Chapter 75

" Najief! It's that bastard again. Whenever there's something good, he's nowhere to be found, but when there's trouble, he's always there! "

On the crowded deck of the opposing warship, a familiar figure could be vaguely seen. Luo Zhengdao, confirming that his eyes weren't deceiving him, shouted in uncontrollable anger. To be honest, he had never hated anyone as much as he did now.

In the纠缠 of the goblin fleet's pursuit and attacks, although Luo Zhengdao felt inner rage, upon careful reflection, he didn't think there was anything particularly surprising about this. As the saying goes, "Those not of our kind have different hearts," and given the fundamental conflicts of interest between the two sides, it was natural that they would fight each other to the death. The outcome of the battle, whether by skill or fate, was something that couldn't be complained about. If you were incompetent, you shouldn't have come out to make a fool of yourself. However, the actions of the human mage Najief were truly intolerable for Luo Zhengdao.

According to the half-elf beauty's description, Najief had initially come to Qiongzhou Island under the guise of cooperation when the old Earl Fulu was recruiting people to defend the island. In reality, he was a spy for the goblin army, engaging in treacherous activities. If it weren't for Najief's betrayal, the human resistance forces, relying on the complex rainforest terrain of Qiongzhou Island, could have held out for a long time. The ultimate outcome of being driven into the interior might not have been reversed, and Luo Zhengdao's adoptive father might not have died in this battle. In this matter, Najief played a thoroughly despicable and dishonorable role from start to finish. The subsequent series of events were also clear: to avoid retaliation, Najief turned his full attention to Luo Zhengdao, repeatedly plotting and scheming against him, determined to see him dead.

Facing such a despicable and treacherous person, even a transcendent Buddha would probably be moved to anger upon encountering such a despicable individual!

"Fire the cannons in response!"

As the warship Yangwei turned its bow, the cannons on the starboard side entered the firing range. Luo Zhengdao immediately ordered the cannons to fire. At this moment, he was so filled with hatred that he could have swallowed Najief raw without any seasoning.

The long-range weapons on Najief's side, mainly old-style crossbows and light cannons, were firing one after another, creating a formidable spectacle that was no less impressive than the roar of heavy artillery. Compared to the old world where heavy artillery had gradually been replaced by missiles, the performance of the new world's cannons was mediocre, but they were still the best overall naval weapons to date. If ancient crossbows were more practical and reliable, the navies of the new world would not have replaced them with cannons. During the intense exchange of fire, even if Luo Zhengdao couldn't pinpoint the exact shortcomings of the enemy's crossbows, he could understand this basic principle, and his heart, which had been racing, calmed down a bit.

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

The thunderous roar of the cannons echoed across the sea. Najief's warship, flying a red flag, was hit by the stone projectiles, sending splinters and sparks flying. Even after Yangwei's final salvo, they did not fire a second round of crossbow bolts.

Witnessing the one-sided battle, Luo Zhengdao began to have strong doubts. Najief's character was despicable, and his methods were extremely underhanded. This guy wasn't a fool! After several previous encounters, Najief should have a good understanding of Yangwei's combat capabilities. If he didn't have a chance of winning, why would he come here today?

His thoughts suddenly shifted, and Luo Zhengdao realized something was wrong. His face changed dramatically as he shouted:

"Trouble! Tell the lookout to scout the surrounding sea."

A few minutes later, the boatswain Zola Hegel came to the command deck to report to Luo Zhengdao:

"Captain, we have spotted three medium-sized enemy ships to the southeast, with an unknown number of small boats. We have also spotted two large enemy ships to the northwest, with an unknown number of small boats. We are surrounded."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao's mouth opened wide in surprise. He found it hard to imagine what kind of dark and twisted mind could drive the evil mage to come and fight him. Well, every time Najief encountered Luo Zhengdao, it inevitably led to a series of battles. This guy, who clung to him like a leech, made Luo Zhengdao's teeth grind in hatred. If Luo Zhengdao could make a wish to a deity, he would certainly wish for Najief to be sent to the deepest level of hell, never to be reborn.

After a brief moment of thought, Luo Zhengdao, with a sullen expression, said:

"Alright, get the ship close. This time, we will finish Najief off. Let's settle this today! I..."

Before he could finish his fierce words, Luo Zhengdao's body suddenly swayed. His face turned as pale as gold paper, and he barely managed to hold onto the railing to keep from falling. He lowered his head, breathing heavily, and said with difficulty:

"Brando, you assist Zola in commanding the battle. I'm not feeling well. I need... to rest for a while."

Fate is an unpredictable mess. When you're having a bad day, even a sip of cold water can get stuck in your teeth. Luo Zhengdao never dreamed that the curse of the荒神 would suddenly flare up just as he was about to engage in a close battle with his mortal enemy. This was a matter of life and death.

Enduring the excruciating pain that felt like being cut into a thousand pieces, the kind of pain that seemed to tear every bone and muscle apart, which no one who hadn't experienced it could understand, Luo Zhengdao, staggering, struggled to the entrance of the captain's cabin. Using the last bit of strength in his body, he pushed open the door and, without closing it, collapsed to the ground, his vision going black.

Luo Zhengdao's body convulsed as if he were having a seizure. His eyes, once clear, became murky, and he looked like he was barely alive. As the荒神 curse suddenly flared up and he collapsed at the entrance of the captain's cabin, a shadowy figure appeared in a nearby corner. The mysterious woman, Yasha, who claimed to have survived a shipwreck and drifted to the sea, was slowly moving forward along the wall. At the same time, she raised her hand and pulled out a hair accessory, which, instead of shining with the cheap metal luster, emitted a dull green glow, like the cold, sinister light of a snake's eyes.

"Roar—"

As Yasha, with ill intentions, approached the unconscious Luo Zhengdao, a werewolf's shadow suddenly appeared from Luo Zhengdao's body. The werewolf, much larger than a human, opened its massive jaws and let out a roar that seemed both silent and deafening. Its blood-red tongue and sharp fangs seemed ready to devour someone, and its large, bulbous eyes were fixed on Yasha.

Luo Zhengdao was indeed unconscious, but this did not mean he had lost his ability to defend himself. Consider that a card mage who could fight the荒神 to a standstill possessed power comparable to that of a deity, and certainly had more than just the ability to throw flying objects from a safe distance.

In fact, as the card mage's level continued to rise, the rule power contained in the magic cards they mastered gradually permeated their flesh and blood. Eventually, they no longer needed to rely on the cards to release the low-level cards imprinted in their minds through mere thought. Only then could they be considered a qualified card mage. Similarly, even a novice like Luo Zhengdao could receive constant protection from the power of the magic cards, regardless of whether he was conscious or unconscious.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Just as Luo Zhengdao's body showed signs of extreme danger, Yasha, sensing that acting now would bring unforeseen trouble, hesitated. As she continued to move forward, determined to take a risk, a stern voice suddenly came from behind her. It was the one-eyed captain, For Chopin, shouting in anger.

Due to the uncontrollable raging fire on the pirate ship Chao Yong, the ship was ultimately destroyed in a blaze. Captain For, forced to order the crew to abandon ship, came to Yangwei to apologize to Luo Zhengdao in person. Unexpectedly, when he approached the captain's cabin, he saw Yasha's suspicious figure and the werewolf shadow rising from Luo Zhengdao's body. For Chopin was taken aback and, without hesitation, shouted with all his might.

"Sorry, I'm a laundry worker. I got lost."

The hair accessory in her hand disappeared instantly, and Yasha turned around with an innocent look. Her weak, timid voice and behavior seemed to fit the image of a frail woman.

Seeing this, For Chopin, slightly taken aback, began to doubt whether he was being overly suspicious. However, Luo Zhengdao's safety was crucial, and he couldn't rule out any possibility. Immediately, For Chopin gripped his sword hilt, ready for battle. After a moment of silent confrontation, Yasha, looking like a frightened woman, showed no signs of being a threat, and For Chopin couldn't just kill her. Although he didn't fully believe her story, he didn't want to investigate further. The priority was to ensure Luo Zhengdao's safety. Whether this woman was an enemy or not, allowing her to stay near Luo Zhengdao was a reckless and unwise move. Any accountability would come later.

When he realized this, For Chopin narrowed his eyes and waved his hand at Yasha, shouting:

"Enough, this is no place for you. Leave immediately."

"Yes, sir."

Watching Yasha's figure disappear down the corridor, For Chopin, who had been on high alert the entire time, called out loudly, summoning a group of sailors and his old partner, the ship's doctor, Derek King. Even as the intense battle outside continued, with Yangwei engaged in a fierce fight with Najief's ragtag army, For Chopin insisted on personally guarding the door to Luo Zhengdao's room. He also tripled the number of guards on the corridor leading to the captain's cabin, prohibiting anyone from approaching the unconscious Luo Zhengdao without permission.

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**End of Chapter**