Chapter 27

The so-called spice sugar of the new world, in essence, is still a sweet substance. From its appearance, this sugar is mottled and viscous, unlike the refined white sugar familiar to people of the old world. Due to its complex composition and lack of purification, it resembles unrefined raw sugar, which can be roughly called brown or black sugar, a sweet substance somewhere between white sugar and molasses.

Rich in natural pigments, fiber, and other non-sugar components, this spice sugar has a higher water content. Its flavor and texture vary subtly depending on the origin of the sugar. It is said that some high-quality sugars even have a hint of fruit fragrance.

Unable to resist his curiosity, Luo Zhengdao tasted the sugar when he opened the box for inspection. His personal feeling was quite good; it was not as blandly sweet as the refined white sugar of the old world. The sweet aftertaste, mixed with a slight bitterness, subtly revealed fruit and floral aromas. The multiple flavors layered together created a unique texture, and he believed that using it as a spice in dishes and pastries would be more effective than using white sugar.

"Is there so little sugar?"

Watching the sailors roll down a dozen large wooden barrels of sugar, Luo Zhengdao scratched the back of his head, puzzled. The standard unit of measurement in the new world, one barrel, is roughly equivalent to three and a half boxes. Counting them all, there were only about fifty boxes of sugar here.

Hearing this, Vena, who had been enduring the naivety of this young master, could no longer hold back. She snorted and said, "Not at all. This is the output of several plantations near Amboina in half a month!"

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao blinked a few times, suddenly recalling the sugarcane plantations on Amboina Island, where the stalks were slightly thicker than thumbs and the plants did not exceed three meters in height. He exclaimed, "Oh, it seems the sugarcane variety is not good, so the yield is low!"

In fact, Luo Zhengdao's statement was still too amateur. The main problem with the low sugar yield in the new world plantations was the processing procedure, not the sugarcane variety. The sugarcane residue and molasses, which contain a lot of sugar, were used to ferment rum, which was not considered wasteful.

For the sugar-loving little fairies, these dozen barrels of sugar waiting for inspection on the dock were like a batch of high-purity heroin in front of a group of addicts. The little fairy Dangdang cheered and pounced on a large, viscous sugar block, larger than herself, and began to eat it recklessly.

The little fairies have always been fond of sweeteners like sugarcane and honey. Raising bees to collect nectar is a racial specialty of the little fairies, but the bees themselves need to eat too! So the share left for their owners is not much. The little fairies, who love their homes, learned from humans to use candy to supplement the lack of honey, which is a very reasonable thing. Recently, due to the goblin fleet's sweeping of the starry sea, the merchant ships traveling between the Storm Sea and the mainland have disappeared. Now, even with money, they can't buy goods. The trade routes from the mainland have been blocked, forcing the little fairies to reduce their daily sugar intake. Dangdang's joy in eating sugar was not just about greed!

Thanks to the dozens of boxes of sugar, the pirate fleet managed to open the gates of the Fairy Garden. Luo Zhengdao finally breathed a sigh of relief. Learning from the painful experience of being chased by the goblin fleet in the past, he decided not to waste time sightseeing anymore. He needed to gather a group of people to buy as many supplies as possible, including winter clothing and other necessities. Whether it was fruit wine, distilled spirits, fabrics, blankets, or alchemical items, he would buy everything he could think of, regardless of the price. He filled the empty holds of the two ships and his own spatial bag to the brim before finally stopping, still feeling unsatisfied.

"Will, why are you in such a hurry?"

Vena Dubov could not understand Luo Zhengdao's anxious and insecure mindset. The goblin fleet's pursuit had not caused any serious damage, just a series of chases. She did not think that Luo Zhengdao's preparations, like a hamster moving its nest, were necessary.

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao held up three fingers and said, "Can I not be anxious? This is the third time we've been trapped in a port by the goblin fleet. Do you think we'll always have such good luck to break out?"

Whether in the old world of skyscrapers and bustling traffic or the new world of war and magic, Luo Zhengdao was never a particularly lucky person. He had never even won a consolation prize in a lottery. Because of this, like the famous pick-up artist, Saito, who lacked the qualifications to live in a crystal palace, Luo Zhengdao, who was also unlucky, had to learn to think well and act decisively, or he would eventually be doomed by his bad luck.

The adventurer's lifestyle is fraught with danger. Although Vena Dubov had long retired from this line of work, her criteria for judging danger had not changed.

If you want to control all risks within safe limits, the best way is to never leave home. However, even at home, you might still face unexpected disasters. Simply put, the half-elf beauty and the homebody Luo Zhengdao were on different wavelengths. One was a realist, the other an idealist.

After a moment of thought, Vena Dubov tilted her head and observed Luo Zhengdao's serious expression, which was becoming increasingly stiff. She asked tentatively, "So, you have a premonition of danger?"

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao glared at Vena and muttered, "I don't need a premonition. The Ice Sea can be considered a natural barrier. If the goblins really want to get rid of me, the last chance for them to strike will be here. Once we reach the Sea of Death, as you said, it's a dead end where even the green skins can't do anything to me. So they will definitely..."

Nodding in understanding, the half-elf beauty continued, "So the goblins will strike before you finally escape, and they will do whatever it takes to kill you. That's what you're saying, right?"

"Exactly. For safety, we can't stay in the Fairy Garden for too long. It's not very safe here either!"

Saying this, Luo Zhengdao, who was already feeling paranoid, looked around subconsciously, as if the goblins might jump out from a corner at any moment to chase him. However, the half-elf beauty was almost laughing until tears came to her eyes. Luo Zhengdao's reasoning and logic were sound, and Vena Dubov did not think it was necessary to argue with him. She nodded and turned to haggle with the little fairies who had come to settle the payment.

...

A cold wind carrying goose-feather snowflakes blew over the Aether Sea. The layers of white icebergs, illuminated by the colorful auroras in the sky, presented a mesmerizing and eerie beauty.

"Are you sure Will Needham is here?"

This voice, low and chilling, sent shivers down the listeners' spines, as if countless insects were crawling on their backs. Even the goblin commander Mordo Blackwater, who prided himself on his bravery, could not escape this feeling. He suppressed his nausea and said in a deep voice, "Here is his portrait. Remember to bring the target's head when you complete the task, and you will receive the item."

Under the ornate hood embroidered with arcane patterns, the mysterious figure nodded slightly and said in a low, sinister voice, "Alright, I will return. By then, you had better have what I want prepared."

Watching the mysterious figure disappear into the nearby shadows, a goblin advisor, with a look of disgust, said to Mordo Blackwater, "Commander, I hate this guy. He smells worse than those hairless monkeys."

Mordo Blackwater, also unable to hide his disgust, stroked his beard and said with a cold laugh, "I hate this dirty creature too, but for now, we must endure it for the sake of the empire."

The goblin Second Empire, founded on a powerful infantry corps and wolf rider cavalry, concentrated its territory on the mainland and its surrounding areas. Due to historical factors, the goblins only ventured into the starry sea after the destruction of the Light Dynasty, leaving too little time for the goblin navy to develop. Thus, despite their grand ambitions, they faced a situation where their naval power was limited.

While Mordo Blackwater's fleet seemed invincible in the starry sea, destroying all in its path, this was because they had not encountered an equal opponent. To put it bluntly, the goblin fleet won the championship in a competition with only one participant, proving only their good luck, not their naval strength. So far, the Yaling and Elven navies had remained cautious, watching the situation develop. The only direct intervention was when the Yaling fleet saved Luo Zhengdao's life, which could be considered a normal friction between the two sides. The two naval powers had not yet openly confronted the goblin empire, maintaining a cold war state.

The ambitions of a newly rising power are hard to hide. While the Yaling and Elven empires were indeed interested in controlling the mainland, even the strongest fleet could not land on the mainland. Even during the annual Mana Tide, when it was possible to attempt a landing, the window of opportunity was too short to make a significant difference.

The Yaling Empire and the Elven Federation were the goblins' archenemies. The most likely strategy they would adopt was to support proxies to challenge the goblin empire, with the human exiled nobles being the best candidates.

Mordo Blackwater, a goblin commander, was an anomaly among goblin leaders. Otherwise, he would not have stood out among his peers vying for naval positions, transforming from a land-bound soldier to a noble naval commander. Unlike the brainless goblin commanders who only knew how to shout slogans like "Long live the empire," "Long live the emperor," and "Long live the senate," and send their soldiers to charge the enemy in waves, Mordo Blackwater had his own understanding and insights into the war. This is why he pursued Luo Zhengdao with such vigor.

Mordo Blackwater had long recognized that he should not underestimate Will Needham, who held the title of Baron but seemed to have no real power. Even though he fled like a stray dog under the goblin fleet's attacks, he always managed to escape. If he reached the territory of the Yaling Empire or the Elven Federation, these superpowers might provide significant military aid to support his counterattack on the mainland. This would not be good news for the goblin Second Empire. Eliminating Will Needham as soon as possible was the most urgent task, and Mordo Blackwater was willing to make a deal with the devil to achieve it. He only hoped his concerns were unfounded.

PS: The new book has dropped to eighth place. I'm angry and need to fight back! Three updates today! Also, the little fairy Dangdang is a character I copied from the Xiling Empire using the Sharingan. She is making a guest appearance.