Chapter 48

"Captain, have you really thought this through?"

In the flagship's chart room, facing the detailed map of the main continent's surrounding waters and the current situation with various forces interlocked, the usually decisive boatswain hesitated for once, shaking his head and sighing. Luo Zhengdao, sitting opposite Zola Hegel, seemed quite relaxed. He held his teacup and said:

"Zola, you only need to tell me if the plan is feasible. You don't need to worry about the other issues."

Hearing this, Zola Hegel, who had been cornered, rolled his eyes and said:

"Since you put it that way, there's no problem. I am the best sailor on the Starry Sea, and there's nowhere I can't go."

Hearing this rather arrogant answer, Luo Zhengdao clapped his hands in approval and laughed heartily. Then he stood up and patted the map, saying:

"Very well, let's get started!"

Qiongzhou, a large island adjacent to the main continent, is vast and different from most outer sea islands, which have only a small amount of seawater around their coastlines. The Yangwei, which was still two days' sail away from Qiongzhou, was already navigating through the deep blue waters, cutting through the waves.

After a major technical overhaul, the twin-masted schooner Chaoyong was drastically modified by Luo Zhengdao. He removed many unnecessary and cumbersome facilities, such as the poop deck, and added more staysails and sails, lowering the freeboard as much as possible. In essence, Luo Zhengdao rebuilt the Chaoyong according to the standards of the old world's clipper ships.

While the overall performance of this new Chaoyong as a warship was far from excellent, the pursuit of extreme speed significantly reduced the number of gun positions and the internal space. In return, the sailing speed of this medieval vessel was increased to a level only slightly inferior to the fully rigged Yangwei using "True Magic Pattern Cloth." This could be considered a radical modification. For a twin-masted schooner using ordinary magic pattern cloth, this was akin to making a hand-guided tractor run as fast as an F1 car, not only astonishingly fast but also somewhat nerve-wracking.

Traveling a long distance back to Qiongzhou, a highly sensitive and dangerous area, Luo Zhengdao naturally had sufficient reasons to convince others. As the goblins intensified their blockade of the main continent's external communications, the human residents in the conquered regions were increasingly being reduced to slaves and forced into concentration camps, making it increasingly difficult for pirates to recruit sailors.

Of course, recruiting and using non-human sailors was not impossible, but it would involve many unnecessary troubles. For example, those elven sailors, though handsome and beautiful, were accustomed to eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and small amounts of meat. Meeting their basic living needs would be a challenge for pirates who spent long periods at sea, subsisting on hard biscuits and salted meat. Using such delicate sailors would be absurd.

The Elven Federation Navy, which dominated the seven seas, relied on a vast and expensive logistics and supply system, as well as numerous overseas colonies scattered across the seven seas, to provide continuous support for its naval fleet.

Needless to say, if the pirates had such incredible economic power, why would they resort to piracy? They could simply collect taxes on the spot. When a criminal organization grows large enough, it becomes a state, don't you know? Other races of sailors also had similar issues. The only non-human race that was not picky about food, had low demands for treatment, and was adaptable to the environment was the goblins. The problem was, even if there were goblin sailors willing to board, would Luo Zhengdao dare to accept them? That would be a surefire way to court disaster! After much consideration, Luo Zhengdao believed that the only feasible solution to the manpower problem was to return to the Earl of Fulu's fiefdom, Qiongzhou, and recruit the loyalists who had served the earl's family. This was the most practical choice at the moment.

However, Luo Zhengdao had heard of the goblins' brutal tactics. As the warship approached the waters near Qiongzhou, he asked the half-elf beauty with some concern:

"Vina, are you sure the secret network my father left in Qiongzhou is still intact?"

In fact, Vina Dubov had the same concerns, but with no turning back, she could not say anything to demoralize the team. She could only try to think positively and said:

"The plantations in Qiongzhou are a significant source of wealth, and the goblin population is too small. They can sustain a large-scale war with a universal conscription system, but after the war, the labor shortage will still be a problem. To maintain a powerful goblin army to suppress human resistance and other non-human tribes, the goblins need to use a large number of human slaves for agriculture and industry. To manage these humans, they must rely on human overseers, who are also slaves. The old earl made arrangements long ago to ensure that you would have sufficient resources whenever you returned to Qiongzhou."

As the saying goes, even a broken ship has a bottom, and even a broken bottom has nails. The Fulu family has been rooted in Qiongzhou for over 900 years, and this tree is deeply rooted and lush. Even if the new rulers ruthlessly cut down the tree's crown and trunk above ground, the roots deep in the dark underground world still retain a certain degree of vitality and life, waiting for an external force to awaken them.

Humans have an extraordinary endurance to withstand all kinds of hardships. Even the terrifying massacres and brutal enslavement cannot extinguish the will of this race.

In the new world, certain unwritten rules are common to all intelligent races. Whether it is the new rulers, the goblins, or the deposed humans, everyone knows the limits, but no one dares to overstep them. Conquest and enslavement are allowed, but genocide is a different matter. The new world is a place where true gods exist. Although they are high above the heavens and their divine power cannot directly interfere with the material world, if the gods are truly provoked, the severe consequences are not something any mortal race can bear. The vast temple forces scattered throughout the new world alone are enough to cause significant trouble.

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"Swish... Swish... Swish..."

Having contacted the infiltrators through a secret intelligence channel beforehand, the pirates began to land under the cover of night. A old man in a black cloak and two young attendants appeared before Luo Zhengdao, who had just landed in a small boat.

"Are you... Master Will, no, I should call you Earl."

"I am here to thank you on behalf of the Fulu family for your loyalty and dedication."

Upon seeing Luo Zhengdao, the old man was so moved that he shed tears uncontrollably. The old man was clearly a loyal servant of the Fulu family, and the two young attendants were also loyal.

Seeing this, Luo Zhengdao comforted the emotional old man and then got to the point, asking:

"I need a group of capable people, especially those familiar with navigation and warfare. People with other special skills are also welcome. Can you find them?"

Hearing this, the old man, who was still in tears, wiped his face with a linen handkerchief. His gaze returned to a firm and calm state, and he said with a tone of certainty:

"Yes, of course. They are ready to answer your call at any time."

Qiongzhou is the second-largest island in the southeastern part of the main continent. This tropical island, spanning tens of thousands of square kilometers, has been developed and colonized by human dynasties for thousands of years. However, only the coastal areas have been developed into plantations and villages. The inland areas remain a vast, primitive rainforest, with vines entwining ancient trees and a myriad of snakes, insects, and rodents.

Stepping into this undeveloped rainforest, from head to toe, the various venomous snakes and fierce beasts are a constant nuisance. The swamps and miasma in the forest are deadly traps.

If the harsh natural environment is not terrifying enough, the local insects are even more so. Giant mosquitoes, twice the size of a human fist, can drain a wild buffalo dry. A three-meter-long venomous centipede can bring down a ground dragon with one bite. Carnivorous burrowing spiders, as large as a small car, lie in wait at the edges of swamps. Stepping on their webs would result in a fate worse than being sawed to death or blown up. These are all top-tier jungle killers. Needless to say, any intruders who venture into this place will face terrifying attacks and harassment. The goblin Second Empire, with its already stretched and insufficient military forces, has almost no control over these wild areas.

Struggling through the rainforest, Luo Zhengdao easily imagined that such a vast and wild place could easily hide a resistance base or even an entire army without a trace.

"Come and meet the current Earl of Fulu."

Pushing aside the green vines that hung like waterfalls, the old man led the way into the hollow of a giant banyan tree. After passing through several twisted and narrow passages in the darkness, the scene suddenly opened up. Behind the massive banyan tree, which had almost become a small forest, was a hidden valley. Here, Luo Zhengdao met the main members of the local resistance organization in Qiongzhou. With the old man's call, they all gathered around to greet the new earl.

"You have all worked hard. The family will never forget your contributions and the hardships you have endured."

Whether he could fulfill his promises was a matter of ability, but showing the right attitude was important. Luo Zhengdao, of course, would not let anyone find fault with him. He sincerely thanked the resistance members. After all, they were still fighting under the Fulu family's banner, and even though they had no significant victories, he had to acknowledge their efforts.

In the old world, there was a saying: "There are no empires that last a thousand years, but there are families that last a thousand years." The name of the Fulu family dates back to the era of the Bright Emperor. Before that, the family was not an ordinary household. If we trace back, the family's verifiable history exceeds two thousand years. Such a family with a deep historical foundation cannot be completely eradicated by external forces. Even if the direct heir, Luo Zhengdao, were to die, who knows how many collateral descendants might emerge to carry on the family name. This is almost a certainty.

PS: The crab has been taking medicine for several days, and the foot injury has slightly improved, which is a cause for celebration.