We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 23 Who are you?

Despite their distress, not a single sailor dared to cause trouble in the Storm Tavern.

The way they looked at Xia En had also subtly changed, now carrying a hint of awe and wariness.

The seven seas have always followed the rule of the survival of the fittest.

Nature fostered a culture of admiration for strength among sailors.

The duel between Xia En and An undoubtedly proved himself.

This was also one of Shane's goals.

Sometimes, excessively hiding one's strength can only lead to unnecessary trouble. Appropriately showcasing some of one's strength can actually conceal what one truly doesn't want outsiders to know.

I lost.

At that moment, Ann came to Xia En and wrote on the cardboard.

Captain Shane's martial prowess surpasses mine.

I accept my defeat wholeheartedly.

【Then, please accept my allegiance, Ann Duarte Karlov!】

After writing, An knelt on one knee and bowed his head to Xia En.

This is a unique etiquette of the knightly family. When An bows, his movements are meticulous, showing focus and solemnity.

To match his performance, Xia En also put on a stern face and said in a deep voice.

"I accept your allegiance!"

The moment the words left his mouth, whether it was Xia En's imagination or not, he felt as if some kind of invisible connection had been established between him and An.

Xia En suddenly realized something.

In this world, etiquette itself possesses mystery and power.

The Knight is also one of the many secret path professions.

The process of An pledging allegiance to himself actually conformed to the rituals of the [Knight]'s secret path, which is why he had some unusual feelings.

Although she didn't know what the purpose of this connection was, Xia En was still very satisfied with An.

Don't be fooled by how easily Shane won; it's purely because his stats were too high.

Having acquired the attributes of a ship, his physical abilities had long since developed in a direction that surpassed those of humans.

Among ordinary humans, An is already a rare strongman, capable of easily defeating ten people.

It would be an absolute killer weapon when used in boarding operations!
At this moment, Ann stood up again and wrote.

From this day forward, you will be my captain for life!

I will protect your safety with my life!

The sea will bear witness to my vow.

Wait, a captain for life?
Xia En's lips twitched slightly, his mood was a bit strange, why did these words sound so heavy?
He might not stay at sea his whole life!
Xia En suddenly discovered something.

An was indeed very loyal and met his requirements.

But he seems... a little too loyal?

However, what's done is done, and since Xia En has already accepted the allegiance ceremony, there's no way he can go back on his word now.

With a somewhat strange feeling, Shane, along with An and the shipwright, went to say goodbye to Biss.

He had intended to pay the brokerage fee, but upon asking, he learned that Bisi had made a fortune from the betting on that duel, so he simply waived the small amount.

"What a wealthy and generous lady."

With a sigh, Shane left the Storm Tavern and headed toward the port where the Black Swan was docked.

An needed to pack her luggage, so she didn't travel with him.

Back on deck, Joey was nowhere to be seen; he was probably on the island taking care of personal matters.

So, taking advantage of this time, Shane explained his request to the taciturn shipwright.

After listening, the bald-headed master nodded.

"No problem, but it will take a week to complete."

"A week? Isn't that a bit too long?"

Xia En frowned slightly. He had one opportunity to dive every day, but diving near Duke Island yielded very little benefit.

After a while, this is equivalent to losing money every day!
Is there any way to speed it up?

"Yes, there is." The bald shipwright readily pointed out a clear path for Xia En.

"We can just hire a few more people to work together, but the wages will definitely be higher..."

"Oh, you want more money? No problem!"

Xia En immediately understood. Since he wasn't short of money anyway, he might as well spend it and enjoy it sooner rather than later.

Finally, Shane paid 45 silver snake coins to the bald shipwright to find a few helpers to modify the ship, immediately shortening the expected time to three days.

This was, after all, just a minor modification, and with the added benefit of money, it naturally didn't take much time.

"But they really do spend money like water..."

Xia En weighed her purse in her hand, feeling a little heartbroken.

Before the 600-plus silver snake coins had even had a chance to warm up, only 200 remained. In addition, there was the need to purchase supplies for the ship, such as salt, spices, and cleaning products, which would be another considerable expense.

"You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household."

"Should I hire a professional accountant to manage my money?"

Of course, thinking about accounting right now is a bit too far ahead.

After entrusting the ship repairs entirely to the shipwright, Shane went up to the deck for some fresh air, only to be met by a strange young girl.

She wore a clean and tidy women's lightweight chainmail suit, her face was youthful and delicate, and her skin was fair and smooth, like a fragile porcelain doll.

What's most eye-catching is the hair on the top of her head.

It was a striking white, like snow!

Her soft white hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her red eyes added a touch of mystery and dreamlike charm.

Aside from being a little short and having a flat chest, she is already a rare beauty.

At this moment, the girl was looking at Xia En with a nervous expression, her slender hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.

Xia En was completely bewildered.

Who are you?

Why did you suddenly appear on my ship?

Could it be a past emotional debt from the original owner of this body?
After holding it in for a long time, Xia En couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"

"Captain, it's me!"

The girl cried out, sounding slightly aggrieved.

“...Joey?”

Upon hearing the voice, Xia En finally recognized the girl's identity.

But his mood became increasingly strange.

Although Shane knew beforehand that Joey was a girl, he didn't know she was such a beautiful girl!
Previously, Joey had kept her head down, and her hair was messy like seaweed, covering most of her small face. It would be a miracle if you could even see her clearly.

Seeing that Xia En remained silent for a long time, Joey lowered her head again and said self-consciously, "So, the way I looked before suited me better?"

"I'll go dye my hair back right away. Sorry, I startled the captain..."

"and many more!"

Xia En quickly stopped her: "Who said this look doesn't suit you? I think it looks great!"

"Really?"

Joey looked up hopefully, his eyes pleading.

Xia En replied firmly, "Of course it's true! When have I ever lied to you?"

"Great."

Joey breathed a sigh of relief.

After the girl calmed down, Xia En asked curiously, "Why did you dye your hair that color and cover your eyes before?"

Joey answered softly, "Because of the color of my hair and eyes, when I was little, everyone was afraid of me. They all called me... a monster."

Xia En immediately understood that people in this world were clearly not yet able to accept this kind of image.

But in his previous life he was a Chinese.

White hair and red eyes are a sign of a good civilization!

(End of this chapter)