Sail Shadows in the Sea of ​​Fog

Chapter 36: Departure to Pirate City

The next morning after returning to the dock safely, Cheng Lang got up early and put the ice core and Vermillion Bird Stone he brought back last night into the cargo hold and the bottom cabin respectively. Then he put on his robe again, left the dock, found a random store and bought hundreds of mirrors.

These mirrors will be hung throughout the cabin. Under the control of the magic mirror, they will project bright sunlight into the dim cabin during the day.

On cloudy days or at night, the light from the Vermilion Bird Stone in the lower cabin can be reflected to continue providing lighting for the entire ship.

The magic mirror is just a mirror after all, and this job of "holding the lamp" does not consume any energy for it.

Mirrors were not only hung all over the ship, Cheng Lang also bought a small pocket watch-style mirror for everyone, and asked the skillful Yafuso and Gerta to help sew these small pocket watch-style mirrors into the leather, turning them into covered "wrist mirrors" that can be worn on the wrist.

Although the Magic Mirror is still unwilling to communicate with anyone except Cheng Lang and Teng Xiao, it does not mind helping the captain convey orders in this way or serving as a "flashlight" for the sailors.

This mirror with a dark and vulgar heart would never admit that he actually wanted to use these watches to monitor every crew member with ill intentions.

Regardless of the ultimate purpose, Mojing is extremely satisfied with his new job, and all the sailors and quasi-sailors, including Fujiman, are also extremely satisfied with the "tools" on their wrists.

That morning, Senfa visited again and finally met Cheng Lang, who had been "inconvenient" for the past few days.

"I brought fairly accurate news."

As soon as Senfa saw Cheng Lang, he said, "Pier 12 will probably be unblocked tonight. The Flamingo and the Crucible have completed their cargo purchases. Captain Cheng Lang, we may be leaving tonight. What about you? Do you want to leave with us?"

"Let me give you a ride again."

Cheng Lang said clearly, "After the ban is lifted, your two boats will follow me."

"thank you my friend."

Senfa's joy was beyond words. "You and your crew are always welcome to visit Ronglu Port. There will always be a dedicated berth reserved for you."

"After I go to Pirate City, I might go to Ronglu Port for a visit," Cheng Lang said with a smile.

"Before entering the Furnace Port, remember to use the messenger to send me a message."

Senfa shook hands with Cheng Lang and said, "I will help you get a plundering permit that will allow you to dock legally."

"I will also bring you some specialties from Pirate City," Cheng Lang also made a promise.

"I can also help you sell some hot items." Senfa became more straightforward.

“Looking forward to our future cooperation”

Cheng Lang responded that he could see that his friend had firmly believed that he was a pirate.

However, he did not explain. At this time, no matter what kind of explanation he gave, it would be like a pretty girl working in a hair salon saying that she was a serious person. Not only would it be meaningless, but it would also be laughed at.

After seeing off Captain Senfa who was in a hurry, Cheng Lang went out again, waving gold coins to buy more supplies.

This time, because of the ice core, he bought a lot of extra fresh vegetables and fruits.

In addition, thanks to the careful care of Gerta and Yafuso these days, not only are there pots of bean sprouts growing continuously in the lower cabin, but the vegetables they planted have also sprouted.

The best growing thing here is not the bean sprouts, but the various edible mushrooms that the grandfather and grandson planted on the inner wall of the oak barrel in the bottom cabin.

After most of the day's preparation, as night fell, the artificially created thick sea fog once again enveloped Pier 12 and the surrounding waters, and the guards stationed outside the dock left one after another, lifting the curfew.

Before the guards could walk away, the wooden doors of the closed docks rose one after another, and ships slowly left the docks and entered the sea, pulled by underwater cables and artificially created water currents.

"crash"

As the sails were opened one after another, ships left Pier 12 under the cover of night and thick fog. From time to time, someone would blow the mirage horn, summoning thick or thin, large or small sea fog to conceal their figures.

As for the Valkyrie, as the ship left the dock, the originally white sails turned black and tattered at a speed visible to the naked eye due to Poseidon's curse, and were once again surrounded by a circle of black fog.

Before this, Cheng Lang had already manipulated the heart of the ship and the ship armor, summoning a thick sea fog with a diameter of one nautical mile that could move with the ship, carrying their three ships towards the open sea.

At the same time, beneath the sea outside Pier 12, there were nearly a hundred sirens hiding. They were flaring their gills hard, trying to find something from the ships leaving the port.

But without exception, none of these ships carried the stench they wanted to taste.

Also hiding beneath the sea are the siren women with graceful figures and sharp crossbows in their hands. They are also trying hard to search for something in the night, thick fog and cold sea water, but they also find nothing.

After sailing for most of the night, Cheng Lang stopped the Valkyrie before the sea fog was about to disappear, and then blew the Mirage Horn, summoning a thick fog with a diameter of one nautical mile that could exist for 12 hours but could not move with the ship.

There was no farewell at all. A huge jellyfish appeared above the Valkyrie, and then the outline of the entire ship became increasingly blurred, leaving only an inconspicuous track in the fog.

Similarly, Senfa also ordered the Flamingo to reef its sails and anchor, and to maneuver the ship's center to hide it.

At this point, the Furnace was the only vessel left in the thick fog, drifting alone within the range of the Flamingo's artillery fire.

Without mentioning these two friends whom he didn't know when he would meet again, Cheng Lang commanded the Valkyrie to hide its hull in the morning sun and continue moving towards the Pirate City.

On the open-air bridge at the stern, Gerta, who had only been on the job for a few days, was patiently guiding Shenba in learning how to drive the ship.

In the kitchen at the bow, Yafuso and Yunji were busy preparing a sumptuous breakfast for their respective families and their common captain.

As for Cheng Lang, who had slept all night, he was sitting in the captain's office, looking at the captured Captain Kervik and his brother Belvik who were invited over.

"You two want to see me?"

Cheng Lang looked at the two brothers with great interest. The reason why he knew that the two wanted to see him was because the big crybaby Shenba went to the kitchen to find food and was stopped by them, and then they told him.

“It is true”

Kervik said respectfully, "Captain, we would like to join your pirate ship."

"You want to join my pirate ship?"

Cheng Lang didn't expect the other party to make such a request. "Why do you want to join my pirate ship? And who told you that my ship is a pirate ship?"

“Maybe I mis-expressed it.”

Kervik said with a flattery that was no less flattering than the Magic Mirror, "Dear Captain, my brother Belvik and I would like to join your expedition ship and become sailors under your command."

"Why?" Cheng Lang asked.

"We witnessed the battle between your ship and the Swordfish Merchants, and we also saw you and your companions sink the Boerland Royal Demon Hunter." Kervik said with increasing flattery. "Not only do we not want to be silenced, but we also dream of working on such a powerful ship."

"Aren't you the captain?" Cheng Lang asked back.

"Aren't we your prisoners? And we have no ship left."

Kervik bowed and said, "Dear Captain, strength has always been respected at sea. We sincerely hope to become your sailors and will serve you loyally."

"I don't have any extra boats for you right now," Cheng Lang said truthfully, "and I can't trust you either."

"We are willing to sign a ship heart contract with your ship"

Kervik said flatteringly, "And I believe you will soon have a surplus of ships."

“I need to think about it.”

Cheng Lang waved his hand, and the gorillas who had brought the two brothers in immediately grabbed their belts and dragged them out of the captain's office, helping to close the heavy door.

"What do you think?" Cheng Lang asked to himself.

The magic mirror said in the same flattering tone, "If you are impressed by their abilities and have the confidence to give them each a ship, the trust issue is actually easy to resolve."

"What do you mean?" Cheng Lang asked curiously.

"They are still captains. All we need to do is have them sign a contract with the captain's token and the Valkyrie's heart. No, let them sign a contract with the fake heart at the bow."

The magic mirror explained, "Although I know very little about the ship's heart, I do know the process of signing the ship's heart contract. It's just that the content of the contract needs to be discussed in detail.

Furthermore, this kind of thing requires willingness. If they have other intentions, it will be impossible to obtain the contract."

"Can the abilities granted to them by the ship's core be used on the Valkyrie?" Cheng Lang asked.

"I'm afraid not, unless they are made captains."

"Then let's wait until we have extra ships. Magic Mirror, how long will it take us to reach the Pirate City?"

Cheng Lang was not very interested in this matter. He could see that the brothers just didn't want to be silenced.

“It will take at least half a month.”

The magic mirror quickly replied, "The Vermilion Bird Islands are a supply and transfer station for the Pirate City. If we can catch the Tricorn Current, it will only take about two weeks to reach the Pirate City.

If we hadn’t caught the Tricorne Current, it would have taken us at least a month.”

Upon hearing this, Cheng Lang dug out the treasure map of Count Walesa.

This treasure map, which has been deciphered by Vine Goblin, ultimately points to the Pirate Cemetery in Pirate City.

Yesterday, he took the opportunity to chat with Yun Ji and Shen Ba about the topic of the pirate cemetery.

However, in the description of the two siblings, it seemed that the pirate cemetery was only filled with poor and destitute pirates, and this pirate cemetery was not actually established by pirates.

The Pirate City was originally an isolated island on the sea where criminals were exiled. The reason why it still exists today is simply because the Pirate City signed a watch contract with the only known sea monster with reason, the nine-headed octopus Panini.

According to the contract, the nine-headed octopus Panini guards the safety of the Pirate City and the area within 100 nautical miles around the Pirate City, and the Pirate City needs to pay a commission of 18 Bloods of Poseidon every year.

Because of this, the emblem of the Pirate City is also unique. It is a nine-headed octopus coiled on a golden skull, and its nine tentacles each hold two cups of Poseidon's blood.

The pirate cemetery just mentioned was built by Panini, the only sea monster with reason.

According to Yun Ji and Shen Ba, any pirate can exchange a permanent grave for himself in the pirate cemetery while he is still alive by paying a cup of Poseidon's blood.

Likewise, any pirate buried in the cemetery could entrust all his treasures to Panini for safekeeping, waiting for the designated person to take the treasure away.

The most sensational incident was that a pirate once handed over a scale to Panini for safekeeping before his death.

But this was obviously a disaster. Although Panini did not covet the reverse scale, the Pirate City almost collapsed from the inside because of the reverse scale.

At the end of this incident, it is said that Panini killed all the pirates and sirens who intended to rob or steal the Reverse Scale, and threw the Reverse Scale and the pirate's body into the depths of the Sea of ​​Despair.

After that, Panini also established a rule: Ni Lin was forbidden to enter the Pirate City.

It is difficult to say whether this rule is a sign of surrender or a lesson, but Cheng Lang could read from it a bit of the sea monster's helplessness, as well as the sea adventurers' crazy desire for the reverse scale.

"Dear Captain, please be sure to prepare a cup of Poseidon's blood in advance."

The magic mirror also reminded at this time, "Otherwise, I guess that greedy octopus won't let you take anything from the cemetery."

“Luckily there’s still one cup left.”

Cheng Lang breathed a sigh of relief. He used 10 cups to activate the sailors' loyalty tombstones, and used one cup to paint the lips of the pirates who had been silenced so that they could enter the tombstones and spend the rest of their lives.

Although not much of the cup of Poseidon's blood was consumed, he was not prepared to use the insufficient amount of Poseidon's blood to negotiate a deal with the rational sea monster. Only a fool would do that.

"Dear Captain, after we arrive at the Pirate Town and find Count Walesa's treasure, what are your plans?" the magic mirror asked flatteringly.

"no"

Cheng Lang shook his head without even thinking. Ever since he came into this world inexplicably, he has actually been pushed around by all kinds of troubles.

He rushed to the Pirate City to look for the treasure simply because he was attracted by the treasure itself.

He was interested in the secrets about this world left by the Valkyrie, but he had no idea where to start.

"We might become pirates, the greatest, most legendary, most powerful pirates in the starry sea."

The magic mirror urged again, "Then we will seize the Xinghai Continent, and then we can..."

"You'd better wake up."

Cheng Lang slammed the mirror on the table in annoyance, put away the treasure map and walked out of the room.

　It's been a year since we last met. Hello everyone.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)