sunshine melting snow.

Feeling his mana drain away like water from an open sluice gate, an event he had never experienced, even Najef, with his deep and calculating nature, was momentarily at a loss. He shouted:

"How is this possible!"

Seeing this, Luo Zhengdao patted Vina Dubov's shoulder and reminded her:

"Hey, what are you waiting for? Take action!"

The two enemy ships were launching a new round of attacks from both sides, and in close combat, the sail-and-oar warships, though not as formidable as military vessels, posed no less of a threat to the Yangwei. After all, the number of sailors on a sail-and-oar ship far exceeded that of a wind-powered warship, giving them a significant advantage in close combat.

The evil sorcerer Najef forced himself to break free from the fear of his mana draining away and quickly found a way to stop the leakage—by immediately ceasing to cast spells. After barely escaping Luo Zhengdao's underhanded move, Najef, pale and panting, was still trembling with fear. He was a man who cherished his life and would not risk it unless absolutely necessary. After much deliberation, the thought of self-preservation prevailed, and Najef abandoned his original plan to personally eliminate Luo Zhengdao, a thorn in his side, and retreated into the crowd of minions, clearly not intending to engage in direct combat.

Watching Najef retreat to the back of the crowd, Luo Zhengdao sighed with regret. He could feel the potential threat Najef posed, but unfortunately, he had missed the opportunity to kill him on the spot. The abilities of a magic card user were not easy to control, and Luo Zhengdao could only勉强 use them. He was far from the ideal state of using them as easily as his own limbs.

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