Sail Shadows in the Sea of ​​Fog

Chapter 54: Horrible Rumors of Exile Island

When Cheng Lang came to the deck of the Honest Man carrying the remaining shelter ship light, the pirate brothers and their small crew members were already waiting in line.

"Come here one by one. I need you to provide a few drops of blood to the boat light bag."

Cheng Lang spoke, but deliberately did not explain. He just took out a bottle of elven healing potion and asked Belvik to bring a plate and put it on the oak barrel.

"I'll go first"

Kervik gritted his teeth and stepped forward first. He pulled out a dagger from his waist, wiped it on his fingertips, and then dripped a few drops of blood into the ship's lantern.

"Go get some of this ship's heart and blood," Cheng Lang ordered. Kervik nodded, dipped his injured finger into the dish of healing potion, and simply went into the cabin.

At the same time, Belvik also pulled out a sharp knife and wiped his finger, dripped a few drops of blood into the ship's lantern, and dipped some healing potion in the plate.

Led by these two captains, those small-sized sailors who had been hatched for less than a month also lined up to offer a few drops of blood and dipped their wounds in the plate.

Without waiting for the hundred or so small sailors to complete their "blood donation" activity, Kervik also brought a small cup of the ship's blood and added it to the oil lamp.

"Aren't you going to ask what this ship lamp is used for?" Cheng Lang asked with a smile.

"That's not necessary, Captain," Kervik said respectfully.

“It can mask the smell to a certain extent.”

Cheng Lang gave a brief explanation, but did not mention the origin of the ship lantern.

After all the small sailors had dripped their blood into the shelter ship lantern, Cheng Lang immediately took the lantern back to the Valkyrie and hung it back in the ventricle.

That night, on the calm and windless sea, the two boats turned off all the lights hanging outside and began to rest early.

On the same night, the fleet of the Boylan Demon Hunters, led by Captain Gold Fang, sailed all night and finally arrived at the edge of the Despair Trade Wind Sea before dawn.

When the sun jumped out of the sea level again, the Valkyrie and the Honest Man also inflated their white sails under the push of the first trade wind and gradually increased their speed.

However, they didn't know that the pursuers behind them were getting closer and closer to them.

"Everyone, hold on!"

Cheng Lang, who was still at the helm, spoke up before the sea conditions got worse, reminding everyone loudly, "We only need to sail for one more day to leave the Despair Trade Winds!"

"Aren't we going to Dragonfly Island?" Yun Ji asked loudly.

"Go! But let's take a shorter route!" Cheng Lang responded loudly in the whistling wind.

Hearing this, Yun Ji wisely did not continue to ask questions, but quickly ran back to the room and lay down on the hammock that she had set up last night.

Amidst everyone's suffering, this day seemed to be a little more difficult than yesterday.

But even so, everyone still gritted their teeth and persevered. Even if they wanted to turn back now, it was impossible.

Also during the day, the Demon Hunter fleet behind them entered the Desperate Trade Winds Sea.

However, compared to the Valkyrie and the Honest Man, Captain Gold Tooth, who took the initiative to demonstrate his value, used his ability to control the waves, not only to protect all the ships in the fleet from the pain of bumps, but even increased the speed of the ships.

However, when it was afternoon, Captain Gold Tooth, who had received an invitation to join the demon hunting group, panicked. He could no longer smell the scent of the ship with lights hanging on it that he had been pursuing in the sea water!

Captain Gold Tooth glanced inconspicuously at the communications officer not far away who was treating him with much more enthusiasm and courtesy, and suppressed the panic in his heart.

He didn't know how the two ships had done it, but he knew that if he told them, nothing good would happen.

Is he stupid? Of course he is not stupid, at least not as much of a brain and muscle as his late captain thought.

On the contrary, he was very smart. He knew what kind of first mate the captain liked, and he also knew that if he showed that he had lost the scent of the prey, he would probably be abandoned immediately.

This is also the reason why he actively demonstrated the abilities given to him by the ship's heart along the way. He wanted to make himself more valuable!
As the sun went down, the wind and waves on the sea gradually calmed down. However, even Captain Gold Fang still endured his fatigue and used the weak waves to push the entire fleet forward at an extremely slow speed.

"Captain Gold Fang, the captain asked you to take a rest as well."

The communications officer said, handing over a cup of Poseidon's blood that had just been taken from Xin Weng's neck. "This is your reward. The captain wanted me to watch you drink it to replenish your strength."

"Please convey my sincere gratitude to the Captain and my honor to join the Demon Hunter Group."

Captain Gold Fang said as he took the blood of Poseidon and put it to his lips, then drank it down his throat. At the same time, he roared in his heart, "My name is Sharlant!"

Whatever his name was, he was a half-blood sailor born of a human, and the blood of Poseidon had the same allure to him as it did to a pure-blooded siren.

"tomorrow"

On the deck of the stopped Valkyrie, Cheng Lang once again gulped down the disgusting drink that Kervik handed him, then said with a grin, "At dawn tomorrow we will change direction and head towards Exile Island."

"Are we going to Exile Island?" Kervik asked with a pale face.

"What are you afraid of?" Cheng Lang asked.

“There is no sailor who is not afraid of that place”

It was the haggard Yun Ji who answered this question, "There are many reefs and turbulent currents around that island, and it is often obscured by fog. It is very easy for ships to run aground there."

"It is said that the reef there was cursed by Master Panini in order to prevent the sinners on the island from leaving."

Kervik continued, “Except for Lord Panini’s servants, anyone who attempts to jump into the sea or swim in or out of that sea area, whether human, small sailor, or siren, will be lost.

The only way to enter or leave there is by boat or to be picked up by Master Panini's servants."

"Compared to those reefs, Exile Island itself is also very terrifying."

Belvik said in panic, "That island once held the pirates who attempted to rebel against the Pirate City. There's nothing on the island except reefs, and there are no fish in the sea. Legend has it that those pirates fed themselves by killing each other."

"And every time the last pirate dies, all the pirates will be resurrected."

Shen Ba also said with a pale face, "All pirates who betrayed the Pirate City and intended to destroy it will be sent there to serve their sentences, but only those unlucky ones who tried to overthrow the Pirate City will be imprisoned there forever."

"Are you saying that any pirate has ever left the Exile Island alive?" Yafuso asked with a pale face.

“There are a lot”

Kervik said in horror, "A captain we once followed was sentenced to be sent to an exile island and experienced two rounds of rebirth. Each round counted as one when all the prisoners on the island died."

“He came back mad.”

"He ate his own eyeballs and..." Belvik said.

"Ugh—" Before Belvik could finish his words, Yafso and Gerta vomited one after another.

"I know the captain you're talking about," Yun Ji said with a pale face, "Everyone in Pirate City knows him."

"Gulu."

Cheng Lang swallowed hard, taking a bite of the dinner that Kervik had just brought him. "Let's go there tomorrow."

"Captain, do we have to go there?" Shenba asked with a sad face.

"We'll set off at daybreak"

Cheng Lang stood up and walked towards the captain's bedroom with dinner in his hand. He said more and more confidently, "We must enter that sea area at a specific time, Kervik. Your ship will follow behind us when the time comes."

After saying that, Cheng Lang walked into the stern deck without waiting for the other party to agree or refuse.

"Brother, is it too late for us to go back to Pirate City now?" Belvik asked in despair.

"According to the ship's contract, we must return the Honest Man to the Captain, and each of us must pay a calf or an arm as a price."

Kervik said with a bitter face that the first half of this requirement was agreed upon between them and Cheng Lang, but the second half was a restriction brought by the ship's core contract itself.

Just as the pirate brothers and even Yafuso and the others looked at each other in bewilderment, Cheng Lang had already summoned the magic mirror, "Are you sure we can really avoid those reefs and enter that hidden channel?"

"Of course, honorable Captain," the Magic Mirror said flatteringly, "To reassure you, I'm willing to reveal some little secrets about the Valkyrie."

"What little secret?" Cheng Lang asked with interest.

"The first guests of Exile Island. I mean the pirates who are still on Exile Island."

The Magic Mirror said flatteringly, "They originally came to Exile Island on the Valkyrie, and I was there at the time."

Seeing Cheng Lang's dazed expression, the magic mirror continued, "That's all I can reveal. Respected and honorable captain, please don't embarrass me. As long as you are willing to give me some trust, I will lead you through the reefs around Exile Island."

"All right."

Cheng Lang shook his head. He had long known that the Valkyrie was hiding too many secrets, so although he was surprised, he was not surprised.

That night, Cheng Lang couldn't sleep well because he was curious about the Valkyrie's previous experiences. The other sailors also tossed and turned and couldn't sleep because they learned that they were heading to Exile Island.

"Clang clang clang!"

Almost when the sun was about to rise above the sea level, Shenba, who had taken on the lookout duty because he was unable to help with the steering during the day, suddenly sounded the alarm.

"what happened?"

Cheng Lang, who hadn't even taken off his clothes before going to bed last night, ran up to the open-air bridge as fast as he could and asked. At this time, the rest of the crew had already arrived, and the Honest Man not far away was also busy.

"Ship Lights"

Shenba pointed in the direction they came from, "Captain, I just saw ship lights behind us! There must be other ships on this route! They might be heading for us!"

"Raise the sails! Weigh the anchor! Wait for the trade wind!" Cheng Lang immediately shouted and issued orders.

At the same time, Yun Ji and Yafuso, who had gotten up more than an hour earlier, also brought breakfast to everyone and sent two large portions to the Honest Man.

As the people on the two boats waited anxiously, the sun gradually jumped out of the sea level, and the Valkyrie's tattered sails gradually returned to normal and were gradually inflated by the wind.

But at the same time, everyone also saw the white alum and the vague silhouette of the ship at the stern. They also knew that the ships behind them must have discovered them.

"Notify the Honest Man to follow us closely!"

As Cheng Lang spoke, he personally grasped the steering wheel on the open deck and, following the direction indicated by the magic mirror, shouted out the command "Left rudder 45".

"Those are the two ships!" Captain Gold Tooth shouted. "There's no mistaking the smell! They're the ones!"

Upon hearing this, the communications officer immediately pulled out the flag from his waist and sent a flag signal of pursuit to the fleet behind him.

"It's the direction of Exile Island."

In fact, Captain Gold Tooth didn't smell any familiar smell at all, and he wasn't even sure whether the mushroom boat was one of the two boats. His heart sank to the bottom at this moment.

He recognized the direction the two ships were heading, and he believed that the people in the demon hunting fleet behind them also recognized what that direction represented.

No, no, no, we can’t go to the reefs of Exile Island to die, we must leave here!

Captain Gold Fang secretly made a decision. Of course he was willing to join the Demon Hunters, but he absolutely did not want to join the Demon Hunters and then be used as cannon fodder to die in a place like this!

Thinking of this, he quietly manipulated the waves to slow down his ship, allowing the surrounding demon-hunting ships to overtake him.

"Golden Tooth, your ship is slowing down." The first mate who was in charge of supervising him reminded him.

"Although my ship has cannons and shells, it doesn't even have a barrel of gunpowder."

Goldtooth Shark Rant said apologetically, "If I run too far ahead, I'll just occupy the gun position, so it's better for me to stay at the back and control the waves."

"You'd better not try to escape"

The first mate said this, even unabashedly drawing the flintlock from his waist.

"I've joined the Demon Hunters"

Captain Goldfang said, "This is a very precious opportunity for me. I will not run away."

"That's better," the first mate said, but he still cocked the flintlock hammer.

At the same time, Cheng Lang had already maneuvered the Valkyrie to cut through the increasingly violent trade winds and waves, leading the Honest Man behind him off course.

As the trade winds and waves grew stronger, the speed of the two ships became faster and faster, but the fleet behind them was getting closer and closer to them!

Fortunately, about two hours later, when the distance between the two sides had been shortened to less than two nautical miles, the Valkyrie finally led the Honest Man into a thick sea fog.

"Tell the Honest Man to keep up with us! Half sail!"

Cheng Lang shouted, and Yun Ji, with her back to him, immediately used a small ship light to send a light signal towards the Honest Man, which was only a hundred meters behind her.

At the bow of the Honest Man, Belvik shouted and passed the signal to his brother at the stern, and the sailors immediately lowered half the sail.

"There's a reef ahead, starboard 25! Tell them to blow the mirage horn."

As Cheng Lang spoke, he gently turned the steering wheel, steering the Valkyrie, which was also sailing at half sail.

A moment later, the Honest Man also turned right at the same position, and Belvik at the bow also blew the Mirage Horn, superimposing a thick sea fog with a diameter of hundreds of meters in the fog.

"Left rudder 20, full sail"

Cheng Lang issued a new order while turning the steering wheel, and Yun Ji, who had her back to him, immediately sent a new light signal.

Thanks to the fact that the signal light she chose was not very bright, and was obscured by the sea fog and the Honest Man, she could not see the fleet several miles behind her clearly.

But as they entered the thick fog, all the sailors knew that danger could happen at any time.

At the back of the middle of the fleet, Goldtooth Shark Rant winked at his friend who had invited him aboard as first mate, then pleaded with the first mate who was supervising him, "Dear lieutenant, could you please help me steer the ship for a while? I'm going to pee and will be back soon. My lieutenant was hired temporarily, and I really don't trust him."

"Are you scared?" the adjutant sneered with a smile, but at the same time he stepped forward and reached out to hold the steering wheel of the boat.

"You're right, I was scared."

As Captain Gold Tooth spoke, a sharp knife like a fish fin pierced the adjutant's chest.

At the same time, the first mate of the ship also stabbed the communications officer's chest with a sharp dagger!

"My name is Sharlante, not Gold Teeth!"

After saying that, Sharlant pushed away the still twitching body of the fleet adjutant, manipulated the heart of the ship to control a more turbulent wave to push his ship away from the fleet, and turned the steering wheel hard, so that the ship changed direction before entering the thick fog, and then cut diagonally back to the route of the Desperate Trade Winds.

"Sharklant, Captain Sharlant, our food and water reserves are only enough for one day." The first mate who had just killed the fleet's communications officer reminded.

"Leave here first. Do you want to die around Exile Island?"

The golden-toothed shark Lant said loudly, "We will come back here after dark, and then we can try our luck at the edge of the thick fog. If there is a shipwreck there, we can always get supplies!
Even if they don't, that fleet will definitely send ships to capture us. Then we can use our ships as bait and seize their ships!"

After a brief pause, Gold-Tooth Shark Rand continued to seduce, "That's an entire Demon Hunter fleet! If they're lucky enough to run aground on the edge of the fog, we'll gain countless treasures!"

"Yo! Yo! Yo!"

The small crew members on the boat immediately started shouting the cheers the captain had taught them.

At the same time, the ships at the rear of the Demon Hunters' fleet also fired a series of cannonballs at them, but due to the waves, all of these cannonballs deviated from their aiming points without exception.

"Fight, fight to the death, and all the treasures on the demon hunting ship will be mine. If I'm lucky enough to kill that mushroom boat, maybe the vine mandrills and black elves will be mine too!"

The golden-toothed shark Rant licked his lips and muttered to himself. He knew better than anyone the horror of the mushroom-selling boat and the gorgeous and fancy ship, but from beginning to end, he had forgotten to mention these things to the witcher group.

Cheng Lang and the others didn't know, and Shark Lant didn't know either, that in just these few days, countless pirates had come to the Demon Hunting Group, claiming that they had discovered a pirate ship using vine goblins.

They also didn't know how many Demon Hunting Group fleets had encountered various large and small ambushes and treasonous looting in recent days.

(End of this chapter)