Chapter 66

It is easy to imagine that the conscripted soldiers, whose loyalty was negative, would try to run away at the first opportunity. To prevent these soldiers from deserting, every time the John Bull Navy docked in a port for rest and recuperation, the aristocratic officers had to be vigilant. They would station fully armed marines at the entrances and exits, and anyone without a pass who tried to leave the warship would be shot dead by the guards. If the deserters were confident that their legs could run faster than bullets, they might have a chance to regain their freedom. The sailors, whose personal freedom was restricted, also had to deal with their physiological needs. A group of bachelors relying solely on the comfort of a few bar girls was clearly insufficient, and the Navy did not encourage them to "pick up the soap" with each other. These poor souls could only look forward to the services of prostitutes who would come on board when the ship docked in port.

The officers were well aware of the situation. Whenever they encountered prostitutes who openly declared, "I have a husband on your ship," they adopted a rather tolerant attitude, even if it meant risking the spread of venereal diseases among the crew. After all, they did not dare to let the sailors go ashore!

First Mate Bran DuFlame had not known Luo Zhengdao for long. After discreetly inquiring about Najef's misdeeds, he was deeply disgusted by the evil sorcerer's character. He said, "My Lord, Najef won't give up easily! Should we prepare in advance?"

Luo Zhengdao was already accustomed to the constant threats from these evil guests. He smiled calmly and said, "No need to worry. Just follow the original plan and don't spoil everyone's good mood on leave. My strength is not what it used to be, and Najef might seek external help to deal with me. Be extra cautious."

Half-elf Vina Dubov seemed to recall something important and anxiously interjected, "Will, are you saying Najef will collude with the goblins?"

Blinking, Luo Zhengdao's smile widened, and he shrugged. "Maybe. The green skins are probably still searching for us along the coast of the main continent. I don't think it's necessarily the goblins. Najef is a troublemaker, but not a major one."

Leaving this ambiguous statement, Luo Zhengdao turned and walked forward. There was always work to be done, and since his arrival in this world, he had not had a single day of peace. For Luo Zhengdao, encountering trouble was normal and not worth overreacting to.

As the saying goes: "Too many lice don't itch, and too many debts don't worry." When one encounters too many troublesome things, one becomes numb to them.

The next morning, after paying for the night with a voluptuous bar girl, Luo Zhengdao wandered the streets in the limited free time before the assembly. This time, he wisely brought a group of guards, making a grand entrance like a mob boss.

These guards were all sailors from Qiongzhou, who had volunteered to protect Luo Zhengdao's safety after hearing about the appearance of the sorcerer Najef, fearing that he might be assassinated, which would shatter the hopes of the Flusseur family's restoration.

In contrast, Luo Zhengdao's pirates seemed indifferent, with not a single extra person showing up. These pirates had been cooped up in the Aether Sea for half a year and had seized the opportunity to enjoy themselves for a night. It was reasonable that they could not get up early the next day. Luo Zhengdao understood the sailors' slackness but also sensed an unusual atmosphere. The usually bustling pirate market was strangely quiet today, and people would fall silent and whisper to each other as he passed by, eyeing him suspiciously.

Seeing this, even the most insensitive person would realize that something strange was happening, and it was likely to be negative. Luo Zhengdao's face darkened.

Bran DuFlame, who was familiar with the ways of the market, went to gather information. After a quick round, he cautiously approached Luo Zhengdao from behind and whispered, "My Lord, Najef has put a 20,000 gold coin bounty on your head, promising to pay for the head without delay."

20,000 gold coins? Hearing this number, Luo Zhengdao couldn't help but sneer. For homeless pirate scoundrels, this sum was enough for a hundred men to return home and live a life of luxury. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he reined in his smile and said, "Hmph, Najef is quite shrewd, spending a little to achieve a lot. It seems the last beating taught him a lesson. Bran, gather the men and get on the ship."

Dealing with Najef's threat was not a big challenge for Luo Zhengdao. In the world of spellcasters, wizards were the true masters, and compared to the magic world's favored arcane mages, talent-dependent sorcerers were mere junior players. Najef's bounty was indeed a ruthless move. A swarm of ants could bring down an elephant! The Yangwei, a pirate ship with top-tier comprehensive strength, might not withstand the attack of countless armed boats in the complex waters near the coast. Although the pirate market had rules against violence, no one said they couldn't fight outside the sea.

Shortly after Luo Zhengdao and his group boarded the ship, armed boats began to patrol the waters near the anchorage, waiting for the Yangwei and Chaoyong to leave the three-mile safety zone around the pirate market before pouncing like hungry wolves in winter.

The pirates, returning from their leave, were still yawning, but the boatswain, Zola Hegel, quickly restored order with his whip and shouts. As the ship began to raise its sails and move, Luo Zhengdao removed the cork from the speaking tube on the command deck and shouted to the lower deck, "I am Captain Will Needham. Immediately jettison 100 barrels of ballast."

Due to the varying density of Aether particles in different regions, ships in the New World needed to adjust their ballast to control their altitude. Generally, maintaining a natural height at sea level was the ideal cruising state. If the ship rose above sea level, the speed could increase with the powerful Mana winds, but it risked being hit by sudden gusts, potentially breaking masts or even splitting the ship apart. By jettisoning ballast, Luo Zhengdao was clearly desperate, a clear sign of a life-or-death gamble.

The nearby sailors watched Luo Zhengdao, who was pacing on the command deck with a grim face, and whispered among themselves. The boatswain, Zola, walked the deck with a rhinoceros leather cat-o'-nine-tails, shouting, "Work hard and don't provoke the captain. Can't you see he's angry? You scoundrels, do you want to be assigned to clean the keel?"

"Boatswain, is the captain planning to commit suicide with us?"

"Shut your mouth. Is your life more valuable than the captain's?"

The sailor, reminded of the bounty on Luo Zhengdao, smacked his lips and said, "My life isn't worth 100 gold coins, and the captain's is worth 20,000. There's no comparison."

Hearing this, another sailor, who had been scrubbing the deck, felt the same way, touching his rapidly emptying wallet and said, "That's true. If the captain, whose life is so valuable, is willing to risk it, what do I, a poor man, have to fear?"

The massive white sails unfurled in the Mana winds, and as the ballast was jettisoned, the Yangwei's hull rose, exposing the dark yellow bottom covered in thick copper plating.

Seeing this, the small boats were in a panic. They had planned to use fire and boarding tactics to take down the Yangwei, but with its increased altitude, the poorly equipped small boats were at a loss. They had no ballast and no high-firing mortars, which were only used for land battles. Even if they had mortars, their accuracy would be laughable. They could only watch as the Yangwei sailed away from the encirclement, a cooked duck flying away!

A dark-skinned, muscular man suddenly stood up on one of the small boats, waving a bright curved sword and shouting, "The ship behind, everyone, attack the ship behind, go!"

Realizing this, the pirates came to their senses. The Yangwei was out of reach, but the Chaoyong was still within range. There was no time to be polite.

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

"Hooked, grab it quickly."

After the sound of stone powder explosions, iron hooks and chains flew from the armed boats, some hooking the Chaoyong's sides, others its rigging, immobilizing it. Despite its technical modifications, the Chaoyong was not a professional warship and lacked the ballast to use the altitude tactic like the Yangwei. The pirates, changing their target, used crossbows and hawk cannons to launch grappling hooks onto the Chaoyong, and then began to climb and attack.

The boarding battle, which started intensely, was so fierce that it left everyone breathless. The Chaoyong, like a plump caterpillar surrounded by a swarm of ants, was in grave danger.

Luo Zhengdao, on the Yangwei, saw this clearly. After a few seconds of hesitation, his gaze became resolute. He gripped his sword hilt and said, "Bran, turn around. We're going back."

Hearing Luo Zhengdao's order, First Mate Bran DuFlame, who was holding the helm, looked shocked. He asked in disbelief, "My Lord, please consider carefully. There are too many enemies. We can't save the Chaoyong by going back; we'll only be sending ourselves to our deaths!"

Luo Zhengdao laughed coldly, his eyes fierce as he stared at Bran DuFlame. "My dear first mate, are my eyes blind? Can't I see those enemies? Answer me, Sir DuFlame, are you afraid? Are you so scared of those beggar-like pirates that you're ready to run away from them?"