《48 Hours a》


 Chapter 1

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    It was a month ago when Zhang Heng first found out that he had twenty-four hours more than others.


    It all started with his watch¡ªa Swiss Tissot Automatic III analog timepiece, which was a gift from his parents who were away in Iceland for his eighteenth birthday.


    It had been purchased in the most perfunctory manner from Taobao1, and then delivered by the seller. To boot, it was addressed to the wrong class.


    Zhang Heng no longer had it in him to grumble about these two people¡ªbefore he even graduated from primary school, the two immortals1 had already packed their bags and made haste for Europe to get started with a whole new life.


    His parents who had met in an academic exchange conference, were both theologians¡ªwho specialized in religious and mythological studies. Naturally, in their materialism1 oriented homeland, theirs was not a popular field.


    However, unlike deceitful shenguns1, Zhang Heng¡¯s parents were the real deal: one had graduated from the University of Oxford majoring in Nordic and Greek mythology whereas the other was a Durham University graduate who had published several papers Christian mythology, proving to be quite an influence in this field.


    In the end, they found themselves having trouble fitting in back home in China.


    By chance, his father¡¯s academic advisor took over a large project and was short-staffed. After a brief dialogue between the couple, Zhang Heng¡¯s parents handed their son over to his maternal grandfather, and then left in a hurry to begin a hectic life of research that moved them all around the world.


    They return home to visit only once a year, which meant that Zhang Heng spent his entire childhood with his grandfather.


    Maybe because they felt guilty about it, these two immortals never deprived the old man and their young in expenses.


    Excluding school fees or boarding fees, Zhang Heng¡¯s one-year college allowance was about thirty-thousand yuan. Although not as much as what the sports-car-driving fuerdais1 get, it was considered pretty decent among the average students.


    Alright, back to the main subject.


    The whole thing with the watch was pretty weird. Zhang Heng had just woken up from a night¡¯s sleep to look at the time when he noticed that the marking at the top of the dial had changed from 12 to 24.


    Zhang Heng blanked out for a moment, then very calmly returned the watch to its place before drawing up his covers and continued to sleep.


    An hour and a half later, his friend that slept opposite him sent him a text message to inform him regrettably, that the attendance for Further Mathematics class was taken.


    It was not a dream?


    After a ten minutes shower, Zhang Heng sat down at the desk at the foot of his bed and switched on his computer.


    The first thing he did was to check into Taobao and lookup ¡¯24-hour-dial watch prank¡¯. The search results read¡ªSorry, we cannot find you¡¯re looking for.


    Zhang Heng deleted the word ¡®prank¡¯; still, nothing matched his search.


    Was this not a prank?


    Zhang Heng rubbed his chin pensively. If he turned a blind eye on the twelve extra dials that appeared out of nowhere, the time on his watch was consistent with the one on his desktop. Upon a closer look, Zhang Heng also confirmed that this twenty-four-dialed timepiece was the same one he had been wearing.


    Even the scratches on the case back and creases on the strap were consistent¡ªlittle details, that no one else, other than he as the owner of the watch, knew.


    Of course, there were those hardcore pranksters who would make sure the lookalikes were undifferentiable from the real thing, but who would have so much time to spare to pull such an elaborate prank? They might as well spend such skills and zeal restoring relics in the Forbidden City.


    To sum it up, Zhang Heng knew that someone was messing with him.


    The average person would have had a fit encountering such a supernatural event. Zhang Heng, though, was not your average joe, thanks to his immortal parents.


    Most parents would coax their children to sleep with fairytales starring the little rabbit or baby squirrel. Zhang Heng¡¯s parents, on the other hand, put their professional knowledge to use, so that that young Zhang Heng went to bed with Nordic mythologies and Bible stories.


    Even though he did not waste away the nine years of compulsory education, and became a materialist, the foundation that had been established in him when he was younger remained.


    He was better at accepting situations like this much better than most.


    To explain using the concept of the trending boardgame ¡®The Call of the Cthulhu¡¯, his character¡¯s Sanity points depletion was slow.


    Instead of feeling fearful, he found whatever that was happening to him to be very interesting.


    The normal watch had twelve dials and after the hour-hand completed two rotations, a day would have passed. Now, his limited-edition watch with twenty-four dials only needed to complete one rotation to indicate the passing of one full day.


    Looking at it that way did not make it seem like a big deal at all. Once he had gotten used to it, it would feel almost natural.


    But Zhang Heng believed that whoever did this would not have been satisfied with just simply changing the clock face.


    His instinct told him that whatever that was supposed to happen would most probably happen when the needle completes one round.


    It was about fifteen hours before the end of the day, and Zhang Heng did not plan to remain idle during this period of time.


    There was no need to attend the Further Mathematics class since the attendance had already been taken. The lecturer that had warned the class that an absence would mean a deduction of five points in their final examination.


    The damage had already been done.


    So, he decided to go down to the park and make up for the morning run he had missed.


    To his classmates, Zhang Heng was actually quite unique. Ever since they began attending university, the student became even wearier of getting out of bed early. This classmate of theirs was the only one insisting on waking up to go for morning runs. But for all that, he had never signed up for any competition during sports day, and rarely participated in group activities. He especially disliked gatherings. But once you have talked to him, you would find that he was not the arrogant person he appeared to be; in fact, you might even find this person to be quite interesting.


    A rumor about Zhang Heng being multi-talented had been circulating among the girls. Apparently, someone had returned to university before the holiday ended and saw him alone in the piano room playing Paganini¡¯s No. 3 Etude, La Campanella (The Bell), cleverly adapted by Franz Liszt from the Italian violinist¡¯s ¡®The Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor¡¯ to a piano solo. Written using the cyclic form, the piece was notoriously difficult to play with various new technical methods cropping up every now and then, testing the pianist¡¯s dexterity and prowess.


    Some people remarked that they had seen Zhang Heng training in the archery range, and according to his roommate, he was also a member of a certain rock-climbing club.


    These were true yet also false.


    Zhang Heng was not as extreme as the stories described him to be. The morning runs was a habit imposed upon him by his grandfather¡ªhe was simply used to the routine. He might be slightly faster and tougher than most people but was not nearly as good as the specially recruited student athletes.


    Archery was something he had only recently decided to try on a whim. With only three lessons under his belt, he was scarcely a novice. Rock climbing, on the other hand, was one of those things you enthusiastically sign up for and then forget about almost instantly.


    The piano was the only thing that he had grown up playing, but his level was only at about eighth or ninth grade. That La Campanella piece was just a recording in his phone that he had played when he was alone in the piano room. He never thought that it would get him famous.


    Wherefore, the unordinary Zhang Heng was actually not that unordinary.


    He was interested in many things but like it or not time is fair to everyone.


    Regardless of whether you value it, whether you decide to spend every minute productively or play as a useless person spending most of the time in bed, every person only has twenty-four hours at their disposal¡ªnot a second more, not a second less.

 Chapter 2

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    He ran seven laps around the field¡ª2,800 meters.


    After that, he showered in the public bathroom, changed into a clean white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, enjoyed his breakfast at a leisurely pace in the canteen and then finally walked to the library with the book ¡®Xiao Shan Wanhua Mirror¡¯ he had finished reading.


    Like the morning run, reading was also one of Zhang Heng¡¯s routine which he kept at the speed of one book per week.


    But unlike the run, reading brought him many pleasures. It was more like a pastime for him¡ªone that he had always enjoyed.


    As a matter of fact, if it were not for the limitation of time, he would be reading more than just one book every week.


    After he returned the book at the service desk, Zhang Heng pulled out the phone in his pocket and opened an applet called Random Number Generator. With the setting adjusted to eight digits, he eagerly rolled the virtual dice.


    Admittedly, it was not without ground that people thought that this guy was a genius.


    The regular person would never have thought to use this dice-rolling method to choose a book to read.


    But there was merit or perhaps eccentricity to Zhang Heng¡¯s reading style. Perhaps it was because he had gone through too many books since he was child, Zhang Heng could read any kind of books. From world-famous works to Dragon Proud Sky*1, Xiaobai Wen2*, and even the Perfect Man from Jin Jiang, Zhang Heng would soak them up like a sponge. And he got worse after that. He would still complete vapid books like Compendium of Medical Herbs and Scientific Swine Raising Handbook.


    To avoid the trouble of having to select a book and to experience the pure joy of having chanced upon a good book, he developed a normal distribution applet to help him pick his weekly reading material.


    It was such a pity that the appeal for campus research grant had fallen through, where he lacked the funding to market his invention.


    Zhang Heng concluded it was because the capital market lacked vision.


    ¡­


    Using the last two digits of the randomly generated number as a guide, Zhang Heng found himself in the management section.


    Although not literature like the last time, he considered it to be quite a stroke of luck. At least it was much better than the ¡®Bill of Quantitates for Water Drainage, Heating, and Gas Engineering¡¯ he got last month.


    Stretching out a finger, Zhang Heng pulled out the title for this week¡ªAdam Smith¡¯s ¡®The Wealth of Nations¡¯.


    This was going to be a very pleasant afternoon.


    Zhang Heng found himself a seat by the window and began to engross himself in the book.


    Some of you might be scoffing right now. Really? He¡¯s not going to fuss over that recently turned-faerie watch of his?


    Well, as evident by Zhang Heng¡¯s attitude, he really could not care less about it.


    Addressing the issue proactively was the appropriate response, but only if it was within your capability. But in the face of a supernatural phenomenon like this, where there is a lack of information, perhaps not doing anything about it is the better option. Have you not seen those classic horror films where the ghosts touch the person and the person would die? The actors or actresses had to pack their bags and go home since they were no longer part of the horror film.


    On the contrary, you have to pretend that it did not exist at all, keeping a cool and composed mind, and keep moving. Who knows, it might just be a frightening but harmless haunted house tour.


    Which is exactly why, many a times, staying calm and collected is the most important thing.


    Right now, Zhang Heng was exactly that. No one would be able to tell that this guy had just experienced paranormal encounter; he missed class and use the time to go for a morning run, spent a whole afternoon poring over ¡®The Wealth of Nations¡¯, and then attended his elective Critical Thinking class. Come night, he even honored his promise to his roommates and went to the restaurant opposite for barbeque skewers1 and ended the evening watching American TV-series back in their dorm.


    At eleven-thirty, it was lights-off in the dormitory.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s laptop had another three to four hours of battery life but he did not want to disturb his roommate¡¯s sleep, so he powered it down.


    There was still another half an hour before the day ended, and while other people¡¯s watch hand had circled twice, Zhang Heng¡¯s familiar yet alien analog was only about to complete one cycle.


    Was anything going to happen? He did not know.


    All he could do was wait.


    Earphones plugged into the MP3 and into his ears, Zhang Heng spent the last thirty minutes of the day waiting quietly on his bed.


    00:00


    All three hands converged pointing upwards. There was a split-second pause before the seconds hand continued to travel.


    Zhang Heng did not notice anything unusual.


    Was his guess wrong?


    He pulled out his earphones and immediately¡ªhe could sense that something was off.


    The surroundings¡ªit was too quiet.


    Summer nights were especially full with activities: the small electrical fan above the door groaning and squeaking as it swiveled from side to side, the mosquitos droning tiresomely at people¡¯s ears, the water tap next door dripping onto the sink, the stray cat mewing as it hurried across the plant beds downstairs, the snoring of his roommate in the bed opposite¡­


    Tonight, all of it was gone.


    The whole world suddenly lost its sounds, and became unprecedentedly, and eerily silent.


    If it were not for the faint music playing in his earphone, Zhang Heng might have presumed that he had lost his hearing.


    Borrowing the dim light coming from the screen of the MP3, Zhang Heng peered at the time on his watch.


    It was now 00:01.


    Usually, the people in the dorm opposite theirs would still be up playing League of Legends and their loud hurrahs at their completion of a brilliant kill or narrow escape were perceptible through the thin walls separating the rooms.


    Zhang Heng also noticed something else unusual¡ªthe date display on the right side of the watch face, instead of changing along with the time, remained the same as yesterday.


    An idea popped into his mind, and he jumped off his bed¡ªhe had gone to bed fully-clothed.


    His laptop lit up in the dark, and in less than seven seconds, the QQ login interface popped up. But Zhang Heng¡¯s attention was not on the main portion of the screen. His gaze was on the toolbar at the bottom.


    00:00


    2017/9/20


    Wasn¡¯t it the last moment of yesterday?


    Zhang Heng waited for a moment, and then pressed his fingertips against his wrist, and counted to 200. That was seventy-two beats per minute. Two minutes had passed yet the time on his monitor remained at 00.00.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s raised an eyebrow at this, but made no hasty conclusions.


    He walked to the bed opposite his and shook the sleeping Chen Huadong who was the lightest sleeper in the dorm. Normally, someone getting off their bed to get a drink of water would have startled him but this time, no matter how hard Zhang Heng shook him, he remained unresponsive.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, bro. Although I don¡¯t have a girlfriend, I¡¯m not the kind of person you may think I am.¡±


    Zhang Heng put his finger under his friend¡¯s nostrils and tried to have fun in such a weird atmosphere.


    This guy¡¯s mental state was rather excellent.


    After five minutes, Zhang Heng still could not detect any breath.


    If this was part of the prank, then Chen Huadong¡¯s breath-holding ability was out of this world. He could even break the Guinness World Record.


    So, Zhang Heng did the same, testing his two other roommates¡¯ breath.


    The results were the same as Chen Huadong¡¯s.


    Zhang Heng could say for certain that he really was facing a scientifically unexplainable otherworldly phenomenon.


    He was in a time zone that should not exist.


    An example would be like the river of time had purposely branched out another stream just for him.

 Chapter 3

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng pushed the door of his dorm opened. The hallway was quiet, it felt like he walking in one of those hospital morgues, with only the sound of his footsteps echoing.


    The door to the opposite dorm was left ajar and there was a bright light pouring from it. Zhang Heng stuck his head in to take a look and saw four people engrossed in a computer game.


    On the screen, their characters were pursuing a low health point Annie1. The skills emitted were suspended in mid-air, and the excited expressions on their faces were unmoving like four very life-like statues.


    Zhang Heng noticed an alarm clock on of their desks¡ªthe time showed 00.00.


    After that, he went around to all the other dorms on the same floor.


    Some of them were locked before their tenants went to bed, so he could not enter them. The ones he did enter were all the same, all frozen at the very last moment of the day.


    In the bathroom, someone was huffing away while hiding from the dormitory caretaker. The sparks from the cigarette butt were clear as stars but they were not spreading, and the smoke the person exhaled from the corner of his mouth was suspended in the air.


    Zhang Heng could not help but take out his phone and took a picture of this magical scene.


    When he was clicking on the camera shutter, he made another interesting discovery¡ªin this world where the time had stopped moving, it was not only the people who were on pause, the things all around also remained in the state it was in at the very last second of the day.


    Just like that skill in mid-air, the electric fan in standstill, and now, this cigarette that never burns out.


    But there were also exceptions.


    To test his theory, Zhang Heng plucked the cigarette out from between the person¡¯s fingers.


    When the tab was tucked in between his fingers, it began to continue burning.


    So that was how it was.


    In this space of time, where he was the only one who could move about, anything that he touches would continue to function as usual, just like this cigarette, and his cell phone, computer, and MP3 player. The only thing was that the time displayed on the screens remained unchanged.


    However, this trick did not seem to work on humans. Earlier on, he had shaken Chen Huadong to wake him but his friend had remained unresponsive.


    Then what about all the other living creatures other than humans?


    Intrigued, Zhang Heng returned to his room, turned on the torchlight on his phone and went near his roommates. After two minutes, using his 20MP soft-light dual camera in the pitch-black room, he finally found his what he was looking for¡ªthe most commonly seen, most detested creature in the summer¡ªmosquito.


    Once this insect enters your room, you can forget about having a peaceful night.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s dorm was on the third floor, which was considered quite close to the ground. At this height, the mosquito did not need to take the lift to move into their room. To keep those pests away, people resorted to all kinds of repellents: lighting up mosquito-repellent incense, applying repellent sprays, hand mosquito nets, et cetera. But there were always one or two fugitives.


    This particular mosquito was lurking next to Dorm Leader Wei Jiangyan¡¯s pillow, waiting for its chance to enjoy a full meal.


    Unfortunately for the insect, its dream was about to be crushed tonight.


    Zhang Heng reached out a hand, plucked the mosquito from the air by its wings, and then place it on his palm.


    The insect maintained its mid-flying posture like a most dedicated actor¡ªignoring the target that was near to it.


    ¡°It looks like it doesn¡¯t work on animals either.¡±


    Once the experiment was over, Zhang Heng crushed the mosquito and successfully eliminated the pest.


    Alas, now that he had explored the building, it was time to go out and take a look.


    He went to the bathroom and washed away tall traces of the crushed insect, and then continued his walk downstairs.


    The caretaker lady on duty was standing by the door holding a large U-shaped locked. She was probably locking up.


    Now, this was another distinguishing feature of higher education institutions, although some other universities had very different managerial styles on dormitory.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s school had a twelve o¡¯clock curfew. But if the students for some reason had to return late, they could always wake the caretaker by tapping on her window.


    They would be allowed to return to their rooms once their details were taken down. Nonetheless, if this happened frequently, the student would be reprimanded and punished.


    Zhang Heng walked past the caretaker without so much as breaking a sweat. On a normal day, she would have stopped and questioned him.


    But right now, she seemed to have suddenly developed the ability to see through things. Her eyes were focused on the handle of the door, past Zhang Heng¡¯s body, as if a living person had not just walked past in front of her.


    That was how Zhang Heng strolled out of the dormitory building. He raised his head to take a look at the night sky as he walked through the empty campus, and finally came to the school gate.


    It was much busier here.


    While the campus was not very big, it was in a pretty good location, sitting on the edge of the third ring road, facing the main road.


    Nights in the city were especially long.


    The fried pancake stall on the overpass was packed with customers. Many of the white-collar workers who had just left their offices stopped by for supper on their way home. Not far away, a street cleaner was quietly sweeping the walkway. Under the platform, two bald uncles in suits and leather shoes were talking into their phones as they waited for the very late night-bus. Behind them, in a twenty-four-hour convenience store, a girl with a bear hairclip sitting at the counter yawned¡­


    At precisely 00:00, they froze synchronically.


    It was like pressing the pause button while watching a movie.


    The cars speeding on the road had all went still.


    Zhang Heng had seen what this city looked like at midnight the one time he went to the train station to pick up a friend.


    But this was the first time he was able to observe it up close.


    He could see the green onions that the pancake hawker was sprinkling onto the dish, the street cleaner¡¯s calloused hands and darkened complexion, the bald uncle¡¯s oily nose and the picture of his one-month-old baby on the screen of his phone, the idol poster that the girl behind the counter hid under the cash register¡­


    All these little details that were overlooked every day now stood out to Zhang Heng.


    It was as if he was getting to know the city all over again.


    Zhang Heng used his WeChat to unlock a mobike. While riding through the city, he also tested his presumptions.


    Before the hour hand on his watch had completed its second rotation, he hurried back to his dorm before the caretaker lady could lock the door.


    At 00:00, Zhang Heng was not wearing any earphones.


    The next second, sounds and noises poured into his ears like water.


    ¡°Nice! I¡¯m going to kill that person! I can finally use my Infinite Blade!¡±


    ¡°Push tower! They don¡¯t dare to go against us!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t! I have to go back and replenish my hp!¡±


    ¡­


    The electric fan above the door creaked as it oscillated. Outside the window, a feral cat wailed. In the hallway outside, slippers slapped the floor as someone ran past. Zhang Heng who had not closed his night for more than a day was finally overcome exhaustion. After plugging in his phone to the charger, he threw himself onto his bed and entered dreamland.

 Chapter 4

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Hey, did you girls hear? A media senior girl lied to a freshman about an internship opportunity but when she arrived at the place, she found out that she had been tricked into drinking with other men. They even took naked pictures of her. Yesterday night, that senior¡¯s dormmate suddenly disappeared. Her roommate said that she saw her go to bed. But she vanished just like that.¡±


    ¡°I heard that too! All the girls in Block Two are freaking out. They searched the entire campus but didn¡¯t find her. Then the police called the school and asked the head of the university to go to the station. Apparently, someone sent all her dirt to the authorities. Among them were two pictures that had close shots on her. But, it seemed like the person in the picture did not realize that there was a camera in front of her. This is just weird.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of weird, isn¡¯t the Wumart twelve o¡¯clock legend even scarier?¡±


    ¡°What twelve o¡¯clock legend?¡±


    ¡°How can you not know about that? It has been spreading around the campus like a wildfire! Every Monday, exactly at midnight, a bottle of Nescafe coffee would go missing at that Wumart near the library, and every time, there would be exactly 4.50 yuan in the cash register. The two cashiers who work there are scared to death! When they looked at the surveillance videos, the coffee just vanished in split seconds. There was no one in the videos.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Just hearing the story gives me the chills.¡±


    A group of girls chatted as they passed by Zhang Heng who was fussing with a newly acquired Sony compact camera.


    For a month now, since he found out that he had extra twenty-four hours, he had been experimenting and got the hang of this newfound ability.


    That media senior incident was just something he came across. He was just merely trying his hand.


    If he prepared well, he could incite World War III1 if he wanted to.


    Of course, doing that would not benefit him in any way.


    Other than that, he could also walk down the street with a fire axe and hack away at all the ATMs. He could become a Top 100 millionaire overnight! He could also just steal one yuan from every person¡¯s wallet, and earn twenty million while inflicting the smallest impact.


    But for the time being, he had no need in this regard.


    To a sophomore, thirty-thousand yuan allowance was more than enough. He would not know where to spend the extra money.


    His family did not need financial support from him¡ªforget about his parents that were focusing on their research in another country; his grandfather was the first batch of university students during the reintroduction of gaokao1 in 77. After graduation, he became a senior engineer of a water conservatory project. Now that he was retired, he had a pension and a retirement home with a courtyard where he planted his own crops and play chess. He was currently very contented with his life.


    As a matter of fact, now that he was familiar with his abilities, Zhang Heng did not need to break the law to earn money.


    Take his recent participation in the photography club, for example. Next month, a major photography competition with the theme ¡®city impression¡¯ was taking place. The senior in charge managed to find pretty good sponsorships, so the first place winner would be getting five thousand yuan and a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L wide-angle zoom lens, and the second and third place winner would be getting three thousand yuan each along with some prizes.


    Having joined the club late, Zhang Heng had only been to two classes and one seminar. He was still heavily reliant on the internet to learn. His progress was currently only at composition and exposure. During Zhang Heng¡¯s private twenty-four hours, everyone would be standing still for him to take pictures of them. To an ordinary photographer, it was a golden opportunity. Without any editing, the pictures of all those frozen moments were enough to touch someone¡¯s heart.


    Since his skills were still insubstantial¡ªhe was still perplexed by color warmth and depth of field. But through his lens, the city had a certain unusual charm about it.


    Zhang Heng had picked out two of the more satisfactory photos from the shots he took last night and signed up for the competition.


    He was not necessarily eyeing the prizes, but to that he could to gauge his own progress.


    Ever since he found out about the extra time he had, instead of slowing down, Zhang Heng became even busier.


    In the beginning, it was mainly because he was testing and experimenting. For example, would the objects that he touched break away from complete stillness? Would it resume its stillness after he had stopped being in contact with the object? How much area did this stop-in-time cover? Was it limited only to this city? He bought a plane ticket to fly to a place one thousand miles away on a Saturday¡­


    Through these experiments, he was able to find the answers to most of these questions. For now, he had no way of verifying the more difficult ones.


    After that, he had to figure out what to do with the extra twenty-four hours.


    First was sleep, which was necessary. He used to sleep at midnight.


    Early on, his curiosity would bring him all over the city for the entire day. But once he got used to it, he could not do it anymore.


    In the twenty-four hours when everyone was motionless, and the time on his wrist continued to move, his physical needs were still present and he still experienced hunger, thirst, discomfort, and exhaustion from a full day of activity.


    ¡°Hmm, does this mean that I would age faster than normal?¡± Zhang Heng stared at his own reflection in the mirror. Unfortunately, this was a question he would not be able to answer in the short term.


    After all the time he spent eating and sleeping, he had about fourteen hours left. His remaining period of time was enough for him to do plenty of things like reading. Perhaps it was his theologian parents¡¯ influence that caused him to be interested in all kinds of bizarre knowledge. Previously, because of time limitations, he could only read a book a week. Now, he had made a new arrangement and was dedicating six hours every Monday and Wednesday to reading.


    The bright and spacious library had become exclusively his. He did not need to book a place in advance or sit next to a strange person¡ªhe could even visit the library in his pajamas and flip flops.


    An interesting book, paired with a cup of cold coffee was enough to pass some meaningful time.


    Other than that, Zhang Heng even picked up the rock-climbing hobby he had abandoned and added a new one, photography to his list of hobbies. He continued to attend classes as usual, and then practice and consolidate what he had learned in his own time.


    He had continued to practice in the shooting range and his coach was constantly surprised by his incredible progress every week. He was even encouraged to seriously consider the possibility of expanding in this area.


    Of course, Zhang Heng¡¯s favorite activity was his nightly city roams. Every day, he would spend at least two hours walking around town.


    The big city at midnight held many secrets.


    Zhang Heng took advantage of the frozen time and his camera, quietly observing every corner of the city, as if he was watching a stop-motion film. Most of the time he was just a silent observer, but on occasion, he would take action to change some of the circumstances that he did not like very much.


    These changes had nothing to do with good or evil. He had no interest in playing God or the devil. He was simply enjoying the time that belonged only to him.

 Chapter 5

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Thursday afternoons were set aside for staring into space.


    This time every week, he would normally refrain from being involved in any work or activities. Instead he would burrow in a place of his liking and waste his time away to his heart¡¯s content.


    These places could be the park, the temple, the museum¡­ and, of course, it could also be a maid caf¨¦ like the one he was in right now.


    Just the eye-candies in that place alone made it Zhang Heng¡¯s favorite place¡ªwhich was also why this was the place he went to daydream most frequently.


    ¡°A cup of Forbidden Love, and a plate of Gege1 Can¡¯t Do It Today, thanks.¡± Zhang Heng tried to keep a straight face and not give away the fact that he had no idea what he was ordering.


    ¡°Yes, Master. Please hold on.¡± The maid with cat ears answered subserviently, hugging the tray she was holding to her chest.


    Professional! Zhang Heng gave her a big mental thumbs up. The maids working in the caf¨¦ were mostly part-time university students¡ªa major topic of discussion among the neet community.


    In comparison, the owner of that maid caf¨¦ down Chun Xi Road was less sincere in his efforts. He employed a whole bunch of ladies in their thirties and forties to make up for the number. It was even said that the owner himself would pitch in when they were short-staffed, torturing his customers¡¯ mental wellbeing with his thick bush of leg hair. Dining there was more like volunteering for torture.


    While he waited for his orders to arrive, Zhang Heng picked out a copy of ¡®Shokugeki no Soma1¡® from the rack nearby. He was flipping through the pages when someone said, ¡°What a pity. I prefer his former works.¡±


    Zhang Heng looked up and found a stranger in the form of a small old man in a Tang suit1 paired with a tie and a homburg sitting across the table. His unremarkable, half eastern-half western dressing gave him an uncanny appearance.


    All eyes in the caf¨¦ were drawn to this strange little man.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s eyebrows rose to his forehead. ¡°Shun Saeki1? He used to be a Bilibili mangaka.¡±


    ¡°Then it looks like my memory does not fool me.¡± The old man grinned, revealing a row of yellowed teeth. ¡°So, how has this month been, Zhang Heng? Are you pleased with my little gift? Don¡¯t worry. That thing that you¡¯re worried about won¡¯t happen. The extra twenty-four hours is a gift. It won¡¯t deduct your lifespan.¡±


    ¡°Did you do something to me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not easy for me to do. But you are the one that I choose, it is only right for me to give you a gift. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    The old man reached out and picked up the cup of Forbidden Love from the serving tray a maid walking past was carrying, startling the waitress.


    Zhang Heng smiled at the girl apologetically. ¡°Thank you. We won¡¯t be needing anything for the time being.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t take advantage of you. After we¡¯ve finished our conversation, you¡¯ll still be able to drink your beverage.¡± The old man mumbled something unintelligible and then said, ¡°Now, let¡¯s get down to business. I¡¯m quite pleased with your performance this month. Now, since the trial period is over, let¡¯s discuss the conditions of transfer.¡±


    ¡°Conditions of transfer?¡±


    ¡°Yes, simply put, I need you to help me win the next round of game. This game will bring you a generous return. Other than that, you can still continue to use that little gift I gave you.¡±


    When the old man saw Zhang Heng open his mouth to speak, the old man waved him off. ¡°I know your family¡¯s situation. Money is not very attractive to you. Not to mention, with this ability, it¡¯s going to be effortless for you to acquire money. But trust me, the things that this game can bring you is beyond your imagination.¡±


    ¡°What game?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°In the distant past, we used to employ war to solve conflicts. It¡¯s simple and effective. My god, how I miss those good ol¡¯ bloody days. But the times continued to develop and change, and a civilized society shouldn¡¯t be using those barbaric, primitive means, right?¡± The old man paused, and proceeded to gulp down the entire cup of Forbidden Love. ¡°Which is why nowadays, we use games to decide the winnings or losses. The person sitting on the throne right now is that despicable bloke; because of the ancient pledge, I cannot reveal the content of the game in advance. Strictly speaking, this meeting is also prohibited. But don¡¯t worry. I can handle this little problem.¡±


    ¡°If this game is so important, why don¡¯t you participate in it yourself?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m restricted by some ancient pledge, we cannot participate in the games ourselves. You are like my representative. I¡¯m betting all my chips on you. When you win, I win; but if you lose, I lose too. The both of us are like locusts tied to the same rope. We¡¯re on the same boat. But I don¡¯t have very good luck. My rankings in the game have been pretty bad recently.¡± The old man sighed. ¡°As you can see, I am growing weaker. So, this time, I¡¯ve decided to limit my bets earlier even though it¡¯s a big risk, and you might be eliminated halfway.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhang Heng studied the man.


    ¡°For the time being, you can think of me as your investor and partner. As for the future, I can only tell you one thing¡ªthe longer you persist in this game, the closer you will be to the truth about this world. Alright, we don¡¯t have much time. Now, tell me your answer.¡±


    Zhang Heng looked at the old man in the eye. He has just been given a long speech that sounded very absurd with the maid caf¨¦¡¯s atmosphere. But the fact that the old man knew his name and had good insight into what had happened to him, this comically dressed old man was not joking.


    Zhang Heng thought about it for a moment before answering, ¡°Sounds interesting. How do I join?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple. Let me find the checkpoint closest to your school¡­¡± The old man took out a Xiaomi cell phone from his pocket and opened the Baidu Maps app. ¡°Sex and the City bar, checkpoint 137, eleven o¡¯clock tonight. You don¡¯t regret this decision. Oh, I almost forgot.¡± The old man reached out a hand. ¡°The last step: concluding the contract. Once we shake hands, you belong to me.¡±


    Zhang Heng put out his right hand. ¡°Please refrain from using these terrible, ambiguous statements. I¡¯m already starting to regret it.¡±


    When they shook hands, Zhang Heng felt as if he was holding onto a hard, icy rock.


    The old man was in good spirits. ¡°Be careful of other representatives. You probably won¡¯t meet at the initial stage of the game. But no matter what happens, you have to prioritize survival.¡± (Editor Note: Omg why does this remind me of Mirai Nikki?)


    ¡°Wait a minute. You can die in this game?¡±


    ¡°No, just dead in the game. To be precise, it¡¯s more like disappear. Your physical body will disappear and all the memory related to you will disappear as if none of it ever existed. I happen to know a guy who¡¯s an expert in this.¡± The old man said in the most casual manner.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng was about to say something when his eyes dimmed for a moment, and the old man suddenly vanished right in front of him.


    A maid walked up to his table with a deep red beverage, her smile revealing to cute pointy little fangs.


    ¡°Master, your Forbidden Love. Please enjoy.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°You¡¯re going out now?¡± Dorm Leader Wei Jiangyang had just returned from a movie date, reeking of love. It was 9:45 when he pushed the door open to see Zhang Heng in sportswear, bending down to tie his shoelaces. ¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s an activity tonight.¡±


    ¡°Activity? Is it a date?¡± Wei Jiangyang shot his roommate a knowing smile.


    Chen Huadong who was enjoying a bottle of coke with his movie gasped. ¡°What? Young Master Zhang, am I not the person you like?¡±


    Ma Wei, the oldest among the roommates, put down the English book he was reading. ¡°Zhang Heng, you have such good qualities, it should be really easy for you to get a girlfriend, yet you¡¯ve remained single. If we¡¯re not roommates, I would¡¯ve thought that you¡¯re actually gay.¡±


    Ma Wei¡¯s lament was not unjustified. Among the four roommates, his family¡¯s circumstance was the least favorable¡ªwith his parents being only simple-minded farmers.


    There was a girl back in high school whom he secretly liked. He never told anyone about until the one time this group of roommates took him out to celebrate his birthday and he drank too much. That was when his roommates found out that that girl Ma Wei liked was studying in a university in the same city. They urged him to confess his feelings for her, and he was rejected.


    They all knew of Ma Wei¡¯s family¡¯s circumstances, and that he had to rely on the China National Scholarship to pay for his tuition fee and to lighten his family¡¯s financial burden. He buried himself in his studies, spending all his free hours either in the library or giving private tuition to earn money. He had no time for dating.


    These were things that other people could not help him with. Ma Wei had very strong self-esteem. He would always refuse his dormmates¡¯ offer to pay for him whenever they went out.


    Zhang Heng patted Ma Wei on the shoulder and said, ¡°Stop teasing me. There¡¯s no date tonight, and I¡¯m not gay. I just haven¡¯t met a girl that I like yet.¡±


    Chen Huadong raised the bottle of coke as if he was giving a toast. ¡°When you finally meet her, you must bring her to meet us. We want to see what kind of succubus can capture our Young Master Zhang¡¯s heart.¡±


    ¡­


    It took Zhang Heng quite a while to wrestle his nosy friends off his back. By the time he walked out of the school gate, it was already 10:05.


    If he had not found the string of numbers on his right arm while he was in the shower, Zhang Heng might have suspected that incident at the maid caf¨¦ to be a delusion.


    The cute little maid with the cat ears had confirmed that from the moment he walked into the store up until the moment he left, he had been alone, and the handsome lady in charge of making the drinks revealed that she had only made a cup of Forbidden Love during that short period of time.


    ¡°Never ever doubt a bartender because every cup is filled with the thing called love. People never forget the things they love,¡± the latter had said.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    To everyone in the caf¨¦, his conversation with the old man had never happened.


    That Tang suit and homburg wearing guy did mention that their meeting was forbidden and that he could take care of the problem.


    Zhang Heng postulated that this could very well be the solution he was talking about.


    Zhang Heng was growing more and more curious by this guy. All his abilities seemed to be related to time. But this was not the time to think about this; right now, what he needed to was to get through that game that was about to begin.


    Once he was outside of school, he followed the navigation on Baidu and took the subway to an industrial area outside 5th Ring Road, then jogged the rest of the way to warm up.


    He arrived at the bar called ¡®Sex and the City¡¯ at 10:45.


    It was in a remote area, and on the way there, Zhang Heng walked past a couple of people who looked like trouble with their cigarettes hanging on the corner of their mouth and their eyes seizing him up. There were even a few scantily-clad, drunk girls throwing up on the side of the road.


    Zhang Heng wanted no trouble so he pulled his hood up over hid head, and kept a steady but swift pace as he jogged past them.


    The bar was even more crowded than he imagined it to be. It was converted from an abandoned factory, so it was huge. The rusty fa?ade was painted with all kinds and styles of strange graffiti, and the front of the building was parked full of luxury cars and racecars.


    This was the peak business hour for the bar¡ªthe young people from all over the city had gathered here.


    Before he even stepped into the building, Zhang Heng could hear deafening music booming from inside, as if it could rip his soul apart. Zhang Heng frowned. Even though his companion at the caf¨¦ had stressed that he could not reveal anything to Zhang Heng and that he would find out everything once he was deep into the game, there was a vague message in between the lines.


    Whatever it was, the organization that old man was involved in must be ancient and very well hidden. This was not their first time coordinating a game like this yet the world did not even know that they existed.


    This indicated that they were doing a good job covering their tracks.


    However, there were at least seven to eight hundred people here. There were thighs and buttocks everywhere he turned. Cool laser lights were blinking and pulsing along with the deejay¡¯s mix. If that supposedly dangerous game commenced here, Zhang Heng was willing to bet that it would all over TikTok and YouTube.


    Could the address he was given be wrong?


    This was a common mistake, especially considering that old man¡¯s age. It really would not be surprising.


    Just then, Zhang Heng¡¯s attention was suddenly drawn to a dark shadow above him on the right.


    Technically speaking, that was not considered a second floor. It was just a giant container fastened with steel structures to the west wall. At the bottom of the ladder that led up to it stood two brawny men in suits and black sunglasses.


    A couple of gin-soaked boys and girls made an attempt to climb the ladder but was turned away by the two men.


    One of them, probably a fuerdai from a wealthy family, threw a handful of banknotes at the face of one of the guards. When the other around him realized that they were hundred-dollar American bills, they began snatching at the scattered papers.


    But neither of the buff men reacted.


    The fuerdai appeared to be provoked by this and threw contents of the glass in his hands at both men. He was probably so used to getting his way that he bolted for the ladders. Whatever happened next was a blur. He was suddenly sent flying across the room, knocking over a few people and some tables. He landed on the ground with his face covered in blood and dirt, barely alive.


    His drunk companions were shocked into sobriety. Some of the guys wanted to throw in a few hostile words but when they saw one of the guards methodically cleaning his sunglasses, their balls shrank and they fled to the parking lot carrying their unconscious fuerdai friend.


    As the commotion subsided, the people in the bar cast wary glances at the two strapping men, keeping a good distance from them.


    Zhang Heng waited for another five minutes, and when he was sure that no one was paying attention, he took in a deep breath and walked towards the ladder.


    The two men in suits watched him with from behind their glasses. Their stony faces gave off a glacial vibe. Zhang Heng felt as if he was the victim of two lions on the prowl. He rolled up his sleeves, and revealed the numbers on his arm.


    He was a little worried remembering what happened to that fuerdai. Even though he had an inkling that the numbers on his arm was the entrance ticket to the game, he could not rule out other possibilities.


    Luckily, nothing bad happened. He did not end up like that fuerdai as a human bowling ball.


    The two towering giants stepped aside and revealed the path behind.

 Chapter 7

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng climbed up the stairs and pushed the blue steel door open.


    Considering everything he had seen on his way to the bar and the group of young men and women swaying their bodies downstairs, he thought that while the style might be different, it was not going to be that much different in the dance room either.


    However, in reality, this place was more like VIP lounges at international airports.


    When he pushed the door open, Zhang Heng felt as if he had stepped into another world. Soft lights, red Persian rug, leather sofa, silverwares on the side table, light refreshments and fruits laid out on the buffet table, and a small bar counter on the right. When the door closed behind him, a gentle and soothing piano music entered his ears.


    The pounding music downstairs had probably exceeded 100 decibels. Even though he was not a professional, Zhang Heng knew that material of a container had next to none soundproofing property.


    But the truth was right in front of him¡ªwhen the door shut behind him, the noise outside was completely cut off.


    Perhaps it was because Zhang Heng had recently experienced something even more inconceivable than this, he seemed to have developed a certain immunity to similar events. He quickly regained his composure and continued forwards after only a brief moment of doubt.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± the woman in a red evening gown standing behind the bar greeted.


    Zhang Heng looked around the room, and saw that other than himself, there were about another dozen of people in the lounge. Some were seated in banquettes not far from where he was standing, chatting away while others sat alone. But what puzzled him was that even though the person nearest to him was only about a few meters away, he could not see their faces clearly.


    It was a very strange experience. He could sense that there was nothing wrong with his eyesight, and his retinas were able to form a clear image but there was something that was preventing the signal from reaching his brain.


    Zhang Heng refused to believe in this nonsense, and tried very hard to concentrate. He was feeling like he was about to break through the invisible barrier when a nauseous feeling suddenly surged from his stomach. He had to hold onto the bar to keep himself from falling.


    Right on cue, a glass of lemon water was placed in front of him.


    ¡°Relax. This is something all the new players who had just arrived here experiences. Unless the other party allows it, the faces of the players are, by default, in incognito mode. As a matter of fact, your voices have also undergone a special process. What you hear is not the actual voice. This is to protect you to the greatest extent.¡±


    ¡°But I can see your face.¡± Zhang Heng picked up the water and thanked the bartender. Because of the dim lights and the fact that he was distracted by the others, he only just realized that the bartender looked very familiar. She was wearing lipstick and a different outfit. She looked as different as night and day but Zhang Heng recognized her. ¡°You are¡­ the bartender from the maid caf¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Not bad. Your observation skills are sharper than I expected.¡± The bartender was wiping a glass cup. She was still as frosty as she was earlier today. ¡°No one stipulated that one person can only work one job, right? By the way, I¡¯m just a receptionist here. I don¡¯t need to conceal my face like players do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Since I walked in, you kept mentioning words like ¡®players ¡®and ¡®receptionist¡¯. Forgive me for being forthright but I have no clue what game it is that I¡¯m joining. Blackjack? Texas Hold¡¯em? Legends of the Three Kingdoms? E-sports?¡± Zhang Heng asked as he settled down on the stool in front of the bar.


    ¡°I normally don¡¯t like to brag about my employer in front of the customers, actually, I don¡¯t like bragging about that at any time, but this time, I have to say¡ªcongratulations, Mr. Zhang Heng. You¡¯re very lucky to be a part of the greatest game in the history of mankind. I can promise you that all the other games that you¡¯ve ever played before this are weak and pathetic. This game will completely change your life.¡±


    ¡°That is a rather high evaluation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, quite the contrary. No compliment can compare to the game itself. Now, it¡¯s your turn to answer one of my questions. What do you think makes a person truly himself?¡±


    The bartender put down the now sparkling glass. Her expression was solemn.


    Zhang Heng took a sip of the lemon water and then answered, ¡°DNA?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not wrong. Each of us has a unique set of DNA, and some parts of our bodies have been coded since birth. Your looks, family, family history of illness¡­ But fortunately, even then we still have a lot of choices¡ªyou can go to university, work, build a career, become a primary school teacher or astronaut or something.¡±


    There was a strange flash of light in the bartender¡¯s eyes, and she was speaking faster. ¡°Put aside all those things that had already been determined¡­ Let me phrase my question more accurately¡ªWhat do you think makes a person who he is today? For example, how is it that astronauts could walk in space? How could a boxer knock his opponent down on stage? What is it that makes a teacher pick up teaching aids?¡±


    ¡°Experience? You¡¯re talking about experience and learning that makes us who we are today?¡± Zhang Heng quickly understood what the bartender was trying to convey. Cocking his brows, Zhang Heng commented, ¡°But I still don¡¯t get what this has to do with me joining the game.¡±


    This time, however, he did not get any answers.


    ¡°No amount of words can describe what you can witness yourself. Mr. Zhang Heng, your first round has begun. Please cherish this hard-to-come-by experience. I look forward to meeting you again.¡± The bartender winked knowingly at him.


    The hour hand on the clock on the wall was pointed at eleven.


    The next thing he knew was a strong dizzy feeling rushed to his head and caused his vision to blur again.


    Had he fallen into a trap?!


    Zhang Heng¡¯s first reaction was to suspect that the lemon water. That was the only thing he had tasted. From the moment he set foot into the bar, he had been on high alert. He never expected to see a familiar face¡ªand that caused him to let his guard down a little. He did not know when it happened, or what powerful anesthetics was added that one little sip could have such a powerful effect. He could feel his head getting heavier and heavier until he could not resist anymore, and allowed himself to collapse onto the bar until he was completely unconscious.


    He did not know how much time had passed in between, was it days, hours or seconds?


    A stranger¡¯s voice rang in his ear.


    [Verifying player¡¯s identity¡­]


    [Identity confirmed. Random extraction of newcomer¡¯s quest for player number 07958¡­]


    [Extraction complete¡ªCurrent quest is Desert Island Survival]


    You were on a cruise and encountered a terrible storm as you were traveling near the equator. The ship deviated from its course and the radar and sonar on the ship, the GPS and satellite phones on the ship were, oddly, not working. Without direction, you¡¯ve traveled aimlessly on the seas for a month. Unfortunately, you encountered another even bigger storm. At the time of the incident you were standing on the deck and a giant wave swept you into the ocean. When you finally opened your eyes again, you found yourself lying on an unfamiliar beach.


    [Mission target: Survive for 40 days on this island]


    [Mode: Single player]


    [Time flow rate: 480] (One hour in the real world is equivalent to 20 days in this game. After 40 days, the player will be forcefully returned to the real world)


    A friendly reminder, the game will begin in 5 seconds. Players, please get ready.

 Chapter 8

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng¡¯s eyes fluttered open and he found himself lying face down on a foreign beach.


    The saline waters bathing him was soaking into his clothes, as a hermit shell in a conch shell scurried past in front of him.


    Zhang Heng was in a terrible condition. Upon regaining his consciousness, he was gripped by an intense thirst and hunger, overcome with exhaustion. It felt like he had been drifting in the ocean for days.


    He found a dry spot and plopped down against a large rock facing the direction where he was washed ashore¡ªall he could see was a vast, boundless ocean.


    What is this? Some survival reality TV-show film set?


    Maybe it was the after-effects of that lemon water, or maybe because he had not eaten for too long, Zhang Heng¡¯s head felt heavy and groggy. Forcing himself to calm down, he began to mull over everything that had happened to him.


    He had done as that strange fellow in Tang suit had requested, and had come to this Sex and the City bar as the old man¡¯s representative to participate in some obscure game. When he finally found the person, he was drugged, and then cast on this desert island.


    But the question was¡ªhow would doing this benefit them? And that mysterious voice he heard in his head just now, the one that sounded like a game login, did he imagine it? If that was not the case then what did it mean?


    His body was still his, but the sports attire he was wearing had been replaced with a pair of beach shorts and a floral T-shirt. The swiss knife he was carrying in his pocket for emergencies was nowhere to be found either.


    The only item that had not gone missing from his person was that watch on his right wrist.


    Zhang Heng looked down at his watch and froze momentarily.


    The date on the analog face had not changed¡ªit remained on Thursday, the same night he visited the bar, and it had only been a minute since he had blacked out.


    Zhang Heng looked at his watch again and noticed that the seconds hand was not moving.


    Was it broken?


    That was a surprise. He had done one too many experiments on the watch and found that it could never be adjusted and that the time on the watch was always accurate. He was the only one who could see the extra twelve hours on the watch face and no matter what he did¡ªsubjecting it to fire or soaking it in water¡ªthe watch could not be damaged or destroyed. It was so durable it was unlike anything from this world.


    Once, he even threw the watch from the top of a building down onto the concrete pavement 200 meters down below. In the end, the watch survived the fall without a scratch, and even made a dent in the hard, concrete surface.


    He was convinced that the watch would outlive him and continue ticking until the end of the world. He never thought that there would come a day that it would ever stop functioning¡­


    But in his panic, he was suddenly struck by a thought. Again, his mind returned to that mysterious voice in his head. The person had mentioned that the time flow rate was 480.


    Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. Could the person have meant it literally?


    If anyone else wanted to verify this, they may have to wait for the forty days to be up. But Zhang Heng had his own way to do that.


    He pressed his fingers against the inside of his wrist and, after twenty minutes, confirmed a frightening thing¡ªhis watch was not broken. It was just moving according to the real-world time. When converted to the time here, one second was now eight minutes.


    So¡­ this really was just a game?


    Zhang Heng was stumped. The scenery before him was so realistic¡ªthe golden sand, the coconut trees swaying in the wind, the drenched T-shirt clinging to his body, the uneven rock surface that was causing his back to ache, the hunger and enervation that shrouded him so that he feels the passing of life so clearly it was almost tangible.


    In any case, his priority right now was to find a way to recover some physical strength.


    Right now, thinking alone required a whole lot of effort.


    He knew he needed to eat and rehydrate. But although he was mentally stronger than most people, he was still just an ordinary university student. A modern man like him had no clue how to live on a desert island; he could not distinguish which plant was edible and which one was not, he did not even know how to hunt, or look for water source, how to build a shelter¡­


    Thank god, though, that at least he recognized the coconut tree.


    There were some twenty meters to his left, with a couple of the fruits hanging from the trees still green. The water inside could quench his parched tongue and throat, and the flesh could provide him with much-needed energy and vitamins.


    Zhang Heng picked up a small rock the size of his palm at his feet and aimed it at a leaning coconut tree that may have been swept sideways by a typhoon.


    He managed to dislodge the coconuts with the rock.


    There were seven of them, about three to four meters above the ground.


    Normally, a task like this would not have been difficult at all, but considering his current physical condition, it took Zhang Heng a lot of effort to knock those coconuts down.


    By the time he cracked these green coconuts open, one by one, on the rock to get to the water inside, half an hour had already passed. After he had drained the fruit, Zhang Heng scraped the meat of the coconut with a rock and scarfed them down. When he was done, some of his energy returned, allowing him to consider his current plight.


    He could no longer tell if he was in a game or in the real world.


    If this was all make-believe, it did not explain realness of the senses he was experiencing and his physical state, nor the strange flow rate on his watch; but if he was in the real world, then how could whoever who got him here get him from his dorm to this deserted island in a blink of an eye?


    Zhang Heng shook his head to clear his mind. He would just do it the old way¡ªset the unsolvable questions aside first.


    Like what the old man in the caf¨¦ said, whether this was a game or reality, he needed to figure out a way to survive.


    He was just an average modern person who lived on his own in the city. Could he really be able to overcome this enigmatic natural world veiled in mystery?


    Zhang Heng¡¯s lips drew upwards into a bitter smile. He had always been a glass-half-full kind of guy but in his current circumstance, Zhang Heng was not convinced that he could hold out for forty-days on this remote little island behind him.


    As a matter of fact, even four days would be a stretch.


    He lacked the knowledge and skills to survive out here in the wild, he was in a poor physical state, and he was all alone. Right now, Zhang Heng kind of hoped that he was in a game. Because, normally, an outstanding game should not have sure-death circumstance, especially since this was just the beginning of a novice checkpoint.


    As if in response to his expectation, three little black dots appeared in the distant waves.


    Zhang Heng tossed the coconut shell in his hand aside and got to his feet. Shielding the top of his head from the hot sun, he sprinted towards the beach as fast as he could. He squinted his eyes to focus on the dots, who were actually three people floating in the waters.


    They were all foreigners¡ªmale.


    One of them was dressed, from head to toe, in Gore-Tex and hiking boots, and he had what looked like a dagger hanging from his waist. The wind and waves were too big for Zhang Heng to be sure. Among the three of them, he was the one who seemed the calmest. The other two were an expressionless laddie in shorts, and a stark-naked bald uncle.


    The three of them were in a precarious situation, as they struggled to get ashore. For some mysterious reason, the only thing they could do was float, as the current pulled them back.


    Zhang Heng knew that he had to make a decision. Although the coconut had helped his body recover some energy, saving three people in one breath was not realistic. Right now, his strength only allowed him to attempt to rescue one of the three people.


    In the end, he decided to save the naked fella for a very simple reason¡ªhe was nearest to the shore.

 Chapter 9

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    When Zhang Heng dragged the buck-naked man to the beach, both of them were ready to drop.


    Zhang Heng did not even know how he even managed to swim the final stretch of water. It was only when he knew near the man that he found out that the man¡¯s lumbar spine was injured, and there was a tear on his thigh where a coral had pierced him. The man could barely move; no wonder he had to drift along with the wave like a plastic bottle.


    Getting him back to the beach was not going to be an easy task.


    On the way back, Zhang Heng considered giving up several times, but the man was surprisingly optimistic and even cheered him on.


    So, Zhang Heng gritted his teeth and dragged the man to shore.


    For a while, the both of them slumped on the sand. Zhang Heng did not want to move at all, not even to lift a finger. If he could, he would have shut his eyes and dozed off.


    But after about two minutes, the man in the buff spoke. ¡°Hey, bro. We can¡¯t stay like this. We¡¯re not far from the equator. At midday, the temperature could go up to as high as 35 degrees. We¡¯ll lose a lot of water if we keep this up.¡±


    Zhang Heng said nothing a minute before replying, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to a shady area now.¡± Then he took in two deep breaths, gathered up all the strength in his body and pulled the man to the bottom of a cliff where he used his own t-shirt to bandage the man¡¯s wound.


    After that, Zhang Heng was completely drained of energy¡ªhe could barely even throw a stone. Fortunately, not far from where they were, he picked up a couple of coconuts that had fallen to the ground.


    When the bald man saw Zhang Heng about to break the coconut, he opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped himself.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to seem like I¡¯m ungrateful or anything but if you can, please give me only green coconuts? The ones that have fallen from the tree are old. The milk-white water inside can cause diarrhea when consumed. On a resourceless island like this, it could be fatal.¡±


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about survival in the wilderness.¡±


    ¡°I served in the military for a while. I once spent more than two years crossing the Amazon forest, so, yes, I suppose I can be considered an expert in terms of surviving in the wilderness.¡±


    Zhang Heng realized that he had made the right bet. There was no way that a well-made game would leave the players in a sure-death circumstance. The man in front of him was his hope of surviving on this island.


    However, he could not help but wonder what the other two people could do.


    After all, in terms of difficulty, saving this bald man was the easiest. Based on a game designers¡¯ usual train of thought, the more effort you put in, the better the reward.


    But Zhang Heng did not regret his decision at all. He understood that in his physical state, saving the naked man was already pushing the limits. Even if he could reach either of the two men who were further away, he would not have the energy to return to shore.


    Moreover, so far, this man with a severely receding hairline seemed to be pretty easy-going.


    Sometimes attitude is much more important than ability.


    Sure enough, shortly after, his new companion said, ¡°My friend, can you please find a green coconut for me? My throat is really dry. I will teach you how to find water later.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Zhang Heng had taken the opportunity to rest for a moment, and had recovered some strength to be able to fulfill his companion¡¯s request.


    This time, he took down fourteen coconuts in one sitting, five for the man and three for himself. The remaining six were set aside as provisions.


    After the naked gentleman had drunk from the coconut, his condition seemed to have improved a lot. He reached out a hand to Zhang Heng. ¡°I haven¡¯t introduced myself. My name is Ed Wilson, a British national, and formerly the captain of the British army in Afghanistan. You can just call me Ed. Thank you for saving my life.¡±


    ¡°Zhang Heng, Chinese. University sophomore. You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Zhang Heng and the former captain of the British army in Afghanistan exchanged a friendly handshake.


    Immediately after, however, the captain¡¯s tone grew solemn. ¡°Those two poor guys. Other than this little island, there¡¯s no other land nearby. Not being able to get to shore means that it¡¯s not going to end well for them.¡±


    The Ed guy, however, seemed to be able to adjust his mental state pretty well. After only a brief moment of good, he recovered his cheerfulness. ¡°Alright. As per our agreement, I shall fulfill my part and teach you how to find water. When I was at sea, I was able to visually estimate that this island is about 120 hectares. I noticed some animal tracks nearby the bushes which means that there may be a stream on the island. Follow the tracks and you¡¯ll be able to find it. But that¡¯s also bad news because it means that there may be predators. Night is coming soon¡ªexploring the island without some sort of light like a torch would not be a wise move; you could get lost or be attacked by wild beasts¡­¡±


    Ed patiently imparted his knowledge of survival in the wilderness to Zhang Heng, and even deliberately slowed down his speech so that Zhang Heng understood each word.


    Even so, every now and then, Zhang Heng would interrupt Ed to inquire the meaning of certain words. Even though his parents worked abroad, the time that those two spent at home was too short to have seen to the improvement of Zhang Heng¡¯s foreign language proficiency.


    As a result, Zhang Heng¡¯s English language level was only a standard Band 6. It was not too much of a problem for the everyday conversation but once jargons were added to the mix, Ed would have to explain the meaning of the words.


    With one teaching and the other listening, twenty-minutes later, Zhang Heng finally learned how to find fresh water in the wilderness. Heeding Ed¡¯s suggestion, for the time being, the both of them would be using coconuts as their main source of water. At the same time, they also searched the cliff nearby and managed to find a few small water holes, and a cave.


    The cavity was about ten square meters big and full bird droppings. The smell was unpleasant but the ground was higher, so they would not have to worry about being carried away by the tide when they sleep. Most importantly, the cave was sheltered against the wind, yet remained cool throughout the day and night.


    As the sun set in the west, Zhang Heng used the last of the daylight to pick up a few more coconuts to add to the ones they had for dinner. After that, the two bid each other good night in the cave.


    Growing up in the city, this was the first time Zhang Heng had ever slept out in the open. Even though his body and mind had been stretched to the limit and was in urgent need to rest, for a long time, he was still unable to close his eyes. Be it the stink of the bird doo-doo, or the hard rock he was resting on, the unidentified insect that was crawling up his arm in the darkness¡­ everything seemed to be tormenting his mind, causing him to feel uneasy.


    Ed suddenly spoke, ¡°Zhang, did I tell you what the most important thing you need to survive the wilderness is?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhang Heng had not heard any movement behind him and assumed that his companion had fallen asleep.


    ¡°Survival skills are very important¡ªthere is no doubt about it¡ªbut the most important thing is to always keep an optimistic outlook. When you feel like you¡¯re suffering, think about happy things, tell yourself that perhaps tomorrow, a boat will pass by and bring me back to the civilized world.¡± Ed really was as optimistic as ever.


    Zhang Heng sighed inwardly. If this really was a game, within forty days, there would be no boat passing by. But Ed¡¯s words did help him feel much better. More importantly, he realized that he was not alone in this.


    Zhang Heng had never been one to grumble and complain. He only needed to persevere on this island for forty days. With someone guiding him, he believed that he could do it. Zhang Heng pushed the negative thoughts and emotions out of this mind, and very soon, exhaustion kicked in, and he closed his eyes.

 Chapter 10

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The sun rose just above the horizon, a new day had come.


    In the cave, Zhang Heng opened his eyes and saw that Ed was up, sitting. ¡°Good morning, Zhang.¡±


    ¡°Morning,¡± Zhang Heng yawned


    ¡°My goodness. How I wish to have a cup of coffee, fried egg, sausage, and toast right now,¡± The former captain lamented, ¡°But given our current situation, we can¡¯t ask for too much, can we? Too bad the coconuts are giving us too little calories. One of those green ones can only provide 200 calories worth of energy. Even if don¡¯t exercise, we¡¯ll be burning at least 2,000 calories a day. Also, we need to expand our menu in order to obtain a richer source of nutrients. Well, since we¡¯re by the sea, I think we can take advantage of that.¡±


    ¡°What do I need to do?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°Hold your horses. Your life in the city has caused your digestive system to be very fragile. Even if I told you how to catch food from the sea, with no way to cook it, one crab can cause you to the runs so bad it¡¯ll lead to dehydration. We need fire. The water that you found earlier will need to heat before drinking. It only needs to be cooked for three minutes to kill most of the bacteria in it. Right now, I¡¯ll teach you how to start a fire first.¡± Ed paused for a moment before beginning to explain, ¡°The most important thing you¡¯ll need to start a fire is to find the right wood. Fast-growing softwoods are the best kind. The drill [stick] and the base can be taken from the same tree. Tear off a tree bark and dry it under the sun¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng listened to the instructions intently, but when it came to actually performing the task, it was not as easy as he imagined it to be.


    He spent the whole morning trying to start a fire.


    Alas, it was one failure after another. The action of twirling the drill-stick alone rubbed away a whole chunk of skin from his hand. It hurt so bad that he grimaced. At the same time, because they did not have time to search for food, he and Ed ate all their reserve-coconuts which barely filled their stomachs.


    What was even more frustrating was that even after all the effort they put in, they had nothing to show for it.


    ¡°Zhang, you cannot go from a rookie to an expert in one day,¡± Ed comforted. ¡°The beginning is always the hardest.¡±


    Zhang Heng tossed the broken stick on the ground in contempt. ¡°That is true but failure is still agonizing.¡±


    ¡°Failure is also a valuable experience. Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors have continued to evolve from failures.¡± Ed empathized. ¡°You are a smart student, Zhang. Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s still time for you to learn and grow. Now, tell me what have learned from this failure?¡±


    ¡°The wood is still no good. The skin on my hands are flayed and there¡¯re still no sparks. I have to try using other woods.¡±


    Nevertheless, fortune is as unpredictable as the weather. At sundown, a gust of wind blew, and a mass of dark cloud gathered above their heads. It happened so quickly that Zhang Heng did not have enough time to gather the things. The tree bark that had been drying on the rock was soaked in rainwater.


    His entire day of work was wasted.


    Disheartened, Zhang Heng lay on the cavern floor with his arms and legs spread out like an ¡®X¡¯ staring at the ceiling of the cave. ¡°Ed, I don¡¯t think your chicken soup for the soul is going to work anymore.¡±


    ¡°Give up then,¡± Ed said in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s limited to only before the rain stops. It¡¯s only after you¡¯ve vented all your negative emotions can you better devote yourself to work.¡±


    ¡°Are you always this optimistic, Ed?¡±


    ¡°It could be that I¡¯ve encountered situations than this in my travels across the Amazon forest. Thinking about how I¡¯ve managed pulled through inspires me not to give up.¡±


    ¡°Does experiences make us who we are?¡± Zhang Heng muttered under to himself, remembering what the bartender told him, feeling as if he had on to something.


    ¡°It looks like the rain is not going to stop before dark. You should go to bed. There is still a lot of work to do tomorrow,¡± Ed said and as he lay down to sleep.


    The two went to bed on the second night with an empty stomach.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Zhang Heng got up before first light¡ªmainly because he was starving. The first thing he did was to run to the coconut tree to quench his thirst and hunger with a few fruits. The coconut tree at lower ground was nearly picked clean. The remaining trees were taller, and knocking the fruits down with rocks was going to be very difficult. Zhang Heng was aware that he had not much time left, he had to get that fire going, or else he would not be able to continue with the rest of the tasks.


    On that account, he decided to take a little bit of risk. After bringing breakfast back for Ed, he ventured a little deeper into the native forest behind the beach.


    The end result was gratifying. Not only did he find suitable wood for the fire, he also found an animal that he suspected was a fowl. Unfortunately for him, the little thing was very agile; before Zhang Heng could even approach it, the creature flapped its wings and disappeared. There was nothing Zhang Heng could have done about that.


    He broke a tree branch and returned to the beach. Using the same method he used the day before, at noon, a tendril of smoke finally rose from the wood shavings. Employing the knowledge that Ed had passed on to him, Zhang Heng sprinkled the sawdust onto the leaves of the candlenut tree, and then carefully blowing until the sawdust glowed and ignited the tinder underneath.


    After a short while, the two people on the island finally had a long-awaited fire.


    ¡°Well done! Now we can avoid the danger of infection!¡± Ed exclaimed.


    Zhang Heng never thought that he would ever be so excited to see fire. He was about to say something when a third person¡¯s voice sounded in his ear.


    ¡°Started a fire successfully. A new skill is obtained¡ªWildlife Survival: Level 0; Game Points: +3; character panel has also been activated; you may view your personal status.¡±


    The voice sounded very familiar. Zhang Heng thought about it for a moment before realizing that it was the same voice that had heard earlier when he was unconscious.


    Zhang Heng looked at Ed. ¡°Ed, did you hear something?¡±


    His companion looked taken aback and then concerned. ¡°Should I be hearing anything? Zhang, are you experiencing hallucinations due to dehydration?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng, too, wondered if he was suffering from heatstroke because something that resembled a character card appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Zhang Heng


    Gender: Male


    Age: 19


    Player ID: 07958


    Game rounds experienced: 0


    Current game points: 3


    Skills: Piano: level 1; Language Proficiency: level 1 (both languages at general communication skills level)


    Assessment: The player is unremarkable with no quality worth commending, has no special skills and is not expected to be able to last longer than the first three rounds.


    Zhang Heng was speechless. The harsh evaluation at the bottom aside, how was it that he only had two skills?


    Okay, he could see a line of words in small prints under skills¡ªLevel 0 skill cannot be displayed.


    His amateur grade nine piano playing level was passed off for a pathetic Level 1?!


    This game¡¯s definition of skills was too harsh! Not everyone out of a hundred people could start a fire using their bare hands, yet it barely even made Level 0 on his list of skills!


    It would seem that this game was more difficult than he imagined it to be.

 Chapter 11

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng finally started a fire.


    That meant that his menu was no longer limited to just coconuts. Shortly after, following Ed¡¯s instructions, Zhang Heng found conches on the rocks by the beach, even lucked out and found crabs and oysters.


    The latter especially, was fresh and sweet, rich in nutrients¡ªcalcium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamin B2¡ªreputed as the milk of the sea. It was pity, however, that the calories they provide were not high; each of them containing only 70 calories. For chowhounds, this was a good thing but on a deserted island, Zhang Heng preferred something with higher-calorie content to provide him with the necessary energy.


    He did not need to worry about exceeding his calorie count and getting out of shape seeing that he had been starving these few days.


    Thank goodness, they just might able to enjoy a decent meal tonight.


    Zhang Heng collected about seventy over little conches, six oysters, and four hermit crabs which were sadly, rather small. Ed had told him that the hermits were edible but tasted average. Nevertheless, the two of them were not dining in a Michelin star restaurant so taste was no longer an important factor.


    Zhang Heng even spotted some fishes by the coast but without the right tools, he could only watch them swim about from afar.


    To boot, they also had the small puddles of water that he had found two days ago. With the shells of the mollusks he picked up, Zhang Heng was able to scoop and transport the water. But for all that, the pair found themselves having problems with the tools for boiling the water. They did not have bowls and the shells they were using were too well insulated that even under direct heat, the water refused to boil.


    Ed thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Go find some pebbles¡ªnot the ones with a lot of holes or stratification.¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded and did as Ed instructed. They spent twenty minutes cooking the pebbles until they were burning red, and fastened them to the clams using small branches. Soon, the water inside began to boil.


    ¡°There¡¯s not a lot of water in here. Two should suffice.¡± Ed said.


    The water inside the shells boiled for around a minute, enough to get rid of most of the bacteria.


    Zhang Heng put these little outdoor survival skills to memory.


    Ed was a good teacher. With the injury to his waist, he could not move about freely. But Zhang Heng was able to benefit from his companion¡¯s comprehensive survival know-how, so he had no complaints about having to take on full responsibility of collecting food and water for the both of them.


    At the same time, Zhang Heng was careful not to be too reliant on Ed; he hoped that he could make all the knowledge he had picked up from Ed into his own practical skills¡ªnot so that he could get rid of Ed later on, of course. As a matter of fact, he was so grateful to Ed that if there was only one morsel of food left, Zhang Heng was willing to give half of it to Ed.


    Having said that, Zhang Heng could not shake off this ominous feeling; he had noticed that Ed appeared to be worse than the first day he came to shore. This period of rest had not improved his condition. Since the last time Zhang Heng bandaged the fatal wound on Ed¡¯s thigh, and stopped the bleeding, there was nothing else he could do to tend to the injury.


    There were no antibiotics so readily available in the hospitals in the city. Once the wound was infected, it would be untreatable.


    Zhang Heng believed that the former captain knew this better than him¡ªyet, Ed never raised the subject in the past few days.


    This seemed to confirm the foreboding hunch that Zhang Heng had been feeling. Not knowing what he could do for his companion, Zhang Heng looked after Ed as best as he could.


    For the rest of the days, Ed taught Zhang Heng how to make simple stone tools, use wood charcoal to clean his teeth, collect rainwater, make ropes out of tree barks, build a basic raft out of wood, use corals to trap fish¡­


    Compared to the time when the both of them had just arrived on the island, the pair had moved past the most dangerous period, and now had extra reserves. The leftover dried fish was hung from the ceiling of the cave so that should they encounter terrible weather and were unable to go out to scavenge for food, they would not go hungry.


    Things seemed to be going uphill, and the forty days no longer seemed like an unattainable goal.


    Just when this notion appeared in Zhang Heng¡¯s mind, doom showed up.


    On the sixteenth night, Ed suddenly developed a high fever. Zhang Heng devoted his time and energy to care for his companion, and gradually, their supply of food and water gradually depleted. Their search range was also greatly reduced. The food they had set aside for a rainy day was immediately put to use in this crisis.


    What even more worrying was that Ed¡¯s condition did not improve at all.


    When Zhang Heng undid the makeshift T-shirt bandage on Ed¡¯s thigh, he discovered that the gash that was so deep you could see the bone had festered.


    Since yesterday, the former captain of the British Army had been in a comatose state.


    What little food they had in the cave was slowly diminishing. Very soon, they were on the brink of running out of food.


    Finally, on the nineteenth night, Ed¡¯s eyes suddenly flew open. He turned to his side, and murmured to Zhang Heng, half-conscious, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the most important thing to survive the wilderness? It¡¯s never being satisfied with what you¡¯ve achieved yesterday. Live each day better than the last. You have to find a way to conquer nature.¡±


    Zhang Heng rubbed his eyes, and smiled sadly, ¡°Ed, that¡¯s not what you told me the last time.¡±


    But Ed made no response.


    Zhang Heng put a finger under Ed¡¯s nose and discovered that his friend was no longer breathing.


    Even though he had been mentally preparing himself for Ed¡¯s passing, he was still sad. While the two of them had not spent a lot of time with each other, Zhang Heng¡¯s ability to navigate in this wilderness was all thanks to Ed¡¯s teaching.


    The shared a student-teacher relationship, but they were also friends.


    Zhang Heng dug a hole in the forest near the cave, and buried Ed. To prevent wild beasts from damaging the grave, he outlined the grave with some sharpened twigs.


    Only when he had done all that did he drag his starving body to the beach to search for food.


    The good news was that he was already halfway into the forty-day goal. Even though he was alone again, Zhang Heng was confident that he could survive the island.


    On the noon of the twentieth day, Zhang Heng¡¯s coral trap caught him a large two catty1 fish. This meant he could go to bed tonight with a full stomach.


    But just when Zhang Heng thought that his bad luck had finally passed, he suddenly received a voice prompt in his ear.


    [Alert! Alert! An anomaly had been discovered in the quest! Critical time error]


    [Reporting error]


    [Second level authority enabled, verification approved, report canceled¡­]


    [Remove the error permanently from the decision-making sequence]


    [Assignment objective remains unchanged; the return time has been changed from 40 days to 520 days. Please pay attention!]


    Zhang Heng¡¯s head nearly blew up at the series of messages. When he finally registered the drastic, unanticipated changes, his eyes flitted to his right hand.


    All three hands were pointed upwards.


    No way. He had been so preoccupied learning how to survive in the wilderness, and having experienced all kinds of situations, he had forgotten about that twenty-four-dial watch on his wrist.


    On the first few nights when he first arrived on the island, he was not able to enter that still world and had thought that it did not apply to this game. He did not think that the game would actually be holding back!


    The first thing that came to Zhang Heng¡¯s mind was where did the 520 days come from. The extra twenty-four hours he had every day, after being multiplied by 480, left him with the most frightening string of numbers.

 Chapter 12

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    So, this really was all just a game?


    In reality, once watch hands pointed to twelve midnight, Zhang Heng would enter Still Time. But here, the wind continued to whistle in his ears, and the coconuts trees swayed along, except for that voice that appeared suddenly not long ago, nothing else had changed.


    Zhang Heng had tried playing several computer games during Still Time.


    Following the contact-recover principle, as long as he was not in contact with other people, everything would continue to work.


    But now was not the time to talk about such things.


    Just as victory was within reach, the difficulty of the game was raised to a hellish level.


    Realizing that he had another five hundred days and not twenty days left on the godforsaken island, Zhang Heng did not even have the strength to draw a bitter smile.


    Instead, he sat by the beach, staring at the horizon, doing nothing else until sundown. This was the first time he felt like life was full of spite.


    But at this point, griping was meaningless.


    Even if he wanted to settle scores with whoever, he would have to wait until five hundred days later.


    Before dark, Zhang Heng finally roused. He was never the kind of person who was easily knocked down by difficulties. He did as Ed had taught him in between the lessons, to let go, to vent out all his negative emotions first, and then regain his composure.


    With the fish and crabs he caught, Zhang Heng enjoyed a full meal, and then early the next morning, devoted himself fighting against nature.


    Fire can be used to cook food and boil water, and keep him warm at night. Simultaneously, keeping the fire burning had become Zhang Heng¡¯s responsibility.


    Every day, not only did he have to go out to collect food and freshwater, he also needed to find firewood that would burn easily¡ªthis task was especially tough after a shower of rain.


    He had wanted to collect more firewood and store them in the cave to cope with the rainy weather, but earlier on, he had to focus his energy on scavenging for food; now that Ed was gone, the amount of food he needed to find was halved, leaving with ample time to do other things.


    Other than collecting firewood, Zhang Heng also attempted at fashioning a couple of stone axes. Ed was not very good at making tools, and had only imparted the rough idea of how to put together a stone axe. Before this, Zhang Heng had used the sharper edge of the clams to hack at the trees but it did not work very well¡ªit took him at least two to three hours to cut down a small tree.


    That got him thinking about trying out the stone tools so highly favored by the primitive man. But for some unknown reasons, the axes he made either crack after only two chops, or the heads would be separated from the handle at a swing.


    Zhang Heng could only comfort himself that failure is the mother of success.


    In a blink of an eye, another twenty days had passed.


    That familiar voice, again, sounded in Zhang Heng¡¯s ears.


    [Task complete¡­]


    [To return after 480 days¡­]


    The sentences were fine on their own but when put together like that, it sounded like a bit of a joke.


    Zhang Heng ignored the voice. He had just finished his lunch, and was looking for some shells to carry water. The one he had used was burnt. He was picking up goods from the ¡®free market¡¯ when he suddenly noticed two black dots from afar.


    Huh? This was a rather familiar scenario.


    What was more familiar were the two people struggling in the water.


    Were those option B adventure man and option C laddie in shorts?


    Zhang Heng found himself speechless. What kind of humans were they? That was some powerful will and tenacity to live. It had not been easy for him to have survived on this island and yet those two were still living and kicking after drifting in the water for forty days.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s thoughts immediately went back to the late Ed. Before he breathed his last breath, Ed had thanked Zhang Heng for saving him, and being able to die on land, unlike the two other people who would be swept into a watery grave.


    Instead, right now, Zhang Heng felt sorry for Ed.


    If he had not ¡®saved¡¯ Ed, Ed might still be alive, floating on the waters with the other two.


    This was not the first day Zhang Heng played games. He knew that this situation meant that he was encountering a bug.


    The root cause of that was probably that extra twenty-four hours he had that disrupted the quest.


    Theoretically speaking, the game should cease to exist after forty days. The other players had probably all returned to reality. He was the only was still stuck in the game¡ªstill suffering.


    Most games would have crashed or broken down. Yet, this game continued to run. This fact alone was enough to prove that this was no ordinary game.


    The bartender lady had said that this was the greatest game in the history of mankind. Right now, Zhang Heng found himself a little convinced of that. Ever since he arrived in this ¡®world¡¯, everything he had seen was extremely realistic, from the plants to the animals on the island, everything was true to the real world. Even Ed did not appear any different from a real person.


    Right now, however, a flaw had finally appeared in this impeccable world.


    ¡°Is it because the plot has ended, it has no choice but to repeat?¡±


    However, unlike mechanical loops, the Ed whom he had buried in the little forest did not reappear, meaning that the repeat followed a logical sequence.


    Zhang Heng peeled off his clothes as quickly as he could; of course, he was not going to miss such a good opportunity.


    Unlike the physically weak and feeble person he was forty days ago, Zhang Heng was well-fed, and was even able to perform some training exercising outside of labor.


    His body had nearly recovered to its most optimal state.


    Having gauged the distance between himself and the two people in the water, Zhang Heng decided to save the laddie in shorts, who was further away. Because according to game designers¡¯ logic, the more effort you put in, the better the reward.


    With Ed¡¯s help, he had basically overcome the problem of finding food; now, he wanted to know what kind of changes would saving that young man bring to his life.


    ¡­


    Ten days later, Zhang Heng found himself marveling at the brick kiln and tile-roofed house.


    There were actually people in this world who could build a house with their bare hands! All throughout, Zhang Heng trailed behind the lad in shorts from finding clay, to constructing beams, firing the bricks in a kiln, to finally building the half a meter tall bricked house. In addition to that, the lad even showed him how to make a proper stone axe, set up a wooden shed, make ceramics, prawn traps, and sandals, and use the fibers from tree barks to weave, make bow and arrows, and slings.


    Not having to worry about food, Zhang Heng was able to spend his time taking it all in.


    It was a pity, however, that the short pants lad never spoke. He merely did as Zhang Heng requested and quietly demonstrated all the techniques.


    Then on the nineteenth day, he accidentally ingested poisonous mushrooms and died in the forest.


    Killed by the plot?


    Now Zhang Heng understood that the game was designed in a way that the player would have to spend the later half of the game alone. So, no matter what they did, the already injured Ed and the lad in shorts would not last until the twentieth day.


    Zhang Heng buried the lad in shorts next to Ed¡¯s grave.


    Unlike Ed, this lad never spoke a word; so, they did not share very strong ties. In addition, after knowing that it was all just a game, Zhang Heng was not terribly upset.


    But, at the end of the day, they were teacher and student. Zhang Heng felt obliged to give him a proper burial.


    After that, Zhang Heng digested and began to put everything the lad in shorts had thought him throughout their nineteen days together. In between, the adventurer drifted past twice, but Zhang did not ¡®save¡¯ him.


    He would come back again some other time.


    If Zhang Heng saved him, he would have only nineteen days left to live.


    On the 130th day on the island, an announcement rang in Zhang Heng¡¯s ear.


    [Tiled-roof house successfully constructed; Wilderness Survival Skill has increased from level 0 to level 1; Game Points +5; you may view the character panel¡­]

 Chapter 13

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng looked at his character panel, and found that his skills had increased from two to three. But the mean evaluation at the bottom remained unchanged.


    Since the lad in the shorts taught him how to make bow and arrows, Zhang Heng had another activity added to his days. He had carved out an area on the beach just for archery practice.


    Using the knowledge imparted to him by Ed and the lad in shorts, Zhang Heng managed to overcome his plight finding food and water, and moved out of that bird-droppings filled cave into the clay house he had built with his worn hands.


    Just as his life was improving, a new crisis soon emerged.


    Ed had told him that the biggest enemy of a person who had mastered the skill of surviving the wilderness was not the ever-changing and unpredictable nature, but yourself.


    Once a person¡¯s survival needs have been fulfilled, chances are, the person would fall into a vacant state; having lost all direction and motivation, being the only person on the island would soon bring on an overwhelming sense of loneliness.


    Zhang Heng must find tasks to keep his mind and body constantly occupied so that he would not have the time to think about the fact that he was all alone on a deserted island.


    When he was with the lad, Zhang Heng took into consideration that he needed to survive for another four hundred days and more, and set a new target for himself.


    He decided to explore the heart of the island.


    So far, his area of activity had been limited to the periphery of the island. The furthest he has been was to the virgin forest to look for firewood where he saw the fowl and some animal bones, which confirmed the presence of predators.


    From then on, he had been very careful to limit his area of activity, staying away from that stretch of forest. After all, the resources on the beach were enough to keep him alive.


    But now, in order to battle this terrible sense of loneliness, Zhang Heng needed a goal that would keep him going¡ªexploring the center of the island and see what was there.


    With this end in mind, Zhang Heng began to allow himself to be invested in it, and work hard towards the goal.


    Taking into account that there were predators in the forest, he would first need to learn to protect himself.


    His second companion had taught him to make two long-ranged weapons¡ªthe bow and arrows, and the sling.


    The latter was easier, but the most difficult to use. The angle and timing at which the stone was flung had to be precise. If the sling was released a little too early or a little too late, you would find that the stone was miles away from hitting the target.


    Hitting the target four or five times out of a hundred was not going to be easy.


    On the other hand, bow and arrows are much more accurate and easier to control. With Zhang Heng already equipped with the basics of archery¡ªthe tips about posture, strength, and breathing technique that his coach had taught him, the only thing that he lacked was practice.


    This was not something that could be done lackadaisically; it required the grind of time. In the real world, even though Zhang Heng had forty-eight hours a day, there was so much to do that he could not spend too much time on a pastime. Now, on this island where he was the only human being, the thing he did not lack most was time.


    Going from the recurve bow he bought in the market to the handmade primitive bow was not considered a drop in expenditure.


    Compared to the store-bought bow, the handmade bow¡¯s accuracy, and durability of the was a bit troubling. Drawing the bow also required much more strength and the tree bark that he used had a risk of breaking after being used more than a hundred times. The average lifespan was about 150 arrows.


    The target he had set for himself was 300 arrows per day, which meant that he needed to change the bow strings twice.


    By day 172 since he arrived on the island, Zhang Heng achieved his goal of hitting a still target within ten meters without fail, and a success rate of 70% at thirty meters. The threat of his arrow was greatly reduced if he aimed for anything beyond this distance.


    After that, he was notified that his archery skill was raised from Level 0 to Level 1.


    Zhang Heng was still not satisfied.


    His goal was to reach Level 2 before entering the forest for his expedition. That way at least he would be able to protect himself.


    Outside practicing his archery skills, Zhang Heng did not idle. He had moved from the cave into the clay house which sat on the border of the forest, and after moving all of his belongings, made another batch of clay tools. Today, he was finally able to eat out of a bowl.


    With his Level 1 archery skills, Zhang Heng went deeper into the forest, close to where he had found firewood the first time. Again, he encountered that fowl-like creature.


    The animal made some strange sounds upon their meeting, as if mocking Zhang Heng¡¯s failure to capture it, and then speed its feet and disappeared into the bushes.


    But the very next moment, a wooden arrow came down from the sky and pierced its body.


    Concurrently, the voice in Zhang Heng¡¯s ear made another announcement.


    [Successful hunt, Game Point +3, you may view information on the character panel¡­]


    Zhang Heng¡¯s palm was drenched in sweat. The distance between him and the fowl creature was only about seven meters¡ªa distance he was comfortable with but once his target moved, his shots would not be as accurate.


    This shot was much more urgent than usual, and his breath was slightly ragged when the arrow left his bow. Good thing, his many hours of practice came into play. It also did not hurt that the bird was on the plump side.


    The creature struggled for a while, and then finally gave up reluctantly.


    Zhang Heng walked over, collected his arrow and then bend down to examine his game.


    The creature had a strange appearance. Zhang Heng had thought that it was a fowl but upon closer look, he realized that its beak resembled a duck¡¯s but with a curve at the tip; its body was much larger a fowl and had blue-gray feathers, short and small wings, and a pair of rather thick legs.


    This thing looked a little ugly¡­


    Zhang Heng had come across a bird atlas once, and this thing was not in the book. But since it ate fruits and seeds, then theoretically, probably, maybe, it should be¡­ edible.


    This whole time, on the island, Zhang Heng had eaten some meat. But the flavor of seafood like fish, prawns, and crabs could compare to meat that lived on land.


    Zhang Heng had been thinking about this fowl-like creature since the first time he saw it. Unfortunately, that time, he had no idea how to capture this nimble thing. Today, having honed his archery skills, Zhang Heng reached out his claws to grab this innocent little creature without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    Zhang Heng returned from his hunt fully loaded. Other than the 15 catty ¡®fowl¡¯, he also stumbled across some wild potatoes on his way back.


    The thing was rich in starch, and could be used as a staple food. At the same time, potatoes are also high in calories. Zhang Heng did not eat much of it, he set two of the largest ones aside to be eaten with the meat tonight, and then placed the rest carefully into his basket. He planned to grow a vegetable garden by the house when he got back.


    Potatoes grow very quickly. Once he got them into the ground, he would have an endless supply of potatoes.

 Chapter 14

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    That nameless giant fowl was so ugly it was off-putting tasted surprisingly good.


    Zhang Heng had been seafood for so long he had almost forgotten what chicken tasted like. The ¡®chicken¡¯ soup he boiled for dinner brought back memories.


    Actually, strictly speaking, the meat of this creature was much tougher than chicken meat. Its texture was actually closer to that of pigeons.


    But to Zhang Heng who nearly went crazy thinking about meat, this was the most delicious chicken he had ever tasted. Unable to finish the entire 15 catty ¡®chicken¡¯ at one meal, Zhang Heng removed the internal organs, soaked the flesh in seawater and then smoked it. The ¡®chicken¡¯ jerky now hung under the eaves of his house.


    Behind the house, Zhang Heng found a plot of land that received a good amount of sunlight and planted the potatoes he saved. He also burnt some grass and wood, sprinkling them over his crops as fertilizer. Finally, he fenced up the plot of land, looking forward to see the surprise it would bring him after about half a month.


    Early on, Zhang Heng had recorded the time on the wall of the cave but he could not move the wall to his new dwelling so he relied on the watch on his wrist.


    With the watch¡¯s scientifically unexplainable toughness, Zhang Heng had used it to whet stones in the earlier days on the island. By looking at the positions of the hour hand and the seconds hand, he could use a simple calculation to determine the date. Today, it had been 201 days since he was ¡®washed ashore¡¯.


    The clothes he was wearing was the first to crumble, then his shoes acquired a large hole. He was lucky to have been in the tropics, he did not need to worry about temperature even if it was winter. Zhang Heng even settled on going about the day completely nude.


    His skin was now a tan shade of bronze, his beard unkempt and his hair a frizzy mess. He looked a little scruffy.


    Today afternoon, Zhang Heng put down whatever he was doing, and climbed onto a cliff by the beach. He sat down with his legs crossed, staring into the distance.


    After about half an hour, the old friend he had been waiting for appeared.


    The adventurer was struggling against the waves, looking as if he could drown at any time.


    Zhang Heng looked at the silhouette rising and falling with the tide, conflicted.


    The great philosopher, mathematician and historian Russel1 once said that his life was governed by three pure yet overwhelmingly strong passions: the longing for love, the search for knowledge and the unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind.


    Thing for Zhang Heng, right now, was much simpler.


    There were only two things that was going to keep him alive for these five-hundred days¡ªexploring the center of the island, and seeing the man in the water who would appear every forty days. The former kept him busy and kept his mind from wandering; the latter reminded him that he was not alone.


    So many time, Zhang Heng had been tempted to save the adventurer.


    Saving him meant having someone with him for nineteen days, providing him with the much-needed interaction, company and warmth from a creature of the same kind.


    But Zhang Heng had never taken any action.


    He thought about a movie he had seen called ¡®Cast Away¡¯. The plane that the protagonist boarded had crashed and he was washed ashore with a heap of packages. To survive, he opened up all the packages leaving only one because it symbolized hope to him.


    Seeing the adventurer every forty days held the same meaning to Zhang Heng.


    He had been on this island for more than two hundred days. That would be the equivalent of five rounds of game time for the average player. He was still very far from the day of return to reality.


    If he recurred the man now, the man would die after nineteen days, and he would be truly and completely alone for the rest of his days on the island.


    Even after his Wildlife Survival Skills had reached Level 1, he was still lacking in many ways (for example, he really wanted a game console, even if it was just Tetris or Snake). Still, levelling up was not as pressing as it was when he had first arrived on the island.


    In contrast, he needed a helper to explore the island. He could it alone, of course. But it would definitely be much safer when there are two people.


    Zhang Heng had planned to bring the adventurer with him into the forest after he had rescued him.


    He was able to confirm from his encounter with Ed and the lad in shorts that while both of them were wilderness survival experts, the areas of their knowledge differed. The skills and knowledge that Ed had imparted were basic survival skills, whereas the lad in shorts was more inclined towards construction and creation. Having observed the adventurer¡¯s dressing, Zhang Heng surmised that he was probably an expert in exploration. It would be awkward for him to save the person now.


    Zhang Heng had to suppress the burning desire to save the man as he watched the waves swallow his for the fourth time.


    With one last look at the spot where the explorer had disappeared, Zhang Heng jumped down from the cliff and continued his archery practice.


    It took him three months to get his accuracy up to 90% at thirty meters.


    As a result, there was no notification of any skill upgrade. But this did not discouraged Zhang Heng. He had already expected it. This game was very demanding benchmark for skills. English, which he had learnt for fourteen years, and his native language, was only graded only as Level 1. But considering how many languages there are in the world, this classification seemed fair enough.


    The same applied to surviving the wilderness. Zhang Heng felt that it everyone in the world was thrown to this island, even if he was not the last person alive, he would at least be on of the top ten survivors. But again, his skills were severely skewed. If he was placed in another type of harsh environment, he might not have done that well, take the polar regions or a desert. He would barely be able to survive. That was the biggest difference between him and experts.


    Therefore, Zhang Heng was in no hurry to level up his archery skills.


    Once he had mastered his thirty meters shooting, he began practicing on moving targets.


    At first, he used the fishes swimming near the coral reefs as practice but after two shots, he was reminded that what he could see above the water was actually a deflected. If he continued to practice like that, his archery skills would go crooked.


    Then he turned to practicing on crabs. But these crustaceans were the kind of prey that does not move if the enemy remains still. They proved to be terrible practice targets. Zhang Heng never even considered practicing on birds mainly because they mostly stood on tree tops. If he missed, it would be very difficult for him to retrieve his arrows.


    In the end, Zhang Heng settled on the broken pottery pieces, stringing them up on branches so that when the wind blows, they would sway.


    This made it very difficult to shoot.


    It took Zhang Heng two months of practice to learn the ropes. During this period of time, he caught another hideous looking ¡®fowl¡¯ in perfect condition. Somehow that creature had gotten into Zhang Heng¡¯s vegetable plot, probably to munch on some free breakfast, but got its head caught in the fences instead.


    Zhang Heng thought about and decided that he was in no hurry to eat it, so he tied the creature¡¯s leg to a wooden pole. Now he had an upgraded moving target.


    Zhang Heng wrapped the head of his carbonized arrows and then began an inhumane attack on the ¡®fowl¡¯.

 Chapter 15

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    In the beginning, Zhang Heng counted the days until the day he would return to reality.


    But later on, he found that doing that did nothing else but frustrated him. The more you keep an eye on time, the slower it seemed to pass.


    So, Zhang Heng no longer kept a record. During the fourth harvest of the potatoes he had planted, he received an alert.


    [Archery Skill has progressed from level 1 to level 2. You may review the information on the character panel]


    Zhang Heng dashed into his house and dug out the Tissot buried in the corner. After putting the watch on, he saw that he had been on the island for a total of 385 days¡ªit had been more than a year.


    Even though he could not compare to Robinson Crusoe, it was considered pretty incredible for a city person.


    In fact, Zhang Heng had already gotten used to life in the wilderness. To make life more comfortable, his clay house and vegetable plot had undergone two stages of expansion. The house had transformed from a single-room building to three rooms and one living room. Zhang Heng even added floor heating. The vegetable plot, on the other hand, was producing more potatoes than he could consume. Zhang Heng sliced the excess tubers into thin shreds using his stone knife and left them out to dry under the sun. Thus, began the birth of his 100% organic baked potato chips.


    In addition to that, he also found some onions in the forest and transplanted them in his vegetable garden. After that, he spent a good portion of his time setting up a fish pond, an outdoor bath, and a breeding garden next to his little hut. In the pond, he kept the fish and crabs he did not eat, and that ¡®fowl¡¯ which had its head stuck in the fences became the first tenant of the breeding garden.


    After shooting at it for a month and a half, the creature went from ¡®I¡¯m not afraid of anything, I challenge you to come and try me¡¯ to a blanked-eye, spiritless empty-nester.


    Zhang Heng felt sorry for it and resisted the urge to eat it. On a whim, he decided to keep the ¡®fowl¡¯ as livestock, in hopes that he might be able to harvest eggs someday. But the dream was destroyed when he found out that the creature was a male.


    Forget it. Zhang Heng decided to keep it as a pet and named it ¡®Mickey Mouse¡¯.


    Compared to the fish, birds, and crabs, the creature had a slightly higher IQ. After a while, some interaction was established between master and pet.


    For 80% of the time, Zhang Heng was able to hit a moving target within a ten meters distance, and 50% at thirty meters. When his archery skills had advanced to Level 2, he knew that it was time to make a move.


    So, he spent ten days putting together food and supplies for two people, and preparing one month¡¯s worth of ration for Mickey Mouse. Then he chose the toughest wood he could find and fashioned them into spears to be used as melee weapons.


    On the 401st day, when he went to save the drifting adventurer, Zhang Heng was paddling on a wooden raft that he had made.


    ¡°Thank you, friend. Are you an indigenous person on this island? A typhoon sank the ship that I was on. I was the only one who swam here. I¡¯m exhausted. If it weren¡¯t for you, it would not have ended well for me.¡±


    Zhang Heng was dumbstruck. ¡®In what way do I resemble an indigenous person?¡¯


    He consulted his reflection in the seawater. Fine, this face does look aboriginal. He had been on the island for too long. Other than the watch, everything that he had with him when he first arrived was all either broken and unusable.


    Nonetheless, it was still a pleasure to be able to see someone of the same species. It had been almost a year since Zhang Heng had spoken to another person. He could barely contain his excitement as he handed a wooden pail filled with fresh water to the man.


    ¡°My name is Zhang Heng. I¡¯m not a native. I was in a shipwreck like you, but that was a year ago.¡±


    After the adventurer drank the water, his complexion improved tremendously. At first, he was worried that this aboriginal man had saved him so that he could have him for dinner, but was relieved and delighted to find that the other was a civilized man.


    ¡°My name is Bell Butre, and I served in the United Kingdom Special Forces Reserve 21 Special Air Service (21 SAS), climbed Mount Everest and then decided to become a host, explorer, and author¡­ You said that you¡¯ve been living on the island for a year? That¡¯s really quite incredible.¡±


    ¡°More precisely, I used to have two companions. But neither one of them made it.¡± Zhang Heng paused for a moment and then asked. ¡°Do you remember the two people who fell into the sea with you?¡±


    ¡°What two people who fell into the sea with me?¡± Bell appeared genuinely puzzled. ¡°When it happened, I wanted to save people but a huge tide knocked me unconscious. When I opened my eyes, I saw this little island.¡±


    Zhang Heng was not surprised by his answer but felt that it was a great pity that Bell had no memory of Ed or that guy in shorts. He most probably did not recall that he had been drifting in the ocean for a year either.


    Zhang Heng decided to play along even though he really wanted to know why the game repeatedly brought this bug back.


    They paddled back to shore, and Zhang Heng brought Bell to his little hut.


    ¡°Did you make all of these yourself?¡± Seeing the clay house with a 180-degree sea view, the thriving vegetable garden, and the pond brimming with fishes and prawns, Bell exclaimed, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything I could teach you. Even I could not have done better.¡±


    As he was speaking, Bell¡¯s eyes fell upon Mickey Mouse that was howling in the breeding garden, and he let out a shriek.


    Zhang Heng thought that Mickey Mouse¡¯s hideous looks had managed to bring a grown man to tears, and was about to introduce them to each other when Bell suddenly cried, ¡°My god! What am I seeing?! Dodo bird! There¡¯s still a living and breathing Dodo bird on this earth!¡±


    This time, it was Zhang Heng¡¯s turn to be stunned.


    He was no stranger to the name of the Dodo bird. According to the records, this bird lived comfortably on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean until the arrival of a group of European colonizers. A calamity fell upon this species and in a short period of 200 years, the birds were completely wiped out. Until now, not a single complete specimen had been found.


    Zhang Heng could not believe that he had so casually eaten the national bird of Mauritius.


    But since it was a game, nothing was too surprising.


    Seeing how confident Zhang Heng was, Bell was a little troubled. So, he decided to give his new friend a scientific explanation. ¡°Dodo birds were completely extinct in 1681. Opinion differ about how that happened¡ªsome people say that the Europeans ate them all, some say that the animals that the colonizers brought with them brought about a biological invasion, there are also theories that it¡¯s because of the environmental changes¡­ whatever it is, they have completely vanished from earth. Sixteen years ago, the bones of the Dodo bird were sold at an auction for 500 thousand pounds. Your discovery on this island will shock the whole world!¡±


    ¡®Unfortunately, this was just a virtual game world. The plot outside of the island was a whole lot of nothing¡­¡¯ Zhang Heng thought to himself.


    Instead of telling this to Bell, Zhang Heng decided to use a different, more easily acceptable method to convey the message to him. ¡°Bell, if this really is a Dodo bird, we have to find a way to leave this island and show it to the world.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Bell agreed. ¡°The fact that Dodo birds exist on this island is not good news for us. It means that no one has ever come across this place. I¡¯m afraid this place is not in any of the ships¡¯ courses.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been on this island for more than a year. I¡¯m already very familiar with the outer regions of the island, and I was thinking of going into the heart of the island to explore¡­ Hmm, who knows, I might be able to find a way that could get us out of this place.¡±


    ¡°Then let me come with you. I think I could be of help when it comes to exploration.¡± Bell said excitedly. ¡°When are we leaving? Tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ Let¡¯s wait for two more days so that your body can recover fully, and in the meantime¡­ have a chat with me.¡± Zhang Heng looked at the explorer with eager eyes.


    ¡°???¡±

 Chapter 16

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Bell was in excellent physical shape. Even though he had drifted for so long in the ocean, exhausted and on the brink of dehydration, when given enough food and drink, proper rest and favorable environment, he bounced back to full strength in less than two days¡¯ time.


    Even so, Zhang Heng was in no hurry to leave. The island¡¯s acreage was neither large nor small; walking around the island¡¯s entire periphery only took Zhang Heng about eight hours. Going into the virgin forest would take a longer time, but even then, it would only take about three days to get from the hut to the center of the island.


    If his assumptions were right, Bell had nineteen days to live, which meant that they still had more than enough time to prepare.


    After being in each other¡¯s company for two days, Zhang Heng had a basic understanding of his new companion¡¯s abilities.


    Bell¡¯s survival expertise was indeed different from Ed¡¯s and the lad in shorts¡¯; his leaned towards hunting and self-preservation¡ªprecisely the kind of skills necessary for exploring the virgin forest.


    At the present time, Zhang Heng was capable of making a large variety of tools, equipped to seek out a place to stay, water, and many other basic survival skills.


    From the simple variety of vegetable in his garden and the bareness of the breeding garden except for Micky Mouse, it was obvious that Zhang Heng did not understand too much about the nature that he was living in.


    This was especially true in species identification¡ªa weakness that Zhang Heng and most city-living modern people possessed.


    There were many types of plants in the forest, but not knowing which ones or which parts were edible, and afraid of falling victim to food poisoning, Zhang Heng had only taken the potatoes and onions¡ªwhich were the only things that he recognized.


    It was pretty much the same with animals. All this while, he had thought that Mickey Mouse was ugly as sin; never once did it cross his mind that it was actually the extinct national bird of Mauritius.


    This explorer that he rescued could finally help him make up for this shortcoming of his.


    Seeing that there was not a lot of time left, Zhang Heng decided to bring Bell on a tour around the island.


    Bell taught him how to identify and obtain a variety of resources from the forest.


    Zhang Heng could not help but be surprised. For the past one year, he had been recklessly wasting natural resources¡ªhe had been sitting on a pile of treasure-trove and he was completely clueless as to how to use them.


    But the more Zhang Heng listened to his companion, the more uneasy he felt because it seemed that Bell was deeming practically everything that he laid eyes on to be ¡®edible once the head is removed¡¯.


    On the afternoon of the tenth day, both men returned to the house. Zhang Heng was very pleased with the yield of this short little trip. Even if there was nothing in the heart of the island, he had learnt a lot in the past ten days.


    Beyond that, Bell was also very good listener and conversational partner.


    After taking a day¡¯s rest, Zhang Heng planted the seed they had collected from the trip in the vegetable garden. As he was doing so, he suddenly received another message.


    [Successfully collected more than ten varieties of vegetables. Wilderness Survival Skills advance from level 1 to level 2. Game Points +5. You may refer to the character panel to view the information¡­]


    Until now, Zhang Heng still had no idea how the game points were used in the game. Including what he had accumulated previously, he now had a total of 16 points, which was displayed on his character panel.


    It seemed to him that this was a sort of reward system. Once certain criteria were met, points would be rewarded, just like previous 11 points which came from starting a fire, building a house and hunting.


    Anyway, Zhang Heng was not too caught up in these sorts of things. He had always been the kind of player who let things run its course as long as he completed a level; definitely not the hardcore-bigot kind who had to attain complete dominance of the game. This time, it was only because he had played this game on his own for too long, he had to attain those achievements even if he did not want to.


    In addition to that, he also noticed that some changes had been made to the evaluation portion on the panel.


    It read,


    [Evaluation: The player is unremarkable with no quality worth commending, but has some wilderness survival skills and archery skills. He is not expected to be able to last longer than the first five rounds.]


    Zhang Heng found this rather puzzling. He thought that his archery skills were pretty good, and he had enough knowledge to survive harsh environment¡ªhow could he not last longer than five rounds? What about the other players?


    The thought merely flashed through his mind. After that, Zhang Heng focused his attention on matters that needed to be done.


    After a night¡¯s rest, the pair had almost completely recovered from the fatigue of their little expedition, and the conditions of their physiques were at optimal level.


    Next, it was finally time for the main event.


    Zhang Heng slung the longbow and quiver over his shoulder. The night before their departure he had already prepared two persons¡¯ worth of rations and water. He and Bell each carried their own. If they were frugal, these provisions could very well last them for a week in the forest.


    With Bell the human hunting machine next to him, there was no need to worry about running out of supply anyway.


    When Zhang Heng handed the two spears he had prepared to his partner, Bell shook his head and then showed him the knife on his waist. ¡°This is enough for me.¡±


    Zhang Heng felt a twinge of envy. Seeing the knife brought back memories about that Swiss army knife that he had¡­ Ever since he was thrown to this island, he never saw that piece of ironware again. He thought about how he, when he was with Ed, had completed the feat of sawing a tree using a shell. The tip of the spear he was holding had to be carbonized and then sharpened.


    While it was a pretty effective weapon, it was still not nearly as good as the real deal.


    Moreover, the workmanship on the knife appeared to be exquisite. Bell¡¯s name was even carved on it.


    ¡°If you like it so much, I can give it to you once we¡¯re safe. You can also come to my house to visit. I¡¯ll introduce you to my wife and son.¡±


    Even though he knew that that day would never come, Zhang Heng thanked the explorer politely.


    Once they were ready, the pair began their journey into the virgin forest. On the first night alone, Zhang Heng realized how lucky he was to have Bell with him.


    Even though he had made ample preparations, he had clearly underestimated the dangers in the forest.


    One person could not be on constant alert for twenty-four hours, especially at night when the forest was not particularly quiet. There always seemed to bushes rustling in the dark.


    For the first half of the night, Zhang Heng was constantly on his toes, tightening his grip on the spear at every sound or movement. Eventually he realized that he could not go on like this. One sleepless night meant that his mind would suffer and his response slow.


    Eventually, Zhang Heng had to force himself to close his eyes.


    It took a while for him to ignore the suspicious sounds all around him and enter the half-asleep state. But it was then, he suddenly felt something rubbing against his midriff.


    This was also the time when Zhang Heng was most lethargic, so he did not bother to open his eyes until whatever it was tangled around his body and began to squeeze. It was when he suddenly felt suffocated that his eyes flew opened and he saw the thing stacked around his body.


    It was a python, about three meters long and a body that was thicker than Zhang Heng¡¯s forearm. Its belly was white and its back was covered in brown cloud-like spots.


    Zhang Heng attempted to free himself from its grasp but realized that he could raise his arm at all. The thing was tightening around him and it felt as if all the bones in his body were broken.


    Luckily, his struggling woke Bell from his sleep.


    ¡°Burmese rock python, a subspecies of the Indian python¡ªone of six of the largest snake species in the world. Commonly seen in tropical rain forests. They have great strength and few enemies, but they are not without weaknesses.¡± Bell reached to touch the giant serpent¡¯s tail and very lightly jabbed at a spot, and the Burmese rock python actually loosened its grip.


    When Zhang Heng finally freed himself, Bell explained, ¡°Anus¡ªthey are python¡¯s most vulnerable spot. Attacking this body part will allow you to have time to escape.¡± And then he plunged the knife into the snake¡¯s head.


    ¡°Not such bad luck at all. Our breakfast for tomorrow morning has fallen into our lap.¡±

 Chapter 17

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng woke up from his sleep and saw Bell roasting the python that nearly swallowed him the night before.


    ¡°Zhang, you¡¯re awake just in time for breakfast.¡± The explorer stirred the bonfire with a stick to adjust the flames, and then pointed at the thing next to him that was still dripping with blood. ¡°Snake skin. I just peeled it. After I wash it, we can use it to make a water bag of some sort, it¡¯ll be much more impervious than pails; or we could use it to make clothes. It can keep us cool¡ªvery useful in hot weather.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for last night.¡± Zhang Heng found a place to sit on the ground. The red marks around his arm were still visible.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. You saved me from the sea. If we want to survive in the wilderness, we have to help each other, right?¡± Bell said as he passed a roasted snake skewer to Zhang Heng.


    He was about to refuse when a thought struck him¡ªthis might be the only chance in his life that he got to eat a python without being thrown into jail. So, he accepted it.


    He took a curious bite and found that it tasted pretty good. It did not have a strong smell and tasted a bit like chicken, only chewier.


    When he thought about how this creature nearly took his life last night, Zhang Heng decided to have a second helping.


    ¡­


    After breakfast, the two set off again.


    Bell continued to play the role of a capable guide, clearing the path in the front with his knife and explaining the various organisms they encounter to Zhang Heng along the way.


    ¡°The python we ran into last night is not the only predator in this forest. When pythons eat, they normally swallow their prey head-first. Because of their poor eyesight, they sometimes eat prey that are too big for their stomachs to handle and their belly would explode. But snakes have very good digestion. They could digest bones and flesh all together without a problem. The animal bones we saw back there, some of them are still in perfect condition. It didn¡¯t look like they were the python¡¯s victims.¡±


    Zhang Heng quietly noted down this trivia. Many things seemed to be of little use but you never know when the time would come that you would actually come to use it.


    For example, Ed and the guy in shorts never taught him how to salt out of seawater; it was something he had seen from a video on some bullet screen website. Using heat, crystallization and repeated filtration process, you could obtain relatively pure food-grade salt and make food much more appetizing.


    Speaking of which, when Zhang Heng was in primary school, he had visited Xishuangbanna with his grandfather. The forest park there left a deep impression on him.


    But that place was developed by man, and only a small portion of it was opened to the public for safety reasons. This was the first time Zhang Heng had been in an all-natural forest like this. Like Bell said, the colony in this place was rich and it really opened Zhang Heng¡¯s eyes.


    For instance, along the way, he spotted a little amphibian with a semi-transparent belly that gave Zhang Heng a view into its heart, liver and digestive system. What was more incredible was that the frog¡¯s body was only about 1-2milliliter.


    ¡°Glass frogs generally reside in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. To date, 134 types of glass frogs have been identified. Among which, sixty of them are on the verge of extinction,¡± said the explorer as he carefully placed the tiny creature back onto the leaf.


    ¡°What about this?¡± Zhang Heng pointed at a bump growing on a Banyan tree like a tumor. There was a new shoot growing out of it.


    ¡°Oh, staghorn fern. A type of epiphyte. They are tender green when they are young, and turn light brown when they mature. They mostly live on the trunks and branches of other trees. It¡¯s commonly found in tropical rain forests.¡±


    Other than that, Zhang Heng also saw: a colugo. This thing was neither cat nor monkey with wings like a bat¡¯s that enclosed its neck, limbs, and tail. Spreading them allowed the mammal to glide in the air. It looked rather playful; a Bagheera kiplingi, a species of jumping spider and the only species of spiders with a herbivorous diet¡ªthey eat nubs at the tip of leaves. The name was too difficult to pronounce. Zhang Heng had Bell repeat it three times and was still doubtful; bird-of-paradise whose cries sounded like gunshots. When Zhang Heng first heard it, he nearly jumped out of his skin. But the bird was very beautiful, especially its feathers that changes colors¡­


    Even Bell could not help but exclaim, ¡°This place is a biological paradise! This is the first time I¡¯ve seen so many tropical plants and animals from different regions gathered in one place! This is unbelievable! Biologists would love this piece of land.¡±


    Just then, Zhang Heng felt something underneath his feet. He bent down to pick it up and saw that it was the tooth of some animal with a circular hole at the bottom.


    ¡°This thing looks man-made. Naturally formed holes are generally not that regular.¡± Bell took the tooth from his companion and examined it. ¡°I know that some aboriginals would wear the teeth of the animals they hunted around their neck to show off their strength. The more powerful their game is, the more powerful they are deemed to be. That way, when it comes to choosing their partners, it would be easier for them to pick their desired mate. I have a friend, who went hunting a lion alone so that he could marry the most beautiful girl in their tribe. He never came back. ¡±


    There was indeed a reason for the smaller population of foreigners. Zhang Heng made no comment about this. Instead, he asked a question that he was more concerned about, ¡°Are there aboriginals living on this island? Could they be cannibals?¡±


    Bell shook his head. ¡°The chances are small. The island is not very big. You said that you¡¯ve been living on this island for more than a year now. If there were other people on this island, there¡¯s no reason that you haven¡¯t met them yet¡­ Also, this thing looks like it¡¯s quite old.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that there were aboriginals living here?¡± Zhang Heng could feel sweat dripping down his back. If those aboriginals were still alive, they could have captured him and Ed to make soup on the first day they arrive on the island.


    ¡®Mm, let¡¯s keep going further.¡± Bell was also interested to find out. The possibility of a lost civilization appealed to the explorer in him. He nearly forgot that they had come to search for a way to leave the island.


    The two continued towards the heart of the island.


    As of now, they were already nearly halfway into their journey, and the deeper they went, the more evidence of human civilization they found.


    Bell took a look at the completely eroded little huts, and the moss-covered stone wares and tools, and could tell that a long time ago, an aboriginal tribe had once lived here in the forest of this island.


    What happened to them? Why have they all disappeared? The explorer was getting more intrigued by the minute.

 Chapter 18

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng was not surprised mainly because he was aware that this was just a game and he would not have been surprised if they had found Winnie the Pooh in the forest.


    But, at the moment, Zhang Heng could not deny that everything around him right now was so realistic. If it had not been for his extra twenty-four hours causing a major complication and lengthening the span of the game, he would not have detected any bug at all.


    Other than the huts and stone tools, the pair also found a small, almost 1-hectare lake nearby. Bell tasted the water and said, ¡°It¡¯s drinkable. This is a freshwater lake. No wonder they built their village nearby.¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s eye, however, was drawn to something half-buried in the mud by the lake.


    ¡°This tribe¡­ Did they already possess the skills to smelt metal?¡±


    Zhang Heng pulled out the item and found that it was a piece of very rusty ironware. It appeared to have been attached to a piece of wood but the handle was beyond recognition.


    Upon inspection, Zhang Heng found himself clueless as to what that item was.


    Bell was not all-knowing: he did not know what the thing was used for either. So, he could only analyze. ¡°From the look of the craftmanship, they are most probably still in the stone age era. This piece of metal may not have belonged to them.¡±


    It was getting late so they did not continue further but found a place nearby and started a fire for cooking.


    The closer they were to their destination, Zhang Feng found himself in a tangle of emotions.


    For the past one year, he had relied on the objective of exploring the center of the island to keep himself working hard on improving his archery skills, and exercising to keep in shape until it became essentially almost like second nature to him. But to say that he was concerned about what was in there was not entirely true either.


    In light of this, Zhang Heng often envied Ed, Bell and the guy in shorts. They could comfort themselves that perhaps tomorrow a ship would dock at the island, or perhaps there was something on the island that could bring them home. On the contrary, player Zhang Heng knew very well that unless the time was up, he was not going anywhere.


    When he thought about how they were going to solve the mystery tomorrow, he was both emotional and excited¡ªhe had been thinking about this day for the past one year, after all¡ªbut most of all, he was at a loss.


    Once this was over, what was he going to rely on to survive?


    Thank goodness four-fifths of the time had already passed, leaving only another hundred over days to go. Even if he did not have a goal to work towards, he should be able to bite the bullet and pull through.


    On the third morning of the expedition, Zhang Heng rose early but when he opened his eyes, he saw that Bell was already up.


    ¡°Morning, Zhang,¡± the explorer greeted him excitedly. ¡°I just took a walk around the lake again. Guess what I found?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ new breakfast?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually true. I caught a catfish so that we can have a change of flavors. But other than that, I also found something else.¡± Bell placed two rusty little balls on Zhang Heng¡¯s palm.


    ¡°What is this? Marbles?¡±


    ¡°This is a bullet.¡±


    ¡°How are solid bullets fired?¡± Zhang Heng asked. He was not a fan of weapons but he had some basic knowledge about them. Modern weapons relied on the ignition of gunpower in the bullets to be fired. Without gunpowder, the bullet could not penetrate anything.


    ¡°Remember that thing you found by the lake? I know what it is.¡± The explorer was beaming in excitement. ¡°It¡¯s a matchlock¡ªwidely used in the fifteenth, sixteenth century Europe. The gunpower and cartridge for this type of weapon are filled separately, and then the match cord is lit up¡­ At that time, the slave trade was booming, and the aboriginals here must have been attacked and captured by the slave traders and then sold off to farmers.¡±


    The speculation seemed reasonable and in accordance with what they had seen. Zhang Heng decided to accept this friend¡¯s statement as the truth. However, later on that day, when they finally arrived at the heart of the island, they came across a structure that resembled an altar with a mountain of bones stacked up on top of it.


    Zhang Heng turned to his companion. ¡°Were your fifteenth, sixteenth century European slave traders this ruthless?¡±


    ¡°¡­ This is not the work of the slave traders. This was a dark and bloody period. As far as I know, slave traders do, in fact, kill those who try to resist captive in order to scare the others. Sometimes, they would also kill the ones who were too old or too young, those too inconvenient to transport.¡± Bell walked up to the altar and picked up a skull. ¡°But this¡­ this is not their practice.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not the slave traders who killed aboriginals of the island, then who did? Could they have done it themselves?¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s question stumped the both of them.


    The architectural style of the altar was very similar to the ruins they had stumbled on by the lake.


    ¡°Alright, say the slave traders arrived on the island, and these aboriginals saw that they could were no match for the enemy so they came to the altar and ended their own lives¡­ It¡¯s a little far-fetched.¡±


    Bell walked to the center of the mound of bones, bent down and wiped away the dust on the stone floor. ¡°This is something else. It¡¯s a totem depicting a half-human, half-snake creature. It looks like it could be the gods that these aboriginals worshipped.¡±


    Zhang Heng was a little disappointed. Although he did not care too much for whatever was in the heart of the island, finding the indigenous ruins that had no use to him caused him to feel dispirited.


    He had prepared for this for one an entire year, and it was a dangerous journey coming here. He was even nearly swallowed by a python. In the end, all they found was just a bunch of bones and some altar.


    But seeing how excited Bell was by all that, Zhang Heng kept this opinion to himself.


    The pair had plenty of food and water. There was still more than half of the food they had brought with them, and then on the way Bell killed quite a number of ¡®games¡¯, which might have looked like things that most people would be reluctant to put in their mouths, were actually surprisingly okay.


    Zhang Heng was contemplating whether or not to cut directly through the forest to the other end of the island then travel along the coastline to return to their dwelling when a dark shadow suddenly emerged from behind the altar and sprung for the explorer.


    Zhang Heng jumped. He did not need Bell¡¯s scientific explanations to recognize what that thing was¡ªjaguar, the king of the rainforest, with a likeness to a tiger, armed with sharp teeth and claws that could tear into a caiman. It was that large predator at the top of the food chain.


    Bell¡¯s reflex was very quick. The explorer rolled across the floor and evaded the beast¡¯s lightning attack, then drew the knife at his waist.


    Zhang Heng quickly drew his bow and arrow, but another jaguar appeared.


    This time, Bell¡¯s face fell.


    What?! Zhang Heng felt a wave of nausea come over him. By right, the explorer¡¯s death was still four days away. Why had these cats showed up so early? Did they get the wrong script?


    But there was no time for him to think about these things right now. Bell was in grave danger. No matter how good he was there was no way he could fight off two jaguars alone. Zhang Heng raised his bow and shot at the second jaguar.


    The cat dodged the arrow swiftly. Zhang Heng had already expected that. They were both now about 27 or 28 meters away from each other. If he had shot at Mickey Mouse from this distance, his accuracy rate was about 50¡ª60%. But the jaguar was much nimbler and lither than the Dodo bird.

 Chapter 19

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng¡¯s missed shot caught the attention of the jaguar. The latter quickly turned its attention to him.


    Bell was still wrestling the other jaguar, which meant that Zhang Heng would have to face this king of the rainforest on his own. If he had this encounter when he first came to the island, he would have been dead meat.


    He probably would not even be able to fight a goose, much less a jaguar.


    But was not his entire year of archery practice for this moment?


    Quickly, Zhang Heng drew another arrow, and placed it on the bowstring. He was not in a hurry to shoot because he and the beast were still quite far from each other.


    At this distance, he did not have the full confidence to be able to hit the target. So, he had to rein in the fear he was experiencing and wait for the jaguar to attack first.


    This might sound simple but actually doing it was not easy.


    Because for a long-range profession, the further the range, the safer it would be. Every shooter should know the kiting [1] technique.


    All the same, reality is cruel. Zhang Heng knew for a fact that in terms of agility and speed, his own two legs could never outrun the creature with four. He could kite but what if the jaguar chooses to join its partner and attack the explorer instead?


    Then when the two jaguars had him surrounded, Zhang Heng would never be able to leave this forest.


    So, both man and cat came into a confrontational stance. Zhang Heng maintained his aim and an upright position as his instructor had taught him, regulating his breathing.


    Opposite him, the jaguar¡¯s patience finally ran out, so it arced its body and prepared to pounce.


    Panic rose inside of Zhang Heng. This was a completely different situation from hunting a Dodo bird. Even if he missed his target, the consequence would just be not being able to eat meat. But if his arrow misses, with the jaguar¡¯s fleet-foot, he would not even have another chance to reload his bow.


    The one who would be eaten was him.


    Zhang Heng quickly chased all this jumble of thoughts away, and anchored his emotions. In that split second, the jaguar made a move. It was much faster than Zhang Heng had imagined it to be. Kicking the ground with its hindlegs provided the creature with a frighteningly explosive force.


    The distance between them was rapidly shrinking. At less than seven meters, finally came the sound of bowstrings being released.


    You could say that this shot was Zhang Heng¡¯s most satisfactory shot so far. After an extended period of preparing and gauging, his mind went into a sort of Zen state, where the world before him seemed to be moving in slow-motion and he could see the motion of the jaguar¡¯s whiskers.


    Be it strength, angle or calculation¡ªeverything was perfect.


    As soon as the arrow left his hand, Zhang Heng knew that it would hit the target.


    And he was right.


    At such a close distance, and running at a full sprint, the jaguar was unable to elude and could only watch as the incoming wood arrow hit its head.


    But what happened next was completely out of Zhang Heng¡¯s expectation. He did not know if it was because the carbonized arrowhead was not lethal enough because he had terrible luck, the arrow hit the cat¡¯s skull but did not go any deeper.


    The jaguar let out a shrill cry of pain but the injury to its head was not enough to kill. Instead, it provoked the beast which then proceeded to charge towards Zhang Heng, knocking him to the ground.


    Zhang Heng pushed the bow up against the jaguar¡¯s neck to keep it from ripping his throat out but the jaguar was pinning the lower half of his body to the ground and was clawing madly at his shoulder, boring bloody holes into it.


    But the harrowing pain provided Zhang Heng with a surge of strength that he had never experienced before.


    With death just around the corner, he momentarily forgot his fears. He knew that no one could save him at this time. If he wanted to live, he would have to rely on himself.


    Keeping one hand on the bow, Zhang Heng allowed his free hand to flail about the ground. Sensing the pressure against its neck weakening, the look in the jaguar¡¯s turned savage. The beast stretched out its neck to reach Zhang Heng¡¯s neck, the saliva from its razor-sharp teeth dripping down onto his victim¡¯s face. The stench nearly knocked Zhang Heng unconscious.


    He was now in much more danger than before.


    But at that very moment, Zhang Heng¡¯s free hand managed to reach the spear he had dropped on the ground.


    The putrid, hungry mouth was about to tear down on his neck when he plunged the spear into the jaguar¡¯s neck. The creature¡¯s eyes went blank. But Zhang Heng did not let go; instead he pushed harder, twisting the weapon deeper into the cat¡¯s neck.


    He had tossed his wooden bow aside, and reached for the arrow that was lodged in the jaguar and thrust both hands with all his might.


    All that whirlwind adrenaline had him forget about the pain all over his body. This was battle of life and death. There was no such thing as mercy here. Zhang Heng did everything he could to inflict damage on the wild beast before him until a voice announced in his ear:


    [Successfully exterminated an adult jaguar single-handedly. Game Points +10. You may view your character panel for further information¡­]


    Only then, could Zhang Heng confirm that he was the winner of this bloodbath.


    Pushing the breathless piece of dead meat off of himself, Zhang Heng saw that Bell¡¯s fight with the other jaguar was also drawing to an end.


    The explorer had punctured the jaguar¡¯s lower abdomen with his knife, and the creature was losing a lot of blood. Its movement was also more labored and leaden. It looked like it was going to follow after its partner¡¯s footsteps.


    ¡°Heh, you alright, Zhang?¡± Bell asked, concerned. He had seen that Zhang Heng was in danger but had been unable to help.


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve always wanted to own a piece of tiger-skin skirt, but I guess jaguar skin works too,¡± Zhang Heng huffed, and then dropped to the ground with his arms and legs spread out. Having verified that he was absolutely safe, all the energy in his body suddenly drained away. He did not even want to lift a single finger.


    When he thought about how insane everything that had just happened was, his beating heart could not seem to calm down.


    He had never thought that one day he would have to fight such a large beast up close and personal. According to the time count back in reality, just an hour ago, he had just been drinking lemon water at the bar.


    But now, he was a man who had just killed a jaguar.


    It was pretty cool if you think about it. But it was still better if something like this never happens again.


    ¡°The stone on the altar broke during the struggle, and I found this.¡± The explorer walked up to his companion once he had taken care of his opponent.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Zhang Heng looked at the furry thing in Bell¡¯s hand. It looked like some sort of tail. The strange thing was if the aboriginals did hide this thing under the stone, it would not be in such a good condition after such a long time.


    He was about to tell Bell to keep then changed his mind the last minute and asked the explorer, ¡°Can I have it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you saved me. Twice now.¡± Bell was just a generous guy.


    ¡°Thank you. This thing might just be useful for me.¡±


    Zhang Heng changed his mind because when he picked up the furry thing, a voice notified him,


    [Found game item¡ªRabbit¡¯s foot (unidentified)]

 Chapter 20

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng had been on the island for more than a year now, but this was the first game item he had come across.


    But other than the voice in his voice, there was nothing else.


    He did not know what this thing was used for, or what it does. It seemed as if the voice did not intend to inform him either. After it had notified him about the item, it just disappeared.


    Zhang Heng surveyed the rabbit¡¯s foot but found nothing special about it. He would just have to keep it in his waist pouch for the moment.


    After Bell looked at the wound on Zhang Heng¡¯s shoulder, he decided not to take any risk and sterilized the wound with saline. ¡°The wound is too deep. The claws of beasts that live in the wild like this are normally full of germs. There¡¯s a chance it could be infected.¡±


    Zhang Heng understood the horrible consequence of infection. In the city, this would have just been a matter of an antibiotic injection. But on this barren island, the chances of surviving an infection was next to none. It was because of the injury on his leg that Ed contracted high fever and passed away. Even though his death was premeditated by the game; that would mean the game designers could be trying to inform the players of such dangers.


    But there are some things, that even if made known in advance, could never be helped.


    What should he do in that situation?


    Being able to fight back and kill his attacker had already exceeded his limit. It was impossible to think that he could have come out unscathed.


    The explorer comforted, ¡°It may not be infected, for sure. Maybe nothing would happen.¡±


    Zhang Heng smiled bitterly. He could only hope for that right now.


    After they had rested for a day, since they had already made it here to the center of the island, Zhang Heng suggested that they go straight to the other side of the island. Ed did not express any opinion against the idea, of course.


    So, they spent another two days or so to pass through the forest.


    When they were finally greeted by the sight of the beach and the ocean, Zhang Heng was rewarded for his achievement ¡®toured island¡¯ and had another 3 points added to his game points.


    But this was none of his concern right now.


    There were two things that were giving him a headache right now, was the possibility of being infected and that time for Bell¡¯s death was approaching.


    The first matter was purely dependent on luck¡ªthere was nothing he could do; the second matter was having stayed together for such a long time, and that Bell saved him from the becoming python food, Zhang Heng regarded him as a friend. In the end, he decided to give his friends a heads up.


    Of course, he would not mention that they were in a game and that Bell was a non-player character (NPC) with a buff that set him up to die after nineteen days. The discussion of whether this would yield some unpredictable reaction aside, Bell would have found this explanation difficult to believe. Chances are, he would conclude that because Zhang Heng had been alone on the island for too long, his mind was in a state of confusion.


    Which was why Zhang Heng only told Bell to be extra careful tomorrow.


    The explorer did seem to mind it too much. After all, the both of them did just massacre a jaguar each. Now that they had left the forest, they had moved past the most dangerous portion of the journey. Whatever happened next could not possibly be as severe as this.


    Zhang Heng thought that it made sense, but after what happened with the guy in shorts and the poisoned mushroom, Zhang Heng knew that anything could happen tomorrow. He persuaded Bell not to hunt the next morning and kept his eye the explorer for the entire span of twenty-four hours.


    Zhang Heng also wanted to see to what extent this death could be done and if it could be changed.


    ¡­


    Nothing happened in the morning.


    Zhang Heng trailed behind the explorer the entire day like an idiot, giving his friend the chills. In the afternoon, Bell suggested that they go outside the forest to pick some wild vegetables and mushrooms to make a seafood soup but was sternly refused by Zhang Heng.


    What kind of joke is it? Were they seriously using the same trick again?


    Zhang Heng was thoroughly traumatized by mushrooms. Besides, even if he really wanted to eat them, today was not going to be the day.


    Unable to do anything, Bell had wanted to go for a walk by the beach but seeing how resolute Zhang Heng was, he decided not to ask for fear that it would only give trouble to his friend.


    In the end, they settled on walking toward the direction they lived in quietly.


    Throughout the entire journey, neither one of them spoke. Bell was not a man with a temper but he did feel that Zhang Heng was making a big deal out of nothing.


    Then as they were passing by a shallow beach, the cliff on his right suddenly came crashing down without warning. Caught off guard, Bell watched in horror as the falling rocks were coming down at his head. But right at that very moment, someone pounced on him and they rolled away together sideways.


    The crumbled rocks smashed against the coral reef next to them, giving the explorer the shock of his life.


    After that, he saw blood in the sea and a motionless Zhang Heng lying face down. ¡°Zhang, are you alright?¡±


    Zhang Heng replied only after a while, ¡°¡­ I¡¯m fine, Bell. I just jumped at you too forcefully¡ªmy nose is bleeding from the impact.¡± Zhang Heng sat up, hands cradling his nose.


    The situation was fraught with danger but it was no match for the vigilant Zhang Heng. When he heard the rumbling noise above him, his first instinct was to throw himself at Bell, and managed to get his friend out of harm¡¯s way.


    Upon remembering the warning yesterday, the explorer exclaimed, ¡°My god. Are you an oracle? You could foresee the future! This is incredible!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate so soon. It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Zhang Heng reminded him.


    The truth was, he did not know when this was going to end¡ªwhen today was over? Or until Bell dies? If it was the latter then no gods nor ghosts could save the explorer.


    Zhang Heng could not guarantee for sure that he would be as keen-eyed as he was today for the next hundred days.


    But fortunately, this incident earned him some credibility, and Bell was now taking his ¡®prophecy¡¯ much more seriously.


    To be safe, neither one of them slept a wink the entire night. When the sun peeked out from the horizon, Zhang Heng was lost for words. He did not think he would be able to help the explorer live past twenty days.


    Bell yawned. ¡°So? Am I safe?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°But you can move about freely.¡±


    Having passed the most dangerous nineteenth day, who knows what would happen in the future. But like the wound on Zhang Heng¡¯s shoulder, he would only know only after the infection set in.


    However, whether it was Bell or Zhang Heng, their luck seemed to be pretty good. Neither one of them encountered any life-threatening danger, and a scab had already begun to form on Zhang Heng¡¯s wound. There had been no swelling or puss.


    A week later, the pair finally arrived at the hut. Seeing Mickey Mouse sunbathing in the garden brought a feeling of familiarity to Zhang Heng. He even thought that the bird did not look as ugly as before.


    This little trip, although short, was filled with danger. Fortunately, the payoff was also good.


    Not only did Zhang Heng earn another 13 points, he also took home a prop that he did not know how to use; most importantly, though, was that Bell was alive and breathing.


    This meant that for the rest of the 100 days, Zhang Heng was finally not alone on this island.


    While he was clearing out a house to be turned into the explorer¡¯s room, Zhang Heng asked, ¡°Bell, can you be my teacher?¡±


    ¡°Sure, what would you like to learn?¡±


    ¡°English. I have a grade six exam in December.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 21

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Bell¡¯s English was excellent, probably because he was English.


    ¡­


    The first thing they di upon their return from their expedition to the center of the island was to plant the seeds they collected in the vegetable garden. Zhang Heng went back and forth, eventually deciding on giving up on the idea of making a skirt. It was mostly because he still would not be able to cosplay as Monkey King without the staff.


    In the end, Bell conjoined the two pieces of jaguar pelt into carpets. Not long after, the breeding garden was full of animals the explorer brought back from his hunts.


    Mickey Mouse seemed slightly taken aback by the sudden increase of neighbors. Zhang Heng even found the dodo bird¡¯s wife allowing the two people on the island to enjoy some eggs at last.


    Finally, Zhang Heng had this feeling that he had conquered nature. He had eaten more than 20 varieties of vegetables, added two more seasonings to his pantry, owned a pond full of seafood, which he could take from whenever he liked and ate meat every day. Most importantly, he eventually found someone he could talk with.


    That feeling was just like when Robinson met Friday.


    Well¡­ alright. From the student-teacher perspective, probably more like Friday.


    For 4 hours every day, Zhang Heng would be learning English from Bell, which included listening, speaking, reading, and writing. On top of that, he continued his archery practices, although he¡¯d already achieved his goal. Over the course of the year, it had now become a habit. The only thing was, that he no longer spent as much time on it as he used to. As an added bonus, Bell taught him some defensive moves.


    His time on the island was coming to an end. On the 520th morning, a rescue vessel passing by spotted the signal fire by the beach and sent a lifeboat to the island. Before the boat could even reach the shore, a woman jumped off the vessel and came running towards the men in tears.


    ¡°My wife, Kaya!¡± The explorer dropped the homemade fishing rod in his hand and stood up abruptly.


    The relieved couple embraced each other.


    Bell then removed the blade he stowed across his waist and placed it in Zhang Heng¡¯s hand.


    ¡°As per our agreement previously, this belongs to you now. I¡¯ve been to many dangerous places all over the world¡­ the polar regions, deserts, highlands¡­ but this was the first time I¡¯ve been marooned on a desert island. It has been an incredibly unforgettable and valuable experience. You are my forever friend. Of all our days here, it¡¯s not just you who was the one learning. I¡¯ve also learned a lot from you ¨C I learned for the first time that there¡¯s such a thing as grammar in the English language.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, my friend. We should go home.¡±


    Zhang Heng followed the Butre couple onto the lifeboat, surprised to see that there were reporters from several TV stations on board. Everyone roared into claps and applause the moment they caught a glimpse of the explorer who had returned safely.


    On the ship, Zhang Heng took a long, hot bath and changed into clothes the sailors had provided. Finally, that feeling of returning to a civilized society dawned upon him. Instead of joining the celebration, however, Zhang Heng found himself a secluded and quiet corner on the ship that no one would take notice of. He was almost two hours away from leaving this virtual world.


    It felt like the longest two hours of his life.


    Zhang Heng was wondering what the return process was going to be like when suddenly, darkness enveloped everything around him, and a familiar voice spoke in his ear.


    [Arrived at the return deadline. Task completion confirmed¡­]


    [Beginner¡¯s edition of Desert Island Survival successfully completed. The first round of the game is over. Returning to reality¡­]


    ¡­


    When Zhang Heng¡¯s vision had been restored, he found himself sitting by the bar holding the cup of water and lime he¡¯d taken a sip from.


    The first thing he did was to reach out and touch his face. That thick stubbled and coarse skin weathered by the wind, and the sun was gone.


    The bartender lady, obviously considerate, took out a compact mirror from her purse and passed it to him.


    With the help of the little mirror, Zhang Heng was able to confirm that he looked no different from when he first walked into the bar. He was still dressed in his sports attire and running shoes. His swiss army knife was still safely tucked away in his pocket.


    ¡°So, what was that? A strange dream?¡±


    ¡°No, you did disappear for two hours¡­ not just from this building or this bar ¨C you could not be found in every corner of this world.¡± The bartender took back her compact. ¡°Now, you must have a lot of questions, but unfortunately, I cannot answer most of them. You will have to find that out for yourself in the game.¡±


    Zhang Heng listened, speechless.


    ¡°What I can tell you is that this game takes place once every month. You can pick whatever time you like to come to the checkpoint and join the game. It won¡¯t always be the Sex and the City bar, though. There is more than one checkpoint in every city. If you can¡¯t find them, you can always give customer service a call and use the special login service after paying a sum. Failure to log in on time will result in your disqualification. Also, game participants, by default, must accept a strict non-disclosure agreement. You¡¯re forbidden to disclose anything related to anyone other than the players and staff. Mm, I think that about sums up the basic restrictions. Don¡¯t hold on to your fluke mind.¡±


    The bartender rubbed her chin. ¡°What else is there. Let me think¡­ oh, other than log-ins, the game venues also provide other services. You can consult customer service for more details.¡±


    Peeled off a sticky note and scribbling down some numbers, she continued, ¡°This is the number. Don¡¯t call for nothing because I am your customer service.¡±


    ¡°You have an awful lot of jobs.¡± Zhang Heng noted in surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a choice. Houses in big cities are so expensive.¡± The bartender sighed. ¡°Alright. Is there anything else?¡±


    Zhang Heng searched his pocket and took out a furry item. ¡°Tell me. The services you mentioned. Do they also include item identification?¡±


    Everything from the game, not excluding even the beard and the scar on his shoulder, the collection of stoneware he made, and the knife that Bell gifted him, did not make it back with him to reality.


    Everything had just been sitting quietly in his pocket


    ¡°Game item?¡± The bartender gasped. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve got yourself quite the bounty this time. These kinds of things are very uncommon. Most people can¡¯t even find one after several rounds of the game. I do provide an identification service here, but it¡¯s going to cost you five game-points. Do you have it?¡±


    ¡°How do I pay?¡±


    The bartender took out a tablet and after a few taps, brought up a payment interface. ¡°Just enter your player ID number. No need to worry about other people using your number, though ¨C you have to be present for the payment to be effective.¡±


    Probably because he had seen too much since he set foot in the bar, Zhang Heng had already turned a little numb.


    He had already memorized the set of numbers and quickly regurgitated them. After keying them in, the bartender slid on a pair of gloves before placing the rabbit¡¯s foot into a small wooden box.


    ¡°This will take some time, about two to three days. I¡¯ll text you when it¡¯s done.¡±


    Drawn to her movements, Zhang Heng had a sudden ominous feeling. ¡°Wait. Now, why are you bring so careful?¡±

 Chapter 22

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Fine. Considering you¡¯ve just made a transaction with me, I¡¯ll reveal something useful to you.¡± The bartender took off her gloves. ¡°Do you know why game items are so valuable?¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ I think you¡¯ve mentioned that there are very few of them.¡±


    ¡°Rarity does not equate to value. The term ¡®game item¡¯ is used to correspond with the theme, and it¡¯s not accurate at all. In reality, this is a very magical item. It contains inconceivable supernatural forces. They work in both games and reality. If you use it well, it will be beneficial to you. But sometimes, it could create problems for you. No one can guarantee that this force will bring positive effects, so you have to be extra careful when handling game items. Just because it has not been identified yet does not mean that the results are not present. Speaking of which, did anything strange happen to you after you picked it up?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Zhang Heng thought back to the time after the rabbit¡¯s foot was given to him. His life went on without incident.


    ¡°Then, this is probably not the type with negative effects, or perhaps it could be triggered under specific conditions.¡± For some reason, the bartender¡¯s tone was laced with pity. ¡°When these negative effect game items are used well, they can do wonders. A wooden box made of tulewood can isolate its supernatural powers ¨C the best option to store the items. If there¡¯s a need, you can always buy them from me. Oh, and also, if you have any game items that you do not need, you can choose to leave it here so I can help you sell it. There¡¯s always a large-scale auction at the end of every year. Keep an eye on your mailbox. An e-mail will be sent to you before the event. If there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll meet again next time.¡±


    ¡­


    The bartender¡¯s service was terrible. That initial excitement after earning his five game-points had dwindled and suddenly lost all interest to explain anything else to her.


    Zhang Heng asked her what services were available at the game site, and she said that she would send him a pdf to him through WeChat.


    Upon exiting the metal room, Zhang Heng was bombarded with loud thumping music, which he no longer thought was raucous. After spending a year and a half on that island, hearing the symphonies of a civilized society made him feel a little warm and fuzzy inside.


    Zhang Heng descended the iron ladder and quickly disappeared amongst the crowd of people.


    Although it was already one in the morning, the number of cars parked outside the bar seemed to have increased.


    Zhang Heng did not return to school because one, it was quite late already, and two, too much information had been dumped on him for the past two hours. He needed to go someplace quiet to sort through and digest them. Besides that, there was something else he needed to verify.


    So, Zhang Heng checked into a room in the express hotel by the road and asked the receptionist for a pen and some paper. Tired as he was, he did not feel like sleeping right now. He turned on the table lamp and promptly listed down every important detail that had happened today and his theories.


    When dawn broke, he reread the stack of lists he had written and rewritten, tore them up, and flushed them down the toilet.


    After that, he checked out of the room before heading straight to the archery range across the road, the very place he¡¯d been coming to train.


    As soon as it opened at 8 am, Zhang Heng went in, took out the SF recurve bow he deposited there, and selected a 30-meter archery range.


    He drew his bow and released an arrow.


    6th Ring.


    Zhang Heng was not at all surprised. He had been using a primitive homemade bow and was not used to this modern bow yet. The first shot was just a test. Of course, it was not the least bit startling that the results weren¡¯t satisfactory. Adjusting his angle, he released the bowstring once more.


    The second one was much better.


    8th Ring.


    That very moment, Zhang Heng¡¯s coach walked in. He was just about to greet his student but decided not to bother him when he saw how absorbed Zhang Heng was. He stood silently at the back with his thermos cup, ready to correct Zhang Heng¡¯s posture and movement.


    Then the next arrow pierced the ninth ring.


    Not bad. That was a good shot; the instructor thought to himself. Most of the time, when newcomers first started, they would have kinds of problems ranging from not holding the bow firmly enough to the wrong posture, thus deviating from their center of gravity.


    Zhang Heng had only just begun to pick up the sport, but his posture was spot-on as if he had done it many times before. It was solid as a mountain.


    If that was not talent, then what was that?


    Zhang Heng¡¯s coach was a former member of the city¡¯s archery team. Alas, his talent was limited. No matter how hard he trained, he could not seem to improve. Soon after, he was defeated by an amateur who had only trained for less than half a year. Disappointed in himself, he left the professional circle and was invited by the archery range¡¯s owner to coach there.


    Seeing how well the sport had been doing these two years, he could not help but feel a stirring inside him. But he was too old for this ¨C he had no more potential left to discover. Even if he returned to the game, he would end up nowhere.


    Thus, he decided to focus his attention on the young people training in the range. He wanted to see if he could develop a keen eye for scouting able players and take talented apprentices under his wing.


    Who would know that perhaps one day, one might be able to compete at the national level and fulfill his dream on his behalf?


    With that thought, he began to keep an eye out for potential candidates. Initially, he focused mainly on eight to fourteen-year-olds, the best age for laying a foundation. Any older and it would be too late, which was why he never paid too much attention to Zhang Heng.


    In the three previous sessions, this young man did not show any special skills and was no different from amateur hobbyists who played just for sport.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s progress gave him quite a shock.


    He had not even started training but yet, he was surprisingly good. He had risen so quickly above his peers from the same batch.


    At the same time, however, the instructor felt sorry for Zhang Heng. The boy had gotten in touch with the sport too late in the game. Even if he had the talent, without sufficient practice, it would be extremely challenging for him to go any further.


    While these thoughts were running through the instructor¡¯s mind, Zhang Heng drew in a deep breath. When he was done with the adjustment, he released five arrows in succession.


    Each shot was less than 2 seconds apart.


    Out of the five arrows, the 4th hit the 10th ring, and a slightly faulty one landed on the 9th ring.


    Zhang Heng knew that this had to do with his coordination. He was used to that body back on the desert island. A year and a half ago, his strength and response had already deviated by a little. However, from these few shots, he had already found out what he needed to know.


    The skills he had gained while training retained in his muscle memory. Now, he just needed two weeks of practice to return to his level back on the island.


    In fact, with a more powerful and more accurate modern bow, his shots would have much higher accuracy and a greater range.


    It appeared that the skills acquired in the game could be brought back to reality.


    This was actually not too surprising since those skills did not fall from the sky ¨C he had actually trained hard for them.


    Zhang Heng also noticed that unlike traditional games, this game did not utilize the four attributes system. The body he ¡®used¡¯ in the game was his own. When he was in trouble, he had to use his knowledge and abilities to solve them. Therefore, the skills each person developed were essential. Thinking about it now, those extra 24 hours did not seem so bad after all.


    This meant that he would have more game-time compared to the other players, and could better improve himself. The critical thing here was that these in-game improvements were just as applicable in reality.


    Zhang Heng groaned, utterly unaware of how much his five shots had affected his instructor.


    The latter nearly dropped his mug.


    A hardworking amateur hobbyist could hit 49 points with five arrows. However, considering how recent Zhang Heng had started learning, which were only three sessions and that quick succession of shots ¨C only a precious handful of hobbyists would be able to do that.


    He was a prodigy! A prodigy for sure! What other explanations could there be? The coach was now seeing Zhang Heng in a completely different light. He looked at Zhang Heng as if he was looking at an inimitable jade. The longer he looked, the more he liked what he saw.


    How could I not have noticed such a brilliant treasure?

 Chapter 23

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Within half a minute, the coach envisioned how, under his guidance, Zhang would Heng advance by leaps and bounds. He would shock the judges in his first competition and then return defeated from the nationals, but just as he was about to give up, he would rise from the ashes under his coach¡¯s counsel. He would finally join the national team and win the Olympic gold medal. The instructor even thought about the interviews that would take place after that.


    In the end, before this youngblood¡¯s story could even begin, it died a premature death at the young man¡¯s tactful decline.


    Archery was just a hobby for Zhang Heng. He had no plans to make a living out of it.


    In fact, he knew better than anyone else that his archery skills were simply a culmination of time. He did not possess any unique talents. He might perhaps be able to become master among the amateurs, but if he had gotten involved in the professional circle, it would be challenging, to say the least, for him to rise to the top.


    On top of that, this was the second time Zhang Heng had rejected his instructor. The latter finally recognized that the young man before him had no intention of mixing in this circle and could not help but feel that it was such a shame.


    You can lead a horse to water, but you can¡¯t make him drink. He could not put a gun to Zhang Heng¡¯s head and force him to make him his coach.


    After a few more shots, and Zhang Heng got his answers and stopped training.


    The morning had classes in store for him. Thank goodness it was at 9.45. Depositing his bow, he promptly returned to school.


    The moment his peers spotted him in the classroom, they shot him knowing, sassy smiles. Zhang Heng did not know how to explain himself, so he blurted that he had actually spent a year and a half stranded on a deserted island, before finally finding another man.


    The lesson was underway when Wei Jiangyang snuck up to the seat next to him and tried to make him confess. In spite of that, Zhang Heng did not appear to be lying, nor did he blush or react suspiciously.


    When he finally accepted that nothing of the amorous sort had befallen his friend the night before, Wei Jiangyang quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°Xiao Xiao and her roommates are thinking of going camping next week, but I¡¯m concerned about their safety. I¡¯m looking for some guys to join. Chen Huadong has already agreed to come. Not so for Ma Wei. How about you?¡±


    Xiao Xiao was Wei Jiangyang¡¯s girlfriend. If Xiao Xiao wanted to go camping, it was without question that Wei Jiangyang would want to join her. One lone male, however, was not strong enough. Also, wherever the couple went, they would always attract flak ¨C his girlfriend¡¯s roommate and the other girls would definitely make fun of them. Instead, Xiao Xiao gave her boyfriend the task of recruiting more people to join them.


    Wei Jiangyang was not very hopeful. Zhang Heng was the kind of person who stayed away from large groups and rarely joined group activities. This guy had his own rhythm in life.


    However, to Wei Jiangyang¡¯s surprise, Zhang Heng agreed!


    Previously, Zhang Heng would never be caught red-handed participating in activities like this. But after spending such a long time away from society, he needed lively environments to ¡®heal¡¯ himself. Although Ma Wei had opted out, he was most likely to spend his entire day in the library, only returning to the room at lights out ¨C like he did every day. So, if Zhang Heng were to stay, he would have to spend the whole weekend alone in the dorm.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Wei Jiangyang chirped. ¡°Other than Xiao Xiao, all her other roommates are still single. Don¡¯t say I never gave you the heads up. The Shen Xixi performing in this year¡¯s welcoming party tonight is also from their dorm. Oh, I forgot you¡¯re not going. Anyway, what you need to know is that whenever she sings, the boys would fall head over heels for her. She¡¯s the most popular girl in her department.¡±


    It was obvious Zhang Heng bore no interest in these departmental celebrities. With so many things happening one after the other, he was not inclined to think about romance. He agreed to the camping purely for the fun of it.


    Considering he did not have any classes scheduled on Friday afternoons, Zhang Heng decided to prepare ahead of time for the game next month. Back at the express hotel, he had already completed preliminary planning and made adjustments to his schedule.


    After lunch, he found a 24-hour gym nearby, and immediately signed up for a membership card.


    On top of that, he had also increased his rock-climbing and running hours. Since he did not know what he would be facing next, the safest option would be to improve his physical fitness.


    Also, in every game, he would be using his own body. In other words, different levels of physical fitness could bring completely different gaming experiences.


    For example, during the Desert Island Survival game, where the players were given the option to save the people drowning in the ocean, the person with an average fitness would be able to save Ed, whereas those who were stronger could save the guy in shorts and Bell who were further away. Of course, the most pitiful ones were those who did not know how to swim at all. As a result, they could only watch from the safety of the shore.


    For the most part, Zhang Heng¡¯s fitness was considered average among the students of the university as he had never undergone any targeted science-based training. But he did have his own advantage, having double the preparation time compared to the other players. They only had a month between each game, but he had two.


    If the two months were used well, he could improve his fitness by a lot. The thought of joining Taekwondo or boxing classes did cross his mind, but one couldn¡¯t rush these kinds of things. He would have to tackle them one by one, starting by working on his foundation first. After all, those skills could be practiced in the game as well.


    The following week was spent with a full schedule.


    He had begun training the strength of his waist, back, arms, and legs. He even took up flexibility training in the gym. On top of his endurance-training long runs, he included sprints that tested his explosive-force in his training plan.


    He also made time to visit the Sex and the City bar during still time1.


    That place was filled with secrets. Having been inside the game himself, Zhang Heng was naturally intrigued and wanted to know more about it. Since he got only scarce information out of the bartender lady, he decided to take matters into his own hands.


    He should at least be able to uncover some clues from the furnishing and decoration of the sheet-metal room and the collection behind the bar. Also, he really wanted to find out if the rule about not seeing the other players still applied during still time.


    However, when Zhang Heng arrived at the bar, an inexplicable feeling of panic overcame him, which only grew more intense the moment he placed his hand on the handle of the metal door.


    Zhang Heng hesitated for a moment when he suddenly decided to let go of the handle.


    He did not know where this warning came from, but the message it conveyed was very clear ¨C do not attempt to enter the game venue at siesta.


    Even though he was burning with curiosity, Zhang Heng decided to play it safe; after all, whatever he was facing could not be explained with logic.


    That was how Zhang Heng¡¯s first secret exploration was brought to an end, not managing to gather much useful information.


    It was already Monday when during class, his phone suddenly vibrated. Glancing at the message, it turned out to be from customer service.


    ¡°Your item has been delivered to your desk in your room. This is a notification message. Please do not reply.¡±


    Zhang Heng put his phone under the table and typed as stealthily as he could, ¡°What about my game checkpoint service list?¡±


    He tapped on send and after a while, the bartender replied, ¡°Oops! I forgot. I¡¯ll send it to you once I¡¯m done dealing with the matter at hand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 24

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    [Name: Lucky Rabbit¡¯s Foot]


    [Quality: E]


    [Usage: Increases luck for the wearer by a small margin]


    Back in the real world, that mysterious voice and the so-called character panel were absent. Zhang Heng stared at the card with the bartender¡¯s handwriting, speechless.


    Such short and simple words cost him five game-points?


    Even though he had a decent amount of points, he could tell that it was not cheap having seen how excited the bartender was when she¡¯d received the points.


    Zhang Heng was not the least bit surprised by the results of the identification. A rabbit¡¯s foot was an amulet believed to bring good luck in many cultures. This item was probably responsible for how his wound remained uninfected back on the island.


    His doubled time aside, this was the first supernatural item he possessed.


    Taking into account its positive effects, Zhang Heng decided to wear it as a keychain.


    Who would know how much that little bit of luck actually was?


    Since he had nothing else to do, Zhang Heng decided to experiment with something. He went to the Wumart next to the library and bought two scratch cards costing him 20 yuan. One of them won him 10 yuan and the other 5 yuan.


    After subtracting the principal, he sustained a 5 yuan loss.


    After that, Zhang Heng went to another supermarket. Out of the two he bought, one said, ¡®Thanks for your patronage¡¯ and the other one won him 20 yuan.


    He had broken-even.


    Now, Zhang Heng had now somewhat understood the lucky rabbit¡¯s effectiveness. He had initially hoped that his earnings would be higher than average, but alas, he still sustained a loss. Although his luck did improve, it was nothing to rave about. Any intentions of using this little bit of luck to earn money would prove to be quite the challenge.


    As he was leaving the supermarket after completing the experiment, Zhang Heng spotted a young couple under a tree nearby. The guy was trying hard to explain something, but the girl kept shaking her head. When the guy reached out to pull the girl in, she sidestepped him instead.


    Zhang Heng looked away. He was not about to meddle in other people¡¯s business. Things like that practically happened every day in school. The university was the gathering of a cesspool of hormones, where all kinds of drama occurred all the time.


    That being said, Zhang Heng did not have to worry about the guy doing anything beyond the pale because it was broad daylight, and they were within school grounds. Any scream whatsoever would draw the scents of overzealous young men, pouncing to save the damsel in distress.


    So off to the library, Zhang Heng went.


    At noon on Friday, Zhang Heng bought some snacks and outdoor supplies, its contents some mosquito repellent spray, towels, and band-aids. Wei Jiang Heng had already rented the camping gear and car; its cost split evenly among those who were going. It was 300 yuan a piece. Any overpayment was refunded, and imperfections reimbursed.


    Zhang Heng was checking his camera to make sure the batteries were full when Chen Huadong and Wei Jiangyang walked into the room carrying large and small bags.


    ¡°The girls bought these. It¡¯s tonight¡¯s dinner. Help us load them into the car later.¡±


    ¡°Sure! Thanks,¡± exclaimed Zhang Heng, who was pretty much all packed up.


    Wei Jiangyang deposited the bag he was carrying onto the table. He guzzled down the glass of water on the table, then heaved a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve been so busy these two days, running around all day working myself to the ground like a horse. You guys are the wiser ones. Come to think of it, being single isn¡¯t all that bad.¡±


    ¡°No, please, Childe Wei. Thanks to you, I am only beginning to see a ray of light. Don¡¯t pour cold water on me so soon.¡± Chen Huadong said with a twinkle in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re going after Shen Xixi?¡± Wei Jiangyang glared at his friend from the corner of his eyes.


    ¡°No, no. Brother, I know my limits, alright. She¡¯s like the Public Relations Departments¡¯ number one wholesaler of the ¡®good person card1.¡¯ Just too many guys are falling into unrequited love for her. I¡¯m not going to be part of that madness. I don¡¯t mind give up this treasure that is Shen Xixi for our Childe Zhang to conquer. Personally, I much prefer Xu Jing,¡± Chen Huadong grinned.


    ¡°The hell. I knew you liked that kind, you pervert. Xu Jing is a legit Loli, a popular one at that. The only thing¡¯s that she¡¯s quite poor at managing herself ¨C she only learned how to take the subway when she came to university. In fact, until now, she would at times go in the wrong direction, or even miss a stop. Also, she washes her clothes and socks in a washing machine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. Not a problem at all. Adorkable-ness is justice1! You know me, brother. I¡¯ve been a loyal Love Develops2 fan for so many years.¡± Chen Huadong pushed his sparkling glasses up the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°How inhumane and immoral! Where is the one-one-zero1 when you need them?¡± Wei Jiangyang exclaimed in distress before turning to Zhang Heng. ¡°Shen Xixi is pretty good, though. You won¡¯t even consider it? Most girls despise those who are popular with the guys, but Shen Xixi is an exception. In fact, Xiao Xiao said the girl she admires most is Shen Xixi ¨C she¡¯s pretty, is an ace at studies, sings well, and is quite genuine with people. She may have rejected many guys, but she has never kept them as ¡®spare tires2.¡¯ It¡¯s always a clean rejection.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why she¡¯s been given the nickname ¡®Kill em¡¯ all1.''¡± Chen Huadong chuckled.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But after getting to know her a little, I find her not too bad. She has been the one among the girls who¡¯s been taking care of the trip. When we went to get the stuff for the camp just now, she tried talking to us, and we even enjoyed a few laughs ¡ª not the slightest bit of arrogance. Hmm, I guess you can never completely trust spreading rumors,¡± added Chen Huadong, plainly singing a different tune this time.


    ¡°Are you guys done talking?¡± Zhang Heng chipped in.


    ¡°Almost. Don¡¯t worry. Our relationship has come to an end. I have always known that this day would come,¡± Chen Huadong stubbornly retorted.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t the both of you spend your free time by paying some attention to current international affairs instead? Why are you always so concerned about my love life?¡±


    Wei Jiangyang and Chen Huadong looked at each other. They whispered in a grave tone, ¡°Zhang Heng, we¡¯re a little worried for you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I always thought that you¡¯re the kind of person who plays by his own rhythm, completely unaffected by the outside world. But since last week, we¡¯ve felt this new inexplicable edginess out of you.¡±


    Chen Huadong joined in, ¡°Mm, I know this sounds a little melodramatic, but right now, you give off this vibe of loneliness that seems to come from deep within your bones. Do you how many recluses there are on Zhongnan Mountains1? That¡¯s the kind of feeling you¡¯re giving me. Be honest with us, brother. Has something happened to you? Why are you suddenly so withdrawn?¡±


    The words struck a chord in Zhang Heng¡¯s heart. Of course, he knew what had happened to him. No one was as withdrawn from the world as he was. Spending over a year all alone on a deserted island where even his toothbrush was self-made left him with a tremendous feeling of loneliness.


    Even though he had returned to the real world, physically unchanged, that period spent in isolation had left him an entirely different person.


    Had experience and learning shaped us into who we are today?


    Drifting along with his thoughts, Zhang Heng recalled the bartender¡¯s words and was suddenly intrigued. If he continued playing this game for many years to come, what would he be like when it ended?


    Would he a completely different person from who he was today?

 Chapter 25

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The minibus Wei Jiangyang booked had just arrived downstairs. The three boys loaded the vehicle with the camping equipment and food they had prepared.


    Zhang Heng checked out his sf recurve bow from the shooting range the day before.


    After about a week of practice, his skills were almost fully recovered. With the help of modern technology, he was able to hit ring 9 at 50-meters. But Zhang Heng¡¯s specialty at was shooting moving targets, although it all depended on the target¡¯s speed and the trajectory.


    One particular thing bugged him. He kept feeling that a pair of resentful eyes were gazing at him, which made him a little hesitant to unleash his full potential. By and large, he had to wait for still time to find a place for practice. Now that an opportunity to traverse the wilderness had presented itself, he could find a serene place to practice his archery skills.


    ¡°Childe Zhang, if anything dangerous happens, you have to protect me first,¡± Chen Huadong trilled jokingly. Zhang Heng did not keep his archery lessons a secret from his roommates. All of them knew that he¡¯d just started. In fact, only a week ago and had even searched the net for tutorial videos. How much progress could he have made?


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t forget to fall into my arms when it happens.¡±


    They chatted and laughed as they repeated up and down the stairs. Finally, after loading everything into the back of the van, the three girls made their way to them.


    Chen Huadong gave Zhang Heng a nudge with his elbow and said, ¡°The one on the left is Shen Xixi.¡±


    Zhang Heng looked in the direction his friend pointed at and saw a tall girl. Wei Jiangyang sure wasn¡¯t lying when he said that her physical condition was good ¨C she had the body of a model, and was easy on the eyes. Not to mention that, unlike the coquettish superstars on the television and magazines, there was purity in her eyes. There was none of that pretentious, deliberate ¡®girl shyness¡¯ on her. It was no wonder that she was the girl of so many boys¡¯ dreams; the Public Relations Departments¡¯ number one ¡®good person card¡¯ wholesaler.


    Shen Xixi flipped out three bottles of water from her bag and handed them to the three boys. She piped excitedly, ¡°Thank you for the hard work, guys!¡±


    Zhang Heng accepted the bottle and thanked her.


    It was the little things that told a lot about a person¡¯s upbringing. It was apparent that Shen Xixi did not consider the three boys as free labor and personal bodyguards, nor did she think that just because she was a girl, letting the boys do the heavy lifting was by default. Such qualities on a woman, especially a beautiful one, was more than hard to come by.


    Chen Huadong continued to play the role of an inept, fumbling advisor, He whispered into Zhang Heng¡¯s ear, ¡°It¡¯s been said that Shen Xixi¡¯s father is a university lecturer and her mother is a novel translator. Seems like a good family. So¡­ what do you think? Childe Zhang, I believe your families are well-matched.¡±


    The person that Wei Jiangyang was waiting for was missing. He could not help but ask himself, ¡°Where¡¯s Xiaoxiao? Why isn¡¯t she here yet?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Each time we go out, that woman is the most troublesome of all. Putting her makeup on takes forever! Wei Jiangyang, you will suffer when you marry her!¡± laughed the shortest girl among the three. Standing between the two other girls, she attained a humble 1.5 meters give or take. Needless to say, she was the legal loli, Xu Jing, that Chen Huadong had eyes for.


    She had only just finished when someone smacked her over the head.


    ¡°Ugh. I¡¯m sorry you had to hear that! I will make sure to discipline this child!¡± Shen Xixi told Wei Jiangyang, keeping a straight face.


    The atmosphere was just starting to feel a little warmer when they suddenly heard a voice call out, ¡°Xixi.¡±


    It was then that the girl¡¯s expressions immediately changed.


    ¡°Xixi, are you and your roommates going out to have fun? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? I could send you there.¡± A flashy chili red BMW 5 Series sports sedan pulled to a stop next to the group.


    The guy driving the car pulled the handbrake and stepped out.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s eyebrows raised. He was wondering why Shen Xixi looked so familiar ¨C apparently, they had met earlier on when he was leaving the supermarket after buying the scratch cards. Now, he recognized the couple he saw. It was Shen Xixi, and this guy clad in a Supreme t-shirt.


    ¡°Cheng Cheng. Why are you here again?! Xixi has already rejected you so many times! Why haven¡¯t you taken a hike already?¡± Unlike her name, Xu Jing1 was a straightforward girl who did not keep her thoughts to herself.


    This blatant announcement that exposed his rejection had put a dent to Cheng Cheng¡¯s dignity and cut his ¡®face¡¯, but because Xu Jing was a girl, it would be embarrassing if he threw any tantrums. Instead, the fuerdai swallowed his anger.


    ¡°Xixi, can I talk to you for a moment? It¡¯ll just be nearby. I know a coffee shop with excellent Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee,¡± said Cheng Cheng.


    Shen Xixi frowned. Even the ordinarily good-tempered girl was starting to lose her patience. She and Cheng Cheng had been strangers until that welcoming party for freshmen.


    That very night, after performing a song, Cheng Cheng approached her and had been coaxing and pestering her for more than half a month since.


    From flowers, snacks, and fruits, to an iPhone and concert tickets, Cheng Cheng would entrust some girl to leave them at Shen Xixi¡¯s dormitory door.


    But this modus operandi that had worked so well on every other girl failed miserably on Shen Xixi.


    The gifts that he had given her were always returned to him untouched, and Shen Xixi also made it very clear to him that she was not interested in being in a relationship right now.


    This rejection, though, seemed to only fuel Cheng Cheng¡¯s zeal. He even toned down his lordly attitude. Shen Xixi¡¯s parents had always taught her to be polite and respectful. Now, when she found herself in an exasperating situation, she found it difficult to be abrasive, ergo, causing her to continuously be the recipient of Cheng Cheng¡¯s persistent badgering.


    There were even rumors about the both of them going around the school, which gave Shen Xixi a massive headache.


    What¡¯s more, she seemed to be running into Cheng Cheng a lot recently. How did he find out about their plans to go camping? Was it not too much of a coincidence that he showed up just as they were about to depart?


    Shen Xixi glanced at the girl called Wang Huan who was standing behind Xu Jing. The girl shot an embarrassed smile back at her. Wang Huan hailed from a middle-class family but a few days ago, a stick of YSL lipstick magically appeared in her drawer. The aspiring detective of a Xu Jing looked the up the price of the lipstick and found that to own one, a princely sum 700 ¨C 800 yuan would have to be forked out.


    Owing to that, everyone jeered at Wang Huan, asking her if she was a mistress to some wealthy merchant. But now, it seems that her lipstick had come from somewhere else.


    Against the odds, Shen Xixi had no intention to pursue this issue. When she saw that Xiaoxiao had left the dormitory and was approaching them, she turned to Cheng Cheng and stated sternly, ¡°Cheng Cheng, haven¡¯t we already talked on Monday? I don¡¯t really drink coffee, and we¡¯re leaving right about now.¡±


    ¡°Never mind, they can go first. I¡¯ll send you there later. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t take up too much of your time,¡± retorted a relentless Cheng Cheng.


    Chen Huadong could not hold it back any longer and was about to speak up when Wei Jiangyang shot him a sharp look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t provoke this guy,¡± Ao Jiangyang said under his breath.


    Chen Huadong pursed his lips. ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t he just a fuerdai? Look at our Childe Zhang ¨C now that¡¯s the model fuerdai.¡±


    Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m not a fuerdai.¡±


    Zhang Heng came from similar financial circumstances as Shen Xixi ¨C both intellectual types, comfortable enough to not worry about what they ate or wore. They were considered pretty well-off compared to the average person, but they were not in the same league as those ultra-rich tycoons.


    Wei Jiangyang smiled acridly. ¡°This Cheng Cheng is not an easy person to deal with; he¡¯s a troublemaker. He¡¯s our senior by a year. When he first came to university, he got into a fight with a senior. His family appears to be in the hotel business. He spends lavishly and has quite a following. The student union is a disorganized mess of a pestilence thanks to him. Xiao Xiao was so averse to his ways that she quit the student union.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Fuerdai is just a label.


    On its own, it carried no derogatory connotations. For people who were either good or bad, they were further classified into superior and inferior. Objectively speaking, compared to the average person, these children of the nouveau riche had the privilege of enjoying better educational resources, therefore turning most of them into the superior kind.


    But why do fuerdais have such a bad reputation?


    It was only a simple explanation, though. The average person¡¯s vice was smaller, perhaps only affecting those around the individual. By comparison, due to the fuerdai having control over more resources, the repercussions would often be more severe once they committed any wrongdoing, descending into an entire series of problems for the society.


    Take Cheng Cheng, for example. Although his sins were not that grave, many people in school condemned him. When he joined the student union in his freshman year, he quickly turned the school into his territory. In a matter of months, he had already dominated all elections causing the old council members who disapproved of him to withdraw from the union.


    By his sophomore year, he became the president, and all the newly promoted council members were all his people. He basically dictated the entire student union. Birds of a feather flocked together.


    When he was recruiting people, he would continuously pay extra attention to the prettier girls. Once they joined the union, he would covertly appoint his subordinates to deliberately make things difficult for the girl. Then, he would use his position in the student union to settle this matter, making him the hero nobody had asked for.


    One thing led to another, and many of the innocent freshmen took the bait. Eventually, while they were discussing matters of the school, they would somehow or rather end up in his bed.


    There was a rumor going around that by the time Cheng Cheng was in his second year, that more than five girls had undergone abortion because of him.


    One even threatened to commit suicide, but the matter was eventually resolved with an undisclosed sum. Of course, it was a sensational amount. At the end of the day, plenty of people disapproved of Cheng Cheng.


    After hearing about all these, Chen Huadong, who had initially planned to speak his mind, found himself on the horns of a dilemma. He did not work at Cheng Cheng¡¯s family hotel and, it did not matter to him whether or not Cheng Cheng was a fuerdai.


    However, after finding out about how Cheng Cheng dominated the student union, he could not reconsider his decision. As there was no student league in their school, club funds had to be first approved by the student union before it was reported to the teachers.


    On top of that, the student union was also in charge of the periodic assessment of each club.


    During their freshman year, Chen Hua Dong and few guys set up an anime club called Tiger Shark, which had been doing pretty well so far.


    Although their club had only a few girl members, a group of pansy guys coming together to exchange mysterious codes and indecent material was good fun. If he were to offend Cheng Cheng, Chen Huadong had to think about the problems Tiger Shark would be facing.


    To top it all off, the school had a rule that required everyone to participate in morning exercises for a set number of times. No surprises there as the ones in charge of taking attendance was the student union as well.


    In summary, the student union was the kind you would usually not notice, but if you rub them the wrong way, it would be problematic, to say the least. Cheng Cheng had quite a substantial number of followers, to begin with.


    Chen Huadong finally decided to pursue a relationship with Xu Jing because he did not want to have to walk around on eggshells every day, always on the lookout for anyone who might want to beat him up.


    Shen Xixi was looking kind of helpless. She had already said everything she could say. Most people would have given up already, but Cheng Cheng did not have the slightest intention of letting go.


    Next to them, it appeared that the Wang Huan girl realized she had done something wrong, and kept her head down saying nothing.


    In the end, Zhang Heng broke the awkward silence, ¡°Excuse me, your fly is open.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Cheng Cheng looked down and saw the gap in his pants on his groin. Even though his underwear was not visible, it was still somewhat indecent.


    Zhang Heng would have been better off not mentioning it at all. He could have pretended not to notice it. Now that it was pointed out, he did not know if he should pull up his zip in front of everyone. It was the most awkward of situations.


    Cheng Cheng stared at Zhang Heng for a while before telling Shen Xixi, ¡°Xixi, someday I will make you understand how I feel about you.¡±


    At that, he quickly hurried back into the safety of his BMW. If you pay attention to the way he was walking, you could see how unnatural his movement was, as if he dared not stretch his legs.


    ¡°Hurry! Hurry! Let¡¯s go!¡± Xiao Xiao implored. ¡°Once he gets his zipper up, he¡¯ll come back to intrude.¡±


    Like bats scurrying out of hell, everyone piled into the minibus, hastening the driver to scoot as they slammed the door shut.


    Xu Jing was in fits of laughter. ¡°Hahaha! Did you see that guy¡¯s face??! Oh, it¡¯s too funny!¡±


    When she finally caught her breath, she imitated Cheng Cheng¡¯s tone, ¡°Xi Xi, someday I will make you understand how I feel about you¡­¡±


    The legal-loli made sheep¡¯s eyes at Shen Xixi as she spoke.


    Everyone exploded into laughter.


    Xiao Xiao covered her mouth. ¡°Enough. Stop talking. It¡¯s so disgusting. He¡¯s a bastard who specializes in deceiving freshman girls. What the hell was all that innocent love act.¡±


    Shen Xixi looked at Zhang Heng apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You got involved because of me.¡±


    Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m not part of any student clubs.¡±


    Because of her boyfriend, out of the four girls, Xiao Xiao was the most familiar with Zhang Heng and the others in her boyfriend¡¯s dorm. Last semester, they even hung out a couple of times over skewered barbeque meat.


    Somehow, someway, she seemed to be influenced by Wei Jiangyang and became very interested in her roommate¡¯s love life. She turned to Shen Xixi and said, ¡°Xixi, didn¡¯t you want a band? You should consider Zhang Heng. He¡¯s really good at the piano. You know Paganini¡¯s La Campanella, right. This guy could play it with his eyes closed.¡±


    Zhang Heng was getting tired of the rumor, having constantly heard it around his extremities.


    But before he could deny the gossip, Wei Jiangyang carried on, ¡°Yeah! Yeah! Zhang Heng loves working out. He runs 10 kilometers every morning, and he¡¯s part of the rock-climbing society and is aiming for the K2 1peak now. Oh, and he has also learned archery since he was five. The bow never leaves his side. His skills surpass all. People call him the Zhang Sun2 from Water Margin3.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s actually Little Li Guang Hua Rong1!¡± Xiao Xiao buried her face in her hands.


    The legal-loli, another a mischief-maker, chipped in chirping, ¡°I did say that when I first laid eyes on Zhang Heng, I could tell that he¡¯s a gallant and intelligent person. He¡¯s so much better than that Cheng Cheng who can¡¯t even zip his pants.¡±


    Chen Huadong was a little slow on the uptake. Whatever that had to be said had already been said. It took him the better part of the day to come up with something. Eventually, he said, ¡°Zhang Heng loves small animals too. Frequently, after dining in the canteen, he would always keep the fish bones and then bury them in a nice, quiet place.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s enough! If you want to make up stories, you should at least be thoughtful about it!¡±


    Everyone laughed. The glumness accompanying Cheng Cheng¡¯s appearance was suddenly gone, and everyone was in a chatty mood again.


    In this age, when guys and girls come together, there was constant teasing and goofing, instinctively unleashing their youthfulness without much care or thought.


    After Shen Xixi had heard everyone¡¯s presentation of Zhang Heng, she found herself a little intrigued by him. But that was it. She gave him a friendly nod, and then turned to the despondent Wang Huan and began chatting with her.


    Likewise, Zhang Heng thought nothing else of Shen Xixi. She seemed like a pleasant girl who made people feel comfortable around her. He, however, did not harbor any romantic feelings towards her.


    Dark shadows flitted past as he looked out the window.


    Sometimes, he also wondered¡ªwhat kind of girl did he like? Chen Huadong had always been legal loli-phile, and Wei Jiangyang preferred girls like Xiao Xiao who appeared to be tough on the outside but, at the same time, also gentle deep down inside.


    It seemed like everyone knew for sure what they wanted. Yet, he could not even begin to describe his type.


    But for all that, Zhang Heng somehow believed that he would be able to tell when he meets the right person.

 Chapter 27

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    At five in the evening, the minibus arrived at the camping destination.


    Everyone unloaded their stuff from the trunk and bid the driver a cheerful goodbye.


    When these city-bred students saw the foothill nearby covered in lush greenery, sheltered by the blue skies and white clouds, they were estactic.


    Xu Jing was especially eager. ¡°Wow! This place is not bad at all. We should come here every weekend.¡±


    Xiao Xiao retorted, ¡°Does your family¡¯s money fall from the skies? 300 yuan?! I can¡¯t afford coming here every week!¡±


    ¡°Knock it off! It¡¯s going to be dark soon. We need to find a place to set up tents and cook.¡± Shen Xixi chided.


    Xu Jing giggled. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to cook. I¡¯m only responsible for the eating.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Exchange your cuteness for food then!¡±


    The group chatted as the chortling continued; the mood light and cheerful. The girls were the ones who had chosen the camping location ¨C mainly Xiao Xiao idea ¨C situated in a less popular and crowded area.


    She had a backpack traveler uncle who enjoyed traveling on foot and was familiar with the uncultivated mountains nearby. The girl had badgered her uncle into providing her a list of unspoilt locations with breathtaking views.


    Even better, the visitors there were few and far between; there was none of that hubbub and chaos.


    Sad to say, except for Xiao Xiao who had gone camping with her uncle once or twice when she was younger, all the others did not have any camping experience whatsoever. To make matters worse, Xiao Xiao was only occupied with playing at that age; her uncle completely handling the bonfire-building and cooking business.


    As a result, even choosing a place to set up the tents proved to be a challenge for the group of coddled university students.


    Everyone seemed to be in disagreement ¨C one said that it should be at the top of the mountain, the other that it should be somewhere sheltered from the wind. Then someone also added that they had to watch out for falling rocks.


    In the end, Zhang Heng could not stand watching the conversation going nowhere, so he said, ¡°Err¡­ this place nearby is not dangerous. It¡¯s summer now, so we don¡¯t worry about keeping warm. We can choose whichever place to set up camp and it¡¯ll be fine for sure.¡±


    Predictably, everyone ignored him.


    ¡­


    Immersed in the excitement of playing house in the open air, they found Zhang Heng¡¯s make-do attitude to be unacceptable.


    It was almost sundown and after careful and elaborate deliberation, they finally settled for an open space by the foot of the hill.


    To say the least, the spot they had chosen was pretty good ¨C it had an expansive view, and other than being a little further from the water, it had no other faults.


    However, the problem was that the sky was starting to turn dark, and their tents were still unbuilt.


    Such a task must not be undermined. For a novice, setting up a tent was extremely technically challenging: inserting the tent poles into the sleeves, stringing the ropes, staking the pegs into the ground, and then guying out the tent to stabilize it.


    Without any experience, it would take the novice a long time to figure out single step.


    Fortunately, this did not prove to be a problem for the Zhang Heng, as he had buit a house with his bare hands before. He nearly built up the three tents entirely all by himself. Even up to the last one, he was made up the steps as he went along.


    Xu Jing clapped her hands. ¡°Alright, Zhang Heng! The next time I¡¯m stranded on a desert island and can only choose one person to come with me, I will choose you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so bad! Even on a deserted island, you¡¯re going to make someone your scapegoat?!¡± Chen Huadong clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a few wilderness survival shows! It would still be useless even if it were the whole group of us on that island.¡± Wei Jiangyang shook his head.


    Zhang Heng merely smiled and said nothing.


    No one took this kind of idle chatter to heart.


    Just then, an idea popped into Xu Jing¡¯s mind. ¡°It¡¯s already dark now. Let¡¯s have a campfire party!¡±


    It was like this girl never worried a day in her life.


    ¡°Campfire, my ass. Let¡¯s eat first. I¡¯m starving to death.¡± Xiao Xiao grumbled.


    Only Shen Xixi was able to lend Zhang Heng some help when he was setting up the tent. As the others simply could not get the mechanics of pitching a tent, they took the initiative to prepare dinner on the other side instead.


    In the civilized world, there was no need to start a fire using the bow and drill method, not even in the wilderness. Only a portable cassette furnace for outdoor use would be needed. It was ready for use once the gas cartridge was inserted; a very convenient alternative.


    Naturally, Zhang Heng was glad to see that thing. He came to have fun not to show off his skills. Any survival skills he possessed were to be used to protect lives in the event of emergencies. If only he had a lighter on the island, he would not have to chaff off the skin on his hands to get fire.


    Dinner that night was hotpot ¨C the most convenient outdoors menu for large, noisy, hormone enraged students. First, the base ingredients. Then chuck in washed vegetables and meat all together. There. Done.


    When Zhang Heng had finished building the tent, the group sat around the hotpot in a circle with single-use plastic bowls in their hands, watching and waiting for bubbles to form.


    To many of them, it was a refreshing feeling.


    In the summer, the temperature in the mountains was just right; not too hot and not too cold. It was much more comfortable than the stuffy, unair-conditioned dorm room. The only thing that seemed to take comfort there were the hordes of blood-sucking vampiric mosquitoes.


    Zhang Heng and Shen Xixi took out mosquito repellents from their bags almost simultaneously. Seeing this, they smiled at each other


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the meat done yet?¡± Xu Jing muttered pitifully. Just a while ago, she was still demanding a campfire party, and now she was more concerned about the meat in the pot than anyone else.


    A mischevious Chen Huadong was about to make fun of her when a rustling noise came from the woods nearby.


    That alone had pushed timid Xu Jing into a panicked frenzy. ¡°My god!!! Are there wild beasts in these mountains?!¡±


    ¡°No. There are none,¡± said a startled Xiao Xiao. Although the place was not a tourist attraction, it was close to the city. In the autumn, many photography enthusiasts would come here to visit. They also spotted other campers not far from where they were earlier on. If there were wild beasts here, it made no sense that no one had ever seen them before.


    As soon as she had spoken, something scurried out of the woods.


    The beast turned out to be not an animal but just a person. However, before they could breathe a sigh of relief, the outward appearance of the trespasser unsettled them.


    His was a rowdy-looking youth lined with tattoos on his arm. The young man smiled mischievously at the group and said, ¡°Oh, I knew I smelt something fragrant coming from somewhere. Turns out there¡¯s something tasty here! Count me in! It just so happens that I haven¡¯t had dinner yet.¡±


    When the trespasser had finished talking, Zhang Heng got up, turned around, and went into his tent.


    The youth smiled at that. ¡°Okay, okay. Smart. Now that I have a place to sit, I¡¯ll just help myself then.¡±


    Everyone could see that this lad had ill-intentions. Wei Jiangyang and Chen Huadong shared a look. This was the perfect time for the guys to step-up their game.


    Wei Jiangyang spoke first. ¡°Dude, we¡¯re not used to eating with strangers.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I can introduce myself first. We can all be friends. A little chat, and we¡¯ll get to know each other,¡± the youth grinned as he reached into his pocket and took out a folding knife.


    Wei Jiangyang¡¯s and Chen Huadong¡¯s face fell, and Xu Jing looked like she had just seen a ghost. They were all university students. They had never been in a situation like this before. Fights were rare back in campus. Even if a quarrel did get physical, no one had ever used a knife.


    Everyone¡¯s heart sank at the next announcement as the young man declared, ¡°I have three other friends who hadn¡¯t eaten too. They¡¯ll be here soon, but it looks like there¡¯s not enough space.¡± He looked around and then pointed at Wei Jiangyang, Chen Huadong, and Wanghuan. ¡°Why don¡¯t the three of you give up your spots to them eh?¡±

 Chapter 28

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Wei Jiangyang and Chen Huadong trembled n the presence of the folding knife. It would have been fine if they were just being robbed. At most, they would have to give up their possessions, and no one would be harmed but from the way the young man was acting, they could tell that he had other intentions for the girls.


    The girls in Xiao Xiao¡¯s dorm, except for Wang Huan, were not bad looking, not to mention, Shen Xixi who was generally acknowledged as the prettiest girl in the public relations department. Xiao Xiao was in the school¡¯s volleyball team and had always maintained a perfect physique. Needless to say, Xu Jin, the legal-loli, was a magnet for perverts.


    Normally, neither of them had to worry about their safety in school. But this was the wilderness, the outward-bounds. Even though there were other campers in the area, they were too far from them. Even if they cried for help, there was a good chance no one would be able to get here in time.


    The girls were beginning to regret coming out here. They had already done their research and found that there were villages nearby, leading them to presume that it was quite safe. Why were they so unlucky this time?


    Wei Jiangyang could feel his forehead growing damp. His girlfriend was behind him ¨C he could not retreat. But being afraid when in such scary situations like this was a normal reaction. As the youth moved towards him, Wei Jiangyang froze, and his throat went dry.


    The very next moment, however, something sliced through the darkness.


    The youth paused. In front was an arrow with its tip buried deep into the ground, its fletching still quivering. It was a shot at an ungodly speed.


    Zhang Heng was standing in front of the tent with his recurve bow. He did not stop after the first shot. Swiftly, he drew the second arrow. Before Wei Jiangyang and the others could cheer for him, the second arrow overshot by ten thousand meters, hitting a small tree far away.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s friends were dismayed, thinking to themselves that it was over. They had hoped that the shot would frighten the intruder away. They did not expect Zhang Heng give away the game so quickly.


    The young man was also taken aback by the first arrow. The country had strict firearms control, so in the general run of things, bows and crossbows were the most powerful long-range weapons people had access to. He did think there would be a bowman in this group.


    But that second shot missed him by at least a few meters.


    Was the first one a lucky shot?


    The youth subconsciously turned around to see where the last arrow had landed and was immediately alerted because his mates were hiding behind that tree.


    ¡°These first two shots are just a warning. If you don¡¯t leave, the third arrow will draw blood,¡± Zhang Heng said calmly.


    The expression on the youth¡¯s face changed. Everyone else was bowled over.


    The youth was about 3 ¨C 4 meters away from Wei Jiangyang and Chen Huadong. He was computing in his head if he could grab either one of them as hostages. He had second thoughts, not sure if Zhang Heng would actually do it.


    In the end, he chose to put away his knife and raised his hands. ¡°I apologize for interrupting. It looks like my friends and I will have to go elsewhere to make friends.¡±


    He glared at Zhang Heng as he spoke and then slowly backed away until he disappeared between the darkness of the trees.


    ¡­


    The incident was over, but everyone had lost their appetite. They quickly packed up their things and wanted to leave the place, but there was no taxi in this suburbia. Xiao Xiao was still worried that the strange guy would harass the other campers, so one of them called the police while the others went around to inform other vacationers.


    Shen Xixi opened her mouth to say something but decided to keep it to herself.


    After the danger was over, the other girls gathered around Zhang Heng.


    Xu Jing stuck out her tongue and said, ¡°That¡¯s impressive, fellow student Zhang. I thought you ran away because you were scared. Turns out Iron Man was summoning his armor.¡±


    Chen Huadong joined the conversation. ¡°Big brother, I must say I¡¯m impressed! The second shot was way off course, yet you could still stand there and threaten him so boldly. Respect, respect.¡±


    ¡°Apparently those degenerates are easily frightened. They saw you holding a bow and off they went running for their lives! But, really, thank you for that! I was so scared I almost died,¡± continued a very relieved Xiao Xiao.


    ¡°To thank your hero, I have made the executive decision to betroth the prettiest girl in our dorm to you!¡± Xu Jing concluded. Suddenly, she received another smack across the head! But after that, Shen Xixi also thanked Zhang Heng.


    After informing the others scattered all over the campgrounds, the group gathered again, feeling a lot safer by the numbers.


    Zhang Heng put down his bow and opened up his backpack, distributing a bunch of snacks that did not require cooking to everyone.


    While taking a bite out of her custard pie, Xu Jing mumbled, ¡°What a day full of action! It¡¯s my first time camping, and it may very well be my last!¡±


    With food filling their stomachs, the group was feeling much better, and they began discussing the precarious situation they were in just a while ago.


    It was then that out of the blue, Shen Xixi said, ¡°Zhang Heng, can I talk to you?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    The pair stepped away from their friends¡¯ bemused gazes.


    Shen Xixi thanked Zhang Heng again for the night, saying, ¡°Did you notice?¡±


    ¡°Notice what?¡±


    ¡°That guy didn¡¯t look like he¡¯s from the villages around here. He¡¯s probably from the city like us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that the guy came here tonight just to look for women to assault?¡±


    ¡°No, if he was prepared, he wouldn¡¯t be dressed like that. The shoes on his feet were an Adidas Coconut 500. It¡¯s at least 2000 yuan and above for the authentic one! He would not have willingly worn those here and risked having his sneakers scraped by twigs and branches. Also, when he was talking, he kept scratching at his neck. He must have gotten bitten by a lot of mosquitos! If this was premeditated and he did not even prevent that, that would just too careless. So, chances are, he came here at the last minute.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very detailed observation!¡± Zhang Heng looked surprised. ¡°Most people would not have noticed so many fine details in that situation!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same?¡± Shen Xixi answered softly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice any of that.¡± Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about shoes. I was busy paying attention to his friends in the woods. I didn¡¯t notice his little movements. If you didn¡¯t mention it, I really would not have known.¡±


    Shen Xixi was taken aback slightly. ¡°Then why have you been keeping an eye on Wang Huan?¡±


    ¡°Because when the guy appeared, her reaction was a little too intense. Everyone was paralyzed by shock and fear but she was very, very frightened. After the guy left, everyone was so relieved, but she seemed even more alarmed instead.¡±


    Shen Xixi smiled bitterly. ¡°That is why I didn¡¯t agree with them calling the police.¡±


    ¡°Even though she put everyone in danger tonight?¡±


    ¡°Wang Huan has her share of problems. Cheng Cheng threatened her, telling her that if she refused to help, he wants her to reimburse him for the lipstick. Her parents were laid off a while ago, and she has a younger brother at home. And just like you said, she didn¡¯t expect this to happen. She only sent our location to Cheng Cheng. All she thought was that he wanted to join us. She never expected the person someone like that to pop out. She was terrified¡­ worried that police would find out.¡±


    ¡°You decide then.¡± Zhang Heng declined to comment. They were all adults. They have to be responsible for their own actions. Circumstances and her family¡¯s situation may have induced her to behave that way, but it¡¯s no excuse for her wrongdoing! One straightforward justification: society may not be just to you but you can¡¯t go kill people in a kindergarten or set public transportation on fire just like that!


    However, Shen Xixi was the target here. Whatever she would decide to do was entirely up to her. Zhang Heng had no opinion on that.


    As for Cheng Cheng, he had an idea of what kind of game the guy was playing at, sort of¡­ In light of the declining favorable impression between him and Shen Xixi, he probably wanted to play the hero and save the damsel in distress in this self-directed drama to make up for it. It, however, appeared that this guy had underestimated Shen Xixi¡¯s intelligence.


    At the moment, it did not look like they were on the same level.


    Shen Xixi let out a breath of relief. ¡°I am not a person who keeps forgiving ¨C Wang Huan promised to move out of our dorms when we get back. We won¡¯t have any social interactions with each other. So, that¡¯s how it¡¯s gonna be. You, on the other hand, will have to be very careful. Cheng Cheng wouldn¡¯t dare break the law, but he has no problem crossing the line. Mm, it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t leave the campus for the time being. I¡¯ll help you figure a way out of this!¡±

 Chapter 29

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Patrol cars sent the group was back to the city. Their statements were taken down, but unsurprisingly, the police could do very little about it.


    That was a small crime that did not result in anything serious, so they merely entertained them and warned other campers. Unless a similar incident were to happen again, they were not going to invest resources in conducting an investigation.


    An unavoidable situation, the officers already had plenty of cases piled up. Sorting the cases by priority was an essential skill of every officer.


    And just like that, the outing was ruined. By the time the group reached the campus, it was already close to midnight. They bid each other goodbye and returned to their respective rooms.


    Chen Huadong was in luck! Thanks to his heroic performance of standing his ground when the trespasser threatened him, he successfully obtained Xu Jing¡¯s phone number!


    With him setting the ball rolling, everyone else started to exchange contacts with each other. As soon as they returned to their room, the seats on their chairs still cold, the pair had already started hooking up.


    Shen Xixi sent Zhang Heng a text to remind him to be extra careful.


    Zhang Heng thought about it and then politely replied thanks.


    He had only just sent the text when the world around him suddenly went eerily quiet. After more than a month, Zhang Heng was no stranger to this phenomenon.


    Setting the alarm on his phone to 7 hours, he climbed into bed.


    When he opened his eyes, the world was still steeped in darkness. Zhang Heng turned off his alarm and rolled out of bed. After making himself a cup of oats, he walked down the stairs with the cup.


    The caretaker lady arrived a little earlier than usual, already locking the main door the moment the clock struck twelve.


    Zhang Heng went straight into the control room and very deftly fished out a set of keys. He proceeded to unlock the door.


    He dropped by Wumart first, grabbed a pineapple bun1 from the rack and them left the change on the cashier. It had actually been a long time since he¡¯d done anything like this. Not since a terrified grandmother ran all the way home with her grandchild after hearing about the 12 o¡¯clock rumor. He switched to stocking up his food before bed.


    This time was an exception due to an unforeseen circumstance. If Cheng Cheng had not interfered, he would still be out there camping. After he had finished his oats and bun, he left his cup on the supermarket¡¯s rack, then jogged to the 24-hour gym. By that time, the contents in his stomach were almost fully digested.


    He began his training with the water resistance rowing machine. Three hours went by quickly. After that, he took a quick shower before checking himself into the rock-climbing club¡­ Finally, he wandered around the city on his daily tour with his camera.


    He was passing by a small hotel when a red BMW caught his eye. Zhang Heng stopped cycling as he slowly glanced at the license plate. It was Cheng Cheng¡¯s car.


    Zhang Heng was for all intents and purposes, not bothered by this son of some wealthy tycoon. Like he had told Shen Xixi, he was not involved in any clubs or group activities and had very little interaction with the student union. If Cheng Cheng wanted to take down Zheng Heng, it would require quite a lot of effort on the former¡¯s part.


    Cheng Cheng might be famous in school, but he was no fool. It was because of money that they were willing to be his accomplices in tricking na?ve young girls. But if they had to give up their certificate of graduation for him, or even break the law, sorry. No one would do it.


    Outside school, on the other hand, even though that young man was not a member of any society. After Shen Xixi¡¯s cue, however, Zhang Heng realized that he was also another bored fuerdai with nothing to do like Cheng Cheng.


    That was just purely asking a friend for a favor, but these people were sometimes even more of a nuisance than thugs. They were willing to do almost anything for their face.


    Zhang Heng figured that since he had so fortuitously come upon him, it was best to get rid of this trojan horse once and for all.


    He parked the shared bicycle by the building and walked into the hotel. He did not know where Cheng Cheng was, but that was not a problem as he easily accessed all customer information on the computer at the front desk.


    He found Cheng Cheng¡¯s name quickly, took down the room number and borrowed a set of spare keys. Two minutes later, he pushed opened the door into room 305.


    There was steam all over the glass door of the bathroom but there was no sound of water.


    Zhang Heng could make out the silhouette of a girl but he was not the kind to take advantage of situations like this. He immediately looked away and then continued into the room. There were clothes strewn everywhere.


    There was even a brassiere handing from the television.


    On the bed, Cheng Cheng was naked except for an underwear, smoking while texting on WeChat.


    Zhang Heng plucked the phone from his hand and saw that the person he was chatting with was a guy called Wu Fan with a picture of a tattoo as his profile picture. Zhang Heng tried to recall to the intruder¡¯s tattoo but failed to realize anything significant. That was alright, though. Zhang Heng clicked on the contacts, scrolled down, and found the same picture.


    The owner of the WeChat account had taken a full body picture with his wardrobe, with a caption underneath¡ªCan¡¯t put the shoes down. What should I do?


    The face on the picture belonged to the guy with the folding knife.


    Zhang Heng went back to the conversation page, and then looked through the messages. It was almost exactly as he had guessed. Cheng Cheng was indeed the one who came up with the idea! He was nearby when it happened, ready to show up once he got the signal!


    He did not expect his plans to be disrupted by Zhang Heng. Forced home with a belly full of anger he couldn¡¯t vent, Cheng Cheng invited a junior he had wooed to go out on a date with him.


    Wu Fan asked Cheng Cheng if he wanted to try and push the bowman around for a bit.


    Out of caution and not kindness of the heart, Chen Cheng replied that he would have to look into Zhang Heng first.


    After that, the conversation grew boring, delving into what club had awesome girls, which limited edition shoes were worth collecting, who managed to get the girl, or whose boobs were bigger¡ªthat kind of subject. Other than that, Zhang Heng also found out that Cheng Cheng was dabbling with recreational drugs and had tricked the girls he was with into doing them.


    Zhang Heng shook his head reprovingly. This guy had caused so much harm to other people. When Zhang Heng was done reading the dialogue, he created a new chat group which included Wu Fan and all the other contacts in the list which looked like fuerdais, and then began typing¡­


    ¡®Wu Fan that dumb fuck! I just need to bring up our friendship and loyalty to get him to do whatever I want. He will do anything I ask him to do. Now, he¡¯s as obedient as my dog.¡¯


    When he was finished composing the text, Zhang Heng even added an emoji with a coquettish smile and shades at the end, then hit the send button.


    He could foresee that after zero o¡¯clock tonight, a solid friendship was about to face a brutal test.


    This, however, may not humble Cheng Cheng. So, Zhang Heng decided to give him a warning.


    He did not do anything too inhumane¡ªhe was not a monster. He only gave Cheng Cheng some water to drink.


    After forcing down two bottles of water down Cheng Cheng¡¯s esophagus, Zhang Heng was worried that Cheng Cheng would not be satisfied so he took another two from the front desk. Then, to prevent permanent damage to his nervous system from water intoxication, he took another three bottles of Pocari Sweat.


    In the end, though there was a bottle, Cheng Cheng¡¯s stomach had already grown a size larger and when shaken, Zheng Heng could hear water slushing inside.


    To top it all off, Zhang Heng deleted all the apps in Cheng Cheng¡¯s phone before setting a Bride of Chucky picture as wallpaper. Finally, he left a grave message in the memo¡ªThink about what you¡¯ve done.


    When it was all done, Zhang Heng jumped onto his little yellow bike, leaving the hotel behind to continue exploring the artistic path.

 Chapter 30

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Cheng Cheng was absent from school for two days. Word was that he was sent to the emergency ward in an ambulance. The doctor¡¯s final diagnosis was ¡®drowning¡¯. The strange thing was that Cheng Cheng claimed that he had been lying in bed in the hotel room and had no contact with any water at all.


    What was worse than his physical condition, however, was his mental state. He appeared to be suffering from severe psychological trauma and was advised by the doctor to seek psychiatric help after his treatment. As a result, his parents spent a large sum of money to hire a world-famous expert, and after two sessions, he was finally stabilized.


    He was finally able to return to school a month later. A few close acquaintances even arranged a welcome-back reception in his honor. They were going to invite his side-girl, but Cheng Cheng was too terrified after everything that had taken place that night. Although they had proven that he did not have any sexual contact with the girl who was in the shower, Cheng Cheng would rather have a small-time model come over than anyone from that day.


    That night, after a couple of beers and the company¡¯s admiration, Cheng Cheng¡¯s mood improved considerably and was willing to practice what the expert said, which turned out to be convincing himself that that was just a bad dream.


    Upon his return to university, he decided to restore his former glory and figure out a way to win Shen Xixi over. Humans were like that. They thought the harder it is to achieve something, the more valuable it must be.


    In the beginning, during the welcoming party, he thought that she was good looking singe, and had wanted to woo her just for the fun of it. But Shen Xixi would have none of it. She did not even give him a chance, which only made him even more obstinate in going after her.


    This matter quickly plagued him. As he was humping the small-time model, Cheng Cheng covered the poor girl¡¯s face with a pillow cover and imagined that she was Shen Xixi. This got him even more excited than usual.


    He kept at it for another three minutes before laying down, whereupon a rush of exhaustion flooded his head, and the tired Cheng Cheng closed his eyes and fell asleep immediately. He was jolted awake in the middle of the night and he felt something resting on his face.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw the Bride of Chucky¡¯s face resting against him! Goosebumps sprouted all over his terrified body!


    His screams not only waken the model sleeping next to him, but had also startled the guests in the rooms downstairs. Cheng Cheng did not even bother to dress properly and left the room running and screaming for his life in his underwear!


    Alas, misery loves company. He was only a short distance away from the hotel when a minivan suddenly screeched to a halt in front of him! The door opened and the tattooed youth grinned at him from the inside. ¡°Brother Cheng, your little pug has come to bring you home!¡±


    Then, the passengers inside the van dragged the horrified Cheng Cheng into the vehicle!


    Following this, a 15-minute video of Cheng Cheng in a dog collar barking and scoffing down dog treats appeared on the university forum. Although it was quickly taken down by the school authorities, it had already left its severe, unerasable mark. The whole school was in a frenzy!


    Cheng Cheng¡¯s reputation was already on eggshells. Pretended indignance from the varmints in the student union aside, the reactions were mostly schadenfreude1 from the common folk.


    A week later, Cheng Cheng¡¯s parents came to the school and after applying leave for their son, left in a hurry. A rumor quickly spread around that they had sent their son overseas for treatment.


    ¡­


    Everything that happened after that no longer concerned Zhang Heng. In fact, after he had taken the time out to leave a warning for Cheng Cheng, he continued with his busy schedule. He simply threw in the doll in-passing to keep Cheng Cheng busy from his boredom! Zhang Heng never in the slightest expected that the outcome would be so severe.


    Later on, Zhang Heng did go back, intentionally this time, to stick the haunted doll¡¯s face in the dark hotel room. The situation was undeniably quite scary. Cheng Cheng had already been frightened once before, and in his extremely fragile state, all it would take was one more scare and a complete mental breakdown would be no surprise. As for Wu Fan¡¯s appearance after that, Zhang Heng knew nothing of that.


    In short, this matter was considered closed. Zhang Heng did not actually spend much time and energy on Cheng Cheng. The harassment was done out of convenience. During this period, he had employed a new plan of action¡ªattend classes and prepare for the next round of games.


    The results of his workout were a little more evident now. He was not seeking to have one of those muscular bodies, being more concerned about being pliable than being strong. He had now passed a beginner¡¯s level in rock climbing as well.


    The second game was drawing near. In theory, he could actually wait until the last day to join the game but Zhang Heng did not want to cut it too close. What if he fell sick or sprained his ankle? That was a fun thought.


    So, 5 days before the end of November, Zhang Heng returned to the Sex and the City bar.


    This time, he did not need to flash the number on his arm for the two burly men guarding the steps to let him pass.


    Zhang Heng thanked the gentlemen and pushed the metal door open. The lounge was no different from the last time he visited, except the music had changed to jazz.


    The bartender looked to be in a pretty good mood. She was mixing some strange drink when she spotted Zhang Heng and greeted him, ¡°How has this month been? What would you like to drink?¡±


    ¡°Not bad. I won¡¯t be having any drinks.¡±


    Then as reading his mind, she pushed the freshly-made masterpiece in front of him. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s this lemon water that you passed out the last time, do you? Even if you did nothing, you would still enter the game the same way.¡±


    ¡°Last time, you said the time was fixed only for the first game. I have the freedom to choose after that, right?¡±


    The bartender pointed at something nearby. ¡°Do you see that booth? Each one of them has an alarm clock. Take a seat at one of them and adjust the time to your liking. When it¡¯s time, the game will start.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. But I won¡¯t need the booze. The game starts soon, so it¡¯s better for me to stay sober!¡±


    ¡°This is not a cocktail, just a mix of fruit juices.¡± The bartender raised a brow at him; her patience obviously pushed a notch further.


    Zhang Heng had the good sense to pick up the glass filled with the unknown liquid. From its appearance, this thing perfectly replicated Maid caf¨¦¡¯s style. In all honesty, it looked suspicious. Speaking of which, Zhang Heng had visited that coffee shop a couple of times before, but the bartender lady acted as if she did not know him, sticking to that cold, indifferent front.


    ¡°Oh, right! You¡¯ve also mentioned last time that the wooden box made of Tulewood that could isolate supernatural powers is sold here. How much is it?¡± Zhang Heng tasted the drink in his hand. It had a peculiar taste to it, a little like durian and a little like mango. There was probably soursop and avocado in there. It was as strange a mix as it could get. So, Zhang Heng resolved to changing the subject, slowly and stealthily put the drink back down.


    From all the previous information he had gathered, there were two precious things in the game. The first one was a very realistic atmosphere and settings that allowed people to gain a lot of experience and skills in a short few hours. The second was the so-called game items.


    Needless to say, having a supernatural item that continued to have effects in the real world was very advantageous! The lucky rabbit¡¯s foot had been with Zhang Heng for more than a month now. He even found money on the road twice now, although only 2 yuan. The rabbit¡¯s foot was E-class, indicative that there were also other classes¡ªA, B, C, and D¡ªabove it.


    But because the game items¡¯ effects were unidentifiable, carrying them around uninformed would be very dangerous. It was possible for him to have such good luck all the time, so he needed a better way to contain it.


    The last time, after the bartender told him about the Tule tree, he went back and looked it up on Baidu and discovered that this tree only grew in Mexico¡¯s Oaxaca state, revered dearly by the locals. It was practically impossible to take a piece from the tree to make a box.


    That being the case, he had no other choice but to buy it from the bartender. It felt a bit like he was forced to do it even though he knew the outcome was bad.

 Chapter 31

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng was preparing himself up to the sacrificial lamb, but the bartender answered nonchalantly, ¡°Since you¡¯ve had a taste of my masterpiece, I¡¯ll give you a tip¡ªif you want to use the box to store the game items, I suggest that you forget about it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you the last time? Only game items can travel freely between the game and real world. To ensure fairness for everyone, you¡¯re forbidden to bring things from the game back to reality, nor can you bring anything from the real world into the game. So, the only thing the Tule box can do is to contain game items for you here in the real world. You¡¯ll have to figure out a way to do that yourself on the other side.¡±


    ¡°The wooden Tule box is not a game item?¡±


    The bartender shook her head. ¡°There are very few things that can be called a game item, even the lowest F-grade ones. But there are game items that function almost like the Tule box. That¡¯ll all depend on your luck. You can also wait till the year-end auction. There¡¯ll be a lot of goodies there! Of course, provided that your pockets are not empty!¡±


    ¡­


    For now, there was nothing Zhang Heng could do to get a suitable object to store game items. It was not an urgent matter, so he would have no choice but to heed the bartender¡¯s words, noting to himself that most game items became effective upon direct contact.


    All he had to do was to be careful and perhaps put on a glove or something to minimize risk.


    If he stayed on, he might be coerced into tasting some other strange drinks, so Zhang Heng left the bar.


    He picked an empty booth and found a small alarm clock under the seat.


    Even though that extra 24 hours had prolonged his hardship on the island, he had to admit that the rewards were not insignificant either.


    His time he spent in the game was 12 times longer than other players, which gave him a better opportunity to explore the island. Considering the dire consequences that game over could bring, he would have to rely on this ability of his for the rest of it.


    He only hoped that it was not some remote and humanless place again this time.


    He set the time on the clock to 23:55 before leaning back onto the padded seat and rested his eyes.


    After about half an hour, a dizziness filled his head, and he felt weak. It was as if he¡¯d been swallowed by a night hag, having none of the energy to even lift a finger.


    Then that familiar voice rang in his ear again.


    [Verifying player¡¯s identity¡­]


    [Identity confirmed. Random extraction of newcomer¡¯s quest for player number 07958¡­]


    [Extraction complete¡ªCurrent quest is Tokyo Drift!]


    ¡°Tokyo¡ªan international metropolis with a population of 37 million, deserving of its reputation as the center of Japan¡¯s politics, economy, and culture. During the day, this place is the vanity fair for financiers and politicians, but the grand opening of the truly entertaining stories only take place against the backdrop of the night¡­ Will you, an exchange student from China, be able to leave your mark and become a legend here?


    [Mission objective: Win first place in an underground drifting championship.]


    [Mode: Single player.]


    [Time flow rate: 360] (One hour in the real world is equivalent to 15 days in this game. After 60 days, the player will be extracted and returned to the real world.]


    A friendly reminder: the game will begin in 5 seconds. Players, please get ready!


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng opened his eyes and found himself standing right in the middle of a crossroad.


    Perhaps his prayers had been heard by someone. This place was the exact opposite or his first game on the desert island!¡ªhe was surrounded by colorful neon lights and advertisement boards, a seemingly endless number of people strolled past him, speaking an unfamiliar language that he only heard on tv and games before.


    A phone rang somewhere blaring a tune alike Mika Nakashima¡¯s ¡®The Reason Why I Thought I¡¯d Die¡¯. There were a few youths zipping through the crowd on skateboards.


    Hot young girls sported miniskirts, and middle-aged salarymen in suits clutched onto their briefcases as they hailed for cabs. Zhang Heng even spotted a large number of western faces. It was night, yet it appeared to be livelier than during the day!


    Tsk-tsk! This was indeed the world¡¯s largest hotpot of urbanization!


    After Zhang Heng was sure of signs of danger in his surroundings, he checked his personal profile.


    Name: Zhang Heng


    Gender: Male


    Age: 19


    Player ID: 07958


    Rounds played:1


    Current game points: 24


    Skills: Piano, Level 1; Language proficiency: Level 1 (both languages at general communication skills level); Archery skills: Level 2; Wilderness survival skills: Level 2


    Item in possession: Lucky Rabbit¡¯s Foot (E)


    Assessment: The player has slightly better luck than the average person, but otherwise, do not possess qualities that are worth commending. Has minimal wilderness survival and archery skills. Not expected to last longer than the first five rounds.


    Although Heng had been practicing rock climbing and photography for the past month, it appeared that neither of these skills even made it to level 0, which was why they were not displayed in the skills section.


    Other than that, the biggest change was the addition of an ¡®item in possession¡¯ category and the rabbit foot¡¯s effects. His assessment was now slightly different too. At least he had gotten rid of that comment about him being unremarkable. Still, he might not be able to make it far enough.


    Once he had reviewed his current status, Zhang Heng took in his surroundings again. The place was thriving. Right opposite him was an emporium with a giant outdoor LED screen playing a SONY earbuds commercial. Bustling shops and bright neon signs crowded the entire skyline. It was quite crowded, indeed.


    This place¡­ looked a lot like Shibuya!


    Zhang Heng had tagged along with his mum on a trip to Tokyo to attend an academic conference when he was much younger. But his memory of that time was little fuzzy now because the conference was lengthy and he spent most of the time cooped up in hotel rooms. It was only on the last day, that his mother had brought him out shopping in Shibuya. She got him a PSP before they left, which was why he had some sort of impression at all of this place.


    Getting to play the game in a thriving civilization was a good thing, but the situation was still slightly delicate.


    For the most part, Zhang Heng did not understand Japanese at all. Even though there were Chinese characters in the words which allowed him to guess the approximate meaning on the signboards, at this rate, he would not be able to carry out his mission. How could they just leave him here?


    He played the role of an exchange student in the game. This meant that he would not have to worry about his accommodation at the very least. There was no mention, however, the name of his school. There were dozens of universities in Tokyo ¨C national, public, and private. He could not possibly go around asking each one of them.


    In a time as such, Zhang Heng decided he might as well find out what he was carrying on his character.


    He began searching his pockets when a girl in a short skirt suddenly ran towards him, huffing and puffing, carrying two ice cream cones in her hands! ¡°Zhang Heng! Thank God you¡¯re here! I was scared to death! I thought I lost you on your first day here!¡±


    The girl exhaled in relief when she saw him.


    The traffic light on the opposite lit up green.


    ¡°Ah, crap. We¡¯re running out of time! Let¡¯s go!¡± The girl said, pulling his hand.

 Chapter 32

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Ten minutes later, Zhang Heng was standing in front of the door into ITS¡¯DEMO 1with an ice cream cone that had magically appeared in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Zhang-san1! I had a sudden craving for ice cream while we were walking and left you wandering on the road on your road,¡± the girl bowed apologetically.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s my own fault. I was so busy looking around that I didn¡¯t follow you closely, fellow classmate Ameko!¡± Zhang Heng had just finished searching all his pockets.


    Its contents were simple: a passport, student ID, wallet (with 30,000 Japanese Yen and a transportation card), keys, and cell phone. Among these things, Zhang Heng¡¯s priority was the phone. According to the girl, this was his first day here.


    Then, chances were that she could be a friendly schoolmate who had taken the time taking him around to admire Tokyo¡¯s night view. In most situations like these, both parties were most likely to have exchanged phone numbers. Zhang Heng checked a recent missed call and typed in Ameko¡¯s name.


    Of course, he could have asked the girl directly, making up an excuse that he did not know how to spell her name, but it seemed a little rude to him.


    When he looked up and saw the girl¡¯s expression, he knew that he had guessed correctly.


    Ameko looked adorable whenever she smiled, revealing her two snaggleteeth. ¡°Zhang-san, Shibuya is a fashion center! There are a lot of very interesting storeS and places of interest here! But occasionally, hanky-panky business goes on around here. So, you better stay close!¡±


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng had no objections to that. Ameko had been so warmhearted by being his tour guide, introducing Tokyo as they walked the streets. Up until now, the both of them had been conversing in Mandarin, and she was pretty proficient. She majored in Chinese at the university and planned to apply as an exchange student to China next year, furthering her studies.


    But her understanding of China only came from what she saw on the TV and her teachers, so, in order to deepen her knowledge, she made it a point to be friends with this term¡¯s exchange student.


    ¡°Ah, actually, my home is in Shinagawa. I¡¯ve studied in Tokyo since high school. I¡¯ve never been away from home before. Talking about going to a place far away makes me excited, yet a little worried at the same time!¡± Ameko rubbed her nose shyly. ¡°My parents back home was always worried if I could care for myself in the future! So, I want to take this opportunity to train myself! Err¡­ Is that very childish of me?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s terrific!¡±


    This time, the quest title was ¡®Tokyo Drift¡¯. From the name itself, Zhang Heng could tell that the primary purpose of this game was to test the player¡¯s driving skills¡ªalso confirmed by the mission target.


    Although it seemed like the rate of time flow was reduced when compared to the previous game, which only lasted for two hours, this mission was actually going to take twice as long to complete. 60 days to be precise.


    It might sound generous, but unless the player was already a competitive race driver or a hardcore car tuner, being good enough to win an underground street race, even the easiest one in a mere 60 days, was a practically impossible task.


    What more, the problems the players would face in this version of the game were not as simple as merely improving their driving skills.


    Right now, in Zhang Heng¡¯s wallet, there was only 30,000 yen. How should I put this into perspective? Well, take the ice cream Ameko bought for example, which cost 300 yen each. From the flyer the ramen shop had given them when they passed by, Zhang Heng found out that a bowl of ramen cost between 800 to 1,200 yen.


    Of course, the food in the campus should be slightly more affordable, or if need be, he could consider cooking for himself. He might be able to last 60 days but he was not really here to be an exchange student.


    In this period of time, he would need to get his hands on a car, find out the location of the race, figure a way to improve his driving skills and sign up for a race. And to do all that, he would need to have the most basic of communication skills to support himself.


    If it were other players in his shoes, they might not have listened to Ameko explaining her personal growth journey and jump right into the main issue.


    But Zhang Heng was different¡ªhe had enough patience. Apart from his own great character, he also knew that everything happened for a reason.


    Human beings have continued to progress because they are consistently reflected on themselves and draw inferences¡ªand this had always been Zhang Heng¡¯s strength.


    The first game had not only gave him twenty-over points and a prop¡ªZhang Heng had analyzed his experience many times and came to a very important conclusion¡ªwhoever the game creator was, it was evident that he always encouraged the players to explore the world they were put in.


    The lucky rabbit¡¯s foot was a good testament to that. The really good things did not appear in the main mission. If his only purpose was to survive, there was no need to travel to the center of the island at all. Yet, it was this side mission that had earned him the greatest reward. On top of that, the things that he did to improve his quality of life often earned him bonus points and rewards.


    Not to imply that the other player did not understand this, but having to think of a way to complete the mission under the pressure of the return deadline, none of them would be in the mood to enjoy the luscious views around them.


    However, Zhang Heng did not have any problems here because time was always on his side.


    For this game, he had a good 420 days¡ªseven times more than the average place. Other than that, he had also developed a personal interest in the various worlds the game presented. During his first-round back on the island, everything felt very real to him. If it were not for the time-bug that had caused a loop, there was no way of him finding a flaw.


    Compared to this megacity with a population of 37 million people, that was nothing.


    Everyone here seemed to have self-awareness and responded spontaneously to external stimuli. If all these were expressed through programming, it would take a frightening amount of calculations! In fact, no amount of coding could achieve this level of sophistication. This was not so much a game as a flawless work of art!


    Unfortunately, the players were just rushing sojourners in this world, no time to stop and admire. Zhang Heng might very well be the only exception.


    Ameko stuck out her tongue. ¡°Am I talking a little too much? I¡¯m supposed to be introducing Tokyo but then I somehow began talking about myself. You must be really bored! Why don¡¯t I buy you a taiyaki1 to make up for it?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I feel like you¡¯re just looking for an excuse to eat it.¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡± Amiko flashed her signature snaggleteeth after exposing her love for food.


    ¡°But let me pay this time! You¡¯ve already treated me ice cream. I should thank you¡ªif you hadn¡¯t volunteered to be my guide, I¡¯m afraid I would not have left campus at all!¡± Zhang Heng pulled out his wallet. He could not keep taking advantage of this girl¡¯s generosity.


    He bought four taiyaki from the stall by the road. A ubiquitous snack in Japan, it was an affordable preposition. Even though the name taiyaki literally meant ¡®baked seabream¡¯, it was actually a cake with fillings like red beans. Four of them only cost Zhang Heng 640 yen.


    ¡°Zhang-san¡­ you really are a good person,¡± Ameko mumbled as she bit into a steaming hot taiyaki. ¡°We¡¯re not too far from Yoyogi park, but too bad it¡¯s already so late. Otherwise, I could bring you there for a walk.¡±

 Chapter 33

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Ameko had proven herself to be a very competent tour guide. This was especially true after eating Zhang Heng¡¯s taiyaki, turning her even more zealous. She showed Zhang Heng around before reluctantly sending him back to school around nine at night. Then, she took the tram back to her apartment.


    Because land was so expensive in Tokyo, only a few universities had dormitories. Owing to that, most students had to rent rooms outside of campus like Ameko. Although her home was within the city, she chose to rent an apartment unit with other university students because it was nearer to campus.


    However, the school treated exchange students pretty well. They had an international house, which provided accommodation for students from abroad. What more, they were all single rooms.


    Zhang Heng found his room number on his phone and unlocked the door with the key he was carrying in one of his pockets.


    The room was mediocre in size, only about 15 square meters. It was, however, furnished with a bed, wardrobe, study table, air conditioner, and even a full-sized bathroom.


    Zhang Heng took a quick shower before finding some clean clothes in the closet to change into. There was a half packet of biscuits on the table, a bank card, a notebook, and a bunch of photocopied papers. It all made him look like a real exchange student who had just moved in that day.


    He picked up the notebook and found a list of his expenditures. The handwriting was a one to one copy of his. On the second page, a timetable with only one subject was scribbled down, which was Japanese.


    Under normal circumstances, universities would never arrange pure lingual classes for exchange students.


    Generally, when enrolling exchange students, the university would specify Japanese as a requirement the students must meet. Of course, some did not, but only because most majors were taught English.


    That must have been the hidden benefit that this game version gave its players, a sort of tutorial for those who spoke nor read Japanese.


    But it was not possible to fluently learn a language in 60 days. For the time being, he would still have to rely on Ameko, the trusty human translating machine, to communicate with others.


    He was musing on that thought when he received a text message from her.


    Zhang-san. I¡¯ve reached home safely. Damn it! Momo1 went to drink from the toilet again while I was out. She left pawprints everywhere!


    Ameko had told Zhang Heng about Momo, a Japanese paddy cat she adopted, to which, Zhang Heng replied: Cook it in a stew.


    ¡°(¡Ñ¨Œ¡Ñ)¡±


    Ameko sent him a shocked face!


    Zhang Heng typed back: I¡¯m just joking! Oh, by the way, Ameka, do you know where the nearest ATM to school is?


    He flipped to the third page in his notebook. There was a list of things to do¡ªone of which was signing up for a bank card. The fee for the months to come would be deducted from the card.


    Of course. I¡¯ll bring you there tomorrow. If there¡¯s anything else that you don¡¯t know, you can always ask me! I¡¯m very familiar with the area!


    Ameko was still as earnest as the first time they met.


    Thank you for letting me trouble you.


    Zhang Heng bid the girl good night. He then went online to look up some information. Soon after, he flipped the lights off and climbed into bed. And that was how he spent his first night in a foreign country.


    ¡­


    The night passed without incident.


    The very next morning, Zhang Heng attended the language class. At an entry-level, the learning was relatively simple¡ªto master the goujon* or fifty-sounds chart, which mainly tests the student¡¯s memory. Then, in the afternoon, he and Ameko proceeded to apply for a bank card. The process would take about a week.


    Once they stepped out of the bank, Zhang Heng asked his companion, ¡°If I want to find work, is there a place you would recommend?¡±


    The 30,000 yen he had was far from enough. The two-month estimate he made previously was simply too optimistic. Rental for the room alone was already 20,000 yen! Luckily, the first month¡¯s rent had already been paid for. Realizing that he was going to spend another 14 months or so here, Zhang Heng decided that he had to find a way to earn some money.


    He did not know how the other players were going to resolve this financial problem. They would probably opt for some high-risk solutions, but Zhang Heng preferred to opt for working. While the money may not come as quickly, it would allow him to familiarize and affiliate himself with this city.


    ¡°Hmm, most people work in restaurants, supermarkets or convenience stores, but being able to speak Japanese is a requirement.¡± Ameko paused for a moment to think. ¡°Or do you have any skills?¡±


    ¡°Skills?¡± Zhang Heng cocked his brow. ¡°Does archery and playing the piano count?¡±


    ¡°Ah? Archery and piano! That¡¯s incredible! If that¡¯s the case, you can work at the kyudo practice hall or western restaurants. Mm, but Japanese archery (ky¨±d¨­) is slightly different from western archery, emphasizing on the cultivation of the spirit and the mind. Also, there¡¯s no way you could avoid talking to people in the practice hall. It looks like your best option is to play at a western restaurant.¡± Ameko carefully broke down the pros and cons of each option for Zhang Heng.


    This girl was through-and-through an executive¡ªshe immediately dragged Zhang Heng to an Italian restaurant to apply for a job. Unfortunately, they already had a pianist. Next, the pair tried the Spanish and French restaurants next door. Eventually, a western restaurant owned by a local Tokyolite was willing to give Zhang Heng a chance after hearing him play. Even so, the owner was still bothered by the fact that Zhang Heng did not know how to speak Japanese.


    Ameko pointed at the job advertisement outside the shop and said, ¡°You¡¯re still short on servers, right? I used to work in Roast Beef Ohno. How about this¡ªI¡¯ll work here too! If there are any language problems, I can help him translate.¡±


    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have a problem anymore!¡± The restaurateur nodded. ¡°We pay 1,200 yen an hour, three days a week, 4¡ª5 hours a day. There will be day and night shifts. You can choose to come on the days you don¡¯t have classes. I will try to put you two in the same shift.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your trouble!¡± Ameko bowed.


    Only when they stepped out of the door did Zhang Heng find out what the two had been talking about. When Ameko sensed a protest on the way, she quickly explained, ¡°The trip yesterday night was really fun! Everyone is normally so busy with their own lives that very few people would be willing to listen to what other people¡¯s opinions! Zhang-san¡­ is a very gentle person. Also, it¡¯s not all because of you. I just quit my last job and have been looking for one. The environment and pay here are pretty good as well! Also, isn¡¯t it much safer with you around?¡± Ameko flashed her snaggleteeth.


    Could this be the perks of a good first impression? Zhang Heng said nothing. When he saw that it was already evening, he treated Ameko to dinner at a restaurant nearby.


    The two were chatting about school when a spray-painted Subaru BRZ and a green Volkswagen Golf R pulled up in front of the shop. Young boys and girls with colorful hair stepped out of the cars. One of them, a guy with a bandanna, shouted at the owner to bring beers the minute he stepped in.


    From the looks of most of them, it was apparent they had a round of drinks before this. They were already somewhat drunk.


    Ameko whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t keep staring at them! That guy is a recent bosozoku1. Quite a few of them are from our school. They hang out with good-for-nothing worthless punks all day long! They do nothing good from morning to night.¡±

 Chapter 34

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng did not avert his gaze immediately. He was thinking of a way into the primary mission when voil¨¤!¡ªthe cue was right in front of his eyes!


    This group of so-called bosozoku were markedly car-tuning enthusiasts. If he could somehow be involved in their circle, he should be able to be acquainted with all sorts of underground street races. Building a good relationship with one or two people, he might just get the person to teach him some racing skills.


    But there was one problem¡ªhe could sense Ameko¡¯s discrimination of these people. Without her to help him translate, he had no way of communicating with them.


    Should he try convince Ameko to help or should he just drag her in?


    Zhang Heng did not have a lot of time to dilly-dally. The moment the headbanded guy glanced over, he lowered his head and avoided eye-contact. The other customers pretty much reacted the same. The group of bosozoku appeared to have a sense of superiority over the average person, whistling and laughing loudly as they sauntered to an unoccupied table at the back.


    At the last minute, Zhang Heng decided to go against breaking friendship with Ameko, purely because this bunch of people was too dim-witted. If he were going to associate himself with them, he would have to lower his intelligence to match theirs.


    Zhang Heng did not have any masochistic tendencies and decided to abandon that decision instead. He knew that this wasn¡¯t the only way to get involved in street racing, not to mention learning nothing at all from this bunch of goons.


    For the next two weeks, Zhang Heng spent his time learning Japanese and working at the western restaurant. There were no developments on the racing front, but his relationship with Ameko was getting better. The pair worked together, with Zhang Heng helping correct Ameko¡¯s Mandarin pronunciation, and in return, Ameko tutored his Japanese. On top of that, Zhang Heng started to realize Ameko¡¯s growing fondness of exchanging text messages with him.


    After getting to know her more, he realized that Ameko was the kind of girl who could really talk. From Momo the cat, the stray dog on the road, to the supermarket bento discounts¡ªeverything she saw, she would send him a text telling him about them!


    During his Japanese class, he would receive Aemko¡¯s text:


    Ah! Today, the Chinese language teacher is wearing an extremely adorable floral skirt that does not suit her age at all! Everyone is shocked.


    While he was having his meal, he would get:


    Big news! This is a disaster! Did you know that the school¡¯s dog Matsuko is actually male?!


    Or before going to bed:


    Zhang-san, don¡¯t you think that the world would be a horrible place if cats don¡¯t exist?


    The one that he received nearly every day:


    Oh no, am I too keen on sending messages? Do you hate me? Yes? No?


    Zhang Heng put down the rollerball pen he was using and rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°No. I was revising today¡¯s lesson.¡±


    He had not been loafing about even though he was unable to find out about the covert night street race. It felt like he had gone back in time to his senior year in high school. For the sake of picking up Japanese as soon as possible, or at least be able to understand the dullest everyday conversation, he went all out¡ªparing down his sleeping time to just 5 hours to tirelessly practice his language skills. He even kept a book of Japanese basics next to the piano in the restaurant.


    The whole thing undoubtedly was like attending extracurricular classes instead of playing a game!


    ¡°Zhang-san, you¡¯re too industrious. Compared to you, I feel like I¡¯m wasting time,¡± Ameko said admiringly.


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing what I have to.¡± Zhang Heng smiled bitterly. Truth be told, he was not very interested in learning languages. But on the second evening here, he received a prompt from that mysterious voice again.


    It confirmed that his return time had been extended to 420 days. Some things could be planned in advance, though. He could not possibly rely on Ameko to be his translator for such a long period. Moreover, she had already applied to be an exchange student in China and may not be around for the next school year. Zhang Heng decided that he needed to be independent.


    A fourteen-month long study tour like this was hard to come by. If he did take advantage of it and pick up the local language, it would be a waste of opportunity.


    Zhang Heng had a sneaking suspicion that if this game continued, he would have to learn all mainstream languages of the world first.


    Ameko still kept up with her prattling messages about trivial things, and after one week of bombardment, Zhang Heng could read between the lines of her message today that she was in low spirits.


    So, he typed:


    What happened to you?


    But before he clicked send, he erased the message and then dialed her number. ¡°Ameko, have you been in some sort of trouble recently?¡±


    The girl was shocked to hear from him! Her voice was a little hoarse as if she had just cried not a while ago, and she was sniffling. ¡°Zhang-san. I¡¯m sorry for worrying you. It¡¯s nothing actually. It¡¯s just a family affair, no, not really a family affair¡ªthat person left us six years ago.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll feel better if you talk about it. If you¡¯re want to, you can tell me. I can keep it a secret for you. After all, other than you, no one else here understands what I say.¡±


    The upset Ameko chuckled and then proceeded to tell her story to Zhang Heng. It turned out when she was younger, her father became addicted to betting on horseracing. He lost the entire family¡¯s fortune. When her mum could not stand it anymore, they got divorced.


    After they had broken all relations, her mother married her stepfather and had Ameko¡¯s younger brother. Their lives had been very harmonious until she started university. Somehow her father found her and reached out.


    The first time they met, he asked her to lend him money. At first, he said that it was because his business was trouble and needed some turnover money. But if there was one time, there would be a second. After a few more, Ameko grew suspicious. She found out that not only was he still gambling, he also picked up a terrible drinking habit. f


    The father and daughter broke into a fight and stopped contacting each other for a few months. Then during the afternoon an hour ago, Ameko received a call from her father saying that he had been beaten up by debt collectors and did not have any money to see a doctor. Having learned her lesson, though, Ameko did not send her hard-earned money right away. Her father called her ungrateful and even said that he did not have a daughter like her!


    Ameko broke into tears, and asked Zhang Heng who was on the other line, ¡°Zhang-san, am I very cold-blooded?¡±


    ¡°Err, I think your father is extremely unreasonable. From the looks of it, he¡¯s most likely lying. But if you¡¯re worried about him, I can go with you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Really? Isn¡¯t it unbecoming of me to trouble you for my family¡¯s problem?¡± Ameko felt abashed.


    ¡°No! Recently, I feel like I¡¯m nearing my limits as well. If I¡¯m not learning Japanese, I would be playing piano at the restaurant. It just so happens I need to a breather.¡± Zhang Heng blurted all these from the heart. If he had to look at another one of those kana1 syllables again, he might just throw up.


    ¡°It¡¯s Saturday tomorrow. Let¡¯s go after work then!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much, Zhang-san!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Ameko¡¯s problem was just a brief interlude. Zhang Heng did not mind it at all.


    After he hung up, he began thinking about how to improve his driving skills again. It was already 15 days into the second game and had still not started on the main mission yet. If another player were in his shoes, they would be panicking already!


    But because he had fourteen months, Zhang Heng was not in too much of a hurry. But he could not continue to squander time away so rampantly. It would be better for him to set a deadline for himself¡ªif he were still unable to find a way to improve his driving skills, Zhang Heng would have no choice but to try getting involved with this bosozoku.

 Chapter 35

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    After getting off the bus, they took a fifteen-minute walk, and after crossing an intersection, they finally arrived at the destination.


    Zhang Heng looked at the small shop called Kurahara Seafood and asked, ¡°Your father lives here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It doesn¡¯t smell so good inside¡­ so you can wait for me outside.¡± The closer they were, the more perturbed Ameko looked but she was ever so considerate.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m already here, I might as well go in with you.¡± Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was not reluctant.


    The both of them passed roll-up banner stands and an abandoned old freezer as they walked into the seafood supply shop. A pungent fishy stench immediately assaulted Their noses as they took in the overpowering smell of fishes and prawns¡ªall sorts of seafood¡ªeverywhere. But there was no one in the shop¡ªall but a Moray eel struggling inside a polystyrene box.


    ¡°Father! Father!¡± Ameko called out, but no one replied. ¡°Could he really have gone to the hospital?¡± The girl muttered and hesitantly walked up the stairs with Zhang Heng following closely behind.


    The wooden stairs had not been mended for a long time, leaving cracks and chips everywhere. Every time they took a step, the stairs would groan and creak under pressure threatening to give up the load they could barely bear.


    If Zhang Heng thought the ground floor was packed like sardines, there was barely any space to walk on the first floor. There was dirty laundry, beer bottles, and even porn magazines scattered all over the place. An unshaven, half-naked man was lying on the ground, snoring away.


    ¡®I¡¯m such an idiot! I believed the same lies over and over again!¡± Ameko held her forehead in her palm.


    ¡°In some way, this is also good news, right? It¡¯s better than lying on a hospital bed.¡±


    ¡°This is even worse, so much worse! Why do men who lie to their own daughters exist in this world?¡± Ameko pulled the man by both hands and tried to get him onto the tatami on the side.


    When he saw that Ameko seemed to be struggling, Zhang Heng offered to help. ¡°Come, let me help.¡±


    As they were dragging the man, something fell out of his pocket. Ameko picked it up to examine it. It was a brown wallet. She was stunned and appeared to be lost in thought when the man suddenly sat upright on the tatami! He lunged for Ameko, shouting at her furiously!


    In an emergency, Zhang Heng instinctively employed the defensive move that Bell had taught him and threw the man onto the floor with an over-shoulder throw. The man fell to the ground with a loud hard thud; his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he slumped to the ground, unconscious.


    Only then did Ameko react and shouted, ¡°No! Is he dead?!¡± The girl jumped backward in shock.


    ¡°Err, no! But it will be a while before he wakes up. What is he screaming at you about?¡±


    ¡°Give me back my wallet¡­¡± Ameko mumbled.


    ¡°I will go back and continue learning Japanese.¡± Zhang Heng answered sheepishly.


    After that, the both of them carried the drunk and unconscious man back onto the tatami.


    Zhang Heng saw that Ameko was still holding onto the worn wallet and asked, ¡°Why? Is there a lot of money inside?¡±


    Ameko shook her head. ¡°No, this wallet was a birthday gift from my mum twelve years ago. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s still carrying it.¡± She opened the wallet and found an old, yellowed picture through the semi-transparent film on the right flap. It was a family picture.


    Ameko pointed at the one-year-old baby and said, ¡°This is probably me, and that¡¯s my mum and dad at the back. Mum said that wasn¡¯t a gambler back then. We were all very happy!¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s gaze fell on the very eye-catching Nissan behind the man. ¡°You never told me that your father was into car tuning.¡±


    ¡°Car tuning? No, no. How is that possible? Don¡¯t see him for what he is right now. He was a great role model when I was younger. When the seafood supply shop first opened, business was not very good. It couldn¡¯t compete with the local competition. To increase the shop¡¯s income, he began learning English, scouted for overseas clients, calling them one by one, and sometimes even showing up at their doorstep! At the store¡¯s peak, he even sold seafood to London, Los Angeles, and even Peru! Such a serious man wouldn¡¯t have ever been involved with the bosozoku¡­ and since I can remember, he has never driven a car. The goods have always been delivered by hired hands.¡± Ameko recalled and then took another look at the picture. ¡°This car must have belonged to someone else. They probably parked it there when the picture was taken.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so¡­¡± Zhang Heng did not ask any more questions but said, ¡°I¡¯m quite interested in cars. This car is probably a relic now, huh. Can I take a picture of that?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but keep me out of the picture. I was an ugly child.¡± Ameko blocked out her one-year-old face with a finger as Zhang Heng took a picture.


    After that, she rinsed two teacups and boiled some water with the electric kettle on the table. She rummaged through a cupboard and found a packet of black tea leaves.


    Ameko brought it up to her nose and sniffed. ¡°This¡­ is probably oolong tea.¡±


    The pair chatted as they enjoyed the tea. But the conversation was mostly Ameka talking about her childhood. After about half an hour, the stubbled man on the tatami opened his eyes and rubbed his throbbing shoulders. When he saw Zhang Heng, his eyes widened with caution.


    Ameko quickly explained their relationship.


    Only then did the stubbled man relax a little. The animosity quickly turned into disregard, and then father and daughter spoke in native Japanese.


    Finally, Ameko took out 15,000 yen from her bag and placed them on the table, but the man did not look very happy. His speech became even more impassioned, and he got up from the mat angrily.


    Zhang Heng stood protectively in front of Ameko, his forehead creased! The results of his workout had been pretty evident lately. Although he was not super muscular, there was not an ounce of extra flesh hanging from his body. On top of that, after that shoulder throw Zhang Heng had given the man, the man¡¯s manner softened a little at the sight of him.


    Ameko pushed herself off the floor, looking crestfallen and the rims of her eyes red and raw. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    All the way back on the tram, Ameko only stared out the window. Zhang Heng was careful not to interrupt her. After a while, he took out a packet of mixed-flavored gum and said in broken Japanese, ¡°Don¡¯t eat. I¡¯ll eat strawberries.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®if you don¡¯t eat one, I¡¯ll eat all of the strawberry-flavored ones,¡± Ameko corrected as she picked one. The crease in her brows slowly disappeared, and she switched to Mandarin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Zhang-san, that you had to see all those unhappy things.¡±


    ¡°Not at all! You have always been helping me; letting me help you once in a while makes me feel pretty good! So. What happened? Did the two of you end up in good terms?¡±


    ¡°No. My dad¡¯s employee is returning to his hometown this month. He couldn¡¯t find anyone suitable to help him deliver the goods. The store is not going to survive for much longer. He always finds all kinds of excuses, anyway! I couldn¡¯t be bothered to differentiate the truth from lies, so I gave him all my allowance for his month. That should be enough to keep things peaceful for now.¡± Ameko said helplessly.

 Chapter 36

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Every time the girl sent him back to his place, Zhang Heng would feel very self-conscious. He had navigation on his phone and could actually find his way again, but Ameko always insisted on sending him regardless.


    To thank her, Zhang Heng bought her dinner in the canteen. Ever since he started working at the restaurant, he was able to work out his pressing financial problem. Now, his monthly income was around 70,000 yen.


    This sum of money was enough to sustain him in the city, but that was just about it. Using this method to save up for a car was just too unrealistic. Presently, Zhang Heng still had not found a solution to this setback, but he had at least found a prospect in regards to brushing up his driving skills.


    On their way back, Zhang Heng asked Ameko for his father¡¯s name. He keyed in Kurahara Tetsuya1 on his phone along, and the search results that came up were all related to Kurahara Seafood.


    Everything appeared as healthy as it could be.


    After that, he used the editing tool to crop the man¡¯s face from the picture, magnify it, then upload it to Facesaerch, an image search engine created by Google application programming interface (API) that allowed its users to track down similar pictures on the web.


    The search results varied inaccuracy, and could sometimes be very inconsistent. You could upload Bai Baihe¡¯s picture and get Wang Luodan, and a search for Takeshi Kaneshiro would get you Zhao Benshan!


    Looking at the masses of pictures that popped up on his screen, Zhang Heng knew that he was going to have a lot of work to do tonight.


    ¡­


    The second morning, Zhang Heng slept in, which was something he rarely did. Since he did not need to work or attend classes that afternoon, he lay in bed until 10 am before rolling out of bed, not forgetting to make up for his morning run.


    After brunch, Zhang Heng checked his phone and saw that he had two messages from Ameko.


    One was:


    Thank you so much for yesterday.


    And the other:


    Momo drank too much toilet water and is having diarrhea! I¡¯m taking him to the vet!


    Zhang Heng employed his recently upgraded Japanese and typed:


    Be careful!


    After that, he set Kurahara Seafood as his destination on his phone.


    This was the first time he traveled so far without Ameko accompanying him. Fortunately, he had a map at hand and recollection for the place. After an hour and a half, he finally made it to the place they had been to yesterday.


    This time, the stubbled man was awake but still looked like he had just got out of bed. Garbed in pair of boxers, slippers, and a sleeping robe, he examined a batch of scallops in front of the store.


    He was startled when he turned around and saw Zhang Heng, then rambled on and on about something unintelligible as he kept retreating into the store, his hands searching his surroundings for any defensive weapons. When he saw that Zhang Heng had no intention of withdrawing, he fished out his phone and indicated that he was going to call 110.


    ¡°Uncle, I heard from Ameko that you understand English?¡± asked Zhang Heng in English.


    ¡°So what?!¡± The stubbled man found a mop and held on like his life depended on it! ¡°Hey, kid! I¡¯m warning you! Even if you¡¯re Ameko¡¯s boyfriend, you have no right to get involved in our family¡¯s business! If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll call the police!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here about yesterday.¡± Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°Can we please talk inside?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t move! Don¡¯t think that you can use this trick to get near me! The same move won¡¯t even work on Saint Seiya!¡± The stubbled man barked, raising his voice. It seemed that yesterday¡¯s shoulder throw had somewhat scarred him.


    They spoke in English anyway, so Zhang Heng did not have to worry about any eavesdroppers. Zhang Heng did not push it any further and simply said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just say it¡ªI was hoping you could teach me how to race cars.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± The man was stumped for a short minute. ¡°You want a seafood supply storeowner to teach you how to drag race? Is your English bad or is there a problem with my hearing? What is this? Some cold Easter Sunday joke?!¡±


    The man paused for a moment and then continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t Ameko tell you? I don¡¯t know how to drive at all. Why do you think I have so much backlog ever since my delivery man quit?¡± He gestured towards the pile of boxes miserably.


    Zhang Heng did not budge. ¡°Isn¡¯t your English too good to be a self-taught learner? Takeda Tetsuya, or should I call you Yosuke Tsuchiya? The famous racing prodigy who left for Europe immediately after graduating from high school. Your excellent driving skills attracted the attention of sponsors, which led to your participation in the FIA GT Grand Prix! Your biggest success was winning second-runner up in New, York but because you offended the racing team manager, you were forced to return home. Seventeen years ago, you won the Tokyo D1 GRAND PRIX, then in the same year, set out to challenge the Drift King (DK) title! You beat all the street racers from 22 wards out of Tokyo¡¯s 23 special wards. But you suddenly gave up and vanished at the final juncture.¡± Zhang Heng said unhurriedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who the hell you¡¯re talking about!¡± The man said, keeping a straight face. ¡°Kid, if you want to go race cars, don¡¯t stand in front of my shop and disturb my business!¡±


    No matter how hard he pretended to remain calm and unaffected, Zhang Heng, who had been staring at his face, noticed that when he mentioned the name Yosuke Tsuchiya, the man¡¯s pupils contracted. Zhang Heng was 90% sure that he had found the guy.


    ¡°Why did you quit, and why change your name to Takeda Tetsuya? Is it because you don¡¯t want to be found?¡±


    The stubbled man¡¯s poker face finally thawed. ¡°Kid, are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°Are you finally admitting to it, Mr. Yosuke?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not admitting to anything!¡± The man answered cautiously.


    Zhang Heng did not continue to twist the man¡¯s arm since he only wanted to confirm his identity. This guy reeked of deceit, but lucky for him, Zhang Heng was not going to threaten to expose the man for Ameko¡¯s sake.


    But the man never explicitly denied Zhang Heng¡¯s accusation either.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you short on a delivery man? What about me? I¡¯ll help you deliver goods. I don¡¯t need to be paid. You just have to teach me how to race.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of not having to pay but began quickly weighing the advantages and disadvantages. It mostly revolved around the consequences of refusing the young man¡¯s offer. After a moment, he looked at the Chinese boy, and Zhang Heng could tell that the man was tempted. But the profiteer in him saw Takeda Tetsuya asked, ¡°How about I teach you to race cars, and other than helping me deliver goods, you pay me a fee as well?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    When he saw the expression on Zhang Heng¡¯s face, he quickly changed his tone. ¡°That was a bit too flagrant of me. Alright! Forget about the fee. But let me get this straight¡ªwe need to set some rules. First, don¡¯t ever mention the name Yosuke Tsuchiya ever again! There is no such person. Second, you and I are not master and apprentice! I am your boss, and you are my delivery guy. I¡¯m just worried that you might be too slow in delivering, and slow down business, so I¡¯m just giving you a few pointers. How much you can learn will depend on you. Third, Ameko cannot know about this.¡±


    ¡°Add one more to it¡ªdon¡¯t ask Ameko for money ever again,¡± Zhang Heng added.


    The stubbled man thought about it and then agreed reluctantly. ¡°¡­ Fine!¡±

 Chapter 37

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Your job is simple¡ªGet here by one every morning, drive me to the Tsukiji Fish Market, wait for me while I purchase the stocks, and then you¡¯ll bring me back here. After I¡¯ve sorted the goods, you¡¯ll deliver them to the places they need to go. That¡¯s all the work for the day. Understand, kid?¡±


    ¡°One in the morning?! Then do I still have time to sleep after all that?¡± Zhang Heng asked, his brows furrowed.


    Takeda Tetsuya grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth. ¡°That will depend on how fast you deliver the goods! Alright, do you have any other questions?¡±


    ¡°I have one last question.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°You will help me get a driver¡¯s license first, right?¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s face froze. ¡°Repeat what you just said?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license. If I¡¯m going to deliver goods for you, I will need to get a license first, right?¡± Zhang Heng answered honestly.


    ¡°¡­. You don¡¯t even have a driver¡¯s license, and you want me to teach you how to race?!¡± Takeda Tetsuya looked defeated. ¡°Are you messing with me? Why would someone who hasn¡¯t touched a steering wheel in his life be interested in underground drift racing?!¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not interested in drift racing at all, but because of reasons I¡¯m disinclined to share, I have to join the race.¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya glared at Zhang Heng, only speaking after a minute through his teeth. ¡°Then, you will have to pray that you can drive faster than the cops.¡±


    ¡­


    Tokyo at midnight and Tokyo in the morning were like chalk and cheese.


    In the dead of night at midnight, most people were already asleep at home. Only residential buildings by the streets would occasionally still have a light on. Zhang Heng left the campus and took the last train. It was almost empty except for a few exhausted salarymen and a couple of geisha with heavily painted faces.


    He disembarked at the last station, walked a very long way before finally arriving at the seafood supply store at the agreed time.


    Takeda Tetsuya had somehow pulled himself together. Instead of snoring away upstairs, he was squatting in the store, sorting the order forms.


    When he heard the footsteps behind him, he did not even bother to look up. ¡°Give me 5 more minutes.¡±


    After exactly 5 minutes, he got up and picked up two freshly dead crabs and tied them up with a straw rope. He tossed a set of keys to Zhang Heng and then snorted, ¡°Come with me!¡±


    Zhang Heng followed the man to a small open-air carpark nearby. Takeda Tetsuya gave the metal gate a shake, and after a while, the lights were turned on. Then, a hunched elderly man slipped on a shirt as he came and unlocked the gate.


    Takeda Tetsuya smiled at the old man, telling him something in Japanese as he handed the crabs over while pointing at Zhang Heng.


    The elderly man looked delighted receiving the crabs¡ªhis smile stretching out the wrinkles on his face. He glanced at Zhang Heng and gave the young man a friendly nod.


    ¡°Mr. Crab¡ªto be honest, I don¡¯t know what his real name is. It doesn¡¯t matter. Nobody cares about these kinds of things anyway. His old partner passed away a long time ago, and after his children went overseas, they never contacted him anymore. He makes a living for himself with this carpark, and this is also where he lives. We¡¯re old friends. I give him dead crabs that can¡¯t be sold, and he lets me park here for free. Also, I¡¯ve already introduced you to him. From now onward, you can just come here to pick up and return the car.¡±


    ¡°Which one is it?¡± Zhang Heng looked around at the car park, and finally, his gaze settled on a mustard yellow van parked in the corner.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful? Mitsubishi¡¯s second-generation L300 (Delica), launched in 1982. It¡¯s the first four-wheel-drive van in Japan!¡± When talking about cars, it was like Takeda Tetsuya had become a whole different person! That dejected uncle seemed to have vanished. He lit a cigarette and ran his hand along the body of the car. ¡°It runs a 4D56 diesel 2.5 engine and the same chassis as the Pajero, powerful enough to cope with bad weather and terrible road conditions. This van has the performance of an off-road vehicle¡­¡±


    ¡°1982? Are you sure it still runs?¡± Zhang Heng asked uncertainly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I found it in a scrapyard, and I¡¯ve refurbished the interior. This 4-wheel-drive is now a 2-wheel-drive. In terms of stability, it¡¯s much better than before. 4-wheel-drive adds to the weight of the car, but a car that is too heavy is not very good for the driver¡­ it uses too much petrol¡­ Most importantly, I fixed the cassette player!¡± Takeda Tetsuya opened the codriver seat, climbed into the car, and picked a cassette tape.


    Zhang Heng climbed into the driver¡¯s seat. After getting home yesterday morning, he quickly looked up on some driving knowledge, especially videos and pictures on the web. On top of that, he even downloaded a driving simulation game on his phone and played it on the subway on his way to the store, which was why right now, he¡­ still had zero confidence.


    Zhang Heng pushed the key that Takeda Tetsuya had given to him into the ignition. It took him three tries to get the car going.


    Takeda Tetsuya completely ignored him. He waited until the vehicle roared to life and then slipped the Chage and Aska cassette into the player on the dashboard. But before the car could even move 5 meters, the car suddenly jerked and came to a stop. Takeda Tetsuya lurched forward hard, hitting his head on the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat!


    Zhang Heng said flatly, ¡°Sorry. Wrong gear!¡±


    As he spoke, he shifted to 5th gear.


    ¡°Please inform me when you sign up for a race. I will buy insurance for you. I will be the benefactor, of course. You win!¡± Takeda Tetsuya stopped the tape player. ¡°Start with the first gear. Press the clutch with your left foot. Push it down all the way. Then slowly, with your right feet, step on the gas pedal as you depress the clutch¡­¡±


    After about three minutes, the L300 finally wobbled out of the parking lot, and under Mr. Crab¡¯s supervision, it slowly bumped into a fire hydrant.


    Luckily, it was very early in the morning, and the road was still quite deserted.


    Zhang Heng drove the van onto the open road, lurching every now and then. When he looked over at his passenger, he saw that Takeda Tetsuya had fastened the seat belt like an honest man.


    The fifteen-minute journey took Zhang Heng twenty-five minutes. On the way, the engine stalled five more times, and he ran two red lights. He even drove over the curbs! Fortunately, though, they arrived at their destination in one piece.


    Tsukiji Fish Market was the biggest seafood market, not only in Tokyo but in the world. Fishermen from all over Japan would deliver all the produce they caught to be sold here. In its heyday, they could sell 3,200 tons of seafood a day worth 3 billion yen. Every single day, over 60,000 wholesalers would come to select and bid for the products they want. To them, this was not just a marketplace, it was a battlefield.


    Zhang Heng pulled the handbrake.


    Takeda Tetsuya was about to say something, but he blanked out. Finally, all he said was, ¡°Wait here.¡± Then he jumped out of the van and greeted someone he appeared to know. The man produced a packet of cigarettes, and the pair walked into the market, puffing away.


    By the time Takeda Tetsuya returned, it had already been an hour. Following him was a forklift carrying the boxes of seafood he had selected. To the man¡¯s surprise, instead of taking a nap while waiting for him to return, Zhang Heng was practicing his driving skills! Compared to his jerky driving this morning, his skills had now improved noticeably.


    Takeda Tetsuya, however, did not comment but instead, grumbled grumpily, ¡°Get down and load the van!¡±

 Chapter 38

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng realized that he underestimated the extent of Takeda Tetsuya, his new boss¡¯ ruthlessness.


    He sent the man back to the shop at 3.15 in the morning. Then after spending ten minutes unloading and packing the seafood, Zhang Heng left the shop at 3.35. By 6.30, he was still driving with about half of the undelivered goods at the back of the van.


    By then, the street was growing busy¡ªall the office workers who lived far from their workplaces were already out the door, spilling into the underground subway and bus stations. The number of cars on the road were also gradually increasing. Zhang Heng went to two other places, and when he left an izakaya1, he encountered two traffic policemen who were just starting their shifts. As a result, he decided not to risk continuing the delivery.


    Driving without a license in Japan would be a severe offense. Not only would the offending driver have to serve less than 3 years of jail time and pay a 500,000 yen fine, all passengers and owners of the vehicle would also be convicted and fined. It was almost at peak hours. If Zhang Heng did not leave, chances were, he would be stuck in a jam.


    Zhang Heng brought the L300 back to the store to an unsurprised Takeda Tetsuya. The latter picked up the phone and contacted the former delivery man, before turning to Zhang Heng and said, ¡°You have one more week. After that, Takahashi Koichi will be back in his hometown. If you still can¡¯t complete the delivery by then and I suffer a loss, would you pay me back?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Zhang Heng answered.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s unwavering answer was not quite what Takeda Takashi had expected. This situation was, in all honesty, quite a tragedy for the store owner¡ªnot only was he unable to contend with the young man, but he was also in a vulnerable position that the young man could capitalize on. He could do nothing about Zhang Heng not completing the job, so he could only grumble and make a fuss. He really hadn¡¯t expected the young man to actually agree so breezily.


    Takeda Takashi said cunningly, ¡°Hey, kid, you better don¡¯t lie. If you can¡¯t do it, then you can¡¯t! The sooner you tell me, the sooner I can figure out a way to hire another driver. I worked hard to get each and every one of these customers! Don¡¯t make empty promises. If you still cannot complete your task, the one at stake is my shop!¡±


    ¡°If I fail to complete the deliveries, I will pay you back whatever you lose!¡± Zhang Heng hopped down the van and stretched his shoulders and wrists. His first delivery was unsuccessful, and after driving from the wee hours of the morning, his body and mind were exhausted. But he found that somehow, this pressure had drastically improved his driving. It would appear that this nonstop driving around was much more useful than if he were to practice the entire day.


    Of course, he could always tell Takeda Takashi to reduce his cargo, but if he was not even willing to accept a small challenge like this, then why bother to participate in the competition? He might as well just give up then.


    Zhang Heng took the bus back to campus and was only able to wash his face and quickly gobble down a few pieces of bread before he had to rush for another Japanese lesson.


    Only in the evening did he get the chance to make up for being awake the whole morning. He had set the alarm for four hours. Later, he had dinner. He then visited the bookstore nearby to buy a map of Tokyo.


    As mentioned previously, self-reflection and deduction were Zhang Heng¡¯s strengths. On his way back to campus that morning, he had already started mulling over reasons he was unable to complete his task that day. Other than his unpolished driving skills and the L300¡¯s poor performance, his unfamiliarity with the roads and lack of route planning were also crucial factors.


    No matter how good a driver was, it would be challenging for him to be able to perform to be at fullest capacity if he was unfamiliar with the location of the competition.


    At 1.20 in the morning, Zhang Heng arrived at the parking lot, gave Mr. Crab two onigiri1, who gleefully opened the gate for him. He returned to the store at 7.34 am. Unfortunately, his performance today was worse than the day before, delivering only about 40% of the goods.


    Takeda Takashi was cleaning the sink in his pajamas when he saw the young man return. ¡°Young people should not be too confident. It¡¯s not too late for you to give up now. Otherwise, in six days, you will have to sell yourself to me as a slave and work for free your whole life.¡±


    Zhang Heng said nothing in reply. He had only himself to blame, taking too much time planning the route and unfamiliarity with the names of the places causing him to arrive at the wrong location a couple of times. He even nearly drove all the way to Okinawa to see bikinis!


    Zhang Heng added another item to his to-do list¡ªGet familiar with Tokyo¡¯s streets.


    Takashi Seafood Products¡¯ customers could be divided into two main types: regular customers and new customers. The former received their goods at the same locations while the latter was more spontaneous, which, at the moment, Zhang Heng could do nothing about. For the regular clientele, on the other hand, Zhang Heng could mark their location on the map, then use a pen to connect the dots and find the best route for delivery.


    After that, he simply had to slot in the new customers¡¯ locations that were en route. That way, he could save a large portion of his time.


    So, on the third day, Zhang Heng delivered 70% of the goods, and for the first time, when the L300 pulled up the in front of the shop, Takeda Takashi did not make fun of him.


    On the fourth day, only 20% of the goods did not make it to the clients. On the fifth day, however, Zhang Heng found himself at a bottleneck.


    Although he had done his best to make every minute count, he still had 15% of undelivered goods. It was only thanks to the careful planning that he was able to send them to nearby clients. The remaining ones were located further from town or in more secluded areas¡ªcompletely overlooking them.


    If he were to deliver them now, it would take him an exhaustingly long time to reach. While his driving skills still had room for improvement, he only had two more days before the ¡®deadline¡¯¨C not delivering all of the remaining goods was out of the question. Once again, Zhang Heng found himself deep in thought.


    Takeda Takashi, who had his head buried in an adult magazine, looked up suddenly. ¡°To a racer, his car is more important than his wife. So, how could a person who doesn¡¯t even understand his own wife manage the relationship? Tsk, tsk! Young people nowadays are so foolhardy.¡±


    ¡°Do you have the blueprint of the car?¡± Zhang Heng asked the man poring over an ocean of cigarette butts.


    ¡°A great racecar driver simply needs to listen to be able to tell the horsepower of an engine, but I can¡¯t be so harsh to a rookie like yourself, right?¡± Takeda Takashi answered in a patronizing tone. It was like this guy had to accomplish something, however small, or he would die. ¡°I have the drawing of the modification on my computer. Take a look at it yourself. Don¡¯t compete against it. Get to know its temper, then you¡¯ll be able to control it well.¡±


    Zhang Heng turned on the computer and was immediately greeted by Takeda Takashi¡¯s ¡®hidden files.¡¯ Among the mountain of porn, Zhang Heng found what he wanted. To his surprise, there was not only the blueprint for the L300 but also blueprints for other cars as well. They were all earlier models, though. It seemed like they had all been modified by a certain Mr. Takeda Takashi.


    On top of that, there was also a copy of a manual.


    Takeda Takashi called out from downstairs, ¡°Focus on studying the L300. Ignore everything else. You¡¯re not at that level yet. Don¡¯t try to run before you can even crawl!¡±

 Chapter 39

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The next day, after the former delivery guy returned to his hometown. Zhang Heng was now able to deliver all the goods before the traffic police showed up for the first time. The moment he achieved that, that familiar voice spoke in his ears:


    [Acquired new skill¡ªDriving skills: Level 0]


    Zhang Heng took in a deep breath. This period of nocturnality finally paid off, not knowing what the benchmark for skill levels was until now. About instances when his survival skills were recognized in the previous game, Zhang Heng knew that Level 0 meant that he had stepped over the threshold, at the very least.


    When it came to time, this wasn¡¯t considered fast, but it was definitely not slow either. It had only been a week since he first touched the steering wheel. Now, even the Takeda Tetsuya, who had been waiting for Zhang Heng to screw up, could only murmur to himself, ¡°Did he throw all the undelivered stuff on the side of the road?¡±


    Zhang Heng simply ignored the remark, returned the keys, and silently took the bus back to school.


    He was starting to get used to this kind of life now: go to class, then work, and then to deliver goods for an unkind employer. Whenever he had the time, he would reply to Ameko¡¯s strange everyday messages.


    The days went on like this, and in a blink of an eye, two months had passed. It was now drawing close to three months since he¡¯d started this game. At this time, other players would have been removed from the game and had returned to reality, but for Zhang Heng, he wasn¡¯t even a fourth of the journey in.


    He was in no hurry to complete the primary mission, and as he was working towards achieving his goal, he unexpectedly completed two small achievements.


    One was for visiting ten places of interest in Tokyo, and the other was for tasting thirty Japanese delicacies. Each achievement earned him 3 game points.


    These weren¡¯t actually tricky things to do at all. As long as you were willing, you could visit ten of any of Tokyo¡¯s tourist attractions. The only thing to consider was the limited time given to complete the tasks. An exceptionally few people would be willing to spare a few days just to visit non-mission-related places.


    Zhang Heng, on the other hand, had Ameko dragging him around places like Skytree, Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Sensoji Temple, and many other sites. He never refused to go on these outings since he had plenty of time, and his daily schedule was so packed that it was nice to take a break and relax every now and then.


    Having a cute, snaggleteeth tour guide bringing him around the city was a rare opportunity that somehow earned him 6 points.


    Other than that, having learned from his previous games, Zhang Heng kept an eye out to see if anything would be refreshed once the 60-day time limit was up. Lo and behold, he discovered a bug!


    Japanese Universities typically had new intakes during March or April every year. Also, with the increasing number of foreign exchange students, the other peak period for club and society recruitments were in September. When Zhang Heng first arrived at the university campus, there were posters and flyers everywhere, but because he was so busy learning Japanese, he did not join any of them.


    So, when the 60 days reached its end, these associations began recruiting again. When Zhang Heng asked Ameko about it, she too replied that she had no idea either and that it was probably because they did not have enough club members.


    But ever since that unresolved inconsistency with Bell, Zhang Heng became very sensitive about these anomalies. He was almost sure that he knew what secrets these organizations were hiding.


    So, Zhang Heng came up with a solution¡ªto collect every club and society¡¯s recruitment flyers. They included the typical football club, swimming club, baseball club, taekwondo club, shogi1 club, and hanafuda club2. The hanafuda club was hugely popular, notably when their brochures featured their president and co-president, both of whom stunningly beautiful girls.


    But just to be clear, Zhang Heng¡¯s attention was not on all these. His focus was on car-related clubs. So far, he had found a 4WD club, a racers workshop, and an Autoshow model photography club. After he inquired about the 4WD club, though, he found out that it was not the four-wheel-drive that he thought it was.


    This group of people were not racing 4WD cars but instead, the mini 4WD toy cars from ¡®Dash! Yonkuro1¡® developed by Tamiya Incorporated¡ªAudley, which was also popular once upon a time, was China¡¯s knockoff version. It was, however, yesterday¡¯s news among today¡¯s generation. Zhang Heng was pleasantly surprised that a group of hardcore fans still existed in the university!


    At the moment, Zhang Heng did not feel like collecting dust behind some toy cars while cheering for Shooting Star, Cannonball, Burning Sun1¡­ that would be quite a sight to behold! On the other hand, he thought that the name ¡®Autoshow model photography club¡¯ sounded rather dubious. So, in the end, Zhang Heng decided to join the racers workshop.


    This one sounded the most legit out of the three.


    To his delight, he really did learn quite a lot from this group, which was founded by a senior who started as a racecar fan. He and a group of like-minded friends decided to start this society, and after much self-teaching and practice, he was able to obtain specialized skills. Eventually, a team signed him when he was in his fourth year in university to become a professional racecar driver driving for the GT300 race season.


    Three years ago, he put all the discoveries from his training down on paper and shared them with the members of the club. He even shot daily tutorial videos and recorded his experience and opinions in a blog, which he kept up-to-date.


    He was extremely generous when compared to Takeda Tetsuya, who only gave Zhang Heng minimal pointers on their way back to the shop whenever they went to the fish market together. Still and all, both of them had very different training and driving styles.


    The senior was a feistier, go-all-in kind of competitor who believed in momentum, flooring the pedal all the way, whereas the owner of the seafood store was a positively technical driver. Zhang Heng had found old videos of Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s racing days, and came to learn that this guy was cunning when it came to competitions. His style was to draft, always tailing other cars closely and then only punching it to full-speed in the final two laps.


    A line he often repeated was, ¡®Racing is a tactical game. It¡¯s not just a competition of skills, but it is also a battle of the mind. An average driver only sees the road ahead, but a great driver must never be fettered by the limitation of the eyes but look at the bigger picture.


    But every time after he said this, he would add insultingly, ¡°Sigh, but a green boy like you will never understand this world! You better stick to delivering the seafood first. Thanks to you, business has been pretty good lately. The orders have increased by another 20%! The same rule applies¡ªyou will pay me back for whatever you fail to deliver!¡±


    Zhang Heng had already gotten his driver¡¯s license but eventually found out that it was pointless because he had to rush back to school for class before Tokyo was awake anyway. To add, the L300 that Takeda Tetsuya had apparently dug up from the rubbish pile was not insured and nor inspected. To top it all off, the number plate was a fake!


    It now made sense why Takeda Tetsuya had turned a blind eye when Zhang Heng broke traffic rules in the earlier days. The police would not be able to catch them anyway, so it did not matter how badly Zhang Heng was driving. Of course, if they were stopped by the police, they would be seriously screwed¡ªthey could be thrown into jail.


    Owing to that, Zhang Heng could only continue to keep a fast driving pace and lay low whenever he was on the road.


    Having said that, he found the notes and tutorial videos provided by the racecar workshop¡¯s founder to be very enlightening¡ªhis approach towards racing was the exact opposite of what Zhang Heng had been learning from the seafood store owner.


    Eventually, only after three arduous months, did Takeda Tetsuya impart his car tuning knowledge to Zhang Heng.

 Chapter 40

    ¡°4WD racecars rarely have oversteer problems, but to drift around corners with rear-wheel drive, you¡¯ll have to upgrade the suspension system of the front and rear axle. At the same time, you have to calculate the factors that help maintain trackability when turning in,¡± informed Takeda Tetsuya as he blew a cloud of smoke from the passenger seat.


    ¡°This problem can be easily solved¡ªyou just need to adjust the spring and the damping coefficient. Soften the rear suspension, reduce the compression rate of the shock absorber¡¯s damping force, increase the ductility, reduce the rigidity of the rear anti-roll bar, and perhaps, even increase the rear track width. Official competitions typically have rear track width restrictions, but underground tournaments are not particular about that.


    ¡°Also, if you notice any turbulence after the configuration, you can consider increasing the rake angle of the spoiler. Doing that will increase downforce on the rear of the vehicle. Of course, that will mean sacrificing your top speed. All things considered, there is no such thing as the perfect racecar; tuning a racecar is finding the right balance between performance parameters¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng committed everything to memory as he drove in silence, and as slowly as he could so that they would only arrive at Tsukiji Market ten minutes later.


    Once the L300 pulled up in front of the seafood market, Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s mouth clamped shut instinctively. This guy was really sticking to their agreement¡ªnot saying another word as he pushed the door open and exited the van.


    He took two steps forward and then halted abruptly. He turned around and said, ¡°Come earlier this Sunday.¡±


    Zhang Heng stared after the man quizzically for a moment, and then it dawned on him¡ªhe might have triggered a new storyline as he just received a new update 4 seconds ago that his driving skills had gone from level 0 to level 1. At the same time, after a month of learning, he even attained another skill¡ªcar tuning and maintenance (level 0).


    So, on the third night, after his taking a stroll around Shinjuku with Ameko, Zhang Heng took the bus to the seafood store, three hours earlier than usual. When Takeda Tetsuya saw him coming, he turned around and locked the door behind him and then tossed the key to Zhang Heng. ¡°The shop¡¯s having a day off today.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°The beach. Starting from today, I will be teaching you how to drift.¡±


    Zhang Heng was a little taken aback by this short announcement.


    Even though Takeda Tetsuya had been instructing him on how to race, and had taught him quite a few techniques, he had never once revealed his best secrets. Zhang Heng had asked a few times before, but he was always dismissed with ¡®You¡¯re not qualified yet!¡¯, which was a clear and direct way of telling him that he needed to meet a certain standard.


    Under normal circumstances, this would have been unattainable for an inexperienced fledgling with zero foundation like Zhang Heng. He had been learning how to drive for four months now, which was already way past the deadline. He managed to fulfill the criteria only yesterday.


    It went without saying that Zhang Heng was not going to let this precious opportunity slip away. Who knew why Takeda Tetsuya, the scrooge, suddenly had a change of mind? If it were not because he had been the champion of D1 Grand Prix tsuisou format in Tokyo or the man who nearly bagged the Drift King title, Zhang Heng would already have looked for someone else to consult, like that racer workshop senior.


    Not only did he have the right attitude, but to benefit the next generation, and to pave the way for those who desire to become a racing driver like him, he shared his views and experience generously with the members of his group.


    Zhang Heng believed that if he continued to work hard, he might be able to set himself to the path of success. After all, compared to Takeda Tetsuya, the seafood store owner, this senior guy was the more authentic racing driver. After much deliberation, Zhang Heng decided to give up that plan.


    The GT300 was a sanctioned racing competition. The race track and the driving skills requirements are very different from underground drift racing. As the name GT300 implies, the maximum horsepower output is capped at 300ps. On the other end of the spectrum, the only rules in underground racing were that there were no rules. No one cared what kind of cars you drove, or what type of technique you used. Whoever crossed the finishing line first was the winner. In fact, if you were ballsy enough, you could even use nitrous oxide.


    Zhang Heng had already read through all the workshop guy¡¯s notes and videos more than once. His vigorous and hawkish driving style was more suited to professional track facing. In a complicated environment, he would be no match for Takeda Tetsuya, the former champion of D1 Grand Prix.


    The seafood store owner brought Zhang Heng to a private pier that was close to being abandoned and created a drift course with tires and cardboard boxes lined as the apexes.


    ¡°Drifting is a driving technique by deliberately oversteering the car, forcing it to slide sideways through a turn. Young people nowadays love to show off their skills by drifting, but in reality, drifting on the normal road would only slow the car down and wear out the tires. This technique was designed to cope with complex road conditions.¡±


    Zhang Heng looked at the massive pile of tightly packed boxes and tires. ¡°Isn¡¯t¡­ a little too complex?¡±


    ¡°As long as someone can do it, it¡¯s not complex!¡± Takeda Tetsuya retorted imposingly.


    Zhang Heng thought after that uttering such heroic statements; the guy would at least give him some sort of live demonstration. To his disappointment, however, Tetsuya only showed him a video, and from the looks of which looked like a really old one. After that, the guy removed a folding stool and a fishing rod from the back of the van.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. I swore that I would never touch another steering wheel in this life. But, don¡¯t you worry. The obstacles I¡¯ve set up for you is not impossible to complete.¡± said Takeda Tetsuya as he baited the hook. Zhang Heng skimmed through the video and quickly realized that he had misjudged the guy. He was probably trying to make up for the fact that he could not show Zhang Heng the technique himself, but instead, with the surprisingly de4tailed tutorial. Except for the demonstration at the beginning, the rest of the video contained new materials that Takeda Tetsuya had recorded.


    Zhang Heng played the video over and over again nearly seven times. In between, he even played the video in slow motion twice.


    Once he was satisfied, he tucked his phone away into his pocket and began his practice.


    The result¡­ as expected, was a tragic sight. The ear-piercing screeching sounds of tires scraping the ground echoed on the pier. The cardboard boxes and tires were strewn about and had all been knocked over! Zhang Heng initially thought his driving skills had improved so much that he even thought about acquiring a car and completing the primary mission.


    But this new training felt like someone had just poured ice-cold water on him. Even though Takeda Tetsuya had not been very reliable all this while, he would not lie to him about such a trivial matter. Since he said that completing the training was attainable, it meant that Zhang Heng was the problem.


    On that account, the boy wrestled with the heap of tires and boxes until the next morning until the sun had started peering out from the horizon. The seafood store owner packed his fishing rod, stretched his body and then looked at Zhang Heng. ¡°You¡¯ll continue to deliver the goods after today. When you have free time, you can come here to practice drifting. So, how soon you complete your training is up entirely up to you. You can start modifying the L300. I will give you suggestions, but you will have to take care of the parts yourself!¡±

 Chapter 41

    At 3.00 am somewhere in Tokyo.


    The rumble of engines broke the silence of the night.


    More than a dozen modified cars in eye-catching colors lay silently in front of a shop that had gone out of business a long time ago. A group of street racers in punk clothing with their provocatively dressed arm candies were rambling away as they waited for someone.


    Five minutes later, the person in question appeared.


    A blue Subaru Impreza WRX stopped in front of the dumpster. The driver swung the door open and got down off the car, walking towards the group.


    The group immediately stopped in their tracks as if they were startled. None of them dared look at him straight in the eye! Half a minute later, someone finally shouted, ¡°The f*ck! It¨­ Ken! What the hell is with the high-beam?!¡±


    ¡°Sorry! Sorry!¡± The one called It¨­ Ken apologized as he turned back to his car and turned off the headlights so that everyone could see the face of this newcomer.


    The guy had a head full of unruly green hair and a glacial expression. Out of all the people in front of him, his eyes fixed on only one person. ¡°Kentaro Inoue! Why the hell did you ask me to come at this hour? It¡¯s real late!¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing urgent, except the title Kosoku Ryusei has a new master,¡± said the guy in a jacket while lying on the roof of a car with his eyes closed. A girl next to him seductively fed him grapes.


    ¡°Whatever! You¡¯re just the guy I defeated.¡± It¨­ Ken scoffed.


    ¡°Asshole! Who are you to look down at me?! I¡¯m not the same person I used to be!¡± The jacketed guy opened his eyes like a tiger who had just awakened, angry, confrontational. ¡°This time, I bet on all the dignity of men that I will not lose to you again!¡±


    As if he sensed the sentiment the other guy was imparting, It¨­ Ken¡¯s coolness thawed a little. He was silent for a little while and then said, ¡°I understand, Inoue-kun. Then let¡¯s talk with our speed.¡±


    At that, both guys entered their cars. The girl who was with Kentaro Inoue walked to the front of the vehicles, and as the crowd cheered and whistled, pulled out her bra and threw it into the air.


    When the brassiere touched the ground, both vehicles charged forward simultaneously.


    It¨­ Ken and Kentaro Inoue were old rivals. Both of them were from pretty good families¡ªtheir fathers had business dealings with each other, with both the boys were best friends who grew up playing together since childhood. As a matter of fact, it was Kentaro Inoue who had pulled It¨­ Ken into this circle. As It¨­ Ken¡¯s skills continued to grow, he soon surpassed his close friend, Kentaro Inoue, making him feel as if his reputation was threatened.


    To cut the long story short, their friendship did not survive this test, and they gradually drifted apart.


    Throughout the years, Kentaro Inoue had challenged It¨­ Ken but had lost more races than he had won. It¨­ Ken had never once looked down on his friend as Kentaro Inoue would frequently come up with improvements, whether in racing or technique. This posed a threat to him.


    For these reasons, It¨­ Ken had to stay on edge and give 100% of his effort.


    ¡°Come on. Let me see what you have learned this time!¡±


    It¨­ Ken thought to himself as he stepped on the gas pedal.


    Both cars alternatively overtook each other, gaining the lead.


    All of a sudden, his eyes widened! Out of nowhere, a mustard van appeared at the crossroad in front like a ghost in the dark!


    Shit! Why was there a car at this hour of the morning?!


    It¨­ Ken could feel cold sweat beading on his forehead. It was too close, too fast for him to react! At once, he realized that this was going to end tragically in a fatal crash and that the Kentaro Inoue driving next to him must be just as shocked and devastated.


    But what he witnessed next was something that he would remember his entire life. The crappy van did not seem to want to slow down, but charged towards him like an angry bull!


    The cars were less than 500 meters apart when he L300 suddenly pulled a strange drift. The van did a sideways slide at the inertia!


    Their doors were less than 1 cm from bushing each other!


    The hairs on It¨­ Ken¡¯s entire body raised on its ends. But from the corner of his eyes, he could see the L300 driver piloting the vehicle with only one hand on the steering; the other one busy fumbling for something.


    As they passed each other, It¨­ Ken was able to get a better view of what the driver was holding.


    Chewing gum?!


    He felt his mind went blank.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± It¨­ Ken cried out involuntarily.


    How could he be rummaging for a piece of chewing gum at a time like this? But what happened next was more unbelievable, as the L300 accelerated and shot part his WRX! They had almost run out of road, but the run-down van did not look like it was going to turn around!


    Instead, the L300 tunneled and disappeared into a narrow valley about the width of the van, leaving the two cars in the dust! The cars slowed down until they finally stopped. It¨­ Ken and Kentaro Inoue got down from their cars and looked at each other in dismay.


    ¡°Do you still want to continue?¡± It¨­ Ken asked after a while.


    ¡°We can¡¯t even beat a delivery van. What¡¯s the point of continuing?¡± said a defeated Kentaro Inoue. ¡°Keep the Kosoku Ryusei 1 title. I¡¯m planning to quit this group, go back, and carry on the family¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Actually, I was also getting ready to study in Europe after I¡¯m done with this race,¡± It¨­ Ken confessed.


    ¡°Really?¡± Kentaro Inoue had not seen this coming and immediately felt embarrassed. ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve talked about things like that.¡±


    The boys shared a look before asking each other in unison, ¡°Do you want to go get a drink?¡±


    Unbeknownst to him, Zhang Heng had caused a man to let go of his car racing dreams, nor was he aware that because of him, two friends rekindled their friendship.


    To him, it was just a repetition of the daily routine of delivering goods. Tokyo was reputed as the capital of drifting, with the most significant number of car tuning enthusiasts in the world. And like the game¡¯s background introduction said, these guys are mostly active at night! Whenever Zhang Heng went out on his rounds, he would often encounter these street racers.


    Most of them, like It¨­ Ken and Kentaro Inoue, were hobbyists always looking for an excuse to participate in some ¡®manly showdown.¡¯ Zhang Heng did not have time to snap at their heels. He only overtook them because he was in a rush.


    This was already the ninth month since he started learning to drive. He had only just completed the drifting practice that Takeda Tetsuya had set up a month ago. His driving skills had advanced from level 1 to level 2. Besides that, his car tuning and maintenance skills had progressed to level 1. This car was completely different from when he first drove it. The core configuration inside had been completely revamped. Only the shell of the L300 remained untouched.


    Unlike the other drivers who were so afraid that no one would know that their cars had been modified, Zhang Heng did not paint the exterior of his vehicle in bright, glaring colors. For all intents and purposes, it was also because of his limited funds.


    To buy accessories alone, he had to take up a second job. Takeda Tetsuya introduced him to a small junkyard owner, where he purchased all the parts he needed for cheap. But even then, it took him four months to get the L300 to what it was now.


    The Zhang Heng today was not the same as he was nine months ago. He was now able to deliver all the goods one hour in advance.


    He was returning to Kurahara Seafood when he spotted thick tolls of smoke from across the street.


    Realizing that something had happened, he stopped the car by the road and called the fire department as he picked up the recurve bow he kept with him for self-defense.


    Footnotes:

 Chapter 42

    Zhang Heng knew that Takeda Tetsuya was hiding something. Why else would he had given up when he was so close to gaining the Drift King title? Why was he divorced? Why swear that he would never touch another steering wheel? And why contact his daughter again after so many years?


    The gambling addiction excuse might have fooled Ameko, his unworldly daughter. Still, having spent so many sleepless nights with the seafood trader, Zhang Heng somehow knew that this seemingly weak-willed man was stronger than anyone else deep inside. Even though he betted on horses, it was purely recreational.


    Every time he placed bets, he would always stop, no matter if he won or lost. A real gambling addict would not have been so reasonable.


    Indeed, not everyone who left their mark on the world stage lived the rest of their lives aimlessly.


    Talent and hard work are indispensable to distinguish yourself from the masses of gifted people. There was no way someone with no self-control would be able to become a top racing driver.


    Even so, Zhang Heng never asked Takeda Tetsuya to tell his story, not because he did not care, but because he was worried he might not be influential enough to meddle with this matter.


    At that time, his driving skills were just average; he was still absorbing knowledge like a sponge, still unable to complete Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s hellish drifting practices. Then, Zhang Heng came up with a simple idea to play the single-player game Formula Drag.


    He relied on his exceedingly long time in the game¡ªavoiding from triggering the plot, and then burying himself in practice¡ªfinally brushing his driving skills up to level two and complete the modification of the L300.


    In fact, he had already made plans to talk to Takeda Tetsuya even if tonight didn¡¯t happen. Although they did not identify themselves as master and apprentice, they were, in fact, master and apprentice. The seafood store owner was too proud, always saying one thing but meant another.


    Zhang Heng found it suspicious that this guy would have so many orders, not to mention each location always more remote than the one before.


    He secretly opened a foam box once and found out that the box labeled ¡®lobsters¡¯ was actually filled with pebbles.


    So, it turned out the supposed increase in orders was Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s way of increasing pressure in accordance with Zhang Heng¡¯s improvement.


    ¡­ Hopefully, it was not too late.


    With the bow slung on his arm, Zhang Heng ran to the front of the shop and spotted Ameko, who was supposed to be asleep at this hour. What was she doing here?


    She had taken a taxi here, arriving only minutes before Zhang Heng. Before the car even came to a stop, she had already jumped down the vehicle. Dropping to the ground wearily, she watched the fire devour her father¡¯s shop.


    Zhang Heng was about to approach her when two tattooed men wearing black gloves and shades jumped down a dark blue Toyota Voxy parked nearby and dragged Ameko from the floor into the car!


    The girl screamed and struggled. When the concerned taxi driver saw this, he got down his vehicle to help the poor girl but found a muzzle pointed at his head instead.


    The taxi diver¡¯s bravery evaporated immediately; he ran back to his car and fled as far and as fast as he could.


    The person who had come down the Toyota Voxy did not have to worry about the driver calling the police because he only needed two minutes to take his target away.


    Unfortunately, things did not always turn out the way we wanted them to, and in a split second, something pierced the dark skies!


    The person holding the gun heard a swishing sound before a sudden stabbing pain shot up his right arm, forcing him to release the weapon!


    An arrow that came out of nowhere had pierced his palm.


    His staggered partner was about to release Ameko and run for his life, but Zhang Heng, who had taken shelter behind the bus did not give him a chance! Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and released the taut bowstring! The second arrow hit the guy in the calf.


    But their other partner in the Toyota Voxy, who was able to pinpoint Zhang Heng¡¯s location from the first two arrows, acted quickly, blocking Zhang Heng with the car.


    At that very moment, Zhang Heng knew that he needed to seize the opportunity! He pulled his hoodie over and then jumped out from behind the advertisement board, shooting continuously at the window of the car. To avoid the enemy¡¯s shots, he quickly searched for a safe route back to the car.


    Doing this, however, put a distance between him and the Toyota Voxy. By the time he was half-turned, the two injured men had already knocked Ameko unconscious and were struggling to drag her up the car.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s last arrow flew into the car past the driver¡¯s seat before finally planting itself on the dashboard. The driver froze for a second, and the door was quickly shut!


    The Voxy made a move, racing towards the main road.


    Zhang Heng was strangely calm. He moved in this direction to not only get on the other side of the Voxy but to also get near to the L300 he had parked by the road.


    When he saw the kidnappers making a run for it, he put his bow and arrows away and jumped into his delivery van! He had left the door unlocked and keys in the ignition in case of unexpected events.


    It was this attention to detail that saved him precious time.


    Before he fired up the L300, he looked up at the rearview mirror and saw that the Voxy had disappeared.


    Most people would have given up a situation like this, but not Zhang Heng. For the past nine months, he had been delivering goods all over the city for the harsh store owner ¨C he now knew the area like the back of his hand. It was as vivid as a 3D map that was right inside his head.


    He knew precisely that about 300meters in the direction that the Voxy was headed to was a fork. Two seconds later, he heard the sound of tires screeching through his open window. He knew exactly which direction they were headed to.


    So, without wasting any time, he started the van, turned his car around, and in less than 4 seconds, accelerated to 100km/h! He arrived at the intersection in a literal blink of an eye. Without slowing down, he did a lift-off oversteer! The L300¡¯s tail drew a stunning arc that completely mismatched its boxy body, changing its direction. Zhang Heng then stepped on the gas all the way to the floor!


    The motor transplanted from a racecar let out a low growl.


    It took Zhang Heng only 45 seconds to reach the second intersection, but there was still no sign of the Voxy. Zhang Heng changed direction again without a second thought.


    This was the most challenging part. Being a minute and a half behind the Voxy, he had to rely on his judgment for the first part of the chase. One wrong turn and he would lose Ameko completely.


    But Zhang Heng did not have any other choice. He had to trust himself, trust the old friend chugging beneath him! Ahead of him was a 3 km long, straight road. Unless the Voxy was unbelievably fast, there was no reason he couldn¡¯t spot its taillamp. So, Zhang Heng decided to switch directions. He did a second drift; then, from the corner of his eyes, he caught a glance of the Voxy, which was making another turn.


    Got you!


    This time, Zhang Heng did not continue to pursue the minivan. He took the L300 500 meters forward before abruptly turning towards a closed coffee shop. The quick turn resulted in him breaking through the glass door, toppling over two tables, before charging out the back door and barraging directly into a shopping mall!

 Chapter 43

    As Christmas was approaching, the stores were already making preparations for the season.


    Colorful lights had been hung up with the season¡¯s buntings, and elaborately decorated Christmas trees adorned with tiny little presents could be seen in stores.


    Suddenly, the faux firtree shuddered violently, shaking the little ornaments off its branches, sending them flying all over the place!


    A mustard minivan hurtled past the escalator. Zhang Heng turned on the wiper, swiping away the two greeting cards that had found their way on to his windshield! The tail of the L300 whipped past a shelf filled with expensive skincare products, the rush of wind causing the Shiseido bottles to totter.


    ¡­


    The driver of the Toyota Voxy was very sly and abruptly turned at every intersection. After making a big round, he was going to sneak back to the road, but the glass door of the mall to his right suddenly shattered! A yellow minivan with Christmas decorations dangling from it burst through the entrance!


    What the hell?! Did Santa come early this year? And since when did he exchange his sleigh for a car?


    The startled Voxy driver had been continually monitoring his rearview mirror. He did not see anyone tailing them ¨C so where did this guy come from? And what a dramatic entrance that was!


    They were now only 6 to 7 meters apart. That got the Voxy driver¡¯s dander up; he stepped down on the gas pedal, trying to shake off the tailing car with his speed.


    But to his surprise, the beat-up L300 was actually catching up to the Voxy!


    Both drivers stepped on it, drawing closer to each other. Zhang Heng used the front bumper to clip the left rear end of the Voxy. The Toyota began to lose control, and in a panic, its driver tightened his grip around the steering. No matter how fast he drove, though, he could not seem to shake off the tailing van.


    Seeing that they were on the verge of turning-turtle, the Voxy was forced to slow down. Then as if choreographed, the L300 behind also decelerated! Zhang Heng could have knocked the other van on its side but decided to go gentle when he remembered that Ameko was inside the vehicle. In the end, both cars stopped by the roadside.


    Realizing that he could not escape the other van with his skills, the Voxy driver opened the car door and tossed an unconscious Ameko out! Zhang Heng watched the dark blue Toyota disappear into the night before loosening his grip on the bow and arrow.


    He did not continue the pursuit because one, he could not just leave Ameko on the side of the road, and two, the kidnappers had guns. Even if they had refrained from shooting the weapons earlier, who knew what they would do if they were backed into a corner.


    Hence, this brief skirmish between the two ended with both sides stepping down.


    In a way, the appearance of those kidnappers put Zhang Heng at ease. When he first saw the fire at the shop, his shared Ameko¡¯s assumption that Takeda Tetsuya had been murdered and his killer had burned the corpse to get rid of the evidence. But when the emergence of the Voxy told him otherwise ¨C the seafood store owner was still alive!


    Otherwise, they would not have tricked Ameko to the ship and kidnapped her. The girl lived a very ordinary life, no different from most Japanese university students. Those goons probably took her intending to blackmail Takeda Tetsuya.


    But who the hell were those people in the Voxy? Causing trouble and starting fires. They even had guns! In a country with such strict regulations on weapons, getting their hands on firearms meant that they worked for someone influential.


    Zhang Heng shot the tattooed man in the calf intending to keep him for questioning, but their other associate appeared so unexpectedly. Thank goodness they did not manage to get away with Ameko.


    Zhang Heng carried his friend into the van and did a quick assessment of her condition. Other than a few scratches on her elbow and calf, the different parts of her body were completely unharmed.


    That was a relief.


    Shortly after, the loud wailing of firetrucks filled the air. The firefighters renowned for their efficiency came pretty quickly. Judging by the severity of the situation, they responded immediately and only took a couple of minutes to arrive at the scene.


    Zhang Heng took off his jacket and placed it on Ameko. She had invited him over to her little rented apartment a few times for hotpot, so he knew where she lived. But it did not seem like a good idea to send her back right now. She was clearly involved in some kind of problem here. If whoever it was could trick her once, they would surely trick her the second time.


    It was imperative that he figured out exactly what was happening before coming up with countermeasures.


    The Voxy people might have escaped, but Zhang Heng knew that there was one person who could give him the answers.


    Everything that had happened tonight was because of Takeda Tetsuya or Yosuke Tsuchiya. It was time for the guy to tell his story.


    But before that, Zhang Heng had to find him first.


    That was not too difficult a thing to figure out. Zhang Heng drove to Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s favorite f¨±zoku 1, a karaoke cum izakaya, but eventually found him in the abandoned port where they had trained.


    The sun was coming up by then. The seafood store owner was wearing a large floppy hat that covered his face, fishing with a group of elderly fishing hobbyists.


    When Tetsuya heard the sound of tires squealing, he immediately knew who it was. Getting up, he saw Ameko in the passenger seat and froze!


    ¡°Why is she here?¡±


    ¡°That question is for you to answer.¡± Zhang Heng jumped down the van. ¡°I found her at your shop. A bunch of guys were going to kidnap her, but don¡¯t worry; she was just knocked unconscious. Nothing big.¡±


    ¡°Someone kidnapped her?! What do they look like?¡± Takeda Tetsuya looked nervous, which was uncommon.


    ¡°There were three of them. They were well disguised with sunglasses and masks, though, I don¡¯t know why they didn¡¯t bother to cover up the tattoos on their necks.¡±


    ¡°What are the tattoos like?¡± Takeda Tetsuya appeared to be only interested in that little detail.


    Zhang Heng thought for a minute and then said, ¡°He was too far. I can¡¯t be completely sure, but I think it was an eye.¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s pupils contracted, allowing himself to drop to the ground as if he was completely drained of energy, muttering to himself, ¡°So, they¡¯ve come?¡±


    ¡°Who has come?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with the both of you. They only want my life!¡± Takeda Tetsuya smiled distressingly. ¡°I thought that changing my name and laying low could help me escape them. I didn¡¯t think they would still hold on to me. But never mind, I will go confront them! The both of you won¡¯t be in danger anymore.¡±


    This was not what Zhang Heng had imagined would happen. The seafood shop owner was not interested in discussing his past.


    While Zhang Heng was pummeling his brains on how to make him talk, a voice from behind him said, ¡°So, is this the reason why you divorced mum?¡±


    No one knew when Ameko had woken up and gotten off the car, but she had obviously heard the conversation between Zhang Heng and her father.

 Chapter 44

    The waitress at the breakfast eatery set the food on the table. There was sumptuous tamagoyaki 1, rice, grilled fish, and miso soup.


    But none of them picked up their chopsticks. Takeda Tetsuya heaved a heavy sigh under Ameko¡¯s resolute gaze.


    He lit a cigarette and said, ¡°What for? You¡¯ll be going to China in two months! Why would you involve yourself in all of this?¡±


    ¡°I want to know the truth about what happened back then. A part of you that still loves mum, right?¡±


    ¡°Feelings are not that important anymore at our age,¡± Takeda Tetsuya answered hesitantly while taking a drag. ¡°When I was young, I also thought that I could love a woman forever. But the truth is, after so many years, I¡¯ve almost completely forgotten what she looks like.¡±


    There was a pause before he continued, ¡°But whatever it is. I owe the both of you. How is Nanako? Is she well?¡±


    ¡°Mum is doing great, but she still hasn¡¯t forgotten what happened back then. But she told me before that she doesn¡¯t hate you anymore. You just¡­ owe us the truth.¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya grew quiet. He obviously did not want to revisit his past, but he also knew that he couldn¡¯t keep avoiding him forever.


    An awkward pause ensued, and just as the cigarette was about to burn his fingers, Takeda Tetsuya finally spoke. ¡°This is all because of a mistake. A mistake that I have regretted, and will regret the rest of my entire life.¡±


    He went on to tell the story he had kept a secret for so many years.


    In the 70s and 80s, Japan¡¯s economy was booming. It was in that period that Yosuke Tsuchiya was born into a happy family. Like most people back then, Yosuke Tsuchiya was full of youthful vigor, proud, and opinionated. When the Plaza Accord was signed, the American dollar depreciated against the Japanese yen, and Japanese spending power reached its peak. However, that was followed by a devastating blow to the export industry, propagating Japan¡¯s ¡®Lost Decade.¡¯ This massive change sent that generation of people down a very different path.


    The immense pressure of being in debt overwhelmed Yosuke Tsuchiya¡¯s parents. After the bank seized their home, the Yosuke couple, in their desperation, decided to end their own life. They suffocated to death by burning charcoal. Soon after receiving the news of their children¡¯s death, Tsuchiya¡¯s grandparents too died of illness. However, these life-changing events did not undo Yosuke Tsuchiya; instead, they forged his fearless character, and in the words of the team manager who later discovered him ¨C was born a fighter.


    The word ¡®afraid¡¯ was never in his vocabulary.


    ¡°Whatever does not kill me makes me stronger.¡±


    Yosuke Tsuchiya welcomed his prime in his twenties, reaping repeated success in European competition, winning second place in the FIA GT Grand Prix in New York. He, however, was sent home after a fallout with his racing team. Not long after, he won first place in the Tokyo D1 Grand Prix. He was a legend in Japan¡¯s drifting world.


    At that time, he was already at the top of his game but was never satisfied, always looking out for new challenges. Eventually, he decided to take on the Drift King title, taking him less than a year to unseat the top street racers from 22 wards. This included all special wards in Tokyo except for one: Nerima.


    ¡°Nerima¡¯s strongest racer was a guy named Asano Naoto. That guy¡¯s crazy! He invented a death-racing format ¨C he would choose a section of a highway, destroy the guardrails and set up the exit and entrance. At the agreed time, the competing racers would drive against the traffic on the other side of the highway lane. Whoever reaches the finishing line first, and alive, is the winner. Sometimes, to make the competition more exciting, he would even involve the police in the game!¡±


    ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s basically suicide!¡± Ameko was utterly gobsmacked.


    ¡°Asano Naoto believed that only the bravest racer is worthy of victory, and whoever challenges him must accept all of his rules. Even though it seems stupid now, I was young back then ¨C I was only one race away from winning the Drift King title. I was not about to give it up.¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya lit up another cigarette, took in a deep breath, and continued, ¡°We agreed on a time ¨C apart from the two of us, my best friend also joined the competition. He was the best racing driver in Shinjuku ¨C and we chose the course together, 40 kilometers long, three lanes wide. On normal days, there¡¯s moderate traffic. No one would have thought that it would suddenly be covered in fog.¡±


    ¡°Kobayashi suggested we give up the race and choose another time. I could tell that Asano Naoto was going to agree to it. After all, he was just a ruffian who loved to live on the edge. Despite all that, he didn¡¯t really plan to die. Considering the road conditions, the level of danger was way out of his comfort zone. But that asshole didn¡¯t want to give up the chance to taunt us. He knew that I would agree too, so he decided to cast the opposing vote by calling us cowards.¡±


    ¡°I was a very spirited young man. So, in my anger, I voted against delaying the race too. In the end, it was two against one, which meant the competition would go on as planned. I could see Asano Naoto¡¯s face change, but I took no pleasure in that retaliation because the three of us were already up in the gum tree.¡±


    ¡°Everything that happened after that only confirmed how stupid my decision was. That day, the visibility on the highway was only 4-5 meters. We were forced to drive slower than usual, but even then, we were shrouded by the shadow of death. This was no longer a competition about skills anymore, luck seemed to be of the essence.


    ¡°We drove like that for 10 minutes, constantly fearing for our lives. On a normal day, we would have already completed the course by then, but we were only a third of the way. I kept honking all the way! Fortunately, the highway was closed off, and there were not a lot of cars coming towards us. Even then, I had to swerve madly to avoid running into oncoming cars a couple of times, not seeing them till the very last second! It felt like I was rubbing shoulders with the grim reaper!¡±


    When the seafood store owner recalled that dangerous time in his life, it was apparent the lingering terror of those moments still haunted him.


    ¡°In situations like this, even the most tenacious mind would not be able to keep going. So, Kobayashi and I took turns leading, giving each other time to rest. Asano Naoto, on the other hand, was already out of the game ¨C the supposedly bravest racer in all of Tokyo¡¯s willpower had been completely destroyed, and he was shivering behind us. But then, suddenly, an accident that no one expected took place!


    ¡°As we were approaching the halfway point of the course, I heard the sound of a truck¡¯s horn blaring from the road ahead. I was about to change lanes when Asano Naoto¡¯s GT-R suddenly overtook me, forcing me to stay on the left lane. I tried to increase speed, but he kept staying on my right! I could sort of guess what he was thinking at that time ¨C his performance today was horrible; if he loses this race, all that reputation he had built for himself throughout the years would be destroyed, so he had an evil thought¡­


    Asano Naoto was determined to get me killed. He left me with very little time, and I was devastated! I thought that my time was over. Kobayashi rammed his Lexus hard into Asano Naoto¡¯s GT-R! I didn¡¯t see it coming. The next moment, both their cars lost control, and Asano Naoto¡¯s GT-R went under the truck¡¯s chassis, ramming the truck sideways! It then fell on Kobayashi¡¯s Lexus! It was the most gruesome¡­ I didn¡¯t dare look at it. The top of the Lexus had caved in completely, and there was black smoke billowing out the front of the car.¡±

 Chapter 45

    ¡°What did you do after that?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°I¡­ did nothing.¡± There was a look of remorse in Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s eyes. ¡°I should not have left him there. I wanted to¡­ get down the car to check on him, but I heard police sirens coming from the opposite. I was scared, so I didn¡¯t stay. I turned the car around and left the highway.¡±


    ¡°What happened to the two of them?¡± Ameko asked, disturbed.


    ¡°I only found out about what happened to them in the news. The reporter said that two juvenile delinquents were racing against the traffic on the highway and hit an oncoming truck. One died, and the other was injured. The wounded driver was receiving first aid in the emergency room¡­ but he passed away three days later.¡±


    ¡°Was the wounded person Kobayashi or¡­¡±


    ¡°It was Asano Naoto. Other than being known for being the best racing driver Nerima, he also had another identity¡ªhis uncle was the vice president of Tokyo¡¯s largest yakuza clan, Oni Hitomi 1.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no wonder! Is that why you quit the racing world and changed your name?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That was not a public race. No one else other than the three of us knew about it. Even though there were other eye-witnesses on that highway, the visibility was abysmal, and we were driving against traffic. With all that fuzzy testimonies, the police were unable to determine if there was a third vehicle. Afraid that I would be imprisoned and that Oni Hitomi would take revenge, I¡­ chose to keep quiet again.


    ¡°There was no joy in my heart to escape punishment. Every day after that day, I have been living in guilt for Kobayashi. If I hadn¡¯t let my emotions affect my decision, and stick to my decision that the race that should never have started in the first place, all these would not have happened! I was the one who had one foot in the grave! But the irony is that the first person to die among the three of us was the only person who voted against having the race¡­ I went to his home secretly after that. His father passed away when he was younger, and he only had his mother and a sister. After what happened, they moved away from Tokyo.¡±


    ¡°You met mum after that, right? If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t you stay?¡± Ameko asked.


    ¡°I was always anxious after that accident; I couldn¡¯t even sleep at all, and I also kept a suicide note by my pillow. But as time passed, when I realized that neither the police nor the Oni Hitomi found me, I thought that it was all over. So, I resumed my healthy life. It was then that I met the woman I loved. We were like every other happy couple¡ªwe became a family. A year and a half later, we had you. I swore that I would never drive again and opened a seafood shop.


    ¡°After initial struggles, the shop did pretty well. At first, it seemed like I was heading on the right path; it had been 6 years since the incident, enough time to forget many things. I never thought that one day, that year, my nightmare would find me again.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ameko asked.


    ¡°One night, while I was sorting out the orders alone in the shop, a stone suddenly flew in through the window, shattering the glass! I thought it was some prankster, but when I ran out to chase him away, I didn¡¯t see anyone. When I returned to the shop after that, I realized that the stone was wrapped in old newspapers. The front-page article was about the highway accident that year. Next to the headline, there were words written in blood¡ªDid you really think you could escape?¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya flicked off the ashes on his cigarette. ¡°No one else other than the three of us knew what actually happened that day. Kobayashi¡­ died at the scene that day. Asano Naoto was in the ICU for three days. His injuries were severe. The papers said that he was unconscious, but that did not eliminate the possibility that he might have woken up for some time¡­ Anyway, from the moment the newspaper article appeared, my life was over.¡±


    ¡°So, you weren¡¯t actually addicted to gambling¡ªyou just wanted to make mum divorce you?¡±


    ¡°I made a mistake 6 years ago, involving Kobayashi in the race. I will not make the same mistake again.¡± Takeda Tetsuya said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of death¡ªit¡¯s the ending that I deserve! The real Yosuke Tsuchiya died with Kobayashi on that road. The Takeda Tetsuya that lived on was just his guilt and weakness.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually more curious about how you were able to escape Oni Hitomi again and again,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    ¡°If you were asking about that time many years ago, maybe they were hoping to see me miserable, or perhaps they wanted to prolong my torment. The thing was, they did not come looking for me until nine months ago when I received a mysterious phone call saying that the Oni Hitomi would be coming for me soon. He told me to get ready, also telling me about what happened last night.¡± Takeda Tetsuya paused. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve finished telling my story. As I¡¯ve said, this has nothing to do with any of you! That tragedy happened because of me, so it¡¯s only right that I end it myself.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even believe that,¡± Zhang Heng noted. ¡°Or else, you wouldn¡¯t have pretended to be a gambler again and force Ameko to cut off everything with you.¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya kept quiet. Then after a moment, he smiled, ¡°I have to, at the very least, try. I can¡¯t just do nothing, right?¡±


    The seafood shop owner looked like he had already made up his mind. Ameko began to panic. She opened her mouth to say something but blushed instead.


    Zhang Heng got up and picked up the coat next to him. ¡°You were the one who taught me how to drive. No matter what kind of person you were, at least let me send you off.¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya thought about it, not refusing the offer. Instead, he looked at Zhang Heng in the eye and said, ¡°Take good care of Ameko for me.¡±


    The three left the eatery with Takeda Tetsuya walking in front. He had just opened the door to the minivan when his eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head, and he collapsed into the carriage.


    Zhang Heng retracted the soup bowl he was holding and told the dumbstruck Ameko, ¡°His guilt over what happened in the past is overshadowing his judgment. He¡¯s not thinking of managing the situation. He only has a deathwish. I¡¯m sorry. This is the only way to keep him calm for a while.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Ah¡­Oh.¡± It took Ameko a minute to come to her senses. She was puzzled about why Zhang Heng had pinched her hand so flippantly when she was just about to speak. Apparently, she had misunderstood him.


    But the strange thing was¡­ Ameko came to the realization that she wasn¡¯t repulsed by these things. Not as she initially imagined.


    Ameko was still deep in her thoughts when she heard Zhang Heng saying, ¡°This car does not have insurance and has not been inspected. We better leave this place first.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± She climbed into the van and shut the door.


    Zhang Heng started the car, then deliberately took the same route twice to make sure no one was following them. Fifteen minutes later, he parked the L300 in the parking lot of a supermarket. He opened the door and stretched out his right hand.


    ¡°There¡¯re a few problems with Takeda¡­ your father¡¯s story.¡±


    Footnotes:


    Ch 45 Footnote 1


    literally means demon pupil. Not an actual real-life yakuza clan.

 Chapter 46

    Ameko placed a tattered blanket she found at the back of the van over her sleeping father. She thanked Zhang Heng and jumped down.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that he was lying?¡±


    ¡°No. I just think that there are some parts of his story that need deliberating.¡± Zhang Heng locked the car doors and then took the lift up to the supermarket. ¡°The thing I find most curious the Oni Hitomi¡¯s attitude towards him. If it¡¯s really as he said, and Asano Naoto did wake up in the hospital and told his own uncle about the race, it made no sense that the Oni Hitomi did not go looking for him. The need for revenge is the strongest when there¡¯s been a recent death in the family.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, maybe they couldn¡¯t find him? Didn¡¯t he live incognito right after that accident?¡±


    ¡°If that is the case, then how do you explain the stone that was thrown into his window six years later?¡± Zhang Heng said. ¡°Especially that warning written in blood¡ªforgive me for being frank, but that did not sound like language that a strict organization like the gokudo 1would use.¡±


    Ameko pondered on what her friend was saying. ¡°It does sound like you¡¯re right, but I¡¯m sure that the people who burned the shop and kidnapped me were the Oni Hitomi.¡±


    Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°Again, the timing of their appearance is just weird. It¡¯s been over 20 years since that accident on the highway. Why would they suddenly choose to take revenge now? And who was that mystery guy who called him? Someone from Oni Hitomi? Why help your father? Your father¡¯s not stupid. He should be able to notice these problems, but his brain is refusing to think! That¡¯s why we need to investigate this.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have any connection with those people from back then,¡± Ameko anxiously said.


    ¡°No, right now we¡¯re close to a breakthrough. If Asano Naoto woke up from his coma, the attending nurses and doctors who attended would know who visited him. We just need to track down the team that rescued him to find out who he came into contact with during that period.¡± Zhang Heng pushed the shopping cart to the rack displaying tapes. ¡°But before we do that, we need to keep your father quiet.¡±


    ¡­


    They bought 10 rolls of black tape and 2 bundles of climbing rope. Taking them back to the minivan, they bound Takeda Takashi. Under Ameko¡¯s instructions, Zhang Heng drove the L300 to an apartment.


    ¡°This is my cousin¡¯s place. She¡¯s an air stewardess. International flights. She¡¯s rarely ever home. She gave me the keys so I could help water her plants on the terrace whenever I¡¯m free. No one would find this place,¡± said Ameko as she pushed the door open.


    The apartment was small but well-equipped and furnished, tidy, and well-kept.


    Zhang Heng dragged the Takeda Tetsuya, who was wrapped in the blanket onto the bed. The buffer they had since the soup bowl was now over. The man was now half-awake to the apartment, eyes wide open, and gagging through the tape trying to speak.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re really going to seek your death, you need to give us some time. At least don¡¯t just die so dubiously, or else Kobayashi¡¯s sacrifice would have been for nothing.¡±


    Zhang Heng did not care if the seafood store owner heeded his advice or not. As long as he was still wrapped up like a dumpling, there was nothing he could do even if he disagreed.


    Ameko apologized to her father and, with Zhang Heng¡¯s help, used the remaining rope to secure Takeda Tetsuya onto the bed so that he would not roll-off. When they were done, they drove to the Tokyo Metropolitan Library, a public library located in Minami-Azabu of Minato City. Constructed in 1973 with a total holding of approximately 1.8 million volumes, it was free and open to the public.


    Zhang Heng and Ameko had come to look up newspaper articles about the accident on the highway racing that caused the death of two young men, a brutal incident at any given time.


    Practically all major newspapers covered that accident. So, they just needed to find the exact date to locate the corresponding articles.


    Ameko was only on the second paper when she found Kurobe Saburo, the doctor in charge of treating Asano Naoto. Asahi Shimbun 1 had conducted an interview with him.


    Zhang Heng looked up the name on the internet and found that Dr. Kurobe Saburo had left his position in the public hospital to become the vice president of a private hospital¡ªthis was going to be a bit of a problem. People at this level were very busy and vigilant, not exactly approachable.


    Ameko looked through another dozen of newspapers with the same date and even found scanned articles in the library¡¯s system. Eventually, she came across a new finding from a local tabloid that had already been discontinued. ¡°Zhang-san, do you think this is useful?¡±


    She stepped aside to let her companion look at the screen. These past nine months, Zhang Heng had not only honed his driving skills but had also worked on his language. Other than attending classes, he also spent every free minute strengthening his vocabulary. His hard work was finally paying off. He could now communicate in Japanese, and as long as the words the newspapers used were not too technical, he was able to understand most of it.


    ¡°Hayami Rinko. Is she the nurse?¡± Zhang Heng was drawn to a stern-looking elderly lady.


    ¡°Yes. She has been working in the hospital for 32 years. It said that Asano Naoto was in a critical condition when he was admitted. Since she was the most experienced nurse in the hospital, she was assigned to his case, not sleeping for 2 days and 2 nights. Unfortunately, in the end, they were unable to save him. If we look at her age¡­ She¡¯s probably retired by now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s find Dr. Kurobe Saburo first. If not, we¡¯ll have to find Hayami Rinko.¡± Zhang Heng decided.


    As they had expected, it was not easy getting Kurobe Saburo. As an expert surgeon in Tokyo, his many different numbers were published online, but the person answering the phone was his female assistant.


    Even though the person on the other end was polite, she was firm and unyielding about not being able to set up an appointment for them. President Kurobe Saburo¡¯s timetable was fully booked until the end of the month. Zhang Heng and Ameko decided to wait for the doctor in front of the hospital building he was working in. After two hours of waiting, they finally spotted him.


    Meeting him for only a few minutes, Kurobe Saburo claimed that he did not remember much about what happened that year. After one or two questions, he already appeared irritated. Opening the door to his black Mercedes, he snapped, ¡°If there¡¯s anything else, you can look for my assistant. I have an appointment with a few friends from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.¡±


    Zhang Heng did not press the man for more information. Kurobe Saburo was not a small potato, the likes of Takeda Tetsuya. If he were to go missing or be forced into confession, it would draw a lot of attention. Also, this guy might genuinely not recall the incident. A specialist like him sometimes would have to perform more than a dozen operations in a day. After leaving the operating table, he would be so tired that he might even forget his name.


    Ameko watched the Mercedes leave and then turned to Zhang Heng. ¡°So, what now?


    ¡°Let¡¯s try Hayami Rinko. She worked for the hospital for decades. Someone must surely know where she went after her retirement.¡±

 Chapter 47

    Even though they had already expected it, Ameko could not help but feel a little disappointed that Kurobe Saburo refused to budge. She and Zhang Heng found a place to have a quick lunch, then hurried to the public hospital that Asano Naoto was sent to.


    After making an inquiry at the visitor registration counter, they received confirmation that Hiromi Rinko no longer worked there. But when a passing nurse heard the name, she stopped to tell them, ¡°She used to work here, but she has retired. When I first came here, I was not doing well. She encouraged me and gave me guidance! Why are you looking for her?¡±


    Zhang Heng lifted the fruit basket in his hand and said, ¡°My father was involved in a horrific car accident a long time ago¡ªit was Hiromi Rinko¡¯s aunt who helped him recover. We just want to thank her.¡±


    This was quite common in hospitals around here. A large number of patients and their family members would continuously return to thank the doctors and nurses. There was no reason for the head nurse to suspect these two young people.


    She tore a piece of paper and scribbled an address on it. ¡°Thank goodness we met. Rinko senpai 1 lives here now.¡±


    ¡°Taihaku Nursing Home?¡± Ameko read the address on the paper.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Senpai never got married and didn¡¯t have any children. Ever since she retired, she volunteered to do charity work there. She wanted to keep making contributions in her sunset years, and also find herself a resting place for the future,¡± the nurse said, brimming with admiration.


    Zhang Heng gratefully thanked her and took the subway with Ameko to the nursing home in the suburb. With the help of caretakers there, they were able to quickly locate Hiromi Rinko.


    The former nurse was teaching an elderly who had lost most of his hearing how to arrange flowers. When she saw the two young people approaching her, there was a hint of suspicion in her eyes, but she still nodded at them.


    Five minutes later, Hiromi Rinko helped the elderly man settle down before walking over to Ameko and Zhang Heng. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Perhaps it was the nature of her occupation; the Hiromi Rinko in the picture carried a stern appearance, with a military rigidness about her. Zhang Heng was worried that she would not be easy to communicate with, but upon meeting her in person, he realized that she was much more easygoing than he had imagined her to be.


    Zhang Heng passed the fruit basket to her as they seated themselves on the sofa.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to find out about something. Do you still remember that horrible accident 22 years ago? Two young men were racing cars against traffic when one of them ran into a truck. One died instantly, and the other was severely wounded. His name was¡­¡±


    ¡°Asano Naoto,¡± Hiromi Rinko cut in. ¡°I remember that. But not because it was all over the news, but because that boy was so young. He was battling the Shinigami, and you could see that he really did not want to leave this world! Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t help him.¡±


    Zhang Heng and Ameko shared a look between them. ¡°We heard that you were with him the whole time. We¡­ we are his family. We just want to know if anyone visited him or if he asked to see anyone when he was awake.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not his family.¡± Hiromi Rinko shook her head. It was as if she could see through them.


    Ameko¡¯s face grew hot under the old nurse¡¯s steely gaze.


    Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was calm. ¡°Distant family.¡±


    Hiromi Rinko smiled and did not question them anymore about this question. ¡°If you were asking about other people, without their consent or the family¡¯s consent, I¡¯m not at liberty to tell you. But he¡­ people other apart from the media are rarely concerned about him.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Asano Naoto, that¡¯s a very lonely child. In the three days he spent in the hospital, his grandfather only came to see him once. I heard that his parents had already cut off all relations with him by then¡­ oh, and uhh¡­ I think he had an uncle who sent two men to guard the door. He never actually went in.¡±


    ¡°So, no one cared at all?¡± Zhang Heng and Ameko were a little taken aback by the nurse¡¯s answer.


    Hiromi Rinko sighed. ¡°In our line of work, it¡¯s normal to see deaths. But it was a real heartbreak to see such a young boy leave this world in such a lonely way. In the end, he lost all the will to recover. I don¡¯t know if you can call that lucky.¡±


    ______


    Ameko left Taihaku Nursing Home with a blank look on her face. Not a single part of it had been like what she¡¯d imagined. After seeing Hiromi Rinko, everything became even murkier instead of clearing, as if a thick fog had emerged in front of them.


    Apparently, Asano Naoto¡¯s uncle did not care that much for his nephew. He did not even bother to take time out to visit his dying family¡ªnow why would he suddenly think about avenging him after so many years?


    If it wasn¡¯t Oni Hitomi who set the seafood shop on fire, then who was it? Why would they come after Takeda Tetsuya, who had long since disappeared from the racing scene? Why pretend to be Oni Hitomi?


    ¡°No, this does not make sense at all,¡± Zhang Heng said. ¡°From the looks of things, this person is trying to push your father into Oni Hitomi¡¯s snare! But if he knew about that, he could have just informed the Oni Hitomi and let them confront your father instead.¡±


    They were now at a dead end. At the moment, they did not have any other leads. It was getting late, and the both of them were walking around on an empty stomach, considering they missed lunch. Ameko bought two family buckets from KFC, and then they returned to her cousin¡¯s cramped apartment.


    Once they got off the elevator, Ameko fumbled for the keys in her bag, but the expression on Zhang Heng¡¯s face caused her to look up.


    The door was ajar! It was only a small opening, but Zhang Heng remembered very clearly that they made sure to lock the door before leaving. Ameko might have normally been a little absent-minded, but she would never make a mistake like this.


    Ameko began to panic a little. She was worried that her father had been snatched into the jaws of Oni Hitomi. While Asano Naoto¡¯s uncle may not have been too upset about his nephew¡¯s death, but if the murderer did show up, he would never let him off the hook to save his own face as the organization¡¯s leader.


    Ameko was getting ready to barge into the room when Zhang Heng grabbed her by the arm!


    There was a siren going off in his mind. In the condition they left him in, there was no way Takeda Tetsuya could have freed himself from the ropes. He must have had help. Moreover, it was bizarre that the door had been left ajar as if inviting outsiders to come in and take a look.


    Before examining the situation in detail, Zhang Heng decided to take Ameko away from this place. The people inside the house, however, had heard their footsteps. In the next moment, someone burst through the door! From his clothes, it was apparent that he was an associate of the guys in the dark blue Voxy back at the seafood store.


    Zhang Heng never learned taekwondo before, but had been training in the gym and was much stronger than the average person. By the time the guy reached into his pockets, Zhang Heng was already standing in front of Ameko, throwing a punch at the man¡¯s face! The guy staggered and stumbled backward into the house, disoriented.


    Ever since he graduated from elementary school, Zhang Heng had never hit anyone. So, he too was stunned by the punch he had just thrown. This, however, was not the time to think about how strong he¡¯d become. It was imperative that he exploited this temporary win and find out if the perpetrator was carrying a gun. He was about to pounce on the man and continued to fight him when suddenly, the cold and unmistakable nozzle of a gun pressed against the back of his head!


    Footnotes:


    Ch 47 Footnote 1


    senio

 Chapter 48

    Someone had tied Zhang Heng to a chair¡ªhe had no idea for how long. When someone finally peeled the blindfold off his eyes, he saw that they had brought him to an abandoned factory.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s head was still a little foggy. After subdued outside the apartment, he was forced into a vehicle and then blindfolded. He could not tell what was happening around him except by the amount of time it took for them to travel in the car, they were still in Tokyo, but probably somewhere in the suburbs.


    He was careless, he knew that. In reality, no matter how calm and how watchful he was, this was the first time he was involved in something like this and was bound to make mistakes. The person who took them clearly pulled some dirty tricks to find the apartment.


    As if he read Zhang Heng¡¯s mind, a guy with a crew cut pulled out a black tracking device the size of a bubble-gum from Ameko¡¯s bag.


    They probably put that in there when they kidnapped her with the blue Toyota. As Ameko was unconscious then, she would not have known what they did. On top of that, the tracking device was well hidden. Unless she had searched every inch of her bag, it would have been difficult to notice.


    Zhang Heng cocked his brows. ¡°Where is Ameko?¡±


    The people who took them split them up at the apartment. They were probably transported in different cars too. Zhang Heng had not seen her since then.


    ¡°Think about your own plight first!¡± The crew cut gut snarled, giving Zhang Heng the stink eye.


    Zhang Heng recognized the guy.


    It was the guy he punched at the door¡ªno wonder he was showing Zhang Heng the attitude.


    ¡°Heh, now we can settle our account!¡± The crew cut guy put down the tracking device and rolled up his sleeves eagerly.


    Just then, a deep, sonorous voice said from behind, ¡°Alright! That¡¯s enough for now. Let me talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡± The crew cut guy¡¯s demeanor quickly changed. He bowed to the man who had just walked in and promptly disappeared.


    A short man stepped in front of Zhang Heng, grabbed the nearest stool and plopped himself down. ¡°It was never our organization¡¯s idea to involve you and Ms. Ameko in this. I apologize on behalf of our organization.¡±


    Zhang Heng simply kept quiet.


    ¡°22 years ago, our Executive Vice President, he¡­ and Tsuchiya Yosuke, er, which is also Mr. Takeda Tetsuya, had a little grudge. He sent me here to take care of things. The plan was to throw Tsuchiya Yosuke into the sea and feed him to the sharks, but Mr. Executive vice president had a sudden change of mind and decided to give him a chance. The executive v.p¡¯s exact words were ¡®The grievances between racing drivers should be resolved in the ways of a racing driver,¡± the squat man said.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve painstakingly set up a stage for Tsuchiya Yosuke. I¡¯ll still need one more person to play the supporting role, though. It was giving a headache because Mr. Tsuchiya Yosuke is not exactly everybody¡¯s favorite, and even after so many years, he didn¡¯t make any friends at all. I heard that for nearly half a year, you have been delivering goods for him. So? Are you interested in joining the fun?¡±


    ¡°Are there any other options apart from me?¡± Zhang Heng asked calmly. Even though the guy looked gentler than his associate, Zhang Heng understood that the man did not really want to know his opinion.


    ¡°I like talking to smart people¡ªit saves me a lot of time.¡± The man took out a dagger, walked behind Zhang Heng and cut off the rope binding his hands. ¡°The game is simple. Whichever one of you wins this competition, I will let the three of you go. But if you lose¡­ trust me, you don¡¯t want to know what happens.¡±


    Zhang Heng stretched his arms. He considered attacking the man, grabbing the knife, and make him a hostage, but when he spotted the two towering men guarding the door, he gave up the idea. There was no way out of this situation.


    ¡°How many will be racing? Where is it? What are the rules?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll know when the time comes. First, relax, and choose your car!¡± The man said, clapping loudly.


    The guards at the door walked to the center of the factory to a covered mound. The men removed the covering and revealed the cars underneath. There were 5 in total: a red Nissan 180SX, a silver BMW M5, a gray Mercedes AMG GT, a yellow Dodge Viper, and a blue Ford F-150 Raptor.


    ¡°These cars have been modified with some performance enhancements. You can choose to drive the one you like best. If you¡¯re not happy with it, you can retune it yourself. We can provide you with the parts. The competition is tonight at midnight. So, do any of these cars catch your eye?¡± The man asked. He did not leave right after, though, as if curious about what decision Zhang Heng was going to make.


    To his surprise, the boy took only one look at the cars and then looked away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can I drive my own car?¡±


    ¡°Your own car? What is it? Porsche 911? Aston Martin? Ferrari?¡±


    ¡°A 1982 second-generation Mitsubishi L300,¡± Zhang Heng answered. ¡°It¡¯s parked just downstairs of the apartment where your men took me.¡±


    ¡°A civilian van?!¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened.


    Zhang Heng nodded. After the substantial modification he had done to the L300, the van was completely unrecognizable. Sure its performance had soared, but it was in no way comparable to a racecar. The man was not only generous¡ªthe five cars that he offered Zhang Heng were undoubtedly good. In fact, he was even willing to allow Zhang Heng to tune it up to his liking to prove that he did not sabotage them.


    Zhang Heng knew that no matter how good the cars were, the best car for him was the car he was most familiar with.


    ¡°That¡¯s a reasonable request that I can fulfill, but are you sure?¡± The man asked again.


    Zhang Heng nodded.


    The short man signaled to his men, and a few more walked in to bring the cars away. Then he looked Zhang Heng in the eye and said, ¡°We shall see each other tonight, then.¡±


    This time, Zhang Heng was left alone in the abandoned factory. There was water and food on the table, probably for replenishing his energy. Other than that, there was a gaming console in the corner of the room for him to pass the time. This was too good a treatment for a kidnap victim, and because of that, Zhang Heng was increasingly convinced that this race was not an impromptu, last-minute attempt.


    This guy had clearly planned all of this for a very long time now. Those associates of his probably did not have any professional training, but because they came in numbers, it would be an unrealistic proposition even if the seafood store owner and Ameko were to force their way out. Moreover, his phone had been taken away, and he had no way of contacting the world outside.


    For now, all he could do now was just eat a little something and wait for the competition to start.

 Chapter 49

    Zhang Heng finally saw Takeda Tetsuya ten minutes before the race started.


    He was standing next to the short man on the side of the highway, looking grim. Zhang Heng also saw Ameko in the blue Toyota Voxy, her wrists and legs bound and her mouth sealed with tape. When she saw him, she began to struggle but the doors were quickly slammed shut!


    ¡°Mr. Yosuke, I¡¯ve allowed you to see your daughter as you have requested. We can start now, can we?¡± The short man asked.


    Yosuke Tsuchiya said nothing as he entered the Dodge Viper.


    The short man broke into a smile at this. After that, he came up to Zhang Heng and said, ¡°You asked me how many people will be joining the race tonight, where it¡¯s held and what the rules are¡ªI¡¯ll tell you now¡ªtonight, the three of us will be racing here on this highway! Death racing rules! Considering you may be unfamiliar with what happened 22 years ago, I will give you a brief explanation. The three of us will be driving against traffic on this highway. The person who reaches the finishing point first wins. Of course, it would be boring if it was just that, so I¡¯ve decided to add a small restriction. The windshields on all three cars have been frosted, and the windows cannot be wound down.¡±


    The short man took out a wrench and smashed the front of the Nissan 180SX!


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that the lights on cars are useless. Better just get rid of it!¡± As soon as he said that, his men broke the lights on the L300 and the Viper as well. Then, the short man opened the car door and grinned at Zhang Heng. ¡°One last thing¡­ if you want to use the toilet, you better go now. The doors will be welded shut, and it¡¯ll only be opened when you reach the destination.¡±


    Zhang Heng had already figured out back in the factory, that something like that was going to happen. Now that it was in front of him, he could not help but think that the man had lost his mind¡ªespecially when he sat in the driver¡¯s seat of the L300 and saw the blurry windshield in front of him. He could not even make out a silhouette from 2 meters away.


    Outside, people were already working on welding the car doors shut, even on the Nissan 180SX that the short man was driving. His voice spoke from the intercom in front of the passenger seat. ¡°So? Does it bring back happy memories, Mr. Yosuke?¡±


    Yosuke Tsuchiya did not answer. But from the sound of his breathing, Zhang Heng could tell that he was not as calm as he appeared to be. After a while, Takeda Tetsuya spoke, ¡°Follow closely behind me.¡±


    Zhang Heng knew that that was meant for him. In a situation like this, the person driving in front was at the highest risk. On top of that, the set-up now was even scarier than it was 22 years ago. Takeda Tetsuya had not touched the steering wheel for over 20 years¡ªhe was not in the best shape.


    In fact, at only 3 minutes into the race, Takeda Tetsuya nearly ran into an oncoming Buick! Good thing he had a firm handle on the steering wheel, which kept the Viper from toppling over. Less than half a minute later, however, he nearly hit the divider at a curve!


    The short man¡¯s laughter crackled over the intercom. ¡°What is it, Mr. Yosuke? That¡¯s the best you can do? We¡¯re not even a tenth of the way into the race yet!¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya kept quiet. Right now, he could barely even talk. Beads of sweat were dripping down the tip of his nose onto his jeans.


    The visibility was abysmal, to say the least. It was in the middle of the night, their cars had no headlights, and the view through the frosted windows was all but a murky blur. Owing to this, they could only use the lights from oncoming cars to determine their position. It was extremely exhausting, and his eyes and mind were already stretched to their limit.


    Takeda Tetsuya did not know how much longer he could keep this up. Just as his breathing became more frenzied, the L300 that was behind him suddenly accelerated and overtook him.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s voice came from the intercom, ¡°My turn to take the lead! You rest for a little while. We¡¯ll swap places after 4 minutes.¡±


    Takeda Tetsuya wanted to refuse the offer, but he was already overexerting himself, and Zhang Heng¡¯s calm voice sounded particularly trustworthy in this loony race.


    The boy was not trying to show off by stepping up. Such a race tested observational skills and the ability to react appropriately. A younger person, undoubtedly, had the edge in this regard.


    More importantly, luck should be on his side tonight.


    Zhang Heng took out the lucky rabbit¡¯s foot from his pocket and hung it on the rear-view mirror.


    He may be the least skilled driver among the three, but with the mechanics of the race today, luck was the decisive factor that actually had the absolute power.


    For a whole two minutes, Zhang Heng did not come across a single car.


    Then the short man spoke again, ¡°That year during the race¡ªdid Mr. Yosuke hide behind his team members like this?¡±


    A look of embarrassment flashed across Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s face. Zhang Heng could see from his rear-view mirror that the yellow Dodge was beginning to sway, which meant that Takeda Tetsuya was getting unnerved.


    The seafood store owner smiled sadly. ¡°If you want to avenge Asano Naoto, you should just settle it with me! Why did you have to drag other people into this?!¡±


    The short man sniffed. ¡°Wasn¡¯t your enmity with Asano Naoto embroiled because of someone else?¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s eyes widened. His suspicions were finally confirmed!


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not taking revenge for Asano Naoto, but Kobayashi?¡±


    There was a heavy silence on the other end of the intercom.


    A minute later, the short man said, ¡°Not bad! You were able to guess my intention.¡±


    ¡°You pretended to be Oni Hitomi to kidnap Ameko so you could force him to join this race! It was not just the three people who knew about that competition¡ªKobayashi told this to his mother? No, that¡¯s impossible! No one would ever tell things like that to their mothers. So¡­ his sister¡­ what¡¯s your relationship with his sister?¡±


    The three modified vehicles sped across the highway~


    Precisely 2 minutes and 42 seconds later, Zhang Heng spotted the first oncoming car! He flicked the steering, letting loose the tail of the van with the L300 narrowly drifting past!


    Even then, Zhang Heng was unusually composed. He suddenly thought about something completely absurd. ¡°Wait a minute¡ªyou¡¯re¡­ Kobayashi¡¯s sister?¡±


    When he first met the man, Zhang Heng had noticed that his movement was a little awkward. Other than the fact that his height and dimensions were closer to a woman¡¯s, he was also the only one who did not reveal his tattoos. This ¡®guy¡¯ spent so much effort pretending to be Oni Hitomi. But unlike the other guys, this short man never showed off his tattoo¡ªmaybe because he feared people would notice the absence of Adam¡¯s apple.


    To disguise his voice, on the other hand, was simple. Every one of them wore masks, so it was only a matter of using a voice changer.

 Chapter 50

    ¡°There were three people in that race, but only you survived. I examined the remains¡­ of my brother¡¯s car. I noticed not only was the roof that was caved in, but there were also marks on the body of the car from the impact. Its tires were severely damaged. But even until his final moment, he was gripping the steering wheel firmly, trying to steer his car. With his skills, except for external interference, there¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve lost control that way,¡± the short ¡®man¡¯ hissed. ¡°You were his best friend, one of the three people involved in the race! Then you disappeared! How dare you say that day had nothing to do with you at all?¡±


    There was a pained look in Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s eyes as he said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Your brother died all because of me. It was my fault.¡±


    ¡°That being the case, tonight, you¡¯ll pay for his life!¡± The short ¡®man¡¯ announced before cutting off the walkie talkie.


    Zhang Heng kept quiet.


    He pointed out the ¡®man¡¯s¡¯ identity so that both of them could communicate and resolve their dissent. From a third party¡¯s view, Takeda Tetsuya did share part of the blame. Kobayashi, however, had also decided to save his friend, which eventually led to his death.


    Blaming his death entirely on Takeda Tetsuya was just ludicrous. Even blaming everything on Asano Naoto was not wholly fair either, because the person he was attacking was actually Takeda Tetsuya. Perhaps unpleasant to hear, but the thing that killed Kobayashi was loyalty to his friend.


    Zhang Heng did not wish for Takeda Tetsuya to make up some moving touching story¡ªhe simply needed to tell the whole truth. At least, that could have removed a portion of misunderstanding between them. Zhang Heng underestimated how much that accident affected the seafood store owner. Kobayashi¡¯s death was his greatest regret.


    All these years, Tetsuya had been like a prisoner to his past, waiting for this long-overdue judgment day. To add, from the way he saw it, Kobayashi¡¯s sister was a punishment by the gods. If it were not for saving his daughter, he would have given up long ago.


    Even so, Zhang Heng could sense that Takeda Tetusya¡¯s fighting spirit was steadily declining at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    In contrast, the short ¡®man¡¯ at the back who had been following quietly behind them was burning with spite after that last conversation.


    The red Nissan 180SX picked up speed and was head to head with the Dodge Viper!¡ªhistory always had a way of repeating itself.


    The short ¡®man¡¯ forced Takeda Tetsuya to the far-right lane on the highway. Even though she had never seen the race that took place 22 years ago, she was making the exact same decision as Asano Naoto.


    Coincidentally, a car was also coming towards them, but it was on the third lane, so it merely went past the three cars.


    Zhang Heng knew that they could not go on like this. Right now, they were almost a third of the way. Takeda Tetsuya was not getting any luckier, and his mental state was deteriorating. Sooner or later, he was going to make a mistake. So, Zhang Heng switched lanes and deliberately slowed down.


    The short ¡®man¡¯ did not pay much attention to the third car¡¯s maneuver¡ªTonight was about settling her grudge against Takeda Tetsuya, and Zhang Heng was only a supporting actor in the grand scheme of things.


    But when the supposedly braking L300 suddenly accelerated and occupied the lane on her left, her attention was roused!


    In a sense, boxing-out was also a very dangerous move.


    Whether it was the Asano Naoto 22 years ago or the short ¡®man¡¯ today, using their cars to block Takeda Tetsuya also put them at risk of running into an oncoming vehicle. Compared to Takeda Tetsuya, who could neither move to the left nor the right, they had at least one vacant side.


    If there was any approaching danger, the short ¡®man¡¯ could swerve to the left lane, but since Zhang Heng had gotten involved, the situation was even more chaotic!¡ªthe three of them were all stuck on their respective paths.


    In other words, it meant that if a car were to approach, one of them would inevitably be involved in the collision.


    Zhang Heng had intended to use this strategy to force the short ¡®man¡¯ to give up. As long as she kept decelerating and accelerating, Takeda Tetsuya would not lean in on her. Alas, the short ¡®man¡¯ was even more stubborn than Zhang Heng expected her to be.


    Even in a situation like this, she was still determined to drive the Viper into the corner as if to pressure Zhang Heng to give up first.


    This move might have worked on other people, but not Zhang Heng with his lucky rabbit¡¯s foot. Out of three people, his chances of crashing into another car was very low.


    Then as if to prove this point, a bright light flashed from the middle lane! Takeda Tetsuya took this opportunity to slow his car down to giving Nissan 180SX space to dodge the incoming vehicle. However, all this only caused the short ¡®man¡¯ to hesitate for a while.


    She had orchestrated all of this to take revenge on Takeda Tetsuya. But instead, if she were to be saved by him, how could she bring justice to what happened 22 years ago?


    As she weighed her options, the car coming from the opposite direction was already in front of her! Takeda Tetsuya did not have much time to think. Kobayashi died saving him, so no matter what, he could not let anything happen, his best friend¡¯s only sister!


    Takeda Tetsuya seemed to have awakened from his languid, enervate state; his eyes shone brightly, and in a fleeting 2 seconds, transformed back into that D1 champion who took over the European racing scene!


    The Dodge driver quickly dropped gears, picked up speed, and leaned resolutely towards the Nissan 180SX¡¯s tail!


    Takeda Tetsuya used just the right amount of force to push the 180SX out of the way so that it missed the oncoming heavy-duty truck by a hair!


    The short ¡®man¡¯ proved to be an excellent driver as well. She immediately took control of her car, and while the body of the car grazed the divider creating bright sparks, the vehicle did not flip onto its side, even managing to avoid the heavy-duty truck!


    Takeda Tetsuya, on the other hand, was not as lucky. By forcing the Nissan to the side, the Viper took over the middle lane and was heading towards the truck in place of the short ¡®man¡¯!


    The next moment, however, a beat-up L300 appeared suddenly like a ghost, tumbling into the Dodge!


    In the minivan, Zhang Heng took a deep breath and pulled the handbrake.


    At that split second, it felt as if time was standing still.


    With the front of the heavy-duty truck as the center, both the Viper and the L300 sliced a beautiful arc from the inertia! The L300 drifted from the right to the left lane, while Takeda¡¯s Dodge Viper went under the heavy-duty truck on its side!


    Was this the end?


    The short ¡®man¡¯ looked startled! Watching the retribution that she had planned for over 20 years unfolding before her eyes, she neither felt relieved nor gratified.


    She was still replaying the scene in her mind when the Viper struck the back of her car.


    Suddenly, she understood why her brother had died in that race that never should have taken place. The same guilt that Takeda Tetsuya experienced back then now filled her.


    If she could, she would exchange everything she had to go back to the time before everything happened!


    ¡­


    As if in response to her wish, the Dodge Viper miraculously scuttled from under the heavy-duty truck. Except for scratches on the roof, it was mostly unscathed!


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Zhang Heng¡¯s voice sounded over the intercom.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t plan to thank you!¡± Takeda Tetsuya snapped! ¡°You got your angles all wrong. If I hadn¡¯t corrected the speed, I would have ended up under the wheel!¡±


    The short ¡®man¡¯ opened her mouth to say something but caught herself when Zhang Heng said over the intercom, ¡°No matter how much the both of you have to talk about, let¡¯s finish this race first. I really need to pee!¡±

 Chapter 51 - Tokyo Drift XXI

    Zhang Heng had to admit that the older the ginger, the spicier it gets 1. Even though he had been training in Tokyo for 9 months, his driving skills were still nowhere nearly as excellent as the professional racing driver Takeda Tetsuya, the man who was only one race away from the Drift King title.


    This became even more apparent during the second half of the journey when Takeda Tetsuya had gotten the hang of the mechanics of the car and began to rediscover the form he was in back in the day.


    Putting his life on the line for Kobayashi¡¯s little sister did not cancel out the guilt he felt over his best friend¡¯s death. After that near-death experience, he had, at least, redeemed himself, and redressed a good portion of his self-condemnation.


    Zhang Heng would not be able to triumph over Takeda Tetsuya, who was in this state.


    On top of that, there was Kobayashi¡¯s sister, who had been planning this for 22 years, and whose driving skills were just as competent as her brother¡¯s. Not only did she possess that meticulous quality a woman possessed, but she also inherited Kobayashi¡¯s intrepidity.


    However, someone once said, ¡®Having a good opponent would bring out the best in you.¡¯


    Encouraged by his two competitors, Zhang Heng gave 150% of his ability. The L300 turned into a mustard phantom zipping in the darkness.


    In the end, however, he was still one step behind.


    But when they were drawing near the finishing line, the Nissan 180SX and the Viper suddenly slowed down and as if on cue, giving each other deference. Zhang Heng did not care about any of that, so the minivan zoomed past Takeda Tetsuya and Kobayashi Yu, taking first place.


    When he reached the finish, a series of notification rang in his ears.


    [You have won an underground street race!¡ªMission complete!]


    [To return after 134 days]


    [Successfully defeated a professional racecar driver: +15 game points. You may refer to the character panel to view the corresponding information]


    [Successfully defeated the best racing driver in this edition, Yosuke Tsuchiya: +25 game points. You may refer to the character panel to view the corresponding information]


    [Successfully completed one death racing mode: +10 game points. You may refer to the character panel to view the corresponding information]


    ¡­


    Yosuke Tsuchiya was the best driver in the Tokyo Drift edition. That came as no surprise to Zhang Heng. The fact that Kobayashi Yu was a professional racing driver, on the other hand, bewildered him as female professional racing drivers were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.


    It was no wonder, though, that she dared take on a one-versus-two challenge. Her skills may have been slightly weaker than Takeda Tetsuya¡¯s. Considering how disheartened the latter was before the near-accident, and if Zhang Heng was out of the picture, it would have been had to say which one would win.


    In reality, when compared side-to-side according to their skills, it would be out of the question for Zang Heng to win. But after everything that had happened along the way, the atmosphere of hostility was extinguished. There was a silver lining amidst all the complications, helping Zhang Heng to complete his primary mission.


    The rewards that came along with it were so much more generous than he had expected. The race alone earned him 50 game points. Combined with the 6 points he gained throughout the game, a total of 56 game points had now been collected.


    Kobayashi Yu and Takeda Tetsuya talked to each other through the night. No one knew what they were talking about, but on the second day, the two of them visited Kobayashi Ryo¡¯s grave to pay their respects.


    Two days after, Kobayashi Yu and her racing friends who had helped her left Tokyo.


    Two months later, Ameko¡¯s exchange student application was approved.


    Zhang Heng had driven her to the airport himself. She was about to embark on a one-year learning trip in China.


    There was still some time before departure, so Ameko requested for coffee. Zhang Heng bought two cups of coffee from the Starbucks nearby. As he was handing it over to the girl, something soft nudged his lips.


    Ameko was clearly very nervous. This was her first time doing something like this, so she was a little clumsy and timid; their lips only touching for a brief second.


    ¡°Come find me when you get back to China,¡± Ameko whispered softly.


    That kiss had spent all of her courage, so instead of waiting for Zhang Heng to reply, she picked up her luggage and quickly made her way to the check-in counter.


    Zhang Heng watched the girl disappear into the crowd, suddenly feeling that having the extra hours might not be a good thing¡ªthe initially subtle feelings, with the passing of time, had slowly blossomed¡­


    This was destined to be a promise that could never be fulfilled.


    Zhang Heng sat on one of the seats in the airport alone, deep in thought, and finished the two cups of coffee quietly.


    In whatever country, airports and train stations were always places brimming with a sea of emotions.


    The wobbling elderly grandmother sending off her grandchild who was studying abroad, fussing over his backpack; the four-year-old holding onto his mother¡¯s hand, waving goodbye to his father going overseas for work, not knowing that the next time they would meet again would be the following year; the girl who had just stepped down the plane running to her boyfriend¡¯s embrace in her heels.


    Then, at the same time, there were people rushing home, while the others leaving somewhere far away.


    After swallowing last drops of the warm coffee, Zhang Heng got up, pulled up the zip on his jacket, and stepped outside into the snow.


    ¡­


    After that race, Zhang Heng had basically stepped into leisure mode. He was getting pretty good at Japanese and even scored full marks for his first monthly exam, which earned him 3 game points. BHis most significant achievement, though, was that woodcarving, the second game item he found a month before.


    The one thing that had been bothering him was other than the racer workshop, it was common for societies to recruit new members every two months¡ªespecially the two related to cars. The 4WD club and the auto show model photography club, which, like their names suggested, were a gathering of a group of ch¨±niby¨­ 1 and gentries.


    Zhang Heng had joined, patiently remaining in the clubs for two months only to learn how to scream ¡®Shooting Star and Cannonball¡¯ at his own 4WD, and to determine by eye the model of a car from a picture, deduce bra sizes, and many other random strange skills.


    But Zhang Heng was still reluctant to give up because, according to his first game, whenever a cycle took place, he should have more than one valid option. After that, he decided to alter his thinking pattern, to stop focusing on organizations related to cars, but to broaden his search instead. So, he began paying attention to some of the more unusual groups.


    He thought about the altar that he had come across on the island and opted to join a club that studied mysterious happenings, and another that researched popular paranormal activity. Eventually, he discovered that his membership in the latter really did pleasantly surprise him.


    The woodcarving was a collection that belonged to the vice president of the club, who had claimed to have found it in Rakuten for only 500 Japanese Yen. There was nothing special about the carving¡ªit did not even have a face. But just like the rabbit¡¯s foot, when Zhang Heng picked it up, he heard the same announcement in his head: [Found a game item].


    He decided to buy it from the vice president, who was so happy that she presented it to Zhang Heng immediately, mainly because there were only three members in the club and the vice president valuing new members a lot. The woodcarving was not worth much anyway, so she was more than happy to give it away.


    So, that was how Zhang Heng got his hands on another game item, without having put in much effort.


    Although it was not difficult to get the game item, it was buried deep within the game. For other gamers who did have as much leisure time in the game like him, it would be tough for them to find hidden items like this.


    Footnotes:


    Ch 51 Footnote 1


    A Chinese proverb that means, the older a person becomes, the wiser he or she becomes/experience counts.


    Ch 51 Footnote 2


    A derogatory internet slang referring to a ¡°sickness¡± in young people characterized by sophomoric, edgy, and pretentious behavior.

 Chapter 52 - Tokyo Drift (End)

    With Ameko¡¯s departure, Zhang Heng¡¯s life as an exchange student also came to an end. He moved out of the dormitory of the International Exchange Hall and rented a small apartment outside the university.


    Takeda Tetsuya also taught him nearly everything he knew. Now, to improve his skills and technique, there was only continuous practice and relying on his talent. Improving his driving skills from level 2 to level 3 in a short period was quite impossible, so Zhang Heng did not invest too much effort into it.


    He participated in a couple of underground drifting competitions with his L300, earning him quite a bit of money. He even won an 80%-new Mazda. Unfortunately, no game points were credited for that.


    The money he made was enough to sustain him for the rest of his time in Tokyo, and since he would not be able to take it away with him, it was kind of pointless making more, so Zhang Heng did not continue racing. That mysterious mustard color van that appeared and vanished so suddenly eventually became a legend in the Tokyo underground racing world¡­


    But that was a story for another day.


    Now that he no longer had to work or attend classes, Zhang Heng found himself with plenty of time. One day, while he was out traveling, he came across a gym, and he suddenly remembered that karate originated from Japan, derived from the combination of Japan¡¯s indigenous martial arts and Tang Shou Dao.


    Last time, when he fought the men who worked for Kobayashi Yu, he was able to confirm the effectiveness of his training in the gym. But the person he had fought was only a commoner. While Zhang Heng had the advantage of speed and strength, he was simply throwing punches without any proper technique. It dawned on him that he could use this opportunity to learn a little bit of karate.


    So, Zhang Heng spent the final two months achieving Level 0 in Karate skills.


    On the 420th day, he stood on the Sky Tower overlooking Tokyo, enjoying the night view for one last time. Then that familiar voice rung:


    [Return deadline arrived. Mission completed.]


    [Tokyo Drift edition cleared! The second round has ended. Returning to reality¡­]


    ¡­


    When Zhang Heng opened his eyes, he found himself back in the lounge booth. This time, the Tokyo Drift mission did not send him into some challenging situation isolated and far away from civilization. Still, after spending 14 months as an exchange student in another country, Zhang Heng found himself feeling an indescribable comfort and warmth hearing the language he was accustomed to.


    ¡°A glass of lemon water¡ªno¡ªgive me something more flavorful,¡± Zhang Heng walked up to the bar and had a brief flashback of the Tokyo girl with the snaggletooth smile.


    ¡°Congratulations on making it through the second round!¡± The bartender lady masterfully mixed a glass of cocktail and pushed it in front of Zhang Heng. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve just completed a very unusual journey!¡±


    ¡°Mm. Hey, I¡¯d like you to help me identify something.¡± Zhang Heng took out the woodcarving. After his first experience with the rabbit¡¯s foot, he made sure to come prepared with a pair of gloves to handle the woodcarving, be it inside or outside the game.


    The bartender¡¯s eyebrows rose at the sight of the game item. ¡°Another one? Aren¡¯t you a little too lucky?¡±


    She picked up the woodcarving carefully and placed it inside a tulewood box, not forgetting to take 5 points from Zhang Heng.


    Zhang Heng sat at the bar as he finished his drink. When he was about to leave, the bartender called out to him, ¡°Do you still remember the year-end auction I told you about?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm?¡±


    ¡°As usual, it will be held on the last day of the year. If you plan to participate in the auction, you better prepare in advance. Remember not to set the third game on that day,¡± she reminded him.


    Zhang Heng thanked her and then left the lounge.


    ¡­


    The next day, Zhang Heng skipped English class in the morning. The second game had ended a little too late that by the time he left Sex and The City, already 4.30 am by then. He needed to make up for all the sleep he had lost.


    Then in the afternoon, as he was having lunch, Ma Wei and Chen Huadong gave him the same sympathetic look.


    ¡°You¡¯re screwed. Today, Old Zhang gave a random test in class. When he found out that 5 papers were missing from the stack, he threw a fit! The College English Test (CET) 1is only two weeks away¡ªhe said that those who don¡¯t know what hard work is cannot be saved. The people who didn¡¯t take the test won¡¯t get any marks for their continuous assessment.¡±


    In most universities, exams were usually separated into two parts: continuous assessment and a final exam. The latter made up 70% of the final score, while the former made up the other 30%. These two combined, made up the final grade.


    This 30% shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. It regularly determined if someone passed or failed a subject, either saving the person from failing or dooming a supposed pass to failure. Of course, the latter scenario was relatively rare. After all, there were no ongoing grudges between lecturers and students, so crackdowns on the students during the continuous assessments were uncommon.


    But if a person did not have any continuous assessment marks at all, it would be a severe problem. A student would have to score 86 out of 100 to get a credit, and English was a slightly more special subject, whereby the final results were graded based on the CET-4 and CET-6.


    ¡°710 is the full marks¡ªwhich means that to get a credit, you will need to score 609 points in the final exam.¡± Ma Wei frowned. The passing mark for the CET-6 is 425 marks. For a non-English major, 600 points and above was usually considered a high score. Even a nerd like him did not have the full confidence to be able to achieve that, especially not English, which was a subject that Ma Wei was slightly struggling with.


    Zhang Heng was speechless. If he had known about it, he would have fought his sleepiness and gone to class. But it was too late for him now. He simply had to find a way to get a score of 609 and above. In fact, if he was previously presented with this problem, he would have thought that it was impossible. But having learned English from Bell back on the island, Zhang Heng felt that the situation was salvageable.


    It was about 20 days away from the College English Test. To him, that amounted to 40 days. When it came to his listening skills, there was nothing to worry about. The essay and grammar portions, though, still required some reinforcement.


    Zhang Heng did not expect to have to tackle English right after having to grapple with Japanese in Tokyo. Perhaps, taking up a job as a simultaneous translator after graduation was a good idea.


    ¡­


    Later that afternoon, Zhang Heng ran to the library to borrow some books to get cracking on English when he suddenly ran into Shen Xixi.


    Without Cheng Cheng harassing her all the time, peace had been restored to her life. Although they had exchanged numbers after the camping incident, neither of them made the first move to contact each other.


    They would often meet on campus, and Shen Xixi would greet him liberally, but they were only friends. On the contrary, Chen Huadong and Xu Jing quickly became close friends after that day. Even though there was still no confirmation that they romantically involved, but they had been hanging out together a lot lately, and it looked like success was on the horizon.


    Nowadays, Chen Huadong had forgone his games and no longer attended his anime club. Instead, he would spend his days shopping and walking around the streets with Xu Jing, betraying his club, Tiger Shark¡ªsome loyal members even thought of burning him at stake¡­


    Since they were both there by chance, Zhang Heng figured that he might as well go up to her and say hi.


    Footnotes:


    Ch 52 Footnote 1


    A standardized exam administered by the Ministry of Education in China, which is divided into two levels: CET-4 and CET-6.

 Chapter 53 - Moresby

    Shen Xixi was sitting on her own by the window, reading intently. The warm sun rays lit up a side of her face, making her glow to the point that some guys sitting nearby were unable to focus on what they were doing.


    Zhang Heng forcefully quickened his pace, hoping Shen Xixi would look up to see him waving at her.


    Seeing him, Shen Xixi put down the book in her hand and smiled. Since they were in the library, they had to be quiet. As they were not allowed to talk, they did not say anything else to each other.


    Zhang Heng found the book that he wanted, so he waved at her to say goodbye, but before he walked out of the library, his eyes fell on the half-opened book in Shen Xixi¡¯s hand, catching a glimpse of the title, ¡®The Criminal Personality.¡¯


    Of course, as someone who had read ¡®Bill of Quantitates for Water Drainage, Heating, and Gas Engineering,¡¯ he was not qualified to question others¡¯ personal reading preferences.


    But Zhang Heng had to admit that this girl¡¯s hobby was somewhat unique, especially with her incredible observational skills and reasoning skills. Did she plan to work in the criminal investigation field? But then again, she was studying public relations.


    He had simply acquainted with Shen Xixi and was not about to interfere with others¡¯ life choices, so Zhang Heng went to another floor to study. He was simply surprised to discover Shen Xixi¡¯s interest in topics of criminal investigation.


    In between, he dropped by the canteen to have dinner, then in the library until its closing. Since he was going to return in an hour, he did not take the grammar book with him but left it on the shelf.


    Done with the washing up and brushing teeth, Zhang Heng checked his inbox and found an email from the photography society informing him that his work was shortlisted for the ¡®urban impression theme¡¯ competition, which would be entered into the judge selection section. He would know the results in about a week.


    He had been so busy recently that he had nearly forgotten all about this¡ªjoining the competition to see how much he had discovered. Making it through the intermediary contest was already meeting his expectations. As for getting the price money and rewards, it would be great if he got them, but even if he did not, he would have no problem with it.


    Zhang Heng browsed forums and posts on his phone to pass the time. Midnight came quickly, and silence filled the whole town. He got dressed and was about to continue his revision in the library when he noticed that someone had sent him a text.


    It was an arbitrary message from an unfamiliar number:


    ¡®I need your help! Meet me at the place we first met.¡¯


    This was the first text message he had ever received in still time. For countless nights, he had been the only one who could roam around the sleeping city while everyone froze in time. Right away, a figure in a Tang suit and fedora popped into Zhang Heng¡¯s mind. Everything supernatural that had happened to him so far had to do with the strange old man. If there was someone who could enter this world, it would be that guy. From the looks of the message, it seemed that he was in some sort of trouble as well.


    Zhang Heng changed into his sports attire and went to retrieve his sf recurve bow from the archery range, then bought a small knife from the outdoor sporting goods store next door and strapped it to his waist. After he was done, he jumped on a yellow public bike and cycled to the maid¡¯s caf¨¦.


    The door into the mall was uncharacteristically unlocked and half-open, a light coming from within. Zhang Heng unstrapped his bow and armed it with an arrow, treading as carefully and quietly as he could.


    ¡°I really liked that milk tea shop on the second floor, but there¡¯s always a long line! It¡¯s seldom empty like it is now, but then again, at least there¡¯s one to make a cup of milk tea for me. Perhaps this is life¡ªit¡¯s difficult to find the best of both worlds.¡± The old man in the Tang suit sighed. Sitting on the handle of the stationary escalator, he was dressed in the same way as they first met two months ago. This time, however, he wore a baseball cap instead of that formal hat. Other than that, everything else was nondescript.


    The old man was holding a bag of M&Ms, which he tore open before emptying half of its content into his mouth.


    Zhang Heng put down his bow and said, ¡°Forgive me for being indiscreet, but you don¡¯t look like you need any help.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I care more for your privacy compared to all the employers you¡¯ll find out there. I wouldn¡¯t come to you unless something dire happened,¡± said the old man as he chewed on the M&Ms.


    ¡°Serious?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it on the way. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± The old man poured the rest of the chocolate-coated candies into his mouth and then got up. ¡°Let me as you a question: you¡¯ve probably played two rounds of the game now, what kind of skills have you acquired?¡±


    ¡°Wilderness survival skills, archery skills, and driving skills,¡± Zhang Heng listed all of his level 2 skills.


    ¡°That a pretty good start. You¡¯ll be able to use them soon. Right now, find us a mount first¡ªoh, sorry, old habits die hard¡ªgo get the car.¡± The old man tossed a set of car keys to Zhang Heng. ¡°Black Audi A6. Carpark B34, one level down. I promise I¡¯ll tell you everything in the car.¡±


    Zhang Heng took the elevator down to the parking lot and was able to locate the car pretty quickly. When he opened the glove compartment, however, he spotted a driver¡¯s license belonging to a heavily-set guy called Wang Jianguo. It was obviously not the old man¡¯s. The guy in the picture looked at least 20 years younger.


    The old man was waiting for Zhang Heng at the mall¡¯s front entrance carrying a piece of broken luggage looking like he had just escaped from a nursing home. Zhang Heng drove to the front, where the old man climbed into the back seat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind these small little details. You have probably done some things in the game that you would never have in the real world, right? Considering the enemy we¡¯re going to face, you wouldn¡¯t make me sit in the front on our way to battle.¡±


    ¡°What enemy?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a tribe called Alkiz in Papua New Guinea. Their ancestors traveled to that place early in the days and fought a few battles with the island¡¯s overlord Huli tribe. Both sides won and lost. Even though the Alkiz soldiers were very mighty and brave, each of them as powerful as ten men combined, an underpopulation problem developed as the war continued. FOr every Alkiz, there was twenty Huli. If they continued to deplete in numbers, they would soon be wiped out. In desperation, the Alkiz offered prayers to a monster called Moresby.


    ¡°They offered the old, weak and lame, as sacrifices to Moresby. In return, the monster aged the Alkiz babies into able-bodied young men in the span of a few months so that they could have one batch of soldiers after another. Thankfully, in the end, the tribe was snuffed out by the Huli tribe. Everything related to the Moresby, it¡¯s totems, the altars all destroyed. In most circumstances, this meant that the monster was also exterminated.


    ¡°But, by the way¡ªI really hate this phrase¡ªbut¡­ Moresby is a monster with time attributes, making it very difficult to completely eradicate it. In the last moment, it somehow found a way to seal itself into a small stretch of time, escaping death. Of course, in a way, you can say that it¡¯s dead, trapped inside for over 20,000 years, dragging out its feeble existence until¡­ err, the equilibrium was broken.¡± The old man suddenly became really quiet as his gaze fell on Zhang Heng.


    Zhang Heng was suddenly filled with a sense of foreboding. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?!¡±


    The old man sighed again. ¡°Unfortunately, when I gave you the gift, I accidentally broke the time balance and released the creature.¡±

 Chapter 54 - Go After It!

    ¡°What you¡¯re saying is that in the real world, the city I¡¯m living in, there¡¯s a monster?¡± Even though Zhang Heng had experienced supernatural phenomenons these past months, he still found the old man¡¯s story inconceivable.


    ¡°Mm¡­ Not exactly, the specifics are not completely accurate, but the essence about it is about right.¡± The old man pulled out a packet of Wangzi QQ soft candy. It would seem his mouth would just not stop. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, after losing the Alkiz¡¯s worship, it¡¯s in the weakest it has ever been. In my heyday, dealing with this kind of low-life pest is just a matter of snapping my fingers.¡±


    ¡°What about now?¡±


    ¡°Now¡­ I just found someone to help me, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Zhang Heng turned to a street per the old man¡¯s instruction. ¡°¡­that sounds very reassuring.¡±


    ¡°Relax. Even though my strength has depleted quite a bit, there are two of us and one of them. In terms of numbers, we are at an advantage.¡± The old man said encouragingly, as he wolfed down the candies in his hand. At the rate he ate, it would be a miracle if he survived diabetes.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why a Papua New Guinean monster come all the way here?¡±


    ¡°Its original believers, the Alkiz, are all dead. If we compare it to an economy, while it has escaped from the prison of time, the Papua New Guinean market has now split up. Unable to mingle inside but desperate to recover its strength, it needed to find new believers. And so it was forced to leave and eventually followed a couple to China.


    ¡°I was in Shanghai¡¯s Hongqiao International Airport when I came across the monster. That dumbass had been locked up for too long and was completely out of touch with society. Thinking that since there were so many people there, he would try his luck. But 99% of the people who went to the airport never stayed long, and while it may have been able to fool the indigenous 20,000 years ago, it wouldn¡¯t work now. The monster spent half a month there, managing to convince two cleaners ¨C they were elderly women, where one of them offered the remainder of her time to the monster as a sacrifice. The other one remained undecided. Then, when it saw me, it ran away!¡±


    The old man shifted in his seat, settling in a more comfortable position. ¡°Ever since we last met, I have been busy taking care of this matter. I¡¯ve been going after it for nearly two months now. Tonight, with your help, we can probably solve this problem. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid sooner or later, this guy will find you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because the ¡®Time Anomaly¡¯ you have on you poses a fatal attraction to it, and because you are my representative. We had friendly relations for these past two months. I¡¯m 100% sure that that thing wants to get even with me.¡± The old man answered. ¡°Turn left at the intersection in front, take the side road, but don¡¯t take the overpass.¡±


    Zhang Heng was quiet as he tried to process the old man¡¯s words. After a while, he said, ¡°Did this world go crazy after you found me, or has it always been this insane?¡±


    The old man gave his driver a meaningful smile. ¡°You are a smart guy. You already know what the answer is. You just need to continue to play the game to find the answer. There are some things in this world that unless you see them with them your own eyes, it would be very hard to believe¡­ Stop the car over there, I can feel it nearby.¡±


    Zhang Heng stepped on the brake and the Audi A6 slowed down until it came to a halt in a damp looking tunnel.


    About 2.8 km long, it was located in the center of the city. The construction site had been sealed off to reduce noise to its surrounding areas. There were few cars in the tunnel at this hour, and Zhang Heng had not spotted anything suspicious so far. He was just about to speak when he saw the old man placing a finger on his lips.


    Zhang Heng turned off the engine, and the whole world was once again immersed in complete stillness. After about half a minute, loud clattering footsteps came from the roof of the tunnel. It was getting closer and closer, then stopped abruptly!


    Just like that, 5 minutes had passed. The two people in the car were composed and silent. Just when Zhang Heng thought that the thing had disappeared, something hefty suddenly landed on the roof of the car! There were dents in the steel the shape of two footprints above Zhang Heng¡¯s head.


    And then, the next minute, a strange face peeped down from the windshield!


    It was a creature that looked very much like a monkey, but with unusually large eyes that took up nearly a third of its face. Like the primate, its face was hairless, covered only in wrinkles like an old man.


    Zhang Heng could see the greed in its yellow pupils. But when the creature noticed someone else sitting at the back of the car, it quickly turned around and scrambled towards the other end of the tunnel!


    ¡°Go after it!¡± The old man in the Tang suit finally broke the silence.


    Since there was no time for questions, Zhang Heng got the car running and floored the gas pedal. The metal beast roared as it barreled forward.


    Zhang Heng turned on the high beam, and under the luminosity, he could see that Moresby creature running on the wall of the tunnel. Its movement was swift, as if completely unaffected by gravity.


    If he had not seen it with his own two eyes, he really would not have believed that such a being existed on earth, and at least now he knew why the old man had been chasing this creature for two months and had yet to succeed.


    With his level 2 driving skills, he was barely able to tread on the creature¡¯s heels, and that too was thanks to his car¡¯s light that flooded the tunnel. Once they were outside of the area sealed in both directions, it would be able to burrow its way into a building nearby with this creature¡¯s agility.


    If that were to happen, even if Zhang Heng¡¯s driving skills were 10 times better, he would never be able to catch up to it.


    Fortunately, the old man in the backseat finally made a move. He opened the broken luggage he had been hugging to his chest, and took out a metal piece speckled with rust and assembled them into a rusty spear.


    From its appearance, it did not look like a weapon but a cultural relic that had just been unearthed.


    ¡°I borrowed this thing from a friend of mine,¡± the old man explained as he opened the window and stood up on the seat with the spear in hand.


    He was not very tall, but at that very moment, he appeared like an imposing god as if becoming one with heaven and earth.


    Zhang Heng did his best to keep the Audi stable, keeping the car from swaying side to side as the old man threw the spear without even aiming.


    When the spear left his hand, it exploded into a burst of light, flitting across the sky like a bolt of lightning!


    As it sensed the incoming danger, the Moresby creature gathered even more speed, and began to jump frantically! But no matter how hard it tried to avoid it, the spear remained firmly locked onto it as if it was equipped with a tracking device.


    Finally, the creature pushed itself to its limits, and just when it was about to escape the tunnel, the spear punctured it from the back into its heart and out through its chest!


    Moresby dropped as if he had been drained of all strength and fell motionless onto the asphalt road.

 Chapter 55 - eward

    Everything happened so quickly from the moment the creature started fleeing to the moment it was hit¡ªZhang Heng did not expect the battle to end so soon. As the small-ish was falling mid-air, he decelerated and stopped right at the tunnel opening!


    The old man in the Tang suit stepped out of the vehicle, bent down, and checked the creature¡¯s breathing.


    ¡°Is it over?¡± Zhang Heng pulled the handbrake and exited the vehicle.


    ¡°I wish I could say yes, that it¡¯s over and that the both of us could go wherever we want, do whatever we want, but something seems off about this. The whole was just too easy.¡± The old frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve been going after the creature for 2 months. If it were this easy to kill, it wouldn¡¯t have lasted until today.¡±


    ¡°From your understanding of this creature, think it still has some tricks up its sleeve?¡± Zhang Heng stepped closer. The thing had appeared on the windshield, but he did not get a good look at the creature. Now, he could finally see it upfront and personal.


    The creature was slightly bigger than a monkey, about the size of a six or seven-year-old child with small, short limbs. Other than its hairless face, its body was covered in gold hair, which was why Zhang Heng¡¯s first impression of it was that it resembled a monkey. But the one thing that caught his eye most was the reproductive organ in between the creature¡¯s legs¡ªit was three times the size of a grown man¡¯s.


    Zhang Heng was sure that this thing did not belong to any known species on earth.


    ¡°Reproduction worship. Many of the indigenous people have similar preferences. Also, you seemed to have misunderstood something. I may look old, but I¡¯m not as old as you think I am. Moresby is a 20,000-year-old monster. Like you, I don¡¯t know anything about it. So, thanks to Google and Wikipedia, I was able to find some information about it on the internet.¡± The old man pushed himself off the ground and pulled out the spear from the corpse. ¡°We¡­¡±


    He was about to say something when he suddenly froze. There was a transparent, sticky substance dripping from the spear.


    ¡°This is great!¡± The old man exclaimed.


    But then, a silhouette jumped down from above!


    Who would have thought that there was another Moresby?!


    It was fast, pouncing on the old man so hard he fell to the ground. Then, it opened its mouth to bite the old man¡¯s neck, only to be stopped by something.


    The old man was in terrible condition. His baseball cap had fallen off his head, and his hair and clothes were disheveled, desperately holding onto the spear to defend himself.


    The old man was not as strong as the Moresby creature. The horizontal spear was getting closer to his chest by the moment


    Zhang Heng thought that the old man would use that trick he used back in the maid¡¯s caf¨¦, but he did not realize that the old man¡¯s strength had weakened to this extent, or maybe he just could not rewind time when in still time¡ªwhatever it was, he looked like he was in deep trouble.


    Zhang Heng knew what he had to do. So, he ran back to the car as fast as he could and grabbed his sf recurve bow and arrows, tightly aiming at the creature.


    There was no way he could miss at such a short distance.


    Thwack!!!


    The arrow pierced the skin of the creature as expected but did not penetrate any further.


    Zhang Heng was taken aback. He had just witnessed that rusted spear puncture the Moresby¡¯s chest effortlessly. He thought that the creature was not that strong, but now, it looked like the creature¡¯s muscles were so robust it was akin to a small tree.


    The Moresby turned around to glare at its attacker, but it did not do anything else. It could obviously tell who was a bigger threat to it and decided to get rid of the old man first, then taking care of Zhang Heng.


    Zhang Heng shot it twice again, and when he realized that it was useless, he tossed his bow and arrow aside and ran to the back!


    The old man thought Zhang Heng was going to take the car and leave. That would be extremely stupid because if the old man died, he would not be able to outrun the Moresby alone.


    But 7 seconds later, the old man could see that the black Audi had not left but was coming towards him at full speed! The glaring highbeam blinded his eyes and also affected the creature¡¯s vision!


    Wham!!!


    The creature was knocked over, and the Audi¡¯s hood caved in! In the last second, Zhang Heng slammed on the brakes, its impact violently throwing his head forward into the inflated airbag.


    The tire of the car was less than 1cm away from the old man¡¯s left arm! This was the deadliest attack Zhang Heng could think of. With the hardness of the monster¡¯s body, only a 2-ton block of metal could do any damage to it.


    But that made the Moresby really angry. After it was knocked by the car, it stumbled once, then sprang back onto its feet again! Its eyes were fixed on Zhang Heng in the driver seat the whole time. It then squatted its tiny legs, getting ready to leap.


    The next moment, a bolt of lightning flashed from under the Audi and pierced its bald forehead and out through the back, pinning the Moresby onto the wall of the tunnel!


    The creature twitched twice before going into a limp like a piece of cured meat.


    The old man in the Tang suit crawled out from under the Audi, face covered in dust and dirt, and stumbled towards the wall, cursing. After making real sure that the thing was dead as a doornail, he turned around and gave Zhang Heng a big thumbs-up. ¡°Beautifully done!¡±


    Zhang Heng unbuckled his seat belt and leaned back onto the seat. After that almost too-close-to-call brush with death, he was mentally exhausted. Slightly anyway. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s two against one tonight? What was that just now?¡±


    ¡°It is supposed to be two against one tonight. I did not know that it would have two bodies.¡± The old man shrugged innocently. ¡°Previously, when I was hunting it down, it did not show this side! I think it was planning to use it against me. Thank goodness I have had help tonight!¡±


    ¡°Alright, stop being so upset. I was not going to make you help me for free.¡± The old man pulled out the spear from the wall, disassembled it before returning it into the luggage. Rolling up his sleeves, he plunged his hand into the Moresby¡¯s pierced head. He dug around for a bit, and finally pulled out a piece of bone covered in greyish-white brain matter and tossed it to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Your reward.¡±


    Zhang Heng let the thing fall to the ground, not intending to pick it up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by its appearance! This is the game¡¯s equivalent of a C-grade item! You can use it yourself or sell it at the year-end auction. But as you already have the gift I gave you, this ain¡¯t going to be that useful.¡±

 Chapter 56 - The Dispute on Food Street

    Zhang Heng helped the old man load the carcasses into the trunk.


    After slamming the door shut, the latter clapped, ¡°Typically, I should be bringing you somewhere and buy you a drink to thank you, but unfortunately, we won¡¯t be able to find any bar that is still open at this time, so let¡¯s part here¡­ You can just leave the rest to me. ¡±


    The old man offered his hand, and Zhang Heng shook it.


    ¡°Something¡¯s up in the north. I better go return the weapon and see a few of my old friends. I will be out of the country, so we won¡¯t be seeing each other for a while ¨C we were not supposed to meet so soon anyway. Thank goodness this is during still time, so it¡¯s not that big of a problem. Finally, I wish you success in the upcoming CET-6 exam!¡±


    The old man climbed into the driver¡¯s seat and cut away the deflated airbag with a small knife. Just as he was about to start the car, Zhang Heng called out and asked the question that concerned him the most, ¡°Wait! Are there many types of these¡­ monsters here on earth?¡±


    The old man chuckled. ¡°A very long long long time ago, there were actually quite a few of them. But now¡­¡± He pointed at the lucky rabbit¡¯s foot hanging from Zhang Heng¡¯s keys, and then the bloody bone wrapped in tissue. ¡°I¡¯m very sure that most of them are very safe.¡±


    ¡°You mean that all of those game items that we found are their remains?¡±


    The old man clammed up. ¡°I¡¯ve already said too many things I shouldn¡¯t have. This meeting never happened! You should get back to school and continue to the next game. You¡¯re already one step closer to the truth!¡±


    Zhang Heng watched the black Audi disappear from the tunnel¡¯s exit. Discounting the hole in the wall, the road of the tunnel, and also the small missing parts on the car, it was as if nothing had happened.


    ¡­


    That night left a deep impression on Zhang Heng. After that incident, he looked up Moresby and Alkiz, and he found several records. Clicking onto one of the research articles on Alkiz culture, he was immediately drawn to a picture of a recently exhumed stone relic with a carving of a creature. It looked exactly like the Moresby creature from the tunnel!


    Other than that, there was also a picture of the spear the old man in the Tang suit had used. The more Zhang Heng thought about the fight that night, the more he realized that the spear was very similar to one he heard in a story when he was still a child.


    Zhang Heng suddenly discovered that he was not as unfamiliar with this world as he thought he was.


    Alas, no matter how much he searched, he could not find any other evidence to support his theory and had to leave that night on the back burner as time passed.


    After a week, his work ¡®Late night fried pancake stall and night bus¡¯ had won second place in the urban impression themed photography competition. The comment the judges gave was, ¡®Although its technical skills were a little crude, the details were outstanding! The picture is full of emotion!¡¯


    Owing to this, Zhang Heng went to the society to collect his 3,000 yuan prize money. A tripod and a camera bag were also included. After taking a picture of him with the other winners and their prizes, it was posted in an article on the school website that afternoon.


    ¡°That¡¯s not real! You¡¯ve only just started learning!¡± Wei Jiangyang said when he saw the names on the list of winners, popping a hard-boiled egg whole into his gaping mouth.


    On the other side of the room, Chen Huadong had grown rather numb to all these surprises. Last time, his friend had only started practicing archery and could already ¡®accidentally¡¯ scare the trespasser away. This time, he had only just bought the camera for two months and was already winning prizes.


    On the other hand, Chen Huadong had been working double shifts trying to promote the development of his Anime, Comic, and Games (ACG) career, looking up resources for everyone for free. Despite that, he had yet to receive a single consolation prize.


    ¡°Sigh, life is getting more stressful thanks to those Europeans who are everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Let me treat all of you to dinner!¡± Zhang Heng volunteered as he placed the tripod and the camera bag on his table. He had missed his three dorm mates ever so often during the one year he spent in Japan. This was the perfect opportunity for a gathering.


    ¡°Sure. Sure!¡± The expression on Chen Huadong¡¯s face changed instantly as he broke into a smile. ¡°Europeans may be hateful but they are not all that bad¡­¡±


    Wei Jiangyang informed Ma Wei, who was still studying in the library, and when it was time to eat, the four of them gathered in front of the campus gate and headed straight for the food street nearby that they usually frequented.


    Lined with popular stalls and restaurants, it was always packed with students from universities and schools nearby enjoying their meals or having supper ¨C not only because the food there was particularly good or affordable, but it was a great spot to gaze at pretty girls from other schools as you ate.


    Zhang Heng ordered 50 skewers of lamb, 1 grilled fish, 8 oysters, some goat liver, vegetables, and baked bread slices.


    When the food was served, Chen Huadong picked up the beer bottle from the table and said, ¡°May Africans never be servants 1!¡±


    His friends all dissolved into laughter as they clinked their bottles together!


    After a few skewers of meat, even the usually quiet Ma Wei was yakking away. When boys chatted, they either talked about sports or girls. After hovering over several subjects, the topic finally came to relationships.


    Wei Jiangyang asked Chen Huadong, ¡°How are you and Xu Jing? Have you decided on your relationship yet?¡±


    The latter shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve gone out a few times, but each time, she would ask for us to go AA 1. I don¡¯t really understand what it means. Was it the same when you were wooing your girlfriend?¡±


    Wei Jiangyang was quiet for a moment, then answered cheekily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Xiao Xiao was the one who pursued me!¡±


    ¡°Tsk! Tsk!¡± Everyone gave him the middle finger.


    Ma Wei, the honest guy, commented, ¡°Old Wei, you are you lying to? Whenever you¡¯re next to Han Xiaoxiao, you become more docile than an Angora rabbit!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but it just happened. It¡¯s true, she was the one who saw me playing ball and asked for my WeChat.¡± Wei Jiangyang grinned.


    As they were talking, there was a sudden commotion not far away from where they were.


    Two black men were tugging aggressively at a petite girl. The latter looked alarmed, the rims of her eyes red, and she was repeating something over and over again. The men looked on with amused smiles on their faces.


    This had caught quite a few people¡¯s attention, and eyes were drawn to the spectacle.


    One of the black men addressed the onlookers and said in broken mandarin, ¡°My friend and his girlfriend have a disagreement! I¡¯m really sorry for the disruption!¡±


    The crowd looked uncertain. The two men looked like exchange students from one of the universities nearby. When someone asked the girl if she needed help, she said nothing and kept shaking her head.


    That seemed to confirm the black man¡¯s statement.


    Was this just a false alarm?


    When they realized that it was simply a misunderstanding, the crowd gradually dispersed. Despite that, the girl¡¯s face grew redder. She looked extremely troubled. A few times, she made attempts to grab the black man¡¯s shirt, but the guy evaded her effortlessly.


    Just when she was about to give up, a voice spoke from behind her!


    ¡°D¨­shitandesuka 1?¡±


    Footnotes:


    Ch 56 Footnote 1


    A phrase from Fate/Grand Order, an online free-to-play role-playing mobile game


    Ch 56 Footnote 2


    Go Dutch, pay separately.


    Ch 56 Footnote 3


    ¤É¤¦¤·¤¿¤ó¤Ç¤¹¤« Japanese for what¡¯s the matter?

 Chapter 57 - Welcome to China!

    Zhang Heng noticed his housemates craning their necks at something, so he too turned around to look.


    His eyes fell on the Maneki-neko 1bracelet around the girl¡¯s wrist and were immediately taken aback!


    Back when he was in Tokyo, he had visited the Sens¨­-ji temple with Ameko, who gave him a teru teru b¨­zu 1; in return, Zhang Heng bought her a bracelet that was exactly like the one this girl was wearing.


    So, Zhang Heng approached the girl and said something in Japanese. The girl¡¯s eyes lit up at that as if he had just thrown her the lifesaver, quickly explaining to him in fleeting Japanese that she was in trouble!


    Her name was Hayase Asuka, an exchange student at a university nearby who had only just arrived in China and was curious about everything here. So, before she could even learn enough Mandarin, she snuck out and wandered around on her own.


    She did not know who the two other black men were. While she was out that night, taking pictures, they grabbed her phone! No matter how much she begged them, they refused to return it to her, and she panicked. Her Mandarin was terrible, and she could not understand what the people around were saying. If she went to the police for help, she was afraid that by then, the men would have been long gone with her phone.


    Worse still, she had a profound sense of direction. Without her phone, she did not even know how to get back to school.


    Zhang Heng felt that this girl must have been too humble when she said her Mandarin was awful¡ªshe had been here for almost three months already, yet she still did not know how to ask for help. She clearly paid no attention in class at all.


    But as he had come to know about the situation, he felt that he could still be managed.


    Zhang Heng turned to the two black men and said, ¡°Give her phone back to her.¡±


    Both of the men played dumb, shaking their heads like rattle drums, repeating, ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯ over and over again. Hayase Asuka was so mad, she wanted to lunge at them only to be held back by Zhang Heng! Yet, he patiently repeated what he said earlier in English.


    More and more eyes were drawn to the commotion, and the black men were starting to get ticked off while hissing at Zhang Heng, ¡°Mind your own business, chink!¡±


    ¡°There will always be idiots who won¡¯t remember until they¡¯ve been taught a lesson, right?¡± Zhang Heng muttered to himself. He had heard that derogative word the black man uttered, but instead of arguing with them, he threw a punch right at the man¡¯s face!


    He held nothing back, letting his fist break the man¡¯s nose, which also sent a slight, sharp pain up his knuckles!


    When the other guy saw his friend getting attacked, he was furious. His angry eyes and muscular physique looked menacing in the dark of the night.


    Hayase Asuka took two steps backward, but Zhang Heng remained where he was.


    The black guy raised a curled first, but before he could even swing it, all the customers sitting at the tables nearby got up.


    The food street was mostly populated with university students, generally hot-blooded and unafraid, unlike the old and the middle-aged, who were more concerned about international relations. Most of the guys were already agitated when they saw Hayase Asuka¡¯s eyes redden, and after hearing the conversation between Zhang Heng and the black men, especially that vilifying term the black men had used, they were even more outraged.


    Ma Wei and the others got up from their seats to support Zhang Heng. They did think that their actions would lead to a chain reaction¡ªwhen the other students saw that someone had taken the lead, they followed suit and stood up as well.


    The outburst was so big that it drew even more people¡¯s attention. It had everyone jabbering, trying to find out what was happening. More and more people joined in until the entire half of the alley was standing up!


    Having never seen such a show of force before, the black exchange students were beside themselves.


    The pressure of standing in the middle, surrounded by a mass of people, was unimaginable. Tonight, even if it were Tyson who was in this situation, he would have been terror-stricken too. The black man finally realized what a big mistake he and his friend had made.


    Many of these exchange students were not exactly model citizens in their own countries. Only when they were no longer welcome there, did they escaped to this ancient, Eastern country, choosing whichever school they wanted, free accommodation, and could even apply for subsidies! With their pride and glory being part of the face-saving culture, whenever they had any sort of conflict with other students, the school would always stand by them for the sake of the bigger picture. So, eventually, after a while in this foreign country, they began to lose their bearings and became conceited.


    Tonight, the both of them were out looking for fun, and when they spotted the Japanese girl, they thought of a heinous idea¡ªgrabbing the girl¡¯s phone was not their real motive; what they really wanted to do was to use the phone to trick her into getting a room with them! They never expected there to be any impending problems, at least not running into Zhang Heng, who spoke fluent Japanese.


    In their anger, they used an expression they often used back in their country.


    Outraged by their slur, Zhang Heng had taken the first move and knocked one of them down. He could easily take down the other one even if they had to fight mano y mano.


    He did not expect his roommates to get up from their seats and also the rest of the people who were eating along the streets to join in as well. Coming completely as a surprise, it was the first time he had seen something like this! He could only presume that because these assholes had been kept unchecked for too long, many people were wary of them.


    In the end, Zhang Heng said to the other black man who was now petrified, ¡°Welcome to China!¡±


    The culprit then quickly returned the phone to Hayase Asuka, then ran away from the scene with his bloody-nosed friend.


    Someone started to cheer, and the rest of the street followed.


    Wei Jiangyang ran to his roommate, exhilarated. ¡°That was incredible! We will be bragging about tonight ten years down the road! Did you see how, when everyone stood up together, that black men nearly wet his pants?!¡±


    Ma Wei stuck out a thumb and said, ¡°Virtuous macho men!¡±


    The ecstatic one was Chen Huadong. He fumbled excitedly, ¡°Since when did you learn how to speak Japanese? When did you learn Japanese?!! My god! Is that even natural? Is that even natural?! Is there anything you don¡¯t know? Damn! That punch to his face was really cool! You have to teach me how to do it!¡±


    Hayase Asuka did not understand a word of it, but she caught on to the atmosphere and was grinning ear to ear.


    Zhang Heng said to her, ¡°You better go back while it¡¯s still early, and don¡¯t come out alone late at night. But if you have to, at least learn some Mandarin.¡±


    Hayase Asuka¡¯s face flushed red as she answered in a small voice, ¡°I have a few classmates from Japan. Their Mandarin is pretty good, and we usually hang out together. Are you an exchange student from Japan as well? Your Mandarin is so good, and you even know how to speak English as well.¡±


    When Zhang Heng realized that she was mistaken, she shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m Chinese, but I¡¯ve spent some time in Tokyo before.¡±


    Footnotes:


    Ch 57 Footnote 1


    Literally means beckoning cat; a Japanese cat figurine believed to bring good luck and prosperity.


    Ch 57 Footnote 2


    A small traditional handmade doll made of white paper or cloth that is believed to bring good weather.

 Chapter 58 - Shadow Moment

    Hayase Asuka was intrigued by Zhang Heng. For the most part, having been in China for so long, this was the first time she had come across a Chinese who was so fluent in Japanese, one who even spoke with an authentic Tokyo accent, which she had found very comforting.


    Perhaps this poor child had been ignored for too long, not leaving the moment she got her phone back, but stayed by Zhang Heng instead, bombarding him with questions.


    Chen Huadong nudged Wei Jiangyang on the shoulder and gave him a look.


    The latter understood immediately and quickly said, ¡°Xiaoxiao needs my help with something urgent. I have to go first!¡±


    Chen Huadong chimed in, ¡°I¡¯ll come with you. I should be chatting on QQ 1with Xujing too.¡±


    Ma Wei was the only one a little clueless, still caught up in that moment of furor. Based on his understanding, this was the moment to order two more large bottles of beer! Why did everyone have to leave suddenly?


    Wei Jiangyang coughed twice and said, ¡°Hey, Old Ma, you haven¡¯t memorized the TOEFL words yet, right?¡±


    Only then did Ma Wei suddenly get the message. They were all so focused on the two black exchange students that they did not pay much attention to Hayase Asuka. Now that they did, he realized that this girl was quite a looker with an exotic appeal so dissimilar to the likes of Chinese girls with a small face, delicate features, and short chestnut hair.


    Brothers needed to create opportunities for each other!


    Ma Wei nodded, ¡°Yes, yes! I have to go back and memorize all the words. CET-6 is coming soon.¡±


    After that, the three boys vanished without so much as a goodbye, leaving in such a hurry that the owner of the food stall thought they were trying to avoid paying for the meal!


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng paid for the food, then sent Hayase Asuka back to her school. Coincidentally, the foreign university she was studying in was right next to Zhang Heng¡¯s campus.


    Hayase Asuka looked rather happy as they stood outside of the student dorm. ¡°Can I come hang out with you for fun next time?¡±


    Zhang Heng found this request hard to refuse, and so, the both of them exchanged phone numbers before saying goodbye. When he returned to his dorm, the atmosphere in the room seemed a little strange. All three of his housemates were there. Chen Huadong even borrowed a mahjong table from next door and set it in the center of the room with a 30,000 yuan banknote on the table. ¡°The Court is in session! Someone! Bring me the suspect!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Come, Childe Zhang. You either take the initiative to confess first, or we can do it for you!¡± Chen Huadong wore this jealous look on his face. ¡°Oh, how wicked of you! I¡¯ve always asked why you never date, and it turns out you¡¯ve been learning Japanese secretly so that you could woo Japanese girls, huh? So, has she given herself to you? Where do the both of you plan to stay in the future? China or Japan? Do you want to have a son or a daughter?¡±


    Wei Jiangyang was also very keen. ¡°Are all Japanese girls very gentle?¡±


    ¡°You guys are overthinking! We were just making friends,¡± Zhang Heng said.


    ¡°Ask your conscience! You think what you did is worthy of Shen Xixi waiting for you for years?¡± asked Chen Huadong.


    When Shen Xixi¡¯s name was mentioned, Wei Jiangyang suddenly had this strange expression on his face. He thought about it before deciding to ask Zhang Heng, ¡°Have you been in contact with Shen Xixi recently?¡±


    Zhang Heng raised an eyebrow at that question. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been a not-so-good rumor about her recently ¡­¡± Wei Jiangyang answered hesitantly. ¡°Apparently, some time ago, someone saw her get into a black Mercedes after curfew.¡±


    ¡°No way. She doesn¡¯t look like that kind of person. She comes from a pretty good family and probably shouldn¡¯t be short on money to spend.¡± Gossip really was the most irresistible. Chen Huadong¡¯s attention quickly turned away from Zhang Heng and his new Japanese friend. ¡°Wasn¡¯t she very cool towards Chen Cheng?¡±


    Ma Wei turned around from his books to say, ¡°I heard about that too! Some people say she was just pretending, playing hard to get.¡± Although he always focused on his studies, he was not a lone wolf like Zhang Heng. Shen Xixi was the prettiest girl in the Public Relations department, the dream lover of many boys, so naturally, rumors about her would spread really quickly.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably a relative or friend.¡± Zhang Heng did not know Shen Xixi that well and was not in the position to comment. But ever since that camping trip, she left quite an impression on him¡ªshe was a brilliant girl. He did not quite believe this rumor.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± When Chen Huadong saw that he was not going to squeeze any valuable information out of Zhang Heng, he returned the mahjong table to their neighbor and returned to playing games on his computer, sulking. The others also returned to their respective areas in the room.


    Zhang Heng decided to take shower. When he opened his closet, a wooden carving sitting in the corner caught his eye. This thing was returned to him 4 days ago, also sent by post.


    [Name: Shadow Moment]


    [Grade: D]


    [Usage: Could place the user in shadow form, lasting for 3 minutes. Can only be used under conditions where shadows can be manifested. Number of uses: 3]


    This was the second supernatural item that Zhang Heng had found. In reality, it could only be used 2 more times. He had no choice, at least needing to try it out once.


    Unlike the lucky rabbit¡¯s foot, the Shadow Moment was the kind of item that needed to be first activated. He had to carve his name at the bottom of the statue and focus his mind on visualizing a crow for the thing to take effect. According to Zhang Heng¡¯s experiment, this transition into shadow form actually made the person¡¯s physical body disappear, leaving only a shadow.


    As for the conditions stated at the end, it merely meant that it could only be used when he had a shadow.


    The way to get out of shadow form was also very simple. He just needed to turn off the lights, and he would reappear again. Or, he could also install spotlights on all four corners of the room to stop the effect.


    Even though there were a lot of restrictions, its effects were also pretty pronounced. In shadow form, it would be difficult for anyone to inflict damage on him. Characteristically, shadows could reach places that were not usually easily accessible and could be used to avoid notice.


    So, Zhang Heng decided to keep it for himself. Other than that, he also had a piece of Moresby bone. Unable to reveal its source, he could not ask the bartender lady to identify it for the time being.


    Mid-December came quickly. Zhang Heng thought that he had done pretty well in his CET-6. The listening test at this level was pretty easy for him, also completing the reading, understanding, and translation part pretty quickly. The only part he needed to spend a little more time and effort was filling in the blanks and composition¡ªthese were also the areas in which he focused on these two weeks.


    After he penned down the last word, he looked at the time. There was still an hour left. Not wanting to make such a dramatic exit or adding too much pressure to his fellow comrades in the battlefield of exams, he remained in his seat for another half an hour and checked his paper twice.


    Even so, when he got up from his seat, the frustrated Xujing, who was sitting behind him inhaled nervously.


    She had only just shaded in the answer sheets, not even writing a single word for the essay.


    Footnotes:


    Ch 58 Footnote 1


    an instant messaging software service and web portal.

 Chapter 59 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You I

    The college entrance exam was over, and Zhang Heng received an unexpected mail.


    It was from the game committee reminding the players that the annual auction was about to begin and that those interested in attending the event could register at any game checkpoint before the deadline on the 25th.


    Zhang Heng did not want to wait, and was quite interested in the auction¡ªbuying and selling game items were secondary. The auction¡¯s main appeal was that he had been playing the game on his own and had only superficial knowledge about the rules. Since he did not know what old players felt about newbies, Zhang Heng did not approach others in the lounge before and after the first two games. Now that a rare opportunity had presented itself, he did not want to miss it.


    So, upon receiving the main mission, Zhang Heng went to register with the bartender lady at once. Filing in the necessary personal information, he had to pay an entrance fee of 1 game point.


    While there were still 2 weeks until the end of the month, Zhang Heng decided he did not want to make another trip to the bar, immediately settling down in a booth the moment he was done with the registration. Deftly, he set the alarm at 23.55 with the intention of completing the third round of game ahead of time.


    He was slowly becoming accustomed to the game¡¯s format and would move his sleeping hours forward to the day. Furthermore, he would make sure to warm up before getting to the bar in order to keep his body and mind in tip-top condition. With the many skills and game items he had banked in the last two rounds of games, Zhang Heng was confident in the face of upcoming challenges.


    Having said that, he would seem to have once again underestimated the challenges he was about to encounter.


    23:55.


    Once again, that familiar vertigo engulfed him. But because he was prepared this time, it was not as awful as it was the first two.


    [Verifying player¡¯s identity¡­]


    [Identity confirmed. Random extraction of the third edition for player number 07958¡­]


    [Extraction complete¡ªCurrent quest is ¡®The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You¡¯]


    ¡°Please explore the game¡¯s background on your own.¡±


    [Mission objective: Survive within the Finland territory for 20 days]


    [Mode: Single player]


    [Time flow rate: 120] (One hour in the real world is equivalent to 5 days in this game. After


    20 days, the player will be extracted and returned to the real world)


    A friendly reminder. The game will begin in 5 seconds. Players, please get ready!


    ¡­


    The moment the countdown ended, the first thing that Zhang Heng felt was frigid cold! He opened his eyes and saw that he was standing in a snow-covered forest. Whenever exhaling, his breath would quickly condense into ice crystals! This was the first time he had ever experienced a situation like this¡ªthe game did not provide any backstory at the beginning of the game, instructing him to explore it himself instead.


    From the mission objective, he could confirm that he was in Finland. The Nordic pine trees all around him verified that fact as well. Zhang Heng¡¯s knowledge of Finland was that it was a country with little human interference. Lush green forests took up 75% percent of the land area, and a third of its territory lay within the Arctic Circle.


    But this country¡­ Zhang Heng had never really heard of any perils within it. Why was this mission¡¯s objective to survive like the first game?


    Despite the fact that he was once again faced with a communication problem (Finland¡¯s primary languages are Finnish and Swedish) which would make it impossible for Zhang Heng to be employed, he could simply roam around the forest and quickly make it through 20 days with his Level 2 wilderness survival skills.


    Even so, Zhang Heng was not careless. The timing of the game this time was very anomalous¡ªthe exchange ratio between the real world and the game world was very low, and the overall gaming period was also the shortest out of the three so far, an indication of the degree of danger in this game. Other than that, the title of this edition ¡®Mannerheim Line Welcomes You¡¯ sounded very familiar. But he could not, for the life of him, remember where he had heard it.


    Routinely, Zhang Heng checked his current status.


    Name: Zhang Heng


    Gender: Male


    Age: 19


    Player ID: 07958


    Rounds of game played: 2


    Current game points: 77


    Item in possession: Lucky rabbit¡¯s foot (E), Shadow Moment (D£©


    Skills:


    Piano: Level 1


    Language proficiency: Level 1 (three languages at general communication¡¯s level)


    Car tuning and repairing skills: Level 1


    Archery skills: Level 2


    Wilderness survival skills: Level 2


    driving skills: Level 2.


    Assessment: The player has slightly better luck than the average person. Shielded by shadow, he has some wilderness survival skills and archery skills. If lucky, he will be able to survive six rounds of the game.


    After two rounds, Zhang Heng had managed to accumulate 77 game points. However, other than identifying game items, he had no idea what other uses they had¡ªyet to receive the detailed service statement that the bartender lady had promised to send. However, it no longer mattered anymore as he could just ask the other players during the auction.


    In terms of skills, the report was not too far from his projections. The one thing that he did not foresee was that his language skills level did not increase even though he had mastered Japanese. But considering that there were over 5,000 languages in the world, it was an acceptably fair verdict. The other one was the addition of the Shadow Moment¡¯s protection in the assessment section, which raised his survival expectancy to six rounds.


    After inspecting his character profile, he checked the belongings he carried. Perhaps due to an absence of background introduction, he was actually wearing his own clothes this time, which consisted of his Asics autumn-winter runners, a black Lee down jacket, and jeans.


    Even though he was also wearing a set of thermal underwear underneath, one should know that winters in Finland could reach a toe-biting -20 degrees Celsius, which meant he was still feeling really, really cold.


    His first priority would be to locate a store and procure warmer clothing.


    Zhang Heng rubbed his hands together to keep them from freezing. He had his wallet and phone with him, but there was not much of a signal out here. The electronic compass could still be used, but without GPS, he had no idea where he was. The only thing he could do was trust his instincts and pick a direction.


    After walking for around half an hour, Zhang Heng spotted something in the snowy pasture. He picked it up and found that it was a metal helmet. The style was a little strange with a big hat and outward protective ear covering and a raised metal ridge sitting on top. Evident by the bullet hole and the bloodstains on the inside, it now seemed that this object failed to protect its owner¡¯s life.


    Looking down at the object in his hand, Zhang Heng was filled with uneasiness. But before he could even examine this premonition, he heard a series of gunshots!


    He instinctively ducked to the ground, but after a while, he could ascertain that shots were not fired in his direction. They were a distance away, probably two people firing at each other, where one was in pursuit of another.


    As they were not heading toward his hiding place, Zhang Heng waited patiently for the gunshots to move further away before standing up and emerging from behind the tree.


    Although he could still be in danger, Zhang Heng decided to explore the location where the shots were fired, needing to verify some things before deciding his next move.

 Chapter 60 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You II

    Zhang Heng knew that he was in deep trouble the moment he saw the two bodies on the ground.


    The Soviet military uniform was too easily identifiable¡ªits field uniform with red edges, the boat-shaped grey and green barret, the red five-pointed star on the cuffs. Combined with the ¡®Mannerheim Line Welcomes You¡¯ title, Zhang Heng¡¯s premonition radar hit its peak.


    He was in Finland for sure¡ªnot modern-day Finland, but Finland during the Winter War.


    His cumulative reading proved to be very useful this round¡ªbeing able to retrieve information from his memory about the Winter War.


    On the fringes of World War II, the Soviet Union and Germany signed the infamous German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact in Moscow, delimiting both parties¡¯ sphere of influence in Europe. In August, Germany invaded Poland. Unwilling to be outdone, the Soviets occupied three Baltic States, then proceeded to set its sights on Finland, who had just proclaimed independence.


    In order to safeguard its capital Leningrad, only 32 kilometers from the Finnish border from potential German attack, the Soviet Union proposed a very harsh treaty that involved the Finish ceding their land, leasing their ports, and removing their lines of defense. After Finland¡¯s rejection of the proposal, the doctored November 30th artillery bombardment of Mainila ignited a war. Considering the military strengths of both parties, the general global opinion at the time was that the war would end in two weeks.


    But in reality, this battle lasted until February of the following year when the Soviets finally broke through the Mannerheim defense line. In March, due to the artillery and massive ammunition shortages, Finland signed the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, in which they were forced to surrender 10% of their national territory including Karelia, Finland¡¯s second-largest city Vyborg, one-fifth of their industrial output, and 30% of their pre-war economic assets. Some 220,000 occupants were repatriated, where only a handful chose to stay and join the Soviet Union. As it turned out, this war also laid the groundwork to Finland joining the Axis.


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng did not care much about who was standing on the side of justice in this war¡ªafter all, world war two had already ended more than 70 years ago, and this was merely a game. He only needed to figure out how to survive and live through this ruthless war.


    Because of his additional 24 hours, the game was extended to 140 days, which made it extremely disadvantageous for him. There was nothing he could do about it¡ªbeing unable to predict what the next game was, nor did he know how long the duration of each would be.


    Since he had enjoyed the additional benefit of an extended period, it was only reasonable that he would have to bear an equal amount of risk involved.


    Fortunately, the Winter War only lasted for 105 days. From the looks of it, they were probably at war for some time now. So, strictly speaking, not all of his 140 days here would involve battle.


    Now, logically, whenever there were two opposing camps in a game, the player would have to choose one side. Based on the denouement of the actual war, the winners were decidedly the Soviets. Whether in terms of equipment superiority, number of troops, tanks, and fighters, Finland was at an absolute disadvantage. From the moment the war was waged, the brutal epilogue had already been decided.


    Regrettably, though, this ¡®reaping the fruits of the winner¡¯s labor¡¯ gameplay was not suitable for this peculiar Finnish Winter War.


    Zhang Heng knew precisely how brilliant the Soviet commander¡¯s performance was during this war: The Soviets invested nearly 1 million troops and dispatched more than 6,000 tanks to fight the Finns, who only had 32,000 standing armies and 32 tanks. The Soviets, who had dominance over the airspace fought the Finnish guerillas. The results were a shocking 30 to 1 in terms of losses; the latter having only lost 900 soldiers against the Soviets who lost over 27,000 men.


    On the battlefield, the Soviets did not gain any advantage over their enemy. The Soviet body count was piling up in the Mainila defense line, exhausting Finland¡¯s ammunition with their own flesh and blood. The total Finnish casualties from the war were 70,000 people, while the Soviet Union¡¯s total death count went up to a tragic 600,000.


    Even though the Soviets won the war in the end, they actually gained nothing from their victory. On the contrary, it exposed their weaknesses to the West, and this pyrrhic victory procured at such a great cost encouraged Little Mustache 1 to attack them later on.


    From this perspective, Zhang Heng might as well join the vanquished Finns.


    Still and all, reality was harsh¡ªZhang Heng could neither speak Russian nor understand Finnish; his yellow skin and modern clothes making him stand out like a sore thumb in this war. He would not be able to explain why he was there, and even if he was willing to surrender himself to either side, no one would be willing to take the risk of accepting him.


    The best idea Zhang Heng could come up with so far was to allow himself to be captured as a prisoner of war, but he was more likely to end up being shot by some mentally traumatized soldier that way.


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng smiled bitterly. While able very quickly to make sense of the environment he was in, he had already forgotten the many details about the Winter War. Even if he did remember them, it was still useless. He was neither familiar with Finland, nor was he the commander of a troop. All that information would have been useless anyway.


    Right now, he would just have to take it one step at a time.


    Not knowing when the Soviets would come to collect the remains of their fallen comrades, Zhang Heng peeled a coat off a corpse and put it on himself as quickly as he could. That khaki uniform clearly had not been washed for a long time. It was stained with stale blood and sweat that gave it a putrid stench.


    For the sake of keeping warm, though, Zhang Heng could not afford to be picky. There was also a pistol and what looked like a machine gun on the ground. The latter looked strange to him with a giant mosquito coil at the top. Zhang Heng could not tell which model that thing was since he had little knowledge much about guns. Especially not World War II firearms.


    But whatever it was, it looked like it had much better firepower than the pistol lying next to it.


    In the end, however, after much deliberation, Zhang Heng chose to go with the pistol¡ªlargely because the machine gun was too heavy. He tried carrying it and felt it was at least 10 kilograms. The gunfire he heard earlier had already stopped. It was evident that both sides had stopped engaging, and chances were the Soviets would come back. Upon discovering that their comrades¡¯ body had been moved, it was very likely they would begin searching the area.


    Zhang Heng was worried that he might not be able to get away fast enough if he carried that hefty thing. Other than the pistol, he also lugged around a canteen and a bag pack. He did not have time to look at the contents of the bag, for he could hear footsteps approaching.


    In his haste, Zhang Heng had not taken into account that those guys might have split up. The place where the firing had only just stopped was still a distance away, and already, someone was returning.


    It was impossible for him to set an ambush. Although the Soviets¡¯ performance in the Winter War had been lambasted by various military forums every once in a while, they were still trained professionals and were a collective. Zhang Heng was on his own, and this was his first time handling a firearm.


    In times like this, a head-on confrontation would be a real bovine move.


    There was no need for him to dilly-dally, so he carried his loot and ran for his life!


    Footnotes:


    Ch 60 Footnote 1


    The literal translation of the Chinese nickname for Adolf Hitler; Joseph Stalin, on the other hand, was nicknamed Big Mustache.

 Chapter 61 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You III

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Many a time, one¡¯s plans could never catch to the constant changes life would throw at them. Zhang Heng had to wait for the gunshots to stop before returning to where the first gunshot was fired. Doing that lowered his risk of getting killed significantly.


    Unfortunately, something unexpected happened. The first batch of Soviet conscripts had returned, a lot earlier than he initially expected!


    It was pointless to complain and wallow in regret right now, and all he could do was to crouch as low as possible and run for his life. There was no time to wait. He bolted!


    At the sign of the slightest movement, the soldiers quickly spotted him! It was in times like these that one had to appreciate the perks of the Soviet army. Considering they had all been given bright khaki uniforms, hence, standing out like golden scarecrows on the snow-covered land. Having large targets painted on their bodies by default, it was hard for enemies not to notice them. Hence, the fatality rate of the Soviets was alarmingly high.


    With his back turned, Zhang Heng somehow knew that the troops had their guns loaded. Luckily, the rigorous marathon training finally paid off, where he managed to keep a good distance between him and the soldiers while he ran. There were also tall trees all around him. Though he could hear guns being fired at him, the shots missed him, mostly going astray and landing far away.


    Still, Zhang Heng would not dare to let his guard down. He kept running until his stamina was almost depleted. Having to lean on a tree to catch some breath, he knew that by now, he should be safe. The soldiers wouldn¡¯t have any stamina left after the long fights they had been through before this. If they wanted to see another day before dying of fatigue, they would be smart not to pursue him for this period.


    Immediately, Zhang Heng took the opportunity to check out the canvas backpack that he just acquired. There were personal hygiene items, a spare foot wrap, utensils, and a few packs of MRE. Foot wraps were unique to the Soviet army, regularly used to keep the soldier warm and reduce friction on the feet. As for the MRE, it seemed like their staple was black bread. Thankfully for him, dehydrated sausage and a packet of red tea came inserted as well.


    He then came across two cans of beef, and a lighter, a delightful discovery as these items were a rarity in the USSR. Their industry infamously prowess lagged far behind other more developed nations. When Zhang Heng thought of the two dead bodies that he saw earlier, he remembered that they both wore different attire.


    One of the dead Soviets lacked the distinct five red stars on his sleeve, which could mean this canvas backpack should have belonged to an officer. Unfortunately, bullets discriminated against no soul on the battlefield. Even more so, the high-ranking officers, usually becoming the primary target of enemies. There were at least three to four bullet holes riddling the officer¡¯s face. It seemed that someone wanted to make damn sure that he was truly dead. As Zhang Heng frisked him, he tried his best not to stare directly at the officer¡¯s bloody face.


    Despite his close brush with death, he was rather pleased with his yield today. At least, he could now protect himself from the brutal cold of the Siberian tundra and keep his stomach filled.


    His attention soon turned to the pistol in his hand. China¡¯s notoriously draconian gun control laws had enabled only a few from elite professions to set their hands on a real firearm. Most of the regular public only got their ideas of guns from the movies. Zhang Heng was no exception, having no idea what model of gun he was holding. All he knew was this gun was a revolver, and there were seven chambers in a revolving barrel. It had been shot two times, still containing five bullets.


    It was at that time that Zhang Heng realized that he left too quickly earlier. He had taken the gun but had wholly forgotten the extra ammo. However, having five bullets was definitely better than none. The movies clearly showed the actors pulling triggers and coolly reloading their rounds, but never once their inner workings. Of course, the real deal here was way more complicated than a prop pea-shooter. After fumbling with it for a while, he still could not figure out how to remove the two spent shells from the chamber. He had to put it away for now.


    After taking in a few sips of water, his stamina recovered, and he was refreshed. Having regained some strength, he quickly left the place, worried that the spirits of the dead soldiers would come back to haunt him.


    He continued walking into the deeper parts of the forest, only stopping after the sky had turned dark. At the very least, he knew that he was no longer in danger.


    Vision at night was a challenge; it was almost impossible to make anything out clearly. Since the forest was unfamiliar to the Soviets, it was almost certain now that they wouldn¡¯t continue their pursuit of him. Besides, they risked getting ambushed by Finnish guerillas who had overrun the surrounding borders. With his mind put at ease, Zhang Heng finally stopped moving forward and decided that it was time to fix his hunger.


    He opened up his backpack, and out came the black bread. Having its origins in Germany, the recipe was then spread on to Eastern Europe and subsequently to Russia. For name¡¯s sake only, the bread itself was actually not black, it¡¯s color caused by the overbaking process unique to it.


    Never underestimate the prowess of such basic food. During the height of the Second World War, German and Soviet troops primarily relied on it for survival. According to war records, this humble meal saved at least 4 million people from starvation in the USSR and had kept the war going for at least 10 million German troops. As for its taste, it had a unique touch to it.


    Zhang Heng used his knife to cut a slice, trying it out. Immediately, a light saltiness with a tinge of sour hit his tongue. It came with a rough texture, much like burnt toast making it really hard for Zhang Heng to swallow. Thankfully, Zhang Heng had experienced extreme hunger before while he was venturing on the lone island. With war taken out of the equation, his current circumstance was actually a lot better than last time.


    Only one thing troubled him, though. He was unable to build a campfire to warm himself up. Not that he did not know how to do it, for even without the lighter in his backpack, he had the capability of building a campfire with only the things around him. His concern mainly focussed on attracting any enemies, knowing that the fire would burn far and bright into the dark of night. Unfamiliar with his surroundings, he knew nothing of where the Soviet and Finnish troops were placed and wanted to take no chances.


    Zhang Heng had no idea where his enemies might come from. He also didn¡¯t know where the skirmishes constantly broke out between those troops, only hanging on the hope that he wouldn¡¯t end up in the crossfire. It was at that moment that he realized how cruel reality could be. Struggling to stay alive, all alone in the forest and in a time of war, was no easy feat.


    Luckily, he still had his trump card, and that was his Shadow Moment. Turning into shadow-form for three minutes could save his life during a life-threatening moment. Unfortunately, he could only use it two times, which was why he was sparing in its usage.


    Unable to bear the cold, he attempted to look for a spot that could shield him from the freezing winds. Covered by the military jacket, he tried to sleep. Throughout the entire night, he was rudely awakened by the chill at least three times. The winter of 1939 in Finland was brutal, ranked among the top 10 harshest winters the entire human history had seen. Without fire, saying that it would be a challenge to stay alive was an understatement.


    If it were not for the Soviet goatskin military jacket, Zhang Heng knew that the extreme blizzard would eventually freeze him to death. After a long, frigid night, Zhang Heng finally saw the sun rising. With his frostbitten hands trembling, he picked a few twigs and used the lighter, fumbling around a few times before he got a flame. His hands were stiff and unresponsive. He had left half a kettle of water in front of him before he slept. Now, the water was completely frozen.


    Zhang Heng had no choice but to place the kettle as close as possible, the fire to melt the ice. In the meantime, he took the sausage from his backpack and roasted it over the flames. Ten minutes later, everything that he set out to do had been done. He then stood up and used the ice around him to extinguish the flames, making sure to stub out all the cinders.


    Putting a fire out in these places was surely more straightforward than starting it up. At the same time, he ate the sausage that was just ready. It didn¡¯t taste as bad as he initially expected, probably because he paired it with the black bread. Who knew what it was made of. One thing for sure, it was meat but wasn¡¯t pork, beef, or lamb. Still, it was edible.


    As he ate, Zhang Heng wasted no time and planned his next move though, after long and hard deliberation, he was still unable to come up with anything to make his current circumstance better.

 Chapter 62 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You IV

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Breakfast. That was it. Putting on the backpack, Zhang Heng randomly chose a direction and headed towards it. From where he lived, numerous war enthusiasts were extremely knowledgeable about World War II. They had an in-depth understanding of various war and deployment tactics and regularly debated the multiple strategies of famed generals.


    As for Zhang Heng, he had zero knowledge about warfare. Unless the spirit of Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim or Kliment Voroshilov himself possessed him, there wasn¡¯t much he could do to improve his current predicament.


    There are eventually no heroes in war, said an inconvenient truth. Whether it was a person who achieved great feats or a soldier with masterful shooting skills, a stray could take away their lives within a matter of seconds. To increase his chances of survival, Zhang Heng set a principle for himself, and that was to stay as far away as possible from any crossfire. Places like Vyborg, Summa Village, and Kael were a no-no, and he had to refrain from going there. As for the replica Ouvrage Schoenenbourg ¨C Mannerheim, that would be the last place on earth that Zhang Heng would go.


    His biggest problem was that he didn¡¯t know where the hell he was right now. Though he wanted to make sure to stay far away from the heat of battle, he had no idea where the safe zone was either. After traveling on foot for about half a day, Zhang Heng came across a platoon of Soviet soldiers. Thankfully, he spotted them first and quickly went into hiding. It seemed like the soldiers were in a rush, huffing their way while dragging a couple of cannons behind them. Amid the confusion, none of them realized Zhang Heng¡¯s presence, although he was right under their noses. It was so close a call, a deep chill ran up his spine.


    The trees in the forest were the perfect spot to conceal himself from the enemy. Protection, on the one hand, the trees also blocked him from seeing what was in front of him. Being in a situation out of his control made him extremely uncomfortable. After all, no one in this world was always lucky. It would be impossible that Zhang Heng would spot his enemies first before they spotted him every single time.


    In all honesty, he was on the disadvantageous side during this quest. There were few skills he possessed that could help him to survive in the wild. Playing the piano, modifying cars, and racing was basically useless in these circumstances.


    As for his Level 2 archery skills, it turned out to be more practical than the gun that he was holding right now. Sadly though, he had still not found the right bark to carve out his bowstring. Besides, using cold, passive weapons against hot firearms was definitely a bad idea.


    After experiencing the frosty winter in Finland, Zhang Heng started to doubt if he might even wake from his sleep the next time. It had only been three days since his arrival, with a grueling 137 days to go.


    Zhang Heng felt despair sinking in, and it hit him hard.


    He knew that he wouldn¡¯t survive much longer if he kept this up. He could choose to side with Finland¡¯s troops or the Soviet Union¡¯s troops, but he had no idea what they would do to him. In the end, Zhang Heng still could not make up his mind. Until the morning of the fourth day, Zhang Heng heard gunshots once again. And this time, the thunderous sound of cannons resounded in the forest as well. Sensing imminent danger, Zhang Heng decided that he would head in a different direction.


    It seemed as if he had used up the last bits of his luck this time. After paying so much attention to the sound of gunfire, he completely forgot to notice t what was in front of him. This time, he encountered a scout team! There were only 11 well-equipped soldiers in the group and should be returning to the base since they heard the gunfire. The encounter with Zhang Heng was totally a coincidence to them. Clearly, nobody expected this to happen.


    Unfortunately, Zhang Heng did not have his Shadow Moment at hand, as he wanted to avoid triggering it while he traveled. He also did not expect to encounter enemies from such a close distance. He initially thought he would have a little time to search for the statue that was located in the pocket of his coat. The scout team stood by with their guns loaded. If they wanted to, they could open fire at Zhang Heng anytime now.


    In the end, Zhang Heng owed his life to the military coat. Obviously, they would never shoot somebody wearing their own colors. However, they soon realized that Zhang Heng¡¯s attire was way different as compared to what they were wearing. They also noticed that he was of Asian descent.


    The soldier that stood in front was swinging his machine gun as he shouted at the same time. Unfortunately, Zhang Heng was not familiar with Russian, thus, unable to understand what they were talking about. For now, he had to give up the idea of getting Shadow Moment out of his pocket. Left with no other options, Zhang Heng was forced to put both hands up.


    Seemingly, his continued silence had annoyed the soldier. The Soviet soldier¡¯s looked more and more ferocious by the second as he repeated the same words to Zhang Heng with his finger placed on the trigger, each time with greater intensity.


    This was probably the most perilous moment Zhang Heng had ever encountered. In a situation like this, he did know what he could do anymore. This was war. Killing and being killed were extremely common in an era like this. With every passing second, multitudes of civilians, enemies, and even allies died on the battlefield. The war had put everyone on edge most of the time, and no one would have qualms killing an unknown foreigner. Even Zhang Heng himself expected that the soldier would surely pull the trigger on him.


    Suddenly, the soldier that was pointing his gun fell to the ground with a loud thud!


    A bullet that came from nowhere penetrated his cranium. Blood splattered everywhere; his ferocious looks now plastered on his face forever.


    Sniper!!!


    Immediately, the scout team realized they were being ambushed by the Finnish guerillas. In a panic, they ignored Zhang Heng, pointed their machine guns at the direction the bullet came from, and shouted frantically to take cover. This one soldier put his life on the line to pick up a machine gun on the road. Unfortunately, the shell traveled faster than him. The moment his hands landed on the machine gun, he too was shot dead. He collapsed and joined his dead ally.


    The second shot allowed the others to have a more unobstructed view of where the bullet came from. Without thinking twice, they started opening fire with full force at the sniper! Zhang Heng wasted no time and took the opportunity to run to a fallen tree that had been struck by lightning.


    The sniper who had hidden in the dark managed to kill another two soldiers that failed to look for a safe spot to hide. After that, the gunshots abruptly stopped.


    Was the sniper hit?


    The Soviets were extraordinarily jumpy and nervous, pulling the trigger and firing another barrage of bullets into the dark!


    Half a minute later, someone cautiously lifted his head to check his surroundings. There were no more gunshots. The remaining soldiers arched backward, bearing the weight of their machine guns while slowly approaching the sniper¡¯s location. At the same time, two soldiers walked towards Zhang Heng.


    Zhang Heng was already holding his Shadow Moment in his hand.

 Chapter 63 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You V

    Zhang Heng readied himself to enter his Shadow Moment form. Then, as luck would have it, something unexpected happened again. The deafening bang of the sniper rifle firing could be heard loud and clear. The first soldier that walked towards sniper was hit, subsequently dropping to the ground, dead. Seconds later, the second soldier was also greeted with the same fate. Immediately, the remaining five soldiers lay on the ground and started blindly shooting in all directions! The two soldiers who had walked towards Zhang Heng quickly turned around and joined their allies in support.


    Unfortunately, their retaliation did not stop death from harvesting their lives. The sniper hiding in the dark had already switched his nest. In other words, the Soviets were shooting at a ghost! Subsequently, another three soldiers were hit. The remaining two soldiers could not handle the pressure of suspense any longer, throwing their weapons to the ground and ran into the forest for their lives while the sniper was reloading his gun.


    One of them ran for a bit when a deafening gunshot rang through the air. Apparently, 150 meters was not nearly enough to save his life from a long-range rifle. The soldier slipped on his tracks and fell down, very dead indeed. Blood gushed from the back of his head, painting the white snow around him in an ominous pool of red.


    In about four minutes, a total of 11 Soviet soldiers were killed mercilessly in this cold, alien land. The sniper that hid in the dark did not even waste a single bullet. For the shooter, it was all about the one shot-one skill thing.


    Immediately, Zhang Fan poured out everything from his backpack and picked up a tree branch beside him. He attempted to raise the twig with the bag to signal the sniper that he was willing to surrender. Just as he was about to wave the white flag, the backpack was hit by the bullet! This was a clear sign that the sniper had no intention to let anyone leave the forest alive.


    Zhang Heng presumed the coat he had put on caused the sniper to mistake him for a Soviet soldier. Unfortunately, Zhang Heng did not speak their language, making it impossible to explain himself. It became evident that the sniper didn¡¯t shoot the Soviets to save him. As the soldiers were focussed on Zhang Heng, it made them easy targets for the sniper!


    This particular sniper was brazenly confident and scary at the same time. From the way he eliminated his enemies, he had made sure to first kill the soldier that posed the biggest threat. After that, he shot the one attempting to pick up the machine gun on the ground. His success in the killings had managed to instill great fear in the remaining soldiers, confusing them and lowering morale.


    After that, all he needed to do was to change his shooting spot and kill the rest of the Soviets.


    Though the remaining two soldiers had lost their will to fight, the sniper was no less determined that he was going to kill each and every enemy that appeared through his scope. Instead of choosing the nearest target, he chose to kill the target furthest away from him. Then, it was all textbook, as the shooter just needed to tackle the poor sod that was running at the back.


    As for Zhang Heng, the sniper decided that he posed no threat. Hence, he had decided to kill him last. While he was shooting down his enemies, he had presented with deadly accuracy, his accomplished shooting skills and how he stayed calm while being meticulous all at once.


    It was at that moment that Zhang Heng realized his situation was no better than before. He was still being pushed to the edge of a cliff. The only thing that had changed was the enemy. It changed not for the better but from the Soviet soldiers to Finnish guerilla fighters. The 11 dead bodies on the ground had proven that Finland was way better at their craft than good ol¡¯ Soviet Union.


    The longer he waited, the more dangerous the situation would become. It became apparent that the sniper was extremely familiar with this forest. That would mean he could walk up and shoot Zhang Heng right behind him before he realized it. Hence, Zhang Heng made a quick resolve to do something about it. He held the wooden statue in one hand and held the revolver in the other. In his mind¡¯s eye, he was thinking about the crow.


    Seconds later, the crow in the dark slowly opened its eyes, and Zhang Heng stared right into them. He could feel his soul gradually being absorbed into an endless dark vortex, free-falling in a black void that was formless. The magical part about it was his body getting lighter, almost like a feather floating in the wind. When he landed, he opened his eyes, and he saw the white birch and snow above him. Though he had experienced all of this before, he would never get used to this strange, out of body experience. He became disorientated and unhinged as he entered Shadow Moment form.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s body was now completely disappeared. All that was left was his shadow on the ground. In this form, he would not be able to use his senses, neither would he be able to talk or listen to sounds around him. His vision was limited to a patch of sky above him. He had, however, discovered a solution to overcome this problem. All he needed to do was attach his shadow to a tree, and he would able to scan his surroundings.


    His speed was greatly reduced when he entered shadow form, but he felt more energetic than ever. Fatigue was a thing of the past. The good thing here was that he did not need to worry about the barrier that blocked his way. With all things considered, his movement speed was not bad at all.


    He took 50 seconds to travel to the location where the last gunshot came from and used another 20 seconds to look for the shooting point. The ground had a slight elevation to it and had two giant rocks to protect the sniper. Clear marks on the ground signified that someone lay there only a moment ago.


    Clearly, the sniper had abandoned the hideout and shifted to another location. This time, a series of footprints marked the ground. Zhang Heng was now the hunter instead of the hunted. Half a minute went by, and Zhang Heng saw a being shuffling slowly on the snow-covered ground. It was near impossible to spot it if one did not pay attention.


    The sniper was wearing a white ghillie suit with a mask on him. His entire body was fully covered except for his eyes, a perfect blend with the whited-out forest. One of his hands clutched the sniper, and another held a snowboard.


    It was just as Zhang Heng had guessed! The sniper was planning to sneak him up and kill him from behind. He would never have guessed that his target was the one actually standing right behind him.


    All these guerilla techniques had given the Soviets an endless nightmare, continually messing around with the worn-out Slavs. They relied heavily on their effective camouflage and the knowledge of the area to choose a perfect spot to take out their enemies. This time, their expertise was about to be challenged by Zhang Heng.


    In shadow form, Zhang Heng could tail the sniper without making any noise. Long, overbearing shadows of the huge trees around him also added an extra layer of cover. Zhang Heng lifted up the revolver and aimed at the sniper¡¯s head.


    There were only ten seconds left before the shadow form expired. Once the time was up, he would be able to pull the trigger and kill the sniper. As this was his first time killing a person, he naturally hesitated for a bit. Unfortunately, there was no other way around it if he wanted to live to see another day. The sniper¡¯s shooting prowess and innate knowledge of the terrain would make it impossible for Zhang Heng to get away even if he had a three-minute head start!

 Chapter 64 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You VI

    Zhang Heng and the sniper were patient, both adamant at waiting for the other to first make his move. Of course, the sniper which lay on the ground waiting for his victim to pop his head was definitely a cut above Zhang Heng. He had read before that most of the guerillas in Finland were once hunter-gatherers. They knew these grounds they stepped on with their very souls, spending their entire childhood in a forest like this to hunt down small animals. Even though their targets had since changed from animals to humans, it was no doubt that the same methods still applied. This made them very, very good at what they did.


    Unfortunately, this was no fair game. When the crow appeared in the dark again, everything would come to an end. Zhang Heng had his finger placed steadily on the trigger as he prepared himself mentally to vanquish the target in front of him.


    Suddenly, the sniper rolled to his side! Zhang Heng was taken aback in a jump-scare, knowing there was no noise from his surroundings. Finish! His worst fears had come to pass! Alas, his shadow form had been found out by the sniper.


    It was then that he saw the bullet landing on the snow-caked ground. With his lightning-fast reflexes, the sniper managed to dodge the first round of attack!


    Immediately, he pointed his weapon in a different direction and pulled the trigger. Zhang Heng then realized another weakness of the shadow form. The sunlight shining from a particular side would mean Zhang Heng¡¯s shadow was also fixed in a certain direction. Though he could attach his shadow on a tree to observe his surroundings, he could only look to the right, left, and front. There was, however, no way that he could look at his back. Even if he turned around, he would only see the tree bark.


    The only thing he knew right now was that the deafening gunshot would have undoubtedly drawn the attention of Soviet soldiers nearby. However, he had no idea what their strength was and how far they were. The thing that troubled him the most was that his shadow form was about to expire. He had around ten seconds left before he would be ultimately revealed!


    Right now, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t bothered to kill the sniper anymore. The only thing on his mind was making sure that he wouldn¡¯t be caught between the impending exchange of fire. Without wasting any time, he swiftly left the trees and bolted away from the sniper as fast as possible! Then, he attached his shadow to another tree.


    Zhang Heng wished that he could run further away from the snipe,r but his time was running out. He knew for a fact that if the Soviets won the fight, he would still be spared the chance to get away safely. However, if the sniper won the fight, this would be the last day he breathed on this earth.


    Rather than be killed like helpless prey, Zhang Heng resolved that he would fight for his life. The place that he chose to hide was only a meter away from the sniper. At such close proximity, it would be hard for the sharp-shooter to kill effectively. Besides, there was a high chance that Zhang Heng would not miss his target when shooting at point-blank even though he was still new to guns.


    In about four seconds, he would reappear again. Nevertheless, the battle on the other side heated up pretty fast. A hailstorm of bullets landed on the tree that Zhang Heng was attached to, and he clearly saw shards of wood flying all over! Clearly, the soldiers that had just arrived were more ferocious than the scout team, which seemed docile at this point.


    Having seen what the sniper was capable of doing, Zhang Heng believed that he wouldn¡¯t allow the soldiers shooting so wildly at him to live too long. Judging by the sound of continuous gunfire from the machine gun, the number of soldiers that came to kill the sniper was hell lot more than he expected. Once the soldiers on the frontline were killed by the sniper, they would simply send another batch of conscripts to attack him.


    However, it seemed like the sniper had found a perfect nest to return fire. He waited for a short while before firing. The miraculous part about all of it was that he was about to kill an enemy each time he fired his gun.


    In the meantime, Zhang Heng had to control his breathing, not making a single move to avoid being detected. After a round of violent shooting, the Soviet side seemed weakened¡ªthe constant staccato of guns firing reduced to intermittent bursts. In contrast, the sniper still had the upper hand. From the start to the end, he was like a killing machine, mauling every living being in front of him without any mercy.


    Suddenly, the ¡®killing machine¡¯ fell silent. Zhang Heng knew that he was running out of bullets. This sniper had just been through two fierce battles and had probably been assigned a different target before he got here. Logically, he should be running out of ammunition by now.


    This had complicated the whole situation. Of course, he had never hoped for such a terrifying sniper to roam the forests, looking for someone to kill. Initially, he thought that there were only two outcomes from this standoff. If the sniper was killed by the Soviets, he would run as fast as possible to get away from them. If the sniper managed to kill all those soldiers, then he would sneak behind the sniper and pull the trigger on him.


    The only outcome that he did not think of was the depletion of ammunition. Since the sniper had run out of bullets, the soldiers would know this and attempt to approach the sniper.


    The place that Zhang Heng was hiding at was really close to the sniper. When they shot at each other, they would definitely not notice his presence. However, once the fight was over, either the soldiers or the sniper would definitely see something escaping.


    ¡­¡­


    The sniper leaned on a large rock. He must have realized how improbable it would be to get out of this alive. He took out the dagger strapped to his waist and prepared to fight for his life. Suddenly, a stone rolled by his feet! In an instant, he spotted a Soviet soldier creeping up from behind the tree prompting the sniper to pick up his weapon unconsciously!


    To his surprise, the soldier signaled him to stay quiet. Half a minute ago, Zhang Heng assumed that this could be a golden opportunity for him to save himself. After spending four days all alone in the forest, he quickly realized it would be impossible for him to live here for hundreds of days. Be it the Finnish or the Soviets, Zhang Heng had no quarrel with them, really.


    Based on experience, these people would never give him the chance to explain himself. They would usually point their guns at him before he could say anything. And the worst part was, Zhang Heng did not know how to speak their language. Now that the sniper had run out of ammunition, Zhang Heng felt that this was the perfect moment to make a move!


    He first pointed at the red stars on his coat, then at himself, then waved his hands. He was trying to tell the sniper that he had nothing to do with the Soviets. Unfortunately, the gestures did not promt a response from the sniper. Zhang Heng then took off the coat to show him his black turtleneck and jeans. In the end, the sniper¡¯s attention was caught by the revolver that Zhang Heng had with him.


    Zhang Heng knew that there was no time for this kind of back and forth with the shooter. He could hear that the boots of the Soviets approaching them. Clearly, there was more than one of them. He couldn¡¯t possibly deal with them alone. In a critical moment such as this, a leap of faith was a necessity.


    Once again, Zhang Heng clutched the wooden statue in his hand to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances. He then drew the revolver and tossed it to the sniper. This time, the shooter actually responded by picking the weapon! He pointed at Zhang Heng aggressively, threatening to let out a shot.


    After a second, he lowered the pistol.


    Zhang Heng let out a massive sigh of relief. It seemed that his leap of faith had finally borne fruit! He removed his phone from his pocket. For the past few days, he had tried his best to conserve battery, only using it sparingly to get his bearings. Otherwise, he would turn it off. Right now, it was the best time for him to use it to distract his enemies. He set a quick alarm and tossed it far away from him.


    Like a grenade, three seconds later, the cellphone blared on the snowy ground, instantly drawing the soldiers¡¯ attention! The sniper then popped half of his head out, aiming for the Soviets!


    The first shot was a blank. Zhang Heng had to prioritize his own safety. He had to consider the possibility of the sniper killing him when he gave him his gun. That was why he swapped the first bullet with a blank. Not about to take any more chances, he would instantly change into shadow form if the sniper did pull the trigger on him.


    Shocked by the blank shot, he immediately fired the second shot, bursting a soldier¡¯s head open with a splatter of bright blood!

 Chapter 65 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You VII

    Zhang Heng had done everything that could be done, knowing he won¡¯t be much help in the battle. So, he squatted behind a tree and waited for it to be all over. The skirmish ended faster than expected. Once the skilled sniper had a gun in his hand, he killed three Soviet soldiers within a swift 40 seconds.


    Once the barrage of gunshots were over, Zhang Heng stealthily emerged from his hiding spot. The sniper still clutched the revolver in his hand tightly, albeit, seemingly a little more relaxed now as he did not aim the gun at Zhang Heng.


    When Zhang Heng walked towards the sniper, he noticed that there was blood on his shirt. It was apparent now that in the heat of the shootout, he didn¡¯t manage to dodge all the bullets. Zhang Heng came to realize that indeed, it was not easy for him to meet someone without hostile intentions. He had to figure out a way to bring him back to his base, no matter what. All his effort would have gone to waste if he let him die here.


    Zhang Heng picked up his cellphone and turned off the alarm, noticing a sea of empty shells strewn all over the ground. Remarkably, and thankfully so, his cellphone was perfectly fine. He then proceeded to collect the backpacks of the dead soldiers. As his current supplies were almost depleted, he had to stock up well to stay alive in this inhospitable land. He had his eyes fixed on the sniper, who nodded his head at him. He was staring at the bullet case that was strapped to the dead soldier¡¯s waist.


    Immediately, Zhang Heng grabbed two magazines and passed it to him. Without a second thought, he reloaded his machine gun. Putting pressure on his wound with one hand, he mustered all his strength to stand up with the other. Two fierce battles had just taken place here, and the sound of continuous gunshots had probably attracted more enemies. They had to leave this place as soon as possible, or this time, they would surely die.


    Zhang Heng picked a backpack and brought it with him. He, too didn¡¯t let up on the chance to pick up a machine gun. Seeing that the sniper was having a hard time walking, Zhang Heng instinctively walked over in an attempt to assist him. However, it seemed like he wanted no help, shaking his head and pushing away Zhang Heng¡¯s hand.


    Zhang Heng was displeased by the response, knowing well enough it wasn¡¯t the best time to play Rambo. Zhang Heng needed him to point him in the right direction if they wanted to survive this forest. Also, without Zhang Heng¡¯s help, it would be tough for the severely wounded sniper to walk out of the woods alive. Both of them were in a tight spot now and had no choice but to rely on each other to get through this.


    After a while, the sniper started to understand Zhang Heng¡¯s intention. This time, he allowed Zhang Heng to prop him up. With an arm supporting his body, they both took the slow walk towards the direction that the sniper pointed to.


    On the way, Zhang Heng saw countless bodies of Soviet troops. An armored personnel carrier lay in pieces beside the road, still burning with fury. There were also bodies of a few Finnish guerillas with their winter camouflage thrown all over on the ground as well. One could only see how much hatred the Soviets must have harbored toward the Finnish guerillas. Zhang Heng needed a change of coat, but sadly, most of the ones on the bodies were riddled with bullet holes. Some even had powder burns on them, leaving huge, smoldering holes.


    Anybody passing them now would have found it extremely peculiar to see a duo made up of an Asian and a Finnish. To make matters worse, they looked completely out of place, like they didn¡¯t belong to his forest.


    For the forthcoming days, they would constantly see dead bodies on the ground and incessant gunfire from afar. This time the gunfire did not last long. Again, it didn¡¯t look too safe anymore. The gunfire could have been a signal for the Soviets to help their allies. Then, in turn, the Finnish guerilla snipers would use the opportunity to clear all their enemies.


    Their snowboards had allowed them to move effectively in the forest, and they were not about to stop unless absolutely necessary. As they cruised through the snow-caked forest, they saw large numbers of Soviet soldiers killed in many different ways. However realistic an award-winning film would shamefully fade in comparison to the unimaginable horrors that lay before them.


    Zhang Heng had mentally prepared himself to witness all the dead. Despite that, he felt awfully unwell after witnessing so much death in one go. The horrifying scene was a violent assault on one¡¯s senses, where war represented the worst of humanity. It also represented what would become of the frail-minded human after civilization had been so carelessly tossed away. Soldiers had regressed to their carnal instincts, to kill and protect in its most basic of forms. Looking at the sniper beside him, Zhang Heng instantly knew that the purgatory around them had almost no effect on him. He was simply used to it.


    As they traveled on, they came across two Soviet troops. They managed to evade them, only lucky that they were not spotted first. They even encountered a Soviet soldier that moved alone. His allies were most likely killed in action and he was lucky to flee the battlefield alive. His spirit seemed broken, his face emotionless, lifeless even from all he had gone through. Having no weapons and trudging barefooted, there was a high chance he would end up dead in this forest if his allies failed to find him.


    Zhang Heng saw that he was getting further and further away from him, hence deciding to just let him be. Seconds later, he heard a gunshot! The sniper¡¯s hand was on the trigger of the machine gun and was no longer covering the wound! He had shot the soldier in cold blood.


    When the sound of gunfire reverberating in the air, the Soviet soldier slowly stopped moving and collapsed beside a pine tree. Zhang Heng then looked the sniper in the eyes, searching for answers. He did the same as well, not batting an eyelid. His eyes were dead, with not an ounce of emotion left in them.


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    Zhang Heng was left speechless. If he was a soldier during the invasion of Japan, he would have shot any Japanese soldier if he ever encountered one. All these Finnish guerillas only had one goal in mind,, and that was to protect their people and country. For these reasons, Zhang Heng felt he had no right to criticize him.


    The gunshot, however, would have again attracted more enemies to them, the last thing Zhang Heng wanted. It wasn¡¯t time to play the blame game here. Besides, the sniper wouldn¡¯t understand a word even if he scolded him. It would be more beneficial for them to figure out a way to get out of this sticky situation.


    Zhang Heng landed his eyes on the snowboard behind the sniper¡¯s back. Voila!


    Five minutes later, they tied all their goods on the snowboard, and Zhang Heng tied a rope at the end of it for the sniper to pull on it later. He then squatted down in front of him. Strangely, it seemed as if the sniper understood what he was trying to do. Immediately, he jumped on Zhang Heng¡¯s back and let him carry him.


    When Zhang Heng stood up, he was surprised that the sniper was a lot lighter than he¡¯d expected, probably weighing a tiny 100 pounds. They could finally move faster now. The only downside about this idea was that Zhang Heng¡¯s stamina, and strength depleted a lot more quickly than he hoped it would. He could only do this for around 20 minutes.


    Thank goodness they were out of the danger zone.

 Chapter 66 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You VIII

    Zhang Heng still couldn¡¯t figure out where he was, only knowing that he was heading towards a northeasterly direction. He was well-rested, having caught quite a few naps throughout the entire journey. The good news was he did not encounter any Soviets while they traveled. It seemed he had finally escaped the warzone.


    After some time, the sniper tapped his shoulder, signifying him to stop. So, he stopped walking, looked for a clean stone, and carefully set the wounded man down. Though he could not see his face, Zhang Heng knew that he was in great pain just by looking at his saddened eyes. The patch of blood on his stomach was getting bigger by the minute. Although he had no problems moving around when Zhang Heng carried him earlier, the bumpy ride had aggravated his condition. And here he was, again, choosing to say nothing about it.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng had a bad feeling!


    Immediately, he took a look at his surroundings and realized that they were still in the middle of nowhere. Initially, he thought the sniper would lead them back to his base. They should have at least came across one of his allies, but judging by his current condition, he could die bleeding out any second now if he did not get any medical help.


    If he died here right now, it would be useless for Zhang Heng to locate the guerilla base. They would definitely shoot him on sight if they saw him alone. This wasn¡¯t the time to worry about what might happen next. Right now, he needed to make sure the sniper was kept alive.


    Realizing the gravity of the situation the sniper was in, he wasted no time and looked for fallen branches hoping to start a campfire. It would help ensure the cold wouldn¡¯t get to the wounded man. Luckily, twigs were aplenty, and the fire was started, much to the relief of the freezing men. Zhang Heng melted some snow in a canteen, quenching their badly scorched throats.


    They soon settled down, under the warmth of the flames. The sniper groaned in pain but looked slightly more comfortable. Phew! After a short moment of doubt, the sniper had finally decided that it was safe to take off his white face mask, which he had worn all the while.


    What Zhang Heng saw left him startled in shock. The sniper was actually a girl with a golden lock of hair. Judging by her appearance, it seemed she had only just reached adulthood! It was mind-boggling for Zhang Heng to imagine such a young-looking girl was capable of so efficiently harvesting the lives of battle-hardened soldiers, reaping away every soul she wished dead!


    Suddenly, he remembered that during the winter war, Finland had conscripted three million of their people to fight off the Soviet Union. The number of soldiers that were willing to fight and protect their county was more than that of Japan and Germany combined, ready to do whatever it took to chase out the invaders from their country.


    Of the many definitions of bravery one could find in a book, this, in my opinion, was its highest form. Zhang Heng stared at the sniper as she slowly sipped the warm water in her hands. Without saying a word, he then took out two sausages from his bag and placed it over the fire. However, the sniper simply shook her head, indicating that she d. It was an awkward moment for them.


    Right now, Zhang Heng was left in a dilemma. It was now virtually impossible for the sniper to continue the journey. This was no action movie, but rather cruel reality. In the movies, soldiers would usually extract the bullet from their wounds after they were shot. On a real battlefield, on the other hand, no one would attempt such a dangerous feat. Festering wounds and infections were a major concern. The biggest problem that one could encounter while attempting a bullet extraction from an open wound was the bleeding problem. Seeing that she had lost a huge amount of blood on the way here, it was definitely not the brightest idea to extract the bullet out of her right now.


    Zhang Heng had to re-assess the current situation. Should he stay here to take care of her or leave her alone? Right now, was both of them were like different species, unable to communicate with each other. All they could do was use simple sign language to tell each other their intentions. Right now, he had no idea how far still the guerilla base camp was, not even knowing whether they were heading in the right direction.


    Despite her grave wounds, the female sniper looked really calm. Zhang Heng guessed that she must have come up with a solution to overcome this problem or she was prepared to die here. Of course, he secretly hoped that she had an idea to get them out of this sticky situation. However, judging by the way things were turning out, it was more likely that she was ready to die here.


    ¡­¡­..


    The night was arriving, as the sun shone its last light. Zhang Heng chose not to leave her side in the end. After dinner, he went picking more tree branches to keep the campfire burning through the night. He then poured out half of his backpack out and placed it under the female sniper¡¯s head to act as a pillow.


    After all that was done, Zhang Heng took out his machine gun, attempting to study it. He tried to reload it and aim for a couple of inanimate objects lying around.


    To be honest, Zhang Heng was never a fan of killing. Unfortunately, he needed to learn how to protect himself in such an environment. Although he knew he would probably be unable to pull the trigger even fo he encountered the Soviets, this wasn¡¯t enough of an excuse to simply just give up.


    At the same time, the female sniper eyed him intently. At times, Zhang Heng felt that this could not have been a person but a log. This was because only a log could forever keep its calm. She had been through a whole lot but had never once unveiled a single ounce of emotion.


    Under the twinkling night sky, the flames of the campfire danced with the wind. After playing with his machine gun for a bit, he suddenly noticed something amiss about the sniper. Her skin had grown much paler, and all her lips were white, devoid of color. Her forehead was wet with beads of cold sweat, and her body was shaking nonstop. Zhang Heng instantly felt her feet and hands, discovering that they were like pieces of frozen meat. Her body was losing temperature, descending into hypothermia.


    Bloodloss had caused most of the heat in her body to slip away, especially her red blood cells. Hemoglobin¡¯s main function was the vehicle transferring oxygen to the entire body. Once their count had dropped drastically, one¡¯s body would fail to function normally. If such a situation were to occur, no amount of warm clothes could keep her alive.


    Surely, she could be saved if she was admitted to a hospital right now, getting a crucial blood transfusion. Unfortunately, they were now in the depths of a forest. There was nothing Zhang Heng could do to save her. Left with no other options, Zhang Heng removed his clothes and hugged her, hoping to share body heat and revitalize the dying girl.


    The female sniper simply looked at him, not knowing what to think or how to react. She didn¡¯t push him away, though. Perhaps she knew her time was near and was the verge of dying. As for Zhang Heng, he did not harbor any sexual desires towards her. After all, the both of them had not showered for several days. The body odor and the stench of blood were enough to put off the strongest of libidinous innuendo. Besides, a piece of cloth wrapped around her chest.


    Their skin rubbed on each other, sharing no distance and seemingly more intimate than certain rambunctious lovers. Despite all that, they did now know each other¡¯s names. Due to the language barrier, the two of them could still not communicate with each other using words. All they could do was to remain silent.


    ¡­¡­.


    Zhang Heng had managed to maintain her body temperature but could not give her back the lost blood. As time passed, the female sniper¡¯s condition worsened. Her shallow breathing became rapid, and her pulse was erratic. Zhang Heng knew deep down that she might not be able to survive the night.


    Then, all of a sudden, he heard a crunch!


    Bell had taught Zhang Heng to scatter some dried tree branches around him as an alarm when it was night time. It seemed like someone had stepped on the loose twigs. He instantly jumped up and wanted to grab his machine gun. To his surprise, the person was already squatting down beside the campfire, pointing a machine gun at him.

 Chapter 67 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You IX

    [Found a Finnish guerilla base. Game points: +5. For more information, check out the character panel¡­]


    Zhang Heng had only heard the sound of the notification when he spotted the little wooden cottages in the forest. Before he could take a good look at it, someone had already pointed a gun at his back!


    Zhang Heng was pretty sure that whoever it was, the trigger would be inevitably pulled this time. Just before he could, however, the sniper shouted at him! Startled, the shooter flinched, preventing the killing from happening. However, he did not take him sights off Zhang Heng.


    The calvary finally had finally arrived!


    It was the Finnish, allies of the sniper! Soon after that, a few more came over to help her. One of them stayed back to look after her while the rest proceeded to chop some wood to make a simple stretcher to carry her back to the base.


    The man with the machine gun picked up the Soviet clothes on the floor and tossed them to Zhang Heng. However, the soldier had taken away the inner coat, only leaving him the outer jacket made out of goatskin. Zhang Heng said nothing and simply put it on.


    He could see that the members of the guerilla resistance did not trust him at all. If it were not for the female sniper, they would have killed him without even thinking twice. Fortunately for Zhang Heng, they took care of their own first, realizing the sniper needed immediate medical attention. Knowing that there was no time to waste, they carried her back to their camp right away, even with Zhang Heng, the stranger, following behind.


    After walking through thick snow and ice for an hour and a half, they finally arrived at base camp. Two fighters carried the stretcher and entered the small wooden house on the left. As for Zhang Heng, he was being locked inside another cottage. As Zhang Heng¡¯s eyes adjusted to the dark confinement space, he saw the entire place filled with lumber. He realized he must be in a wood storage house.


    His captors locked the room right away after they made him go inside. They even frisked him and confiscated everything they deemed a threat. His inner coat, machine gun, backpack, cellphone, and wallet were all taken from him. Through the cracks of the wooden walls, Zhang Heng saw that few of the fighters were checking out his Huawei cellphone.


    In this era, cellphones had not been invented yet. After curiously playing with it for a long time, none of them could figure out how to turn the curious device on. One of them even hit it on a tree. Compared to the somewhat unpopular cellphone, everyone wanted to own the wallet.


    Even the most ordinary of wallets from the modern era would be considered a masterpiece in 1944. Besides, Zhang Heng¡¯s wallet cost a few hundred Yuan. And for the inner coat, the soldier that pointed the machine gun at Zhang Heng was already wearing it. His burly and muscular body turned the tiny garment into a skin-tight shirt.


    The weirdest part was, no one laid their hands on the analog watch. Logically, watches like that should worth quite a bit in this era. As if invisible, it seemed like none of them noticed it.


    Zhang Heng soon learned that this was a rather large base camp. Originally a lumber mill, the guerillas had converted it into their base of operations. Hidden deep within the secluded forest, they became almost undetectable by their enemies. Through the tiny gap, Zhang Heng saw that there were seven of them. It was late at night, and most of them were asleep in the other cottages.


    The guerillas were infamously most active at night. They would launch surprise attacks at their Soviet counterparts while they were fast asleep. Zhang Heng once watched a documentary, where an ex-guerrilla shared his experiences. They claimed that the Soviets would lose their will to fight once the guerillas hit them in the dark. The few Soviet soldiers sitting around the campfire watched their allies being killed right before their eyes and did nothing about it.


    Judging by the size of this camp, there were at least 40 to 50 souls living here. In order to prevent another gross misunderstanding, Zhang Heng decided that he should stop peeking at them. He then looked for a corner, lay on the ground, and closed his eyes.


    Around 20 minutes later, two guerillas opened the door and entered the storage. This time, they weren¡¯t pointing their guns at Zhang Heng. After what seemed like an instruction to him in Finnish, they moved him to another unit. Of course, Zhang Heng would not be so dumb as to incriminate himself, so, he simply did what they asked him to do.


    The wooden house that he entered this time was different than the storage unit. This cottage looked more like a real living space, equipped with a wooden bed, chairs, tables, and a cozy looking fireplace. A man with thick mustache sat behind the table.


    He put away the map on the table as he saw Zhang Heng entering the room. He then used his hand as a signal for him to sit down.


    Zhang Heng guessed that this man probably was the commander of the guerilla armies. There was also another person standing at the window and smoking. Zhang Heng could not clearly see who this person was since the back was turned. All he knew was that the person was a woman in her thirties or forties.


    Once Zhang Heng sat down, the mustached man demanded him to talk.


    ¡°I must apologize. I don¡¯t know how to speak in your language.¡±


    For good measure, Zhang Heng repeated the sentence in Mandarin, English, and Japanese. Still, the man could not understand what he was trying to say. After some time, he grew impatient. Suddenly, the woman that was smoking broke her silence.


    ¡°Are you a spy from the Soviet Union?¡± asked the woman in English.


    She was the first person that could communicate with him ever since he took this quest! He finally could let out a sigh of relief. The thing that worried him the most was the communication barrier he had suffered since apparating here. Without efficient communication, he would be unable to take control of his current situation. At least, he could now defend himself.


    ¡°Kliment Voroshilov might be stupid, but I don¡¯t think he is dumb enough to send us a Chinese spy that doesn¡¯t speak Finnish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that. After all, some people can¡¯t even differentiate between a loaf of bread and a bomb,¡± said the woman as she stubbed out the cigarette.


    This time, she turned around and looked at Zhang Feng. This woman must have been incredibly gorgeous when she was younger. Or, should I say, still rather dazzling for her age. Some simply had the power to defy the physics of the chronometer. After that, she looked at the man with the mustache. The man only smiled and left the house after.


    ¡°Ah Ji is not a bad person. This is a very critical period. He¡¯s responsible for all those under him.¡±


    ¡°I can understand that,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    ¡°No. You can¡¯t, and I can¡¯t either. His country is being invaded by enemies right now. To protect his motherland, he is willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means going to hell itself. What you see is what you get, ¡®guv. I¡¯m a volunteer from England. I should inform you that I am different from these people. I don¡¯t wish to see bloodshed. For me to help you, I will need you to tell me the truth,¡± said the woman while drawing another stick of Craven A.


    As she bent down, Zhang Heng took a glimpse at her cleavage. He had to say; this woman was really something. If he was indeed a spy of the Soviet Union, he would have definitely spilled all the beans. Unfortunately, the truth was concealed within the most ridiculous of answers. In this war, Zhang Heng was indeed an outsider who had nothing to do with it.

 Chapter 68 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You X

    The woman sitting across him asked him a few other questions. Questions liked why he was here, was there someone else with him, was he a communist¡­ Zhang Heng answered all her questions honestly. For the past few days, he did not just loiter in the forest. While traveling, he had been carefully planning how he could handle a situation like this if he ever got into one.


    Hence, the woman could not fault him. Throughout the conversation, Zhang Heng managed to acquire some information about her as well. Her name was Maji, a surgeon. After the feminist movement, women¡¯s status in society greatly improved. Despite all that, it was a rarity for a woman to become a surgeon in this era. After graduation, Maji had to leave her motherland for Switzerland, spending some time there before moving back to Finland to work in a hospital.


    When the war broke out, she did not leave Finland, instead, choosing to stay behind as a volunteer. She was the only doctor for the entire base camp. And the man with the mustache, Ah Ji, was the second lieutenant in this camp. His job was to command the guerilla troops.


    As she was finished with her questioning, Maji squinted and stared hard at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I know what you want now. However, I can¡¯t make the decision right now. Go back to where you come from. I will relay everything that you told me to Ah Ji.¡±


    ¡°How is she doing?¡± asked Zhang Heng before leaving the cottage.


    ¡°About her¡­ real lucky she was.. brought back in the nick of time. The surgery was a huge success. I have given her a good few pints of blood. Two days ago, we received a batch of anti-inflammatories from Switzerland. She should be fine. I think she should regain consciousness by tomorrow morning,¡± Maji replied while staring blankly.


    Zhang Heng could sense that her mind was elsewhere when she answered his question. She might have been thinking about personal business or about the guerillas. Whatever it was, he knew that this was not the right time to ask. Simply nodding his head, he headed back to the storeroom.


    This time, he waited for a long time before someone knocked at his door. When dawn had broken, a guerilla fighter came into the storeroom and delivered the first meal of the day. His breakfast included a bowl of venison soup, half a loaf of bread, and blueberry jam.


    The food they served here was way better than the Soviet rations he was forced to live on. This was the advantage of fighting as Finland¡¯s warriors. Though the guerillas had to continually hide deep in the mountains, they would constantly receive supplies from the villages nearby them. These villagers were unyielding, often informing them of the Soviet¡¯s positions in the forest.


    For the past few days, Zhang Heng had been hiding here and there. It had been a long time since he had a proper meal. As he had done everything he was capable of, it was useless to worry about things he couldn¡¯t control. He might as well sit down and enjoy the great food in front of him.


    It wasn¡¯t until the afternoon before Maji visited again.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry we can¡¯t send you to the back of the battle line. This is a pivotal moment for the war right now. We don¡¯t have enough people to escort you to the back of the line.¡±


    ¡°Just point me in the right direction and give me some supplies. I think I can travel there by myself.¡±


    Maji simply smiled.


    It then dawned on Zhang Heng, as he finally knew the reason behind it.


    ¡°Your identity is suspicious and we don¡¯t even know where you come from. Though we can¡¯t fault anything that you¡¯ve told us, it is basically impossible for us to verify your information as well. Besides, now you know where the guerilla base came is, there¡¯s no way that we will let you go just like that,¡± said the doctor.


    Zhang Heng was speechless.


    ¡°Ah Ji is the kind of person that dislikes trouble and it might not be fair to you. Since we have no way to rule out that you are not a Soviet spy, killing you would be the easiest solution for us. There are dead bodies everywhere around here. All we need to do is kill you and toss your body at an obscure spot on the battlefield. No one would ever know that we were the ones who killed you!¡±


    Maji then paused her speech, seeming as if she was hoping to see fear ooze out from Zhang Heng¡¯s face. Unfortunately, the way he acted left her in disappointment. He knew that if they wanted to kill him, they would not have sent the doctor all the way here and spend all this time talking to him. It was totally pointless for a bunch of mercenaries to put on such an elaborate show.


    ¡°Good news is, the sniper that you rescued is returning the favor. From the first day I¡¯ve known her until now, I have never seen her talk so much in one day! Since she can vouch for you, Ah Ji is willing to give you an opportunity to prove if you are a friend or an enemy of Finland.¡±


    ¡°Well. What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Congratulations! You¡¯ve passed the test and are one of us now. That female sniper is lacking a partner. Both of you will go on a mission together once she has fully recovered!¡±


    Zhang Heng realized that this was the best offer he could get for now. Though a lot different from what he expected, he knew that he had no right to reject the offer. Rejecting the proposal would mean certain death for him.


    This could be either a good or bad change to Zhang Heng¡¯s current situation. The good, was that he could take his mind off the supply problem since the logistics from the guerilla base camp would have that covered. He also had a powerful partner with him right now, where Zhang Heng had witnessed first hand the exceptional marksmanship of the sniper. He would never need to worry that she would miss her target.


    Then there was the bad part. Zhang Heng was now forced into a war he never intended to fight. He had been switched from an observer to a solider. Everything he would face from now on was going to be a risk to his life. He had never received any military training before and was very sure that the man with mustache knew all about it. Despite knowing the boy couldn¡¯t fight, he had put forward such a proposal.


    ¡°I have not shot out of a firearm before. Can you at least allow me to get some training first?¡±


    ¡°Of course! That is a perfectly reasonable request. Before that kid recovers, you can do whatever you want as long as you don¡¯t leave this place.¡±


    Maji was shocked to see Zhang Heng acting so calmly, despite being thrown around and coerced into a war. She suddenly realized that she could not read this young man. His level of maturity did not match his current age at all. It was rare for a such a young man to maintain his composure in the situation he was forced into. Zhang Heng had managed to pique her interest.


    ¡°What kind of weapon do you wish to use? M28 machine gun? Suomi KP submachine gun? Hmm¡­ that one might be hard for you to get your hands on. We also have the Degtyaryov machine gun that we confiscated from the Soviets in our armory¡­¡±


    ¡°If possible, I want to train on a machine gun and a handgun first.¡±


    Zhang Heng would prioritize protecting himself over anything else. Though machine guns and submachine guns were really powerful, they were also very, very loud. That meant the enemy would instantly pinpoint the shooter¡¯s position. It was best for him not to attract the attention of the enemies. Kill counts were pointless to him. He already knew how this war would end.


    ¡°Shooting aside, I think you should train your snowboarding skills as well. The snow is thick here. It would be more effective for you to slide around with a snowboard rather than walking your way through the ice. It might even come in handy one day, saving your life and all that,¡± said Maji while lighting up a fag.


    For once, a practical suggestion. The snowboard was the signature item of the Finnish guerilla forces, allowing them to move around freely at a ridiculous speed. They were the infamous ghosts of the war, whizzing their invisible way through the darkness. They were legends, never to be surrounded by their enemies.

 Chapter 69 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XI

    Maji brought Zhang Heng to meet the logistics guy responsible for the firearms. He was an old hunter with a pronounced limp. At the same time, he doubled as the resident chef for the base camp as well. The breakfast that Zhang Heng had earlier? Yeah, that was him too.


    Maji gave the old man a quick hug and spoke in Finnish, telling him about the newcomer. As they talked, Maji passed him half a pack of cigarettes. The older man then stared at Zhang Heng and nodded his head, albeit somewhat unwillingly. He flipped his remuneration into his pocket, turned around, and entered the house behind him.


    ¡°Oher will show you later how to use the machine gun. He¡¯s one of the most accomplished hunters over here. His tens of years of experience are more than good enough to teach you everything you need to know about a machine gun. Don¡¯t worry about the language barrier. I¡¯ll be your translator. If you have any questions, feel free to voice it out,¡± said Maji.


    Zhang Heng was surprised at how Maji was so helpful all of a sudden. She did not seem like the kind of person to stick her nose in the business of others.


    ¡°The girl requested me to help you. My hands are tied. She¡¯s the reason why I can still continue to smoke. So, it¡¯s hard for me to say no to her. I consider this favor as repaying her back.¡±


    It was apparent that Maji was in no intention to hide the truth. She then paused and stared at Zhang Heng in a suspiciously.


    ¡°Sebor told me that you and the female sniper were¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Zhang Heng blushed, not knowing what to answer. During that perilous time, Zhang Heng was left with no other option if he was to keep her alive. Considering the nature of how it ¡®happened¡¯ though, it would be hard for anybody to believe him even if he was telling the truth.


    Luckily, good old Oher saved the day, coming out from the house in the nick of time right after Maji asked the question. He then handed a machine gun to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°This machine gun that you are holding is an M28. It is an improved version of the M1891 Mosin-Nagant and is way more accurate when it fires. Weapons are scarce here. You better not lose it!¡±


    Maji translated everything to Zhang Heng, and he was thankful he could finally find common ground with these people.


    ¡°Besides the gun, Oher has given you 70 rounds as well. You need to know that these bullets are not just for shooting practice. You will need them when you go on your first mission. I would advise you to use ¡¯em wisely.¡±


    Maji paused for a while before continuing, ¡°Now¡­ you can claim 40 rounds here before you go on a mission. If you run out of ammo, you can get it from the dead Soviets that you killed. Alternatively, you can exchange something valuable for bullets. I¡¯ll give you an example. Guns and medicines are precious at the base camp. Bring home some if you can. And if you manage to get your hands on a T26 tank and drive it back to the base camp, you will have my heartiest congratulations. That is because it will grant you full access to your arsenal!¡±


    While Maji was talking, a few guerrillas brought over a Maxim Heavy Machine Gun, looking like they had just got back to the base camp not too long ago. And they had won the battle. Some of them were even bold enough to whistle at Maji when they saw her. Seeing the colossal cannon-like weapon rolling by, Zhang Heng jumped aside and let them move the lumbering gun into the armory. Then, Oher jotted something down on his notebook.


    Only after did the excited guerrillas leave the armory did Oher finally started explaining how a machine gun was used. Zhang Heng made sure as well to pay proper attention to every single word he said. After all, Maji would not be there every single time to translate for him. Not like she would be in such an elegant mood every single day anyway.


    The next day, Maji brought Zhang Heng to visit a guerrilla that was really good at snowboarding. The small favor she asked had cost her half a pack of cigarettes, buying Zhang Heng one snowboarding lesson for half a day. Zhang Heng had gone snowboarding a couple of times back home. With the added guidance, he managed to perform a lot better than yesterday.


    After two days, Maji finally grew impatient and left Zhang Heng to do whatever he wanted to do. Luckily, Zhang Heng had learned everything that he needed to learn to keep himself alive while he was out on a mission.


    So, he searched for a secluded place and started practicing everything he learned for the past two days. Snowboarding shouldn¡¯t be too tall of an order for Zhang Heng since he had done it before. Shooting, on the other hand, was a totally different story. When it came to the theory, he knew almost everything about weapons. All he needed to do right now was to familiarize himself with it.


    He needed to make sure that his fingers would become accustomed to pulling the trigger at living enemies. Right now, he had only 70 bullets with him, and though he tried to spare as many as possible, he still spent 40 bullets in two days. If he was shooting in real life, going through 40 bullets would take him a mere two minutes.


    After the shooting practice, Zhang Heng was flabbergasted, realizing that his shooting skills barely scraped the level of zero. And Zhang Heng did not know what to do anymore. He now had to conserve the bullets for his next mission. To survive in his upcoming mission, he expected that he would need to have 30 rounds with him. At most, he could only afford to spend another 10 bullets. Any more than that and he would turn into a corpse on the battlefield.


    Quite frankly, ten bullets wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference.


    There was nothing Zhang Heng could do about it, and since he could not leave base camp to look for more ammo, he could only exchange for them with Oher. Unfortunately, his valuables had been confiscated by the other guerillas. On top of that, Zhang Heng had no intention to get it back from them because he knew that it was pointless. Those weren¡¯t the types to return something they came into possession of. Finders keepers.


    With that being said, his shooting practice had come to an end.


    On the third day, Zhang Heng went back to where he first practiced shooting. To his pleasant surprise, he found three boxes of bullets under the white birch, a total of 45 rounds! Now, who could it be? Zhang Heng was the one who picked the location for the shooting practice, and no one else knew about it.


    This was located some distance away from the base camp. Until now, he still had no idea why the gunner that he met in the forest was still acted hostile towards him, suspecting that the others might have felt uncomfortable as well. He realized he was now stuck here for some time. In the interest of avoiding prying eyes and to stay out of trouble, he thought it best to look for a more covert spot.


    He was delighted, never expecting to find so many bullets here. Admittedly, that solved the huge problem of the lack of ammunition. He wondered who had the generosity to leave him such handsome bounty.


    In truth, it was not that difficult to figure out who left it here. There was only one person in the base camp fond of Zhang Heng.


    As it had been left there, finders keepers, he thought and used all of it for the shooting practice.


    The next day, three boxes of rounds were being left under the trees again. This time, his cellphone, wallet, wooden sculpture, and Rabbit¡¯s Foot were laid beside as well. Except for his inner coat, all of his personal belongings had returned to him!


    Instead of carrying on with his shooting practice, he knocked on the Maji¡¯s door.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± groaned Maji with a yawn. Her sleepy voice proof that she had just woken up.


    ¡°Good morning, Ms. Maji. I¡¯m here to look for someone.¡±


    Zhang Heng knew that the female sniper stayed together with Maji in the same wooden cottage.


    ¡°Oy! Your bloke¡¯s here to look for you! Should I tell him that you are here?¡±


    Chilly winds were starting to close in, causing a shivering Maji to tighten the neckline of her nightgown.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Half a minute later, Maji stood aside and allowed Zhang Heng to enter. The sniper was lying on the bed and had her back facing the entrance with a blanket wrapped like a burrito around her. Zhang Heng could only make out half her head. It seemed like she was still sleeping.


    Maji then walked over to her bed and pulled the blanket away. The neatly-dressed blond-haired sniper was presented before Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Simone! You can¡¯t avoid your partner forever, right?¡±

 Chapter 70 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XII

    Knowing that she had been busted, she couldn¡¯t pretend to sleep anymore. So, she reluctantly got up and sat on her bed. After getting a good couple of days¡¯ rest, she definitely looked a lot better than before. However, Zhang Heng realized that she did not dare look him in the eye.


    ¡°Can you please translate for us again?¡± Zhang Heng politely asked Maji.


    ¡°Just say what you want to say.¡±


    Maji took out another cigarette in anticipation as she smiled at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Thank you for much for vouching for me. I came here once to visit you before, but Dr. Maji said that you needed more rest. So, I did not get to see you.¡±


    Simone looked at him and blinked. Despite attempting to put on her best poker face, Zhang Heng could see a pang of deep-seated guilt hidden behind those dreamy blue eyes. Not knowing if it was the wrong thing to say, Zhang Heng omitted the part about getting back his personal belongings and the extra bullets under the tree.


    ¡°My home is in a land far away. Due to some reason, I¡¯m stranded here. Once the war is over, I will return to the place I came from,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    Simone seemed disappointed after hearing what Zhang Heng had to say.


    Zhang Heng knew that she had grown fond of him after what happened to them in the woods. From what he saw, it seemed like Simone was a high ranking guerilla in this base camp. He could have easily taken advantage of her fondness toward him and have a better life right here. If he did that, however, he would definitely bring great sorrow to Simone when the day to leave finally arrived.


    Sometimes, Zhang Heng had doubts if this was really just a game. His entire experience so far had proven too realistic for him to handle. Everything was so real it became hard to consider those around him like a bunch of programmed NPC. Zhang Heng also wondered what would happen to this virtual world once he left. What would happen to the ¡®people¡¯ around here?


    Would the tale soldier on without him?


    Despite it all, he knew that it was hard to lie to the only girl fond of him in the entire camp. Eventually, Zhang Heng decided that he would tell her the plain old truth. It might seem unwise in the current climate, but he was willing to risk it and stick on to his principles.


    Simone looked lost after the conversation. She was just sat mum on the bed, unable to utter a single word.


    ¡­..


    Noticing tension in the atmosphere, Maji closed the door behind her and talked to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I thought you looked smart for a man. You really should never say such cruel words to a girl! However, I think I kinda like you right now. Simone might be a masterful marksman, but she is extremely innocent. She has never been in a relationship in her entire life. Before the war, she lived with her great-grandfather deep in the forest, and all she did growing up was hunting. Ah Ji and I initially thought that you harbored ill intentions towards her. It seems that I have misunderstood you.


    Maji then paused, lighting up another cigarette.


    I have come across many men in this life. Most of the ones I know have a dick in place of their brains. Although they would instantly fall for women who showed fondness towards them, the ending is usually the same. Waking up in the morning, feeling an empty space beside you, finding out that you have been left all alone in the bedroom. Such is the nature of men, right?¡±


    ¡°So, you guys have finally agreed to send me to the back of the battlefield?¡± asked Zhang Heng as he ignored her rambling.


    ¡°About that¡­ I must apologize. It¡¯s simply not possible. I didn¡¯t exactly lie about everything the last time we talked. Compared to the Soviet military, we severely lack skilled fighters. Since you are all dandy and healthy, you turn up as a perfect add-on to the force!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Maji assured him. ¡°I will help you solve your gun problem. Later on, I will see who has remained at the base camp. Weller and his team just came back yesterday, so I don¡¯t think they are heading out today. They should have plenty of time to give you a few shooting lessons later. However, I feel they don¡¯t like you too much. How about Mike? I wonder if he¡¯s here right now.¡±


    Suddenly, the door was pushed open. Simone was barged in and whispered something in Finnish to Maji, leaving her startled. She then turned around, relaying to Zhang Heng what Simone just told her.


    ¡°Simone told me that she wants to be the one that teaches you how to shoot better!¡± Maji whispered while smiling slyly.


    This amazed him. Considering how he had just let his tongue slip, her heart would have been broken, much less willing to teach him anything.


    ¡°Is she even okay?¡±


    ¡°Are you doubting my medical skills? This is the fifth day. She¡¯ll be fine as long as she does not overexert herself,¡± grumbled Maji with one of her eyebrows twitched.


    Of course, Zhang Heng would not reject the offer. He knew that it was challenging to find someone good to teach him. Earlier, all Oher did was summarize the entire course of shooting better. When he was practicing, he encountered a new problem. He did not approach Oher to ask about it, though.


    And this was not the 21st century. He couldn¡¯t just simply get on Baidu or watch a bunch of online tutorials to help to shoot better.


    It was undeniably that Simone shot as good as she looked. Zhang Heng personally witnessed her exterminating two Soviet scout teams on her own, never once needing a second bullet to kill her target. It was all a one shot one kill business. It was hard to believe that she acquired such great skills, even at such a young age. Zhang Heng grew more and more curious about the girl¡¯s origins, of how she got so bloody good at what she did.


    Simone was the kind of girl that took her own sweet time. Since she happened to be dressed and he had a rifle with him, they all proceeded to his secret shooting range.


    ¡°Both of you. Spare my life, please. I haven¡¯t even had my breakfast yet,¡± lamented Maji.


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng was shocked to see Oher giving Simone bullets every single time she asked for it. She must have contributed a great deal to the war effort. Simone was known to continually empty the already limited armory of ammo. Poor Oher had to hide someplace whenever she came asking for more.


    Unfortunately, the base camp was more like small confinement. Oher had to cook for everyone every day, so it wasn¡¯t hard for Simone to find him. In the end, due to the shortage, he had to increase its price. Right now, ammunition had turned into the most valuable loot for all the guerilla members.


    This week alone, Zhang Heng had lost count of how many bullets he had fired. This was the first time he experienced the joy of unlimited rounds.


    Right now, he was lying low on the snow-covered ground as he controlled his breathing. He had his rifle loaded and aimed for the target 30 meters away from him.


    Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger! Seconds later, there was a loud thunk as the metal cup on the wooden block was sent flying. Zhang Heng then heard a notification.


    [Acquired new skill ¨C shooting: LV 0]


    This was the very first time he managed to learn an entirely new skill set in such a short period of time. All in all, it had only taken him the better half of a week. However, it seemed like Simone was displeased with his progress. She took out her rifle, cocked it, and pulled the trigger. The bullet landed on the tiny matchbox located 120 meters away from them! The best part, it took her only two seconds to hit her target.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Zhang Heng was left tongue-tied. There was still a gaping gap between them. Without a scope, it was hard for Zhang Heng to land a shot on his target. He had no idea how Simone managed to land an accurate shot that was so far away from them.


    Her dexterity and speed were simply too impressive. When a sniper went against another sniper, speed was the factor that decided who lived or died. If Simone was his enemy, Zhang Heng knew that she would have killed him before he even picked up his gun.

 Chapter 71 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XIII

    Though Zhang Heng spent most of his time brushing up his shooting, he made sure that he would not neglect snowboarding as well. Unfortunately, training on the snowboard didn¡¯t go as smoothly as the shooting practice. Simone¡¯s snowboarding skill was decent, but it didn¡¯t come close to her shooting skills. Besides, as she was still recovering from her injuries, it was a terrible idea for her to do such vigorous exercise. Hence, she sat it out most of the time and watched Zhang Heng practice instead.


    Maji stayed with them for only two days. After that, she grew impatient and bored with the translator job. Before they even realized it, Maji had already made a quick escape, running to deal with other more pressing matters.


    Luckily, Zhang Heng and Simone only needed to communicate with each other during training. Though they did not share a common language, hand signals were sufficient for Zhang Heng to understand most of her instructions. Most of the time, there was an awkward silence between them.


    Simone would watch Zhang Heng from the side when he practiced shooting. It was almost always freezing, up here in the north. As a snowflake landed on her nose tip, she could not help but sneeze.


    ¡­..


    Along with that, Zhang Heng found out that Simone had started to learn English from Maji. Ironically, the first sentence that she learned was, ¡®can you kiss me?¡¯.


    So, the next morning, as Zhang Heng was brushing his teeth, he suddenly heard Simone¡¯s first English words.


    Shocked and taken aback, he almost swallowed the toothpaste in his mouth when he heard Simone asking him to kiss her! Later on, he discovered that Simone actually intended to say ¡®good morning¡¯ to him. Undoubtedly, only Maji could fool around with her in such a silly way.


    Zhang Heng himself wanted to learn Finnish as well. After all, it was never a bad idea to learn a new language. Besides, he could communicate with the people around him.


    However, there were very few consonants in Finnish. Instead, it had long words, rich vowels, and very complicated grammar, little wonder why it was considered as one of the hardest languages to master. With all things considered, this seemed to be the wrong time to learn a new language, a very hard one at that. In order to survive the war, he first had to improve his shooting and snowboarding prowess.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t impossible for him to learn if he put his heart into it. He soon realized that there were some crucial words that had to be acquired instantly. Words like ¡®open fire, ceasefire, retreat, and, cover¡¯ were critical on the battlefield.


    So here he was, trying to learn some words that were frequently used daily. Although such a short time would prove impossible for him to come up with full sentences, a single word would surely help a lot to express what he was trying to say. Maji naturally became the busiest person in the base camp, having to teach Simone English and Zhang Heng Finnish at the same time while being the doctor as well.


    The good thing here was that Zhang Heng was very productive by nature. He transformed from a man who had never held a gun in his life to a lethal mercenary that could shoot accurately. At the same time, he snowboarded well now, swiftly sliding through the icy lands like a white phantom.


    He had undoubtedly improved by leaps and bounds during this period. Though he still couldn¡¯t be compared to a full-blown Finnish guerilla, most members, including Maji, were secretly impressed by his rapid improvement.


    Simone¡¯s good teaching contributed most to his improvement. As Zhang Heng had previously spent a great deal of time honing his archery skills, he had a good grasp of the basics of aiming. Regretfully, his goal of getting his shooting and snowboarding to Level 1 seemed impossible to achieve.


    On his 13th day here, something that was bound to happen finally took place.


    Simone had almost fully recovered from her wounds. If it was not for Zhang Heng, she would have left the base camp three days ago. In order to make sure he received the best training, she elected to stay behind for a few more days.


    Today was the day that the guerilla troops received a message from the villagers nearby, informing them that a platoon of Soviet soldiers rushing somewhere had been spotted. Immediately, Ah Ji summoned all the available guerillas to discuss taking out the troops. Predictably, every single one of them concurred. Simone, too, had asked for approval to join this mission.


    Zhang Heng did not attend the meeting but sensed that the guerilla members were filled with excitement. All of them were cleaning their weapons, checking their backpacks, and discussing strategies. Clearly, the atmosphere at the base camp had changed. Even lunch was a lot better than the usual.


    Simone then told Zhang Heng in English that they were about to go on a mission. In turn, Zhang Heng replied to her in Finnish. Both of them looked for Oher, managing to claim four days¡¯ worth of ammunition and supplies. As a bonus, Zhang Heng was presented with a set of camouflaged attire as well. He no longer needed to wear that rather unsightly khaki-colored Soviet uniform.


    It would be a lie to say that Zhang Heng was not nervous. After all, he was about to enter an active warzone.


    He was different from all those guerillas, having nothing against the Soviets. Whether he wanted it or not, though, he would soon be dipping his hands into a lake filled with Soviet blood. Wars were merciless. Everyone involved in such brutal acts against each other would eventually be forced to do something they never intended to.


    Zhang Heng stuffed the toiletries and a roll of bandage into his backpack. These items were separated from the dried meat and vegetables. Simone was worried about his mental state. While packing, she kept peeping at him, worried that the rookie would somehow break down and desert the for.


    However, it seemed that Zhang Heng was strangely serene; his mood no different from going for a training session. Her worries slowly subsided.


    ¡­..


    This place was no cozy study room.


    This place was not a quiet library that was flooded with sunlight.


    Zhang Heng wished he could comfortably sprawl on a sofa in some quiet place to prepare his mind for the rigors of war. Unless he shared the same fate with Desmond Doss, most people would only get one of two endings on a battlefield.


    To kill or be killed.


    This had nothing to do with moral codes. Survival was the priority here.


    Zhang Heng slung his snowboard and the M28 at his back. Simone was waiting at the entrance when he opened the door. As she saw him, she hesitated before mustering enough courage to give him a one-second hug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will protect you,¡± said Simone.


    A strange sensation overwhelmed Zhang Heng, this being the first time a girl had said such a thing to him. And the weirdest part was, he found it really hard to refuse her. In the end, he nodded his head and replied, ¡®me too.¡¯


    Both of them did not leave for the mission when the other guerillas did. This was only because Simone was used to acting alone. In her younger days, she was trained to hunt by herself. Even after joining the guerillas, she never wanted to partner with others as well. To ensure Zhang Heng would survive till the end of this war, she broke her lone-shooter chastity for the first time and requested him as her partner.


    Still, she was not used to being with someone else. While they were on the road, Simone walked briskly and was ahead of Zhang Heng. Soon, a one-meter distance drew between the two of them.


    Night had fallen, and the temperature had fallen by tens of degrees.


    Before long, Zhang Heng notified Simone that it was time for dinner. After living desolated on an island for a year and a half, Zhang Heng¡¯s cooking had improved a lot. When it came to the simple ingredients that they had, he could transform them into something delicious. Hence, he volunteered to start the fire to cook for the two of them.


    As she stared at the hynotizing flames, Simone zoned out. Suddenly, she thought of something and her face turned red. Initially, she had just sat there quietly, but right now, she found it really hard to sit still. Fumbling, she showed Zhang Heng a hand signal, indicating that she should check out their surroundings first.


    Clearly, it didn¡¯t seem like a valid excuse as they had just left the base camp not too long ago. There was still some distance between them and the Soviets. Other than trees and deer around them, there were no other living beings along a ten-mile radius. Perhaps this strange silence was the reason Simone felt so uneasy.

 Chapter 72 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XV

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The night went by peacefully.


    On the afternoon of the second day, Simone found the footprints of Soviet soldiers. It seemed like they just passed here yesterday. According to the prints, there should be around 100 to 200 people. There were also tracks all over the ground left behind by wheels of some kind. It was a high possibility that they dragged along heavy machine guns with them..


    After snowboarding for the entire afternoon, they finally got close to their targets just before sundown. It seemed that the Soviets moved at a snail¡¯s pace. Considering that the snow on the ground was half a meter thick, it was extremely hard for soldiers and horses to move around as they pleased.


    When the terrain got too tough, the soldiers would be forced to free the stuck carts, heaving and pushing with whatever little strength they had left. The combination of poor weather and bad news from the frontlines took a big hit on the soldiers¡¯ morale. They were supposed to carry out the attack in 16 days, but had failed miserably in doing so. If Zhang Heng remembered correctly, most of the Soviet troops would be eventually eliminated by the Finnish guerillas.


    Every single frontline soldier sent to Finland by the Soviets had been overwhelmed by fear. Typically, soldiers that left their homeland to fight a war abroad would be left with very low morale . Despite the Soviets¡¯ best attempts to boost their spirits, the results turned out a lot worse than expected. After the purge, some experienced mid and high-ranking officers were either executed on the spot or sent to Siberian gulags.


    Most of the young officers that were promoted had just graduated from military college. Their loyalty toward their homeland was unquestionable. Like brainwashed zombies, they had only one purpose, and that was to follow orders. These were perfect for battles that required cannon fodder, or ones that required little thinking but rather, a mass horde of killing machines. Right now, they were facing problems from all directions, with their young officers not knowing how to handle their dejected subordinates.


    After checking the soldiers out with a pair of binoculars, Simone passed it to Zhang Heng. What she saw was a classic Soviet military formation. There were around 150 people in total, where the frontline was made up of three rows of foot soldiers equipped with 12 light machine guns, two heavy machine guns, and then, some grenade dischargers that looked like spades. Most were using the M1891 Mosin-Nagant. For a long time, this rifle was a signature weapon of the Soviets.


    In terms of firepower, it was rather potent, especially the Maxim heavy machine gun. In theory, it could shoot up to 600 rounds per minute, powerful enough to shoot down flying airplanes.


    Zhang Heng was worried that the reflection of the binoculars might give away their location, only taking short glances in between. Both him and the sniper decided it was best to retreat for now, only returning later that night. Simone had already started to bury herself with the snow around her. She then signaled him with her hand asking him to retreat first.


    For the past week, they had been training together, and he thought that he knew how excellent her shooting skills were. He could not help but take a deep breath when he found out about her intentions. Seven hundred meters lay between them and the targets. If one used the sight bead to aim at a target three hundred meters away, the red dot in the scope would be larger than the target. Five hundred meters was considered the maximum distance a shooter could accurately discern it. It was practically impossible to take out a person that was 700 meters away! Zhang Heng had no idea what kind of sniper could achieve such a great feat.


    The one thing he knew was that he had to trust his partner with everything he had, come what may. As he mulled over those thoughts in amazement, Zhang Heng carried both of their snowboards one mile from where Simone hid.


    He heard a gunshot the moment he lay down. Right after that, loud chaos broke out among the Soviets! Although he could not see what had happened from his distance, he could imagine how terrifying a situation they must be in.


    The first thing they would do was to lie flat on the ground and attempt to locate the sniper. Unfortunately, no one would have expected that shot actually came from 700 meters away! After a short back and forth of crossfire, the Soviets had enough. They loaded their Maxim heavy machine guns and grenade launchers at the same time. As the powerful cannon started its assault, the sound of the M28 was utterly drowned out. They would never be able to locate where Simone was.


    This kind of battle had a significant impact on a soldier¡¯s morale. Simone could only kill one person each time she fired, and the overpowered Soviets were enough to destroy the entire Milky Way. Despite having the big guns, despair eventually subjugated them. Their firepower was deemed useless when they faced an invisible sniper that was a good 700 meters away from them.


    Like a rampant plague, fear had started to spread among the ranks of the Soviets.


    The shooting finally came to a stop five minutes later. Some soldiers were still holding up their rifles, cautiously scanning their surroundings. The fear of dying at any moment began to fester in them. From the beginning till the end, they had not located the lone sniper. However, some stray bullets still landed at Simone¡¯s hideout. Zhang Heng was incredibly worried that she might have been shot.


    Thankfully, he soon saw Simone approaching him and was filled with relief.


    Nothing had changed on Simone, except for her rapid breathing. She then spat out some snow from her mouth and drew the number ¡¯12¡¯ in the air with her finger. In total, Simone used 30 bullets, and she managed to kill one with every three shots. The kill count might not be impressive, but if one considered the fact that she killed enemies that were 700 meters away from her, it was nothing less than a miraculous feat. Her main target were the ones on the heavy machine guns, killing almost 7 out of the 14 gunners. She even managed to kill an officer right before he threw a grenade at her!


    While the Soviets were blinded by chaos, Zhang Heng and Simone managed to increase the distance between them. And this was how Zhang Heng¡¯s shootout ended. Throughout the entire stint, he did not fire a single bullet. He was just an observer, witnessing his partner killing their enemies. Simone, on the other hand, did not look too excited about her recent achievement.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    There was still half an hour left before the sky turned dark. Simone had no plans to waste any second, so they quickly switched to another spot. She then carried on with the unfinished business, ticking off the rest of the enemies one after another. There was nothing the Soviets could do about her. They had the numbers, but if they deployed all 100 soldiers to search the forest, it would only be easier for Simone to pick them off one by one. Only a sniper could kill a sniper. A heavy machine gun was basically useless right now.


    This was the problem that the Soviet commanders could never solve throughout the duration of the winter war. Unfortunately, they did not realize how valuable a sniper would be during that period. Thus, they paid the hefty price of hundreds of thousands of souls before they established their own sniper brigade.


    Many years later, though, the Soviet Union would eventually become the country with the most snipers. In the battle with the Nazis, they had snipers deployed at every single, crevasse, rooftop, and ruin in the city.

 Chapter 73 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XV

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The surprise attack threw the entire Soviet troops into a disorganized chaos. However, this was not the end of it. Their nightmare was officially set to begin that night. During the nighttime, visibility had significantly reduced, making it a lot harder for the troops to spot the guerilla members hiding in the forest. Without a visible target, they would not know where to fire.


    After an entire day of traveling on foot, most of the soldiers were famished and fatigued. Usually, during this hour, they would start to prepare and cook their dinner. Nothing was usual about this time as there was a sharp-shooting reaper hiding in the dark ¨C getting ready to harvest their souls, one bullet at a time. There were many dead bodies lying beside them, courtesy of the sniper, discouraging them from starting a fire to cook.


    Moments like these displayed the weakness of the young and inexperienced commanding officer. He did not know if he should fortify the place in anticipation of backup, or simply take off and never look back. Sadly for them, another force of guerillas soon arrived, surrounding them. Then, with a merciless blow, launched the second wave of attacks on this unlucky Soviet brigade.


    The guerillas with their submachine guns snowboarded their way in the dark forest right to the heart of the enemy base camp. The moment they saw the Soviets, they started to open fire! Though there were only 20 of them, their courage and blitz attack had caught the Soviets off-guard. Besides, Simone had taken care of two teams of their machine gunners. It was soon apparent that the reaction of the rest of the soldiers was a lot slower. In their mess and confusion, the guerillas had already finished shooting. By that time, the guerillas had left with their snowboards and turned to other locations to strike other brigades.


    Still, two guerillas got hit, where one of them was shot in the head, falling off from his snowboard. Another one was shot in the shoulder, but he managed to escape in the end. As for Simone, she had her rifle locked and loaded. Usually, she would start opening fire at single targets when the other guerillas launched their attacks. Once the surprise attack was over, she had killed another eight enemies. The combination of an invisible super-shooter and the Baltic ferociousness of the Finnish had managed to completely devastate the morale among the Soviet ranks.


    Within three minutes, another 20 dead bodies piled up on the ground, and 30 soldiers were severely wounded. Amongst these, seven were critical, choking, and bleeding out. It seemed they would not pull through the night. As for the rest, there was no way they would make their way to any battlefield without receiving medical attention. However, they would best forget their intentions, considering the agonized wails and screams of the decapitated conscripts.


    The Soviets were already in extreme distress when the guerilla attacked earlier. In order to save ammo and avoid friendly fire, they retreated, for now, halting the attack and hiding out in the forest to wait for the perfect moment to strike again.


    They were like predators stalking their prey from agar. Though the Soviets greatly outnumbered and had a lot more firepower than the guerillas, it did little to affect them. To them, the Soviets were simply dead mean on the chopping board. Since Finland was located far up north near the Artic, they had very long nights and only a few hours of daylight. They were accustomed to the dark, having honed their skills in the nights. This proved a great advantage to them when overpowering the uninitiated Slavs.


    Zhang Heng and Simone too retreated to a safe place. They even found a little time to have dinner. Of course, in order to stay hidden, there was no fire. Perhaps the food was undercooked, hence its rather unsavory nature. After a short while, they saw someone gliding towards them on a snowboard. The man passed, creating a cloud trail of snow and frost behind him.


    Zhang Heng recognized the man. He was the same one who had brought him back to base camp with a submachine gun pointed at him. After spending some time at the base camp, Zhang Heng got to know his name as well. He was called Weller and was the one most hostile towards Zhang Heng.


    He must have followed the signs Simone had left on the path when she moved here. Zhang Heng could roughly guess that he was here to discuss the time for the next round of attacks. The splash of snow and ice was an attempt to show off his skills to Zhang Heng, raising his eyebrows in intimidation, as if courting a challenge. He even cocked his machine gun, swung it around, and tauntingly glared at Zhang Heng.


    Just as Zhang Heng was about to react to that, Simone quickly stood up with her M28. She seemed akin to a lioness protecting her cub, which was Zhang Heng. Naturally, Zhang Heng was not pleased by her response. He muttered a few words and left with his snowboard.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    Zhang Heng felt that there was something terribly wrong about all this. The longer he stayed with Simone, the stronger this bad feeling got. Actually, it was not that hard to deal with a simple-minded brute like Weller. He was the same kind as Cheng Cheng ¨C a man-child.


    Though Weller had a strong dislike towards Zhang Heng, he had not done anything overboard so far. At most, he would laugh at him with his friends when Zhang Heng passed him by. Sometimes, he would even wear Zhang Heng¡¯s undercoat and deliberately walk in front of him. He had repeatedly done this, hoping to encourage a response. From time to time, he would glare at Zhang Heng with hatred, even spitting on the ground as a sign of disgust. With Zhang Heng looking away, he would often chuckle in satisfaction.


    After that, Zhang Heng got to know that Weller was married with two kids. His affection for Simone was more of admiration, an infatuation. He was green with jealousy when his crush hung out with Zhang Heng all the time. The best way to deal with these types was to do nothing at all about it. As time passed, he would have to accept that this was something that he could not change.


    The way Simone glared at him just now would definitely trigger his rebellious personality.


    Of course, Zhang Heng did not blame her for that. After all, nobody forced her, and she did it all out of good intentions. As long as she could remember, she had been staying with her great grandfather. Undoubtedly, more straightforward than Weller. As for a woman like Maji, Zhang Heng could never know what went through her mind. She had a natural flair for stage plays. Sometimes, she even acted so well that Zhang Heng could not help but believe whatever she said. She was a true femme fatale, and that was why Zhang Heng still did not trust her wholeheartedly.


    ¡­¡­


    40 minutes later, the guerillas launched their third wave of attacks.


    This time, the employed different tactics, not striking at them directly. Instead, they had two snipers picking them off from afar. This allowed them to draw fire away from the rest of the guerillas. While the Soviets were busy shooting at the sniper, the other guerilla members would appear out of nowhere and strike the distracted soldiers.


    Simone had her priority on the heavy machine gunners. At the same time, Zhang Heng had also let off a couple of shots as well. These targets were a lot further away than the ones in his training sessions. He did not know if he had made any kills before suddenly¡­


    A notification!


    [Successfully killed an enemy. Game Points: +5. For more information, please check your character panel]


    Was that a lucky shot, or did he really kill the one he aimed for?

 Chapter 74 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XVI

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    After killing over 20 people and a commander, the Soviets had completely lost the will to fight. Some of them surrendered their weapons and begged for their lives, and some tried to run away. The guerillas left a couple of fighters around to keep an eye on the deserters, while some others went into the forest to look for the runaways.


    Zhang Heng was not interested in these things that spilled blood. However, he knew that his first fight was the only time to prove his loyalty to the guerilla force. The way he acted upon the Soviets today would determine how the Finnish would treat him tomorrow. So, Zhang Heng followed right behind them and shot those who were on the run. It looked like good target practice as well, trying to strike moving runners and all.


    A gun-powdery half an hour later, the fight was finally over. All in all, a total of seven soldiers managed to escape. As for the rest of them, they were either captured or killed. This meant that an entire Soviet brigade had been eliminated. As for the guerillas, there were a total of two dead. One suffered substantial injuries, and four had flesh wounds, but nothing too serious.


    As for the fallen Finnish, one got shot directly in the head during the first wave of attack, and the second was killed while in pursuit of the enemy. Though the guerillas eventually killed their killers in revenge, it was impossible to bring their dead allies back to life.


    After that, Weller led a few of his people to scout the battlefield and make an inventory of the spoils the had looted from the Soviets. A few of the guerilla even looked excited, as if kids on a demented treasure hunt, looking ever excited at their new possessions. To the captured Soviets, each second that passed was hell, growing more anxious and panic-stricken. They had no idea what was going to happen to them.


    The Geneva Convention saw a way to treat prisoners of war with humanity. Unsurprisingly, the Soviets wanted no part of it in World War II. With that being said, Zhang Heng had never seen prisoners of war back at the base camp. It was simply not economically viable for guerillas to keep them alive, not to mention not having the numbers to control a riot if a huge fight broke out.


    This time, they captured a total of 40 prisoners, and at least four to five guerillas would be needed to escort them back to the base. Considering that they needed to deal with those that were injured, the possibility of crossing paths with other Soviets, and the possibility of the prisoners escaping, it still seemed unwise to bring them home.


    In an attempt to exert superiority, some of the guerillas had brought over two Maxim Heavy Machine Guns and pointed them at the prisoners, leaving them writhing and trembling. Some even wet their pants and started to cry in fear. All their weapons had been confiscated, and it seemed all but too late for these unfortunate souls.


    Zhang Heng had no intention to witness all the killing, not forgetting to leave the confiscated guns and valuable items as well. All he did was pick up ammunition. After filling his backpack, he left the place with Simone.


    As they were leaving, the loud rattle of heavy machine guns filled the air. Horrible screams of men doomed to their fate echoed painfully, leaving the forests engulfed in a veil of death and blood. It didn¡¯t last too long, though, as before long, silence embraced the dark woods once again.


    ¡­¡­..


    Before meeting Simone, Zhang Heng had experienced two fights. Hence, this was not his first time seeing bodies and parts scattered all around the floor. His calm reaction had left many befuddled. Throughout the entire battle, Zhang Heng did not drag anyone¡¯s feet and made no mistakes as well.


    This had caused many guerillas to change the way they looked at him, their impressions greatly improving. They no longer treated him like he was invisible. A lot of them remembered that they, too, performed poorly in their early days of battle. Except for Weller and gang of best friends, the rest of the guerilla members had gradually accepted Zhang Heng as one of their own.


    With only two casualties, the guerillas had managed to decimate an entire brigade of Soviets. It was to be considered a stunning victory. At the same time, the spoils of battle this time was a lot better than expected. In total, they had raked in a dozen light machine guns, two heavy machine guns, significant numbers of rifles, and together with them, the all-too-precious bullets.


    With all the new injection of weapons, Oher¡¯s problem was partially solved.


    Morale in the base camp ran high. Weller was locked in a noisy arm-wrestling battle with a few young men, no surprise there for the brutish Finn. There was a carnival atmosphere of sorts, with many drinking heartily and wagering bets on card games at the same time.


    When Zhang Heng entered the storeroom, he saw a new wooden bed, with a handsome pile of daily supplies beside it.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to join them?¡±


    Maji suddenly materialized at the door like a specter. She leaned her curvy hips on the wooden door as she lit up a cigarette. She had just stitched up a 5-inch gash in the leg of a wounded guerilla, leaving her collar with the cliche bloodstains of a war doctor.


    ¡°No,¡± answered Zhang Heng politely.


    ¡°Do you think that they will all die on the battlefield soon?¡± she asked, looking at him with soulful but emotionless eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng did not know how to answer her. He knew he had to be cautious when she talked to the crafty Maji. She could read him like an open children¡¯s book.


    ¡°What is it that you¡¯re afraid of? Doesn¡¯t the entire Europe think the same bloody way? Even an idiot will know who the winner of this war will be. But that¡¯s all in the future anyway. Right now, enjoy each day as if it¡¯s your last!¡±


    Zhang Heng did not say anything else after that, probably because he was the only one that knew that ending of this war. Having the knowledge of how a movie ended was like a spoiler, and this one didn¡¯t have the best of endings. He knew how this one ended. After all, a man out of time like him didn¡¯t share those deep-set goas, which defined the cause of the guerillas. He just wanted to survive in this cruel environment.


    ¡°Anyway, Ah Ji wants to tell you something. He said you did a good job. We treat our own well, and since you are part of us now, we will not allow you to suffer. Initially, we wanted to house you with the others, but it seems you prefer to be alone.¡±


    ¡°This place is good enough. No need for any changes.¡±


    For him, it was pointless staying with the others as he could not speak in Finnish. Silence would suit him better for now. Besides, as a rookie, he needed to wake up early to catch up with what the others new. Shooting near a horde of sleeping Finns didn¡¯t sound like the brightest idea.


    Sighing, Maji nodded her head, encouraged him, and left after that.


    Zhang Heng placed his snowboard at the corner of the wall before opening up his backpack. The loot of bullets fell to the ground as he unzipped the bag. In total, he had received 513 rounds from the fight, enough for many many sessions of shooting practice. After witnessing Simone¡¯s incredible aiming,


    Zhang Heng was filled with a strong desire to improve himself. To a sniper, distance meant safety.

 Chapter 75 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XVII

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng lay on the snow-covered ground for half an hour. He was holding his M28 and had its stock resting on his shoulder. The weather today was so cold that his fingers were frozen. Though he managed to stay calm, throughout most of the bad days here, he started to doubt if he could complete today¡¯s training.


    This was this 79th day in this world. The mission¡¯s dateline had passed, but the extra 24 hours he had each day graciously extended his mission to a total of 140 days. The good news was that the war was about to end soon.


    Basically, the winter war between the Soviet Union and Finland had two different phases. The first phase began on the 30th of November, 1939. The Soviets were divided into four teams and attacked Finland from all four directions. Undeniably, the attack ended badly for the Soviet Union, for after a long and hard battle, they only managed to conquer the northern tip of Finland. As for the other three directions, they suffered high losses. In the end, they were forced to retreat, returning to their homeland to conscript new soldiers.


    It was during that time that Finland had managed to devastate the great Soviet Union. This was notably evident at the battle at Karelian Isthmus, where the Soviets failed to break through the Mannerheim Line that Finland had maintained for a couple of decades. No matter how hard they tried, the Soviets were unable to figure out the foxy defense of Finnish. After paying the terrible price of thousands of lives, they only managed to penetrate 20km into their defensive line.


    That January, things started to get a lot worse. The Red Army came up with the Northwestern Front, a Soviet military formation at Karelian Isthmus, assigning a Marshall called Semyon Timoshenko as the commander. In total, there were field armies made up of the 21st infantry division and six tank brigades. The entire force was ordered to focus their fire on the Mannerheim Line. During that time, Finland¡¯s military was sorely lacking, having shortages of personnel, heavy weapons, and ammunition. Soon, these problems were exposed.


    Recently, the frontline sent a large number of emergency reports to the guerilla base camp. For now, they had nothing to do with Zhang Heng. He had been through around 20 battles throughout his time here. Every single day, he had to put his life on the line.


    The battles gradually got harder as compared to his first mission. There were a few times he almost got himself killed even though trying his best to be extra cautious of his surroundings. The closest call he had was when a grenade landed right in front of him! One wouldn¡¯t doubt the luck a Rabbit Foot could grant, as, in the end, the grenade did not explode, and Zhang Heng got to live to see another day.


    Many surprises and unforeseen circumstances occurred on a battlefield. Being extra careful did not guarantee that you got to keep your life. The tremendous stress that he was put under recently had driven him to improve his snowboarding and shooting skills faster than he could have before this.


    This was especially true for the latter. Within a month, Zhang Heng¡¯s shooting skill had climbed, and he was now at LV 1. If he kept going at this rate, he might just be able to scrape LV 2 next month. Right now, he had an 80% chance to land a critical shot at a target 200 meters away from him. And shooting distance was not his only improvement.


    All the while, Simone had been trying to help Zhang Heng improve the quality of his snipership on the whole and a heightened warzone awareness that he had to have. Indeed, he was getting a lot better with each passing day, thanks to her dedication and perseverance.


    At the moment, Simone was attempting to sharpen Zhang Heng¡¯s observation skills. Earlier, she had deployed traps and managed to capture five weasels. After that, Simone made a mark on them before releasing them back to the wild. Zhang Heng was supposed to capture three out of five to complete the task.


    Sporting white fur, they were extremely difficult to spot on the snow-covered ground. To make things worse, the rodents were usually cautious of their surroundings. After searching for a continuous half an hour, Zhang Heng finally found one and put a bullet in it! There were still four to go, with Zhang Heng having a hunch that they had probably escaped by now.


    Ten minutes later, he spotted another weasel on a ridge. However, Zhang Heng was quite some distance away from his target, but he knew that if he waited any longer, he would surely lose the elusive animal. Immediately, he pulled the trigger! Unfortunately, the freezing cold had diminished his accuracy. Instead of hitting it, he simply scared it away.


    Zhang Heng shook his head and put away his rifle in frustration, feeling like giving up. He then saw Simone sitting beside the fire, deep in thought. For the entire week, the guerillas were all on a sabbatical, having no war to fight. They had to wait until the Karelian Isthmus war ended before they resumed what they usually did. To be precise, Finland had to wait it out until other nations came to their rescue.


    England and France had promised that they would send their forces to help Finland defends against the Soviets. As for Switzerland and Norway, they had made it clear that they wouldn¡¯t be involved. Germany, too, mentioned that they had no intention to get involved in this war. Judging the current circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on until help arrived.


    At the same time, Finish foreign affairs had been engaging with the Soviets. Unfortunately, Soviet demands were often unreasonable and outrageous, often making small ransoms for an even lower request.


    February soon arrived. The longer the war dragged, the worse the weather became. As Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t involved in the war, and as an outsider, he had no concern about the outcome. To Simone, however, her country was about to be conquered. He could feel how down she must have gotten, knowing that a foreign force was about to colonize the homeland she knew all her life. Things would never be the same again.


    Sadly, even if he became as good a sniper as Simone, there was no way Zhang Heng could change the results of the war.


    The only thing that he could do right now was to cheer her up, perhaps offer a shoulder or two. It was the best he could offer.


    SPLAT!


    A snowball suddenly landed on Simone¡¯s back. Immediately, she turned around to see what was going on. At the same time, the second snowball landed on her arm! Playfully, she rolled up her snowball in retaliation!


    A perfectly round snowball landed perfectly on Zhang Heng¡¯s chest. Such was the deadly accuracy of a masterful sniper. Zhang Heng then tossed two snowballs at Simone, who managed to dodge one with the other landing on her neck. She could not help but shiver as the snow fell under her clothes. This snowball fight had triggered the gods of rivalry within her!


    Snowballs flew everywhere, with hints of laughter, bringing Simone a much-needed reprieve from the bitter horrors of human war. Everyone, no matter who won or lost, was a casualty.


    ¡­¡­


    It wasn¡¯t before the night that the two of them returned to base camp. As Zhang Heng was about to boil some water to shower, he saw Maji when he walked towards his cottage.


    ¡°The two of you came back quite late today,¡± she teased.


    ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°Things are getting really bad at Karelian Isthmus. The Soviets managed to break through the first line of defense. Rumor is that the higher authorities are about to fulfill the demands of the Soviet Union! The war will be coming to an end soon. Ah Ji wants to talk to you about it. Are you available now?¡±

 Chapter 76 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XVIII

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng put on his clothes and followed the doctor to where Ah Ji¡¯s residence. When he opened the door, Ah Ji was sitting on the table with a small knife while trimming the tip of a cigar.


    ¡°Welcome! Friend of Finland! Freedom fighter! My yellow-skinned friend!¡± he exclaimed with his arms open.


    Zhang Heng was invited to sit in front of Ah Ji. He had little contact with the guerilla commander for the past two months. The last time he walked into this cottage was during his first arrival. He still remembered that the commander left after speaking a few sentences, and Maji was the one who talked to him after that. Zhang Heng had no idea why the commander would want to talk to him now.


    Ah Ji put his cigar aside and produced a bottle of vodka under his table. It had been confiscated from one of the Soviet troops with only half a bottle left. Maji then took out three glasses and filled them up.


    ¡°Actually, I want to thank you for what you have done for us. Thank you for everything that you have done for the past two months. During our darkest, most harrowing moments, you have graciously picked up arms, and fought by our side. I want you to know that you have helped us protect our country. It¡¯s just too bad you¡¯re not Finnish, or our country would have decorated you with medals.¡±


    Zhang Heng simply nodded as he bottomed up the cup of vodka, allowing the commander to finish.


    ¡°You should know that the war is coming to an end soon. What do you plan to do when the war is over?¡±


    Zhang Heng calculated that he had about a month left before the war ended. Right until now, he had accumulated a total of 23 points. These were all the result of spotting a guerilla base camp, killing an enemy, using a Molotov cocktail to destroy a tank, successfully killing a commander, and acquiring ten bullet-shaped lighters. Indeed, some of these milestones were a bit on the weird side.


    Based on his primary mission, all he needed to do was to survive Finland for 20 days. Technically speaking, he wasn¡¯t required to stay here any longer. If possible, Zhang Heng wanted to travel to England or America. These two countries were considered some of the safest countries to be in during World War II.


    Although they did send throngs of troops to fight in other countries, their homelands were free from attacks. For Zhang Heng to be travel to these two countries, the guerilla commander had to first release him. Besides, the war was coming to an end. It was pointless keeping a foreigner here.


    Zhang Heng had been telling everyone how much he wanted to return to his hometown but had never told anyone about his intentions of going to England or America.


    The commander and Maji looked at each other, placing down their glasses at the same time.


    ¡°We pointed our guns at the same enemy. I¡¯m going to be honest with you here. We will always believe in you no matter what happens since you are one of us. However, some of them do not think in the same way.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You were spotted by the soldier that provides our ammunition. They are worried you might leak out information about us to others.¡±


    ¡°For example?¡±


    ¡°For example, the way we deal with our war prisoners. You know¡­ we do what we have to do. However, when such matters spread, I¡¯m afraid it might affect us in a bad way. Considering that foreign affairs are negotiating with the Soviet Union, this is a very sensitive time. Such information must be top-secret, by hook or by crook,¡± answered Maji while taking over the cigar handed by the commander.


    In a surprising turn of events, the commander then drew a pistol from his pocket and pointed at Zhang Heng!


    Immediately, the atmosphere in the room tensed. After a short while, the commander put down the gun on the table.


    ¡°Good news is we know what kind of person you are. For me, I know in my heart that you will not leak such intel to others. What we are about to do next is going to be very simple. We just need to figure out a way to change the minds of those who distrust you.¡±


    ¡°What do you guys want me to do, huh? Assassinate Semyon Timoshenko?¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s steady control of his emotions managed to impress Maji and Ah Ji. Considering that a gun had just been pointed to him point-blank, they expected him to have an outburst by now.


    He had contributed a lot to the guerilla base camp with Simone, undeniably presenting impeccable performance through the trenches of war. Right now, the commander had just turned on him, and Zhang Heng could still control his anger. His character was truly impressive.


    In actual fact, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t as calm as he looked. He just realized that he had made a huge mistake.


    It was not as simple as a video game. The moment he chose to become part of the guerilla force, he knew that no one would fully trust him, mainly because of his ethnicity and their inability to check his background. The guerilla team had simply made use of him to deal with the Soviets. However, during that critical period, he was forced to join a side to survive the war. Technically speaking, both sides were taking advantage of each other.


    As the circumstances changed, the relationship between him and the guerilla troops changed as well. At first, he was needed by the base camp to defeat their enemies. Now, they had turned around and made him a threat. Deep inside his heart, he knew that they would not let him off the hook so easily even though helped in eliminating tons of enemies, also spending some good, quality time with them.


    It seemed like everything had reached a moot point.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We are all reasonable folks. We will not send you to do a suicide mission. What I want you to do is fairly simple. Once you complete it, all debt between us will be no more. When that time comes, you are free to go wherever you want,¡± said Ah Ji.


    Maji blew out a smoke circle; her eyes gave out a certain hesitation in her. After some time, Maji barged in.


    ¡°Did you know that the girl wasn¡¯t originally called Simone?¡±


    Zhang Heng frowned, having no idea why she would bring out Simone all of a sudden.


    ¡°The country is not in a critical state, but we will need a hero to unite everyone. We can wait for the hero to appear, or we can create on!.¡±


    Maji¡¯s expression was slightly weird. She looked like she was taunting him, but with respect.


    ¡°The real Simone came from a small town called Rautjarvi. No one cared about that place, and no one cares what he did there as well. All we know is that he¡¯s just a farmer, and he would hunt occasionally. He is the most ordinary bloke that you will ever meet. That means you can alter his past to your liking!¡±

 Chapter 77 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XIX

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the idea behind it. There¡¯s one Simone right here. Why do we need to create another one? With her shooting skills, she is more than qualified enough to become a national hero. Why do you want to turn some random hunter into a national hero?¡±


    ¡°Not one,¡± replied the doctor, cigar in mouth.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There is more than one Simone. In total, we have four Simones. All are professional fighters. Three of them are snipers, and another one is a natural on the submachine gun. All four have their faces covered when they go on a mission, so their identities are secure. Together, they become the best sniper the entire human history has known ¨C the legendary Simone!


    Basically, Simone is everywhere. He is a phantom on the battlefield, your most reliable ally, the white death to the Soviet soldiers, and an undefeatable legend on the battlefield. The Simones have managed to boost morale for all Finnish countrymen and our soldiers greatly. To be more precise, there are only three Simones left. One was tragically killed when the Soviets started the war. We don¡¯t even have much information on him.¡±


    ¡°How about the real Simone? Does he know about this?¡± Zhang Heng asked, hoping for a straight answer for once


    That is not important. The real Simone joined the army last October, and during training, he protected one of his allies from an exploding grenade. If that incident did not happen, this project would not have even been born. But then again¡­ the war is coming to an end soon, and there are two Simones left in this world,¡± said Maji while spinning the lighter in her hand impatiently.


    ¡°The person that started this project did not expect this outcome, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Initially, a fair chance was to be given to all Simones that survived the war. At least¡­ they could use the gun in their hands to decide their final fate. Unfortunately, an unforeseen circumstance has emerged.¡±


    ¡°What kind of unforeseen circumstances?¡±


    ¡°The two Simones that survived was the female sniper and the man with the submachine gun. The latter one was hit by a stray bullet during one of the raids a few days ago. Miraculously, he survived after surgery. Then, someone must have leaked the news to the media. Reporters from different countries rushed to him, and it was during that time that he revealed his identity. Actually, I can understand why he would do something like this. That kid with the submachine gun is the strongest Simone when compared to the other three. Considering he is now severely injured, there is no way can defeat the sniper in a gunfight.¡±


    ¡°What now? Are you guys planning to abandon her?¡± asked Zhang Heng as he stared into their eyes.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have many options left. We have to play his game, and we need to make up stories for him as well.¡±


    Zhang Heng was unable to speak. He stared right into Maji¡¯s eyes for half a minute, not knowing what they were thinking.


    ¡°If you want me to believe you, you have to tell me how an English volunteer has her hands in so many top-secrets?¡± he continued.


    ¡°I lied. The truth is, I did grow up in England, but my father is from Finland, and he is a powerful man in the Finnish military. I¡¯m the one who proposed the Simone plan and personally recruited all the Simones. I simply want my father to witness the birth of a legend. That is why I¡¯m here right now. Ah Ji was sent by the military to protect me.¡±


    Maji looked very troubled. She stood in front of the window with both arms crossed in the exact same way when she and Zhang Heng first met. Suddenly, it dawned on him, as he knew what was troubling her.


    She realized that it was almost impossible for her to treat all four Simones fairly since she spent most of her time with the current Simone living in this base camp. Due to that, she could not maintain objectivity when it came to picking out the best of the lot.


    ¡°After all, we are all humans, and I care about the girl a lot. Before this, I had a thought amid the war, to get an assassin to kill the rest of Simones and let her live. I had no idea if she was tough enough to survive the war. With my position, I simply couldn¡¯t risk killing all the other Simones. So, the moment I heard that the second Simone was dead, I knew that the chances she would live after the war had just increased exponentially. What¡¯s happening right now came totally unexpected.¡±


    ¡°So, now you found out that you can¡¯t beat her, and you want me to take care of your problem? Why don¡¯t you just let her go? You know her well enough! She doesn¡¯t mind not being a national hero whatsoever!¡± snapped Zhang Heng while staring at the gun on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who proposed the project, not the one in charge of executing it. I have some rights in this project, but not all of it. My job is technically over once all four Simones have been recruited.


    Whatever I did after that is all my own doing. The military and higher authorities have nothing to do with them. I can¡¯t change what had happened, and I can¡¯t change the mind of the top brass as well.


    That kid Simone trusts you fully, and that is why I¡¯m telling you all this stuff. Asking you to send her to the end of the road is the kindest thing I can do. I heard that there is a beautiful lake northwest of here. Perhaps we can fish there when everything is over.¡±


    Finally, Maji was done with everything she wanted to say.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get a choice either, right?¡±


    Looking down and without hesitation, Zhang Heng grabbed the gun on the table.


    ¡­¡­..


    Maji had her back facing him and did not say a single word. Zhang Heng left the wooden house as well since he had asked all that he wanted. He then walked towards Simone¡¯s cottage. For all it was worth, he made sure to thank Maji before he left.


    The guerilla base camp was extra quiet tonight. Usually, Oher would lean at the door and gaze to the sky, looking for shooting stars. Not tonight, though. The entire base camp was flooded with light, with a kerosene lamp illuminating the doors of each cottage of the base camp.


    Zhang Heng did not turn around to look at the jungle. He put the gun into his pocket and used another hand to knock on the door. Since Maji did not like to bring her key around, Simone was unsurprised when someone knocked on her door at this hour. However, she was startled when she saw Zhang Heng standing outside the door.


    The moment he caught sight of her, he grabbed her collar and pushed her to the ground! Surprisingly, Simone did not retaliate. All she did was lie on the floor and stare at Zhang Heng. Her face was flushing. Just like what Maji told him, Simone trusted Zhang Heng with all her heart, no matter the situation.


    Zhang Heng sighed. All he needed to right now was to take out the gun from his pocket and end it all. Looking into her eyes, he saw that they were heartbroken, confused, but submissive. He hesitated.


    In the end, he couldn¡¯t make himself do it. Instead, he tried his best to look through the Finnish dictionary in his mind, saying, ¡°Trust me.¡±


    After that, Zhang Heng started to look around to check out the room. With Maji¡¯s wittiness, Zhang Heng was confident that she had made preparations well before she signaled him earlier. He then looked at Maji¡¯s bed. That and the cabinet were the only places where Maji could hide her stuff.

 Chapter 78 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XX

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Gunshots blasting at the wooden house broke the silence of the night!


    After a short while, a strange rustling sound came from the forest where few masked men with submachine guns charged at where Zhang Heng and Simone were! There wore plain winter camouflage with no insignia bearing their unit or identity.


    Little did they know that Zhang Heng was about to welcome them with a Maxim Heavy Machine Gun. Good thing Maji was crazier than he expected, a trait that proved useful in time like this. With a bit of patience, Zhang Heng waited until all the unknown assailants were close to the cottage before opening fire at full force!


    Shells flew out from the chamber in a continuous stream like an angry fire-spitting dragon.


    Clearly, those five men had prepared to deal with surprises like this. However, they had not accounted for Zhang Heng to use a Maxim Heavy Machine Gun to go against them. The gun¡¯s destructive firepower had crushed any possibility of retaliation. Before they could do anything, their bodies were shredded into pieces, their flesh exploding into tiny bits as the bullets ravaged through without mercy. Though the gun was potent, it consumed ammo at an obscene speed as well.


    In that short skirmish, Zhang Heng had consumed all the ammunition prepared by Maji. Due to the gun¡¯s weight, it was not possible for him to carry it around. After killing the first wave of enemies, he abandoned the cumbersome machine and took out his handgun to shoot the kerosene lamp that was still alit.


    The moment the flames went out, the second wave of enemies arrived! In senseless insanity, thousands of bullets started spraying out of the forest toward the base camp. It was so powerful it shredded the thin wooden walls of the cottage!


    Luckily, Simone had pushed over the bed, serving as a barrier. Still, she could not figure out why enemies would appear in the base camp all of a sudden. Knowing that the two of them were in a life-threatening situation, she quickly picked up Zhang Heng¡¯s M28 and loaded the weapon.


    After three minutes of continuous shooting, the firing came to a stop. Bullets had wholly decimated the wooden house; plates and bowls on the table had been shattered into pieces. They were only alive thanks to the bed. Otherwise, they would have been instantly killed by the merciless rain of fire.


    Zhang Heng could see that these masked men were determined to eliminate Simone. They had come well prepared.


    Three people attempted to approach the cottage from the forest but were greeted in kind by three bullets. Simone had managed to kill them. Zhang Heng did fire twice as well. Unfortunately, he was not used to using a handgun and missed.


    Then, the shooting started up again. Gunshots rang out from all directions, and shells began to flood the house like there was no tomorrow!


    Judging by the intensity of the ambush, they should be about 20 or 30 people shooting at the same time. Sooner or later, the bed would surely give in to the onslaught. Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do right now. It seemed practically impossible to bring Simone out of the snare they were cornered into.


    In a crude manner of speech, Zhang Heng had indeed been fooled by Maji. Out of kindness, Maji wasnt completely honest about Simone with him. Surrounded by continuous fire, Maji knew that it was improbable they would survive. She believed that with Zhang Heng¡¯s cunning, he would surely figure out the consequences of knowing top-secrets. Even if he chose to kill Simone, there was no way that she would let him leave the base camp alive. Zhang Heng had said earlier that he had no options when it came to this. It turned out he was right.


    Still, Zhang Heng was grateful for Maji because he knew that it would hard for him to stay away and out of it. He knew that he would never leave Simone and ran away alone. Besides, he still had his trump card with him. The wooden sculpture was lying there quietly inside his pocket. He could transform himself into a shadow and flee the demolished cottage in an instant. However, the night was moonless, meaning he was limited to only moving where the kerosene lamps were. This was a big problem, and it was going to be really difficult for him to enter the forest behind the line of heavily armed soldiers.


    Unfortunately, he knew he had to do it if the situation got any worse. Just when Zhang Heng wanted to reach into his pocket to grab the wooden sculpture, he heard there were more gunshots. This time, however, the gunshots did not come from the forest but from the base camp!


    Zhang Heng saw a single Weller shooting at the forest with his light machine gun. At the same time, the limping Oher kicked down a table, placed his rifle on top of it, and started to shoot at the forest like a madman! All hell had broken loose, and the other guerillas quickly followed suit as well.


    Of course, Zhang Heng would not let this golden opportunity slip away from him. Immediately, he kicked down the tattered wall behind him and dragged Simone out of the wooden house. Suddenly, he heard someone whistling as they were running. From afar, a guerilla tossed a submachine gun to him and signaled him to join the battle!


    From the beginning of the war until now, the guerillas had decreased from over 40 members to only about a dozen left. More than half had been killed in action. This reduction in number made them more united than before, and although they were ordered not to leave their rooms tonight, all of them chose to go against the order when they saw Simone¡¯s cottage being shot at. Such unexpected results surprised those on both sides of the divide.


    The truth was, enemies greatly outnumbered them. However, the guerilla¡¯s strong teamwork had managed to hold back the enemies. But soon, the enemies started to reorganize and started another retaliation. Until now, the enemies had been hiding out in the forest, giving the guerillas the upper hand during the first wave of attack. On the second wave of attack, the enemies started to work together, and the guerillas were beginning to sustain injuries during the shootout.


    Simone wanted to head back to help her friends but Zhang Heng knew that they were targeting her. The longer she stayed there, the more dangerous it was going to be for the others. Zhang Heng tapped on her shoulder.


    Gunshots were everywhere around the base camp, and amid the confusion, nobody knew where to head to. However, this was not a problem for Zhang Heng.


    Maji had actually signaled Zhang Heng secretly when they were talking in the commander¡¯s cottage. Northwest was where they should head to if they wanted to live to see tomorrow.

 Chapter 79 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XXI

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng and Simone worked together, swiftly blowing out all the kerosene lamps that were hanging around the base.


    With that, the entire camp was now pitch black. It was as dark as a cave, with only the stars to light the way. All they could see was a silhouette from far. Zhang Heng and Simone were about 70 meters away from the forest that was located northwest of them. However, they were only 40 meters away from the west, and there was a storeroom along their path. That made Zhang Heng was keener to first head west before running northwest to enter the forest.


    The only thing that he needed to do right now was to eliminate the gunner that was hiding west. Rifle in hand, Zhang Heng tossed away the handgun that he was holding earlier. Then, they both lay on the snow-covered ground on the their left and right.


    Just as expected, the enemy that had remained hidden for some time could not bear the boredom anymore. He drew out his gun and started shooting at Weller! The moment he fired, he fatally exposed his current position.


    Instantly, Zhang Heng and Simone took the opportunity to land a critical shot on him!


    Along with the loud gunshots, one of the enemies fell to the ground lifelessly. Simone did not stop there, using her excellent photographic memory and sharp observation skills to fire at another. Unfortunately, Weller got shot. It seemed like the enemies in the forest had no intention to kill, only shooting him in the leg. Zhang Heng knew that he could not afford to wait any longer. Immediately, he dragged Simone into the storeroom. One of the enemies noticed them and quickly sprayed some bullets their way in an attempt to block them off.


    At that very moment, Simone signaled to Zhang Heng that she would draw away the enemies to let Zhang Heng flee from the trapped position. Without thinking twice, Zhang Heng shook his head, rejecting her proposal. He knew that all those people were actually here to kill Simone, and there was no way he was about to leave her here to the wolves and vultures. Rather than being sitting ducks, Zhang Heng decided to return fire.


    That was the last resort anyway. The chance of them winning seemed slim. Even if they could both eliminate all the enemies, most guerillas would die in vain. Seeing that the two of them were trapped, Weller mustered up his strength and courage and stood up, battling the pain in his shot leg. He did not retreat to a safe spot but instead, pulled one of the corpses on the ground and used the body to shield him from the incoming bullets. With one hand, he picked up the submachine gun and started to shoot at the enemies!


    Having the covering fire, Zhang Heng and Simone ran into the forest as fast as their legs could carry them. The enemies gave chase, opening fire at the same time! Those three seconds that they experienced were like three centuries to them, as they gouged out every last bit of strength and ran without looking back.


    Right before they entered the forest, something unexpected happened. They remembered there were only three people shooting at them from the west side of the forest. Nobody would have expected that the forth enemy awaited them in the woods. A lot of had happened out there, and his mates had all scattered, but he was determined to stay hidden to wait for Zhang Heng¡¯s and Simone¡¯s arrival.


    At such proximity, it was almost impossible for the enemy to miss his shot. The man in the mask lifted the submachine gun in his hand. Not to be outdone, Simone had her rifle held in her hands as well. She had no time to aim, adjust her breath, or stabilize her shooting position. All she could do was run and shoot at the same time.


    The shot was fired. Seconds later, the masked man¡¯s pupils contracted. He froze, then collapsed to the ground with a sickening thud! Simone had managed to kill him without aiming. Unfortunately, there was no time to catch a breath. Soon after that, more people started coming after them.


    Zhang Heng swiftly picked up the submachine gun and a few boxes of ammunition before he started to run again. If Maji was telling the truth, then northwest should be the most vulnerable spot for the enemies. That did not mean that once they were there, they would be completely safe. There could be an ambush lurking for them in the dark. After what they experienced earlier, they were much more cautious this time.


    It was easy for one to hide in the forest, but at the same time, it was also easy to be ambushed. Until now, Simone had no idea what was going on. She was left stunned when she saw that the man who ambushed them was actually one of the guerillas.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng felt that it wasn¡¯t too bad a thing they had this language barrier. He was unable to tell Simone that her own country had betrayed her even if he wanted to do so. The two of them did not stay at the same place for too long, and after collecting some weapons and picked most of the ammunition, they continued to run towards the forest.


    While they were running, they encountered a few enemies. Fortunately, these were either alone or walked in pairs. Simone¡¯s had superior hearing ability and vision when compared to most of her counterparts. In most cases, she was able to spot enemies first before they spotted her. That was why most of her battles ended really fast.


    The deeper they went, the fewer enemies they encountered. It turned out Maji wasn¡¯t lying to them. Soon, they would be able to break through the defense line.


    As they walked on, they suddenly heard someone shouting in the forest. Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t understand what they were talking about but sensed that Simone¡¯s emotions had drastically changed. She just stood there frozen and had stopped moving.


    Zhang Heng guessed that they were pulling some dirty tricks to draw her out. They must be telling her that their target was actually Zhang Heng and wanted her to help them to capture him. This situation was the double-cross of crosses. Her country had already betrayed her, but here, they were still lying to her, taking advantage of her loyalty. If he could ever speak in Finnish, Zhang Heng would definitely tell her the whole truth. It seemed that the enemies knew that he could not converse in Finnish.


    Alright. Zhang Heng did know how to speak in Finnish if only a couple of words. He could try to squeeze out something to explain himself. However, knowing that his broken Finnish was going to make him seem more suspicious, he decided to stay mum. He had said everything that he needed to say back at the cottage. Right now, it was all up to Simone. The longer they stayed here, the more dangerous the situation was going to be. Still, Zhang Heng did not rush her.


    Both of them just stood in the dark until someone approached them. Simone lifted up her head and looked at Zhang Heng, looking as serene as usual. Right now, Zhang Heng was at a massive disadvantage. If Simone started to fall for their lies, he would have to drag her away by force. To his surprise, she lifted up her rifle and pulled the trigger! A man standing beside the tree was hit.


    Simone had just used actions to say what she had to say. Rather than trusting the words of some strangers, she chose to put her faith in those who had genuinely spent time with her.


    Sometimes, women trusted their hunches more than theories. And this soon proved to be true.

 Chapter 80 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You XXII

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The sound of gunshots and shouting faded into the distance. Two hours later, it was all but complete silence. Zhang Heng deduced that they must have successfully broken through the enemies¡¯ defensive lines.


    Both of them had now reached the lake that Maji mentioned earlier, finding a boat tied to its banks. With that tiny rowboat, they would be able to shake off all the enemies that were chasing them, no longer having to worry about their scent being tracked down by hounds.


    Just as Zhang Heng was about to get on the boat, Simone collapsed suddenly! A muzzle flash came from the darkness followed by a speeding bullet whizzing by. The round lodged itself in her shoulder and was embedded deep in her flesh.


    There was an active shooter nearby!


    Simone didn¡¯t wait and reacted with lightning-fast reflexes. After going through several battles with Zhang Heng, both of them knew what to do by now. Instinctively, she rolled over to the side, quickly looking for a nearby tree nearby and took cover behind it. The second shot whizzed by Zhang Heng¡¯s ear. This time, it was so close it left him paralyzed in shock!


    Without a doubt, they had encountered a pro this time. The earlier battles might have looked dangerous as the enemies had the upper hand since they outnumbered them. However, both of them had the advantage when it came to fighting with a small group. It seemed like these new enemies had pretty good teamwork and strict discipline. They were, however, vulnerable when they were alone.


    It was safe to say that although they were as skillful as the guerillas, they could never be as good as Simone.


    However, the sniper that they just encountered was on a different level altogether. Judging by the accuracy of his shots, he must at least be as good as Simone. This guy would prove a painful headache to deal with. With such skills, he could easily be the poster boy of every task force that he joined.


    If this were to be a normal situation, of course, they would have figured out a solution. Unfortunately, the enemy managed to land a shot on the shoulder that she used to hold her gun. Though she trained to shoot with her left hand, its speed and accuracy could never compare to her right. Frankly, this seemed the moment the grim reaper had finally arrived. They could seriously lose their lives at any moment now.


    Zhang Heng realized that they were in a life-threatening situation. The visibility in the forest was so poor that he could not use his ace in the hole ¨C Shadow Moment. The enemy might even call for backup if they continued to linger.


    To their greatest surprise, the enemy who hid in the dark did not do so. After the two gunshots, silence once again embraced the forest. It was as if nothing happened. The wind passed them by, and the wooden boat still bobbed gently on the lakeside. Zhang Heng then saw blood dripping from her fingertips. Simone frowned but did not say a single word about it. She was unable to feel it, her arm becoming paralyzed in some way by the gunshot wound.


    Zhang Heng drew in a deep breath and used his hand to signal Simone to relax. Usually, she would be the one protecting him in a situation like this. This time, Zhang Heng knew he needed to be the one that protected Simone. He then took out the wooden sculpture from his pocket and extended his arm with it. Seconds later, the sniper fired squarely at it without doubts! Zhang Heng held on to it as tightly he could to avoid it from flying out of his hand.


    After that, he studied the wooden sculpture. By judging how deep the bullet had penetrated the wooden statue, Zhang Heng could calculate how far the sniper was. If Simone was not wounded, she could have surely returned fire. However, even without her assistance, Zhang Heng could still estimate where the sniper was. It would prove impossible for him to defeat the sniper if he charged out right now.


    The sniper¡¯s shooting skills clearly bettered Zhang Heng¡¯s. The only way for him to win this fight was to pinpoint the sniper¡¯s exact location. So, Zhang Heng took out the bullet-shaped lighter that he acquired earlier and used the same way to check out the sniper¡¯s position. He struck the flint, and just as expected, the sniper landed a shot on the lighter. This time, the lighter was sent flying away from Zhang Heng¡¯s hand.


    Calmly, he took out the third item. This time, the sniper was smart enough to know Zhang Heng¡¯s intention. No matter what Zhang Heng did, he stopped firing at the item that he saw. Two minutes later, Zhang Heng took out his cellphone. Ever since he joined the guerillas, he had stopped using it. Initially, its battery was at 50%. After putting it to sleep for two months, it was now left with a lethargic 10%. It was just enough to help him to gain the upper hand.


    No one in this era had seen a cellphone before. The two items that Zhang Heng sent out were just decoys. As the third item that he sent out was his cell, he used it to record his surroundings for two minutes. Lastly, he turned on his flash function to illuminate he place a total of four times.


    And that was how Zhang Heng located where the sniper was. The sniper was well prepared, wearing a ghillie suit of sorts. Not only was he equipped with camouflage, but he enhanced it with snow, mud, and branches. He was now one with his surroundings, almost invisible if one did not look hard enough.


    Unfortunately, he could not escape the sharpness of a modern 12-megapixel camera. The real danger had only begun.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s advantage was that he came in a pair. Therefore, it was impossible for the sniper to know who was going to attack first. In other words, he had to split his attention between two different persons, continually shifting from side to side. When Zhang Heng enlarged the photo that he took, he saw that the sniper expression, an excited, gleeful sneer across his face. He was beaming with some sort of glorious purpose in his eyes.


    Was he relishing the joys of hunting?


    Zhang Heng finally understood why the sniper didn¡¯t call for his allies. This was his hunting grounds and would never allow anyone to encroach his territory. Zhang Heng knew that ultimately, he wasn¡¯t the target.


    His target was the girl known as the White Death ¨C Simone.


    It seemed like the reason why he fired the shot earlier was to eliminate Zhang Heng. With that, he would be able to have a head-to-head face-off with Simone.


    Zhang Heng signaled Simone to relax her injured shoulder and hold the rifle in her other hand. Though he could not see what was going on, he could guess that the sniper must be really nervous right now.


    The final showdown was nigh!


    Seconds later, a black shadow charged from the back of a tree! The sniper cowering behind the trees had an adrenalin rush the moment he saw something flashig in front of him.


    Prey?!


    No. It couldn¡¯t be.


    It was a trap!


    The astute sniper took a swift 0.01 seconds to deduce that the black shadow was simply a jacket! Though he had his rifle aimed at it, he managed to stop himself from pulling the trigger. At the same time, he got even more excited. Simone must have been ready to return fire since she pulled a trick like this.


    Seconds later, his heart skipped a beat. That was because it wasn¡¯t Simone that had appeared from the tree, but instead, Zhang Heng was the one who had emerged from another direction!


    It was at that moment that the sniper realized he had made a fatal mistake.


    He expected that Simone would come out to take the shot. The jacket and Zhang Heng were just illusions and distractions! Hence, he did not shift his aim.


    Besides, he was initially confident enough that they were unable to pinpoint the exact spot he was hiding in such a short amount of time. That was why he hesitated. At the same time, Zhang Heng lifted up his rifle as fast as possible. Utilizing the shortest amount of time, he took aim and fixed his posture fo the shot.


    Zhang Heng now knew exactly where he was hiding.


    He knelt on the ground and prepared to pull his trigger at the sniper. However, the enemy soon realized that someone was aiming at him from another direction and immediately changed his aim. Zhang Heng heard something but in his deep concentration, he couldn¡¯t identify the sound.


    Both of them then pulled the trigger at the same time.


    One bullet grazed someone¡¯s face. The other had penetrated someone¡¯s skull.

 Chapter 81 - The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You (End)

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Two months later.


    At a random farm on the border of Finland and Switzerland.


    Zhang Heng wiped away the sweat from his forehead and put down the ax in his hand. He moved all the chopped wood back to the storeroom and arranged them neatly among the piles. A loaf of fresh bread and some fish soup was on the table when Zhang Heng entered the house.


    The owner of this farm was a 67-year-old lady called Greta. Her husband and only son were tragically killed on the battlefield. She had a daughter as well but had since been married off to a man in the United States. A month ago, she took in Zhang Heng and Simone out of kindness, besides needing help with the farm work as well. Hence, the two of them decided they would put up here for some time.


    When anyone asked about the two newcomers, Greta would tell them they were the relatives of her daughter¡¯s husband. Zhang Heng¡¯s fluent English was enough proof. As for Simone, she was a quiet girl and disliked socializing. As time passed, people around started to accept who she was. For good measure, both tossed away their weapons on their way here. Simone¡¯s gunshot wound was treated by a doctor who lived in a small town. The sad truth was, Simone had no family left in this world, with her great-grandfather passing away two years ago. In other words, there was nothing to hold her back and tie her down in this world.


    Once the battle at the lake was over, Zhang Heng initially wanted to settle down in America with Simone only to realize later on that his plan was less than ideal. First, America was located too far away from Finland. Traveling all the way there would take a long time. Secondly, Simone¡¯s English wasn¡¯t the best. She would have a hard time communicating with the locals if she stayed there.


    In the end, Zhang Heng thought it best to stay at the border between Finland and Switzerland. Finland was one of the dukedoms of Switzerland, which was why most Finnish could also speak Swedish. As for the people who stayed in the villages near the border, it was common that they would converse in two languages, Greta being one of them. At least Simone could freely communicate with the people here.


    Through the window, Zhang Heng could see that Simone was returning from hunting. She had her sniper slung at her back and had a rabbit and a fox with her. As she entered the house, she placed today¡¯s catch in the kitchen, stored her hunting rifle in the attic, and washed her hands before settling in the dining room to have her meal.


    Grandma Greta scooped a bowlful of fish soup for everyone with Zhang Heng thanking her in Finnish. This was an ordinary night for them, peaceful and joyful. After dinner, they bid each other their goodnights before retreating to their respective rooms.


    Greta was already up in the early hours of the morning, preparing Zhang Heng and Simone¡¯s breakfast. She then put it in a basket Today, Simone wasn¡¯t wearing the hunting outfit that she¡¯d put on each morning. Instead, she had put on a dress with a floral design. Since this was a dress that had been made initially for Greta¡¯s daughter, it seemed a little too small for Simone, looking slightly uncomfortable and squirmy.


    ¡°Have fun today,¡± said Greta while passing the food basket to them.


    ¡°Bye, Greta!¡± Zhang Heng replied as he gave Greta a hug.


    ¡°Goodbye, children!¡±


    Greta waved at them from afar. They sure looked very much like a couple going for an outing. Zhang Heng hopped on a bicycle, and Simone sat on the back. They soon passed the paddy field, and then a square in a small town, where their tiny hospital was plastered with blood donation posters. They enjoyed the serenity of the atmosphere as they passed all of it.


    The war in Finland had ended, but the war in Europe had only just begun. Switzerland was considered a neutral nation. Hence, they did not need to suffer the pains that came along with war, making it a paradise during the era of the Second World War.


    Shortly after that, Zhang Heng parked his bicycle on a grass field located on the outskirts of the hamlet. As they alighted the bike, they both carried the food basket down, seeing a field of flowers around them. Zhang Heng had no idea what species they were, but he heard that the national flower of Finland was called lily-of-the-valley. Unfortunately, this was not the right time to watch them fully bloom.


    This was his last day of the quest. Earlier, Zhang Heng had told Simone that this day would arrive, to which she had said nothing. All she wanted was to spend time and have fun with him during his last day in Finland.


    After taking a pleasant walk along the streets of the town, they fished at a pond and even managed to play some poker. In the end, they settled on a small hill to enjoy the fish sandwiches prepared by Greta. Still, they spoke little to each other.


    Their silence did not mean they were awkward, but rather, this was simply their way of spending time with each other. Simone¡¯s hair and dress fluttered in the wind. At last, she lay her head on Zhang Heng¡¯s lap, and she closed her eyes. Zhang Heng then took a look at his watch, took off his jacket, and covered Simone with it. Her eyebrows twitched while she was asleep. Seconds later, he heard a familiar voice.


    [Time to return. Quest completed¡­]


    [You have completed ¡®The Mannerheim Line Welcomes You¡¯ quest. The game¡¯s third round has been completed. You will now be sent back to the real world¡­]


    ¡­¡­.


    Zhang Heng opened his eyes, finding himself sitting on a chair. It was unreal. Amongst the three quests that he¡¯d completed, this was the shortest. However, he was always on edge throughout the entire mission, having to face the possibility of being killed by enemies every single day. Thrown all the way from World War II back into the current world, Zhang Heng felt that he had just traveled through time. The one single thing that he could rely on was no longer there.


    ¡­¡­..


    This time, Zhang Heng sat dazed for half an hour before he finally stood up. Something fell out of his pocket, and when he saw it, he was shocked. It was a necklace with a pendant made of an animal bone, the necklace that Simone had worn all the while! The bone used here was smaller than the ones given by the old man in Chinese attire. This one was as tiny as a fingernail.


    What seemed to be a tall red pine with thick branches and a complicated root system was engraved on it. Zhang Heng hadn¡¯t the slightest of when Simone slipped it into his pocket. Since he could carry it back, that meant it was a game item. After spending 140 days, Zhang Heng thought that he would not acquire a game item in this round. To his surprise, the necklace had actually been with him for a long time.


    He did not look for the bartender lady to identify the item, knowing that it shouldn¡¯t carry any side effects as Simone had been wearing it for a long time.


    Right now, another item needed to be identified urgently. It was the Moresby bone. Zhang Heng had taken the old man¡¯s advice, trying his best to not let others know about their relationship. So, he had to wait until the quest ended before allowing the bartender to identify the item.


    ¡°I know that you possess a Lucky Rabbit Foot. Another game item?! Three rounds of quests, and you acquired three game items? Are you the son of the Lucky Goddess?¡± asked the bartender while staring at him with gaping eyes.

 Chapter 82 - PTSD

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    This time, the game ended in the early hours of the morning. Only a few people were still partying in the bar downstairs when Zhang Heng stepped out of the lounge.


    Instead of summarizing his experience right away as he did in the past, he returned to the university, showered, and went straight to bed. Right now, all he wanted was to clear his mind of any thoughts. He genuinely did not want to think about anything.


    In the middle of his slumber, the door suddenly creaked open, rousing him from his sleep. Zhang Heng instantly rolled off his bed and reached for a gun, but obviously, there was nothing for him to grab.


    Wei Jiangyang who had just walked into the room was startled at his friend¡¯s reaction. He stood at the door, too stunned to react for a moment before muttering, ¡°Bro¡­ brother, are you alright?¡±


    Zhang Heng cringed at the slightly awkward situation. Even though his body was physically the same, that two month war experience had scarred him in a whole different way.


    Compared to before, he was a much lighter sleeper ¨C even the slightest of movements would wake him. This was his body¡¯s self-defense mechanism kicking into high gear, in response to the complex and harsh environment he had been put into. Now and then, whenever he was walking down the street, he would subconsciously look around, keeping an eye out for bunkers.


    Zhang Heng knew very well about a mental condition called PTSD, which stood for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It was common among veterans who had fought in wars. Mostly, symptoms varied from a complete reeenaction of the battle experience, reclusiveness, and hypervigilance.


    Currently, Zhang Heng was more prone to the third symptom. Although able to recover from most of the war¡¯s trauma in his final month in Sweden, it was going to be really difficult for him to return to the mental state he was in prior to the war.


    Since he was already awake, Zhang Heng decided to not continue sleeping. He found himself something to eat in the cafeteria, then proceeded to the library with his laptop.


    After spending an entire afternoon completing the game¡¯s summary, Zhang Heng found himself thinking about the necklace in his pocket, so he looked up Finnish folklores on the internet.


    Finnish and Ugrian folklore were around even before the 10th Century and were very similar to those of the Samoyedic people and the Altai tribe. As time passed, the neighboring tribes had slowly influenced their lore.


    Iranian myths, Turkic myths, and Baltic myths had, in their own way, been incorporated into Finnish folklore. Later on, influence of Islamic and Christian cultures was apparent as well. It was a very complicated subject, involving numerous deities. Considering these tales were not the most popular, only few records were left of them.


    Zhang Heng had no choice but to breach the Great Firewall of China to access Google for the information he wanted. He had been combing through the web until 10 pm that night when he finally found a picture of a necklace that looked identical to the one he had.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s drowsiness suddenly vanished! He clicked onto the webpage and found the deity in the picture¨CTapio, the god of the forest. He was an ancient Finnish God, depicted as a fir tree. It was said that he could help in making hunts more fruitful for those who worshiped him. Religious reformist leader Mikael Agricola had preserved precious genealogical materials in a ¡®list of gods¡¯ which he had written in 1551. This included Tapio.


    Simone was born into a family of hunters and had grown up in the mountains with her grandfather. So, it was no surprise that she too worshipped Tapio.


    Except for the wood carving he obtained from Tokyo Drift, which he still found no information about, the Lucky Rabbit¡¯s Foot, Moresby, and the necklace from this round all had their connections to folklore. This was especially true for Moresby¡¯s appearance in the real world. Zhang Heng realized that things might not be as simple as they seemed.


    Unfortunately, the old man in the Tang suit had already left for Europe, and Zhang Heng had no one else he could ask about these things . Apparently, it was because of some old covenant that he could not reveal too much information to him. At least that was what the old man said before he left.


    Zhang Heng closed his laptop and remained seated for a while as he tried to piece the puzzle in his mind. However, not long after that, he heard the sounds of people giggling.


    Three girls had occupied the table to his left. Two hours ago, Zhang Heng noticed that one of them, a lanky girl with glasses, had been stealing glances at him. He thought that there was something on his face. Now, there were another two girls giggling too as they peeked at him in secrecy.


    When they saw that Zhang Heng was looking over to them, the two girls nudged the lanky girl. The latter got up from her seat and walked towards Zhang Heng, eyes on the ground. She stuttered, ¡°Fri¡­ friend¡­ Can I ask you a question?¡±


    Zhang Heng was a little surprised, but he knew why she had approached him. Even then, he still took the Advanced Mathematics workbook from her. Then, he very patiently wrote down a derivation process in great detail. After that, he looked at his mobile phone and told her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My girlfriend is looking for me.¡±


    A flash of disappointment flickered in the girl¡¯s eyes. She forced a smile, fumbled a thank you, before plodding back to her seat, crestfallen.


    Now that he had sown the seed, he had to see this lie he fabricated out of kindness to the end. Zhang Heng packed up his things and left.


    To his greatest surprise, however, it turned out that he really did receive a message on his phone. It was the bartender lady.


    Zhang Heng opened the pdf file she sent him as he walked towards the elevator with his bag. It turned out to be the long-overdue game-points service form that he had asked her ages ago.


    He briefly scanned the document. In addition to an identification service, there was also a list of items for sale ¨C these were not game items, but a collection of bizarre things. When compared to these items, the tulewood box that contained them would easily be considered as ordinary.


    These peculiar objects included blood from a cow¡¯s first birth and the 45th feather of a crow, a bunch of things that made no sense. Amongst these were other normal items but seemed unusual because of their inclusion in the list.


    Zhang Heng texted the bartender lady just to be sure.


    [Penguin?]


    She replied after a moment.


    [Why? Are you trying to hit on me?]


    Zhang Heng continued,


    [No, I¡¯m not talking about QQ. I just saw that ¡®penguin¡¯ is on the list of things for sale!]


    Business must have been slow because the bartender lady replied to him almost instantly.


    [Oh, why? Do you plan on buying one? They¡¯re relatively cheap. One game point for two. You¡¯ll even get a freezer for free!]


    [No need for that. Thanks.]


    Zhang Heng just wanted confirmation. There was no point in keeping two penguins in the dorm, having no knowledge whatsoever about the creatures. Besides, the school had refused to install air conditioners for the dorms even after everyone had repeatedly demanded for them. The dorms were like furnaces during the summer. Not everyone could take the stifling heat, let alone the poor penguins.


    He continued to scroll down the list before something caught his eye.


    [What does ¡®extra game¡¯ mean?]


    [It means precisely what it says it is, but you¡¯ll need to have 500 game points, and you can only choose from the previous game script. Its duration is also fixed at 60 days.]

 Chapter 83 - Wall

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The extra game was actually very straightforward. Unlike Zhang Heng, not everyone would spend a year and a half in the game. Most would simply use that time to pick up new skills as their ranks were still not that high. So, the extra game was a good opportunity for them to continue improving their skills.


    But then again, 500 game points were simply too costly. Zhang Heng had gone through three rounds of games, yet he had only just broken through the hundred points ceiling. That meant that it would take him at least ten rounds to gather that many. If there was no other way to acquire those game points, very few people would be able to afford this product.


    However, that wasn¡¯t even the most expensive thing on the list. Zhang Heng kept scrolling and spotted an item that cost 800 game points ¨C a Mission Failure Exemption Card.


    As its name suggested, this little card allowed its holder to escape punishment if they failed a mission.


    Presently, Zhang Heng had successfully passed all three games. The first and third game¡¯s main mission was survival. If he failed, he would die ¨C a mission failure exemption card would be useless in such a situation. But for games like Tokyo Drift, Zhang Heng had no clue as to what kind of punishment the players would receive if they did not complete the mission.


    If he had enough points, getting one of those cards sounded like a good idea.


    Zhang Heng also saw something called the ¡®No.137 Permanent Game Point Membership Card¡¯ at the bottom of the page. This one was priced at an eye-watering 999 game points, an item that seemed particularly suspicious.


    According to the bartender lady, players with the membership card could enjoy a 20% discount when they spent their game points at checkpoints. Whether this was a good bargain or not, was all up to the players themselves to determine.


    Zhang Heng did not see a single game item in this long list. Other than the Extra Game and Mission Failure Exemption Card, the items on the list were real tangible things that existed in the physical world. The penguins, for example, were hard to acquire for most people living on earth. It required only one game point and even included free shipping, which was frankly a fantastic bargain.


    Of course, whether anyone would actually buy them in the first place was another question altogether.


    ¡­


    A week passed in a blink of an eye, and the end of the term was drawing near. The whole school was filled with students who only studied at the last minute. Hence, the library had recently become a hive of activity, brimming with students every day. The queue to the library had now extended to the entrance of the canteen, and this forced Zhang Heng to alter his routine.


    He would go to the gym and the archery range during the day, then wait it out until midnight. When the world had come to a halt, only would he make himself a cup of coffee and study in the empty library.


    Zhang Heng rarely skipped classes. Except for that time when he missed roll call for English class, he was mostly a diligent student, putting him out of danger of failing his subjects. However, since he had spent such a long time in the game, he had forgotten many things and it was necessary for him to review them.


    In the eyes of others, however, his behavior seemed a bit odd. Everyone was bustling around, trying to cram as much as possible in what little time they had to prepare for the term¡¯s final examination. Zhang Heng was the only one wandering around indifferently. Even his roommate, Chen Huadong, had managed to drag himself out of bed early every morning to study. With his head buried in books, Chen Huadong could not help but roll his eyes whenever Zhang Heng left the room with his bow.


    Worse still, Zhang Heng would always return very late in the night ¨C almost always just before lights-out. Chen Huadong wondered how his friend would be able to find any time to prepare for the exam.


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng felt great today, successfully hitting a moving target 50 meters away. All ten arrows hit the bullseye. He ignored the coach¡¯s resentful looks and took a drink of water. Since he had just completed the third game, there was still plenty of time before the fourth and did not pack his schedule with all the training. After his practice, he headed to the park to feed the pigeons there instead of going to the gym. When night fell, he spectated a game of football in the stadium.


    It was ten by the time the match ended. Rather than taking the train, Zhang Heng opted to jog back to school. As he jogged, he passed by an alley and quickly noticed two drifters searching for food in a dumpster.


    They appeared to be a bedraggled grandparent and her grandchild, both wearing tattered and soiled clothing. The older one fished out a piece of half-eaten fried chicken and two packets of takeaways. She called her grandson to her and they crouched by the wall to eat. When she looked up, she saw Zhang Heng suddenly racing toward them!


    The pair had probably been bullied by other homeless for the moment they saw Zhang Heng coming towards them; they looked extremely terrified. The old lady dropped the plastic bag in her hand and reached to pull her grandchild closer.


    Suddenly, something fell on her shoulder. From his angle, Zhang Heng was able to see everything. The brick wall behind the old lady melted like hot cheese, and some sort of black liquid crawled onto her shoulder. When her grandson, about seven years old, saw this happening, he froze in his tracks.


    Zhang Heng ran quickly towards the elderly lady and grabbed her hand, but the black liquid was a hell lot stronger than he thought. That thing seemed to be able to shift between a liquid and solid form. Zhang Heng¡¯s pulling did nothing to free the old lady of its shackles.


    Although he was conservative on strength, it would have been useless even if he used all of it. If he exerted too much force, the old lady¡¯s body might be unable to take it. As Zhang Heng was racking his brain for a solution, the black liquid had already engulfed half of the elderly woman¡¯s body.


    Then as, if having a mind of its own, it crawled onto the old lady¡¯s arm towards Zhang Heng as if not satisfied with the prey that it already had.


    Zhang Heng reacted quickly, withdrawing his hand at the very last second! Then, he grabbed the motionless child ¨C the sudden movement shook him from his daze, and in panic, he started struggling. He wanted to save his grandmother but the black liquid moved so quickly that, in less than a minute, it had completely engulfed the woman. It then slowly pulled her into the back.


    Half a minute later, Zhang Heng and the little vagrant were the only ones left in the alley.


    A sharp pain shot up Zhang Heng¡¯s right arm. The kid had bitten him and struggled himself free. He rushed to the wall and fell, knees to the ground. No matter how hard he thumped and punched the wall, the bricks remained unchanged, as if everything that had just happened was a bad dream.

 Chapter 84 - An Encounter

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Zhang Heng.¡±


    ¡°Qualification?¡±


    ¡°Currently studying at a university.¡±


    ¡°Place of birth and ID, please.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    A person had just disappeared right in front of Zhang Heng. He had to report it to the police no matter what. Soon, police officers arrived at the crime scene. However, it was too late. As there was no one else witness the incident except Zhang Heng and no CCTV cameas around them as well, they had to check the pharmacy¡¯s CCTV that was located beside the alley. Still, the footage explained nothing about what just happened.


    The police had to escort the two of them to the station first. Upon reaching, Zhang heng was seated down before someone summoned him to take his statement. Before him, the police officers were dealing with a domestic problem involving a married couple that was having a heated argument.


    Once Zhang Heng faced the police officer, she started to ask him about his personal information. When the questions headed in the direction of how the person disappeared, Zhang Heng decided that he would give honest answers.


    ¡°It was quite dark over there, and I didn¡¯t manage to see the whole thing clearly. I think she was devoured by the wall.¡±


    ¡°What? Is that a metaphor? Did the wall collapse and buried her alive?¡±


    ¡°No. Literally. I mean, she was literally devoured by the wall!¡±


    ¡°Being a university student, you should know that it¡¯s illegal to lie to the police, right?! Do you want me to contact your university¡¯s chancellor?¡± the female police officer angrily shouted while slamming her pen on the table.


    Zhang Heng was speechless though he did not blame the police officer for getting pissed. She might have just pulled an all-nighter at the station. Obviously, no one spending a night at the station would be too joyous after listening to Zhang Heng¡¯s ludicrous statement. However, being a matter of life and death, Zhang Heng had no reason to make up a story and mislead the police officer.


    ¡°Maybe I saw it wrongly as it was a really dark place. From my angle, all I saw was the woman disappearing into the wall.¡±


    The officer frowned once again, albeit, this time, she managed to control her anger a little better. When she stared at Zhang Heng, she noticed that he did not flinch, with him gazing at her calmly. Judging from the way he behaved, she concluded that he wasn¡¯t fooling around. Zhang Heng had also mentioned that the place was too dark, and he failed to see anything clearly. So, she decided that she would not dwell on this question. Instead, she turned to asking questions about the relationship between him and the woman that disappeared.


    ¡­¡­.


    The police officer took a total of 20 minutes to record Zhang Heng¡¯s statement. Throughout the entire process, he was very cooperative. After the small commotion, the female police officer turned out to be very polite as well.


    ¡°So¡­ there is no sign of infringement. You didn¡¯t exactly provide us with reliable evidence, and that kid refuses to talk as well. I can¡¯t form a basis for a case from what you told me. Anyway, I would like to offer my thanks for reporting a homeless kid to us. We will try to identify him as soon as possible and contact his parents to come and pick him up.¡±


    For now, Zhang Heng had done everything he could do. This ended precisely as he¡¯d expected. He was sad, but that matter was out of his control, knowing that it was impossible to save the woman. There were many people like her in a busy city. Usually, the busy pedestrians that walked the streets would simply pass them by. Whatever that slimy thing was, Zhang Heng knew that it was extremely cunning. It knew that such a target would not draw any attention even if it were brazen enough to devour her on the street. If Zhang Heng did not pass by the alley, no one would have noticed the disappearance of two homeless people in this city.


    Zhang Heng stood up and shook hands with the police officer. He then stole a glance at the kid that sat on the bench. He was still holding the fried chicken that he picked up from the bin, and seemed to be in great shock.


    Taking pity on the child, Zhang Heng took out 300 yuan from his wallet and handed it to the police officer.


    ¡°Can you buy some food for him? He hasn¡¯t had dinner.¡±


    ¡°You are actually quite nice. Alright. Don¡¯t worry about it. Now that he is at our station, we will buy him some food later.¡±


    Zhang Heng was still rather upset after leaving the police station. The creature that he encountered this evening was definitely supernatural, and he had no idea who would do something like this. It could have been a monster like Moresby or even other players who possessed game items like him.


    Whatever the answer was, this was definitely not a good thing. According to the old man, ¡®things¡¯ like that had existed in this world for hundreds of thousands of years, peacefully co-existing alongside the humans. Clearly, the mysterious game had destroyed the balance.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng realized that Moresby would appear at Hongqiao International Airport. The old man told Zhang Heng that it had chosen the two Chinese tourists randomly. Zhang Heng, however, did not agree. There must be a better reason why it had appeared on this foreign soil.


    The most troublesome part was the existence of other players. If those they survived the game, they must have acquired game items as well. Zhang Heng could not figure out the system that the game¡¯s creator used to select players. Not everyone had the intention to lay low like him. When someone came into possession of such great power, they would start to think of how to utilize their newfound abilities fully. Death in the game was the one factor that pushed everyone to take extreme measures. However, Zhang Heng had no intention to become a hero, nor did he want others to make a mess of where he lived.


    ¡­¡­..


    It was almost twelve when Zhang Heng arrived back at the university. He did not go through the main entrance, choosing instead to enter from the side door located west. This door was further away from the MRT station, and few elected to use this entrance. At times, some teachers would still use it because it was nearer to their residence.


    As Zhang Heng came up upon the entrance, he saw a shiny black Mercedes-Benz parked on his right-hand side. Shen Xixi quickly shuffled off the car! An awkward situation emerged between them when she laid her eyes on Zhang Heng.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng remembered a rumor that he had heard earlier. Unfortunately, the black Mercedes had already left, and he was unable to take a good look at the driver. Shen Xixi quickly put the black pouch into her bag as she attempted to make herself look as calm as possible.


    ¡°It seems like we always meet at the wrong time,¡± lamented Shen Xixi with a bitter smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain anything to me,¡± Zhang Heng replied.


    Both of them were nothing more than friends. No matter what Shen Xixi did, she had no obligation to tell him about it. Besides, Zhang Heng did not believe in the rumors he heard. He knew she was smart enough to stop the Mercedes away from the front entrance, lest the things said about her would become truth. The only question he had was why Shen Xixi did not defend herself when the allegations were thrown at her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk soon. My dorm will be locked in a bit. I have to hurry!¡± said Shen Xixi after glancing at the time.


    The female dorm was further away from the western entrance, and the dormitories would be locked in five minutes. Both of them waved each other a swift farewell before retreating to their respective rooms.

 Chapter 85 - Christmas Eve

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    It had been two days since Zhang Heng reported the supernatural case to the police. After that, he did not come across any cases involving the unknown. Earlier, he was surprised when he received a message from Hayase Asuka. She wanted to invite him to an amusement park on Christmas Eve, where a few of her friends would tag along as well. This was not the first time she asked Zhang Heng out. She was the kind of that could not stay indoors for too long, heading out whenever the opportunity presented itself.


    The one thing that surprised Zhang Heng the most was her academic results. Although she always hung out, she still managed to pass her exams with flying colors, never having failed any subjects before. He even saw her fooling around on the eve of the finals.


    The way she behaved was actually very similar to someone Zhang Heng knew. Someone he had previously rejected a few times. He had never expected Hayase Asuka to be the persistent kind of girl. This time, he felt terrible that he had always dismissed her invitations, and so, went ahead and asked his friends to join him if they had nothing better to do. Ma Wei was passionate about doing well in his studies. As for Wei Jiangyang and Chen Huadong, they had been attempting to memorize everything that they studied so far. Both of them were dying for some entertainment outside the confines of the dorm room.


    ¡°Are you talking about the Japanese girl that you saved at Food Street? The thing is, we don¡¯t speak Japanese.¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ she¡¯ll be there with a few of her friends. It seems they are from China, Japan, and one of them is actually from Ukraine,¡± replied Zhang Heng while reading Hayase Asuka¡¯s text.


    ¡°Never mind. I don¡¯t think I will join you.¡±


    Though Wei Jiangyang was interested in being friends with girls from different countries, he still thought that his life was his priority. He was not bold enough to abandon his girlfriend and instead have fun with others. As for Chen Huadong, he was devastated that his latest attempt in wooing Xu Jing had once again failed miserably. It would be a nice change for him to go out and distract himself from all the sorrow. Hence, he volunteered to go with Zhang Heng. Lastly, Ma Wei, the genius, was done with studying. He, too, decided to tag along with Zhang Heng.


    After that, Zhang Heng told Hayase Asuka that he would bring a couple of friends with him. It was all in good faith, and she was totally fine with it. Both sides had agreed that they would meet at the entrance of the amusement park. Seeing that there was still some time left before they headed there, Zhang Heng played a few rounds of basketball with Chen Huadong on his computer.


    After the game, they proceeded to the cafeteria for some food before departing. As the three of them had arrived ten minutes early, they purchased the entrance tickets first. When they came out, they spotted Hayase Asuke and her group of friends walking towards them.


    On her head was a beanie with two fur balls hanging from it. They swung around as she ran towards them. She quickly waved her hands at Zhang Heng the moment she saw him. Two boys and five girls were here with her. The handsome blonde bloke should be the exchange student from Ukraine. He might have looked all imposing and cool from the outside, but once they had gotten to know him, he turned out to be actually somewhat timid.


    All of them did a simple introduction about themselves. Hayase Asuka even spelled out her name in Chinese. They got to know how good the exchange students¡¯ mandarin was the moment they started the introductions. Amongst them, the guy from Ukraine had the highest proficiency in Mandarin, his great grandmother being from China. So, he named himself Zhang Wei.


    As for the rest of the Japanese girls, only one of them could speak good Mandarin. That being said, they could all communicate with each other without problems. The only thing was that they had to say the words slowly, considering it wasn¡¯t their native language. The last Japanese girl had already started using some of the more complex Chinese phrases. Amongst them, Hayase Asuka had the lowest proficiency in Mandarin. Right after she introduced herself, she instantly reverted to Japanese again when she talked with the two girls. Apart from those two, the other two who could understand her were Zhang Heng and another boy that was currently taking Japanese classes.


    Seeing that everyone was here, Zhang Heng distributed the entrance tickets to each of them. The amusement park was packed with crowds of thousands because it was Christmas Eve, with most of the visitors being couples. There were even a few Santa Clausus standing at the entrance to give presents to those that were about to enter the amusement park, giving out gifts to the entering visitors.


    The group got their presents too, and when they opened theirs, they found out that they had all received different items. Zhang Heng got a nail clipper, and Ma Wei found a key chain. However, Chen Huadong was the luckiest amongst them, receiving a complimentary pass from the amusement park¡¯s management. The moment Hayase Asuke opened her present, her face immediately turned red! She quickly hid it in her bag before anyone saw it.


    One of the guys persuaded her to show everyone what she got, though, Zhang Heng could roughly guess the item that she received. Immediately, he looked for a topic to distract everyone. At his quick thinking, Hayase Asuka looked at Zhang Heng gratefully. To be honest, the amusement park wasn¡¯t as entertaining during the night. For safety reasons, rides like rollercoasters and other thrills were shut down. Fortunately, the park made up for it with spectacular live performances.


    Zhang Heng and his friends queued up to try some of the games offered at the booths nearby. Seeing that the live show was about to start, some of the girls suggested that they should watch it first.


    ¡°You guys go ahead. I will keep her company,¡± said Zhang Heng when he saw that Hayase Asuka was more interested in the games she was playing.


    ¡°I will keep her company as well,¡± said the other guy that spoke Japanese.


    Zhang Heng did not brush him off, noticing that was trying to woo Hayase Asuka. In the direction of giving them more alone time, Zhang Heng volunteered to help hold on to their personal belongings. Hayase Asuka was so excited that she did not suspect anything was amiss. Secretly though, the guy was extremely grateful for what Zhang Heng did.


    While Hayase and the guy visited the haunted house, Zhang Heng settled on a bench to answer a call. The call came from Ireland and was his parents. They both wished him a happy Christmas. At the same time, they kept teasing him and asking him to take a picture of the girl that was close to him. Zhang Heng then took a picture of the couple on his left.


    ¡°That¡¯s pathetic¡­¡±


    Now, his parents were nagging him, lamenting about their life in university. Judging from the background noise, Zhang Heng deduced that his parents were probably standing in front of a theater or stadium of some sort. As they were running out of time because the event they were about to attend was about to start, they had to come back to a more serious topic. They informed Zhang Heng that they would return to celebrate the new year with him. They even prepared a surprise for him as well.


    Zhang Heng did not entirely trust everything they said. It had been two years that his parents had not celebrated the new year with him. Last year, they were both on holiday but had chosen to travel to Africa instead of celebrating Chinese New Year with their son. Initially, Zhang Heng wanted to ask them about Moresby, Tapio, and the crows that appeared in his mind when he used the wooden sculpture.


    Though they most probably wouldn¡¯t qualify as parents of the year, they were still experts in all these mystical stuff. Considering they were coming back in about a month, Zhang Heng decided that he would only ask when they came home. Talking about matters like these on the phone might just turn out to be more confusing.


    After hanging up the call, Zhang Heng sat on the bench for a little longer. Suddenly, he saw someone familiar in the crowd. He frowned, when he looked again, the person had disappeared.

 Chapter 86 - Arcade Center

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t know if he had been mistaken. Just when he stood up from the bench and wanted to investigate, Hayase Asuka and the guy had come out from the haunted house.


    ¡°I was so scared! A face appeared out of nowhere when I was walking around just now. The creature even stuck out its tongue to scare me! My only thought after that was to get out of this haunted house as fast as possible. I should have just listened to you about not getting in. You are the smartest one here!¡±


    Zhang Heng then glanced at the guy beside her. He simply shrugged, looking somewhat disappointed. Visiting the haunted house was actually a good idea for a guy where usually, a girl would typically stay closer to him when she got scared. Hayase Asuka, however, was no ordinary girl, running as fast as her legs could take her when she was spooked. In the end, the guy had to go after her, and there was nothing very romantic about it.


    Zhang Heng gave up the idea of going after the mysterious person after the two of them interrupted him. The good thing was, he did not dwell on it. There were a lot of people that looked similar to each other in this world. After getting only a quick glance, the person he saw could have been anyone.


    ¡°What are we going to play next?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Do I get to pick?!¡± asked Hayase Asuka while pointing at the big teddy bear not far away from her.


    ¡°Can I have that teddy bear?¡±


    Offering various types of games, these were a bunch of arcade booths managed by the amusement park itself. Soon, the three approached one of the staff in a Santa suit. The employee told them that the teddy bear was the prize for the mini-games.


    ¡°Let me give it a try then,¡± said the guy.


    Since he was interested in Hayase Asuka, he aspired to prove himself in front of her. He then turned around and took a look at his options. In the end, he landed his attention on a shooting game. It was common for most guys to play FPS games. Shooting was a subject that they were definitely familiar with.


    After observing others play and reading the rules, he decided to give it a go. The guy tossed a token into the machine and picked up the laser gun. He then took a deep breath before pushing the ¡®start¡¯ button.


    The game itself was pretty simple, where all he needed to do was to hit as many balloons on the screen as possible. Different colors carried different scores. The player was given two minutes to collect as many points as possible. In the beginning, it was relatively simple, where the guy landed all his shots on the balloons that carried the most points. He even had the time to shoot the red and yellow balloons that carried lesser points. Soon, his score accumulated really fast. At the rate he was going, he would be able to claim the teddy bear in less than two minutes.


    As time passed, the balloons fell faster and faster, and black balloons started to pop up as well. The scores would be deducted if the player shot black balloons. The game was getting harder by the second. When the time was almost over, he started to panic and inadvertently hit another black balloon right before the time ended. In the end, his only reward was a sticker saying Merry Christmas.


    This pathetic result had deeply embarrassed him. So, he decided to go for another round. Perhaps it was due to his nervousness or his desperation for better results, he fared worse in this second round. This time, he accidentally hit a total of four black balloons. The people behind him were literally laughing at him. Judging by their buff physique and attire, they were most likely students from a university nearby here. Though the guy was very unhappy that they were laughing at him, there was nothing he could do about it.


    A fight almost broke out when one of them called him a ¡®weak-ass.¡¯ Though the person simply muttered it out, it was clear enough for the people around him to hear everything. In the end, they laughed at him even harder. Hayase Asuka could not understand the conversation, but she could sense that something was not right. So, she quickly told the guy that she did not want the teddy bear anymore. It was better for them to look for fun elsewhere.


    Zhang Heng was fine with that. When the guy saw that the group of boys who laughed at him were strong and muscular and that there were only three of them, he knew that things could take a worse turn for them if he decided to confront them. None the wiser, he decided to swallow all the frustration that was burning within him.


    The three of them ignored the rowdy gang and proceeded to the dart-throwing booth next door. On the other hand, the group of guys that laughed at him tried the shooting game. Hayase Asuka was overloaded with luck tonight.


    Although she had never undergone professional training, she still managed to hit the bullseye thrice! Though her last dart missed the target, she still managed to get the fourth prize. The attendee then handed her a mug, which instantly lightened up her mood. Her admirer standing beside her was clearly distracted. He still had his attention focussed on the group of guys that laughed at him earlier. After playing two rounds, they only managed to win a consolation prize.


    ¡°I thought you guys are supposed to be really good,¡± the guy jeered at the group sarcastically.


    One of the boys that looked like a basketball player overheard what he said. He turned around and looked at him with a smile.


    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s you guys again. Why are you still here? Come play one round with me then.¡±


    He did not expect his soft whisper to be heard by them. Nevertheless, the was forced to accept the challenge knowing that this was the worst time for him to act like a coward.


    ¡°What do you want to play?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s all play a round of the shooting game then since we all look down on each other. I¡¯m not going to make your life difficult, don¡¯t worry. All you need to do is call yourself a weak-ass if you lose.¡±


    The guy was furious when he heard the degrading slur again. As he looked at their score, he felt that he should be able to beat his opponent if he played carefully this time.


    ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s do it then!¡±


    The group guys were clearly excited when he accepted their challenge. All of them started to look at him as if he was a clown that was ready to perform in front of them.


    ¡°Wang Bin, you are so mean! Why are you bullying a retard?¡± asked one of the group members while blowing a whistle.


    ¡°I have to do it. He is calling us weak. He wants to teach us a lesson and brag in front of his girlfriend,¡± said Wang Bin with both hands wide open.


    ¡°You first or us first?¡± asked the guy who spoke Japanese.


    Suddenly, he felt that something was not right. Their shooting was not as good, but they acted really confident in front of him. Was that simply mind games?


    Although he knew in his heart that it probably was, he still couldn¡¯t muster up enough courage to face them confidently. He even started to regret accepting the challenge.


    Truth be told, Hayase Asuka did not actually understand the word ¡®weak-ass¡¯, and he was the one who was feeling embarrassed. In one way or another, Wang Bin was right about him. Without a doubt, he did have the intention to show-off in front of Hayase Asuka.

 Chapter 87 - Can I Borrow Two Tokens?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Going first had its good and bad sides. If he performed well, he could exert tremendous pressure on his opponent, putting him under a lot of stress. At the same time, that would also mean his trump card would be revealed. The guy speaking fluent Japanese hesitated for a while before choosing to go after his opponent, suspecting that his nemesis was playing tricks on him.


    After they made their choices, everyone from the opposing team had their eyes on a plump guy standing amongst them. When compared to others of the same age, he looked like an ordinary, unassuming guy that no one would notice. The outdated Bosideng down jacket that he wore would surely pass unperceived. Earlier, when his friends were playing the shooting game, he just stood there silently without saying a word.


    ¡°Why did you guys bring me trouble again?¡± he asked, then smiled when he realized that everyone was looking at him.


    ¡°We are all just hanging out since its Christmas Eve. I will buy everyone supper when this is over,¡± Wang Bin proclaimed while handing the laser gun to the plump guy.


    ¡°This will be the last time I¡¯ll be doing something like this. Teacher Guo advised us to stay out of trouble while we are here.¡±


    The moment he picked up the gun, his temperament switched entirely, as if transforming into another person. One could instantly tell that he was no amateur from the way he held the laser gun. Immediately, the guy fluent in Japanese could feel that something was not right. Still, he was left with a tiny bit of hope that he could beat the plump guy.


    The moment the game started, the plump guy¡¯s performance completely annihilated whatever little hope he had. He might have looked ordinary, but his shooting skills were definitely something out of this world. At the early stages of the game, his superb skills weren¡¯t apparent as the game was still easy. When the balloons started appearing faster and faster on the screen, he could still land his shots on the balloons that carried the most points.


    His scores were rising steadily. Left in shock, the guy who spoke fluent Japanese realized that his opponent had surpassed his best score, and he still had half a minute left to complete the game. Right until the end, the balloons appearing on the screen became so fast that it almost faded into a blur. It was at that moment that the plump guy started to miss.


    It was no longer relevant, however, as his score was high enough for the top prize. Upon seeing the win, the attendant of the arcade carried the giant teddy bear and approached him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need this giant teddy bear,¡± said the plump guy while putting down the laser gun.


    ¡°What now? Do you still want to compete with us?¡± asked Wang Bin while tapping on the shoulder of the guy who spoke fluent Japanese.


    At that very moment, he realized that he had walked into a trap. The plump guy was no ordinary man. There was a reason why he was in the same school as Wang Bin. His forte was clearly not physical sports. From the way he performed just now, everyone realized that he must be a professional Esports competitor.


    ¡°You should honor the bet you made since you¡¯ve lost the game.¡±


    Wang Bin then took out his cellphone from his pocket and turned on the camera, switching it to record. The guy speaking fluent Japanese was deeply embarrassed in front of everyone. He knew that Wang Bin had intended all the while to make him look like a fool in public. What he did not expect was his opponent recording anything on video. His reputation would be eternally tainted if the clip were uploaded to the internet.


    The worst thing here was that his impulsive decision had also dragged Hayase Asuka and Zhang Heng in with him. Despite all that, however, he did not hear Wang Bin saying anything about the loser having to do whatever he was asked to do.


    He was so distracted that he did not realize the two persons beside him were gone. The plump guy harrumphed and saw that a crowd had started to gather around the arcade machine. He pinned the Eastern Tree Leaf drink he was holding under his armpit and picked up the laser gun.


    ¡°Can I borrow two tokens from you?¡±


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng voiced out, asking Wang Bin for the coins.


    ¡°Not about to give up, huh? Fine.¡±


    Wang Bin then took two tokens from his pocket and tossed it to Zhang Heng, who inserted one of them into the machine and placed the other under the screen.


    ¡°This token is for you to challenge my score later,¡± Zhang Heng told the plump guy.


    Immediately, the crowd fell into a hushed silence. Even the guy fluent in Japanese thought that Zhang Heng had gone insane. Everyone saw that the plump guy dominated the shooting game. According to the arcade¡¯s employee, the giant teddy bear had been sitting there for two months, with nobody managing to claim it as their own. This was the first time that someone had won it fair and square.


    The plump guy was surprised that Zhang Heng wanted to challenge him. The crowd had started booing, but Zhang Heng chose to ignore them, starting the game instead. Somehow, he held the gun in a rather amateurish way. There was nothing particularly skillful about that.


    Then, the tables started turning.


    The moment he started firing a few shots, the plump guy quickly suspected that Zhang Heng might actually be better than him.


    Outsiders were just there to watch them compete, but a real pro like the plump guy could instantly tell that Zhang Heng was a truly skilled marksman. In the game¡¯s early stages, most players gained points at a predictable rate. Although the balloons had gradually appeared faster and faster on the screen, the plump guy observed that Zhang Heng still maintained his calm, and his performance had remained steady.


    Zhang Heng played the game differently from the plump guy. Zhang Heng¡¯s score increased bits by bits. After all the in-game battle-hardened training he got, his observational skills had grown better than most. Unlike the others, he did not impulsively focus only on the highest-scoring balloons while missing out on the rest.


    After observing for a while, the plump guy noticed that Zhang Heng would arrange the balloons on the screen based on their value in the shortest time possible. He would not necessarily always shoot the ones with the highest value. Instead, he made sure to take out the rest of the valuable balloons before they left the screen as well. That meant Zhang Heng had to continually change his shooting sequence.


    The plump guy had no idea how Zhang Heng managed such an incredible, striking great fear in him. Two minutes soon passed.


    When Zhang Heng finally put down the laser gun, he realized that half of the crowd from the arcade center was watching him. Finally, his points on the screen stopped increasing. His final score was 2,765, 636 points higher than the plump guy¡¯s. Hayase Asuka was filled with excitement when she compared the scores.


    This time, the group that bullied them was left speechless. Wang Bin quickly turned around and looked at the plump guy hoping that he would start another challenge. The plump guy, however, could only gaze at the coin on the machine with a bitter smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can surpass his final score.¡±


    Wang Bin and the rest of them became deeply embarrassed. Never in their minds did they imagine that he would lose to Zhang Heng. They were at a loss, not knowing what they should do now.

 Chapter 88 - Auction

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The employee was left in a dilemma. Although it was true that Zhang Heng surpassed the score required for the first prize, no one would have expected that two players would be good enough to claim first prize. It was definitely a rare situation. The arcade¡¯s management, too, had no idea what to do next. As the victors were already present, going to get a second giant teddy bear now was out of the question.


    In an attempt to ease the predicament, the employee suggested that they could choose other prizes in exchange for the bear.


    Zhang Heng turned around to look at the group that bullied them earlier. It seemed this Wang Bin guy was the leader of the group. He appeared somewhat happy with the outcome and chose to stick to the bet.


    ¡°We have lost, and we will call ourselves weakasses.¡±


    Zhang Heng was taken aback hearing that they would stick to their promise. Since they came in bigger numbers, they could actually leave the place without honoring the deal. It would be embarrassing if they did so, but still, it was better than calling themselves weakasses. As for Asuka¡¯s admirer, Zhang Heng was truly disappointed in him. Although having knowledge that he lost the bet and had even dragged both of his friends into his trouble, he didn¡¯t even have the courtesy to tell his opponent that he would bear all responsibility.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to call yourself that in public. I know you guys don¡¯t really want the giant teddy bear. Why not just give it to us? Then, we can put this matter to rest,¡± Zhang Heng offered.


    Wang Bin was taken aback by the methods Zhang Heng had used to deal with this matter. A few seconds ago, he saw the guy who spoke fluent Japanese taking out his cellphone and was prepared to put them on the record. They thought that they would surely be humiliated to death by the three of them.


    Now, they were pleasantly surprised when they heard Zhang Heng¡¯s suggestion to call this off peacefully. Everyone initially thought that he was extremely arrogant when he left the coin under the screen if the plump guy asked for a rematch. His prior actions contrasted greatly with the merciful decision that he just made.


    Zhang Heng and Wang Bin were no enemies, having simply undergone a small conflict. Earlier, Wang Bin was bullying the guy that spoke fluent Japanese because he knew that he had the plump guy behind him, which was why Zhang Heng used the same method to let him taste his own medicine.


    The token just sat there under the screen, but none of them dared to touch it. This tiny gesture trumped over whatever word that would come out from one¡¯s mouth.


    Since they had learned their lesson, Zhang Heng had no intention to humiliate them in front of everyone. Immediately, the plump guy handed the giant teddy bear to Hayase Asuka.


    ¡°This is great! True men like us should not play with teddy bears anyway. It¡¯s a good thing you guys want it from us.¡±


    The other members of the group laughed and smiled, seeking to make the whole affair a little less awkward. Before this incident, they had always go around and mess with other people solely in the name of proving that they would be the winner. This was their first time tasting the bitterness of what it was like to lose. Seeing that Zhang Heng was willing to let them off the hook, they were all relieved. Having no intention of lingering around any longer, they left the arcade the moment everything was settled.


    Wang Bin was the last to leave. Zhang Heng frowned when he saw him walking towards them. He believed that he was a sore loser and wanted to come back for revenge.


    ¡°I owe you a favor this time. Save my number on your cellphone. You can call me anytime you need my help. Let me be frank. We are not going to get ourselves in any sort of fights. Our school is really strict about these things.¡±


    Zhang Heng was astonished that Wang Bin did not throw a tantrum in front of them. In return, he nodded and took down his number.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Hayase Asuka hugged the teddy bear tightly as they walked away. She felt as if she was living in a dream.


    ¡°Woah! I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re such a good shooter! Were you a secret agent or something?!¡±


    Hayase Asuka was so happy that she jumped around and pretended to shoot with her finger.


    Zhang Heng could only think of the first excuse that came to his mind.


    ¡°I play a lot of shooting games,¡± he said.


    Since Hayase Asuka had never played an FPS game before, she did not suspect anything wrong with Zhang Heng¡¯s statement. All she knew was that he was really good at video games.


    On the other hand, the guy who spoke fluent Japanese was now embarrassed by what he did earlier. He knew that he would never be able to get Hayase Asuka to like him. Besides, Zhang Heng had overshot him by miles after successfully handling the matter. In the end, he made up an excuse for himself before hurriedly retreating to his dorm.


    Zhang Heng wanted to convince him to stay, but he was determined to leave. That meant only two of them were left. After that, they both decided to try out the bumper cars while waiting for the live performance to be over. Soon, they met up with the rest of them at the Ferris wheel.


    It was late, and the exam was at hand. So, they eventually decided it was time to head back to the hostel.


    Of course, if someone could win an award for the most fruitful trip, it had to be Hayase Asuka. She hugged the giant teddy bear with one hand, and her other held the mug, becoming the envy of many girls. While chatting with the other two Japanese girls on the MRT, she told them she had singlehandedly won those two items by herself!


    Of course, Zhang Heng had no intention to expose her. To be honest, if Wang Bin and his group of friends did not bully them in the first place, Zhang Heng would have never showcased his marksmanship.


    If Chen Huadong and Ma Wei were there with him, they would never believe that he improved his shooting skills all by playing FPS games. A month ago, Zhang Heng played CS:GO with Chen Huadong and Jiang Weiyang. Zhang Heng¡¯s shooting skills only slightly bettered Chen Huadong. He would never accept Zhang Heng¡¯s reason.


    All the skills he possessed right now were better than most of his counterparts. Considering that he was still really young, few people got to experience what he went through in the game.


    As his skills would only improve the longer he spent playing the game, it would surely be harder for him to explain the things that he could do when the time came. Simply put, Hayase Asuka had actually saved him a lot of trouble by claiming all the credit.


    ¡­¡­.


    It was Christmas today and the last day to join the auction as well. Two days ago, Zhang Heng received an invitation from the gaming committee.


    He had been invited to join an auction for game items.


    Zhang Heng took a look at the auction¡¯s date and time written at the bottom left of the invitation and saw that is was to be held tomorrow night. He was always curious about how other players looked like, so naturally, he would not miss this opportunity. Of course, the main attraction was obtaining items that could assist him in-game.


    Shadow Moment had played a significant role in Zhang Heng completing the third round of the game. Without it, Simone would have definitely killed him in the game¡¯s early stage. Though he could not see it, the Lucky Rabbit¡¯s Foot helped him a lot as well.


    The chance of discovering these miraculous items were the reason why Zhang Heng looked forward to the auction.

 Chapter 89 - Fu Lou and Professor

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    [Verifying player¡­]


    [Verified. Player 07958 has the invitation card. Connecting player to the quest¡­]


    [Quest connected successfully. Current quest is Auction (Special)]


    [Current quest has no story background and is not considered a round of the game.]


    [Quest goal: None]


    [Mode: Multiplayer]


    [Time flow rate: 2]


    (1 hour in the real world is equivalent to 4 hours in the game. Players would be sent back to the real world after an hour.)


    [Friendly reminder. The game will begin in five seconds. Players, please get ready.]


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    When Zhang Heng opened his eyes, he found himself standing on the deck of a cruise ship. He was wearing a black tuxedo perfectly tailored to his body, and there was a tag hanging in front of his chest. His player ID and place of registration were printed on it.


    Zhang Heng then glanced at his watch and realized that it was ten at night. That would mean the auction would end at eleven. This time, he did not need to worry about the bug created by the extra time he had.


    This round of the game was different from all the other quests that Zhang Heng completed. It was safe to say that he would not encounter any danger in this one, finally being able to relax.


    After checking out his surroundings, he discovered that this place was similar to checkpoints that he had to go through before entering any game. He could see other players around him, but their faces had been blurred out.


    One could not deny that the game¡¯s developers did an excellent job of protecting everyone¡¯s privacy. However, that did not mean that the players were always at peace with each other.


    ¡°Is this your first time attending an auction?¡±


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng heard a voice from behind. Turning around, he saw a rather short man who immediately handed him his business card. His name was Ding Si, but Zhang Heng knew that it was fake.


    ¡°The world is not as safe as we thought it is! Some lunatics don¡¯t know how to stick to the rules. We all have to be careful,¡± blurted the short man while shrugging.


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You should be a new player, right? Before this, every player knew how to treat others with respect. Everyone was willing to help each other out whenever the going got tough. Unfortunately, some of the psychotic players came across the identities of others. They then hunted them down in cold blood! Most players are now in fear after the incident. That¡¯s why everyone cares so much about their privacy nowadays. According to what I know, the number of people attending this auction is way lesser than last year.¡±


    ¡°Hunted?¡±


    Zhang Heng looked at the card again and saw the words ¡®North China Fu Lou Chamber of Commerce¡¯ along with the person¡¯s contact number.


    ¡°Yes. A large number of players are being hunted down. One of them found out that killing other players would allow them to rob them of their game items and game points. After that, this whole killing business went out of hand, turning into a full-blown catastrophe to all other players.¡±


    ¡°Are the developers going to do something about it?¡±Read more chapters at Listnovel.com


    ¡°As long as the players don¡¯t reveal any information about the game to other players, they would not stick their noses in the business of other players. It seems like they have something more important to deal with¡­.¡±


    Ding Si had no intention to complete his sentence. Clearly, he did not want to dwell on it.


    ¡°You attended this auction to purchase some game items for yourself, right? Let me know if you don¡¯t have enough game points, eh? Perhaps you can consider accepting our assistance.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Your chamber of commerce is selling game points?¡±


    ¡°You sure are a newbie, just as I expected. Not only the Fu Lou¡­ many other chambers of commerce provide similar services as well. You can always purchase game points from us, though I wouldn¡¯t recommend it. The exchange rate is really high right now. You will need 4.2 million yuan to exchange for 1 game point. Usually, you would only need 3.7 million. The best thing for you to do right now is to pawn your game items to us. Once we have appraised it, we will instantly transfer the game points to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much. I will think about it.¡±


    Ding Si was a professional salesperson. He knew the secrets of successfully closing a deal, patiently holding back and not pushing Zhang Heng into taking it.


    ¡°The auction only begins in an hour and a half. You can go explore, walk around the place a little. There are some interesting spots on this cruise. The first deck has a casino, cinema, and a game room. The second deck houses a theater for live performances and a place for you to relax. The third deck is a public space for people to socialize. I¡¯d advise you to check out the first deck before you proceed¡­ if you want to.¡±


    Zhang Heng thanked Ding Si. This was his first time entering a social circle that was filled with players. In order to prevent more killings, Ding Si had told Zhang Heng that most of the players¡¯ real identities were strictly protected.


    This was the only time Zhang Heng could see so many players all at once in the same place. Other than bidding for game items, they would also seize the opportunity to enjoy the pleasantly entertaining facilities offered here.


    A good example was the Fu Lou Chamber of Commerce, where they provided the players with different services. Among these included bartering items for game points and providing loans. Otherwise, they would also help with the sale of game items and customize certain items according to the players¡¯ wishes. Custom-made items were usually cheaper than the regular by 20% to 30%. It was apparent that they were taking advantage of the auction to promote their services.


    Amongst the three, Zhang Heng was most interested in the third deck. However, he did not go there right away. Instead, he took Ding Si¡¯s advice and visited the lower deck first, managing to collect a few more business cards from different chambers of commerce. The services they provided slightly differed from each other, but they mostly charged similar prices. The one thing that they shared in common was that their game points were cheap. Of course, a particular risk presented itself when trading with them.


    Compared to all the other chambers, Fu Lou had the best reputation as it had been around since the very beginning.


    After that, Zhang Heng tucked all the business cards away into his pocket and rode the elevator to the third deck. This was the most crowded place on the entire ship. Someone was giving a briefing on a podium about the most effective way to accumulate game points. Zhang Heng then looked for a seat and listened to what he had to say. Soon though, he felt that the person would always change topics the moment he reached the key point of his speech.


    ¡°He is telling us useless stuff! The formula for acquiring game points is the top secret of the chambers. No one would simply let it out. He¡¯s just trying to recruit others to join him.¡±


    The middle-aged man extended his hand while talking to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°You can call me professor. I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand. This is just my nickname. I think it¡¯s rude to address someone by a number. You either get a fake name or a nickname for others to address you.¡±


    ¡°You can call me Simone.¡±


    Zhang Heng shook his hand.


    ¡°Welcome to the game, Simone. Where are your teammates?¡±


    ¡°Teammates?¡±


    ¡°I think you should be a newbie, huh. The invitation said that every quest has its specific challenges. It is recommended for the players to form a team first before entering the quest!¡±

 Chapter 90 - Dreamland of Death

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Everyone has their strengths limited in some way. We all come from different circumstances, and we have different forte as well. Some people love using their fists to solve their problems. Some prefer to use their brains to overcome their difficulties. Forming a team with others would allow you to overcome your weaknesses! After all, we are not superhumans. Your character panel should remind you of this as well. The previous quests that you have completed were probably designed to be completed alone. However, you will be in deep trouble if you come across a quest that cannot be completed alone!


    Of course, solo-quests have their benefits. The yield for each quest is fixed, and you get everything that you earned. Being in a team, however, would mean that you¡¯ll have to distribute your loot equally. Usually, people would only go solo after they have become stronger. Still, the risk of failure is very high. You can make all kinds of mistakes when you go solo on a quest.¡±


    Zhang Heng was dumbfounded. The old man with the Chinese attire was the one who had invited him to join this quest. It seemed that the other players entered the game differently. He did not receive the invitation that the professor mentioned earlier. Until now, he had also not met other players at the game stop. It was no wonder that he was still playing the game alone.


    Technically speaking, the old man did not actually put his life in danger. The extra 24 hours that he had was for him to solo the quest. This bonus time he had substantially lowered the risks of all the quests that he played.


    ¡°Unfortunately, my team is full now. Otherwise, I would have given you a test before allowing you to join my team. My advice is to go to the city that you live in and look for a team to join. This is going to be a long game. Your mental and physical state will undergo great stress, and you will eventually need someone to share it with. After all, we can never share these things with our friends and family. Your team members will be your pillar of support.¡±


    Zhang Heng knew that the professor was right about everything. Unfortunately, he also knew that he was meant to keep those secrets to himself and not share it with others. Considering that he spent two years alone marooned on a desolated island, he had no problems with staying and playing alone.


    ¡°I heard someone mentioning something about a guild. What is that?¡±


    ¡°Guilds and chambers of commerce are formed by players, with both providing different services. Though you are still a newbie, I¡¯m pretty sure that you¡¯ve heard that the real world is actually not as safe as we thought it is. That is why certain players band together and form a guild to look after each other¡¯s backs. Some of them even volunteered to deal with the supernatural stuff that happens around them.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me. Why are you so against the idea of joining a guild?¡±


    Earlier, the professor had criticized the guild member that speaking on the stage. Zhang Heng could sense hostility between his words.


    ¡°Guilds are supposed to exist to serve the greater good. As time passed, the definition of ¡®guild¡¯ changed. In a guild, everyone was supposed to take care of each other. Sadly, when certain members become more and more powerful, they wanted more than just taking care of each other. Due to this, some guilds have become unstable, the contributors to the chaos right now. We all have different opinions about guilds. Right now, I¡¯m happy with my own team, and I have no interest in joining any other guilds.¡±


    After chatting for a while, the professor descended to the first deck for a round of cards, and Zhang Heng stayed on the third to listen to speeches from different guilds. An hour and a half later, everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered at the ballroom.


    Zhang Heng came up with a rough estimate that there were around 4000 to 5000 people here. There were more than 500 items to be auctioned off today. Among these were 12 valuable items that required the bidder to raise their number if they wanted to bid for the item. As for the rest of the 488 items, players could only bid for them online. The system would then determine the highest bidder.


    While walking around, Zhang Heng crossed paths with Ding Si once again. It seemed like he had just closed in on a deal as he was smiling from ear-to-ear. He even greeted Zhang Heng first.


    He whispered, ¡°According to a rumor I heard just now, I was told that a B-grade game item would on auction later. And there are a few unique C-grade game items as well.¡±


    ¡°Are B-grade game items rare?¡±


    ¡°Of course! There are less than 200 B-grade game items within the entire circle of players right now. Most of the players I know would never sell these off. If I¡¯m not mistaken, it was a B-grade item that left everyone in shock last year!¡±


    Ding Si was really excited as he described the game item. As a businessman, he was always infatuated by objects that carried extreme value.


    ¡°Dreamland of Death! It¡¯s an item that can be used to curse others,¡± Ding Si exclaimed. ¡±


    Everyone was afraid of this thing a few months ago. It can kill someone in their sleep when they are dreaming. The way to trigger this item is unknown. How the curse is lifted is unknown as well. A few elites in the player base have been cursed. The guild leader of Silver Wing was the owner of an A-grade game item and managed to survive the curse. In the end, a few guilds had to work together to eliminate the previous owner of the item. Since there¡¯s only one, it has been decided that they would auction it off.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s basically impossible for anybody to bid for it. Leaders of these powerful guilds would never allow such a powerful item to land in the hands of an unknown stranger. I¡¯m pretty sure that one of the guilds would eventually get it, and, the rest would take the game points instead. Anyway, their financial strength is unparalleled amongst all guilds and players,¡± he continued.


    While they were talking, the auction finally began.


    The auctioneer was a 60-year-old man who looked really serious. The wrinkles on his face resembled the bark of an old tree. He had no intention to hide his face. Just like the bartender lady, he should be one of the employees of the committee as well.


    He waited until everyone was seated before presenting his five-minute-long welcome speech. Then, he introduced the first item to be auctioned.


    ¡°Escape Dagger. Grade-C. It can be used to teleport within a small area. Remaining uses: 3. You can check out its description after you bid for the item. The starting bid is 1,200 game points. Every additional bid costs 50 game points. The bidding ends when the hammer drops three times. Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    ¡°Damn. That¡¯s a good item!¡± said Ding Si.


    ¡°Are you going to bid for it?¡±


    ¡°It is a good item. Items that can be used to improve in-game survival are usually extremely costly! I¡¯m here to looking for treasure for Fu Lou. It¡¯s not for myself. Items that are undervalued are my target tonight,¡± answered an excited Ding Si while switching on his tablet.

 Chapter 91 - Silent Bidding

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    While everyone else started bidding for the Escape Dagger, Zhang Heng and Ding Si unlocked the tablets that were placed in front of them. This was his first time seeing so many game items all at once. There was a total of 80 pages, where a photo of each game item was displayed followed by its name, grade, and a short description.Read more chapters at Listnovel.com


    By showing all the items on tabs, the buyers would at least have some knowledge about what they were about to pay for. Of course, the auction house would not reveal every single detail. The value of Dreamland of Death, for example, would significantly drop if anyone knew the way to trigger it and killing someone with it. It was a risky business after all when one bid for items in an auction.


    When it came to risks, the Escape Dagger, for instance, was an item that came to scrutiny. It¡¯s description mentioned everything except for the distance it could teleport. The buyers had to make an educated guess by themselves and would have to accept that it was all fair game if eventually, the Escape Dagger did not live up to their expectations.


    Zhang Heng noticed that Ding Si did not look at the merchandise that was listed on the first few pages of the catalog. Instead, he went all the way to the last page. Ding Si put on a smile when he realized Zhang Heng peeking at his tab.


    ¡°There are around 200 unidentified game items in this auction. Astute observation is required when checking out the stuff listed at the end of the catalog. Take a look if you¡¯re interested. These items are all set at a minimum reserve of 100 game points. However, most of them are F-grade, where only a small portion of them are of E-grade. And if you are extremely lucky, you might be able to spot a C or even B-grade item or two. Two years ago, a guy bought an unidentified game item. To his shock, it was a B-grade item when he identified it! That is what I call by a one-in-a-million exception! Usually, players would make a loss when purchasing unidentified items. It¡¯s all a gamble, you know. The players who have listed their items here in this category have done a lot of research themselves. They have to be very sure that the items that they sell here actually cost less than 100 game points each!¡±


    Zhang Heng then flipped to the last page, coming to a list of items with serial numbers written beside them. Players had put down their bidding prices beside some, but most were still available, having nobody bidding on them yet.


    ¡°For some people, they have a real hard time deciding on which item to bid on. So, they would usually bid for items that others had bid for. To be honest, this is definitely an unwise move. The bidder wouldn¡¯t know when to stop since they have no prior knowledge whatsoever about the item. Say you manage to find the item you really wanted, there is still the option to wait up until the last second and bid on it right before the system closes.¡±Read more chapters at Listnovel.com


    Zhang Heng then thanked Ding Si for sharing all these tips with him. Though information like this was hardly a trade secret, it showed that Ding Si had lots of experience in maximizing profit during an auction. It was kind of him to share all those pointers with Zhang Heng, although it wasn¡¯t necessary for him to do so.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. Consider it as my long-term investment in you. Next time, if you wish to purchase a game item, you won¡¯t have to wait until the end of the year to do so. You can always come to Fu Lou and look for us. Our prices are always reasonable!¡±


    Zhang Heng did not impulsively scan through the unidentified items, instead, checking out the game items that were already identified first. He wanted to know how they priced all those items. Basically, an E-grade item would cost around 80 to 100 game points. D-grade items were around 300 to 600 game points. The gap grew wider when it came to C-grade items, usually costing thousands. Of course, prices of C-grade items varied depending on function. If it was an extremely useful item, the prices could go way beyond thousands.


    In the end, the Escape Dagger was sold at 2,050 game points.


    ¡°That¡¯s overpriced. No doubt, the item is useful, but it definitely does not cost 2,050 game points. I think 1,500 is a more reasonable price. I suppose items that could save lives are usually in high demand. Maybe the person bidding for it needs it urgently.¡±


    After that, the auctioneer presented the second item. He opened up a box made out of Tule wood and displayed the piece of bone inside for everyone to see.


    ¡°Moresby Bone. Grade: C. It can be used to cycle time. Remaining use: 2. You can get more information about it after you receive the item. The starting price is at 1,900 game points. Every bid increases the item¡¯s price by 50. The deal will be sealed when the hammer knocks three times. Let the bidding begin.¡±


    There was total silence, where not a single soul placed a bid for at least half a minute. The Moresby Bone was different from the Escape Dagger. Judging by the provided description, it was hard figuring out what it could be used for, and besides, a 1,900 starting price was undoubtedly a princely one.


    However, the starting prices of all these items sent to auction house tonight were actually determined by professional appraisers from the committee. That was why no one doubted its value. Their only concern, however, was that they would be unable to fully utilize the item after purchase. After all, these items all cost billions after a yuan conversion. To make matters worse, it was only left with two remaining uses. Even the wealthiest person here would think twice before purchasing it.


    ¡°This item is actually quite interesting¡­¡± muttered Ding Si while rubbing his chin.


    ¡°You mean?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    Amongst all present here tonight, Zhang Heng was the only one who knew how to fully utilize the bone because he was the one who had asked the bartender lady to identify it. He was also the one who entrusted her to auction it off. Although sifting through the entire catalog, he didn¡¯t see the item listed anywhere. So, he suspected that this must be of the 12 valuable items which required other players to bid on it with their paddles.


    ¡°Time-series items are extremely rare, though their starting prices can still be reasonable. However, the phrase ¡®cycling time¡¯ does not carry too much information.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to say that there might be no bids?¡±


    ¡°No. No. No. That is impossible. The rarity of this item itself ensures that someone will eventually bid for it. Right now, nobody is raising their number paddles because they are trying to estimate its value!¡±


    Right after Ding Si finished talking, someone raised their paddle. Soon, there was a second and then, a third person bid for it. However, the atmosphere this time was was different from the Escape Dagger bid. Only a few people placed their wagers, dragging on until a few moments before the hammer came down for the third time before bidding on it.


    The situation gradually turned awkward as the bidding went on and on, seeming to be a never-ending process.


    Ten minutes later, the auctioneer frowned and made a new announcement.


    ¡°From now on, every bid costs 100 game points!¡±


    All the bidders had to think twice now. As time went on, fewer and fewer people placed their bids, though the bidding speed had increased. Notably, there were only three people bidding for it right now.


    It appeared that the three were determined to get their hands on this item, come what may. When the price had reached a staggering 2,600 game points, one of them decided to quit. Then, when it reached the 2,900 game point mark, another hesitated for a moment before he threw in the towel.


    In the end, the hammer price for the Moresby Bone was 2,900 game points.


    ¡°This sure is an excellent price for a C-grade item,¡± Ding Si exclaimed.


    This time, he did not give an estimated price for the Moresby Bone. Even a professional like him could not determine its value without looking at its full report. However, Zhang Heng knew that whoever bought the Moresby Bone made no losses.


    This item was actually an extremely handy one, being able to create a continuous 60-second time-loop. Within this 60 seconds, no matter what the user did, this 60-second time frame could be rolled back! Technically, its user could stay in a 60-second time-loop forever until somebody deliberately broke it.

 Chapter 92 - Paris Arrow

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng was really interested in the effect of Moresby Bone. The bartender lady identified it for him and he¡¯d also tested it out for himself. Unlike his other game items, it was actually extremely difficult to trigger the Moresby Bone¡¯s effect. In fact, a very particular ritual needed to be performed before one could utilize it. Thankfully, it was not that hard to get the materials for this ritual. Around nine hours was needed for the entire ritual to be completed.


    If performed successfully, the user would enter the time loop. The realm within this loop was a world of nothingness. Not even death would happen in the realm of the time loop. This was actually the perfect place for one to master their skills. Archery would be a good example. In this realm, the user would not feel hungry, thirsty, or tired. With determination, one could actually train until their archery skills maxed out. However, no one would be able to withstand such a boring routine for too long. Zhang Heng estimated that even a person with a strong mental fortitude would not be able to stay within the time loop¡¯s realm for more than half a month.


    That was a place void of anything. Zhang Heng wondered how the monster called Moresby stayed inside for tens of thousands of years. Just like entering the realm of the time loop, if the user wished to exit the realm, someone would need to prepare the ritual again. This was why the Alkiz were stuck inside the realm after they exterminated Moresby.


    If the old man in the Chinese attire did not break the balance of time, that monster would have probably been stuck inside the time loop for eternity. Despite this, the item kept its value. The premise of being able to live forever inside the time loop itself was attractive enough for someone to bid for it.


    Zhang Heng let this item go because he had an extra 24 hours every day. Besides, he was new to the game, and he had just completed three quests. Sure, he could earn game points pretty quickly, but the reward was simply not good enough.


    After deducting the 5% processing fee, Zhang Heng received a total of 2,755 game points. With this amount, he was now officially a bidder at the auction house. As he flipped through the catalog again, something captured his attention on page four.


    [Paris Arrow. Grade: D. Description: Once the arrow is launched, it would automatically land on the target¡¯s weak point. Current price: 410.]


    The name of this arrow reminded Zhang Heng about a story he heard when he was still a kid.


    It went like this:


    During the Trojan War, Achilles was the strongest hero from Greece. Legend said that he was the son of one of the heroes from the Argonauts, namely Peleus, and the Ocean Queen, Thetis. There were many versions of his story. One of them was that his mother, Thetis, was told by the Queen of Fate that she would be killed on the battlefield. So, she soaked her son, Achilles, in the River Styx to turn him into an indestructible hero. As she was holding his heel as she dipped him, his heel later became his only weakness. Read more chapters at Listnovel.com


    When he grew up, he turned into a war hero killing countless enemies during the Trojan War. He was the one who had eliminated Hector, the most powerful warrior from Troy. After that, he was involved in a fight between Apollo, the God of the Sun. According to Gustav Schwab, the author of Gods and Heroes of Ancient Greece, Achilles was killed when Apollo shot an arrow at his heel. The name and description of this game item matched the arrow that was mentioned in the Greek epic poem, Odyssey.


    After knowing that players would face unknown danger in the real world, Zhang Heng wanted to arm himself well to make sure that he could protect him and others. The Paris Arrow matched perfectly with his Lv2 Archery Skill. As long as he could aim and launch the arrow at his target, it would automatically aim for the target¡¯s weak spots.


    This was actually a niche game item, where only players with an archery skill would be attracted by it. That would mean only a few players would fight for it. So, half an hour later, the price of the Paris Arrow had increased by only 65 game points. As compared to other game items, the Paris Arrow was evidently not as popular.


    Amid the auction, Ding Si¡¯s cellphone rang nonstop, seeming as if he was getting more business by the minute. Zhang Heng was not surprised, as those participating in the auction were here to look for items that could help them in the game. If what they wanted to buy was in high demand, and they lacked game points, they would frequently look toward the chamber of commerce for help. Some would even sell off game items that they possessed in exchange for more game points.


    In that one hour, Ding Si¡¯s fingers never left his cellphone, closing one deal after another. However, after leaving the auction house for a short while, he seemed to receive fewer messages when he returned.


    ¡°I just closed a big deal. I¡¯m left with very few game points. That would mean my job for today is done,¡± Ding Si sighed in euphoria.


    ¡°Congrats!¡±


    The auction was about to end soon and Zhang Heng checked on the Paris Arrow again only to find out that the price had increased to 445. So, he subsequently bid another 20 game points on it.


    In the end, he managed to obtain the Paris Arrow for a total of 465 game points.


    Other than that, a pair of earrings captured Zhang Heng¡¯s attention as well. It allowed the user to gain 100% fire resistance. However, its price had started climbing higher and higher, and in the end, he had to give the item up. As he looked at all the unidentified items in the catalog again, he noticed all kinds of items. A Samsung cellphone and Gucci handbag were listed as well. With only pictures to guide him, it was hard to determine their function.


    It was not necessary, though, for him to try his luck on all these items.


    However, just as he was about to close the catalog, a picture captured his attention. It was a key. The engraving on its end was extremely familiar to him. Suddenly, Zhang Heng remembered where he had seen the pattern. Earlier, when he activated the Shadow Moment, he stared right into the crow¡¯s eyes, and though the picture was a little blurry, he still managed to recognize the crow engraved on it.


    Amongst all the game items he possessed, Shadow Moment was the only item with an unknown origin. Who knows, he might just find more information about his Shadow Moment through this key. The Shadow Moment was a D-grade item. That would mean this key was probably a D-grade item as well. Right now, no one had placed bids for it. That would mean Zhang Heng would be able to acquire this item with only 100 game points.


    As luck would have it, he managed to obtain the key at its base price.


    After the final purchase, he was now left with 2,292 game points. He then closed the catalog having no further intention to purchase any more game items.


    The auction was coming to an end and the auctioneer announced the last valuable item.

 Chapter 93 - Showstopper

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Many of the guests already knew what the last item for auction was, but when the auctioneer took it out from the tule box and presented it before the guests, it caused quite the stir.


    ¡°Dreamland of Death. Grade: B. Causes the target to enter a lethal dreamland. Its remaining number of uses is a secret. More details will only be revealed after the auction. The starting bid is 60,000 game points, where additional bids will cost 500 points. After three last calls, the hammer will fall, and the sale is concluded. Get ready to place your bids.¡±


    The elderly auctioneer conducted the auction professionally, maintaining a serious expression on his bony face as he made the introduction in a calm and composed manner.


    Right after he had spoken, a voice called out, ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time and just start from 70,000.¡±


    The auditorium broke into an uproar. That was merely the first bid, and the price had already been raised by 10,000 points. This opening was borderline farcical.


    Considering Ding Si had already completed his work for the day, he turned himself into a spectator for this bid.


    ¡°Currently, there are three most powerful guilds with more than 2,000 players between them. After years of massive expansion and having made a large fortune, they are the only ones who can afford to make such an exorbitant bid. They are probably the ones performing at tonight¡¯s final round of auction.¡±


    Ding Si paused for a moment and then continued, ¡°No one would feel safe knowing that this deadly weapon is in someone else¡¯s hand. The three guild leaders of Silver Wing is the prime example of this case, so this is going to be a very fierce bid.¡±


    The way the events unfolded did not surprise Ding Si at all.


    The 70,000 point starting price did not seem to scare away the potential competitors. In less than ten seconds, someone swiftly followed up with a bid, and then another one from the other side. Among the many bidders tonight, no more than three were qualified to raise their paddles. Needless to say, these were the representatives of their respective guilds.


    On their own, Grade-B game items were already very rare. On top of that, Dreamland of Death¡¯s usage outshone those of the same grade. During such times, the three major guilds would not show courtesy to each other. In a matter of ten minutes, the price had shot up to a whopping 87,500 points.


    At this point, all three guilds began to show a little more caution, and the rate of the bidding gradually slowed. When it reached 89,000, one of the guilds backed out notifying that they were unable to compete. The two bidders who were left, apparently rejuvenated by their competitor¡¯s exit, were in full spirits to soldier on.


    Very quickly, the price of the Dreamland of Death escalated, breaking through the 90,000 point barrier. The party with the lower bid suddenly grew silent.


    There were many ways to kill that cost far less than 90,000 points, and even if taken from a purely defensive perspective, that price was still too expensive.


    Just as the winner of this chess game was about to be revealed, someone sitting in a corner at the back of the auditorium suddenly raised their paddle and said, ¡°100,000 points.¡±


    A furor broke out in the hall.


    Many were interested in the Dreamland of Death. Still, everybody knew that it would eventually fall into the hands of one of the major guilds because it required not just desire but also bottomless pockets to be able to win the bid.


    Despite the odds, right before the high-stakes show came to a close, a fourth person entered the picture out of thin air, raising the bid price by another 10,000 points!


    At this point, coughing up 100,000 points for a B-grade game item was pure madness.


    All eyes immediately turned to the showstopper. Due to the stipulated rules, no one was able to see the face of the person. One could only make out that it was a tall woman in black sunglasses. After calling out her bid, she kept quiet and went back to chewing her gum.


    Hushed waves of whispers began echoing throughout the auditorium. The players were all discussing the girl, wondering who she was, and where she came from. In the end, it was apparent that nobody knew her identity.


    None of the three major guilds were prepared for this unprecedented turn of events, leaving their representatives stumped.


    Zhang Heng noticed the strange expression on Ding Si¡¯s face and asked, ¡°What is it? Do you know her?¡±


    Ding Si shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. But forty minutes ago, she came to me and exchanged three C-grade game items for a loan of 4,500 game points. That¡¯s basically all the credits I have.¡±


    Zhang Heng raised his brow. He remembered seeing how Ding Si was in a good mood, saying that he had completed his work in advance.


    ¡°Could it be possible that she has also loaned from other chambers of commerce before she could gather a total of 100,000 game points?¡±


    ¡°Theoretically speaking, it¡¯s possible. Quite a few chambers of commerce roam the ship, all ready to do business. They probably carry around quite a few points on them. If she made contact with them, she could have gathered this amount. But in practice, it¡¯s unplausible. There¡¯s no way a person could have so many game items for collateral in the first place.¡±


    Ding Si frowned. ¡°This is going to be a big problem for the three major guilds. They wouldn¡¯t have come for this auction with more than 100,000 points on them. Dreamland of Death may be great and all, but it¡¯s not worth the price. The only problem is that if this thing falls into the hands of someone with ill-intentions, all the effort they went through to get here would have been for nothing.¡±


    As he was speaking, Ding Si¡¯s phone vibrated and he picked it up.


    When the call ended, he looked up, astonished. ¡°This is impossible¡­ all the chambers of commerce have run out of game points. Is she really going to win the bid on her own? This woman is incredible!¡±


    On the other side, the three representatives of the guilds were in panic mode. For them, having the Dreamland of Death in their possession was the most secure and ideal situation. Anything less than that, and they would definitely be unable to accept the outcome. Although they were not on good terms with each other, they would still act per the rules.


    The worst-case scenario would be for the game item to fall into the hands of some psycho ¨C the tragic incident involving the guild leader of Silver Wing could very well repeat itself.


    ¡°The only way to solve this is for one of them to borrow from the other. Then they could defeat that woman. 100,000 points is a steep price. No one wants to be seen as an imprudent idiot,¡± Ding Si explained. He appeared to be somewhat distracted, stroking the black briefcase on his knees as his eyes stared blankly.


    This was the first time Zhang Heng had ever seen him so nervous. The auctioneer had dropped the hammer for the second time and was about to proceed to the countdown.


    The three guilds were still negotiating and had not come to an agreement, attempting to request for the auction to be suspended, only to be ignored by the old auctioneer.


    The girl in the shades was chewing her gum more rapidly. Three seconds later, the hammer dropped, and the auctioneer announced the results of the auction¡¯s final round.


    Shortly, the steward standing at the side carried the tule box to the woman. She had just spent 100,000 points on a game item she did not even bother to inspect. She simply took the thing and tossed it into her little handbag.


    After that, she disappeared from her seat into the darkness.


    Just as she was about to leave, Ding Si jumped up from his seat and yelled, ¡°Hurry! Hurry! Catch her!!!¡±

 Chapter 94 - Storm

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Ding Si was a step too late. In fact, even he had shouted a little earlier, it would have still been pointless. In this exclusive auction transcript, players were not restricted and could leave at any time they wanted. Ding Si knew that it was useless to do that, merely reacting instinctively out of desperation.


    The moment the woman in sunglasses disappeared before his eyes, Ding Si grabbed his hair in frustration.


    He was not the only one regretting. Someone else on the other side yelled as well, and a young man fainted on his seat. Many disgruntled groans and boos from the crowd quickly ensued.


    As Zhang Heng was sitting right next to Ding Si, he too saw very clearly when the woman was about to leave. The high-strung Ding Si opened his black briefcase and pulled out the three tule wood boxes.


    To his dismay, all the game items inside were gone! Instead, in their place were three smiley faces made out of clay, mockingly grinning away as if laughing at his gullibility.


    After the outburst, Ding Si deflated, drained of all energy, eventually slumping onto his seat. Tonight, Fu Lou wasn¡¯t the only one deceived, for nearly all chambers of commerce who carried points with them had been swindled by that woman. One by one, tule boxes were opened, and within them, the mocking smiling piece of clay, a sight that stung the eyes of its bearer.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s stomach sank, and he was flummoxed. Logically, Ding Si¡¯s keen eyes and years of experience should prevented him from falling for such a cheap trick. Moreover, since they were all in the transcript, the players should be have been able to access the information of the game items on their personal screens. Nonetheless, that woman managed to fool everyone¡¯s eyes with a few pieces of cheap clay.


    When all was said and done, she had managed to plunder the coveted Dreamland of Death from the three major guilds without having to pay a single point.


    Surely, all this sounded as coming from a myth of legends, but here, it happened right before his eyes.


    In the entire hall, the only person unaffected by the event was probably the auctioneer on the stage. After he had sold the last item, his job was done. He gave a simple closing speech, before taking off his gloves and leaving, completely ignoring the commotion brewing among the guests.


    By the time they realized what had just happened, the representatives of the chambers of commerce had already left. The losses they had suffered this time had to be reported back to their respective handlers. At the same time, they would also launch a hunt for the woman back in the real world.


    Ding Si disappeared without even saying goodbye. The other players, on the other hand, were either having heated discussion amongst themselves or had left with their companions. Zhang Heng collected the Paris Arrow and the unidentified key from the committee. When he saw that there was not much time left, he decided to leave.


    And so, he returned to the lounge.


    The light music had been replaced by classy jazz, and the bartender seemed to be a pretty good mood, humming along with the melody as she fussed over her new project ¨C stirring durian pulp into rum.


    ¡°This is a night worth celebrating! You should have a drink ¨C a small self-appreciation for entering the ranks of the rich.¡±


    She was the one who sent the Moresby bones to the auction. She knew all too well of its value, of course. Zhang Heng looked at the durian flavored rum and was disheartened, politely refusing her offer of the pungent brew and handed her the unidentified key and necklace from Simone instead.


    ¡°Please help me identify these items,¡± he asked of her, then paused.


    ¡°Also, hand me another membership card and a Mission Failure Exemption Card.¡±


    He had always wanted to buy the Mission Failure Exemption Card since a while ago but was a little hesitant about the membership card. But after considering the fact that he would be here for a while, and the possibility of anything going wrong at any moment, he decided it was best to purchase it as soon as possible.


    ¡°I admire guys who know how to splurge,¡± the bartender commended him as she took out a calculator. ¡°The total for this item is 1,407 points.¡±


    With the deal sealed, Zhang Heng¡¯s game points were reduced from 2,292 to 785. After he had made the payment, he thought of a question and decided to ask while she was still in a good mood. ¡°Did you know that the screen displays wrong information sometimes?¡±


    The bartender raised her brows, clearly taken aback by the question.


    Quickly, she blurted out something in response. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The information displayed on the panels is more accurate than your nightly news.¡±


    However, having said that, she seemed to be hesitant and added, ¡°But there¡¯s a catch. If you have a special game prop, the possibility of that happening can¡¯t be compeltely ruled out. That said, I¡¯m afraid only A-grade game props can pull off such a thing. Why? Did you encounter it or something?¡±


    The incident at the auction tonight was no secret, where Zhang Heng believed that the news of the heist would have swiftly spread like wildfire within the circle of players. Having no need to hide anything, Zhang Heng directly told her, ¡°Someone used clay to fool all the chambers of commerce present on the ship, then used that money to buy the final auction item, in turn snatching it away from the three major guilds.¡±


    ¡°This method¡­ sounds very much like that guy¡¯s modus operandi. Tsk! He finally showed his face. Guess he couldn¡¯t stand the loneliness anymore,¡± the bartender lady muttered, evidently not intending to provide any further explanation. ¡°From now onwards, you have to be very careful when dealing with other players. There have been more and more problems surfacing recently. It looks like another storm is brewing and I¡¯m sure its coming soon.¡±


    ¡­


    This time, Zhang Heng left Desire City much earlier than before. It was only 23:16 when he walked out of the gate. There was still some time left before time stopped, so he decided to take a look at Paris Arrow.


    Although he had an arrow, he had been keeping his sf-recurve bow in school lately and so, he had to go back to retrieve it.


    Zhang Heng hired a yellow bicycle and rode to the nearest station. At this hour, especially here in the industrial area, the bus stops were practically empty and deserted.


    He parked the bicycle by the road, lowering his head and discreetly locking his ride. At that very moment, he heard a loud rustling coming from the green zone by the street. Zhang Heng immediately went into high alert. Quickly, he turned around, clutching the Paris Arrow in his hand as he took two steps backward.


    Both Ding Si and the professor repetedly warned him that it was never safe being in the circle of players. That shocking scam at the end of the auction was like a vivid lesson to him. As a result, he now became a lot more cautious of his surroundings.


    ¡°Who is it?!¡±


    The rustling stopped the moment he spoke. Whoever was behind the green zone must have been startled.


    After 5 seconds, a shadow emerged from the bush ¨C it was a black stray cat, fleeing into the darkness with its tail tucked between its legs!


    Was it all a false alarm?


    Before he could investigate, the bus arrived at the station. Zhang Heng put away his Paris Arrow and glanced at the bush one last time before boarding.

 Chapter 95 - Exam Week and the Gathering

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The problem could have all been in his position. Anyhow, Zhang Heng attempted to shoot his Paris Arrow a few times, only to find that this arrow that cost him 465 game points was no different from any conventional arrow. Perhaps, it was something to do with his chosen target. Theoretically, boards, apples, and cups had no weak points, all being inanimate objects. Zhang Heng deduced that the Paris Arrow might only work on living organisms. Right now, however, no suitable target was available for him to test his theory.


    Three days later, the necklace and key were identified. Zhang Heng received an express delivery from the bartender, immediately opening it up and taking out one of the cards from it.


    [Name: Hunter¡¯s Blessing]


    [Grade: F]


    [Effect: Increases the chance of encountering certain types of prey.]


    This item was similar to the necklace that Simone gave him and the Lucky Rabbit Foot that he owned. It was hard to determine if increasing the chances of encountering prey was a good or bad thing. To a hunter, this item would allow them to improve their yield. However, if hunting weren¡¯t in the books, bringing this around would cause unnecessary trouble.


    After that, Zhang Heng placed the necklace inside the tule wood box that he bought from the bartender. Then, he looked at the identification report of the key.


    [Name: Shadow Key]


    [Grade: E]


    [Effect: Can be used to transform your target into Shadow Form. Lasts three minutes. Remaining uses: 3]


    The price of an E-grade item usually ranged between 80 to 100 points. Earlier, Zhang Heng had spent a total of 100 game points to purchase this item. Albeit a little bit overpriced, this was all very normal. Typically, unidentified items belonged in the F-grade category. E-grade were uncommon. D and C-grades were even rarer. As for B-grade items, it had only happened once so far.


    What Zhang Heng was interested in the most was the connection between the Shadow Key and Shadow Moment. Each time Zhang Heng activated his Shadow Moment, he could sense that the crow was trying to tell him something. He had a hunch that if he managed to check out the background of the crow, he would gain a better understanding of this supernatural item.


    Right now, though, he had a more pressing matter to deal with.


    The issue in question was his final exam. The exam week would officially begin right after the New Year. From the 3rd to the 7th, he was to attend the public course exam. When that ended, it was then a professional course exam next. It was definitely an intense period where every night, there would be a power cut at Zhang Heng¡¯s hostel. Anticipating the time it would happen, he had to finish studying everything before it happened. Otherwise, he would just wring it out in the corridor and study there for the rest of the night.


    Even before the new year, the corridors were packed with zealous students. When Zhang Heng went out at 12 a.m, he could always see a group of students cramming hard on their books. Amongst these were Wei Jiangyang and Chen Huadong, where they stole a little time in between their busy schedule to read some manga. In this challenging time, they seemed to have found happiness amid suffering.


    Zhang Heng met Shen Xixi twice while he was studying in the study room, but after crossing paths with each other that night, they did not talk much after that. All they did was nod to each other when they met again. On the other hand, Xu Jing, the Loli, had always considered Zhang Heng her best friend. Ever since he used a bow and arrow to scare away bad guys from harassing her, she started to call Zhang Heng her Ironman. And she was not afraid to tell everyone about it.


    There was this once when Zhang Heng met her at the canteen. He was around five meters away from her when all of a sudden, she started to shout ¡®Ironman¡¯ at him ever so passionately. Immediately, half of the students in the canteen turned around to stare at her.


    After some days, Zhang Heng finally finished his last paper for this term. Alas, his second year in the university was coming to an end. Chen Huadong went as far as taking out his entire pile of photocopied study material and tore them into pieces before throwing them away in the water house. While returning to them, Chen Huadong realized that he left his cup there. Naturally, he turned back to go and get it.


    On the other hand, Jiang Weiyang was just as happy. He spent the entire night attempting to memorize notes that were written down with Chen Huadong. Coffee was the pillar they relied on to stay awake throughout the exam. When the exam was over, though, all the sleepiness miraculously disappeared. They both suggested that everyone should go to Food Street to grab some good food and have fun. Since everyone was cool with the idea, Jiang Weiyang proceeded to call his girlfriend to join along.


    It seemed like Han Xiaxiao¡¯s dorm wanted to celebrate the end of the exams too. So, Wei Jiangyang had to inform them about the rendezvous point.


    However, the atmosphere quickly really awkward when all of them gathered at the same spot. Ma Wei was not the kind of guy that had a smooth mouth with the ladies, nor did he spend much time with them. Basically, he was here simply to eat his food and drink his beer, not intending on sharing a single word to the others. As for Chen Huadong and Xu Jing, they were usually the stimulus of the group. With the chattery duo present, they should be able to get everyone to mingle. Unfortunately, tonight had to be the night where they were both quiet.


    During Christmas Eve, Zhang Heng sensed something wrong between Chen Huadong and Xu Jing when he agreed to go to the amusement park with him. After the camping trip, both were always seen together as if connected by glue. Then, all of a sudden, they stopped talking. Right now, they behaved like strangers who had never met.


    When it came to the love matters of others, it was inappropriate for an outsider to comment about it. Amongst them, Shen Xixi had the highest EQ. She was typically the go to girl when it came to matters like this. However, it seemed that she was terribly distracted, popping out her cellphone from time to time and checking for messages.


    And that marked the end of the first term of the second year in university.


    The most awkward incident of the night happened right after the meal. When everyone walked out of the restaurant, they saw a black Mercedes parked at the entrance. This time Zhang Heng took a good look at the driver.


    Unlike the rumor about her hanging out with a bald old man, the driver was a young stallion. Judging by his demeanor, he should still be studying as well. Having a somewhat fit physique, it seemed that he spent a reasonable amount of time working out every day. Seeing the whole bunch walking out of the restaurant, the young man stepped down from the car and graciously opened the car door for Shen Xixi.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to do. I¡¯ll take my leave first,¡± said Shen Xixi.


    She entered the car after the. Han Xiaoxiao wanted to say something, but she stopped midway, only sighing as the car silently rolled away.


    ¡°I have asked her in private before. She told me that she has no intention of getting a boyfriend. She told me that she wanted to do something meaningful. I have never seen her defending herself against all those horrible rumors. Initially, I wanted to believe her. Right now, I¡¯m not sure if I should.¡±


    ¡°I will always support her no matter what,¡± Xu Jing interrupted.


    ¡°That is because you are just like her,¡± said Chen Huadong with a smile.


    Seeing that the two of them had their horns locked, they quickly stopped them from doing so.


    ¡°Both of you¡­ the winter holidays are coming soon. We won¡¯t be seeing each other for a month. Can we just end this gathering peacefully? Right? Zhang Heng¡­¡± said Wei Jiangyang.


    He wanted Zhang Heng to support his notion, but he looked distracted by the fact that Shen Xixi left them. Wei Jiang¡¯s heart dropped immediately. The matter between Chen Huadong and Xu Jing was still unresolved, and he saw that something unpleasant was playing in Zhang Heng¡¯s mind. Rumor had it that Shen Xixi and Zhang Heng used to flirt with each other.


    But then again, that was just a rumor. He wanted to know what Zhang Heng really thought about it.


    When Zhang Heng realized that Wei Jiangyang was staring at him, he quickly turned around and gave everyone a quick nod.


    ¡°See you guys next year.¡±

 Chapter 96 - Black Sail I

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    After the exams, the winter holidays were finally here. From today until the 4th of March, the entire university would go on break. Most of the students left their hostels the very next day the exams were over. Wei Jiangyang was the first to leave from Zhang Heng¡¯s dorm.


    He had planned for a vacation to Qingdao with Han Xiaoxiao, his girlfriend, before heading back to his hometown. After that, Chen Huadong was the second to leave. He brought almost nothing with him except for two hard drives that had tonnes of anime in them.


    As for Ma Wei, he wanted to earn some money first before heading back to his hometown and planned to work till the eve of Chinese New Year. As of today, he had taken up a job as a home tutor for four families. He rested for one night before quickly reading up some high-school physics and chemistry.


    Zhang Heng, Chen Huadong, and Wei Jiangyang had always respected Ma Wei a lot. From the first day he enrolled in this university, he had never hidden his family¡¯s conditions from them. Though they weren¡¯t doing well, he never used it as an excuse to exploit anyone. All the while, he worked part-time while studying at to help out his family. If placed in the same situation, Zhang Heng knew that he would never be able to do better. He then gave Ma Wei an encouraging pat on the shoulder.


    Zhang Heng bought a train ticket and was supposed to head back to his hometown next week. There was, however, something essential for him to do before he left the place.


    At 23:37, Zhang Heng opened up the doors that led to the bar¡¯s lounge on the second floor. After greeting the bartender, he looked for an empty seat and set the alarm that was under it to 23:55.


    As he closed his eyes, a new journey began.


    [Verifying player¡¯s identity¡­]


    [Verification complete. Randomly drawing the fourth quest for player 07958]


    [Draw completed. Your new quest is Black Sail]


    ¡°Pirates from New Providence have threatened all trades that are carried out in this area. Every civilized country in this world considers pirates as a public enemy!¡±


    [Quest goal: You are on a ship. Set anchor at Nassau and build your own force.]


    [Quest mode: Solo]


    [Time flow rate: 3600]


    (1 hour in the real world is equivalent to 150 days in the game. The player will be sent back to the real world after 300 in-game days.)


    [Friendly reminder: The game will begin in five seconds. Please get ready.]


    ¡­.


    Just as Zhang Heng was cracking his brain to figure out where in the world this New Providence was, he heard a deafening boom right beside him!


    The wall of his cabin had been penetrated by a flying cannonball, crushing the table inside it as well! This was the very first time Zhang Heng experienced such an intense opening. During his last quest in Finland, he was provided with a short grace period of safety right after entering the quest. It allowed him to familiarize himself with his surroundings.


    As for this round of the game, he was greeted in kind by a cannonball.


    The worst part was, this was just the beginning of his quest. After that, he could hear multiple cannons being fired and people running around frantically along the corridor outside the cabin. Immediately, he took a good look at his surroundings. Earlier, he guessed that this quest wouldn¡¯t be set in the modern world the moment he heard the word pirate.


    The cabin¡¯s furnishing and the clothes he wore looked ancient. From all that, Zhang Heng could deduce that he was on a vessel in old Europe. However, he was oblivious as to what the exact date was. The rise of pirates could be traced back to the Lucan from 14th century B.C. The Ancient Egyptians recorded a fight between them in Cyprus. After that, Viking Pirates who ruled the sea from the 8th to the 11th century became extremely famous as well. Although numbering only a few, their ruthlessness at sea made the pirates an infamous menace. They were definitely not afraid of death.


    Back in the modern world, a gaming company even designed a class called the ¡®berserker,¡¯ inspired by the Viking Pirates. In the 17th century, Fujian and Guangdong of China were invaded by pirates as well.


    The golden age of piracy took place during the last stages of the Renaissance. More sea routes had been added, and colonies were constantly expanding. This had made it possible for trading at sea to get better. Merchants and traders regularly encountered pirates when they sailed the high seas. Some powerful pirates would even go up against the navy and attack colonies. After that, the navies gradually became stronger, and piracy slowly died down. In the modern world, some small-time pirates still loitered around the waters of Somalia.


    After reminding himself of the grim history involving pirates, Zhang Heng did not continue staying in the cabin. Judging by the direction of where the cannonball was from, he deduced he was still in the heat of a battle. Right now, the first thing he had to do was to leave this place. Who knew, a second cannonball might come crashing down on him, and he wouldn¡¯t be so lucky this time.


    Zhang Heng quickly opened the door, only to bump into a sailor that was holding a box of ammunition. The navy sailor was still relatively young, looking to be in his teens. Fear and anxiety were written all over his face. Immediately, he got up and ran to the deck with the box in hand, not saying a single word to Zhang Heng as he sprinted along.


    Then, there was a whistle from afar!


    Another cannonball had been launched, landing right on the sailor¡¯s chest! Zhang Heng quickly ran over to check on him. Unfortunately, his lungs had collapsed; there was no way he would survive his severe injuries. Before he took in his last breath, he held on to Zhang Heng¡¯s hand, eyes filled with a strong reluctance to leave this world.


    After going through the war in Finland, Zhang Heng knew precisely how to deal with a situation like this. All he could do right now was repeatedly tell the man that he was going to be fine. Half a minute later, the young navy sailor passed away, his eyes still wide open. Zhang Heng used his hand and closed them gently, then quickly ran to the deck with a box of ammunition. He needed to know what was going on right now. Right at that moment, a man from the upper deck looked down and saw Zhang Heng.


    The man was around 40 to 50 years old. His skin appeared tanned, and he seemed to have spent many years out at sea.


    ¡°I have told you guys repeatedly not to leave your cabins! This ship doesn¡¯t have enough firepower! It¡¯s impossible for us to assign personnel to protect each and every one of you,¡± yelled the middle-aged man who appeared furious.


    Zhang Heng was relieved when he heard the man speaking English. He was worried that he might be on a Spanish or Portuguese vessel, and in times like these, things could get messy if he couldn¡¯t communicate with them.


    Turning around, he showed the middle-aged man the box of ammunition he had. The dead boy¡¯s body was not too far away from him.


    ¡°Your man was hit by a cannonball! I¡¯m here to help.¡±


    The old sailor was surprised by Zhang Heng¡¯s actions. However, this was not the right time for a chat. Ammunition was running out fast!


    ¡°Quick! Hand me the box!¡±


    Immediately, Zhang Heng climbed to the upper deck. It was then that he saw how bad the situation was. The entire place had been severely damaged by enemy fire, and bodies were strewn all around as well.


    He looked to his left and saw the mast of the enemy ship. Right at its top flew the flag of the Black Sail.

 Chapter 97 - Black Sail II

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Sporting a tricorne above of his head, the plump man should be the captain of the ship. He stood on the bridge, observing the enemies with a pair of bronze binoculars. Knowing that his ship was on the losing side, he could not help but feel nervous.


    ¡°Father, I think we should surrender. Our ship simply can¡¯t go as fast as them. We don¡¯t even have a third of their cannons, and we have only 15 guns on board! There¡¯s no way we can win this fight. We should surrender while we¡­¡± muttered the young man that stood beside the captain.


    The captain then glared at his son and shouted at the sailor behind him.


    ¡°Where is the ammunition? I need it right now!!¡±


    ¡°We are awaiting your orders, captain,¡± replied one of the old sailors.


    ¡°Cannoneers! Light your fuses!¡±


    The moment he gave the order, the enemy opened fire, and a cannonball landed directly on a cannon that was currently bring reloaded. The heavy barrel fell off its base and crushed the two cannoneers behind it. Everyone could hear their agonizing screams. Then, the whole ship fell silent. It seemed that they did not survive. At the same time, the barque flying the Black Sail flag was coming full speed ahead!


    ¡°Everyone! Hang in there! All we need to do right now is to damage them! We need to wreak fear into the hearts of those bastards! Let¡¯s hope that they would give up attacking us and look for somebody weaker instead!!! I will reward every single man here with six pounds each when we arrive in Boston later!¡±


    The sailors¡¯ low morale was once again ignited with renewed flames of passion. When the enemies entered their shooting range, all 15 guns were fired at them at the same time. Zhang Heng could clearly see that the sailors lacked shooting practice. Most of their lead landed on the enemy vessel¡¯s gunwale. With an attack like that, it would surely be impossible to put fear into their enemies, let alone damage them. Instead, they were hammered with a vengeance following a more powerful retaliation.


    Soon, another nine sailors were killed, and the rest of the shipmates lost their will to fight. No amount of reward money could compel them to further risk their lives in fighting off their enemies. Just as expected, every single sailor on the ship started to drop their weapons. Thus, the captain knew that the battle was lost. There was nothing he could do now except to stare at his nemesis in despair. As he turned around to check on his people, he realized that his son was lying on the deck as well.


    The boy was clutching his chest, frantically trying to plug a deep gash, of which blood gushed out like a swollen river. The captain then took off his tricorne, knelt on the ground, and held his dying son to his chest. At the same time, Zhang Heng quickly ran to the captain¡¯s room. The moment he spotted the barque flying the Black Sail flag, he knew they were going to lose the battle. There was nothing he could do even if he decided to join the battle right now.


    The ship that he was on right now was just an ordinary merchant vessel from England. In order to make sure that they could haul as much cargo as possible, the vessel was scantily equipped with eight nine-pounder light cannons. A lack of ammunition plagued them as well. As for the enemies, they had at least 30 cannons on their ship. If their goal wasn¡¯t capturing the ship and its cargo on board, they would have destroyed them a long time ago.


    Instead of making the pointless move of defending the ship, Zhang Heng ran to the captain¡¯s quarters the moment chaos hit the boat. Usually, this was the most heavily guarded part on a ship. Right now, there wasn¡¯t a single soul in the room. There were some valuable decorations around, but Zhang Heng did not bother taking them. He wasn¡¯t sure if he would get to keep anything when the pirates boarded them. He then saw a wooden table on his right and quickly opened all the drawers.


    Then, he found what he was looking for.


    It was the ship¡¯s logbook, a compulsory record for every vessel to have. It was used to record dates, the direction of the wind, weather, and major incidents. The only thing that mattered to him right now, though, was to find out the era he was in and some basic information of this ship.


    Opening up the logbook, he started to read through its records. Three minutes later, he heard a loud boom, followed by the ship violently shaking. It was so intense that it almost caused him to fall to the ground. When it had finally calmed down, he opened the curtains and took a peek outside. The first thing he saw was a giant cannon.


    Immediately, he shut the curtains! He knew that he did not have much time here. With both ships getting closer to each other, that would mean a close standoff between two was about to happen soon.


    Judging by the merchant ship¡¯s lethargic firepower, the battle would surely end faster than expected.


    Luckily, Zhang Heng had scanned through most of the important information recorded in the logbook. It was the year 1712. If he remembered correctly, the 1701 war of succession in Spain had caused the entire country to fall apart. Through a series of treaties, England managed to claim several colonies that had originally belonged to the Spanish. And with that, England became the new king of the sea as time went on. At the same time, piracy saw its most active period as well.


    This merchant ship carrying an entire shipload of woolen goods was supposed to travel to Boston. After unloading the goods for sale, they were scheduled to ferry a shipment of tobacco back home. As bad luck would have it, they crossed paths with a band of pirates just as they were about to arrive in Boston. Knowing that they had a slim chance of escaping, the captain decided to fight and protect his ship. After all, he was an ex-navy officer.


    Zhang Heng could hear the sailors screaming in agony from the captain¡¯s cabin. It seemed like the captain¡¯s plan had failed miserably. Zhang Heng soon managed to locate the location of New Providence from the map on the table. It was located in the central north of the Bahamas. Nassau, one of its small towns, was located in the north of New Providence. Zhang Heng wanted to study the map in better detail, but there was no time left. The pirates could enter the captain¡¯s room anytime now. Quickly, he returned the logbook back into the drawer and left.


    Initially, he wanted to return to where he came from. However, he changed his mind halfway and went to the galley instead. He then took out his Lucky Rabbit Foot, Hunter¡¯s Blessing, and Paris Arrow and hid them under a plank. As he was leaving, he bumped into two men. One of them was running away from the other.


    The one running for his life crashed into Zhang Heng, and both of them fell on the ground! The person giving chase was clearly not a crew of the ship. He wielded a bloody ax and glared at the plump guy that was crying and crawling on the ground. He was ready to execute him. The moment he saw Zhang Heng, he became even more excited.


    Having no room for hesitation, Zhang Heng rushed toward him and disarmed the pirate with a hard sidekick. Immediately, the pirate extended his arm, and a fist landed on Zhang Heng. In that split second, he instinctively extended his arms to protect himself. The blow was so powerful that it temporarily paralyzed his arm. As for the pirate, he suffered no injuries. Seeing that he was unscathed, he grinned and drew his dagger from his waist.


    Zhang Heng instantly realized that he was in big trouble. Close-quarters combat was never his forte. Judging from the pirate¡¯s attack, Zhang Heng knew that it was impossible for him to defeat him from such a close distance.

 Chapter 98 - Black Sail III

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng was forced to retreat back to the galley. As he attempted to dodge the attack, the dagger inadvertently slashed his left arm. Though it was just a flesh wound, Zhang Heng knew that he had to do something quickly before it before the pirate killed him. Another three steps back, and he would come up to a wall. As for the plump guy, he sat where he was, absolutely overcome by fear. It seemed as if he had lost his mind.


    In a life and death situation such as this, a gushing river of thoughts raced through Zhang Heng¡¯s mind. However, he soon regained his calm. After all, he had just gone through a vicious war in Finland. Right now, he had the Shadow Moment in his pocket, but it only had one usage left. Zhang Heng did not use it at the beginning of his quest. There was still a long journey ahead of him.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng remembered the time when he went bear hunting with Simone in Sweden. He then spotted a chopping board with a small knife that was used to peel potatoes. Unfortunately, the pirate noticed Zhang Heng eyeballing the weapon. Update at l.istnovel.com


    The very second Zhang Heng was about to move over to grab the knife, the pirate quickly charged at him with his dagger, causing him to move in the opposite direction where he managed to dodge the attack. Immediately, the pirate reacted and changed his course as well.


    He aimed his dagger directly at Zhang Heng¡¯s chest, but to his surprise, Zhang Heng managed to evade him once again. Instead of hitting its target, the dagger landed on a piece of smoked meat that hung behind him!


    This time, the pirate ran out of patience. An extreme frustration boiled within him as Zhang heng avoided his attack over and over again. He had enough of it. With rage clouding his mind, he pushed aside the smoked meat in an attempt to go for Zhang Heng again.


    However, he was greeted with a harpoon this time.


    Zhang Heng had long awaited this golden opportunity. Though the both of them had only gotten on the ship recently, Zhang Heng had taken time to explore the galley and look for a good spot to hide his items. Hence, he knew the place better than the pirate. When he was forced to retreat to the galley, the thought of using the harpoon to attack the pirate already lingered in his mind. He simply needed to figure out how to lure the pirate to where the spear was.


    Simone once told him that a smarter way to hunt bigger prey was to make them believe that they were the hunters in this hunting game. When the time was right, Zhang Heng would not hesitate to use his weapon to kill his prey.


    In that split second, the harpoon penetrated the pirate¡¯s neck. The strike was so blindingly fast that the pirate had no time to respond to it. He was killed on the spot instantly. The ¡®bear¡¯ had finally been skewered by the hunter¡¯s snare.


    With a grunt, Zhang Heng retrieved the harpoon. The pirate took a few steps backward as he staggered and fell. Then he stopped breathing.


    Zhang Heng slumped to the ground after he killed the pirate. At the same time, the plump guy who was paralyzed with fear snapped out of his stunned state by the loud noise from the galley. It was then that he found out that the situation turned out very differently than what he¡¯d expected.


    ¡°You¡­ won?¡±


    ¡°You do realize that you are still sitting there asking me useless questions, right? The answer is yes. I killed him.¡±


    The plump guy realized that he had just behaved like a coward. When Zhang Heng desperately needed his assistance, he was no better than a petrified dummy.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I was terrified just now. Earlier, I wanted to open the door to see what the racket was outside, but I didn¡¯t expect some pirate to come charging at me. I thought today would be the day I die. Oh right, my name is Marvin. I¡¯m the son of a farm owner in a colony. I¡¯m planning to go back to help my dad in the fields. I think I met you on the ship earlier. You are the Asian traveler, right? Your name is Zhang¡­ Zhang¡­¡±


    ¡°Marvin, I don¡¯t think this is a good time for a chat. Pirates have now overrun this ship. We will be in deep shit if they find their dead brother here!¡±


    Inevitably, this had turned out far from the desired scenario. Being all alone, Zhang Heng was hardly powerful enough to turn the situation around. Initially, he only wanted to hide his stuff and prepare to surrender. He did not expect that he would encounter a pirate the moment he stepped out the door. To make matters worse, he was left with no other option but to eliminate a pirate.


    Leaving the pirate to kill the plump man in cold blood would only encourage the pirate to go after him in a worse way. However, killing the pirate had just stuck a giant bullseye on Zhang Heng¡¯s back. Now, he was in grave danger.


    ¡°Huh? What¡­. what should I do now? I did not kill him¡­ I¡­ I did nothing to him! I just sat there and kept still.¡±


    Zhang Heng was clearly unhappy with what he just heard. He had not expected that the first thing Marvin would do was to exclude himself from the incident. Though Zhang Heng¡¯s primary intention was not to rescue him, it was still a fact that Marvin got to live to see tomorrow thanks to him.


    Before Zhang Heng could say anything, however, he heard the sound of footsteps from afar. Half a minute later, two men appeared in the galley. One of them clutched a gun while the other held a British cutlass. Judging from their ragged looks, they were definitely not the ship¡¯s crew.


    ¡°I found another two alive! Be good ya¡¯ll! Your captain is dead! Everything on this ship belongs to us now! Ain¡¯t no point playing the hero in front of us!¡± barked one of the pirates while brandishing his weapon.


    Immediately, Marvin nodded his head like a madman. The extras on his body jiggled nonstop as he bobbed around nervously. Sweat dripped off his face like a leaky tap.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± asked the pirate with the cutlass.


    At that, he quickly made a round of the galley and found nothing suspicious. Suddenly, he spotted a giant barrel behind them. The pirate shoved Marvin away and opened the barrel.


    All they found was a pile of smoked fish.


    ¡°Are you done yet? We are going to miss the celebration if you stay here any longer! Speaking of which, where is Victor? I saw him come this way earlier,¡± asked the other pirate.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t wish to see him at all. He¡¯s a raving lunatic! Whenever we board a ship, he¡¯ll turn the whole place into his killing field for sure! If it was not for his bravery, he would have been kicked off the ship a bloody long time ago. Let¡¯s go! Time to go gather on the deck!¡± replied the pirate while sliding his cutlass back into its sheath.


    As Zhang Heng and Marvin were escorted to the deck, they saw the other survivors. Amongst the group were the last seven sailors. All of them were shell shocked, dreading the unknown that fate would bestow upon them.

 Chapter 99 - Black Sail IV

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Both pirates walked towards Zhang Heng and Marvin and proceeded to search them from top to bottom. That included their pockets and shoes. They wanted to make sure that they would not miss out on a single valuable item.


    After that, Zhang Heng and Marvin were being pushed into the crowd. Marvin fell into a state of panic when he saw the dead sailors beside him. Out of fear, his body shook uncontrollably once again. At that, the pirates started laughing at him hysterically.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s wallet and snuff bottle were confiscated by the pirates. However, his Shadow Key and Shadow Moment were still with him. These two items were his trump cards to protect him from life-threatening circumstances. In order to make sure that the pirates wouldn¡¯t get to them, he had to trigger the Shadow Key¡¯s effect to turn both items into shadow form.


    His current situation right now was different from the other quests he had completed. At the moment, he was somewhere out at sea. That meant there were only so many places he could run to even if he triggered the Shadow Moment¡¯s effects. An option was to move his shadow on the sea, but he would surely drown once its effects expire. There was a slim chance that he would be saved by passing boats. However, getting devoured by sharks or drying out in dehydration seemed like a stronger possibility.


    The passengers on the ship were merely ordinary folk looking forward to a new life in the colonies that they headed to. Instead of a fresh start, they had now become prisoners of the pirates.


    Most of them did not behave as pathetically as Marvin, though, Zhang Heng could sense that woe and despair were slowly festering amongst the crowd like a deadly virus. Then, around a minute later, loud sounds of people brawling and gunshots were heard coming from the lower deck. When the commotion died down, a man slowly strolled towards the crowd.


    ¡°I must apologize. Some idiots failed to do what they should have done. I needed some time to convince them. Well, the problem is solved now. Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m the helmsman of the Sea Lion. You can call me Mr. Orff.¡±


    Mr. Orff appeared to be about 40 to 50 years old. Apart from a slight bald, he looked to be in remarkably good health. Unlike all the merciless pirates, he seemed to be a more reasonable man.


    For that matter, the helmsman was a position that required excellent communication skills. It was the second most important position on a pirate vessel. He had to continuously maintain a good relationship with the entire crew, where, for the most part, he would act as the representative of the pirates¡¯ interests, serving as an essential link to bridge the gap between crew and captain.


    Through the helmsman, the crew felt like they had been given a voice to question the captain if they thought they had been mistreated.


    Due to that, many saw a glimmer of hope when they saw the helmsman.


    ¡°Please! Sir¡­ please let us live! We are just rankless civilians. My wife and kids are still waiting for me to get home,¡± begged one of the passengers.


    At that, Orff nodded his head in empathy and drew the gun from his waist. Aiming at a sailor who had given up his arms, he pulled the trigger!


    The lead ball penetrated the sailor¡¯s head, and he instantly collapsed. Blood splattered all over the helmsman¡¯s linen shirt. After witnessing this raw display of brutality, the prisoners were left panicked and distraught. Suddenly, they remembered that pirates would never show empathy to those they captured.


    These were a group of bloodthirsty monsters that would not hesitate to kill anyone they saw as unfit to live. That would mean they were capable of killing off every soul aboard this merchant vessel just because they were pissed off by someone.


    The gunshot was definitely not a good omen. Marvin was so terrified that he started to pee himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I had to do it. This guy killed two of my brothers when we boarded your ship just now. I will never let a person like him off the hook. I might be old, but I don¡¯t forget. My creed in life is blood for blood. This is how we work,¡± said an emotionless Orff while putting away his gun.


    Every single pirate roared into a loud cheer after he finished talking. At the same time, the captured prisoners were a little less worried. No doubt the killing was carried out so brutally, it was in one way or another acceptable if he did it out of vengeance.


    The passengers had forgotten, though, that the sailors were the ones who had protected them from the pirates in the first place. The remaining six sailors surrendered to the pirates earlier than most of the people. Now, to stay alive in this scenario, everyone chose to stay completely silent. Many thoughts ran through their minds. They were ashamed of their cowardice but also glad that they did not participate in the fight earlier.


    ¡°Now that the debt is paid, it¡¯s time to talk about what matters the most to all of you. As it stands, this ship now officially belongs to us. This includes every single item on the vessel, your wallets, and all your valuables. Now, folks, we are a reasonable bunch¡­


    We will prepare a small boat for you, and you¡¯ll head back to land. Other than that, you can have two buckets of drinking water, some biscuits, and some smoked meat to keep you alive on your journey. Consider yourself lucky as we are within a trade route right now. I heard the weather should be fine for the next two days. If the gods find favor in you, some vessel might just pass along and come to your rescue.¡±


    Orff¡¯s little speech did little to extend the calm. Instead, new chaos arose. One small boat, two buckets of drinking water, some biscuits, and smoked meat were definitely not enough for 30 passengers! A brief storm would definitely blow everyone to meet their maker. The chances of them dying out at sea were exponentially higher than being rescued by some random passing ship.


    Some passengers even started to beg the pirates for mercy. Unfortunately, Orff had made up his mind and was not about to change his decision.


    ¡°I know this is a huge risk for you to take, but you have to remember that we are pirates, not philanthropists! If you want to live, figure that out yourself!¡±


    Once Orff was done talking, the pirate beside him launched the small boat on the water. However, the lifeboat was literally a raft of sorts, only able to fit a maximum of 20 souls with zero extra space for food and water.


    Suddenly, a muscular pirate walked towards them and made an announcement.


    ¡°Are there any cooks or carpenters here? We need two carpenters and one cook. Join our ranks if you are interested in the positions.¡±


    Instead of getting on the small boat, people figured they would have a better chance of surviving if they joined the pirates.


    ¡°Me! I¡¯m the ship¡¯s carpenter. I¡¯m willing to join you,¡± said one of the captured sailors.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time out at sea before, but I have made furniture for the people in town. Do you think I can join you guys?¡± asked another passenger.


    ¡°Sure. For now, you will have to become his assistant first.¡±


    Seeing the incident before them, the passengers fell into a cloud of jealousy. Many were professionals, and even the most ruthless of pirates would have respected them if they were given a chance too.


    ¡°One more spot left! Don¡¯t miss out on the opportunity. Anyone else willing to come with us?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Marvin was the one who spoke up.

 Chapter 100 - Black Sail V

    ¡°You are the cook?¡± asked the pirate while looking at Marvin.


    It was no wonder the pirate was suspicious. Marvin¡¯s attire was far from what a cook would wear. The son of a farm owner could actually be quite fashionable. The plump man had put on a wig, and his collar and sleeves had floral stitching on them as well. On top of it, he had also adorned a custom-made jacket. As for his feet, only a pair of socks could be seen as his beautiful boots had been confiscated by the pirates earlier.


    ¡°My¡­. my mother has a motel in Canterbury. I help up with the cooking whenever there are not enough people in the kitchen.¡±


    Still, the muscular pirate was in doubt ashe looked at the pants that Marvin just wet. Immediately, he realized that he had just screwed up the pirate¡¯s first impression of him.


    ¡°I make delicious food. Sometimes the cook on this ship would even ask for my opinions and help. You can ask your friend if you don¡¯t believe me. I was in the kitchen when they found me.


    ¡°That is correct,¡± confirmed both of the pirates who had found Marvin and Zhang Heng.


    Marvin then turned around, grinning at the muscular pirate with sensitive and sheepish eyes.


    ¡°Give it a try then. But here¡¯s a fair warning. If your food tastes bad or our stomach acts funny after we try it, the rest of my brothers will not forgive you even if I¡¯m willing to do so,¡± warned the muscular pirate while pointing at his fellow crew.


    At that, Marvin quickly thanked the pirate for taking him in.


    ¡°Alright! Everyone! All positions have been filled! The recruitment is done. I wish you all a pleasant journey later,¡± the muscular pirate continued.


    Then, a voice came from his back.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Immediately, the muscular pirate halted in his steps. He did not notice that Marvin had become extremely nervous after hearing the voice.


    Zhang Heng ignored Marvin¡¯s signal and proceeded to speak his mind.


    ¡°I wish to join the crew too.¡±


    It was too high a risk to get on the small boat and wait for a rescue that might never come. He would have chosen to get on it if he was the only one, though. That said, he knew that things would become complicated with that many people on the same boat. Besides, his game items were still on the ship. He would not be able to retrieve them if he left with the rest of the passengers now.


    ¡°I admire your passion. Like I said earlier, all we need is three people, and all positions have been filled,¡± the muscular pirate shrugged.


    ¡°Hand me the gun,¡± said Zhang Heng calmly.


    Perhaps it was Zhang Heng¡¯s confidence that had compelled him or the encouragement from his friends to hand him the gun. Anyhow, the muscular pirate picked up the weapon and handed it to Zhang Heng, who immediately did a quick check the moment he got his hands it. After going through the war in Finland, he had become quite knowledgeable about guns.


    What he was holding right now was a gun with a flintlock mechanism. As compared to a matchlock, it¡¯s shooting process was much more straightforward. For this gun, the user would use flint to light up the gunpowder. Featuring better range and a smaller recoil, that meant that it was more accurate overall.


    The gun with the flintlock mechanism was invented during the 16th century. In the 17th century, it was widely distributed amongst armies in Europe. After that, it played an essential role in the American War of Independence.


    However, this weapon was severely outdated for its time and could never compare to the M28 that he used during the Finnish war. Gunpowder and bullets had to be loaded separately, requiring a long time for the user to reload after ammunition had depleted. To make matters worse, it could only shoot up to 80 meters.


    Zhang Heng took a good minute to study the gun. Every single pirate, including the muscular one, was starting to get impatient. It was at that moment that Zhang Heng raised the weapon, and without any warning, he pointed it at Marvin.


    Left in a shock, Marvin thought Zhang Heng was about to kill him.


    BANG!


    The gun was fired, and the bullet whizzed by Marvin, landing on an apple that a pirate was holding at the end of the ship.


    At the unbelievable shot, the pirates were all awestruck by Zhang Heng¡¯s excellent marksmanship. After a while, everyone began cheering for him. Zhang Heng and the apple were more than 40 meters apart, not to mention the ship steadily bobbing up and down in the rough sea. Considering his less than ideal circumstances, it should have been almost impossible to hit any target accurately. Zhang Heng had learned how to operate the gun from Simone and his movements were so fluid that it seemed as if he did not take any aim before firing the shot.


    Most of the pirates here were just ordinary people with no particular set of skills. Armed with the sole concept of the strong preying on the weak, they would always respect those who were better than them. Suddenly, one of them shouted out aloud, ¡°Take him in! Take him in!¡±


    Soon after that, everyone else followed suit. The muscular pirate frowned, knowing that he couldn¡¯t disappoint everyone just like that.


    ¡°Fine. You are a great shooter. No one will be able to say no to you. I don¡¯t mind adding one more to our crew. Come with me.¡±


    The four of them then followed the pirate to the lower deck.


    ¡°They call me Owen, leader of the pirates on the Sea Lion. I don¡¯t care what you have done before, or where you come from. You are now part of the Sea Lion. Of course, we can¡¯t trust all of you yet, but it¡¯s okay. Time will tell. There are some things you need to know before you come aborad. There will be no gambling, no stealing, and no random brawls. That is unless you have somebody to witness your fight. And most importantly, fleeing a battle is punishable by death!¡±


    Owen paused for a moment and took a look at Marvin, who wiped away his sweat as he tried to crack a smile.


    ¡°When we plunder other vessels, keeping any loot you found is a big no-no. Unless you have personally killed an enemy, you will get to choose one item from your kill. Otherwise, everything we rob will be pooled up and distributed equally to everyone aboard. The captain and our helmsman will get double the loot. After that, the doctor, carpenter, cannoneer, and pirate leader will get one and a half times the booty a regular crewman gets. Those who perform well during battles will be rewarded afterward. And if you are injured during a battle, you will also receive a certain amount of compensation. The amount you get will depend on how long you have been on the ship.


    Oh. One more important thing. Every single matter on this ship, including the appointment and removal of the captain and helmsman, is to be decided by everyone. Everyone on this ship has the right to say something and vote. That¡¯ll be all for now. Any questions?¡± Owen asked as he looked around.


    ¡°I have a question. I¡¯m not trying to avoid responsibility, but does the cook need to join battles as well?¡±


    ¡°Typically, no. However, if things do go south, every crewman has to pick up a weapon and defend the ship! Speaking of which, I need you to look for Dufresne later. He will hand you a gun. I will inform him about your talents,¡± said the pirate to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°The rest of you, you all can all go and get your weapons from Dufresne as well. Consider this our welcoming gift. In the future, you will have to pay up if you damage the weapon. We will deduct its cost from your loot during our next raid.¡±

 Chapter 101 - Black Sail VI

    As the merchant ship was attacked by the pirates, it sustained some damage. Though nothing severe, it was also a bad idea to ignore them. Quickly, the two newly recruited carpenters were asked to fix the ship.


    Once Owen was gone, Marvin could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Wiping away the sweat on his forehead, he said, ¡°That was so close. It¡¯s so scary. I really thought that they would have forced me on that small boat. I don¡¯t wish to die there. Luckily, the two of us get to remain on board. On the bright side, though we are now part of a pirate ship, we can at least get to live to see tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You looked really nervous on the deck just now. Why? Worried that I might replace you?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No. No. No. I was worried that they might hurt you. All of them are merciless monsters who would kill in a blink! I have to applaud your bravery just now. I don¡¯t even dare to look ¡¯em in the eye when I talk.¡±


    ¡°Marvin, I¡¯m really curious. What would you have done if I replaced you just now? Will you tell them everything that happened in the galley?¡±


    ¡°What?! How is that even possible? You saved my life. I will never betray you, no matter what!¡±


    ¡°Good. That¡¯s what I want to hear because I can assure you that if you tell them what really happened there, that won¡¯t be a responsibility you can just shake off like that¡±


    Marvin faked a smile, seeming like he did not believe a single thing Zhang Heng told him.


    ¡°Do you know why I stabbed the pirate three times with that small potato knife after I killed him?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you!¡±


    Marvin finally displayed a different reaction this time. Earlier, he could not figure out why Zhang Heng would keep stabbing a dead horse. Right now, he had finally figured out the intention behind his ¡®pointless move.¡¯


    ¡°It is challenging to wound somebody from their front and back at the same time. However, this double injury could easily be achieved if a second person attacked as well. If you are going to betray me, you can go ahead and tell your story while I tell them my version of the story as well. In the end, the corpse will decide whose story is more believable.¡±


    As they were talking, they suddenly heard somebody shouting.


    ¡°Victor! Victor! Where the f*ck are you? You ain¡¯t getting your loot if you don¡¯t come out right now!¡±


    A few pirates were in the corridor and were trying to look for Victor. Zhang Heng quickly stood up and fixed his gaze on Marvin.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I should be off to claim my gun right now, and you should go and cook. We¡¯ll deal with the body when everyone is asleep tonight. All we need to do is to toss the barrel into the sea, and that¡¯ll be the end of our troubles.¡±


    After putting Marvin¡¯s mind to ease, Zhang Heng looked for Dufresne, the one in charge of the armory. Upon meeting him, he received a gun and a dagger with a crack on it. He had been entrusted to a new mission even before he could examine the weapons he just got.


    And this critical mission was to¡­


    Clean the deck.


    On regular days like these, pirates were not very different from ordinary sailors. Frankly, most pirates on this ship had been, in fact, regular sailors before they became what they were. Some of them could not stand their ex-captains, whereas some wanted to go on an adventure. Of course, all some wanted was to get rich fast. Everyone had their own reasons for why they chose the pirate¡¯s life.


    Naturally, nobody in their right mind loved to stay in filthy places. Even the sloppy and messy pirates were no exception, and this had nothing to do with the love for cleanliness. There were simply too many things on the high seas that could kill a man. A pleasant and clean environment would surely help to improve morale on board. Besides, a clean ship would surely lower the risk of contracting diseases.


    That was why the pirates would clean the ship thoroughly from time to time. This was especially true after a raid, where blood and bodies were everywhere. Zhang Heng and the other five pirates spent a good two hours scrubbing down the deck to make sure every drop of blood had been washed off.


    Before sunset, Marvin managed to cook a good meal for everyone as well. The food was surprisingly delicious. It was at that time that Zhang Heng knew Marvin had passed the test. They would allow him to stay on and cook for them.


    The value of a ship¡¯s cook was never to be underestimated. The long, endless days out at sea caused unbearable boredom to plague the men. Whey they were bored, they could cause unnecessary problems. An excellent cook could usually soothe the angsty pirates by feeding them delicious food. Often, nobody would complain when the cook received the same reward as cannoneer even though they did not contribute to any battle.


    Soon, nightfall. The captain and helmsman returned to the Sea Lion with two-thirds of the pirates. The remaining ones had been asked to stay on the merchant ship under the command of Owen. In other words, Owen had become the temporary captain of this ship.


    Almost all the pirates were feeling extremely excited tonight. It was a total victory. In comparison, they shed only a small amount of blood to take possession of the entire merchant ship. In total, there were three dead, and five pirates suffered light injuries.


    This achievement had called for a grand celebration.


    The place was alive with the roar of loud chatter. Glasses clinked, and bagpipes skirled. The name, Victor, arose amongst them, where most were saying that he had secretly returned to the Sea Lion during the battle.


    Some even said that Victor still owed them money, and he might have fled the ship in fear. Everyone kept bursting into laughter at the mention of his name.


    Suddenly, Owen entered the galley, causing the commotion to die down a little.


    ¡°The Sea Lion has just informed me that they have not seen Victor for some time. Who here saw him last?¡±


    Every pirate looked at each other in bewilderment when Owen asked the question. Victor either had to be alive or killed in action. They had never heard of someone disappearing during a fight.


    ¡°Could he have fallen overboard?¡±


    ¡°Not possible. I made sure to check the surrounding waters before I hoisted the sails.¡±


    ¡°He is right. I saw him running to the lower decks. He was amongst the first to go down there. After that, I did not see him anymore.¡±


    No one could give a straight answer. That was when Owen turned around to look at his new recruits. When he was still in the kitchen, he saw that there was nothing wrong with them. They behaved entirely differently from the pirates, but it was totally understandable since they were the victims.


    ¡°Alright! Who¡¯s managing the booty this afternoon? Meet me in the captain¡¯s quarters in five minutes,¡± said Owen.

 Chapter 102 - Black Sail VII

    Having settled his dinner, Zhang Heng checked on his character panel. He noticed that it had been updated.


    Name: Zhang Heng


    Gender: Male


    Age: 19


    Player ID: 07958


    Games completed: 3


    Current game points: 777


    Items in possession: Shadow Key (E), Shadow Moment (D)


    Skills: Piano LV 1. Language proficiency LV 1 (able to communicate in three languages). Modifying and repairing LV 1. Skiing LV 1. Rock climbing LV 1. Archery LV 2. Outdoor survival skills LV 2. Driving LV 2. Shooting LV 2.


    Evaluation: Player is protected by a shadow. He knows how to drive, shoot a gun, proficient in archery, and can survive in the wilderness. Player has the ability to protect himself. No other outstanding issues. He is estimated to be able to complete at least seven rounds of the game.


    ¡­¡­.


    After three months of practice, coupled with the extra 24 hours he had in the real world, Zhang Heng had increased his rock climbing level from LV 0 to LV 1. Right now, scaling most man-made rock walls wasn¡¯t much of an issue for him. As for natural rock walls, however, there were different angles to worry about, and the compound of the rock greatly affected its climbing difficulty.


    Shooting and skiing were the two new skills that he learned during his quest. Until now, his shooting was the best skill amongst all the others he possessed, spending only a month to improve it to LV 1. During the night he escaped the base camp with Simone, his hidden potential was showcased as he went up against the mysterious shooter that was almost invisible in the woods. Not only did he win the shootout, but he even managed to increase his shooting skills to LV 2 as well.


    That was not the end of it, though. When he was with Simone in Sweden, they would both constantly head to the woods to hunt, where Simone would teach him everything she knew. In other words, Zhang Heng¡¯s shooting skill was actually higher than LV 2. The only thing he was unsure of was how far off he was from LV 3.


    Besides, he noticed that upgrading from LV 2 to LV 3 was a tall order to say the least. Being at LV 2 meant Zhang Heng could perform those skills better than the benchmark.


    For example, Zhang Heng felt that no matter what he did, he could no longer improve his archery skill from LV 2 to LV 3. He would need the assistance of external factors and move above and beyond his capabilities if he wanted to stimulate his archery prowess.


    The shootout at the Finnish lakeside was an example of an external stimulant¡ªhowever, it was merely a chance encounter, and if possible, Zhang Heng wished that he would never have to risk his life like that ever again.


    After reading all the information on his character panel, he turned it off. The ocean turned out to increase in ferocity during the night, violently rocking the vessel as high waves crashed into the boat with no respite.


    His dinner churned in his stomach, and he felt queasy. This, however, wasnt his first experience on a ship. That said, his journey only lasted half a day, and seasickness didn¡¯t present itself in such a short period.


    It was a whole new ball game now, having being stuffed inside a tiny room, coming in contact with sweaty pirates who had not bathed in a long time. The foul air in the cramped space soon turned his stomach upside down. The rocking of the boat was no lullaby either.


    In the end, Zhang Heng could not hold back and wrenched his guts out, puking out everything he had eaten in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°What a joke?! Is this your first time at sea?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to regret that he joined us.¡±


    Since they had nothing better to do, it was basic instinct for them to look for something to entertain themselves with. Fortunately, there was still kindness amongst them. A pirate of African origin handed Zhang Heng a barrel, asking him to throw up into it. He even brought a glass of water.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After turning his stomach inside out, Zhang Heng felt much better. He gave his mouth a quick wash with the drinking water as he thanked the pirate.


    ¡°You are welcome. Don¡¯t mind them. They may have a mean mouth, but they have good hearts. You will know I¡¯m telling the truth after you stay with us for some time. My name is Goodwin, the Sea Lion¡¯s cannoneer,¡± he continued while extending his hand to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Zhang Heng.¡±


    With one hand holding the barrel, Zhang Heng quickly put out his other arm to shake the black man¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I saw your performance on the deck earlier. Awe-inspiring stuff, I must say. What did you do before this? A soldier?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Something along those lines. I fought in a war before.¡±


    ¡°Did you win?¡±


    ¡°Not really, but at least the person I cared about survived the war.¡±


    ¡°You are one lucky guy. I was in a war before this, but unfortunately, we lost the battle in the end.¡±


    Goodwin pulled his collar aside, displaying a badly burnt scar on his left chest to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°My tribe was defeated by another tribe. They killed my father, mother, and all the elderly during the war. After that, they captured me, my brother, and my little six-year-old sister. They then sold us to a gang of slave traders. We were being shoved into a ship. I don¡¯t remember how long I was down the deep, dark hole. All I can remember was that we were all shackled and we were packed in the worst unsanitary conditions you could think of. I could hardly move and breathe inside the hold. When we arrived at the place they called the New World, there were less than 80 of us still breathing out of the 300 that came. Oh, and my little brother died in my arms.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to go through that.¡±


    The trading of black slaves started in the 15th century, reaching its peak in the 17th and 18th centuries. To carry out their massive expansion plans, the colonial powers needed a tremendous amount of manpower. Clearly, immigrants from Europe weren¡¯t enough, so, the crafty powers that be turned their sights to Africa.


    Europe and several other countries competed against each other to build trade centers or fortresses over there. Their goal was to mess up tribal relations. When they fought, they would incite trouble by suggesting that the winning side capture the losers. They then would buy the slaves from the winners. Some would even go as far as to hunt the natives on their own.


    The era that Zhang Heng was in right now was the era where a triangular trade thrived. A large number of business people would travel from Europe to Africa to purchase black slaves, consecutively selling to large plantations in America. After that, they would purchase gold, coffee, and cotton from America and send them back to Europe, a venture which raked in massive profits for the prospective merchants.


    This culture lasted until the end of the beginning of the 19th century. England, America, and other countries started to ban the slave trade. Although such culture no longer gained the support of the governments, certain quarters still did it in secret. The trading of black slaves officially ended by the 19th century.


    ¡°I was working on a coffee plantation in Charleston for eight years. After that, the owner sold me to a ship, and I became a sailor. I was forced to work nonstop and was fed with the least food amongst all the sailors until she found us.¡±


    ¡°Who found you?¡±


    ¡°The Sea Lion. She gives me freedom and accepts me for who I am. The people here see me as their partner and brother. During our battles, we would watch out for each other¡¯s backs. There¡¯s no such thing as slavery here. Everyone is equal, and all of us here are from the same place.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Nassau.¡±

 Chapter 103 - Black Sail VIII

    That was the first time Zhang Heng heard the pirates mentioning the word ¡®Nassau.¡¯ He recalled that his main goal for this quest was to set up base at Nassau and establish his own kingdom there. Naturally, Zhang Heng was curious to know more about the place.


    Just before he could find out more details about Nassau, he felt like vomiting again. Once again, he held the barrel tightly and belched whatever that was left in his stomach.


    ¡°Rest well. You will be fine after a good sleep. I shall take my leave now.¡±


    Zhang Heng realized that he wasnt doing well both physically and mentally. Right now, he wasn¡¯t even thinking straight anymore. Initially, he had made plans with Marvin to take care of the body tonight.


    In his current state, it would be impossible for him to see the mission through. He felt worse with every passing second as if being tossed into a washing machine. Yet again, something came up to his throat, and he belched once more into the barrel. This whole vomiting business lasted until late that night. Finally, he passed out of fatigue. When he opened his eyes again, he saw a familiar face looking at him.


    ¡°You are finally awake! I have made you some fish soup. The fish was captured this morning, freshness guaranteed. Drink it to sustain your body,¡± said Marvin while placing the piping hot bowl of fish soup next to him.


    Marvin seemed to be genuine, looking at him like he sincerely wanted him to recover as soon as possible. Zhang Heng turned to his side, looking at the bowl of fish soup and the biscuits beside it. Instead of gobbling them up, he asked Marvin a question.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Goodwin told Mr. Owen that you were gravely ill. So, Mr. Owen asked around to see if anyone was willing to take care of you. Immediately, I volunteered since my schedule is free after I had served meals for two pirates.¡±


    Marvin realized that Zhang Heng had a hard time trusting him. So, he went ahead and took a sip of the fish soup and took a bite of the biscuits to prove that it wasn¡¯t poisoned.


    ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to tread so lightly around me. We are literally in the same boat right now. Bruce, Kenny, you, and I are the only ones still alive. Times like these call for us to work together to face whatever storm coming our way.¡±


    Marvin paused suddenly, cautiously scanning his surroundings with wide eyes. He only resumed the conversation after he made sure there were no eavesdroppers.


    ¡°This morning, the pirates searched the ship from top to bottom again. They were looking for Victor, their buddy. Thankfully they missed a few spots in the galley. What¡¯s our next move? Will they question us regarding this?¡±


    Zhang Heng gulped down the fish soup and looked at Marvin. Perhaps he was mistaken, but he felt that Marvin¡¯s acting skills had gotten a lot better. Before this, it was hard for honest Marvin to hide anything from anyone. Now, Zhang Heng could no longer read Marvin¡¯s mind from his facial expressions. Could the harsh circumstances have forced Marvin to improve in such a short time?


    Zhang Heng clearly knew that Marvin was an unreliable man. Everything that had happened before this led Zhang Heng to believe that Marvin was, in fact, an incredibly selfish person. It was going to be impossible to so quickly change a nature so deeply rooted in him. He cared only about himself. Once a golden opportunity was presented before him, he would definitely not hesitate to betray those who had placed their faith in him.


    For now, they both faced equal risks and opportunities.


    The dead body inside the barrel was their common problem, with Marvin having to rely on Zhang Heng to get rid of it. With the corpse still on the ship, Marvin would definitely not do anything to harm Zhang Heng.


    Unfortunately, things got even worse for Zhang Heng, as he started vomiting again after drinking the fish soup. This time, it lasted a week.


    When the week ended, Zhang Heng had lost almost a quarter of his body weight. Some of the crew even believed he wouldn¡¯t make it out alive.


    Things like this happened all too often when one was out at sea for extended periods. Due to poor hygiene on the ship, the chances of contracting various diseases increased exponentially for those on board. With the current era¡¯s questionable medical knowledge and equipment, the poor patient would most probably die even if there was a doctor on the ship.


    Nobody expected Zhang Heng to be resilient enough to defeat his illness. When he was finally healthy enough to walk around on the ship, he was left with a 100-pound skeleton of a body.


    ¡°Oh my god! You look like someone who¡¯s never been out to sea! How is that even possible? I thought you were out at sea for at least a month and a half?¡± asked a perplexed Goodwin.


    ¡°That¡¯s a long story.¡±


    With Goodwin¡¯s assistance, Zhang Heng got off his bed and walked to the deck. He could finally breathe in the fresh salty air that he had been craving for over a week now. It was a good feeling, making a recovery from the awful illness. Never in his life had it occurred to him that standing under the sun could be such luxury. For the past week, he had been completely stuck inside his cabin, resting up.


    He almost forgot what the world looked like.


    ¡°Anyway, welcome back, my friend.¡±


    Suddenly, Goodwin saw that Marvin was staring at them.


    ¡°I just remembered that I hadn¡¯t serviced my weapon. We¡¯ll talk later.¡±


    Once Goodwin was gone, Marvin quickly strolled towards Zhang Heng, seeming worried and unsettled.


    ¡°Thank god you¡¯ve recovered. I have no idea how I managed to survive the past week. My heart would skip a couple of beats whenever someone comes by the galley. That thing we put inside the barrel is long overdue¡­ I can¡¯t even begin to describe the stench anymore. If it wasn¡¯t for the smell of smoked fish, they would have turned the galley inside out. Just now, I heard one pirate saying that we will reach land in about three days. We are both dead meat if someone finds out about this.¡±


    ¡°I understand your concerns. You have been holding out for so many days. Can you just wait for one more day? With my current condition, I am unable to do anything. Let¡¯s do it tomorrow night. I promise we will deal with it.¡±


    Though Marvin had started to get terribly anxious, he knew that Zhang Heng was telling the truth. The body should have been dealt with ten days ago. Who would have thought that Zhang Heng would be seasick for an entire week! Right now, there was nothing much that Marvin could do.


    If only he were brave enough, it wasnt impossible to dump the barrel into the sea on his own. Unfortunately, he allowed fear to overcome his mind, not to mention his unhappiness of having to bear the responsibility even though Zhang Heng was the one who killed the pirate.

 Chapter 104 - Black Sail IX

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Afterward, Zhang Heng used the two days he had to do some training. His stamina and strength soon recovered thanks to Marvin¡¯s nutritious menus. On the second night, he regained enough strength to walk around on the ship on his own. That said, he still wasn¡¯t running on all cylinders, having just recovered from his harrowing illness.


    He and Marvin needed to deal with the body tonight since they were about to set anchor at Nassau tomorrow morning. After the meal, Owen visited Zhang Heng to have a little chat. He wanted Zhang Heng to rest further and told him not to worry about the ship¡¯s tasks.


    Goodwin was next to visit Zhang Heng, rambling away about his previous job on a supply vessel.


    After that, Zhang Heng remained in his cabin until midnight. Every single pirate on the ship was on their hammock, settling in for the night. Zhang Heng then waited another hour for good measure, ensuring the pirates were sound asleep before he sneaked out of bed. He tiptoed past the snoring pirates and headed toward the galley.


    Marvin had been anxiously waiting for Zhang Heng in the galley, holding a potato, pretending to skin it. The candle above the table had already burnt halfway. At that moment, all he could think of was to get rid of the body as soon as possible. Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching him from outside.


    Marvin blurted without thinking twice, ¡°Mr. Dufresne. I¡¯m almost done. I¡¯m sleeping once I wrap up here¡­¡±


    Midsentence, he lifted his head and saw that the person wasn¡¯t Dusfresne but Zhang Heng.


    ¡°God damnit! Why are you so late?! Many people have come by asking me why I¡¯m working at such an hour. They will soon get suspicious if I don¡¯t go to sleep soon,¡± whispered Marvin as he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Which one do you think is more dangerous? Giving excuses about you being in the kitchen or getting rid of the body while everyone is awake?¡± Zhang Heng retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you for coming late. I just think that there might be better ways to solve this problem¡­¡±


    ¡°The earlier we settle this problem, the lesser the risk of us getting killed by them. Be it you or me; if you are so concerned about your safety, we should really get rid of the damn body right now.¡±


    This time, Marvin said nothing and lifted the barrel with Zhang Heng. The two of them hauled it past the corridor and the storeroom. Finally, they arrived in front of the pirates¡¯ cabin. Marvin then took a deep breath before he continued forward.


    However, Zhang Heng stopped him from doing so. He had just spotted a pirate getting out from his hammock as he rubbed his eyes. Perhaps he had too much rum at dinner and must have been woken up by the need to empty his bladder. Running out of the cabin, he returned shortly after while holding on to his pants. Without a care in the world, he slumped heavily in his hammock and fell back to sleep within seconds.


    As they stood silently as possible for a couple of minutes, Marvin felt his heart thumping so fast; it was about to jump out his throat. He had no idea where he found the courage to haul the barrel all the way to the staircase near the cabins. Each time there was the slightest twitch or mumble from a sleeping pirate, he would suffer a small heart attack, where he gasped and stopped breathing.


    Once they were away from the cabin and arrived on the floor above it, Marvin could finally breathe again.


    ¡°What should we do now? Should we go to the upper deck?¡±


    ¡°No. There are people patrolling the spot, and the helmsman is maneuvering the ship. They will definitely see us if we get up there. This floor is supposed to reserved for passengers, and I see cabins with windows that are definitely big enough for us to get rid of the body. Did you go find out what I asked you to before this?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The room that we were in is currently occupied by the pirates, but two rooms have been left empty because the damage there is too severe. The crew doesn¡¯t have enough wood to fix it. Hence, since it doesn¡¯t affect the ship¡¯s operations, they have decided to leave them as it is for now.¡±


    ¡°Great. Lead the way.¡±


    The two caught their breath for half a minute before they moved again with the heavy barrel, with Marvin walking in front of Zhang Heng. After struggling a short distance, they arrived at the second last room in the corridor. They then glanced at each other before Marvin knocked on the door.


    And¡­ there was no response. Immediately, Marvin pushed the door open. Just as expected, there wasn¡¯t a soul to be seen. This particular room had been battered by cannonballs during the previous raid. The wall was completely destroyed, leaving it with a gaping hole. The crew had only used a few planks to plug the wall, knowing that there was still some distance between them and the water below.


    Zhang Heng and Marvin could feel the cold sea breeze entering the room the moment they stepped into it.


    ¡°This has to be the right spot. Let¡¯s toss the body into the sea right now!¡±


    Marvin closed the door right after he put the barrel on the floor.


    ¡°Not now. I don¡¯t see any high waves tonight. The pirates on the upper decks could hear the splash if we toss the barrel into the sea right now,¡± Zhang Heng murmured as he walked towards the broken wall and examined what lay below.


    ¡°What should we do then? We can¡¯t wait any longer! This is the last night for us to deal with the body. If we fail to do it, we might¡­¡±


    ¡°I did not say we aren¡¯t getting rid of it tonight. It will not benefit me if I delay again. Go and look for some rope and tie it around the body. We just need to lower it down slowly to the sea.¡±


    ¡°Great idea! You are a genius! A traveler thinks so differently when compared to people like me. Let look for a rope now,¡± replied an excited Marvin.


    The smile on his face slowly disappeared as the door creaked open. Fear had caused the bones in his body to shudder involuntarily.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Am I disturbing your date?¡± asked the person standing outside the door.


    It was an old pirate with a long beard. He was wearing a broken hat, and Marvin could see a row of rotten teeth as he smiled. The old pirate then landed his attention on the barrel.


    ¡°So, all the while, our poor Victor has been inside this barrel, huh?¡±


    Immediately, Zhang Heng unleashed his gun and pointed at the old pirate. To his surprise, he seemed unaffected by the threat.


    ¡°Trust me, kid. People have pointed their guns at me more times than I could count. Let me tell you what is going to happen next. I will be killed if you pull the trigger. That is a fact. After that, your gunshot will alert the pirates next to this room. If you¡¯re lucky, both of you might get an easy death. Alternatively, they could also capture and drop you both a death sentence. Now¡­ I don¡¯t know which one is worse. Taking our age difference into consideration, young men, I don¡¯t think that is a wise trade.¡±


    Zhang Heng was left speechless. That very moment, he realized that the old pirate¡¯s sudden appearance was no coincidence. It appeared he had been tracking them for some time and only decided to confront them tonight. On the bright side, it seemed like the old pirate had no intention to side with Victor. Otherwise, they would have been long confronted by a mob of angry pirates by now.


    Cornered and left with no other option, Zhang Heng decided to hear the old pirate out.

 Chapter 105 - Black Sail X

    Zhang Heng slowly lowered his gun.


    ¡°Wise move.¡±


    Next, the old pirate turned around and looked at Marvin.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind standing here for a little chat with you guys. What excuse are you going to come up with if someone passes by?¡±


    Paralyzed by fear, Marvin lost the ability to think logically. So, he turned to look at Zhang Heng. Seeing Zhang Heng nodding, he moved aside and allowed the old pirate to enter the room.


    ¡°Thank you so much. To ensure the smoothness of our conversation, I would first like to inform you that the person in the barrel is not my friend. To be honest, I personally disliked what he did when he was still alive. But then again, we are all here to become pirates and not make friends. It¡¯s impossible for us to like everyone on the ship, right?¡± the old pirate said while taking his hat off.


    ¡°How did you find us out?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I have noticed that you usually stayed calm in most circumstances. You are still young, but it looks like you have been through much hardship. In my entire life, I have only encountered two people who can stay this calm in any kind of situation. One of them is you, and the other is¡­¡±


    The old pirate paused suddenly, having no intention to elaborate.


    ¡°Your friend right here is not as calm as you. When you were sick, it was nice of him to take care of you and all, but things started getting weird when he visited you seven to eight times a day. I also noticed that he is on edge all the time. I always ask myself: what could make a cook, a man who has no other task but to prepare food, be so skittish. Could it be tomorrow¡¯s menu?¡±


    Suddenly, Marvin¡¯s face turned pale, looking to be on the verge of breaking down. He stumbled to the ground on his knees and started to tremble.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe him! I have nothing to do with this! He was the one who forced me to be part of it. The truth is¡­ I have never laid my fingers on Victor. He inflicted the wound on Victor¡¯s back, not me!¡±


    The old pirate was taken aback by what Marvin told him. He then saw Zhang Heng just standing there, staring at Marvin without the slightest expression on his face.


    Marvin grabbed the old pirate¡¯s pants and started to wail like a child. After a while, he realized that something wasn¡¯t right and lifted up his head in an awkward manner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Do you think I would have come here alone if I wanted to avenge Victor?¡± asked the old pirate while patting Marvin¡¯s back.


    ¡°What do you want then?¡±


    Zhang Heng was disgusted by Marvin¡¯s awful acting. So, he attempted to steer the conversation back to the supposed topic.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. I just need some of your kindness and a few small favors. As you can see, I¡¯m getting really old. I don¡¯t plan to come back again when we reach land later. It¡¯s time for me to settle down and prepare for retirement. That is why I need someone to help me retrieve some money that someone owes me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°I dislike taking advantage of others. The person that you just killed is someone I really hate. So, yes. It is that simple.¡±


    ¡°You should have many acquaintances on this ship, right? Why didn¡¯t you ask for their help instead?¡±


    ¡°You need to understand that things have a nick of getting really complicated when money is involved. However, new guys like you are different. If you dare take my money, I have all the ways to make you spit it out. Besides, I like the fact that you can shoot really well. I think this will be a fine deal between us.¡±


    ¡°Seems like you leave me no choice.¡±


    ¡°You are smart, and I like talking to smart guys like you. Please understand that I have to protect myself in this deal as well. Anyway, I can see that you need help getting rid of the body. You can actually hand over the problem to me. I can help you dispose of it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I know what your concerns are. We will arrive in Nassau tomorrow, and when we set foot on land, there will be people tasked to manage all the ship¡¯s items. That includes the food and raw ingredients in the galley. Your secret will be exposed if you don¡¯t deal with your problem tonight. Unless¡­ you know a person who knows the person tasked to manage the stuff on board. That person will inform the men to leave the galley alone. He will also look for an opportunity to dispose of the body. There are only a few on this ship who can pull off such tricks. You guys are in luck. That person happens to be standing right in front of you.¡±


    ¡°After you get your hands on the body, you will turn around and bite us from our backs, right?¡±


    ¡°Just like what I said, I¡¯m planning on retirement. This will be a one-off deal. When all is done, I will be staying out of your life for good. I think you should place your trust in a harmless old man like me than some other stranger.¡±


    ¡°For example?¡±


    ¡°Like our friend, Goodwin. Isn¡¯t he friendly and nice? He has had a sad past, but he still manages to put on a smile every day. Positive vibes have a way of spreading around the ship, and somehow, he appears right when you need someone to encourage you. I don¡¯t like to add fuel to the fire, but I did hear some rumors about him. The friendly cannoneer, Goodwin, wants to replace Orff as the new helmsman.


    So far, he has managed to recruit a group of followers. If this matter makes it to the voting session, you will be required to cast your votes as well. There are three other survivors from this merchant ship as well. They will most likely vote for Goodwin.


    That would mean he would get another four voters to side with him. And all he needs to do is tell you nice stuff that goes down well with you. I think he got himself a damn good deal.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡±


    This time, Zhang Heng was surprised by what he heard.


    ¡°Before the deal is done, it¡¯s my responsibility to ensure your safety on this ship. Let me give you a piece of advice. Do not get involved in this matter. Our captain is capable of many things. Hence, a large number thinks that Orff¡¯s existence is a useless one, and he has done nothing good enough to impress anyone for the past few years. Frankly, that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. Orff is a wise man, one that would fulfill all his responsibilities if put under a good captain. Anyone who looks down on him will pay the price ultimately.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± asked Marvin.


    ¡°That¡¯s no secret. Right now, I¡¯m just an old man that is getting ready to retire. But, before all this¡­¡±


    The old pirate put on his broken hat before he finished his sentence.


    Looking up, he continued with gleaming eyes,


    ¡°I was the captain of the Sea Lion. That ship over there, she originally belonged to me.¡±

 Chapter 106 - Black Sail XI

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The next morning, there was a noisy commotion among the pirates as they cleaned themselves up.


    ¡°Land ho!¡± shouted one of the pirates loudly as he came running down from the upper deck.


    The pirates fell silent for a few seconds, followed by roaring cheers as they ran to get the first glimpse of land. Zhang Heng and Marvin were being pushed out of the cabin along with the happy mob, where they saw the harbor appearing on the horizon.


    Throughout their time on the ship, this wasn¡¯t the first time they heard the pirates mentioning the place.


    There were those who praised this land, cursed this land, paid tribute to this land, and forsake the land. One magical thing about this place was that it seemed to have a curious magnetism, causing those who set foot on it never to stray too far, always yearning to return.


    Behold, the city of Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas.


    Located in the northernmost part of New Providence, the best harbor in the entire country could be found here. The indigenous people of the island were called the Lucayan, a fishing community that depended on their catch for income. In the year 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the place, before the first Europeans set foot on the island in 1647. They then started to develop it, subsequently making it their home.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure all of you here will love this place, especially if you like freedom and adventure! There¡¯s no way you will say no to this paradise. The place used to be colonized by Spain, and after that, the English came along,¡± explained Goodwin.


    ¡°What about now?¡± asked Marvin.


    ¡°Right now, it belongs to us, the pirates! Welcome to Nassau, the motherland of pirates. This is the land of freedom!¡±


    Soon after that, the merchant ship and the Sea Lion approached the harbor at the same time. From the ships, the pirates dropped several wooden canoes to the ocean and started to sail towards their land of freedom. Now that they were here, all they could think of was to enjoy themselves to the fullest. Only pirates who had been given tasks remained on the ship to finish up their work.


    Dufresne ordered Zhang Heng and a dozen pirates to help with the unloading of the ship¡¯s goods. Marvin could not help but feel nervous, turning around to steal glances at the galley from time to time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that barrel. Just do what you need to do right now. Come look for me at the tavern once you are done with everything,¡± the old pirate reassured Marvin as he patted his back once again.


    With that, he climbed aboard the wooden boat and headed to the island. Zhang Heng and Marvin had to move all the items from the ships to the trade center of Nassau. It wasn¡¯t before that afternoon that they finally finished their strenuous job. To their surprise, the pirate tasked with managing the ship¡¯s items did not even go into the galley. The barrel was gone when Marvin proceeded to check it out.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, the raid we conducted this time had nothing to do with the two of you. However, it is not right of we just let you off with empty pockets, so, here are 50 silver pesos. It should be enough to cover your expenses for a few days in Nassau. Feel free to look for jobs around. Remember, do not sign any long-term contracts. One of us will inform you before we set sail again.¡±


    Zhang Heng and Marvin left the trade center after thanking Dufresne. The moment they were some distance from him, Marvin urged Zhang Heng to pass him his share of the money. It wasn¡¯t hard to read what was in his mind.


    When they were walking away from the trade center, Marvin was peeking at the boats parked at the dock. Nassau was, in fact, located close to the American colony. Getting to Boston was just a short journey away, and he knew that being home was way better than cooking for a band of pirates.


    The thing was, Marvin had no idea that it would be impossible to make a run from pirates. Unwilling to let the two off the hook, they must have had eyes everywhere since they allowed them to roam around Nassau so freely. Zhang Heng had no intention to remind Marvin about it.


    Seeing that Marvin wanted to embark on a separate path, Zhang Heng was more than willing to give him his share of the money ¨C a total of 25 silver pesos.


    It appeared that Marvin wasn¡¯t about to honor the deal with the old pirate. Now that he had the money for a ticket home, he would not hesitate to do so.


    Having no baggage to tie him down, Zhang Heng went to check out the small town on the island. During the 18th century, Europe did a great job of maximizing their production rates. Since the Renaissance had just come to an end, aesthetics of buildings and their decorations had found favor among the elites and nobles.


    Unfortunately, this place was in stark contrast to other parts of Europe, where Zhang Heng¡¯s first impression of Nassau was that it was a largely disorganized city. There were no theaters, churches, or bell towers, nor did he see any well-dressed folk moving around to attend dance parties as well.


    All he could see were rotting wooden huts and dilapidated stone cottages. Nassau was a place filled with palm trees as well. This place increasingly looked like a massive slum to him.


    Scantily dressed hookers roamed the streets in search of prospective clients, deliberately revealing more skin whenever a man passed them by. There were urchins running barefoot on the unpaved roads, and it was in places like these that a traveler had to pay close attention to their wallets. Armed pirates terrorized the streets in groups. A few of them were seen exiting their taverns heading for the local gambling den.


    There were also the local fishermen and hawkers, lining up along the busy street to sell their produce. Lastly, Zhang Heng saw a young priest talking about his god on a pedestal by the road, relentlessly preaching about how their sins could be washed away.


    Though the place might seem impoverished at first glance, there were traces of prosperity and vitality streaming beneath the crowded chaos. The current quest was the longest amongst all the other quests that he had completed. He was required to stay in this world for 300 days.


    Combined with the extra 24 hours that he had every day, it meant he would need to stay here for a whopping 3,900 days, more than the all the days in his previous quests combined.


    This was going to be a long journey, and he had no idea what challenges lay beyond him. He could only continue moving forward since the game had already begun.


    ¡­¡­.


    Zhang Heng organized his belongings and took out the items he had hidden under the wooden plank in the galley. Other than that, he had been given a gun with the words FH engraved on its stock. Its previous owner had probably been reunited with his maker. Besides that, he was given a dagger as well. Judging by its appearance, it should only be able to yield a few pennies if it were to be sold. Then, there were the 25 silver pesos from his reward. This was the common currency of Spain, and was widely used among its colonies.


    That was basically all the wealth he had for now, and he even had a debt waiting to be settled. After entering a few taverns, Zhang Heng finally found the old pirate in the fourth one. This tavern was located on the west side of the city, near the giant reef.


    The old pirate was watching an exotic dancer as she bounced her curvy body across the stage.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, I remember that I made a deal with two persons. Where is your friend? When will he come?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not coming anymore.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ that is unwise, my friend. I think he doesn¡¯t know what big troubles lie ahead of him. I hope Owen captures him and not Phoebe. Otherwise, the word suffering would be an understatement for him.¡±


    ¡°When can I start work?¡±


    ¡°You start now. See that shirtless muscular guy on your right? He¡¯s Knight Errant¡¯s gunsmith. Last year, he borrowed 200 silver pesos from me. With interest, he now owes me 300 silver pesos. Ask him to return the money to me.¡±

 Chapter 107 - Black Sail XII

    Without so much as a warning, Zhang Heng¡¯s feet flew across the tavern, before landing hard on a table! The violent landing had knocked him out for a bit, and he was on the ground for a while before mustering enough strength to stand up again.


    With his head spinning, came loud cheering in the air and glasses clinking.


    In contrast, the strapping man grabbed a glass of beer from the hooker who walked by with a tray.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what did you just say? I can¡¯t hear you! Speak up, you rodent,¡± growled the muscular man with a loud burp after bottoming up his frothy pint.


    Zhang Heng could do nothing about it, having lost quite a bit of weight after his recovery from the illness on the ship. Though fully recovered, his strength was still limited, requiring more time to build it back up. The muscular man notwithstanding, Zhang Heng was way stronger than his current self when he just entered this world.


    Gasping and screaming for air, Zhang Heng stole a glance at the old pirate, who sat silently while watching the drama unfold before him. With a plate of barbequed pork and a glass of wine placed in front of him, he chewed thoughtfully, sipping his drink and lavishing ay the sight of the boy getting thrashed by the pirate. The 300 silver pesos seemed like the last thing on his mind now.


    When Zhang Heng finally mustered enough strength to stand on his feet, a fist came flying at him again. Fortunately, Zhang Heng was quick enough to respond, dodging the attack by inches. Knowing that he had missed, the buff man wiggled his finger with a grunt, taunting Zhang Heng to retaliate.


    Without so much as an ounce of hesitation, Zhang Heng drew his gun and pointed it squarely at the chest of his opponent.


    No one expected that Zhang Heng would use a gun in this fight, their dissent made apparent by the loud boos of disgruntlement the moment they spotted him drawing his weapon. With the gun cocked and loaded, he squinted, not about to make any sudden moves. No matter how many fists he could block, how many heads he could smash, one puny bullet was enough to send him to the afterlife.


    ¡°Despicable!¡±


    Many took the muscular man¡¯s side, and the entire tavern roared in support of him. Zhang Heng was unbothered by this. He wasn¡¯t here to please the crowd. Since there was a quick and effective alternative, why should he hesitate using the firearm? If he knew the muscular guy would so abruptly toss him aside without so much as a word, he would have pointed the gun point-blank at the brute¡¯s head from the very beginning.


    Seeing the murderous glaze in Zhang Heng¡¯s unremorseful eyes, the muscular man knew his life was really on the line. He took out his wallet unwillingly, still eyeballing the gun, and handed the money to the old pirate.


    ¡°Where is the other half,¡± asked the old pirate.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I have for now. I will return the rest in three months¡¯ time.¡±


    ¡°Fine! By that time, that¡¯s an extra 50 for the interest.¡±


    ¡°Frazer¡­ you old goddamned blood-sucking vampire!¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­ that wasn¡¯t the language you used when you wanted to borrow my money.¡±


    Frazer then waved to Zhang Heng, signaling him over to the table.


    ¡°Job well done, me lad! C¡¯mon over and have something to eat. We¡¯re moving on to the next one after this!¡±


    Right until sunset, Frazer dragged Zhang Heng around hunting the other four pirates who owed him money. Three were willing to return a portion of what they owed. As for the last person, he was with around 20 pirates. Obviously, Zhang Heng wouldn¡¯t make it out alive if he confronted the lot. After assessing the situation, Frazer decided it was an unworthy risk, thus, letting him go. For now.


    In total, Zhang Heng assisted Frazer in retrieving 429 silver pesos and even a piece of oil painting that was used as collateral. The oil canvas was Leonardo da Vinci¡¯s infamous Last Supper. Without needing a second take, Zhang Heng instantly saw the tellings of a counterfeit painting, with a glaring mistake a kid would notice. There were only seven disciples instead of the supposed twelve. Nevertheless, Frazer was adequately satisfied, deciding in the end that it should be valued at 20 silver pesos.


    ¡°Not bad. Better than what I expected. I have to say, you¡¯re terrible at close-quarters combat. That guy in the tavern, how did you lose to someone like him? You have a lot to improve, and you have very little time. The real trouble comes later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I thought this is a one-time deal. You said you¡¯d leave us alone after this.¡±


    ¡°Hey, kid. I don¡¯t wish to lengthen our deal as well, but I see you are unable to collect all the money in one go. So, it looks like we are stuck to each other now.¡±


    ¡°How much more?¡±


    ¡°Soon. You will know when the time is right.¡±


    Frazer grinned as he tossed the smallest coin bag to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°This is remuneration for what you¡¯ve done for me today. A total of 42 silver pesos. As I have said, I¡¯m no miser. As long as you can get me back all the money that others owe me, I don¡¯t mind giving you a tenth of what I got. This rule will not change. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going anywhere. Just come and look for me at the tavern every time you return from the sea.¡±


    Frazer did not bother looking at Zhang Heng¡¯s after that, merely picking up his newly obtained forgery of the Last Supper and left the place while humming a tune. Zhang Heng was surprised that Frazer even paid him for today.


    The art of debt collection was both a simple and a complicated one at the same time. At first, he thought Frazer refused to do it just because he was aging. With that amount of money, hiring muscles to help him collect his debts was a no brainer. Though there was a possibility of him losing all that money to the thugs he hired, Zhang Heng believed that a man the likes of Frazer should be witty enough to avoid it from happening.


    Up until now, Zhang Heng had already guessed that asking him to turn into an overnight debt collector was just an excuse for something else. There must be a reason why Frazer had chosen him. Zhang Heng wasnt one to wait for answers, so after doing some thinking, he decided to look for someone that could tell him more about Frazer. It wasnt that he did not enquire anybody before this. Apparently, everyone, even the friendly Goodwin, was not willing to divulge about old Frazer.


    This time, Zhang Heng changed his target. He returned to the tavern where Frazer dined at. As luck would have it, the muscular guy from Knight Errant was still there. Sitting on a chair, he slowly enjoyed his pint of beer.


    ¡°You again! Shameless bastard! You have emptied my pockets! What else do you want?! You better get lost before I change my mind!! I might just break your head this time¡­¡±


    Before the muscular guy could finish his sentence, Zhang Heng drew his gun again, this time, placing ten silver pesos in front of him.


    ¡°Tell me everything you know about Frazer, and these coins are yours.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me right? I thought you are with him?!¡±


    Beggers were no choosers and considering he was left with nothing, he wanted to take the deal badly. Nonetheless, he was still suspicious of Zhang Heng¡¯s intention.


    ¡°To be really honest with you, we are actually not that close,¡± replied Zhang Heng, who did not bother to explain more to him because he was the one who first asked the questions.

 Chapter 108 - Black Sail XIII

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Frazer is the most experienced pirate on this island. I heard of his name even before I come to Nassau. Someone told me that he used to work alongside Henry Morgan to raid a Spanish settlement. After stealing all they could, they managed to loot a total of two million pounds in their last raid. After that, the rich bastard, Henry Morgan, was summoned by the queen, banished to jail the moment he returned to his country. As for Frazer, he left Jamaica and came to Nassau. He remained here to recruit potential pirates to join his creed. At his peak, he had 11 pirate ships, hundreds of cannons, and around 700 to 800 pirates under his command.¡±


    ¡°What happened after that?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. Rumor says he wanted to accept the queen¡¯s pardon secretly. When his band knew about it, everything changed. He was stripped of his title as captain of 11 pirate ships, and all his crew was dismissed. Right now, that old bastard is no larger than an ordinary pirate,¡± said the muscular man with a grin on his face.


    ¡°But, you still owe him money.¡±


    ¡°Alright! I have told you everything you need to know. It¡¯s your turn to keep your end of the bargain, you¡­¡±


    The muscular pirate suddenly stopped smiling and spat an expletive into Zhang Heng¡¯s face.


    ¡°Last question. Where do I rent a house around here?¡±


    After Zhang Heng¡¯s question was answered, the ten silver pesos were placed on the table, and the deal was complete.


    ¡­


    Right now, he was left with 58 silver pesos. Of course, getting a room at an inn was an option. However, the fact that he had to spend over a decade on this island had him thinking that it might be wiser to just look for a proper place to settle down.


    The place he chose was a little further from the harbor but closer to the center of the island. The property in question was located near the farming plots, where its perks were serenity and a rental fee that was dirt cheap. Believe it or not, the entire house cost only 160 silver pesos, and it was 17 silver pesos for a two-year rent.


    It was no better than a wooden cottage, with rotting wooden boards masking up a potential for collapse. Here in Nassau, places in such a state were everywhere. At a time where piracy was rampant in Nassau, Spain and France would send their military there to ensure things were in order.


    Often, this led to large scale skirmishes with the pirates, eventually causing massive collateral involving lives and property left irreparable.


    Unsurprisingly, the battle-rattled houses here were worthless.


    After Zhang Heng paid the landlord, he proceeded to purchase some essentials for his new nest. The very next morning, he was already up before the sun rose, starting repairs and modifications to the wobbly structure. His long time alone on that island had taught him how to build a wooden framed house with a tiled roof. Armed with the experience, he should be more than capable of mending and fortifying the home.


    The subtropical climate of The Bahamas had it at a steady all-year-round temperature of 23 to 24 degrees Celcius. Though it was now spring, it wasn¡¯t as cold as expected. Taking off his shirt, he climbed to the roof, subsequently fixing every hole with a hammer and some nails.


    A little girl from the house next to his house kept peeking from behind a palm tree. Zhang Heng spotted her and flashed a smile. Startled, the barefooted little girl instantly scooted back home.


    Not too long after that, another familiar face appeared in Zhang Heng¡¯s sights. It was Marvin. Although only separated for less than a day, he had undergone a tremendous change.


    A sleeve had been torn out of his shirt, and he was left with one boot. His face wasn¡¯t too awful, just a few cuts on his cheek, dark blood flowing down his lips. It was his body that told a different tale, the festering purple bruises smothering what used to be yellowish skin. He seemed to have been through some very harsh retribution.


    ¡°That¡­ can I have something to eat? I¡¯ve been starving since last night,¡± asked Marvin with a smile on his face, his bloody lips quivering as he spoke.


    ¡°Where are your 25 silver pesos?¡±


    ¡°They¡­ they¡¯re gone¡­¡±


    Marvin had initially planned to hop onto one of the boats fleeing this place. Clearly, his plan had failed miserably, with him being beaten to a pulp and all his money robbed off him. He was so embarrassed that he chose to stay silent, refraining from begging for help. Left with no other options, he had to ask around about Zhang Heng¡¯s whereabouts.


    After living with Marvin for some time, Zhang Heng reaffirmed what a selfish prick, coward, and hypocrite he could be. As they parted again at the trade center, Zhang Heng decided that he would not care about Marvin from now on.


    This quest had a different goal as compared to the previous ones that he completed. This time, he was asked to form his own force. Having no knowledge whatsoever about this force that he was supposed to build, at least he was sure of one thing. It would be impossible for him to do it alone.


    He needed a team. Since the pirates here valued democracy more than anything, numbers meant everything on a pirate ship. Even a legendary pirate, the likes of Frazer, could lose his title after losing the support of his underlings.


    In other words, even a useless prick like Marvin had the right to vote as well. He would most likely be rejected by everyone on the ship since he attempted to flee the island, so he was left with no option but to rely on Zhang Heng. Marvin might be despicable, but Zhang Heng was sure that he would come useful to him someday. Instead of exposing him, he decided to help him out.


    ¡°There is some cheese and bread on the table. Help yourself.¡±


    Though sounding impossible, Zhang Heng did indeed hope that Marvin would change for the better after this. Marvin only knew a few souls on this island. In other words, no one would help a stranger like him. Considering that he had betrayed Zhang Heng several times, he should have thanked his lucky stars that he didn¡¯t get beaten and kicked out of the house. Zhang Heng¡¯s willingness to share his food took Marvin by surprise.


    As Marvin hungrily gobbled down his chow, the tremendous hardship he had to face so far flashed through his mind. Tears started to gush out of his red-rimmed eyes like no tomorrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry! This is all my fault! I have wronged you! I promise you that I will change for the better. From today onward, my life belongs to you. I will never betray you again even if someone threatens to slit my throat open!¡± wept Marvin, who seemed to be deep in regret.


    Did the little display of penance manage to move Zhang Heng¡¯s heart?


    For now, at least, he believed that Marvin must have been genuinely grateful to him. At the same time, he knew that this would last no more than two days. In two days, all the promises he uttered would be excreted from his body like feces. Indeed, he would eventually betray him again when his life was threatened. That was just who he was, from his mouth to his intestines.


    Fortunately, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t bothered by it, having never relied on Marvin in the first place.


    The moment the barrel was free from the ship, it no longer bounded their fate together.


    ¡°Enjoy the food, I¡¯m heading out for a while,¡± said Zhang Heng while wiping his hands.


    Marvin appeared terribly nervous when he heard Zhang Heng was heading out, seeming worried that the truth about what happened to him last night would be exposed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is not about you.¡±

 Chapter 109 - Black Sail XIV

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Since Zhang Heng was scheduled to settle down here for at least ten years, so it was crucial for him to understand his surroundings better. To do that, he toured the entire Nassau for a few days, conversing with everybody. This included fishmongers in the market to drunkards from the taverns, the prostitutes on the street, shrewd businessmen in the trade center, and pirates that roamed the streets. The conversations could be either constructive or unpleasurable.


    Nevertheless, throughout the entire process, Zhang Heng spent a total of 19 silver pesos. It was completely worth it, as it enabled him to peer into the window of life in Nassau.


    To the eyes of many, pirates were a band of lawless thugs poised to commit all sorts of heinous crimes. Technically speaking, they weren¡¯t wrong, were those who chose the life of pirates were not exactly ¡®clean¡¯ in the first place. This was a reason why outsiders automatically assumed that a city managed by pirates must be made up of sin and chaos.


    After digging his feet and feeling the sands around the place for some time, Zhang Heng no longer agreed with this conservative view. With thousands of hot-headed pirates in town ready to pick a drunken fight with anybody, nobody expected the city to be peaceful. This had turned Nassau into a disorderly mess. However, if one was willing to look beyond all the street fighting, there was actually order amongst chaos.


    Around 63 years ago, the first batch of European migrants settled on Nassau, soon turning the place into a city and even building a castle for their king. In commemoration of King Charles, the town was christened as Charles Town. Not too long after that, the island¡¯s residents realized that city expansion and catching fish was far less lucrative than luring ships to the reef. When these vessels ran aground, they would plunder everything they came across. With the venture raking in massive profit, most men on the island began to turn to piracy. Soon, when that wasn¡¯t enough, they headed out to hunt for ships instead of waiting for them.


    At the same time, the geographical advantage of The Bahamas attracted other pirates here, where its maze of islands became the perfect camouflage from the navy¡¯s prying eyes. It also proved a perfect stop for pirates from the Caribbean to stock up their vessels and in turn, disposing of all their stolen goods as well.


    That was how the place called Nassau was born, a name inspired by an English prince. Ironically, it had now turned into a pirate sanctuary.


    After years of development, Nassau came up with a unique trading system. Every pirate captain that docked in Nassau would sell their stolen goods to black-market merchants, who in turn laundered the goods and sent them to Charleston, New York, and Boston. Such an operation provided them an obscene amount of profit without them having to risk their lives.


    And that was the main source of income for Nassau. Its brothel, casino, and taverns were mostly frequented by pirates. There were also professional appraisers setting shop on the island, responsible for evaluating the value of the plundered goods. Other than that, tipsters on the island would sell whatever information they had about merchant ships to the resident pirates. The fishermen on the island were mostly there to feed the pirates. Lastly, prospective arm dealers and slave traders were active on this island as well, if you knew where to find them.


    When it came to the ruler of Nassau, there was none.


    However, one organization on the island was responsible for maintaining its law an order. It consisted of black market merchants, pirate captains, and ultra-rich landowners.


    Zhang Heng suspected that he had to be part of the organization if he ever wanted to build his own force. Unfortunately, this would prove difficult, to say the least. Excluding the landowners, the rest of the organization¡¯s members were considered the pioneers of Nassau, owning swathes of plantations, workforce, and armory.


    All he had right now was 20 silver pesos.


    The same rules applied when becoming a black market merchant, where one needed deep political connections to smuggle goods abroad. Most black market merchants came with very impressive backgrounds, often using their family¡¯s influence to mingle with the colony¡¯s governor. A significant amount of money was also needed to bribe the officers manning the harbor. Achieving any one of those things would prove to be a tall order.


    That said, becoming a pirate captain was definitely a more viable option. That, however, did not mean that it was going to be an easy task. Legendary pirate captains notwithstanding, a captain with the ability to convince pirates to join their ships would usually require an impressive set of skills.


    Zhang Heng knew that it was going to be a long journey ahead of him. He decided not to rush it as he had plenty of time to learn everything he wanted to learn.


    Four days later. The Sea Lion gathered its crew and prepared to set sail. This was Zhang Heng¡¯s first time setting foot on a real pirate ship.


    The barque he was on this time belonged to Frazer once, and it was one of Nassau harbor¡¯s best vessels. It carried a proud complement of 30 cannons. 24 were 9-pound cannons while the rest were 12-pounders, powerful enough to defeat most who dared cross their bow.


    For this voyage, the Sea Lion was on a mission to plunder a Dutch supply vessel and a Spanish merchant ship. Thanks to Zhang Heng¡¯s prompt use of his gun during the raid, he managed to save three of his allies. This move had earned him the respect of many who were aboard. He could have run away to safety like what Marvin did, but had instead rented a house in Nassau.


    All signs pointed to him becoming a full-fledged pirate! He was ready.


    His heroic stint of saving his mates made him quite the star of the ship, continually receiving nods of approval from the crew. Seeing the opportunity at hand, he requested that Owen help him improve his close-quarters combat skills. Through other pirates, he found out that Owen had the best skills among all when it came to the dagger.


    Owen was used to be a navy officer with a bright future. Due to an incident, however, he happened to offend a superior. In retaliation, he was sent to a hostile environment to complete an impossible mission. Out of frustration, Owen killed his superior. He was hunted down like prey, and in the end, forced to leave his hometown, eventually ending up in Nassau as a pirate.


    Unlike his counterparts, Owen had the tendencies to be a little too upright at times, a remnant from his days in the navy. As a consequence, he found it really hard to fit in with the pirate community in the beginning. Once the pirates knew him better, however, they were more than willing to become friends.


    In every combat, he was always first to charge at his enemies. His valiant ruthlessness was unrelenting, gaining him the highest respect of the pirates. When the previous pirate chief was killed in battle, everyone on the ship unanimously voted him as their new chief.

 Chapter 110 - Black Sail XV

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°You wish to learn the art of wielding the dagger?¡± Owen asked, surprised. Considering the extreme dangers pirates faced each time they went out to sea, they were mostly hedonists, living from each day to the next. Few made any plans for tomorrow, which was why Owen made it a point to remind Zhang Heng of what he was about to face.


    ¡°It¡¯s not something you can pick up in two shakes. It would take at least a good month or two before you see any results at all, not to mention that the drills are very monotonous. Aren¡¯t you already good with guns? Why learn how to use a dagger?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m terrible at close combat, and the flintlock can only fire one bullet at a time. Reloading is a pain. I don¡¯t want to stand by and watch from the sides each time I¡¯ve fired a shot. In any event, I can defend myself if I learn some fencing.¡±


    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s true.¡±


    The muskets in this era differed greatly from their newer counterparts. Although flintlock pistols were an improvement from matchlock muskets, reloading it was still a complicated process ¨C the shooter had to refill the barrel with gunpowder before shoving down the charge with a long rod. The chances of it misfiring was also terrifyingly high. For that reason, whenever there was a battle, both sides would usually engage in a shootout first before moving on to the more physical sword fights.


    However, the vast majority depended on sheer adrenalin and brute strength to get through combat, utilizing neither skill nor talent. Hence, those who had undergone official military training like Owen always had an edge in battle.


    ¡°Err, well then¡­ be at the deck at sunrise tomorrow. I¡¯ll teach you some basic moves like swinging,¡± said Owen. ¡°You can practice your swordsmanship, but don¡¯t you neglect your duties.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I won¡¯t,¡± Zhang Heng replied with sincerity. It was not without reason that Owen won the favor and support of the other pirates; he was generous but also upright. Rather than keeping his excellent swordsmanship to himself, he was ready to impart what he knew to Zhang Heng.


    The same, however, could not be said of the others. Zhang Heng found the bosun of the ship, an old man named Rothko. According to the crew, he had been out at sea longer than living on land. Wind reading, weather forecasting, and sailing were three skills that he took pride in.


    Having such expertise earned him the respect of the captain and the crew, even if he did not participate or contribute much in battles. He dearly valued and treasured his own skills, keeping his knowledge close to his chest lest others might learn from him and subsequently overtake his job. Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t the first to approach him, and like all the others before him, his request was flatly rejected.


    Zhang Heng attempted to offer a handsome 500 silver pesos to him, which would be paid within the year, but Rothko still insisted that he would impart his skills only after retirement.


    Taking into account the present circumstances, it appeared that Zhang Heng would have to wait a very long time for that to happen. The old man was one tough son of a gun. Even at his age, he had an appetite healthier than most who were younger, and he was not a picky eater either¨Cable to swallow anything given to him. At this rate, Zhang Heng suspected Rothko would continue to linger around long after he¡¯d left the game.


    After disembarking the ship for the third time, Zhang Heng looked for old Pirate Frazer in the tavern.


    ¡°How are your close-quarters combat skills coming along? Are you ready to be my debt collector?¡± asked Frazer as he tossed a chunk of peanuts into his mouth.


    ¡°No,¡± Zhang Heng answered truthfully.


    After two months on the sea, his swordsmanship still remained at level 0. Like Owen had said, it was a lengthy process that required consistent practice and perseverance. The results would only show itself once he was able to integrate his basic moves with combative instincts. At the moment, he was still miles away from his goal.


    Thankfully, Owen had already begun sparring sessions with him.


    On top of that, the good news was that after such a long period of recuperation, Zhang Heng finally regained his weight, and his strength even exceeded his level when he first entered the quest.


    Although no match to those born with divine power, he was already considered a prodigy among the regular crowd.


    ¡°Why did you come see me then?¡± the old pirate asked.


    ¡°The Sea Lion was originally yours. Rothko is the oldest crew member on the ship. You must know him pretty well, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that old fox? He may not be a man of many principles, but his sailing skills are pretty good, I must say. You¡¯ll never find a better bosun in the whole of Nassau,¡± proclaimed a thoughtful Frazer.


    ¡°Ah, I really miss those times. There was this once, we came across pirate hunters and we were forced to head into a storm as we were a lot slower than them. Had it been someone else manning the sails, the ship would¡¯ve been wrecked, and we would all have been dead. But no! Rothko and I worked together to secure the main mast, and, by a stroke of luck, we miraculously returned to Nassau in one piece. I only admire a few people in my entire life, and Rothko is, by the narrowest of margins, one of them. You must drink to that guy¡¯s excellent skills.¡±


    The old pirate picked the glass of beer in front of him.


    Zhang Heng did not beat around the bush and jumped straight to the point. ¡°What do I need to do to make him teach me those skills?¡±


    The pirate looked amused. ¡°You want to learn how to sail? Why?¡±


    ¡°One should always learn as much as he can while he¡¯s young, right?¡±


    Frazer grinned. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to persuade me with all this nonsense?¡± He lowered the knife and fork and stared at Zhang Heng with hollow eyes. Only after a while did he continue.


    ¡°It would seem you¡¯re in luck today. I¡¯ve found myself in a bit of trouble recently. If you can help me solve my problem, I wouldn¡¯t mind telling you how to make Rothko more compliant.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a fool called Jacob in the city. He just stole a bag of black pearls from me this afternoon. If you can, find him in half a day and get my pearls back. I will meet your requirements then.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fair to me,¡± Zhang Heng said as he stood up.


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I hired another guy. He started an hour earlier than you, so I can only wish you the best of luck.¡±


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng left the tavern.


    As he stepped outside, he saw a group of kids frolicking by the side of the road. When a food peddler passed them by, a couple of them pretended to have a row. The peddler had his attention diverted while the smallest one among them slipped his tiny hand into the peddler¡¯s pockets. As soon as their ruse was a success, they dispersed into oblivion.


    This was Nassau, and petty theft was not an uncommon occurrence. Ever since Zhang Heng began renting the hut, he had never left anything valuable inside. Whenever he returned from a voyage at sea, he often caught the urchins sleeping in his place, god knows how they got in anyway. He would eventually rough them up and throw them out every time.


    It was not going to be easy to find a pearl thief amongst a jungle of villains, not when all he had was a name for a clue.

 Chapter 111 - Black Sail XVI

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°The names of all the appraisers in Nassau are on the list you asked for.¡±


    Marvin presented a piece of paper. ¡°Two of them are on vacation, and one has been in the trade center since morning. So, these two are the ones you should focus on,¡± said Marvin as he pointed at two circled names on the list.


    ¡°Thank you. You¡¯ve done pretty good this time.¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s compliment had put a smile on Marvin¡¯s face.


    Since time was of the essence, Zhang Heng needed external help. Apart from Marvin, two pirates he had saved also volunteered to help, and before long, all four gathered in front of the tavern.


    With a hushed voice, Zhang Heng pulled everyone together.


    ¡°Well, so this is the plan. That Jacob guy will definitely find ways to determine how much the bag of pearls can fetch before he charges the buyers. To do that, he will need to find an appraiser¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, you said that the pearls have been lost since morning. What if he¡¯s already found someone to appraise them?¡± asked Marvin while raising his hand.


    ¡°The appraisers on the island are very busy. He would need to make an appointment at least half a day in advance. Of course, if you¡¯re willing to pay more and offer them a price they can¡¯t refuse, they would even blow you on the spot. But trust me, someone who has been poor their whole life, getting by on theft, won¡¯t be able to afford such a large sum of money,¡± one of the pirates named Hilford explained.


    Being a descendent of the first wave of immigrants, and spent his entire youth in Nassau, he was very familiar with the place.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then anyone on the list could be the one. But there¡¯s only four of us. There¡¯s simply not enough of us to keep an eye on every one of them.¡±


    ¡°Forget about the others. We just need to focus on the two appraisers who are having a holiday at home,¡± replied Zhang Heng after mulling over the facts.


    ¡°If that guy has any brains on him, he probably knows that someone might try to trace him through the appraisers. The best option is not to meet the appraisers at a rendezvous point but to pay them a visit. Even appraisers on holiday would find it difficult to refuse money that delivers itself to their doorstep.¡±


    ¡°I think this idea will work,¡± another pirate piped up.


    Seeing that no were no objections, the four split up into two pairs, each going their way to the residences of the two appraisers.


    Zhang Heng paired up with Marvin, and their target was a twenty-nine-year-old named guy called Randall. He was young for an appraiser but had managed to build quite a reputation for himself, being excellent at accurately determining the value of all sorts of things. Each day, there was always an appointment after appointment. That said, he made sure to spare a day each week for his family. He lived right next to the Nassau market, one of the most prosperous areas in the city.


    Zhang Heng and Marvin squatted under a shed with a grass roof opposite his residence, casually laying down conches and pretended to sell them. Marvin peeked out from the shed. He looked at the sun in the sky and tugged on Zhang Heng¡¯s shirt. Whispering in a cautious voice, he said, ¡°Err, if a fight breaks out later¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if that happens, I will take care of it. You can stay away and watch by the side.¡±


    Marvin looked embarrassed. ¡°I was just about to ask how I might be of assistance¡­¡±


    ¡°That guy is more than likely armed. Going up against him will be your own suicide. Believe me, you staying here is the biggest help you can give me,¡± Zhang Heng answered.


    Marvin was indeed aware that his combat skills were terrible, but at the blunt comment, his face had turned a beet red.


    Zhang Heng quickly added, ¡°Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Acknowledging your own weakness is nothing to be ashamed of.¡±


    Marvin¡¯s eyes lit up at the remark, remembering that his cowardly performance during a previous battle turned him into the laughing stock among the ship¡¯s crew. Upon hearing Zhang Heng¡¯s kind words, he felt as if he had found his confidant.


    The two chatted away, and time passed quickly.


    At noon, Randall received two guests, both arriving separately. One was the island¡¯s black market merchant, and the other was Randall¡¯s sister-in-law. Clearly, neither was Jacob and as the sun was beginning to set, the deadline loomed closer. Yet there was no progress. There was no news from Hilford, either.


    Soon, Zhang Heng found himself doubting his own judgment.


    Could it be that the Jacob guy wasn¡¯t as smart as he thought him to be? Did he make an appointment with one of the three appraisers who were working? Or perhaps was he right, but the thief was worried that he would be apprehended, waiting until things settled before selling the pearls? If that was the case, there would be no way he could catch the target before the designated time.


    No, that couldn¡¯t be right. Based on that guy¡¯s financial situation, he could not afford to wait that long. The sooner he got rid of the stolen goods, the sooner he could get away with it. Even if the owner of the missing pearls were to find him, there was nothing he could do.


    As Zhang Heng was beginning to be clouded by doubt, he saw Randall¡¯s sister-in-law walking out of the house with a basket, cautiously scanning her surroundings like a little mouse before hurriedly heading towards the other side of the road.


    At that moment, Zhang Heng knew he had to make a choice. In fact, thinking about the other possibilities now was a senseless act. If he was wrong, he would have no time left to correct his mistake. Rather than cracking his head over whether he made the right call, it would be better to stick to his initial plan and see it through, all the way to the end.


    Zhang Heng removed a dagger and a pistol from under the straw mat, telling Marvin, ¡°Take care of the stall. If after I¡¯m gone, and someone suspicious appears, go find the others.¡±


    Marvin caught on quickly. ¡°So¡­ you think that the cunning dude is afraid to show himself but instead commissioned Randall¡¯s sister-in-law to bring the pearls to her brother-in-law to be appraised?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. So far, that seems like the most plausible deduction. Also, this is the only way I can find the pearls before sunset.¡±


    After that, Zhang Heng got up and begun tailing the young woman from a distance.


    Though unable to ascertain the situation even after following Randall¡¯s sister-in-law for some distance, Zhang Heng was convinced he was right. The woman was obviously more vigilant than the average pedestrian, pausing every now and then, turning around and looking out with caution. With his excellent observational skills, Zhang Heng did not have to follow her too closely and keeping a good distance, he kept his cover from being blown.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Heng also considered the possibility of attacking the person. However, if he was mistaken, or whatever she carried was not the bag of pearls he was looking for, it would become a massive headache for him.


    If his intelligence was right though, then his opponent was probably just a lowlife in the city ¨C there was nothing for him to worry about when it came to combat.


    Still, the safest option was to wait until the two met and made the exchange.

 Chapter 112 - Black Sail XVII

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng followed the young lady for about 15 minutes.


    Then, without warning, she abruptly turned around and rushed into an alley. Without hesitation, he increased his pace and went after her. But just as he was about to reach the alley, a shadowy figure appeared from it. He was a redhead, as if a raging fire burned atop his head. Zhang Heng noticed a rapier in his hands, with clear stains of blood on it.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng remembered Frazer saying that he had hired another person to help him. Instantly, he felt that something must have gone horribly wrong. Immediately, he broke cover and ran to the alley. The first thing he saw was Randall¡¯s wife lying there unconscious, looking as if she had been knocked out by someone.


    Looking to be unscathed, she should turn out fine. Right beside her, a man was lying in a pool of his own blood, leaving him to suspect that this must be Jacob. His chest had been penetrated by something sharp. His eyes were wide open, frozen in time as he took his last breath.


    Not wasting any time, Zhang Heng went after the man holding the rapier. It seemed like the man noticed that Zhang Heng was after him. His first instinct was to sprint as fast as possible, attempting to lose himself among the crowd. He was a man of small stature. This meant he was extremly agile, choosing always to run head-on in the direction of people.


    Unfortunately, his crimson hair shone like a beacon amongst the crowd, and there was no way he was about to go unnoticed just like that. Besides, he had chosen the wrong strategy of shaking off Zhang Heng, assuming that his excellent stamina was sufficient and Zhang Heng would tire out eventually.


    15 minutes later, the man was already gasping for breath. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat. His persistent training for all those long runs had finally paid off. Seeing that the man was willing to use up his energy, Zhang Heng had no intention to stop him. Although he knew there was an opportunity to catch up, he chose to tail him with at least ten steps between them.


    The man with crimson hair soon realized that running towards crowded places wasn¡¯t the best idea and hence, turned toward more sparse areas. In the end, he stopped at a beach. It appeared to be a good place for confrontation, seeing that was no one else around.


    ¡°What is your relationship with that thief? Are you his accomplice?¡± asked the man when he turned around and looked at Zhang Heng.


    To his greatest surprise, Zhang Heng saw that the ¡®man¡¯ he went after was actually a girl. Judging by her appearance, she should be around 16 to 17 years old. She was, however, dressed similarly to teenage boys on the street and even carried a personality to match. In fact, she was actually more decisive than some men. Though it was a simple confrontation, her rapier was tight in her grip ¨C ready to strike. Left with no other option, Zhang Heng had to draw his gun to protect himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. It¡¯s Frazer. He asked me to retrieve a bag of pearls.¡±


    ¡°So, that old bastard looked for someone else to help him right after he hired me, huh! What are you going to do now? Snatch them from me?¡±


    The crimson-haired girl suddenly went on high alert.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve figured out how we can both benefit from this.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    Frazer was having dinner at the tavern. His lavish meal consisted of a rack of lamb paired with lemon juice. All of a sudden, a blue bag was tossed on the table as he was enjoying his meal. Black pearls scattered all around the table.


    ¡°I must be dreaming? Since when the two of you work together?¡± asked a startled Frazer.


    ¡°We have retrieved whatever you¡¯ve asked us to find. Is there a problem?¡± furiously asked the girl.


    Frazer had entrusted her with completing this task. It came as a shock to her that he would look for Zhang Heng to help him as well. Clearly, this indicated that he did not trust she could retrieve the black pearls successfully. This had her feeling betrayed and extremely angry, where one of her hands was already placed on the rapier. She would not hesitate to attack Frazer if things went south.


    ¡°Anger might not be a bad thing, after all. Using anger wisely to fuel yourself will make you stronger and more powerful. If you really want me to help you to become a proper pirate, it¡¯s better if you learn how to control your anger first lest you might just get yourself killed someday.¡±


    ¡°I would rather die a warrior than to cower under a girl¡¯s skirt like a coward.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great speech! I might not fully agree with you, but I believe that what you¡¯ve just said deserves a toast!¡±


    ¡°What about our reward?¡± asked Zhang Heng with a straight face, unwilling to raise the glass in front of him.


    Frazer then waved at him and whispered something.


    ¡°Did you not tell him about it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for his own good. Look. He¡¯s doing really well now.¡±


    ¡°No. I bet you refused to tell him because you don¡¯t want to lose your boatswain, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, that was part of the reason, but right now, I don¡¯t have to worry about it anymore.¡±


    Frazer then took out a wooden horse and placed it on the table.


    ¡°Show him this wooden horse. He will believe whatever you have to say. However, you have to make sure that you learn everything from him first before telling him the final destination. Sticking to his promise is never his forte. You will never be able to look for someone better than him to teach you how to control mainsail if he manages to run away from you.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    After that, Zhang Heng left the tavern with the crimson-haired girl. She looked to be in an excellent mood, having just received a recommendation from Frazer to become a pirate on the Golden Swallow. Most pirate ships forbode women on their vessels. It was a rare moment that a girl was given the opportunity to join the ranks as an ordinary pirate on the vessel.


    As for a band of sultry, female-only pirates, those existed only in movies or manga. Undeniably, although there were women strong enough to do what most men could do, it was also true that most lacked behind men in terms of strength and stamina. The difference was clear if a fight broke out between two ships. Worse, things could get really awkward if their aunties visited them at the wrong time.


    Now that everything was settled, Zhang Heng wanted to bid the girl farewell. To his surprise, she spoke to him first.


    ¡°Hey! Man from the east. Do you have a place to stay?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°As you can see, I just moved here not too long ago. This morning, an argument broke out between a friend and me, and now the friendship is over. I don¡¯t have anywhere to go right now. Initially, I wanted to borrow some money from that old bastard but, everyone told me that he is a blood-sucking vampire. If you are willing to let me stay at your place, I¡¯m willing to give you half my loot when I return from sea. What do you say about this deal? Oh right! I haven¡¯t officially introduced myself to you. Me¡¯ name is Anne. I¡¯m from Cork, Ireland.¡±

 Chapter 113 - Black Sail XVIII

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°You¡¯re back! I used the unsold sea snails and oysters to make a pot of seafood soup. It¡¯s still hot!¡±


    Marvin heard someone coming from outside. Immediately, he ran out of the kitchen with a leather apron to welcome Zhang Heng. To his surprise, he saw a crimson-haired girl standing beside him.


    ¡°Anne, this is Marvin from the Sea Lion. Marvin, this is Anne of the Golden Swallow. She will stay with us for some time until¡­ erm¡­ until she finds her own place to stay on this island.¡±


    ¡°Seafood soup? Can I have a bowl?¡±


    Anne took a deep breath.


    ¡°Sure. I made enough for three, but¡­¡±


    Before Marvin could finish, Anne was already in the kitchen. She looked for the largest bowl and scooped the soup, sieving up as many oysters that she could scoop. It appeared she had been starving for some time.


    ¡°But what?¡± asked Anne.


    ¡°I was thinking of adding some salt into the soup,¡± muttered Marvin softly.


    Marvin was startled by Anne¡¯s dominating presence.


    ¡°It¡¯s just food. I don¡¯t really care how it tastes as long as my hunger is curbed,¡± replied Anne as she carried her warm soup to the dining table.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t agree with such a ridiculous saying.¡±


    Marvin finally managed to muster enough courage to express his opinion. However, his voice was still as soft as a mosquito flapping its wings.


    According to Anne, she was actually born into a very wealthy family of lawyers, and her dad owned a huge orchard. He also had his hands in other businesses as well. As for her mother, she was simply a servant of the house. Anne was their illegitimate daughter. The moment Anne was born to this world, she and her mother were quickly shuffled into a mansion nearby. Luckily, her father was a responsible man, making sure not to let them suffer. When Anne grew up, he even hired a teacher hoping that she would learn how to behave like a real lady.


    Unfortunately, Anne was very different from all the other girls, having no interest in studying or dancing. Instead, she gravitated towards messing with various weapons. Due to everything she went through in her childhood, she desired freedom more than anything else in the world. Her ears would instantly perk up whenever she heard her mother telling pirate stories.


    In the end, she eloped with a pirate who passed by the mansion. The moment she was free from her father¡¯s control, she immediately traveled to Nassau with the pirate. There was only one way she could achieve her dream, and that was to get to the legendary pirate kingdom.


    Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go well for her, and she was jobless for a long period. Even though she managed to beat all the pirates the tavern recruited, there was still no pirate ship willing to take her in. All this because she was female.


    After staying in Nassau for some time, the pirate, Jaime Bonny, told her he wasn¡¯t about to feed her and give her free lodging anymore unless she would become his wife. Anne was so angry that she landed a kick on his crotch before leaving him.


    But that was all in the past, anyway.


    She would join the Golden Swallow really soon. She even found a place to stay, as well. A new dawn for her seemed on the horizon, with a chance for a brighter future.


    ¡­..


    Anne was just a small interlude in Zhang Heng¡¯s quest. He stopped bothering her after getting to know her a little better. The best thing about his rented shack was its size, where it remained rather spacious even after Zhang Heng gave her one of the rooms. Strangers would sometimes trespass the house when Zhang Heng and Marvin left for the sea. Instead of letting some rough sleepers mess up the place, Zhang Heng was more than happy to let Anne bunk in instead.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Heng focussed on the next most crucial thing. Knowing that he had ample time for this quest, he had no intention to recruit many people in these early stages, having something the other players did not have, and that was time. He could make use of 1 to 2 years to master his skillsets before working on the main goal of this quest.


    Anyhow, he was lucky enough to land himself on the Sea Lion, a vessel containing one of the most influential pirate groups around here.


    That meant he would be granted with countless opportunities to learn different skills from those around him. For one, mastering the art of taming the mainsail something he really wanted to learn.


    Soon, he would need to head out to sea for the fourth time. One night, before setting sail, he looked for Sea Lion¡¯s boatswain. Many pirates left their hometown for a few years hoping to make some money for their families. Rothko was different, being previously a captain of a cargo ship.


    One fine day, he was pulled over by a Royal Navy warship for no reason. Without so much as a warning or an explanation, they attacked his vessel, sinking it eventually.


    Tragically, he lost his wife and five-year-old daughter during the skirmish.


    Though Rothko managed to survive, he had lost everything. To make matters worse, no one would believe his story. With shoulders anchored down by debts, he decided to leave the civilized world and join the pirates. As he had no family or property on the island to turn to, the brothel was his venue of choice each time he disembarked his ship. Considering that he was not that old, he managed to be quite an energetic lad on the bed.


    That said, he was left with only two desired endings for his tragic life. He either wanted to die at sea or on a bed in a brothel. In order to make sure that nobody would profit from his death, he spent all the money he earned with not a cent left in his savings.


    ¡­¡­.


    Rothko was role-playing ¡®king and criminal¡¯ with a prostitute when Zhang Heng found him. The moment he saw the rumblings taking place inside, he instantly closed the door and exited the room. Half a minute later, the fuming prostitute ran out of the room with only a blanket for cover. No one would be too happy having somebody interrupting the court that was in ¡®session.¡¯


    ¡°How many times have I told you: you will learn nothing until I retire from the ship. This is non-negotiable! You have until three to leave the room. Otherwise, you will not learn¡­¡±


    ¡°Rothko¡­ your daughter¡­ she floated on the sea for three days after your cargo ship sank. Luckily a Spanish civilian vessel passed and saved her life. After that, someone from England adopted her. You were no longer a part of that world when it happened. She is married to a mill-owner, and they both have three sons and two daughters. Right now, she is a grandma!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible! You are lying, you despicable liar! Where did you hear such a tall tale? Are you using some cheap lies in an attempt to trick me into teaching you stuff? I can assure you: you will never get what you want!¡±


    Zhang Heng then placed the wooden horse in front of him without saying a word.


    ¡°I made this toy for Koror on my ship! Where did you get it?!¡± asked Rothko with eyes as wide as grapefruits.

 Chapter 114 - Black Sail XIX

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Waves inbound! Waves hitting our port side!!!¡± shouted the pirate who was on the lookout. Seconds later, his voice was stopped when a six-meter high wave hit the deck, rudely throwing the pirates down to the floor. Zhang Heng grabbed onto a nearby rope, which saved him from being swept away.


    Though Marvin was in the cabin, he wasn¡¯t doing too good as well. He was peeling a potato when the giant wave hit the ship, almost costing him his finger. The entire boat rocked violently, and when Marvin looked up, he saw the smoked meat that he hung up earlier was swinging left and right from their hooks, splattering into each other with loud thuds.


    Whenever the ship was struck by the restless waves, it sounded like the world was coming to an end. Indeed, one would start to doubt if this wooden ship could withstand the wrath of mother nature.


    Immediately, Marvin jumped to the nearest corner and started to pray with all his might. These were the true colors of the ocean. They could be gentle and balmy, but temperamental and merciless as well ¨C much like a teenage girl. One moment, the sea could be smiling a sweet tune, and another, it could be wrathful enough to destroy an entire ship.


    As compared to others on board, Rothko was exceptionally calm. Having weathered countless storms throughout his entire life, a small splatter like that was not enough to shake him.


    ¡°Hmm. I want you to feel her. This as fast as the Sea Lion goes. If the winds get any wilder, I¡¯m afraid her mainsail will be destroyed. You¡¯ll have to loosen the rope that is tied around the truss and tuck away the mainsail and headsail. Otherwise, the mast will break in half in no time!¡±


    Rothko¡¯s treatment of Zhang Heng had changed completely. So, instead of threatening him, Zhang Heng took a different approach and went against Frazer¡¯s advice. Of course, by threatening Rothko, Zhang Heng could easily force him to stay on the ship.


    However, it was worth noting that when one decided to impart his skills to another, there was a big difference between giving his all and halfheartedly imparting knowledge.


    No doubt, although Rothko was one of the best boatswains amongst his peers, Zhang Heng could still learn how to maneuver the mainsail even if he lost him. And if Rothko was forced, he might as well just look for another teacher. What was the point when he wasn¡¯t doing it willingly but rather, driven to teach under duress.


    That was why Zhang Heng was prepared to make a bet. On the night he confronted Rothko, he decided to tell him the location of his daughter. Immediately, Rothko left the brothel to look for her. At first, Zhang Heng thought that it was all but wasted effort. To his greatest surprise, Rothko returned to the Sea Lion the next morning.


    ¡°I told the captain that I want you to work under me. To be honest with you, I will only stay in Nassau for another three months, no longer. In these three months, you must learn everything I have to teach you. If you fail, you have no one to blame but yourself.¡±


    At first, Zhang Heng thought that conscience had made him return to the Sea Lion. One night, Zhang Heng found out the truth from a very drunk Rothko. He apparently spent everything he earned so far, and without any savings, it was impossible for him to travel to England. Besides, he had not seen his daughter for many years. It would be embarrassing for him to visit her empty-handed. That was why he came back here, attempting to earn a more before leaving for England.


    Regardless, Zhang Heng now gained another mentor. Rothko changed the way he treated him after the two of them spent some time together. Whether a captain of a cargo ship or a pirate, Rothko had never seen someone as disciplined as Zhang Heng. Every day, Zhang Heng would wake up two hours earlier than others, starting his day with some movement training. An hour later, Owen would join him, and both of them would spar with each other.


    When the rest of the crew had just woken up and were having their breakfast, Zhang Heng was already with Rothko, observing the weather and maneuvering the mainsail. Other than that, he would work with Marvin, employing the help of good food and some money to build solid relationships with the other pirates. Through them, Zhang Heng quickly learned how to maneuver a ship, shoot a cannon, and read a nautical chart.


    ¡°I heard that your only daughter is still alive! Congratulations! What do you think? Do you think he will become a threat to us?¡±


    Out of nowhere, Orff appeared behind Rothko. He stared at Zhang Heng, who was high above the mast, attempting to fold away the mainsail.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be worried about Goodwin? I heard he has more than half the crew on his side. Soon, he will start challenging your authority.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a clown. Let¡¯s talk about something else. Do you know that a disciple of yours is kind of close to Frazer? I heard he was his debt collector.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Did you really think that Frazer quit the pirate¡¯s life and simply retired? If I remember correctly, you were the one who suggested that he should be killed.¡±


    ¡°And I remember that you were the one who defended him.¡±


    ¡°You know I was left with no other options. You have to admit that he was a great influence during that time. Though we forged an immunity letter from the queen, a large number of pirates were still on his side. Out safety would be greatly threatened if we killed him in front of everyone.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. The past is the past. I¡¯m getting ready to retire as well.¡±


    ¡°We will miss you. I will tell my kids when they grow up, that I was granted the opportunity to sail alongside the best boatswain of the fleet!¡±


    ¡°I will also tell my granddaughter that I used to sail with the most boring helmsman. All he did was talk bullshit beside me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and send my regards to Koror.¡±


    After that, Orff gave Rothko a pat on the back and left him alone.


    ¡­.


    Three months passed.


    The raids were longer this time, and so was their voyage, and when they finally returned to Nassau, Rothko had been teaching Zhang Heng everything he knew for a good four months. Rothko saved up enough to travel to England and buy a gift for his daughter. Before leaving the grounds of Nassau, he informed the captain that he wished to retire.


    Zhang Heng checked on his character panel and found that the skill, maneuvering sails, was not listed. Everything that he learned so far was all categorized under sailing. It was now LV 1. Other than that, his knife skills had also increased to LV 1. At this rate, he was most definitely better than most of the pirates on his vessel. Although beating Owen was still out of the question, he was good enough to have a sparing session with him if he was willing to shave some points.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Heng was content with everything that he achieved so far. On the other hand, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Anne.

 Chapter 115 - Black Sail XX

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Can you imagine that? Ten versus seven. I ran to the upper deck and killed two enemies! I turned around and saw three of my allies getting beaten up. Six of my allies ran back to the ship without offering any help to those in need! This is not the first time it¡¯s happened! I¡¯m about to go crazy soon! The Golden Swallow might sound powerful, but the truth is, this god-forsaken ship is no different than a fishing trawler! I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll all drown soon if a terrible storm hits us! Our captain didn¡¯t dare to stray too far from the harbor. In fact, the first thing he does when he sees a merchant ship bigger than ours is to run away! A coward is what he is! I won¡¯t be surprised if people think we are the ones being robbed by the merchant ship instead,¡± seethed an unamused Anne.


    Zhang Heng was at a loss for words after hearing Anne¡¯s rant. There were a large number of pirates in Nassau, but most of them were only small-time thugs. They would set sail as long as they had a dozen people with them. Whenever a merchant ship was ready for plunder, they would raise the black flag. Of course, the bunch would return to Nassau with a great haul if their target happened to be afraid of them. If a real fight broke, however, they would also be the first to run away. Technically, these were no pirates but a bunch of opportunists flying the black flag.


    ¡°I¡¯m really jealous of your ship. She has around 30 cannons, right? And you have an awesome captain as well. I heard that he constantly targets merchant ships with valuable cargo. He even dares to fight with a navy vessel. This is the definition of a real pirate, and this is the life that I want! Damn it; I would have been able to get myself on a better ship if I¡¯m a man. I even saw some fatsos joining a great crew. With my current abilities, it¡¯s impossible that I can¡¯t join a decent pirate group.¡±


    The more Anne thought about it, the angrier she became. In a moment of rage, she slapped the chair beside her as hard as possible. Her abrupt action caused her wound to reopen, with the shirt covering her body flying off as well. She seemed unbothered by the fact that she was now topless.


    ¡°Oi! Fatty, you once told me that you have many friends on the Sea Lion, right? Can you recommend me to your captain?¡± asked Anne while looking at Marvin.


    ¡°How many times have I told you that the Sea Lion has no intention to recruit any female pirate. No one can change the captain¡¯s mind. You are also not allowed to take off your shirt in my house! You have to follow my rules since you are staying in my house!¡± snapped Zhang Heng while picking up the shirt on the floor before tossing it to Anne.


    ¡°What are you afraid of? Why can men go topless, but women can¡¯t?!¡±


    Due to the rampant discrimination she experienced while attempting to join a pirate ship, she had now turned into an avid feminist.


    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± asked Marvin.


    He was holding a bowl of crushed herbs, which he had collected earlier.


    ¡°We are talking about how easy it is for all the men on the island to get whatever f*cking job they like. Then, women are forced to stay at home to take care of the house and children. Women can only become housewives or prostitutes on this damn island! The three of us can actually form a pirate group and venture out into the oceans. Just the three of us! If we encounter any fights, well¡­ I can fight three enemies at the same time! Zhang Heng can fight two, and fatty can at least take on an enemy and a half, right? Our combined force is way better than that stupid Golden Swallow pirate group!¡±


    ¡°What the hell is one and a half enemies?¡± asked Marvin.


    ¡°Why not just go back to where you¡¯ve come from? I don¡¯t think you should become a pirate. Though you don¡¯t like your father, your mother must worry about you. I can provide you with some travel funds if you need some,¡± Zhang Heng barged in.


    ¡°No way! I will not go back! I swore to myself before I left my house that I will not return unless I become richer than that man! Besides, I prefer the pirate¡¯s life because I get to enjoy all the freedom in this world. There is something in my blood that will never change, which is my love for this island. Every mouthful of air that I breathe in is filled with freedom!¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    Zhang Heng knew that changing her mind required a lot more than that. Then, someone knocked at the door. Marvin placed the bowl of crushed medicine on Anne¡¯s table and went downstairs to open the door with Zhang Heng. They were greeted by someone they knew.


    The person turned out to be the friendly Goodwin.


    ¡°Nice place but it¡¯s kind of far from the town. I like the serenity here, and it looks like the two of you have settled down nicely. How is it going, y¡¯all? Encountered any problems so far?¡±


    Zhang Heng and Marvin ushered Goodwin into their house and made some tea. As they sat down, Goodwin started the conversation. ¡°Rothko has retired. He wants to travel to England to visit his daughter. I think you already know that, right? The boatswain¡¯s position is currently empty. Are you interested in filling it up?¡±


    ¡°Me?!¡±


    Zhang Heng was surprised that Goodwin would offer him this position, one that was usually not offered to young men. For the past four months, Rothko thought everything that he knew to Zhang Heng. Despite that, knowing all the theories did not mean Zhang Heng could execute them flawlessly. If one wanted to master this job, the person would need to accumulate years of experience. With Rothko leaving, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t he best boatswain on the Sea Lion by a long shot. Rithko¡¯s men were more qualified to take the position.


    ¡°Be confident. We all trust you. You are the only disciple of Rothko. Logically, you should take over his place once he is gone. Trust me, more than one person on this ship thinks that you are more than qualified for this position.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?!¡±


    Marvin became the most excited person in the house. Considering that he fully relied on Zhang Heng now, he sincerely hoped that he would become an influential pirate on the ship. Boatswain was an important position on any vessel. As the two of them had just joined the crew for seven months, this job offer was definitely a giant leap for Zhang Heng.


    Zhang Heng did not respond to Goodwin, patiently waiting for him to finish what he wanted to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for a change. What do you think about our helmsman, Orff? Many on the ship think he¡¯s too weak when he talks to our captain. He has failed to cater to the welfare of every single pirate on the ship. This is especially true for new ones like you and Marvin. I think you guys didn¡¯t receive the appreciation you deserve. In every battle, we always charge at our enemies first. On a normal day, we do most of the work as well. And what do we get for that? The privilege to choose our reward first? All the important positions on the ship have been taken up by a bunch of old men. It¡¯s hard for newbies to shine in an environment like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that they¡¯re not doing a good job. As it stands, our demand is straightforward. We just want to work in a fairer environment. New people should be given more rights on the ship. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Who should represent the new people then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not an ambitious man, but I¡¯m willing to take up the responsibility since everyone believes in me.¡±


    Goodwin stood up and smiled at them.

 Chapter 116 - Black Sail XXI

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to challenge Orff once we set sail again. By that time, many would have taken my side. To be honest, I have more than half the ship supporting me. In other words, that would make me the most likely winner. That said, I don¡¯t want to claim I¡¯m the winner because the final results are not here yet. You might think that I¡¯m arrogant, but you have to know that the Orff era is over. Join us. The future belongs to us!¡±


    Marvin was greatly elated after listening to Goodwin¡¯s little motivational speech. He wanted to run to him badly and shake his hands. On the other hand, Zhang Heng was still sitting on his chair, not uttering a single word. As Goodwin left his hand hanging in the air for a few seconds, the look on his face changed.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. I don¡¯t think I will change my mind,¡± replied Zhang Heng politely.


    ¡°I can understand that. You are still new on the ship, and you don¡¯t want to offend the older generation. You are afraid that they might do something bad to you, right? You should also know that nobody likes indecisive individuals amid a war.¡±


    Goodwin attempted to convince Zhang Heng one last time. Those words might have been spoken tactfully, but he was also implying that he too could make them pay the price if they chose to side with Orff. It was a threat.


    At that moment, Marvin wished he could take Zhang Heng¡¯s place and just shake Goodwin¡¯s hand. After a moment of silence, Zhang Heng finally extended his hand. Goodwin put on a smile, thinking that Zhang Heng must have had finally come to his senses and join him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to disappoint you. I¡¯m sticking to my guns. I don¡¯t want to get involved in this.¡±


    Goodwin¡¯s smile instantly disappeared from his face.


    ¡°You are going to regret your choice today.¡±


    He then turned around to look at Marvin.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    Marvin was afraid, but considering the ample time he had around Zhang Heng, an empty threat like that was not enough to persuade him to betray his benefactor. One thing he could not figure out was why Zhang Heng rejected Goodwin¡¯s goodwill. If Goodwin was not lying, that should mean that he could beat Orff to become the new helmsman.


    Goodwin was displeased by their rejection, and this instantly took a toll on their friendship. Goodwin was no longer friendly to them. According to his plan, Zhang Heng and Marvin were supposed to side and vote for him. When they first got on the ship, Goodwin had made sure to treat them well. From his perspective, he could not understand why the two would so blatantly reject him after he promised them a great future.


    This was surely not the result that Goodwin desired. Seeing that Zhang Heng and Marvin were not going to take his side, Goodwin left the house without saying a word. The moment he left, Marvin started to worry about their future. Meanwhile, Anne was elated by their exchange of words.


    ¡°Come and form a team with me if you think you don¡¯t belong to the Sea Lion!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Apply this medicine to your wounds right now. Make sure you protect it from getting infected,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Do¡­ do you think that he will fail?¡± asked Marvin.


    ¡°What are you afraid of? Just make sure that you always do your job well. Win or lose, it wouldn¡¯t affect you. Do you really think they will fire the only cook on bard?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about me. I just feel sorry for you. If Goodwin can replace Mr. Orff, you will be assigned as the boatswain of this ship. Your dream shattered the moment you rejected him. No matter who the winner is, you will not be able to lay your hands on this position anymore.


    The truth was, Zhang Heng did not mind it at all. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t sail with the Sea Lion forever, and positions meant nothing to him. All he ever cared about was to learn as much as he could. Even if Frazer did not warn him beforehand, he would never choose to side with Goodwin. He would rather stick with the older generation and, in turn, learn more skills from them.


    Of course, he would never expose these thoughts to anyone. This time, the Sea Lion¡¯s crew had a brief downtime as in less than three days, she was to set sail again. Goodwin wasn¡¯t nervous at all. On the contrary, he was rather confident about beating Orff.


    There could be only one possibility. Orff was in a panic, desperately hoping he could stop Goodwin and convince the others to side with him. However, Goodwin wasn¡¯t even slightly bothered. Though Zhang Heng and Marvin were not going to take his side, he knew that he should have enough pirates supporting him as the new helmsman.


    That very night, Goodwin summoned everyone to the upper deck, ready to give a speech.


    ¡°My brothers! Have you noticed that we had fought long and hard during previous battles, but our yield has dropped. Now that is a fact! Aren¡¯t you curious about why something so terrible could happen to us?¡±


    The record keeper, Griffin, barged into the storeroom to look for Orff who was counting the supplies and drinking water for the current trip.


    ¡°Something bad is going on, Mr. Orff! Goodwin is trying to convince everyone to replace you with him!¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    Orff seemed unbothered once again, continuing with his inventory checking.


    ¡°So¡­ aren¡¯t you supposed to do something? He might just replace you as the new helmsman if you don¡¯t stop him now.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°I have reason to believe that Goodwin is well prepared this time. I heard that he has visited many people. The newcomers on the ships would become his primary target. In the span of five years, newcomers outnumber the veterans by a ratio of 2:1. This means he can get at least two-thirds of the votes.¡±


    ¡°Excellent work. The numbers add up. Well done,¡± replied Orff with a nod while passing the account ledger to the Griffin.


    Griffin was left speechless.


    ¡°Okay. My work here is done. It¡¯s time to end the clown show!¡±


    Goodwin¡¯s speech was coming to an end when Orff suddenly walked out of the cabin.


    ¡°Having those reasons in mind, we believe that Mr. Orff is no longer suitable as our helmsman. He has failed to look out for our well-being.¡±


    There were no cheers when Goodwin finished his speech. All the pirates silently opened up a way to let Orff through when they saw him. Though rivals, Goodwin still decided to greet him politely.


    ¡°Mr. Orff.¡±


    Orff ignored him, continuing his gaze toward the other pirates. He was surprised that the person he expected to be here was, in fact, not here. This, however, did not affect what he was about to do.


    ¡°I have to admit that I have neglected many of you recently. I have heard complaints about me; about the rewards getting lesser. Some of you even suspect that I¡¯ve banded with the captain to take your share. I can understand why you all feel this way. It¡¯s completely normal. Some of you here might think that I¡¯m too old to handle this position well. I must admit that I don¡¯t fight as well as our Mr. Goodwin here. As for the conflict between the newcomers and veterans on the ship, it¡¯s a common thing on every vessel. No matter what I do, one party would always feel that they have been taken advantage of. I saw the problem, but I didn¡¯t deal with it in time. This is all my fault.¡±


    Everyone thought that Orff would defend himself from Goodwin¡¯s accusation. Nobody expected him to admit all his mistakes.

 Chapter 117 - Black Sail XXII

    The air on the deck grew uncomfortable. The contentious scene everyone expected to happen when Orff showed up did not come to pass. Instead, like an apathetic old man, Orff kept retreating as the gunman advanced towards him, as if he was about to fall off the cliff.


    Even though Goodwin believed that he was going to win since the beginning, he had not expected things to go so smoothly, and it was making him feel uneasy.


    Orff turned to the crew and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. All of you have reasons to feel disgruntled. It has been a really difficult time, both for all of you and for me. But what I want to say is that from today onwards, these difficult days will be behind us. You¡¯ve been wondering what I¡¯m up to recently, and I think it¡¯s time I tell you.¡±


    The gunner shifted uneasily. That uncomfortable feeling was growing stronger. Logic told him that he should not let Orff continue his speech, but right now, he could not find a reason good enough to interrupt the old helmsman. Orff had the right and freewill to deliver a speech before the votes were cast. It could not just be one-sided whereby the old man was not allowed to defend and explain himself after being denounced by Goodman. Goodman took comfort in the fact that the situation was already set in stone¡ªhe had won over each and every one of those people. Many among them were benefiting mutually with him. He was confident that none of them would betray him.


    When he saw that he finally had everyone¡¯s attention, Orff continued, ¡°Most of you and I have known each other for a long time. You should know what kind of person I am. My past is not kept hidden from you. Yes, before I joined Sea Lion, I sailed with the greatest captain in the Caribbean, Captain Kidd until he was captured, and then hung in London. His house was searched from top to bottom, but all they found was a little bit of gold and silver.


    ¡°I know you must have heard rumors that he had hidden his loot in a secret place¡ªI can tell you, right now, that the rumor is true.¡±


    Immediately, the crew erupted in chatter. Practically everyone knew about Kidd¡¯s story. He was the most powerful pirate in the entire Caribbean from 1695 to 1699. His ship, the Quedagh Merchant had fifty cannons on board. That magnitude of firepower was enough to make many seaport colonies cower in fear. Legend has it that in a short five-year period, he managed to pillage a shocking fortune.


    After his death, the whereabouts of his treasures remained a mystery and the Quedagh Merchant vanished.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been searching for that treasure ever since Kidd had cashed in his chips. Now, there¡¯s finally some headway, and I have reason to believe that we¡¯re very close to that treasure.¡±


    Orff had to wait until his audience¡¯s chatter quieten down before continuing, ¡°Forgive me for keeping this from you. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you¡ªI was just worried that the other pirates might hear of it. But now, I have no choice but to be honest with you.¡±


    When he was done, Orff glanced at Goodwin. The latter was drenched in nervous sweat and his face was as pale as a sheet. Just three minutes ago, he thought that he had everything done and dusted. He had not anticipated that Orff would employ such an unreasonable method to turn the tables. As a pirate himself, he understood just how tempting Kidd¡¯s treasure was.


    In fact, even he could not suppress the feeling of excitement at that prospect. What more the others, and all his allies? How many more of them would be willing to stand by him, and take the risk of deposing Orff and miss out on such a big treasure?


    He had planned this for so long, and even played the good guy for such a long time just for this¡ªalways greeting the new crews warmly, putting up with his allies¡¯ peculiar characteristics and habits. Now all of that had gone down the toilet. Goodwin felt like a drowning man grasping at straws. He reminded his rival, ¡°Vote. They still haven¡¯t voted¡­ I haven¡¯t lost yet.¡±


    But Orff¡¯s final sentence shattered whatever last trace of hope Goodwin had left.


    ¡°Now, who is willing to sail with me, to go after that legendary treasure?!¡±


    All of the pirates on board were silent for a minute and then they exploded into a loud, enraptured cheer. ¡°Treasure! Treasure! Treasure!¡±


    The look on every single one of their faces were one of zeal and anticipation. None of them bothered to even look at the despondent gunman who felt as if the whole world had abandoned him.


    ¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s out!¡± Marvin rushed down from the deck, calling out to Zhang Heng who was doing push-ups in the cabin. ¡°The result is out! Goodwin was winning but Mr. Orff turned the whole situation around with just a few words. You should¡¯ve seen Goodwin¡¯s face. I feel a little bad for him.¡±


    Marvin paused and then continued, excited again, ¡°Also, we are going to be rich! Do you know that Kidd guy? That big pirate? I heard that when he was sentenced to death by hanging, nearly half of London went to watch his execution¡ªand now we¡¯re going to search for the treasures he left behind!¡±


    Marvin looked around and then lowered his voice, ¡°To be honest, ever since I was tied up by that group of pirates, the days have been feeling like years. But now, I¡¯m starting to feel like perhaps it was not such a bad thing after all. It¡¯s destiny that we boarded this ship.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    Marvin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What does ¡®heh¡¯ mean? Think about it. The treasure left behind by the legendary pirate king! Aren¡¯t you even the least bit excited? Just now on the deck, I was already thinking about how I¡¯m going to spend the money. I¡¯m going to buy two plantations in Boston, and a group of black slaves, and then I will spend the rest of the money drinking all day long. Do you know that there¡¯s a woman called Daisy at the whorehouse who always look down on me? She wouldn¡¯t even pay attention to me on the bed. When I get the money¡­¡±


    ¡°Marvin.¡± Zhang Heng finished his last push up and dried the sweat on his neck. Then he opened his mouth to put a break on Marvin¡¯s dream. ¡°You haven¡¯t even seen the treasure yet. It¡¯s not too late to think about what you¡¯re going to do with it when you actually see it.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± The farmer¡¯s son realized that he forgotten himself. He had caught onto all that fiery excitement on the deck¡ªeveryone was stirred by the words ¡®Kidd¡¯s treasure¡¯, and they were all in high spirits.


    Zhang Heng, however, was weary at this. Although he did not support Goodwin, it did not mean that he thought that Goodwin¡¯s concern was ungrounded¡ªOrff was indeed too close to the Captain, and this was not a good thing for the rest of the crew, especially after this time, Zhang Heng finally saw just how the experienced helmsman manipulated the crew¡¯s emotions.


    A powerful captain and an experienced helmsman¡ªtheir combined control over the ship was far greater than most people could imagine.


    Compared to them, Goodwin was like a toddler who had just learn to walk. Both sides were not on the same level. From the moment Goodwin decided to challenge Orff¡¯s position, his fate was already decided.

 Chapter 118 - Black Sail XXIII

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng transferred the saber from his injured right hand to his left, and then blocked his opponent¡¯s two consecutive lances while taking two steps backwards. When the sailor fighting Zhang Heng saw that his enemy was weary from the prolonged scrimmage, he was very pleased. He stopped advancing and plunged his sword towards Zhang Heng¡¯s chest. It was straightforward attack, without any chicanery, purely relying on strength as an advantage.


    Now, instead of dodging the sword, Zhang Heng welcomed it. Both weapons clashed, and the sailor of the navy ship felt a massive force come at him, forcing his arm to swing open. As shock registered on the man¡¯s face, Zhang Heng¡¯s saber found the sailor¡¯s neck.


    Zhang Heng muttered under his breath, ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    The terrified sailor dropped his weapon and surrendered.


    Zhang Heng looked around him and saw that the battle on the deck was coming to an end. A few stubborn guards who were still putting up a fight were forced into a corner¡ªtheir defeat was only a matter of time. Only the captain of the ship was holding fort in the captain¡¯s cabin. However, his subduing was only a matter of time as well.


    This was already their third battle over a short period of two months. While they had won each of them, they had also suffered serious losses. Owen had even started to replenish the workforce with prisoners.


    During this era, naval sailors were treated poorly. Take the Royal Navy for example, whose one month¡¯s salary was only around one pound, which was also equivalent to half of the pay of river gate guards, and only about a quarter of that of a carpenter¡¯s wages. To boot, before the money even reached the sailors¡¯ pocket, the paymaster general and navy officer of the ship would take a portion from it. To make matters worse, the salaries were not paid out on a regular basis. One of the most bizarre incidents was of a cruiser in the Far East waters¡ªthe crew was only paid once in twenty-two years. In the end, the navy even refused to pay the sum that was owed.


    Even when they were ashore, these sailors had it hard. When the warship returned to the port for repairs, the officers were only paid half their salary whereas the lower level sailors were not paid at all, leaving them high and dry. But that was not the worst part. Sometimes, worried that their men would run away, the navy would even forbid the sailors from getting back to shore. Before arriving at the port, the sailors would be transferred to other battleships, and their wages would put on hold.


    Compared to them, the treatment that the pirates received was heaven. When there was money, they ¡®earned¡¯ it together, and when there was meat, they ate together. There were rarely any incidents of the captain deducting the crew members¡¯ income.


    Zhang Heng had been in this game for almost nine months now. In the beginning, he had joined Sea Lion for the sole reason of survival. Later on, however, because of the main mission, he was forced to join the pirate world. Now he had a deeper understanding of the Nassau and the pirates living above. Many of the things had to perceive through the historical background of that time. It was not for no reason that the pirates in the 17th and 18th century were rampant.


    At the beginning of the age of exploration, it was difficult to distinguish between explorers, colonists, and pirates, and as Europe became entangled in war in a bid to compete for sea power, the notorious looting permit was born¡ªwhich also opened Pandora¡¯s box. All these thing¡ªa modern-day person would find inconceivable.


    Suppose, in this era, you were a businessman transporting goods to be sold in the colonies and was robbed during the journey by people from another country. There would be no legal, diplomatic means for you to return to your country. Generally, most countries would issue you a looting permit, encouraging you to take back what you had lost from others.


    On top of that, many wealthy businessmen and nobles would also sponsor skilled captains by helping them get private looting permits which allowed them to loot on the sea, so that they could have a share of the stolen goods. The advantage of doing this was that they were able to severely damage the sea power of other countries. At the same time, they could have an unofficial navy added to their fleet without having to increase their national budget. Should the war start, these private looting ships would also join the battle.


    If you plunder enough, you may even be summoned to the palace, or be knighted, accredited as the country¡¯s hero. Henry Morgan was the best example. He was the Pirate King of the Caribbean from 1665 to 1670, and later on moved on to become the governor of Jamaica.


    In fact, it was not just the common folks. In order to earn extra money, to make up for the wages they were not paid, sailors of the royal fleet would often go out looting. There were even managers in charge of cashing out spoils at the port. Of course, at the end of the day, most of the money they make would, eventually, still end up in the officer¡¯s pocket. The low-ranked sailors would only get a meager portion of it.


    Frazer once told Zhang Hen, back in the tavern: ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the difference between us and those guys? They have looting permit and we don¡¯t. That¡¯s why we are pirates who are despised and they are the heroes. This is how the world works.¡±


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng put away his saber. A loud explosion rippled under his feet, signaling that the final territory of the ship had been breached. The captain of the navy supply ship was dead, and the remaining sailors surrendered their weapons and themselves. The doctor on board busied himself tending to injured men, while the record keeper made an inventory of the cargo in the cabin.


    The pirates had also suffered many casualties, which was also why no one wanted to lock horns with the navy. Even though it was just a supply ship, her firepower was impressive. The price they had paid to rob a navy supply ship was far greater than the profit they gained. In fact, it was pitiful.


    The Sea Lion lost a total of seventeen men in that battle, and many were wounded. Miraculously, however, that did not thwart the crew¡¯s morale¡ªespecially when the helmsman Orff presented a piece of blood-stained map before them. The pirates responded in excitement and cheer.


    ¡°Gentlemen, there is no doubt that we are finally another step closer to our ultimate goal!¡± The helmsman shouted triumphantly.


    According to him, Kidd¡¯s treasure was hidden on a no man¡¯s island in the Caribbean. He had supposedly drawn a treasure map before he died, which was eventually divided into six parts and had fallen into the hands of those who participated in the arrest and trial. Now, the Sea Lion was on a mission to collect all the pieces of the treasure map. Counting today¡¯s piece, they had already gotten four of them.


    Owen walked up to the helmsman and said, ¡°Mr. Orff, may I speak with you for a moment?¡±


    The latter nodded and the both of them walked to the back of the ship.


    The pirate leader had a worried look on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, but we¡¯ve lost quite a few men.¡±


    Orff nodded. ¡°So, how did the recruitment go?¡±


    ¡°You know we can¡¯t keep using these guys to fill up the vacancies, right? They are the navy, after all. If we recruit too many of them at one time, they might slit our throats when we¡¯re sleeping.¡±


    ¡°What do you suggest then?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re been out here for two and a half months. I suggest that we go back to Nassau to replenish our supplies,¡± Owen answered.


    Orff looked at Owen in the eyes, and then after a while, said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep this from you. But if word gets out about us finding the treasure, it¡¯ll stir up a lot of unnecessary troubles. But I will make sure to relay your suggestion to the captain.¡±

 Chapter 119 - Black Sail XXIV

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    One month later, Sea Lion had eventually decided to head back to Nassau. Other than the lack of pirates and supplied on board, they need to fix the damaged mast. The ship would travel in extremely slow speed as long as the mast was not fixed. Initially, Orff did not want to allow the pirates to get down from the ship. Everyone on the ship was really mad when they received the order. Asking all these men to stay on the ship after they spent three months travelling on the ship was basically impossible.


    In the end Orff had to take back what he had said and let everyone leave the ship temporary. Orff made sure to let everyone know that it was crucial to not tell anyone that they were looking for Kidd¡¯s treasure. Just as expected, one hour after the first batch of pirates left the ship, the news of them looking for Kidd¡¯s treasure was spread to the entire island.


    Every single person in Nassau was talking about this matter. This did not necessarily have to be a bad thing. The recruitment process went way smoother than they expected. Usually, when a pirate ship loses more than 40% of the people in one trip, people would tend to think about the odds of them not being killed by the enemies if they were asked to join the particular pirate ship.


    Things were different this time. There were many who wanted to join the Sea Lion. Some of the smaller pirate groups were even proposing to join forces with Sea Lion. In the end, Owen had to summon a dozen pirates to maintain the order of people that were applying to join Sea Lion. Anne was elated when she heard that Sea Lion was recruiting. She even blamed Zhang Heng and Marvin for not telling her about it.


    Immediately, she ran to apply to join Sea Lion. In the evening, she returned home in a saddened state. She did not even manage to put down her name on paper, let alone taking the test. As usual, she came into conflict with others when she was lining up. Undeniably, she was exceptionally brave even though she had four pirates going against her. Instead of running away, Anne used both her fists to fight with them. In the end, two of them were knocked unconscious and the other two quickly fled the scene while carrying their injured friends.


    Zhang Heng saw Anne with bruises all over her face and arm when he opened the door. He could sense that she was different than usual.


    ¡°Dinner is ready. Come and eat with us,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    Anne¡¯s appetite was not as good as usual. She used her hand to pick up a potato and held it in her hand for some time. It seemed like she was deep in thought.


    ¡°What if I tell you that I want to become your wife?¡± asked Anne.


    Marvin almost swallowed his spoon while drinking soup after he heard Anne¡¯s proposal.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand my intention. I¡¯m not defeated by the fact that I can¡¯t join Sea Lion. And, I don¡¯t want to become a housewife as well. I feel bad for letting you provide a place for me to stay and food to eat for free. Initially, I thought that I could earn enough money to pay for the accommodation and food. It seems like I have overestimated myself.¡±


    She felt really embarrassed. Earlier, she promised Zhang Heng that she would give half of the loot that she received to Zhang Heng. Unfortunately, all she got during her very first raid was only a pot. It was worthless. Hence, she did not give it to Zhang Heng. She was now jobless again after she got into a huge argument with Golden Swallow. All she did right now was eat, sleep, and fight with someone every day.


    She did not know how to cook or do simple housework. Fighting with others had always been her forte. Every time when Zhang Heng and Marvin set sail for raiding other ships, they would always leave some food and pocket money for her. Every time when they came home, they would find out that the house was turned upside down. Zhang Heng had found her bra under his bed more than once. Her dream was to get rich as soon as possible. That was why she felt so excited when she heard that the Sea Lion was looking for Kidd¡¯s treasure. She thought that this was her golden opportunity to make her dream come true. Sadly, things did not go her way.


    Though Zhang Heng had never stopped convincing her to go home and enjoyed what she had, he had to admit that Anne had invested her entire life to improve her fighting skills. Technically speaking, she was born to become a pirate. Judging from her personality, it was impossible to ask her to stay in one place for too long. The problem was no pirate group in Nassau would accept a female to join their crew.


    ¡°What do you plan to do after I marry you?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ At least I will not stay and eat for free at your place,¡± Anne replied in a disappointed manner.


    ¡°I have a proposal. If you can control your anger and not fight with others, I will let you come aboard my ship.¡±


    ¡°Your ship? Hold on. Since when do you own a ship? Are you planning to leave Sea Lion soon?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    This was the very first time Zhang Heng had told others about his plan. He wanted to form his pirate crew. Marvin was left in great shock as well.


    ¡°Are you planning to do it after we get our share of Kidd¡¯ treasure? With that kind of money, you can easily recruit potential pirates to join you. But, why would you become a pirate if you are super rich?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan to do it after we find the treasure. I have asked Owen about the rights of new recruits like us. He told me that we can choose to leave after a year if we want to. I will apply to leave the ship once time is up.¡±


    ¡°What if we fail to locate the Kidd¡¯s treasure by then? You should know that there are still two more parts of the treasure map waiting to be found, right? Didn¡¯t you see what happened at the beach this afternoon? Everyone from Nassau is trying to join the Sea Lion. Why would leave them right now?¡±


    ¡°Though I really want to become a pirate, there¡¯s no need to rush. I have waited for a long time. I don¡¯t mind waiting for a little longer,¡± said Anne.


    Zhang Heng did not reply to them. The reason why he wanted to leave Sea Lion had nothing to do with the treasure. He had a hunch that thing would go terribly wrong for him If he chose to stay with the Sea Lion. Recently, he could feel that the way Orff treated him had changed. They had not talked much ever since Zhang Heng joined Sea Lion. Until recently, Zhang Heng could feel that someone was staring at him all the time. Especially during the previous few fights. Not a lot of people could pull something like this. Orff was one of them.

 Chapter 120 - Black Sail XXV

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    To say that Zhang Heng was not interested in Kidd¡¯s treasure was simply not true. Just like what Marvin said just now, it would easy for Zhang Heng to form his own private crew if he got his share of Kidd¡¯s treasure. Pirates were not a scarcity in Nassau. However, pirates with a specific set of skills were something that every pirate ships were looking for. And the most important thing that Zhang Heng need to acquire before forming his own pirate crew was a ship with sufficient firepower.


    Most of the pirates at Nassau were using ordinary fisherman boat with no weapons being mounted on them. When a fight happened, they would not be able to fight back. All they could do was to pray that they could get on the enemies¡¯ ship before the enemies sunk their boats.


    The first thing that Zhang Heng wanted to do right now was to look for a ship. Ever since he joined the Sea Lion to raid and loot other merchant ships, he had managed to save up quite a bit of money. In addition to that, he was helping Frazer to collect debt as well and Frazer would give him a good amount of commission every time. Still, there was a long way to go for him to purchase a decent ship. With the money that he had right now, he could not even afford to purchase an ordinary sloop.


    It was no doubt that Kidd¡¯s treasure could help him to solve the problem that he had right now. However, the problem he had right now was such a scary coincidence. It happened right when Goodwin wanted to challenge Orff and Orff somehow managed to win the trust of all the pirates on board again. The thing that was going to happen next was what Zhang Heng worried right now.


    Everyone one the ship was so excited when Orff had announced that they were going to look for Kidd¡¯s treasure. Without putting in any effort, Orff had managed to defeat Goodwin and fortify his position as helmsman. And the weird part was Orff did not stop right here. He had gone and promoted Kidd¡¯s treasure to everyone to keep their fire burning.


    Recently, Zhang Heng noticed that Goodwin was never Orff¡¯s threat. It seemed like he had his own agenda. Kidd¡¯s treasure was just a tool for him to deal with the tiny problem that he had. Right now, everyone on the Sea Lion was hyped about the treasure and they were not going to stop until they located the treasure. The previous raids that they had were the best example to explain the whole thing. Usually, the pirates on ship would refuse to do raids that give them small amount of loot. After Orff told them about Kidd¡¯s treasure, none of them said no Orff anymore. They would say yes to Orff even if he wanted to set sail to hell.


    In other words, if Orff did not like one of the crew, the person would be placed in a very dangerous circumstance. That was why Zhang Heng had chosen to lay low ever since he found out that Orff was watching him from the dark. In order to prevent to make unnecessary mistake, Zhang Heng had purposely avoided contact with others.


    Sometimes, trouble would come looking for you even if you avoid it.


    It was past midnight. Zhang Heng was woken up by the noise that came from outside. He saw a horse carriage parked outside his house.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± asked Anne while yawning.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with you. Go back to sleep.¡±


    Zhang Heng recognized that horse carriage. Immediately, he put on his shirt, went downstairs, and opened the door. On the other hand, Marvin was in deep slumber. Usually, he would be able to sleep well and snore even if he was in a noisy environment. Instead of bringing the saber with him, Zhang Heng took his gun with him. The coachman then opened the door for him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish you disturb you at a time like this. I think you wouldn¡¯t want me to come during the day time, right?¡±


    Zhang Heng sat opposite Frazer. The horse carriage was on move again when the door was closed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you if you are here for Kidd¡¯s treasure. Orff is being really cautious. No one knows when he hid the treasure map. As long as I still work for Sea Lion, I will never tell you the location of the treasure map even if I know about it.¡±


    ¡°Kidd¡¯s treasure? No. No. No. That¡¯s just a fairy tale for dumbasses. I don¡¯t think you believe in it right? You have to admit that Orff has a talent at lying to others. I had fallen for his lie last time. I will not make the same mistake twice.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here tonight?¡±


    ¡°I come bearing gifts and news.¡±


    Frazer then tossed a coin bag to Zhang Heng. There were some coins, leather ring, and some worthless small items.


    ¡°I want to thank you for what you have done for me so far. This is my gratitude. We should give our mutual friend Victor some final peace. This is the thing that he has left in this world. You and your friends don¡¯t have to worry that someone might come and threaten you again.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that for us?¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s some misunderstanding between you and me. I was never your enemy. You have known me for quite some time now and I have never forced you to do something that you don¡¯t want to do right? Even when I ask you to collect debt for me, I would always make sure to pay you a 10% commission after that. When you want to ask Rothko to teach you how to maneuver the mainsail, I told you his secret as well, right? You can never find someone as kind as me here in Nassau.¡±


    Zhang Heng was left speechless. This was the question that he had all this time. For the past nine months, Frazer could actually use Victor to threaten him. When he saw the horse carriage parked in front of his house, Zhang Heng thought that he was going to use Victor to coerce him into something against his will. To his surprise, Frazer handed Victor¡¯s personal belongings to him. In other words, he did not have to worry about others knowing that he was the one that killed Victor.


    ¡°I know how others talk about me. I¡¯m pretty sure you heard the history between me and Orff. The reason why you are cautious of me is because you worry that I might use you to mess with Orff. To be frank I¡¯ve not retired. Whatever that happened in the past, I have chosen to let it slide. Throughout history, there are very few pirates who get to enjoy the life of retirement. I¡¯m pretty happy with what I have right now. Unfortunately, I know there are still some people on the ship who can¡¯t let the past slide.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what happened to you. Orff doesn¡¯t like me. That¡¯s why he¡¯s watching your every move. And I have just received bad news. Orff is planning to eliminate everyone that gets in his way. Anyway, I¡¯m the reason why you are in this mess. I can¡¯t just watch you suffer. I have little to no power on the ship right now. If you really need help on the ship, you can look for a carpenter named Kent.

 Chapter 121 - Black Sail XXVI

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng stood outside his house and watched the black carriage disappear into the night. He then turned around and noticed the door was secretly opened.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to go to sleep?¡±


    Zhang Heng knew who was standing behind the door without even looking at it.


    ¡°Whenever I think that you went out in the middle of the night, I just can¡¯t sleep. I need to know what is going on,¡± said Anne.


    ¡°Instead of peeking at me, you should help me to figure out a way to recruit more pirates to join my ship. We will set sail in two months. I will figure out a way to purchase a sloop before that. We need at least ten pirates to operate the sloop, especially a cannoneer. Do you have any potential recruits in mind so far?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°When I make friends with others, I prioritize their loyalty and fighting prowess more than anything else. I don¡¯t usually ask about their background information!¡± Anne said proudly.


    When she saw that Zhang Heng was disappointed by her answer, she immediately made him a promise.


    ¡°I will go and ask around tomorrow. I will do it.¡±


    After a short pause, Anne took out a dagger from her back. She then put on a bashful look. It was a rare sight! This was Zhang Heng¡¯s very first time witnessing such a feminine emotion on her. All these while, she acted more manly than some of the men he knew. Most of the time, she would walk around the house with only her bra. Sometimes, she would even hold a beer bottle and glared at whoever that walked into the house. In this era, a girl that behaved like her was extremely rare.


    ¡°About that. I want to thank you for inviting me to join your crew. I saw the dagger that you have is broken. I got this dagger from the fight that I won two days ago. I have no use of it. So¡­ So, I have decided to give it to you. You can use it to protect yourself.¡±


    Zhang Heng was very surprised by her gratitude. He took the dagger and did not say a single word to her. All he did was caress Anne¡¯s messy crimson hair.


    ¡­¡­


    Though Orff and the rest of the pirates could not wait to set sail again, the damage on Sea Lion was so severe that they had to hire the best carpenters to fix the entire ship. It took a total of fifteen days for them to fix it. In these fifteen days, Zhang Heng had made sure to not do something that would draw others¡¯ attention.


    Basically, he had been staying in his house for the past fifteen days. He even went ahead and utilized the empty land behind his house and planted some vegetables on it. During his time on the island, Zhang Heng had planted quite a number of vegetables and was pretty good at it.


    As for Frazer, Zhang Heng did not place his trust in him fully. Though he had acted really sincere that night, Zhang Heng could see that he was getting impatient. That was his first time coming to visit Zhang Heng after so many months. It was not necessary for him to come all the way to Zhang Heng¡¯s house to show his gratitude to him.


    People like Frazer and Orff were extremely cunning and they were born to be leaders. They had this certain charm where they could make use of it to complete their goal. Also, they could make you believe that everything they do, was for your own good. Underneath their kind-hearted move was actually manipulation. They would continue to use you as a tool to achieve their goal if you trust in them fully.


    For example, Kidd¡¯s treasure was just a game designed by Orff. With Frazer joining the game, the whole thing would become even more dangerous. The best thing for Zhang Heng to do right was to stay calm and do nothing about it. After he was warned by Frazer, he did not go and look for the Kent, the carpenter. Instead, he did some preparations secretly.


    A man that wore a wig with a lace scarf with flower designs around his neck came and looked for Zhang Heng. His name was Baal and he was a famous arms dealer in Nassau. Once he entered the house, he placed one short and one long object that were covered with tarpaulin on the table.


    ¡°This is the thing that you want. Check it,¡± said Baal after he took the cup of tea that Marvin had handed to him.


    Zhang Heng then opened the tarpaulin and saw that it was a gun. In this era that Zhang Heng was in, guns with the flintlock mechanic were dominating Europe. Actually, rifles were invested in, in the 15th century. However, it was not as common and famous as the flintlock gun. The reason was because it was extremely troublesome to reload a rifle. While a flintlock gun could fire three shots, a rifle could only fire one shot. And, people with weaker arms might not be able to slide a bullet into a rifle. The only good thing about the rifle was its shooting range and accuracy were far better than the flintlock gun.


    All these while, Zhang Heng wanted to buy one rifle as backup. During the critical moment, his LV 2 shooting skill and the rifle might help him to solve his problem. Other than that, the arms dealer brought him three blunderbusses as well. Taking into account the one that he owned right now, he now possessed a total of four blunderbusses. In other words, he would be able to fire four times at once. All the guns in this era would require to reload after they fired once. The only way for him to increase his firepower was to buy more guns.


    Zhang Heng was wearing a black jacket. He placed two blunderbusses at his waist and the other two at his gun holsters in front of his chest.


    ¡°Hmph! I have to say that you look quite good right now. I wonder how you will perform in a real fight!¡±


    Zhang Heng ignored Anne and proceed to pay the arms dealer 140 silver peso.


    Baal checked the coin bag and he was pleased that Zhang Heng paid him the right amount.


    ¡°Come and look for me if you need to buy more guns.¡±


    Seconds later, Zhang Heng heard a notification came from the system.


    [You now have more than three guns. Game points +3. You can check for more information from the character panel¡­]


    The way Zhang Heng played the game had not changed since day one. He would never go and complete those achievements on purpose. He had gained a total of seventeen game points ever since he entered this world. Eight game points were from raiding other ships. Six points were from voyaging at sea. And, the three points that he just gained were from collecting weapons. With this speed, Zhang Heng could easily collect 200 fame points by the end of the game. It might sound a lot but Zhang Heng knew that his estimation was not accurate. Usually, it was easy for the players to complete different kinds of achievement during the early game. When it came to late game, the requirement to complete those achievements would be extremely high. Technically speaking, he should be able to collect more game points than all the players. And the price that he had to pay was to stay in this world longer.


    This place, Nassau would probably become part of him when this quest was over. Three days after Zhang Heng acquired his weapons, he was informed that the Sea Lion was fixed and it was ready to set sail again.


    ¡°I think everyone should know the final destination of this trip, right? I¡¯m not going to repeat the same thing all over again,¡± said Orff while standing at the ship¡¯s bow.


    Everyone started to laugh after they heard Orff¡¯s announcement.


    ¡°This time, we have a lot of new people joining us. I think it¡¯s better for me to explain everything. I don¡¯t care about your background and your past mistake. Once you board this ship, you are now one of us. All of you have to obey our rules. Especially during critical moment. Teamwork will allow us to overcome all kinds of difficulties that we will face in the future. If there¡¯s someone who tries to sabotage us or do something despicable behind our back, you will become the common enemy of this ship! And, we show no mercy to our enemies!¡±


    ¡°Not too long ago, I¡¯ve received news. I was told that there¡¯s a traitor among us right now. Considering that I have fought with him in a few raids, I¡¯m willing to offer him a chance to redeem himself. Come forward and confess your crime against the ship. If not, I can¡¯t guarantee that the person will live to see tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 122 - Black Sail XXVII

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The look on all the pirates¡¯ changed right after Orff was done with his speech. All the new recruits that had just joined Sea Lion knew this had nothing to do with them. Besides, Orff did mention that the traitor used to fight with him on this ship. They just sat there, grabbed a bucket popcorn, and watched the drama unfold before them. On the other hand, all the old crew members were panicking.


    Some of them chose not to say a single word.


    Some of them berated Orff.


    Some of them told Orff that he had no right to accuse others if he did not have evidence.


    Everyone started to grow suspicious of each other. After Orff made the announcement, he did not say a single word after that. He started to look at everyone on the deck. When his gaze fixed on Zhang Heng, he felt that Orff had stared at him at least two seconds longer than the others.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the traitor doesn¡¯t have the courage to admit his mistake. I think I have to give him a hand,¡± said Orff.


    He then started to walk towards Zhang Heng while taking out his gun. Immediately, everyone landed their attention on him. At that moment, there were a lot of things went through Zhang Heng¡¯s mind. One of his hands was holding his Shadow Moment in his pocket.


    ¡°Excuse me. Mind letting me through?¡± Orff said while standing in front of Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Orff, you are abusing your power! You are trying to make me pay back for challenging you, right? Are you guys going to just stand there and let him accuse me? He would do the same thing to you if you allow him to do such a thing to me! In the end, he can whatever he wants on this ship!¡±


    The thing that Goodwin had just said managed to make everyone rethink the whole thing. Some of the pirates started to look at Orff in suspicion. Fighting for power was a very common thing on a pirate ship. However, it was rare that the winner would kill the loser. If Orff killed him, all the other pirates on the ship would feel that it was not safe for them to stay on the ship. That was why the winner would usually try his best to deal with the situation as peaceful as possible. It seemed like Orff held a huge grudge against Goodwin. That would mean the whole thing might turn ugly. As for now, Orff was saved from being attacked by the pirates on the ship because he was holding the map to locate Kidd¡¯s treasure. Once the pirates on the ship had their eyes laid on the treasure, they would not hesitate to dethrone Orff. The thing that Goodwin said to the pirates had made them wanted to disobey Orff.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you were the first batch of people that left the ship and went to Nassau, right? One hour later, almost everyone on the island knew that we are looking for Kidd¡¯s treasure. Please don¡¯t tell me that is just a coincidence,¡± said Orff in a calmed manner.


    Goodwin had gone through a lot of hardship throughout his life. He was not panicked when Orff confronted him.


    ¡°There were around twenty people from the first batch of people that got down from the ship. How sure are you that I¡¯m the one that leaked the news?¡±


    ¡°I asked Owen to interview everyone after that. Every single one of them could provide me with an alibi except you. You told us that you went and take a nap after you got down from the ship. Unfortunately, you have no eyewitnesses to support your claim.¡±


    ¡°What? I need eyewitnesses to prove that I was sleeping?!¡±


    ¡°Of course not. The thing is someone saw you come out from Marshall¡¯s house. How do you explain that? Some of you might now know who Marshall is. He is the biggest loan shark in Nassau. The way he collects debt from people that owe him money is absolutely terrifying.¡±


    Orff then took a good at Goodwin again. His forehead was dripping with sweat.


    ¡°While you were plotting to take my place, I know that you have used a lot of money to bribe quite a number of people. I¡¯m really curious. Where did you get that money? You need to pay a huge price if you borrow money from Marshall. No wonder you looked so disappointed when you lost to me. The news of you failing to become a helmsman on Sea Lion was spread to everyone on the island the moment you got down from the ship, right? You had no money to return to Marshall when he came knocking at your door. That¡¯s why you told Marshall about Kidd¡¯s treasure. Am I right?¡±


    Goodwin was sweating all over now. At this moment, he decided to make his last struggle by telling everyone that Orff was falsely accusing him. But, his words were not as trustworthy anymore. Goodwin had to admit that he borrowed money from Marshall. He told everyone that the reason why he went and looked for Marshall was because he wanted to ask Marshall to give him more time to come up with the money that he owed him. He denied the fact that he sold the treasure map news to Marshall and he told everyone that he would never betray Sea Lion. It was too late for him to defend himself. The pirates that had stood beside him started to distance themselves from him. Despair had finally hit Goodwin.


    Suddenly, he started to run towards the gunwale. The Sea Lion had just left Nassau¡¯s harbor. He could swim back to the harbor if he managed to jump into the water right now. Before he could do so, Orff pulled the trigger. The bullet was planted deep inside Goodwin¡¯s calf. Immediately, all the pirates jumped at him and pressed him to the ground.


    ¡°Killing him right now is no different from showing him mercy. I think we should tie him up at the mast and let the heat from the sun torture him,¡± said Orff.


    ¡°Orff, you are one lying motherf*cker! Someday, you will be damned to hell!! I will wait for you there¡­¡±


    He wanted to say more but his mouth was sealed by the pirates around him. The new pirates that had just joined Sea Lion used a rope to tie him up on the mast. It seemed like they had no intention of treating his gun wound.


    ¡°All those that know me know that I¡¯m not a violent person. I don¡¯t like to punish or torture people. However, it is my job to make sure that everyone¡¯s yield is protected. I also have to try my best to make sure that you get to return to Nassau in one piece. I¡¯m not punishing Mr. Goodwin out of a personal grudge. I want to set him as an example. If you dare to betray this ship and your friends, I will make sure that you end up like him. Let¡¯s continue the journey looking for Kidd¡¯s treasure. ¡±


    After that, Orff swung his hands to signal all the pirates on board to return to their position. When Zhang Heng was checking on the Starboard, Orff walked towards him.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°All is well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Rothko thinks very highly of you. He told me that you will become the best boatswain if you are given enough time to gain the experience that you need. Earlier, when everyone voted for boatswain, your vote count and old Michael¡¯s vote count were really close. Don¡¯t be disappointed by it. Just work harder. Sooner or later, you will get the position.¡±

 Chapter 123 - Ambush

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    On the boundless blue sea, the Royal Scarborough patrolled its territory like a lion.


    This second-class battleship belonging to the British Navy had a displacement of 2,000 tons with 90 cannons and nearly 700 sailors¡ªthe giant of the Caribbean Sea.


    Every now and then, the Scarborough would in accordance with the orders of the Admiralty, go out on scheduled patrol to maintain the order of the nearby maritime trade routes. Pirates passing by this area would flee. In fact, just hearing the name Scarborough was enough to send unnerve even the most powerful pirate.


    Whence, whenever the Scarborough left the port, she would rarely be involved in any battle¡ªunless you count one-sided attacks where the enemy fled hell for leather.


    At the moment, Captain Elmer was sitting on deck, enjoying his wine and a violin performance. He was only starting to immerse himself in the music when someone suddenly interrupted him. The lookout shouted from above, ¡°An armed merchant ship is spotted in the southwest direction!¡±


    Elmer¡¯s brows furrowed, the expression on his face unpleasant.


    The first lieutenant quickly marched to the side of the ship and took the copper telescope that was handed to him. After a while, he said, ¡°The flag on the mast is French, very deep draught, traveling at around three knots. They must be carrying a lot of cargo.¡±


    Captain Elmer finally put down the glass in his hand and strolled over.


    During this time, the War of the Spanish Succession was taking place. In order to prevent the Bourbon kings from annexing Spain, the new Grand Alliance, which included the United Kingdom, united against France and its allies, and the two sides were in a state of war.


    The French merchant ship could only blame its terrible luck to have crossed the Scarborough¡¯s path.


    Elmer looked at the sailors on the deck below, and saw their eyes were filled with anticipation.


    The captain broke into a smile and said, ¡°If this is a gift from God to us, how can we refuse it?¡±


    The sailors cheered. If they wait until their wages were paid, they would have starved to death. The one thing that motivated them to go out into the sea was extracurricular plunders like this. Even if most of it would end up in Elmer¡¯s and the navy marshal¡¯s pockets, they were satisfied just to be able to drink a little bit of soup. The sailors were already used to it.


    With the captain¡¯s permission, the Scarborough began to change its course towards the ¡®unfortunate¡¯ ship. The gun port¡¯s lid was opened, revealing the dense rows of black cannon muzzles inside, like a shark flashing its razor teeth.


    Although war was about to begin, the atmosphere on the deck was unusually relaxed. The violinist who was performing continued to play his instrument.


    The disparity of firepower between the two parties cannot be starker. Had they met each other face to face, the other side would have quickly surrendered and handed their cargo over, so that if Elmer was in a good mood, he might just spare the lives of everyone on the ship.


    The sailors of the Scarborough were rejoicing at the prospect of the extra income. Only one officer on board appeared to be slightly uneasy. He said to Elmer, ¡°Captain, isn¡¯t it a little too simple? Our route is not so much a secret¡ªwhy would a French merchant ship show up now?¡±


    Before he received an answer, his colleague interrupted, ¡°When there¡¯s absolute power, no conspiracy can take effect. Relax, Burnett, we are on the Scarborough; here in the sea, we are invincible.¡±


    ¡­


    The atmosphere in the Sea Lion was completely unlike the one in Scarborough¡ªthe pirates were unusually mum because they were about to face the fiercest battle in their lives.


    It had been half a month since they left Nassau. Thanks to Goodwin¡¯s betrayal, Orff¡¯s standing on the ship had skyrocketed. Right now, even if there was someone who was dissatisfied with him, they dared not reveal it.


    Yet, it was in this particular circumstance that when Orff announced that the fifth piece of the map required them strike the Scarborough, even the most zealous treasure-hunting pirates found it hard to continue to stand by the helmsman.


    Because this had nothing to do with courage at all. It was just complete madness.


    All the pirates in the Caribbean knew that the Scarborough was untouchable, and although there was no official ban, all piracy activity would make sure to steer clear of the navy. That attack on the navy¡¯s supply ship earlier was already a very risky move. Moreover, the Sea Lion paid a very heavy price for it.


    For the sake of Kidd¡¯s treasure, and because the supply ship¡¯s firepower was almost the same as that of the Sea Lion, the crew had reluctantly accepted the decision. As long as the command was expedient, it was possible to win the battle heroically. The Scarborough on the other hand¡­ That was an entirely different topic.


    The most experienced gunner was the first to speak up, ¡°The Scarborough has three times the number of cannons we do and are way more powerful. They also have a longer range than we do. We cannot fight this battle. Needless to say, our ship¡¯s hull is not as sturdy as the warship¡¯s. One volley of firing and we¡¯ll fall to pieces. Mr. Orff, I¡¯ve always believed in your leadership abilities, but this time, I really have to voice my opposition, because this is going to get all of us killed.¡±


    The majority of the other pirates backed him up.


    Orff had to raise his voice to be heard, ¡°Gentlemen, I completely agree with what you¡¯re saying. We are indeed at a disadvantage in terms of firepower. If we were to fight them head on, we really wouldn¡¯t stand a chance at all, which is why our only option is to connect the bridge.¡±


    ¡°Connect the bridge? I know that we have recruited some really good hands, but even if we include the cook, the doctor¡ªthe technical staff¡ªat most, we have only 173 men. How are we supposed to fight 7000 people? Besides, the most alarming thing is the Scarborough¡¯s firepower. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯d sink before we could even draw close to her.¡± Owen, too, raised his concern.


    ¡°Yes, you are all right. That would be exactly the case under normal circumstances.¡± Orff paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Except we don¡¯t have to go to the Scarborough¡ªshe will come to us.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, of course, if we raise our black flag. Once the Scarborough finds out that we¡¯re pirates, they would definitely fire their cannons at us. But if we let them think that we are just a cargo ship, the whole situation would be completely different. No one would rob a boat of chinaware, right?¡±


    Orff pushed everything off the table and spread the map of the ocean on top of it. ¡°Back on the island, I heard that a Dutch ship was carrying porcelain and is on its way to selling them at New York. We¡¯ll take the ship halfway there and then move the porcelain to our ship. Then we¡¯ll raise the French flag and wait at Scarborough¡¯s route.¡±

 Chapter 124 - Ambush II

    ¡°Is this why you wanted me to recruit ten French-speaking men back on the island?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We will keep thirty men on deck, pretending to be sailors of a merchant ship. Mm, try to pick those who don¡¯t look aggressive and appear thinner and weaker. The rest will wait in the secret mezzanine. Oh, right, the cannons. We have too many cannons on board, get rid of half of them.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? Keep only sixteen cannons to battle against the most powerful English warship on the Caribbean?¡±


    ¡°Trust me, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference even if we had thirty-two cannons¡ªnot when you¡¯re up against the Scarborough.¡± Orff shrugged. He glanced around and asked, ¡°Anymore questions?¡±


    ¡°Even if we do as you say and are lucky enough to be able to trick the people on the Scarborough into believing that we are a French merchant ship, and successfully connect the bridge, we are still at a disadvantage in terms of manpower.¡± Zhang Heng who had been quiet all along also spoke up.


    ¡°Good question. We all know that there are 700 men on the Scarborough. But the number is actually pretty diluted. Captain Elmer is of noble birth and lives in luxury. This is true even on the Scarborough. He spends his money on musicians, private chefs, and stewards¡­ all kinds of people to ease his boredom, people who are not equipped to fight. Then there¡¯s also the logistics on board. The actual number should be only around 600 men.¡±


    ¡°Like you said, I don¡¯t see how 600 people is any different from 700,¡± Owen said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet. The situation in Marbella is very tense. At the beginning of this year, the navy hired a group of experienced sailors from the New World. Right now, about two-thirds of the Scarborough are new recruits. Most of them are fishermen and farmers from the colony who had undergone only two months of training. Their combat skills are average. As long as we stun them with our first attack, they will very likely break ranks after that. So, our real enemy is only the 200 veterans; everyone on this are real men. One-on-one, I don¡¯t believe that you will lose to anyone. ¡±


    Orff¡¯s last comment successfully stirred the crew, but only a few of them responded.


    That was mainly because of the Scarborough¡¯s reputation. She had always been every Caribbean pirate¡¯s nightmare. Just the thought of challenging this behemoth extinguished whatever morale that was roused.


    Orff clapped his hands. ¡°Gentlemen, I know what you¡¯re worried about. I¡¯ve already said since the beginning¡ªthis is not going to be an easy journey. The treasure will not come looking for us. There is no doubt that on this voyage, we will ego through trails, face challenges, but as long as we work together¡­¡±


    Owen could not help but interrupt him. ¡°Challenging the Scarborough is not just any kind of trial. This is too dangerous. Even if nothing goes wrong, we don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll really be able to take her. You said that we have to keep the treasure map a secret, and for so long we¡¯ve been obeying your instructions unquestioningly. I¡¯m afraid not this time. If you want us to agree to this, at least tell us why we should do it.¡±


    Owen¡¯s resonated with the other pirates.


    When Orff saw that that was the general opinion, he nodded. ¡°Alright. Since we¡¯re so near to the target already, I should tell you guys that I¡¯ve received confirmation that the fifth piece of the map is in the hands of Bellomonte.¡±


    ¡°Bellomonte? The earl of New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire?¡±


    At first, some of the pirates did not understand what the name meant. But when they heard this question, they inhaled sharply. If there was a list of the most powerful people in the New World, then Belmonte would be among the top few. It was nearly impossible to take the treasure map from a man of such standing.


    ¡°Yes. He was also the one who sent Kidd to the gallows. After Kidd¡¯s death, a large portion of the relics fell into Belmonte¡¯s hands¡ªnot just the fifth piece of the treasure map, but also the clues related to the sixth piece of the map.¡± Then Orff threw out the final card. ¡°What¡¯s more, his net worth is no less than a piece of treasure. If we manage to capture him, we could, at the very least, get 400,000 pounds for his ransom.¡±


    The number had everyone holding their breaths. Kidd¡¯s treasure was still far away, but the ransom money was right before their eyes.


    But it was Orff¡¯s final statement that really played a decisive role. ¡°Belmonte will leave his territory after a month and a half and go to Charleston to attend his youngest daughter¡¯s wedding. That is our best chance. After we take the Scarborough, we can seal off the Port of Charleston and go ashore to capture our man.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I must have lost my mind when I voted in favor.¡± Marvin¡¯s hand trembled as he picked up the potato peeler. ¡°We¡¯re dead, right? Scarborough¡¯s cannons will rip us to shreds, or the sailors would rush aboard and slaughter all of us. My god, I should¡¯ve listened to you and voted against.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless. Even if you vote against it, they would still carry out the operation.¡± Zhang Heng said, holding a spoon and as calm as ever. If he could decide the direction of things, he would not have chosen this. Orff was the one who wore the pants on Sea Lion. Even though he had voted against, other than Marvin, he did not try to dissuade anyone else.


    Now that things had gotten to this point, there was no use complaining. The only way out of this was to take down the entire the Scarborough together.


    Since Zhang Heng¡¯s and Marvin¡¯s ¡®less menacing face¡¯, they were chosen to be part of the group acting as the crew of the merchant ship. They were now the cooks of the ¡®French merchant ship¡¯.


    Zhang Heng took off his black clothes and handed all the weapons he had on him to the ambush group for safekeeping in the mezzanine. But as insurance, he kept a dagger in case he needed to defend himself; and that dagger was hidden under the pile of potato skins by Marvin¡¯s feet.


    After a while, they heard footsteps approaching the door. It was the record keeper Griffin coming down from the deck. ¡°The Scarborough has taken the bait. They are approaching. Mr. Orff asked me to inform you to get ready. Don¡¯t give anything away.¡±


    Clearly, the poor man had not done anything like this before. He was so nervous he was stuttering a little. But given the circumstance, that they are about to encounter the British warship, it was expected.

 Chapter 125 - Where Have I Seen Him Before?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The Scarborough opened fire once as a warning, and the French merchant ship compliantly slowed down until it came to a stop.


    Seeing how courteous the French merchants were, Elmer¡¯s mood improved, and he returned to the table and tied a napkin around his neck.


    The chief officer directed the Scarborough to draw near the side of the Sea Lion, and the officer who had spoken up earlier said, ¡°Sir, we should have our gunners on standby and send someone to assess the situation first.¡±


    The chief officer frowned. He was not some rookie who had never been out on the sea before; of course, he knew what he had to do. It irked him to have a subordinate exhorting him and giving him directions. Had it not been because of Burnett¡¯s lineage, he would have flipped already. It was really no wonder why this man was ostracized by his colleagues.


    ¡°Do your own job, Burnett.¡± The chief officer warned. He had originally wanted to instruct the gunners to wait for orders but he felt terrible after being instructed by his subordinate.; however, having been in the navy for so many years, he managed to overcome his emotions with logical reasoning, and issued orders in an orderly manner according to plan.


    Burnett stood aside, unspeaking but with his chest forward and head raised as if he had just won a major battle.


    He just wanted to chop him into pieces right now. Fortunately, the first team of 24 men were boarding the French merchant ship, and helped distract his attention.


    The captain of the merchant ship was a French man with slightly curly hair. Standing with him, ill at eased, on the deck were his sailors. Obviously, he understood what it meant to encounter the Scarborough. In the face of such overwhelming firepower, even if he was unwilling, he still had to hand over the ship¡¯s inventory.


    The officer in charge pointed his musket at the men on the deck who had surrendered, then sent a few subordinates to search the storage room. After a while, Zhang Heng and Marvin were being led up the deck from the kitchen.


    The latter¡¯s legs trembled, especially when he saw on the giant warship with its galore of cannons and the mass of men¡¯s silhouettes; he was instantly filled with despair.


    His frightened appearance amused the British sailors¡ªsome of them whistled and the others sneered. Only one man frowned at the sight of him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lanny?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just that this guy looks very familiar. I can¡¯t seem to figure out where I¡¯ve seen him before,¡± said the sailor named Lanny.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, he does look familiar¡­¡± The other guy agreed.


    The air on the deck was suddenly very tense.


    But suddenly the other guy continued, ¡°He looks a little like your wife. Aw¡­ Poor little Lanny. Can¡¯t wait to let it out already, huh? Maybe our tubby friend here won¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Go *bleep* yourself, Stephen!¡±


    1This little interruption loosened the tension and things were back to the relaxed and jovial state. The task was easy and no one paid too much attention to it. After a while, the people who went down to search the cargo returned.


    ¡°All clear. It¡¯s all porcelain crockery down there. They look pretty good. We¡¯re going to earn good money this time, guys!¡±


    The English sailors looked ecstatic.


    The officer in charge nodded. ¡°Keep an eye on these men. I¡¯ll go report to the chief officer and the captain.¡±


    He returned immediately, with the inventory, to the Scarborough. A few minutes later, the sailors on the Scarborough were mobilized.


    In order to facilitate the moving process, the chief officer ordered for more gangplanks to be laid. About sixty new recruits tasked to move the porcelain crockery put down their weapons and got to work.


    When the pirates hiding in the mezzanine heard footsteps above them, they gulped nervously. So far, the plan was going better than they imagined. They were almost halfway there. For Sea Lion and Scarborough to successfully connect, they just had to wait for the group of unarmed British sailors to board their ship, and then attack.


    But they were growing even more anxious by the minute, fearful that some accident on the deck might reveal the secrets underneath¡ªtheir whole plan would be ruined.


    Only one among them was an exception. He sat in the corner with his eyes closed as if he was asleep. His huge body was like a mountain in the dark; his black beard rising and falling as he breathed. It was very crowded in the mezzanine, they were practically squashed against each other, yet no one stood within a foot from him. Most people who chose the life of a pirate were unruly but whenever they were in the same room with him, they would all turn into well-behaved little kittens.


    The crew looked at him in awe as if they were looking at a lord demon.


    The plan to attack the Scarborough was a dangerous one. Even if the success rate of Orff¡¯s plan was 50/50, the majority of the crew had voted for it. Apart from the allure of money and treasure, the man before them also had a big part in in¡ªthe only thing that could vanquish fear was another kind of fear.


    ¡­


    One by one, the sailors of the Scarborough jumped onto the Sea Lion, eagerly entering the storage room. The men in charge of watching Zhang Heng and the others were also in repose. Only the one called Lanny kept his eyes glued on Marvin, wearing a contemplative look on his face.


    The farmer¡¯s son was very troubled. Other than his own father, he knew no one else in the New World, and was captured by pirates on his way there. He was certain that he had never met the bloke before, and could not understand why that Scarborough sailor would not stop staring at him. Marvin could not help but wonder if he really did resemble the man¡¯s wife.


    Just as the other British sailors were discussing amongst themselves about where they would go after they got the money, the Lanny guy suddenly shouted, ¡°I know¡ªthey are pirates!¡±


    Lanny quickly raised his musket and pointed at Marvin.


    Marvin was both horrified and disconcerted. What had he done to give the game away? In fact, he was not the only one. Lanny¡¯s associates were just as flabbergasted. Instead of raising their weapons, they asked Lanny, ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡±


    Lanny quickly answered, ¡°I remember where I saw him now! I saw a sketch of him at the port! About ten months ago, a merchant ship was robbed by pirates. They killed the captain and most of the sailors on the ship. They only gave the remaining passengers a small boat, a bucket and a little food. Fortunately, the survivors were later rescued by a passing ship. According to them, four of the people on board joined the pirate¡ªone of them is this fatty. His features stood out the most which is why I remember him very clearly. Oh, they also mentioned that there was an oriental. He¡¯s probably the one next to the fatty.¡±

 Chapter 126 - Fierce Battle

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    As Lanny was speaking, Marvin¡¯s forehead began to sweat, and by the time Lanny finished his explanation, the farmer¡¯s son was as white as a sheet.


    He never expected that to be a problem. No matter how he looked at it, the chances of the people on the tiny boat surviving were marginal¡ªit was because of that that he chose to join the pirates, and became a cook on the Sea Lion in exchange for a chance to survive.


    Who would have thought that they would miraculously be rescued? Had he known, he would have stayed on the boat, and would probably be basking in the sun on his farmer¡¯s farm.


    Worse still, the survival of those people brought on a whole series of trouble. The account of the four joining the pirates was circulated, and thus, destroyed all possibility of the four of them ever returning to the civilized world. Unless they were pardoned by the queen, they would forever be identified as pirates.


    Of course, these were all things they had to worry about in the future. Right now, there was a more urgent, more terrible thing awaiting him.


    Once Lanny was done speaking, the sailors guarding the ¡®merchants¡¯ sobered up. They raised their weapons and the whole atmosphere quickly turned hostile.


    Someone pulled the trigger¡ªno one knew who. At the loud bang of the gunshot, Marvin¡¯s heart contracted and his mind went blank. He thought that he was going to be dead for sure this time, but when he opened his eyes, there was no wound on his body.


    Rather, it was Lanny, the sailor who exposed him who gawked at the bloodstain on his chest with a look of disbelief.


    The beast had awakened from its sleep.


    No one knew when, but the man with the black beard opened his eyes fierce as a lion, his entire person exuding a formidable force. He withdrew the still smoking gun and said in an unusually low voice, ¡°The war has begun. Let¡¯s go hunt together!¡±


    The guards on the deck could hardly believe what had just happened. They had taken control of the entire boat and confiscated all of the weapons found on the crew. Where did this bullet come from?


    It was not until two seconds later that someone realized what was happening. But it was too late. The deck under their feet suddenly opened up and a few sailors standing on it fell down into the hole. Before they even hit the ground, their throats were slit. Then a cluster after another of pirates, armed to the teeth, appeared from under the deck. The heads of the rest of the sailors were chopped off before they could even pivot their gun¡¯s muzzle.


    Because of the unexpected Marvin accident, the battle started half a minute earlier.


    Most of the unarmed sailors who were transferring the porcelain crockery were already on board the Sea Lion. Only about ten of them were still standing on the deck. Upon realizing that something went wrong, they immediately fled back to the Scarborough.


    The others, however, were not as lucky. The twenty over armed British officers were the first to be killed. All of them were either injured or terminated during that one confrontation.


    After Owen took down a British sailor, he returned Zhang Heng¡¯s clothes and weapon to Zhang Heng. The other pirates had ignited the hand grenades; the ones used in the 17th and 18th century was very different from the one in the modern-day. They were shaped like pomegranates, which was also where its name was derived from. During that time, the grenades were basically an iron shell filled with gunpowder-filled lead pellets or metal pieces, and could cause serious damage when thrown into a crowd. The sailors on Scarborough wanted to crossover to help, but were severely wounded by the explosion.


    1Some of the new recruits who were fleeing panicked, and in a split moment of terror, pushed and shoved each other as they were crossing the gangplank so that the unlucky ones fell into the water.


    The gunner on Scarborough asked the chief officer, ¡°Sir, should we fire? We can sink the entire ship in a matter of minutes.¡±


    However, the latter appeared to be somewhat hesitant. For the most part, he was thinking about the china on the other ship. But before he could open his mouth to speak, Burnett who was next to him beat him to it. ¡°No! Our men have not returned! How can we shoot now?! If we do that, how can you expect these people to fight for us in the future?¡±


    His argument was not unreasonable. Already, they had a big problem with the rock-bottom morale of the sailors because the Admiralty owed them their wages. Scarborough was no exception to this matter. If they had fired at the ¡®merchant ship¡¯, while only a small portion of their men were sacrificed, the real damage would be the breach of trust with the remaining crew.


    More importantly, there were over six hundred men on the Scarborough. They were at an advantage in terms of numbers, and although the pirates had launched a wave of sneak attack, the damage they suffered was not really that severe. Should a battle really take place, there was no way Scarborough would lose.


    However, as a result of his hesitation, the pirates had breached their ship.


    Today, Elmer the captain, also experienced embarrassment like never before. Despite the fact that he was unharmed, he was so startled by the sound of the explosion that he spilled the red wine all over his uniform. By the time he came around, he was blind with rage. As he reached down to pull out his saber, he spat, ¡°What the hell are you still doing standing there? Go and get rid of those lawless pirates and bring back all our porcelain!¡±


    Since the captain had spoken, no one protested. The chief officer immediately dispatched a gunner to counter the enemy¡¯s attack. But the pirates were more cunning than they expected. And even instead of killing the sailors who boarded the ship, they were mixed among them rushed together. Instead of slaughtering all of the sailors on the ship, they stood among the sailors, using them as shields.


    The gunner spent an awfully long time aiming without even an opportunity to open fire. Not after, their enemy and his own men were right before him¡ªand that was when the difference between a rookie and an old timer was significantly evident.


    Under tremendous pressure, a rookie would panic and randomly fire so that the bullets were everywhere; most of it would end up nowhere while a small portion would hit his own men, and the pirates would be barely harmed.


    The man with the black beard took the lead, beheading a sailor in front of him, then using the body as a shield as he made his way to the musketeers. With incredible speed, he pulled out the saber at his waist and plunged it into the chest of his enemy. The tip of the knife protruded from the back of the poor musketeer. He twisted the blade twice and blood came spewing out of the sailor¡¯s mouth onto his clothes. Now he really looked like the king of hell.


    Those nearby who witnessed the whole scene were so terror-stricken that they ran for their lives.


    This time, it was a battle of life and death. Zhang Heng did not hold back as he swung his saber at the incoming enemies; his movements, unlike the bearded the man¡¯s, were much nimbler and more graceful. His previous attempt to integrate karate into his sword fights and was finally seeing some success. He focused on sidestepping his enemy¡¯s attack, and when the right opportunity presented itself, disarm the enemy. But just as the tip of his saber was about to slit his target¡¯s throat, someone drew a knife at him.


    ¡°Your opponent is me,¡± Burnett said, his voice thick with confidence. He was very sure of his sword skills¡ªback in London, through his family¡¯s connections, he had studied under numerous prestigious mentors, and was convinced that no one would be able to beat him.


    Zhang Heng took one look at the sailor from the corner of his eyes, pulled out the pistol at his waist and pulled the trigger, unhesitating.

 Chapter 127 - Compromise

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Even after he had taken care of the young officer whose name he did not know, Zhang Heng did not have to relax, because almost immediately after, two other men came charging at him. He only had time to take a few breaths before having to jump into the fight again.


    The pirates¡¯ first wave of attack was very fierce. They followed the group of scattered British sailors onto the Scarborough so that the ninety cannons of the Scarborough were completely useless. Soon, however, they were left in a bitter fight.


    No matter how you put it, there were nearly 700 men on the Scarborough, whereas the pirates only had less than 200 men. Because they were so short-handed, even Marvin, a cook, had to participate in the battle. Marvin, still trembling, armed with a boarding axe, and charged with the group of pirates. But only halfway forward, he was already regretting it. Bullets were flying everywhere, and there was smoke all around him. The cries of pain, and the bodies sprawled all over the floor, the gushing blood¡ªit was all a torture to his mind.


    He wanted to turn around and bolt but there were people all everywhere. He was so overwhelmed with fear that his mind froze. By the time he snapped back to reality, he was already standing on the deck of the Scarborough. Once on the ship, the pirates around him dispersed, searching for a prey. A moment after, something grabbed his leg and when he looked down, the farmer¡¯s son realized that the hand belonged to a British sailor with a bullet in his chest. The man¡¯s hand was covered in his own blood, and he was muttering something. Marvin fell to the ground, his boarding axe landed right next to him. He rolled and crawled to escape the hand; the only thought in his mind was to escape this purgatory.


    All around him people were fighting. Less than five feet away from him, a pirate who was shot six times, refused to go down. He waved the cutlass in his hand, an angry determination in his eyes, until someone stabbed him in the abdomen. On the other side, an overwrought attempting to reload his gun had his hand cut off as he was reaching for the gunpower.


    Marvin could not look anymore. He lowered his head and continued to move on his hands and knees. He had only crawled a few steps when a hand grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground. It was an extremely Herculean sailor. From the bloodstains on his uniform, Marvin could tell that he had fought pretty well today. The sailor looked up and grinned at the Marvin who was desperately trying to kick his way out with his short, chubby legs.


    The sailor pointed his saber at Marvin¡¯s back, ready to go for the kill when blood suddenly exploded from his forehead. His towering body swayed and then finally dropped to the ground with a loud thud, motionless.


    Zhang Heng withdrew his pistol. He had just gotten rid of two enemies when he turned around and saw that Marvin was in trouble. He rescued the farmer¡¯s son, and then quickly moved on to another side.


    The pirates had the absolute upper hand in the first round of melee combat. The musketeers had barely performed their duties when the enemies rushed in and slaughtered them. The new recruits¡¯ performance was especially terrible. They held the fort for only a while and already they began to flee, breaking the formation.


    Of course, the pirates took this opportunity to advance and butcher the enemy. In five minutes, the navy had suffered over a hundred casualties. But Zhang Heng knew that this was just a veneer. With Scarborough¡¯s number, once they were able to secure their positions, it was only a matter of time before the pirates were defeated.


    Winning this uphill battle was going to be very difficult. The only way to do it was to kill the commander of the ship.


    The morale of low-level sailors, especially the new recruits, were very unstable. Without someone directing them, they would easily crumble in the face of death.


    The person who shared Zhang Heng¡¯s view was the man with a black beard, who also happened to be the pirate who terrified the British sailors the most. The way he fought them, one too many, throwing himself into the enemy cluster to slaughter them, spilling blood everywhere. Most impressive yet, all that killing did not seem to tire him at all. Later on, before he even made move, the sailors would flee at the sight of him. Many of them were so petrified by his violent demeanor that they abandoned their weapons and ran for their lives.


    Both Zhang Heng and Black Beard had their eyes on Elmer who was standing not far away, urging his men to bring him his saber. When the captain saw how bad the situation was, he said no more about rushing into the battle to fight the enemy but began to survey his surroundings, looking for a way to retreat to the level below and give up the deck.


    However, that would be an embarrassing to say aloud, and he had not made up his mind.


    The chief officer next to him who had been his partner for so long knew what he was thinking, of course. Elmer was hoping that the chief officer would take the initiative to make the proposal so that he could then reluctantly agree to the plan. Frankly, the chief officer was just as shocked by the pirate¡¯s performance. But, he was an experienced old man in Admiralty who had participated in the Battle of Vigo Bay and had fought hand-to-hand against the French¡ªhe was not going to be that easily frightened by a bunch of ferocious pirates.


    To him, even though the current situation did not look good for them, it was not exactly detrimental. He had already sent some men down to deploy the staff. They just had to hold out for a little while longer until the fresh troop comes. Conversely, if they were to lose the deck before that, it was not going to be easy to get it back.


    In the end, he decided to say nothing.


    Next to him, Elmer was growing increasingly anxious. When he saw pirates coming in their direction, he gave up saving his face, and said, ¡°I have to admit that we really underestimated the barbarians this time. We have a lot of casualties¡ªwe cannot continue like that. Does anyone have any ideas?¡±


    He said this while looking at the chief officer next to him. The latter felt bitter inside but since the captain had spoken, he could not remain silent.


    This Lord Elmer before him might not be best person for his current position, and was lavish in his lifestyle. He was born of a distinguished family, and had good connections and resources. He was promoted quickly in the navy and was married to an even more powerful wife who was said to have friendly relations with many powerful people¡ªit would be no better to offend him than to be killed by a pirate.


    The chief mate weighed his options and decided that to compromise. ¡°The situation is unfavorable to us. We need more manpower. We need someone down there to regulate the navy¡­¡±


    Before he could even finish speaking, Elmer interrupted him. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s not delay the matter. I¡¯ll go down. You hold down the fort. I¡¯ll bring come back with reinforcements as soon as possible.¡±


    With that, he hurried to the gangway with a team escorting him. Just as that was happening, a group of pirates came running towards them. Fortunately, the officers guarding Elmer were very experienced sailors. They reacted quickly, raised their guns and perforated the bodies of the two pirates in the front of the group with bullets. But it was during this delay that the most vicious killer caught up with Elmer and his men.

 Chapter 128 - Put Down Your Weapons!

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    This time, Elmer was really panicking¡ªespecially when after that man with a black beard killed his two escorts, he cut off one of their heads. The blood-filled ball of flesh rolled up to Elmer¡¯s feet. The Lord Elmer who had lived like a prince his whole life nearly threw up at the sight of the decapitated head. His remaining escorts, on the other hand, were beside themselves.


    Fortunately, the chief officer who immediately worked out the pirates were intent, responded quickly by sending a team of sailors to help. At the same time, the people on the lower level finally climbed up the gangplank.


    All at once, several sabers were pointed at the bearded man. Although Black Beard was bold and fierce, he was still human. In a circumstance as such, he could only carry on the fight while beating a retreat.


    The pirates had finally reached the most precarious juncture of the battle. If they let Elmer retreat to the second level, then their hope of ever winning this battle would be very slim. By this time, everyone was boosted with adrenaline shots¡ªnot just the navy, even the pirates came to support their allies. They somehow managed to force the enemies to retreat by fighting fiercely.


    Both sides engaged in a fierce battle to complete for the gangway exit. The bearded man took advantage of this opportunity, turning his attention Elmer who was standing on the other side, and led his men to push their forward a few times. In the end, however, the attempts were unsuccessful and he had more wounds added to his body.


    When the British sailor realized that the frightening figure was not invulnerable, their morale soared. The pirates guarding the exit of the ramp were taking on more and more damage.


    The scales were tipping.


    Zhang Heng used the last short musket on the enemy in front of him, and then took out the rifle gun from the oilcloth. Initially, he aimed his weapon at Elmer. From what he had observed since the beginning this guy was the captain of the ship. But just as he was about to pull the trigger, he hesitated.


    The situation they were in right now was not exactly what they had expected. Although Elmer was the highest-ranking person on the Scarborough, the person who had been directing the battle all the while was the chief officer on board. Getting rid of Elmer now might not mean that he had eliminated the head of the snake. The chief officer would take over the command of the battle and that was clearly not an ending that Zhang Heng wanted.


    There was not much time left for him to think. His comrades could very well lose their position at the ramp. In the shortest time available to him, Zhang Heng made a decision and shifted the muzzle.


    At first, the chief officer was also under protection. But when Elmer was in danger, he had to send nearly all of his armed men over to help, leaving himself with only three men. When he saw that Elmer was safe for the time being, he relaxed a little. They just needed to hang in there for another two minutes, then the pirates blocking the ramp would all be killed, and the whole situation would turn around.


    The chief officer turned his attention to the ongoing battle on the other side, completely unaware that he had become the target. And although the three sailors guarding were monitoring the surrounding, they were unsuspecting of the possibilities of dangers coming from farther away.


    Having undergone Simone¡¯s special training, the gun now felt like an extension of Zhang Heng¡¯s own body. Once he was in the zone, his mind would automatically shield itself from any distractions. His whole person would be completely still and calm like a reef by the shore. Zhang Heng took a deep breath and gently pulled the trigger with his forefinger.


    The guards had no idea what had just happened. All they knew was that the chief officer¡¯s head suddenly snapped backwards and he fell to the ground. It was not until they saw the blood gushing from his head that they began to panic.


    Simultaneously, the voice of the system prompt spoke in his ear.


    [Successfully killed a senior commander of the Royal Navy, +15 game points. You can refer to the character panel for more information.]


    The man with the black beard was keenly aware of the fleeting chance for an attack, and swiftly led the six remaining pirates towards Elmer, ignoring his bleeding shoulder.


    The short muskets in their hands roared like thunders in the night.


    Now that they had lost their commander, the British navy was in complete disorder. But the pirates themselves were also spent. The tug-of-war at the exit of the gangway was finally resolved and the British sailors on the second floor broke through the blockade and rushed to the deck.


    The addition of this new force was disastrous for the exhausted pirate. A look of relief and excitement washed over Elmer¡¯s face but one minute later the smile froze his lips.


    The last escort who was standing in front of him fell to the ground, and he looking into a pair of wild, beast-like eyes.


    The moment the eyes looked back at him, Elmer felt as if he had fallen into an endless abyss and his blood and soul had been completely frozen.


    The owner of those eyes pressed a cutlass at Elmer¡¯s throat and said in a deep voice, ¡°Tell your men to surrender.¡±


    Lord Elmer was extremely unwilling. All they had to do was endure a little longer, maybe just another half a minute, and the whole situation would have been entirely different. The screams of the pirates ringing in his ears gave him so much pleasure.


    Elmer thought about his lineage and his family, and wanted to show some moral integrity. But when the blade cut his skin, Elmer abandoned all courage and quickly gave orders to the sailors on the deck. ¡°Put down your weapons!¡±


    The sailors hesitated to obey the order. Elmer was furious. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Are you going to disobey your captain¡¯s orders?¡±


    The sailors exchanged looked. Unfortunately, the highest-ranking officer at the time was the captain alone, not enough to convince the crew. Finally, however, under Elmer¡¯s influence, someone finally put down their weapon.


    And once someone started to do it, a few more followed.


    The man with the black beard spoke, ¡°Your captain has already surrendered to me. I am willing to swear on my name that I will spare the lives of those who surrender.¡±


    Immediately, more people dropped their weapons. When the rest saw that they were on their own, they also gave in.


    In the end, the Sea Lion miraculously won the battle at the cost of 47 pirates¡¯ lives, and 29 injured. Nearly everyone who survived were wounded. When they returned to their ship to be patched up after the battle, they found out that the doctor on board had died in the battle.


    Fortunately, the Scarborough also had doctors on board. The one with the best medical skills was forced to join the Sea Lion. Zhang Heng searched the faces around him, thinking that there was no way the farmer¡¯s son could have survived this vicious battle, but when they were clearing up the battlefield, he found the guy behind a cannon, bleeding at the mouth and shaking like a leaf. Next to him was the body of a British sailor, the flesh on his throat bloody and mangled.

 Chapter 129 - Queen Annes Revenge

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The pirates pushed Zhang Heng to the military restaurant. During the war, Zhang Heng¡¯s incredible shooting skill had managed to impress many, especially the last shot. It was enough to turn the tide around. That was why every single pirate now had massive respect for him. When the war was over, they wanted to head to the bar with him and drink with him. Even Marvin was asked to drink with them as well. They wanted to know how did he use his teeth to kill the soldier that attempted to kill him. All these while, Marvin was not a popular guy on the ship. After the war, the pirates on the Sea Lion changed the way they treated him. Marvin was elated when two pirates put their hands on his shoulders.


    While they were on their way to the restaurant, they crossed paths with Orff. For a moment, all of them were worried that Orff might reprimand them. After all, there were still a lot of things to do after the battle was over. Every pirate was tasked with a different task. Logically speaking, it was not the right time to head to the restaurant to have a drink to celebrate victory.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Orff did not scold anyone. Instead, he nodded at Zhang Heng and said, ¡°Good job!¡±


    They then cheered for him and continued to head towards the restaurant. Orff told them to finish their task after the celebration. Unfortunately, no one paid attention to him. Few of those that heard him pretended they did not hear him. Orff shook his head and knocked at the captain¡¯s door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°The prisoners are being transferred to the Sea Lion batch by batch with small boats. Owen is there helping with recruiting potential men that are willing to join us. Right now, we need someone that knows how to use the cannon on board. Considering that we now have 90 cannons. And, the guy is locked inside the carpenter¡¯s room. To be honest with you, I thought you would kill him just now.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that I¡¯m the kind of person that can¡¯t see the bigger picture?¡±


    The man with a black beard was still wearing the coat that was tainted by blood during the war just now. His arm was bleeding, but he did not look for the doctor to treat his wound. It seemed like he did not mind blood was coming from the injury. He then took out two glasses from the drawer and poured some red wine into them.


    ¡°The culprit of that incident is still alive. As compared to him, Elmer is a nobody. We cannot stop just yet. Knowing Elmer is an accomplice, I will make sure to make him pay for what he has done. I promise you.¡±


    Orff took the wine and continued the conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s been 14 years, and we are finally here. To be honest with you, I was thinking of giving up the whole thing for a few years. I thought all hope was lost. Right now, Belmont is the last person on the list. Our mission is coming to an end soon. I¡¯m not that young anymore. Once this thing is over, I¡¯m planning to retire. I want to look for a place with no people around me. I would love to do some fishing and gardening after I retire. How about you? What¡¯s your plan? Does Miss Agnes still write to you?¡±


    The man with a black beard was left speechless.


    ¡°You and I should know better. Once we choose this patch, there¡¯s no way for us to turn back. Isn¡¯t that right? Orff. If civilization fails to bring me justice, I will use brute force to destroy it.¡±


    ¡°Haha. This is what you would say. Let me walk this final journey with you.¡±


    Orff lifted the glass, bottomed up the wine, and stood up.


    ¡°For now, the morale on our ship is quite good. The Frazer that I know is not going to give up this easily. That old bastard is like a venomous snake. He is now hiding from us. Once we show our weaknesses, he would not hesitate to bite us.¡±


    ¡°You are the helmsman of this ship. I¡¯m pretty sure that you will help us to deal with this threat, right?¡±


    ¡°I will try my best. Just like before, you are in charge of combat, and I will deal with the pirates on our ship. I can¡¯t imagine what will happen to you if I leave this ship.¡±


    Orff shrugged and walked toward the door, and thought of something suddenly.


    ¡°Oh, right! I almost forgot an important matter. We should give this ship a new since it now belongs to us!¡±


    ¡°A name? Let¡¯s call her Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge.¡±


    1The black beard man¡¯s eyes were burning with passion, but his tone was extremely calm.


    ¡°Sounds good. I like the game. Enjoy the victory for now, Teach. I will deal with the rest of the matter.¡±


    1After that, Orff left the captain¡¯s room and closed the door before him.


    ¡­..


    Zhang Heng had lost count of how many glasses of beer he had drunk. Luckily the alcohol content in that beer that he had drunk was not that high. Every single pirate was celebrating the miraculous victory. A total of 170 pirates had miraculously taken down a battleship with 700 hundred people on it. After the battle, they had captured a total of 400 people. No one would believe in it if they did not see it with their own eyes. A tale like this was enough to talk about it over and over again in a tavern. With this battleship, they could now dominate the sea. In other words, they could rob whoever they want with a 100% success rate.


    Usually, pirates could never sit still. After they finished their drink, most of them wanted to check out this battleship. Through voting, they had decided to let Elmer¡¯s band stay here. These poor musicians were forced to walk with the pirates and play the song of victory at the same time. Before this, they would play popular songs from the aristocrats. Unfortunately, all those pirates did not like those popular songs. This was not their first time being forced to play something fun and exciting. It was hard for the musicians to watch their works of art being tainted. However, when they saw the pirates waving their sabers in front of them, they knew that they had to put down their egos and do what they asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that we did it!¡±


    A cannoneer was touching a 24-pound cannon that was located on the second deck.


    ¡°With this thing, I can destroy everything that comes in our way.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Bill. Only a real man can handle such a big thing,¡± said an old cannoneer.


    Immediately, everyone laughed at Bill.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to shoot some ships with this cannon! Imagine the reaction of those merchant ships that cross paths with us. I¡¯m starting to feel sorry for them.¡±


    ¡°Why did you guys stop playing the music? Did I ask you guys to stop?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one that asked them to stop.¡±


    Orff strolled towards the crowd slowly.

 Chapter 130 - Target

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I interrupt your celebration?¡± asked Orff.


    He then took a look around at all the pirates. A few pirates that stood close to Orff wanted to sneak away secretly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not here to reprimand you guys for not doing your job. After all, we have just won a huge battle. I just want to tell everyone that it¡¯s my honor to fight alongside all of you. I think this is a good time for all of us to relax a while. Am I right?¡±


    Immediately, all the pirates let out a sigh of relief. The celebration carried on right after that. Some of them started to tease Orff about a young sailor that almost landed a shot at his private part.


    ¡°Just now I heard that someone mention wanting to do something big,¡± said Orff with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Mr. Orff. All of us here want to know that when can we do something big enough to shake the whole world. With this ship, we can defeat all kinds of ships that go against us!¡±


    Owning a battleship like the Scarborough was every men¡¯s dream. Some of the pirates were still injured, but the excitement that they had right now made them want to rob another ship right away.


    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s test the firepower of the giant cannon,¡± said Orff.


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    All the pirates around Orff were left baffled. The battle was over, and there was no target around them. How was he going to test the firepower of the cannon? Was he going to shoot it in the air?


    ¡°Who told you that we don¡¯t have a target? Isn¡¯t that our target?¡± said Orff while pointing at the Sea Lion.


    All the captured British navy soldiers were transferred to Sea Lion earlier. Most of them were upset and felt lost. They still could not figure out how they lost the battle. It killed them for not knowing what was going to happen to them. Not only they lose the possession of the Scarborough, but many of the navy soldiers were also killed during the battle as well. Even their captain was being held hostage by their enemies. And, the enemies were just a group of pirates but not navy soldiers from other countries. Usually, they were the ones who went after them. This incident was one of the most embarrassing moments for the royal navy.


    Looking at the Scarborough, many of them started crying.


    On the other hand, the pirates that stood on the second deck of Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge was left in silence. The world saw them as monsters and villains. They did not deny the saying. On the contrary, they were happy that this was how the world saw them because one had to be strong enough to survive on the sea. The storm was their companion whenever they set sail to loot other ships. Not only that, but they also had to face navy soldiers, reefs that were hidden under the sea, bounty hunters, and pirates. The weaker one would always be eliminated. Those that survived on the sea for a long time considered themselves as fearless warriors. Queen and laws meant nothing to them. However, that did not mean that they do not have a principle.


    As men, they valued promises a lot. Earlier, their captain told the enemies that they would not kill them as long as they surrendered their weapon. Right now, Orff was trying to break the promise. He wanted to kill a large group of people that could no longer fight back. It was hard for the pirates to execute such a heartless decision.


    ¡°We have never done this before. Is this order directly from the captain?¡±


    ¡°Why would I fake an order?¡±


    ¡°According to the rule, we are required to follow the captain¡¯s orders 100% during the battle. Now that the battle is over, I think we should vote.¡±


    ¡°You are so damn na?ve! Do you know what they will do to us if we let them live? They will tell everyone that the Scarborough is in pirates¡¯ possession. By that time, they would call for more people to attack us with more cannons! Once Bellomonte knows about this, he would definitely not travel to Charleston to attend her daughter¡¯s wedding. If we miss the golden opportunity, it¡¯s not going to be easy for us to capture such a high-value target anymore. This is the risk that we cannot take. The captain said that he would spare their lives because he wanted to stabilize the whole situation. Don¡¯t you forget that. Our enemies outnumber us, and we are at a disadvantage. There were only 100 of us left just now, and we were exhausted. A strategy was what we need to force 400 armed navy soldiers to surrender to us. Everyone, please remember the end goal of this voyage. Without the treasure, why would we risk our lives to take over this battleship?!¡±


    Orff¡¯s final sentence had managed to make every single pirate rethink their goal. In order to look for Kidd¡¯s treasure, they had sacrificed a lot of things to get to where they are today. Right now, there was only one-third of them left. No one would be happy if the whole plan went south.


    ¡­¡­.


    The small boat made a last trip to send the captured prisoners to Sea Lion. The pirates on the Sea Lion tossed down stairs that were made of rope to allow the prisoners to get on Sea Lion. All the captured prisoners felt extremely lucky that they were still alive. Though they had lost the battle, they knew that hope was always there as long as they were still breathing. In a circumstance like this, the hierarchy system in the navy did not really matter anymore. The quartermaster was distributing the biscuits with worm to all the captured prisoners. And the captain room was reserved for those that suffered severe injuries during the battle. Suddenly, the crowd was left in a panic. They saw the cannon from the Scarborough aimed at them¡ªlike a sea monster ready to devour them.


    ¡°Oh, god!¡±


    The basket in the quartermaster¡¯s hand dropped on the floor, and the biscuits were scattered everywhere. His mouth was wide opened, and his eyes were filled with despair. At the same time, panic and fear spread to everyone on Sea Lion like a deadly virus. Their survival instinct told them to run, but there was no place for them to run. Those that could still stay calm went to release the mainsail, but it was all too late. They knew precisely how far the cannon could shoot.


    Edward Teach was standing in the captain¡¯s quarter and witnessed the Sea Lion being engulfed by fire. After five minutes of continuous shooting, the Sea Lion ceased to exist, and the sea was covered in flames. Only a broken mast could be seen, and it was carried away by the wave.


    ¡°Too bad. Your god is not with you today.¡±

 Chapter 131 - Revenge Trip

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng stood on the deck, watching the fire burning on the sea. Though he had been through wars, he still found it hard to watch someone commit a massacre. Using cannons to execute a group of surrendered navy personnel and killing them amid battle were two completely different things.


    Considering that this vessel was under the leadership of Orff and Teach and that this matter had everything to do with everyone¡¯s money, Zhang Heng knew that he was powerless to change anything even if he voiced out his opinion.


    When he was in Finland, Simone was there to keep him company. Right now, all he had was Marvin. This time, Marvin did not panic as he used to. On the contrary, he was glad that every single enemy was dead.


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless for you even though they are all dead. You do realize that your pictures are all over the harbor, right? Everyone knows you¡¯re a pirate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so done. I heard there is a similar punishment for every pirate in every country except for Nassau. The crime is punishable by death once they confirm that you are a pirate. I won¡¯t be able to inherit my father¡¯s farm if I¡¯m dead! Am I destined to be the chef on a pirate ship forever and ever?¡± exclaimed an upset Marvin.


    Be that as it may, he was all cheery again after a while.


    ¡°Luckily, I still have Kidd¡¯s treasure. As long as I can get my hands on it, I could have a good life in Nassau, even though I can¡¯t return to the civilized part of the world. I don¡¯t have to risk my life at sea ever again! Perhaps I could even marry a couple of beautiful wives too.¡±


    Zhang Heng did not want to shatter his dream, saying nothing after that. Looking at the sunken ship, Zhang Heng slowly figured out an answer to one of his questions. He realized that Kidd¡¯s treasure might simply be a tool that Orff used to manipulate the pirates. He had his own agenda. What Zhang Heng still could not figure out was the reason behind Orff convincing the pirates to go against the navy. He would not benefit from such a reckless venture.


    The story of Orff slaughtering 400 navy sailors might be for the purpose of building confidence in his abilities. Zhang Heng could see Vengeance in Orff¡¯s gaze when he pulled the trigger. He finally understood that Orff and the captain¡¯s target had always been the navy. Under normal circumstances, pirates stayed away from the navy, where none would be stupid enough to take on such a risky endeavor.


    The six separate pieces of treasure map had become the trojan horse that Orff used in convincing the pirates to attack whichever enemy he desired. Unfortunately, no one on board realized that the captain and helmsman were not bringing them for a treasure hunt, but rather, a trip of vengeance and personal vendetta.


    Nevertheless, these were all deductions. For now, Zhang Heng could not find substantial evidence to support his stand. Everyone Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge was like Marvin; they were excited about getting a share of the treasure that they were about to find. Considering they had sacrificed a lot to get to where they were today, nothing could move them even if they suspected something was off. One had to say that Orff was really good at what he did.


    As for now, everything was under his control. He was so close to completing his agenda.


    He was on the victory lap, and his senses were on high alert right now. At this crucial point, he would never allow anyone to spoil his plan. When the smoke and flames finally cleared, the sun had disappeared below the horizon as well. Standing beside the gunwale, Zhang Heng could feel something coming. He then turned around and looked at the boatswain standing beside the mast. Both of them exchanged glances, with Orff nodding to them as well.


    ¡°A storm is coming. Can you please check the mainsail?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Zhang Heng agreed without any hesitation. Swiftly, he passed all the weapons in his possession to Marvin. As Orff stared at him, he climbed up the mast. Within minutes, Zhang Heng had already reached the top.


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± said Zhang Heng to the boatswain.


    Initially, Orff thought Zhang Heng knew his secret, which explained why he was cautious about him. Since Zhang Heng was in charge of maneuvering the mainsail, it was easy for Orff to make his death seem like an accident. He just needed to mess around with the ropes on top of the mast, and Zhang Heng would surely fall to his death.


    However, Orff did not know that Zhang Heng had Shadow Moment. Zhang Heng figured that if he could enter his shadow state the moment he fell, he should be able to be spared from injuries.


    With that in mind, he was not worried that Orff might kill him as he ascended the tall structure. When Orff dealt with Goodwin, Zhang Heng noticed that he would always create a high-stress environment to observe the reaction of his target. Zhang Heng could also confirm that his response managed to baffle Orff.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. I¡¯m pretty sure Rothko is proud of you.¡±


    Orff did not notice anything out of the ordinary with Zhang Heng. So, he thanked him and went to check other places. As for Marvin, he saw that there was nothing wrong with the two of them.


    Zhang Heng did not rush down from the mast. At first, he wanted to learn to control the mainsail from Rothko because he predicted it would be an essential skill as a captain. After a while, though, he learned how to like this job. When he was at the top of the mast, he would enjoy the spectacular view mother nature presented in front of him.


    It had been 11 months now since Zhang Heng entered this world. Apart from the game points he earned and the new skills he learned, his skin was now a bronze tan due to the constant exposure under the sun. His palms had grown calluses, having to climb up the rough wooden mast every day using a rope. Most importantly, he had gotten used to this lifestyle.


    He noticed that the ocean in the 18th century was way more mysterious and magnificent when compared to the ones in the modern world. New adventures and impossible challenges awaited Zhang Heng in this world, although it lacked in many areas. Right now, he was ready to become a captain. Before that, he had to stay at the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge for at least another month.


    And indeed, this month was not going to be peaceful and calm.


    Orff¡¯s revenge plan was coming to its final stage. On the other hand, Frazer still did nothing about it. That did not mean people on this ship had forgotten about him, as Zhang Heng knew that there was more than one eye on this ship besides Kent the carpenter.


    In the end, they would cross paths at Charleston to end the whole thing. In times like these, it was dangerous for Zhang Heng to be stuck in the middle. On the bright side, it could be a golden opportunity for him.

 Chapter 132 - Burial at Sea

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    On the second morning, every pirate was asked to gather on the deck. Those who were injured and tasked with assignments were exceptions. That included the captain, Edward Teach, and the helmsman, Orff. A solemn expression adorned the faces of all present. In total, 47 pirates had been killed in battle, with 29 suffering severe injuries, and seven died last night. There was a good chance the remaining 22 wouldn¡¯t it till tomorrow.


    All the pirates on deck knew too well that the path that they chose would be smothered by blood and flesh. Though they were well prepared, they still grieved for their mates who left them. Marvin¡¯s eyes welled with tears as well. They were not shed for the dead pirates but he was simply sad that someday, he too might end up like them. The wind traversing the ocean battered the mainsail with distinct flaps. Everyone on deck remained silent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± proclaimed Edward Teach as he nodded his head.


    Four pirates moved the dead who were covered in white cloth to the gunwale. Orff then started to spell out the names of the dead pirates. Once a name was spoken, their body would be tossed into the ocean. The dead spent years out at sea, and naturally, their final resting place would be the ocean. When the last body was committed to the sea, Orff closed the name list.


    ¡°I pray that Thetis, Goddess of Ocean, would guide your souls forever. Farewell, my brave friends.¡±


    After that, Orff tossed a bag of salt into the ocean to complete the ritual, with Edward Teach returning to the captain¡¯s quarters once the bag sank down. The moment the captain was gone, the pirates on the deck finally let out a sigh of relief.


    Most pirates had mixed feelings towards the captain. No doubt, he was fearless when he was in battle, the worst nightmare for his enemies. On the other hand, they also felt tremendous pressure each time they were in the same room with him. They were afraid of him but respected him a great deal at the same time. Luckily, he didn¡¯t usually join them. Most of the time, he hunkered down in his own quarters, away from the crew. Orff was the one who relayed his messages to the pirates.


    ¡°We have lost countless of our own during the last battle. Some positions on the ship are now vacant. I¡¯m sorry for what happened to our old Michael. We need a leader for the boatswain position. Since we are all here now, let¡¯s vote!¡±


    ¡°Zhang Heng! Zhang Heng! Zhang Heng!¡±


    Before Orff could even finish his sentence, the pirates started to shout the name out loud.


    ¡°It appears we all agree that Zhang Heng is best suited for this position.¡±


    Orff then nodded at Zhang Heng and said, ¡°Congratulations, you are now the leader of the boatswains on this ship. Lead us to the treasure! Next, we need some frontliners! 20 positions are available¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t surprised by the outcome as well. The previous boatswain¡¯s leader had worked only two months before a bullet hit him. Zhang Heng¡¯s vote count came only second to Michael, and he had performed exceptionally well during the previous battle as well. Naturally, the pirates on board would vote for him again. Though combat power had nothing do with the boatswain¡¯s leader, that was just the way pirates thought. Usually, there were two types who could win over their votes. The first kind got voted because they truly deserved it. As for the second type, they voted for them because they wanted to. Most of the time, the second scenario would win the person more votes.


    If they could think logically, none of them would abandon their life to become a pirate. Besides, Zhang Heng was Rothko¡¯s only disciple, and he was good at what he did. All things considered, Zhang Heng truly deserved the vote.


    After he was appointed the boatswain¡¯s leader, the system awarded him with another five game-points, though he had no idea if this was a good or bad thing. He would be leaving the ship in a month and didn¡¯t mind if he didn¡¯t become a leader of any position. Noticing that the election went so smoothly, it proved that he had quite an influence on the vessel. Sadly, this could have been the very reason why Orff saw him as a significant threat on this ship.


    To Zhang Heng¡¯s surprise, another person had looked for him before Orff. During lunchtime, a limp old pirate sat right opposite him.


    ¡°Are you a man of faith?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand my intention. I¡¯m just trying to give you a good reminder. Under the leadership of Teach and Orff, whatever happened this morning will continue to happen. Eventually, we will all die on this ship. I¡¯m right, am I not? The residents of Nassau would usually use the Thetis ritual to send away the dead. They believe that their souls would travel the deeper parts of the ocean. If you have someplace you wish to go, I think you should tell Frazer. After all, all these things have something to do with personal freedom. Of course, that includes the freedom of religion.¡±


    ¡°There had been only one exception since I joined this ship. That kid was an Alava from Saint Vincent. According to the culture of their tribe, they would usually devour their dead. Alava believes that the ritual allows them to stay with their loved ones forever and ever. We feared that he would die someday. Unfortunately, his right leg was shot during one of the raids, leading to its amputation. In the end, he did not survive the surgery. So, we are all voting to break his tradition. We chose not to devour him. Oh, right. Let me introduce myself to you. I¡¯m Kent, cannoneer of this ship.¡±


    ¡°Cannoneer?¡±


    ¡°I know that everyone prefers to call me the carpenter. I would use a saw to slice an enemy into half during a battle. That¡¯s how I got this nickname.¡±


    Suddenly, Kent lowered his voice and looked around cautiously.


    ¡°This is not a good place to talk. Orff is watching us. We need to talk. Come look for in the carpenter¡¯s quarters on the second floor.¡±


    Zhang Heng did not say a single word after that.


    ¡°Did you know, a lot of pirates on this ship are related to Frazer? Why is Orff so cautious of you? Frazer will never simply get a debt collector without a good reason. Throughout the many years, Frazer had only two debt collectors working for him. You and the only other being our captain. In other words, both of you are his disciples.¡±


    ¡°Edward Teach used to collect debts for Frazer?!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Frazer groomed him to become captain, hoping that he would take his place someday. Unfortunately, Teach conspired with Orff to betray him in the end. Right now, you are in grave danger, and I¡¯m the only one who can help you!¡±

 Chapter 133 - I Have a Question

    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    Orff poured a glass of rum for the old pirate sitting in front of the wooden table.


    ¡°He told me that he¡¯s pretty satisfied with the current situation. He also said that he did not sense any danger,¡± said the old pirate as he stared at the tall figure standing in front of him.


    ¡°Does he know that you work for Frazer?¡±


    ¡°Before we set sail, Frazer did come and look for me. He told me about Zhang Heng, and he said that Zhang Heng would talk to me on the ship. Considering that we¡¯ve left the harbor for some time now, he still hasn¡¯t looked for me yet. So, I did what you asked me to do. I looked for him and talked to him instead. It seems like¡­ he doesn¡¯t care about a single thing in this world.¡±


    ¡°How about the others?¡±


    ¡°Billy and Klay are unhappy with how you treat Goodwin. Clifton and a few other pirates are disappointed that the captain went back on his word and killing all the captured prisoners. All of them do no work for Frazer.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t harm them in any way. I just want to have a better understanding of the ship¡¯s current situation. You did a good job. Keep it up, and don¡¯t ever allow Frazer to grow suspicious of you.¡±


    Once the old pirate left, the person sitting in the shadows finally spoke.


    ¡°What makes you think that Frazer has another disciple?¡±


    ¡°I got to know him really well after working as a helmsman under his leadership for a long time. Undeniably, he is getting older and older, so he wouldn¡¯t have the courage even if he wants his revenge. He also knows that I have been keeping my eye on him all these years. He¡¯s running out of options. That¡¯s why he was compelled to place his hopes on someone else.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the young man named Zhang Heng?¡±


    ¡°I can see the younger you in him. Even if things don¡¯t go his way, he remains resolute and courageous. It seems like Frazer has put in a lot of effort into grooming him. Judging by Frazer¡¯s personality, I¡¯m pretty sure he will not make any pointless investments. I can tell you that he is the key person in Frazer¡¯s plan. Right now, I still can¡¯t figure out his role in it. At our current speed, I believe we should reach Charleston in around two weeks. There is not much time left for us¡­¡±


    ¡°Orff, you are the best helmsman in the entire Caribbean, but you have a terrible habit. You tend to overthink. Right now, this ship is under our control. You don¡¯t need to figure out Frazer¡¯s plan. If someone causes problems for you on this ship, write down their names. We will deal with them before we reach Charleston.¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    Zhang Heng was getting two pirates to fix the broken mainsail. It had been more than ten days since Kent talked to him in secret. Everything sailed smoothly so far. Orff and Frazer had not done anything out of the ordinary yet. The most recent incident of interest on the ship was a pirate trying to have sex with a goat. In the end, he was caught red-handed by the patrol team and was given a whipping as punishment. This incident had become the talk of the vessel of late.


    Still, the one thing that everyone cared about was Kidd¡¯s treasure. Soon, Charleston and Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge drew closer, and so did the 5th and 6th piece of the treasure map. Tomorrow¡¯s operation had most of the pirates in an excited frenzy. Considering that they had only robbed merchant ships before, this was their very first time leading an entire battleship to a trade port and looting the whole colony. The 90 cannons on the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge was their trump card in a raid like that.


    That evening, Orff gathered everyone together and announced the plan for tomorrow.


    ¡°First, we will disguise as Scarborough to enter the trading port. After that, I will send someone to sneak into the town. Regarding this matter, I think Elmer, the one currently in prison, is more than happy to help us. After that, I will bring 30 men with me to head to the governor general¡¯s house. That¡¯s where the wedding will take place. Our target, Bellomonte, will be waiting for us over there. The rest of the 20 people will follow Owen to the prison in town. The others will stay on board and await further instructions.


    ¡°We will all attack together at eight tomorrow. First, we deal with the cannons mounted on the city wall. After that, we will aim at the city center. During that time, Owen will lead his people to the prison. He will then release all the prisoners to create chaos. This will distract the guards, and they will try to deal with it. Lastly, the captain will lead the attack on the governor general¡¯s house. Once we capture Bellomonte, we will need to return to the ship immediately. All clear? Any questions?


    ¡°I have a question. Two nights ago, I saw Billy returning, and he looked extremely nervous. During that time, I was lying on my bed, so I believe he didn¡¯t notice me. I saw him hiding something under the wooden floor,¡± reported one of the pirates.


    Zhang Heng knew that the drama he had awaited was about to unfold in front of him. At first, they did not pay too much attention to it, thinking Billy simply stole some food and hid them under the wooden floor. Though thievery was strictly prohibited on the ship, many pirates would often raid the kitchen in search of a late-night slack. That was why they laughed it off when it came to him.


    Soon, they noticed that Billy was up to no good. So, Owen brought a few pirates with him to unveil the stuff he was hiding. It was a piece of paper with some words written on it.


    ¡°Yes. That paper belongs to me. We suspect that the captain and helmsman are trying to use the treasure as an excuse to convince us to help them to achieve their agenda. So¡­¡±


    Billy seemed to struggle at first, but in the end, he decided to tell them everything.


    ¡°Is that why you looked for Elmer when everyone was asleep? You wanted to let him go in exchange for immunity, right,¡± scoffed Orff.


    ¡°What? What the hell are you talking about? That paper contains the questions that we want to ask you face to face!¡±


    ¡°This means either one of us is lying here.¡±


    Orff then passed the paper to Owen.


    ¡°Tell me, am I reading those words wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­I, Elmer Anderson, am the captain of the Scarborough. We came across a group of savage pirates on the sea, and they took over our battleship. Luckily, I was helped by someone on the ship. I¡¯m willing to use my family¡¯s influence to provide immunity¡­¡±


    Everyone was left in shock after hearing what was on the paper. Treason was something that no pirate would forgive. Billy was shaking in fear. At that moment, he realized that he¡¯d been led into a snare. The worst part was that he admitted that the paper belonged to him. Though he tried his best to defend himself, it was too late. After that, Owen placed the paper beside him to let everyone take a look. Most had no idea how to read, and of course, they would rather believe Owen than Billy.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng heard someone mentioning his name. He had to keep calm in moments like this. He had done everything he could in such a situation. It was time for him to put on a good show. If everything went smoothly, this would turn out to be his most fruitful journey ever.

 Chapter 134 - Massive Fire

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    There were a total of seven names on the list. Other than Zhang Heng, the rest of them were the old pirates that used to complain to Kent about the captain and helmsman.


    All of them used to work under Frazer. There were basically two parties on the ship when Oven announced their names. While one party wanted them executed, the other said that they should be exiled. Amid the argument, Billy insisted that the paper had been swapped out by someone. Unfortunately, the war was nigh, and they had no time to investigate the case. In the end, Orff decided to lock them up in the ship¡¯s brig. An investigation would be carried out tomorrow when the war was over.


    When Oven mentioned the name, Zhang Heng, Marvin started to move away from Zhang Heng slowly. Zhang Heng, however, was not angry knowing that this was who he is. At the moment, a total of 17 pirates were being held in the ship¡¯s brig.


    On the afternoon of the second day, all the pirates on the ship changed into the navy¡¯s uniform. Elmer, the original captain of the Scarborough, was brought out of solitary confinement. After being locked away all alone in the dark for a month, Elmer had deteriorated, and had clarly become frail and thin. His beard was unkempt, and his uniform torn and dirty. He could not help but squint when he caught a glimpse of the sunlight.


    ¡°Do you remember everything that I taught you?¡± asked Orff.


    ¡°I¡¯m the captain of the Scarborough. My name is Elmer Anderson. Our vessel braved a mighty storm a month after we left the port. So, I decided to return here for repairs. I¡¯ve also heard that the daughter of the general governor of New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire is going to have her wedding here. So, I bought my people along to celebrate the happy event.¡±


    After a short pause, Elmer added, ¡°You know, listening to me will save you a lot of trouble. In the New World, everyone knows the Scarborough. No one dares question us. Plus, I have known Bellomonte for a long time.¡±


    ¡°I know the two of you have known each other for a long time. Don¡¯t worry. You can be with him soon.¡±


    Elmer thought that Orff was trying to tell him that they would capture Bellomonte and put the two of them together. It turned into a rather awkward moment. After all, Elmer was about to betray Bellomonte. Friendship became nothing when his life was at stake. Besides, Orff did promise him that he would let him go if he was willing to cooperate.


    ¡°Bring him down and shower him. I want him in a new and clean uniform. After all, he is the captain of the Scarborough.


    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±


    Orff opened the door of the captain¡¯s quarters and looked at the man behind the table. Teach looked completely different now. A black tricorne was on his head. He also wore a red jacket, a leather belt, and he had even shaved away his signature black beard. A terrifying pirate had now turned into a respectable navy captain.


    ¡°How many years has it been? I thought I would never get to see you wear this uniform.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the name of forgetting bad things,¡± said Edward Teach while grabbing his sword and gun.


    ¡°Until now, I¡¯m still doubtful whether we are doing the right thing or not. If he is still alive, I don¡¯t think he wants to see what you have become.¡±


    ¡°You better reminisce now if you want to. I¡¯m about to clear all the old debts.¡±


    ¡­


    50 pirates gathered at the deck. Owen was shocked when he saw Teach exiting the captain¡¯s quarters.


    ¡°I have chosen the right people for the task. These are our best men!¡±


    Teach lifted his gaze to the sun that was setting below the horizon. Turning to Elmer, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Orff stood at the dock and watched the 50 pirates disembark the ship. Just like what Elmer said, nobody was inspecting them when they came off the Scarborough. Soon, they managed to slip into town without raising suspicion.


    When they were finally gone, Orff left the deck. He knew that the war had now officially begun, and it was time for him to play his role well.


    It was in the late of night. Orff was in the captain¡¯s quarters alone, looking at the clock in front of him. There was still half an hour to go before he would do what was needed to be done. As usual, he meticulously replayed the plan in his mind over and over again to ensure nothing would go wrong later. Still, there was an unsettling feeling rumbling within his chest.


    Seconds later, he could see a massive fire burning in Charleston. Orff was terrified, instantly realizing that something had gone wrong. The fire was not supposed to happen now. According to the plan, he should have first fired the Queen Anne¡¯s cannons at the center of the town to create panic and chaos. Had something forced them to act thirty minutes early? The pirates standing on the deck saw the raging fires as well.


    ¡°Mr. Orff. What should we do now? Should we open fire to support them?¡±


    Orff was trying to figure out what to do as well. If this fire had nothing to do with them, firing the cannons right now would cause the 50 pirates a lot of unnecessary trouble.


    ¡°Everyone. Await my orders!¡±


    Suddenly, an observant pirate saw a few navy personnel running towards the boats docked at the port. They then started to row towards the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge as fast as their arms could swing the oars.


    ¡°They are with us!¡±


    When they saw the signal given out by them, some pirates immediately dropped the ladder for them to board the ship. Owen was leading the group of returning pirates. There were only 12 left, and they were covered in blood. Owen¡¯s stomach was wrapped in bandages as well.


    ¡°We have failed! Elder has somehow communicated with the garrison troops in the city! We were ambushed! That¡¯s why we had to disperse and run for our lives.¡±


    ¡°Where is the captain?¡±


    ¡°The captain¡­ he is the first who noticed something had gone wrong. He shot Elder to death, but he was hit by six bullets after that. I¡¯m sorry I failed to retrieve his body,¡± said Owen, his voice filled with melancholy.


    All 11 pirates behind him instantly became somber as they were reminded of what had just taken place.


    ¡°Mr. Off, I think you should take charge since the captain is not here. We can¡¯t drag this on any longer. The garrison troops in the city know that we have the Scarborough. They will fire their cannons on us mighty soon. Capturing Bellomonta has become a big failure. There¡¯s no reason for us to fight with them. We should flee now!¡±

 Chapter 135 - Id Like to Hear the Details.

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    In the darkness of the night, a wave of uncertainty bathed over Orff. This was not how he imagined it to be.


    He had been plotting revenge for fourteen years. After all the sacrifices he made¡­ for it to end so abruptly like this¡­ it was like a cruel joke. If Teach was still around, he might even consider abandoning this expedition and simply wait for the next opportunity.


    Now that he was the only one left, Orff was uncertain if he was still able to continue down this road. He was way past his prime and getting older every day. His skills were deteriorating, and while time brought with it experience and wisdom, it could not make up for his lost youth. These days, every night, his back and legs would ache in his sleep. Every fight of his was getting more and more strenuous, and his wounds took a much longer time to heal as well.


    He did not know if or when he would be presented with a chance like this ever again ¨C tonight was as best of an opportunity as he could get.


    Although Teach had lost, the battle was not over yet. He still had the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge, loaded to the brim with 90 cannons and a complement of nearly 70 sailors. If managed well, they might still have a chance.


    The problem was that once the news about what happened on the shore spread throughout the ship, the pirates on board would surely unanimously demand that they set sail immediately.


    Fortunately, the only ones who knew about the matter were Owen and the eleven men he brought back. As per Orff¡¯s instructions, most of the pirates were on the ready by the cannons on the second deck. The few pirates on the first deck were some of Orff¡¯s most trusted men.


    The helmsman was silent for some time. Then he said to one of the pirates, ¡°Go and tell the people down there that everything is as usual, and tell them to get prepared as per the original plan, and then, to wait patiently.¡±


    Owen, who was still pressing a hand against his abdomen, looked to be startled. ¡°Mr. Orff, as the boatswain of this ship, I cannot turn a blind eye to you trying to deceive the crew.¡±


    Orff looked around at the others and said, ¡°Will you give us a minute?¡± He then turned to Owen, reached out, and said, ¡°How are you doing? Can you get up? Let¡¯s go talk in the captain¡¯s cabin. I need to know the details of what happened before we can make a final decision.¡±


    Owen hesitated for a second but eventually got to his feet with the help of the old helmsman.


    The two men arrived at the captain¡¯s cabin. Orff closed the door and moved a chair over for Owen to sit. Once they were both settled down, he said, ¡°When and where were you attacked?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of discussing this now?¡± Owen smiled bitterly, but he answered the old helmsman¡¯s question. ¡°The battle started about twenty minutes ago. We were only a street away from the governor general¡¯s House Inn. We were basically retreating as we fought. To escape, we even set a guest house on fire!¡±


    ¡°You said that Elmer was killed instantly, which meant no one else knew what your actual purpose was,¡± Orff muttered as he was deep in thought. ¡°The wedding ceremony will surely be postponed because of this, and Bellomonte wouldn¡¯t have escaped. The garrison will attack us soon enough. We should fight back first, give them a taste of something sweet, and once we have the attention of all the defending troops, we¡¯ll send twenty men¨Cno, fifteen should be enough¨Cto the city to search for Bellomonte.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re a little irrational right now. We¡¯ve already lost. We don¡¯t have enough manpower on this ship to carry out that plan. Also, even if, under the premise that we¡¯re able to attract the defending troops, and if we can gather 15 people, there¡¯s still no one suitable to lead them,¡± said Owen as he shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said that I¡¯ll lead them,¡± declared Orff with confidence. ¡°Why? You think I¡¯m too old to get back on the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°I hope that you will be as wise as you were, and not act out of impulse and adrenaline, lest you might drag the ship into more dangerous situations,¡± Owen said. ¡°What we need to do now is to accept defeat and leave this place, not continue to raise our stakes in a hopeless situation.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Orff suddenly commented. ¡°This is the third time in five minutes that you¡¯re saying we have lost.¡±


    The boatswain¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that typical? If you didn¡¯t keep throwing caution to the wind, pestering me to go along with your crazy plan, I wouldn¡¯t keep repeating that.¡±


    Orff ignored the remark and continued, ¡°From the moment you set foot inside the room, you¡¯ve glanced at the clock at least four times. Why? Are you in a hurry?¡±


    Owen answered feebly, ¡°I can understand how you¡¯re feeling after tonight¡¯s failure. I saw the captain being shot with my own eyes. Right now, I am just as grief-stricken as you are, but suspicion is not going to help us get through the difficulties we¡¯re facing. The sooner we leave this place, the smaller the loss we¡¯ll suffer.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll allow me to guess why you¡¯re in such a hurry,¡± Orff answered squarely. ¡°Could it be that if we wait a little longer, we¡¯ll find out that there are actually no troops chasing you? Or should I say that you¡¯re worried that the captain might come back soon and expose your deceitfulness?¡±


    The helpless smile on Owen¡¯s lips faded away. This time, he said nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known you for so long, but this is the first time I¡¯m noticing your excellent acting skills,¡± Orff jibed. ¡°I have to admit¨CI nearly fell for it. Would you like to know how you gave yourself away?¡±


    Owen raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that name list that you compiled for the advance team. You said you were with Teach when the battle started, but the eleven men you came back with were all from your own team. None of them were from Teach¡¯s team. That¡¯s just too much of a coincidence.¡±


    Orff paused for a moment to let it sink in before continuing, ¡°Your plan for tonight is almost perfect. When the advance team arrived on the shore, they were completely disconnected from the ship. After your team and Teach¡¯s split up, you immediately faked evidence of a battle, killed the men who didn¡¯t belong to your group, then come back covered in blood with the sad-sob story about how our mission has failed. Most people would believe you without question. You knew how the crew would react if they heard this¨Cthey would choose to leave this place. That way, you can easily get rid of the ship¡¯s biggest threat, like blowing off a cloud of dust.¡±


    ¡°But with Teach gone, you are the most popular candidate for captain. Why would I go through all that effort so that you can replace Teach as Captain? That¡¯s not very worth my while, isn¡¯t it?¡± retorted Owen.


    ¡°Me? No, no. I¡¯ve never been a threat to you. The failure of tonight¡¯s mission will lead to a series of events. With so many casualties, someone must be held responsible. If you¡¯re not stupid, you will use this to challenge me. When that happens, I won¡¯t even become a helmsman, let alone become the captain.¡±

 Chapter 136 - Working together

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°No wonder Frazer kept saying that you¡¯re the most difficult person to deal with on the ship,¡± Owen growled. ¡°But you still lost this one.¡± He suddenly straightened his body, no longer in the injured state he so desperately played. ¡°What a pity. If it were not for the situation deteriorating to such a new low¡­ you must know, I did not intend to use this approach.¡±


    Owen stomped his feet, and immediately, noises of people fighting could be heard outside the captain¡¯s cabin.


    The boatswain grinned. ¡°You really thought that I didn¡¯t have a backup plan, huh? Edward Teach is not here right now. When he left the boat, he brought with him the majority of the people who pledged their loyalty to the two of you. Even though there are only a few men left on the boat, the only ones willing to obey your orders unconditionally are the five men on the deck. I have eleven men. After we¡¯ve gotten rid of them, we¡¯ll kill you too. My story will still work. It just needs a little tweaking here and there, and I will need to add an ending. What do you think about this version: Orff wanted to keep the bad news about what happened on the shore to protect his position, so he tried to kill us but was tragically killed instead?¡±


    The fighting outside ended sooner than expected, fizzling out while the two were talking.


    As soon as Owen had spoken, the door to the captain¡¯s cabin swung open. His two men were standing at the doorway, but there was not a trace of triumph on their faces. Instead, a mixture of fear and disbelief were clearly displayed.


    That was thanks to the two blunderbusses pointed at the back of their heads.


    This time, it was Owen¡¯s face that showed a tint of despair. He knew the combat abilities of his men very well. It was eleven against five, and it all happened all of a sudden. There was no way they could lose.


    It was Orff¡¯s turn to speak up this time. ¡°You are brilliant¡­ one of the smartest I¡¯ve seen in this lifetime of mine. All these years on the ship, you¡¯ve never once let it slip. In fact, you even studied the strengths and weaknesses of our close associates. You waited until Teach left the ship, and only acted when we were at our weakest. You almost won. Unfortunately, you forgot someone.¡±


    Zhang Heng stepped through the door and replaced the saber at his waist. The men who came in with him were the group of sailors that were the prisoners of the ship. Together, they detained Owen and eleven of his men.


    ¡°It¡¯s you! How is this possible?!¡± gasped Owen in disbelief. ¡°You guys are Orff¡¯s people? Wait, everything that happened last night¨Cwas that all just an act? There was really no note?¡±


    ¡°No, but there was actually a piece of paper that drew us together,¡± replied Zhang Heng replied.


    ¡°Billy and the others were anxious about Orff¡¯s and Teach¡¯s leadership on this ship¨Cthat includes the handling of Goodwin, all the casualties, and the extreme obsession over Kidd¡¯s treasure. They wrote down every question they wanted to ask Orff on a note and signed their names on it. They were getting ready to confront the captain and the helmsman, but before they could do anything, someone betrayed them. Kent, one of the organizers, is very close to Frazer but had, in fact, sided with Orff.


    ¡°On the surface, Kent followed Frazer¡¯s instructions and united all who opposed Orff and Teach. He encouraged them to challenge the authority of the captain and the helmsman. But behind the scenes, Kent reported all the activities of Billy¡¯s group to Orff. After I discovered the role that Kent has been playing, I understood the conundrum that had been bugging me. Back in Nassau, Frazer came to visit me and gave me Kent¡¯s name. That was when I knew that Kent was not one his people¡­¡±


    Owen¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Frazer wanted to expose Orff. The truth is, it was not only Orff who didn¡¯t realize my role in this matter. In the beginning, even I myself couldn¡¯t guess what Frazer had planned for me. He invested a lot in me but had never asked for anything in return. It made me really curious. If I didn¡¯t play according to his script, wouldn¡¯t that be a waste of all his resources? However, I figured it out later on that Frazer did not care how I played his game. He simply needed someone to catch Orff¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°In a way, Billy and the others, and I serve the same purpose¨Cto divert attention, lower Orff¡¯s guard, and create an opportunity for you. The only thing was, my relationship with Frazer was more conspicuous. So, to take Orff and Teach down, Frazer took in another student. Too bad that person was you, not me.¡±


    Zhang Heng took in a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the note. That actually happened three days ago. Under Kent¡¯s persuasion, Bill and the others wrote that note. When Orff found out about it, he made Elmer write that thank-you letter that you read to frame Billy and the others. If things had gone accordingly, this should¡¯ve spilled over three days ago.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t it then?¡±


    ¡°Because I stopped it,¡± Zhang Heng answered without hesitation. ¡°To tell you the truth, I really didn¡¯t want any part of this enmity between you, and Orff and Teach. But Frazer crossed the line. Not only did he use me, but he even made me the scapegoat! I had no choice but set a trap for him.¡±


    ¡°So, you decided to join forces with Orff at that time?¡±


    ¡°Taking into account the distrust between us, it was not an easy task, but we still made an effort to have an open and honest discourse. Although the process was somewhat difficult, we were still able to reach a consensus in the end.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, eh? Maybe I can give it to you too.¡± Owen had not given up yet and was trying to extend an olive branch.


    Zhang Heng shook his head. My request is very simple. Since Billy and the others are so disappointed with this ship, and Orff is not comfortable with them on board, why not just get them off the boat?¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand. Why did Orff trust you and allow you to move freely tonight? Isn¡¯t he worried that you are a student of Frazer¡¯s?¡±


    Orff who had been standing aside chipped in. ¡°Because of that note. Last night was not just a show for you. That note is a stain on them. The only way out for them is to leave the ship. Unless they kill all of the remaining sixty-over men on the ship, there¡¯s no way they would be able to cause a mutiny. We have an agreement between us¨Cafter tonight, I will redress them and restore their reputation.¡±


    Billy snorted as he pushed Owen¡¯s men out to the corridor. ¡°Remember your promise. From today onward, we don¡¯t owe each other anything.¡± Then, he turned to Zhang Heng, saying, ¡°Captain, we¡¯ll be waiting for you in the boat.¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Everyone vacated the room, leaving only Orff, Owen, and Zhang Heng. When they had all left, Owen broke into a smile. ¡°Captain? Incredible. You¡¯re the biggest winner tonight, it would seem. I knew that you planned to leave the ship after one year, but I never expected you to have a team on the ready. Bill and the others are some of the most experienced sailors on this ship. Now that you¡¯ve rescued them from Orff, they will follow you to the ends of the earth, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    1

 Chapter 137 - We Finally Meet

    Tonight, Charleston was not destined to be peaceful. Half an hour ago, an inn caught fire all of a sudden. The residents staying around the place had to work together to put out the fire. Before they could celebrate, though, they heard the thunderous boom of cannons being fired.


    A cannonball flew past the wall and landed on one of the houses. And that was just a start. Seconds after that, more and more cannonballs were launched toward the city, leaving all its residents running around and screaming in a frenzied panic. They assumed that French battleships were attacking them. What they did not know was that the pride of the navy, the Scarborough was still docked at port.


    Why did the enemy attack the cannons on the wall instead of the Scarborough, which posed a more significant threat? They would indeed have to pay a hefty price for doing that. Not too long after that, the residents of the city received the shocking news. The party that attacked them was not the French but it was the Scarborough at the port.


    It was at that moment that the pirates disguised as navy officers revealed their true colors. Without any warning whatsoever, they destroyed the cannons that were mounted on the city wall. During the first attack, half of them were wiped out. The garrison troops quickly realized that their city had been infiltrated by enemies. Immediately, they gathered and planned a retaliation. Before they could do that, however, the second wave was launched, and the garrison troops were once again defeated.


    Foreign enemies had never attacked Charleston before. Usually, the garrison troops would alert everyone in the city once they spotted enemy ships. In turn, the people of the town would have sufficient time to retreat to a safe place. The current attack was so sudden that it messed up the strategy of the garrison troops. Even the commander could not figure out why the Scarborough went rogue and attacked its own allies.


    The firing of the cannons managed to light up the sky with bright flashes. After five rounds of relentless shelling, a third of the city¡¯s wall located in the southeast of Charleston had collapsed. Unfortunately, the cannons protecting the city didn¡¯t have enough range to land a hit on the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge. Every cannonball that was launched at them fell short of their target, flying straight into the ocean instead.


    After that, the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge stopped for a moment to cool their cannons. At that time, Charleston¡¯s line of defense was shattered beyond repair. They were no longer a threat to the pirates. Ten minutes later, the pirates followed the plan and started to attack the city.


    One of the cannonballs flew past the destroyed walls and landed on a street. Immediately, the residents in that area dispersed and ran for their lives.


    As there was some distance between the governor general¡¯s house and the coastline, they were safe from the attack for now. Many nobles and merchants were unhappy with the happenings in Charleston. They were considered highly reputable individuals of the New World and were shocked that the town could come under attack while they were here to attend a wedding ceremony.


    20 minutes went by. Still, no one could figure out why the Scarborough attacked Charleston. The guests were worried about their mansions and shops around the town. Of course, they yearned to head back and ensure that their properties were fine but reckoned it was still too dangerous at the moment. Right now, the town was left in utter chaos. The governor general¡¯s mansion had around 40 guards protecting it and was considered the safest place in the city right now.


    Watt, the governor-general, was directing the defensive effort on the second floor of his command center. He just received the news that all the defensive cannons on the wall had been entirely destroyed. Strangely though, the enemies did not muster up and invade the city. Perhaps they lacked the personnel for that. However, Watt knew that it would be a huge mistake if he underestimated his enemies right now.


    He could care less about the guests downstairs, knowing that his family and Bellomonte were upstairs right now. If something terrible happened to them at his place, Whitehall would definitely not let him off the hook that easily. Exercising the utmost precaution, he contacted the garrison troops and requested another 20 troopers to protect his place.


    Knowing that he had done everything he could do for now, he finally let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Some of the biggest orchard owners from this place are my friends. They have a large number of armed personnel. I have just sent someone to search for them. I believe they can lend us at least 200 hundred people to help us to overcome this sticky situation,¡± said Bellomonte calmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s great! I have just moved to the New World not too long ago. There are still many things that I¡¯m unfamiliar with. I might need your help again in the future. I heard that Boston is enjoying rapid growth under your care; especially when it comes to the piracy menace, your methods of dealing with them have gained high praise from the military. When I left London, your glorious moment was the talk of the town.¡±


    Bellomonte smiled as he held a cup of tea. Indeed, it was something that he was really proud of. However, just before the Watt could say something about it, a trooper knocked on the door.


    ¡°Governor-general, the reinforcements that you¡¯ve asked for have arrived. They are now waiting downstairs. That was fast. Let me go take a look.¡±


    He went downstairs and saw 20 troopers standing there with an unfamiliar officer leading them.


    ¡°What is your name? Who is your commanding officer? Why have I never seen you before?¡± asked Watt, his tone reeking with suspicion.


    ¡°I think you should hear of the name of our commanding officer. His name is Edward Teach, but most prefer to call him Blackbeard,¡± said the army officer.


    He then pulled out a gun and fired at Watt point-blank. The deafening ring of the gunshot startled everyone in the main hall. When one of the female guests saw the body of the governor-general lying on the staircase, she couldn¡¯t hold herself back and screamed out loud.


    Considering they were here to attend a wedding ceremony, none of the male guests carried weapons. They could only feel fear and panic paralyze them as they saw the armed pirates standing before them.


    Concurrently, the real calvary that Watt summoned was finally here. Noticing the situation, they instantly drew arms and clashed with the fake troopers! While they fired at each other with gusto, the doors to the second-floor study room were pushed open. Two fake navy officers walked in and talked to Bellomonte.


    ¡°According to the governor-general¡¯s investigation, we can confirm that pirates have hijacked the Scarborough! They are dressed in navy uniforms and were the ones who attacked Charleston. You are their main target.¡±


    ¡°Me?!¡±


    Bellomonte was surprised that the target was him.


    ¡°The situation is getting worse now. The enemies are downstairs, but anytime now, they¡¯ll be up here to capture you. The governor-general has ordered us to escort you to a safe place.¡±


    After that, the two fake navy officers approached Bellomonte and clutched his arms.


    ¡°Hold on. My daughter!¡±


    ¡°The sooner you leave, the sooner the people here would feel safer. There¡¯s a horse cart waiting for you. We have to leave through the backdoor.¡±


    Subsequently, they quickly dragged Bellomonte downstairs. When he saw the broken horse cart, he quickly realized that something was amiss. He broke into a struggle, but it was too late. The two pirates employed their brute force and stuffed him into the horse cart.


    Bellomonte instantly knew that his life was in danger. So, he attempted to jump out of the cart. Before he could do so, however, a sharp sword touched the skin of his neck.


    ¡°Mr. Bellomonte, we finally meet.¡±

 Chapter 138 - The Truth

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Bellomonte did not expect to meet someone familiar here. The ex-captain of the Scarborough, Elmer, was sitting right beside him. An awkward situation arose when their eyes met. They both wanted to say something, but the words were somehow stuck in their throats. A man in a set of clean and neat formal navy attire sat in front of them.


    ¡°Who are you people? Why did you kidnap me?¡± asked Bellomonte while trying to keep himself as calm as possible.


    ¡°My name is Edward Teach. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard my name before.¡±


    Bellomonte¡¯s face changed when he got to know his name. Everyone from the New World heard about the horrific things that Captain ¡®Blackbeard¡¯ Teach had done. Bellomonte had been trying to eliminate piracy for a long time and, of course, knew the name of the most notorious pirate of the Caribbean. Bellomonte had tried several times to eliminate Blackbeard¡¯s crew, but sadly, none of those attempts bore fruit. Not only did he fail to capture them, but he had inadvertently made Blackbeard more famous than before.


    He had always dreamed of capturing Edward Teach. Right now, although he was just sitting right across him, he was not happy at all. Bellomonte had been through a lot, and a situation like this did not make him flinch. There was a shocked look on his face, but less than two seconds later, he managed to compose himself. Elmer looked guilty when Bellomote turned and looked at him.


    ¡°Mr. Teach, I have been looking forward to meeting you. Finally, I get to see you in person.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, this is not the first time we¡¯ve met.¡±


    ¡°Have we met before? When was that?¡±


    ¡°I think we were in the navy academy when we first met. I can still remember that day as clear as daylight. You and him, walking to class together.¡±


    ¡°Him?¡±


    ¡°It appears you have a poor memory. My earl, let me give you a hint. Does 1695 remind you of anything?¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡±


    This time, Bellomonte lost all composure.


    ¡°He was the hero of the navy. He was the most reputable adventurer in the whole of Scotland. He even got the queen¡¯s compliments. At that time, you had just gotten your job as governor-general. Your first task was to figure out a way to end the piracy and restore peace to the trade port. To deal with the two most notorious pirates, Henry Every and Thomas Tew, you asked for his help. At first, he did not agree because he was tired of going to war. But, you did not give up. You kept convincing him that you did it for the prosperity of the New World. In the end, he was bought by your sincerity. Also, as your friend, he had decided to take on the task. It was at that time that I was assigned as the quartermaster on his ship.


    ¡°That was literally my happiest day. Being able to go on a sail with my idol is like a dream. When I was told that I¡¯m doing this for a bigger cause, I was elated. I wanted to do my best to build a better New World. However, things weren¡¯t smooth from the very beginning. Before we could leave the port, we were stopped by the navy. They told us the war in Spain had gotten really intense. So, they wanted us to recruit a new batch of sailors. Left with no other options, we went ahead and hired all the sailors that we needed in the shortest time possible. After that, we spent six months at sea. Still, we failed to track Henry Every and Thomas Tew down.


    ¡°It was then that the atmosphere on the ship was really intense. The batch of sailors we recruited were mostly thugs and gangsters, where their main goal was to always search for more money. Since we did not manage to capture the two most wanted pirates, they didn¡¯t mind resorting to other options.


    ¡°There were only three people on the ship who went to navy school before¡ªme, him, and the chief mate. The three of us were not powerful enough to control the situation on the ship. I was tied up when I tried to console the others. They beat me up and tossed me in a goat ranch. They threatened to kill me in three days! To save my own life, I had to comply with the requests of those thugs.


    ¡°That was the darkest moment in my life. I didn¡¯t know what I did wrong. Why would God allow something like this to happen to me? He was the one who consoled me and gave me confidence. He made me believe that we would be able to clear our names once we got back to civilization. I want to live, to live and tell the truth to the whole world! That was my motivation to stay alive. However, I never thought that it would take aeons before I could achieve that. Four years later, we crossed paths with another group of pirates. Our sailors decided to join them and they set us free. In the end, 13 of us, including me, traveled back to the colony.¡±


    ¡°We decided that we would dock in New York and contact the navy. We wanted to tell the whole world about it. During that time, you made a name for yourself by eliminating a lot of pirates. You were a famous governor-general, and you didn¡¯t want to relate to us, worried that we might affect your reputation. So, you looked for someone to talk to us. You told us that you sympathized with everything that we had been through, and you are more than willing to help us to clear our name.¡±


    ¡°I did remind him about it, but he insisted that he wanted to trust you. Without any hesitation, we handed you everything that those thugs robbed and documents to prove that we left the port. We trusted that you would go to your allies in White Hall to help us. You know exactly what kind of person he is, right? He was always a positive one. He believed that kindness still existed in this world.¡±


    Bellomonte got more and more nervous after hearing what Teach had to say.


    ¡°You betrayed him. You tricked him to Boston, and the authorities arrested him once he touched down. You burned all the documents that he gave you and sold off all the dirty stuff from us. And our Mr. Elmer here was the one who escorted him to London¡¯s court! To ensure that he would not badmouth you while they were on their way there, you told Elmer to take ¡®good care¡¯ of him while he was on the road.¡±


    ¡°I heard that he lost his mind before he got to London¡¯s courthouse. Your people hung him to death at River Thames. His body hung there for two years! They called him the most notorious pirate of the New World. Again, you were praised by White Hall for eliminating him.¡±


    Elmer was now trembling in fear. He did not know that this incident was related to him.


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know what was going on. I was just a man following orders. I couldn¡¯t say no to Mr. Bellomonte.


    Before he could finish, Edward Teach took out his gun, and in a swift second, shot him at point-blank. He would never expect to meet his death in this way.


    Edward Teach ignored the dead body and looked at Bellomonte.


    ¡°I told the pirates that I¡¯m here for Kidd¡¯s treasure. But, I know better than anyone that there¡¯s no such thing as Kidd¡¯s treasure. I¡¯m here for revenge.¡±


    Bellomonte was shuddering in terror, sitting in a fetal position, and curled up like a ball.


    ¡°What do you want?! I can give you everything! I can give you immunity! I can give you boundless wealth that will never run out!¡±


    ¡°Save the trouble. I will get them myself if that¡¯s what I want.¡±


    Edward Teach uttered his final sentence and lifted his sword. All the anger on his face was all gone, replaced by sadness and grief.

 Chapter 139 - Jackdaw

    Zhang Heng could hear the thunderous boom of cannons after he left the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge. Charleston was bathed in bright flames.


    When he saw that, Zhang Heng knew that Orff¡¯s and Teach¡¯s plan for revenge had begun. Everything that happened after that had nothing to do with him. His life on the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge was finally over. After tonight, Teach, and the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge would disappear for some time. Zhang Heng would only meet them again four years later, but that¡¯s a story for another time.


    All 16 people on the ship made use of what little time that they had and picked a helmsman.


    ¡°I just took scanned our surroundings just now. Around twenty boats are docked by the harbor right now. Between them, there are twelve small boats, eight medium boats, and two big boats. They are basically empty right now. It should be an easy task for us to snatch them.¡±


    Charleston and Nassau were at least hundreds of kilometers apart. It would be impossible for them to sail all the way to Nassau with the tiny vessels that they were on right now. Besides, a golden opportunity had presented itself right before them. While the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge was drawing the attention of the enemies, it would be the best time for them to hijack those boats.


    ¡°You guys should have made your choices by now, right?¡±


    Zhang Heng took a look around and knew that the group of people with him would become his crew later on. Owen was right. It was a fact that these were the most experienced group of pirates the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge had seen.


    They were extremely skillful and had years of experience between them. Most importantly, they had a squeaky clean background. They neither belonged to Orff nor Frazer. If Zhang Heng did not step in, they would have indeed met a horrible ending since the powerful people on the ship were trying to fight for the throne.


    Billy and the rest of the old pirates took a look around. There was excitement in the air.


    ¡°The Royal Navy has a corvette here. It¡¯s a medium-sized vessel equipped with around 30 cannons. Although this corvette is similar to the Sea Lion, it¡¯s definitely more powerful. She should sail a lot faster, as well. Right now, we are powerful enough to take her and sail back to Nassau. We just need to recruit more people from Nassau, and we should be good to set sail,¡± said Billy.


    ¡°Actually the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge is not suitable for raiding other boats. She¡¯s too big, and will surely be slower than the others. Besides, she would need a huge crew of pirates to manage her. Of course, if they only targeted merchant ships, they would not need all that crazy firepower. Everyone would eventually receive a minimal amount of loot each time since there are so many pirates on board. And it¡¯s not exactly easy to hide this massive battleship as well,¡± lamented an old pirate.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not wait anymore. Let¡¯s do it,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    Fifteen minutes later, 17 of them climbed up the corvette using a rope. Since the ship wasn¡¯t assigned anywhere, only a total of 10 navy officers guarded the ship. Zhang Heng ambushed them, tied them up, and stowed them into one of the tiny boats that they were in before.


    After that, all started to work in unison to release the mainsail and to cast-off the anchor. Suddenly, they saw two boats filled with navy personnel rowing towards them as fast they could.


    However, it was all too late.


    As the wind began catching the sails, the corvette started to budge slowly. Zhang Heng stood on the bow of the vessel, leading his people. He had no intention to interfere with the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge¡¯s battle. Soon, Zhang Heng was already leading the corvette far away from the enemies. The moment the corvette left the harbor, everyone on board erupted into a mighty cheer.


    ¡°I just did a quick check. The food and water on board are more than enough for us. At this speed, I think we should be able to reach Nassau sooner than expected. Captain, the only thing you need to do right now is to name the ship,¡± said Billy.


    Without him realizing it, it had been a year since Zhang Heng entered this world. Throughout this period, Zhang Heng had tried his best to blend into his surroundings. He ate, slept, and fought alongside pirates the entire time and even invested a lot of effort to learn different skills from them. Still, he did not forget his origins.


    ¡°I shall christen her the Jackdaw!¡±


    None of them understood the meaning behind the name, thinking that Zhang Heng must have chosen it because it sounded catchy. Hence, no one was against it.


    Zhang Heng gazed to the stars glittering in the sky above him, and said, ¡°Now, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡­..


    Anne was now in a dormant state. When Zhang Heng was in the house, she could at least talk to him about her life. Once he was gone, she had no one to talk to. Before she met him, she would go around the island, roughing up those who offended her. Ever since he promised her that he would let her join his crew, Anne pledged that she would learn how to control her anger. Undeniably, she had plenty of flaws, but breaking promises was not one of them. When Zhang Heng was not home, she tried to stay indoors as much as possible. Still, trouble came looking for her.


    One day, while Anne lay on the bench enjoying the morning sunlight, someone she loathed came looking for her.


    ¡°So, have you thought about it? We can go to Massachusetts. I have an uncle over there, and he is in the tobacco farming business. He can help us to settle down. He promised me that he would grant me a stable job. The money I earn should be enough for us to live a comfortable life in the New World. We do not have to worry about food and shelter anymore.¡±


    Anne merely stared at him with no response.


    ¡°You need to accept reality, Anne. You have been here for more than a year, and no ships would take you in. Being a pirate is no joke. You should be grateful that I wasn¡¯t mad at you for what happened last time. My promise is still valid. Just marry me, and I will forget everything that you¡¯ve done to me.¡±


    ¡°James, just save it. From Ireland to Nassau, whose money did you use, huh? We sold all our silverware just to fund our journey. I didn¡¯t expect that you would kick me away like a ball the moment we arrived in Nassau. Since you want to settle the score, let¡¯s count from the beginning then!¡±


    Seeing that Anne started responding to him, James was elated.


    ¡°We did agree that we would settle the score once we got off the ship. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯ve agreed to it as well. I even let you stay and eat at no cost for half a year. You promised me that you would return me the money once you become a pirate. It seems like that won¡¯t come to pass now.¡±


    Anne became extremely agitated. It wasn¡¯t the first time they had this conversation. If not for Anne being stronger than James, he would have sexually assaulted her a long time ago. Just when Anne was considering breaking the rules and beating him up, a kid shouted at her from afar.


    ¡°Boss Anne! Boss Anne! There is a new pirate ship approaching Nassau. It¡¯s a navy battleship! Our fortress defender and the cannoneer, Honig was shocked when he saw it. Luckily, the battleship raised their black flag right before we attacked them!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Another battleship? These new pirates are getting bolder and bolder!¡±


    Anne recognized the kid. After defeating him a few times, he was determined to address her as his boss. He was running barefooted with a forehead dripping with sweat, and appeared to be in a great rush.


    ¡°Their captain asks me to inform the crew to gather at the dock.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead then. Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I was freaked out by it too, but there¡¯s only one Anne with red hair on this island.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±

 Chapter 140 - Boatswain

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Anne was baffled. Ever since she came to this island, nothing had gone her way. She had been turned down from so many jobs that even the kids on the streets knew about it.


    A while ago, she came across Harry and his other bratty friends betting on her getting a job before Nassau was destroyed. In a rage, she pinned him to the ground and began to hit him, not stopping until the boy cried out for his parents. Walking away, she kept thinking about it, making her even angrier. So, she turned around, stormed back, and gave Harry another round of beating.


    That was how Harry came to be the first person in Nassau who got bashed twice in three minutes. Since then though, he had become utterly enlightened¨Che finally recognized whose fist was bigger and who was wearing the pants. Beaten to submission, he threw himself at Anne¡¯s feet and became her first disciple.


    Anne suspected that this could be another game from some bored idiot to amuse her. She was already in a fit, thanks to Jamie, and now that she was going to explode, the promise she made was the last thing on her mind. Anne started to storm towards the pier, rolling up her sleeves as she went along, but suddenly stopped in her tracks as if she thought of something.


    James, having clearly never heard of Harry¡¯s tragic story, followed closely behind the red-haired maiden to see what was going on. But the next thing he knew, he received a heavy blow to his lower abdomen as Harry watched on sympathetically. Anne¡¯s flying kick sent him tumbling down into the field. It hurt so bad that he curled up into a ball, rocking back and forth.


    Anne withdrew her leg, with all the weight of depression falling off her shoulders. Now, she felt better and more alive. She stretched her wrists and ankles before telling Harry who had been watching with awe, ¡°Lead the way!¡±


    The two of them rushed to the pier, and from afar, Anne could see the naval frigate that Harry had just told her about. Since it docked, it garnered the interest of a curious many who came to the pier to steal a glance.


    Anne had to admit that the ship looked quite handsome. She must have only been recently completed by the Royal Navy. Having spent only a short time afloat, she was already stolen. The ship had a very elegant and streamlined hull, and the vital parts were wrapped in metal plates providing it with extra protection during combat. Of course, the most eye-catching feature of the frigate were the rows of cannons lining its sides.


    Although Nassau was known for its wealthy pirates, most had outdated equipment, like the famous Edward Teach for example. His Sea Lion was just a modified merchant ship that had been armed with 9 and 12-pounder artillery. By comparison, this warship before her eyes was equipped with 24-pound artillery!


    Harry, who was just as awestruck, wiped the drool off the corners of his lips. ¡°This is so cool¡­ it¡¯s every man¡¯s fantasy!¡±


    Anne was about to agree with him but instantly changed her tune when she thought about how the captain of this ship might take too much pleasure in the compliment. ¡°Hmph, if I could go out to sea, I could easily steal a ship that¡¯s even greater than this.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    For the first time, Harry did not succumb to the possibility of him getting beaten up. He simply shook his head and said, ¡°She¡¯s simply too perfect. It would so awesome if I could be on her too. I don¡¯t mind even if I have to scrub her down everyday. It¡¯s enough for me to brag for the rest of my life.¡±


    Unlike Anne, this was not his first time seeing the ship, but he still found himself mesmerized by it. ¡°How did these guys manage to do it? There¡¯s not a single scratch on her. It¡¯s weird. This is a naval frigate! Maybe the entire crew died from a plague or something.¡±


    This time, Anne did not answer. This frigate may be great, but it had nothing to do with her. After kicking James, she was now ready to beat others up. She had been holding herself back for so many days; she urgently needed to vent her ongoing anger. Anne looked at Harry and asked, ¡°Where are they?¡±


    Harry came along, excited to see Anne beating the pirates up. Now, he had second thoughts. ¡°Boss Anne, just forget it. It¡¯s all just a huge joke. If they managed to steal this ship, they are probably not people we want to offend.¡±


    Anne replied, ¡°Then, all the more for us to show them that they shouldn¡¯t mess with the islanders!¡± She paused for a moment and said earnestly to her companion, ¡°Harry, you must remember that bullying the weak and fearing the strong is the classic behavior of the genuinely weak. Only those who constantly challenge the strong can be considered as truly strong!¡±


    ¡°That sounds remarkably reasonable,¡± Harry said admiringly. After a while, he asked her again, almost in a whisper this time, ¡°Boss Anne, then what about hitting me, somebody whose only twelve years old?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that. I hit you purely because you need a good beating. That has nothing to do with you being strong or weak.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As Anne patiently answered Harry¡¯s questions, she also found her target. Not far away on the beach, were a group of people standing in a circle. Although it was not as crowded as when the Sea Lion was recruiting, it was still bustling and teeming with people. It would appear that this group of people were busy hiring for help.


    It looked like good news. That meant they were shorthanded.


    Anne licked her lips, a cunning smile playing on her lips. She turned to Harry and said, ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go teach them a lesson they will never forget!¡±


    Harry never planned to go there anyway, having already found himself a place to hide. Before he could even answer her, he saw a hand rest on the top of her red hair. Harry groaned silently, thinking that surely, it was over for that person. Last time, he was only just making bets on her for three pieces of copper and she gave him two consecutive beatings. It was so brutal that just thinking about him sent shivers down his spine.


    The person who had just touched her was going to be dead meat.


    Unsurprisingly, Anne blew a fuse, raising her arm in anticipation for a fight. But when she turned around, her first stopped dead midair. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you. When did you get back?! Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I told the kid to go find you once I¡¯ve docked. Why? Didn¡¯t you two meet?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    Harry¡¯s mouth hung wide open. He recognized the man now. He was the one who sent him to get Anne. What he did not understand was Anne¡¯s reaction. She suddenly appeared flushed and panicked, much like the times when he had done wrong and his parents caught him.


    Zhang Heng asked her, ¡°If you didn¡¯t meet the person I sent to find you, why are you here then?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I was just going for a walk¡­¡± she said, her voice thick with guilt.


    ¡°Then why are your sleeves rolled up like that?¡± Zhang Heng asked. Thank goodness he did not dwell on it. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here so I won¡¯t have to look for you. Come onboard the ship and meet the others.¡±


    ¡°Ship¡­ others?¡± Anne looked puzzled.


    ¡°Yeah, aren¡¯t you the Jackdaw¡¯s boatswain? We can¡¯t have you not knowing anyone, can we?¡±

 Chapter 141 - A New Beginning

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°What?! That¡­ that¡­ ship over there is yours?!¡± Anne¡¯s jaw nearly fell to the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯ve really found Kidd¡¯s treasure? But that can¡¯t be right. Even if you had money, you still wouldn¡¯t be able to afford an entire frigate, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll explain to you some other time. Right now, tell me, how did the cannoneer recruitment go?¡±


    ¡­..


    Although the Jackdaw was a rather spacious vessel, Zhang Heng did not plan to recruit too many crew for their first voyage. Including Anne, he now had a core team of eighteen members. He planned to recruit another fifteen at the beach, including skilled seafarers such as cooks and carpenters. Then he would have Anne recommend seven to eight more people, mainly gunners, so the organizational structure would be relatively stable.


    After several trips, and only after the wheels had been oiled, would they hire more. Even though doing it this way meant that it would take a longer time to complete the full complement of crew, it also meant that he did not worry about other small-time groups muddling along. Besides, time wasn¡¯t of the essence for Zhang Heng.


    As for the appointment of Anne as their boatswain, Zhang Heng had already approached Billy and the others about it. Women were considered to bring bad luck to a vessel. Unsurprisingly, female pirates, in the 18th century, was still somewhat of an anomaly. Generally, everyone had their concerns but Zhang Heng was resolute about this matter.


    Since it was the captain¡¯s first order, no one refused, nor did they ask for a vote.


    In the end, after a lengthy discussion, Billy and the others decided to accept the appointment, but only on one condition¨CAnne¡¯s fighting skills had to be tested first.


    The reason behind this request was well-grounded. After all, in addition to managing and assigning tasks to the crew, the boatswain must also lead by example during a battle. If the boatswain was taken down by the enemy in a fight, forget about the crew having the morale to fight after that.


    Zhang Heng had no objection to this requirement. He could instantly designate Anne as the boatswain of the Jackdaw, but to convince everyone on the ship would have to be of her own effort. Fortunately for her, although Zhang Heng might be worried about many things, he wasn¡¯t concerned about her fighting abilities.


    Looking up the two opponents who were easily a head taller than her, the redhead did not even flinch, nor did she show any signs of fear. On the contrary, she seemed excited.


    The rest of the pirates started to gather instinctively to watch the battle unfold. The acting referee, Billy, said to Anne, ¡°This is just a test. You¡¯re not allowed to be heavy-handed. You are also allowed to surrender at any given time. So, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Next, you can choose one opponent from these two. As long as you can defeat any one of them, we will accept you as our fellow¡­¡±


    Before he could even finish his sentence, the girl cut him off by picking up the saber on the sand. She swung it around to get a feel of it and flashed Billy a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s not complicate things. The both of you can fight me together. Otherwise, it would be meaningless if the fight ends too soon.¡±


    When the other pirates heard this arrogant declaration, a massive uproar broke out among them.


    Zhang Heng did not have to see the fight, already knowing how it would end. Besides, there were more important matters that needed his attention.


    Since becoming a captain, he had a constant nudging at the back of his mind that there were always more things to do. Back on the Sea Lion, his main focus was to learn, observe more, and to speak less. To avoid alarming Orff, he was rarely involved in the affairs onboard. Instead, all he had to do was manage his own time every day. Now, however, he was responsible for an entire ship, and there were a million things bogging his mind down.


    The first thing he did was to instruct Dufresne to buy a batch of green lemons before setting out to sea.


    1During the age of the great sailboats, there was danger lurking at every corner. Among them, scurvy was one of the many things that couldn¡¯t be overlooked.


    Due to technical restrictions, most of the fresh produce could not be kept on the ship for the long-term. Whether navy or pirate, their staple consisted mainly of biscuits and dried meat, supplemented by a small portion of seafood. In the short term, this was not a problem. But in the long run, if they were unable to get on land, the lack of essential vitamins would lead to a series of health problems.


    The least severe of consequences would be fatigue, agomphiasis, aching bones. In more severe cases, however, it often lead to death. When Columbus explored the New World, most of his crew died of scurvy, and during Magellan¡¯s circumnavigation of the globe, two-thirds of the crew also died of the same condition.


    The later generations would come to learn that this was caused by vitamin deficiency, specifically the lack of vitamin-C. Still, in the era that Zhang Heng was in right now, effective remedies weren¡¯t discovered yet. Except for prayer, of course.


    When he was on the Sea Lion, Zhang Heng had seen people suffering from scurvy. They were weak and sapped, and could only exert half of their strength during battles. That was a strong reminder to him that when it was his turn to lead the crew, the first thing he needed to do was to prepare lemons.


    Since the fruit was easy to store¨Cstill good for consumption even after a month under normal temperature, it was one of the best sources for vitamin-C. On top of that, Zhang Heng also instructed the new cook to prepare a batch of dried vegetables and fruits to double down on preventing scurvy.


    The only lament was that soybeans from China only entered European waters a few decades later. It would have become the easiest source of fresh vegetables that they could find on the ship. Bean sprouts did not need soil to grow. All it needed was a splash of fresh water, and the little plant would sprout like mad. Not only that, but soybean sprouts were also rich in protein and vitamins. Having that in mind, Zhang Heng entrusted several businessmen on the island with a connection to the East India Company to help him acquire it, but it would take, even at the very least, a year.


    With the food problem taken care of, Zhang Heng proceeded to the black-market merchants on the island to discuss matters regarding the splitting of the sales of loot. Generally. The larger pirate gangs on the island would have exclusive partnerships with certain black-market merchants as partners, an established mutually beneficial, win-win relationship.


    When the pirates come back with loot, they would hand them over to their respective black-market partners, and the latter would offer them a higher-than-market price. Zhang Heng thought that once he had the Jackdaw, he would earn the favor of many of the black-market merchants. Unfortunately, the actual situation was far from what he¡¯d envisioned.


    He visited some of the larger merchants on the island, and although they didn¡¯t seem too polite on the surface, it was actually more of an act of courtesy. In fact, the prices they quoted were less than favorable. According to Dufresne, the offers given were only slightly little better than the average newcomer who had only just ventured out to the sea and paled in comparison to the original Sea Lion.


    The merchants¡¯ answers were basically the same, all sharing the same opinion of the excellent condition of the Jackdaw herself, but expressed concerns over Captain Zhang Heng¡¯s young age. Some of them heard about the incident on the beach and felt that hiring a woman to be the boatswain was both immature and sacrilegious on his part, which only confirmed their previous concern.


    So, across the board, the consensus was that they wished first to see Zhang Heng and his Jackdaw prove their ability at sea, hoping that he could come back for a renegotiation only after several successful plunders.


    Once they were out the door, Dufresne frowned. ¡°Something is not right. In the past, these guys showed great enthusiasm whenever potential pirate gangs showed up on the island. It looks like the rumors might be true.¡±


    ¡°What rumor?¡±


    ¡°Because selling stolen goods is such a lucrative business, there are many black-market merchants on the island. That means fierce competition would be rife among them. Sometimes, they would have malicious fallout. To win over the competitors¡¯ pirate ships, some of them would go as far as to secretly contribute funds to support wildcard ships with hidden agendas, inciting them to mutiny. If they succeed, they will choose their sponsors as new partners in return. But recently, I heard that the island¡¯s black market merchants are negotiating to end this chaotic situation, and they intend to form an alliance.¡±

 Chapter 142 - An Intruder

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Businessmen abhorred competitors, where having competition was equivalent to earning less profit. Whether it was about getting more customers by increasing the buying price or funding ambitious pirates to help them with their quest for the throne, it was undeniable that these things were going to cost them a large sum of money. According to Frazer, they had thought about setting up a business alliance, but they could not solve the problem of sharing its profits. Without getting a unanimous decision on the profit-sharing proposal, the plan of setting up a business alliance was deemed to fail.


    For those unhappy with the proposal, they did what they would usually do. As usual, they increased their buying prices to attract more potential customers in the hopes that they¡¯d deal with them instead. Soon, other black market merchants that stuck to the rules could stand it no more after seeing their business partners leaving them for unethical black market merchants instead.


    1In the end, everyone realized that the rules did not benefit them at all. Thus, the business alliance that had been set up for only three months fell apart. This incident happened three years ago, still fresh in the memory of the black market merchants. It made no sense for them to try their luck right now. There must be something that they still had not figured out.


    ¡°I will go and investigate the incident tomorrow. We need to know what is going on,¡± said Dufresne.


    Zhang Heng then nodded, knowing that there was nothing he could do before he could figure out the whole thing. After that, the two of them went to visit the arms dealers on the island. The firearms on the corvette that Zhang Heng took possession of recently was equipped with a shipload of weapons. In total, the vessel carried 50 guns and 60 sabers. For now, they did not need to purchase any more. However, Zhang Heng knew for sure that the ammunition they used would definitely deplete in no time. It was crucial that he stocked the corvette with extra ammunition.


    For that, Zhang Heng went to Baal, the arms dealer who sold four blunderbusses and one rifle to Zhang Heng earlier. As compared to other black market merchants, Baal was much friendlier. Not only did he invite the two to enter his house, but he even instructed his maid to make them some coffee. First, he congratulated Zhang Heng for becoming the captain of the Jackdaw. After that, he went straight down to business.


    ¡°I can easily get all the other stuff that you want. However, it is quite difficult to acquire ammunition for the 24-pound cannon. Most of our cannons here are six-pounders and nine-pounders. A 12-pound cannon is rare. And then, only the navy would use a 24-pound cannon.¡±


    Zhang Heng knew that Baal telling him the truth and wasn¡¯t trying to deliberately increase its price. This was a massive problem for him, where his corvette¡¯s primary weapon was the 12-pound cannon. However, he had eight 24-pounders equipped on the ship as well. This kind of firepower far outgunned any ordinary merchant ships. All these powerful cannons brought Zhang Heng another big problem. It was not going to be easy for him to buy ammunition for all these. Nevertheless, it seemed that Baal might just be able to figure out a way to acquire them.


    ¡°I have some connections in the navy. I might just be able to get you the ammunition you want. That said, I must tell you that I cannot guarantee you that I¡¯ll get them. Also, please understand that it¡¯s going to cost you a lot.¡±


    Zhang Heng agreed with Baal. As for now, the ammunition on the Jackdaw was still sufficient, and he wasn¡¯t too concerned. After that, Dufresne started to check out the price of the shells that Baal offered to them. Before becoming a pirate, Dufresne was a quartermaster on a navy vessel, which explained why he knew the market quite well. The conversation between Baal and Dufresne went as smooth as silk considering none of them had any intention to cheat the other.


    This was the reason why every single pirate crew wanted to hire someone with useful skills. If it was not for the power play that happened on the Sea Lion, it would have been almost impossible for Zhang Heng to recruit people like Dufresne and Billy.


    Arms dealers on the island were a lot fewer than black-market merchants. Hence, competition among them wasn¡¯t as fierce. Baal was happy enough to get a regular customer like Zhang Heng. Soon, it had gotten late. Baal wanted to make Zhang Heng and Dufresne stay for a meal, but they rejected him in kind.


    Dufresne¡¯s wife and kids were living on this island. He could still make it back home for dinner after he got down from the ship. Considering that all their affairs were settled, for now, both of them had no intention to stay any longer.


    Zhang Heng assumed that Anne must still be loitering outside and hadn¡¯t eaten yet. So, he decided that he should look for her. Once Zhang Heng arrived at the beach, he heard that a crimson-haired girl had defeated a few men who challenged her. In the end, all of them proceeded to the tavern to enjoy some drinks together.


    The results did not surprise Zhang Heng at all. This was precisely the kind stunt that Anne would pull, and the only thing she could do to earn the crew¡¯s respect. She would have achieved a lot by now if she was not a female. With the events that had happened today, everyone on the ship should agree that Anne was more than qualified as the boatswain of the vessel.


    In the end, Zhang Heng decided to leave her alone. Anne had stayed on this island for a long time and caused a lot of trouble as well. She should be fine even though she went for drinks with a group of men.


    Zhang Heng then returned to his home through the harbor. Upon arrival at his home, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. He could not help but notice that the door was slightly ajar. Judging by Anne¡¯s personality, she would either shut it tight or leave it open as wide as possible. Moreover, he saw that the curtains were drawn as well. Clearly, these weren¡¯t the kinds of things that Anne would do as well. Immediately, Zhang Heng drew out his gun. If he remembered correctly, he should not have any enemies in Nassau. At most, Frazer might hold a grudge against him because of Owen. But then again, the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge was not even back in Nassau. There was no way Frazer could suddenly appear out of the blue.


    Even if he did know about it, the one he should be worried about was Blackbeard. Even Orff came looking for him first. It did not make sense that he would mess with Zhang Heng, now that he owned a corvette. That was why Zhang Heng could not figure out who the mysterious person in his house was. Perhaps it was just a petty thief?


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t let his guard down, unsure if the intruder still lurked in his house. He first used his saber to nudge the door gently. Instantaneously, he jumped into the house through one of the windows.


    When he took over the house, Zhang Heng tried his best to fix everything after noticing that one of the windows was extremely loose. Seeing that it could still be used, Zhang Heng decided that he would leave it there for now.


    He would have never thought that he could enter his house through this broken window.

 Chapter 143 - Alliance

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng¡¯s was in great luck, managing to spot the intruder¡¯s shadow the moment he entered the house. It appeared that the person was sitting right by the table. The sound of the front door opening managed to capture the person¡¯s attention, who turned around to glance at the door quickly. However, it was too late, for, at the same time, Zhang Heng came in from the window. Before the person could turn around, Zhang Heng used his gun and knocked the intruder out cold.


    The night was bathed in a pale glow from the full moon, and Zhang Heng used the light to check his surroundings ensuring that there were no more enemies lurking around. Next, he stealthily tiptoed to the first floor, checking all the rooms. Once he was sure that the house was clear of intruders, Zhang Heng lit up the oil lamp.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Anne was now back from the tavern. She noticed a lady in her twenties lying on the table, and Zhang Heng was frisking her.


    1¡°Oh, gosh! Did I come back too early? I¡¯m so sorry for interrupting your session!¡±


    Immediately, Anne turned around and was about to leave the house.


    ¡°Stop fooling around. Come back here! Do you know this woman?¡±


    After Zhang Heng searched her, he found no weapons or dangerous items on her. He was shocked to see that the intruder was a woman. Though she entered the house without permission, she didn¡¯t touch anything apart from the cup of tea on the table. Judging from her skin tone and attire, Zhang Heng guessed she hailed from a wealthy family. Usually, a lady like her would not come to a place as rough as Nassau, let alone breaking into a house. That was why Zhang Heng could only guess that she was Anne¡¯s friend.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her,¡± replied Anne with a burp.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even look at her properly!¡±


    ¡°That is because I don¡¯t have a single female friend ever since I was born to this world,¡± said Anne while shaking her hands.


    Under the influence of alcohol, Anne¡¯s face flushed bright red.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way left now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s ask her about it when she comes to.¡±


    Zhang Heng did not hit her too hard because he did not know what her intention was. In less than two hours, the lady regained consciousness. Zhang Heng made use of the time to finish up supper. As for Anne, she was fondling with the makeup mirror that she found on the lady.


    ¡°I thought you don¡¯t like things like this.¡±


    ¡°You are right. I don¡¯t like these kinds of things but I remember that my father giving me a mirror when I was 14 years old. This mirror looks quite expensive, actually. I believe that it can be sold for a handsome amount of money.¡±


    ¡°You can have it if you want it,¡± said the mysterious lady suddenly.


    Once she woke up, she found out that her hands and legs were bound. Still, she managed to stay calm. Her behavior did not match her age and family background. Unfortunately, she expressed her kindness to Anne in the wrong way.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need someone to give me something I like. I will take it from the person myself!¡± exclaimed Anne with a burst of laughter as she placed both of her legs on the table with her chair leaned back.


    Noticing that Zhang Heng was glaring at her, she instantly removed her legs from the table.


    ¡°I believe that you are the captain of the Jackdaw, Mr. Zhang. I have to admit: you are way younger than I thought.¡±


    The mysterious lady then took a good hard look at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Who are you? Why are you in my house?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Forgive me for breaking into your house without permission. I bear no ill intention. I just want to discuss some business proposals with you. I¡¯m left with no other option because this is a special period for me.¡±


    ¡°Special period?¡±


    ¡°My name is Carina Portman. I¡¯m a businesswoman. I think the people of Nassau prefer to call me a black-market merchant. Anyway, I do business on this island, and I have worked with many pirate ships before. Captain Fuller from the pirate vessel Archer and Captain Randall from the Duke are my customers. Oh, and Elwin from the Flying Fish too. They are all my good partners.¡±


    1While talking, Carina was observing the reaction on Zhang Heng¡¯s face. Unfortunately, she did not manage to read anything from him.


    ¡°I heard that you had spent a lot of time at sea, and you just got back today. You might not know the island as well as you think. Four months ago, all the black-market merchants were talking about forming a trade alliance to solve the chaotic way of trading on this island. This alliance is coming to an end soon, and so they have come up with a few unanimous decisions. That includes lowering the share ships led by new captains. I believe that you looked for a few back market merchants this afternoon, right? And you are not happy with the outcome.¡±


    ¡°A similar thing happened three years ago, right? I heard that the alliance did not end well.¡±


    ¡°I know what you are thinking. I¡¯m afraid that the alliance won¡¯t be dismissed that easily this time. The old alliance was formed by a couple of powerful black market merchants. So, they were the ones that made the rules. It¡¯s different this time because pirates are invited to join the alliance as well.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you have heard of the name, Frazer. They say he was highly respected amongst the pirates, being the person to convince other pirate groups to join the alliance. The merchants have increased their buying price in exchange for a long-term partnership. The value that the black market merchants generate can buy up 70% of the loot that all pirates bring back to Nassau. With that being said, the merchants that are not part of the alliance will be unable to buy any valuable loot. All those who initially refused to join the alliance will now change their minds. Right now, there are only a couple of merchants left in Nassau that refuse to join the alliance.¡±


    Finally, Zhang Heng understood the reason why the other black market merchants treated him in such a cold manner earlier. If Carina was telling the truth, then the alliance would have absolute power over the market once it was officially put in place though they would need to pay to buy off the pirates¡¯ loot. One should know that being a pirate wasn¡¯t precisely the most stable and safest of jobs. As time passed, pirates who were promised with a high price became lesser and lesser and, young pirates like Zhang Heng would emerge.


    The merchants would then design a new contract for them where they could buy off their loot at a lower price. In other words, the profit they gained would only increase over time. By that time, the alliance would have dominated the entire market, and the pirates would have no choice but to accept the price offered by the alliance.

 Chapter 144 - Business

    ¡°I heard that they are planning to set the price at five different tiers. The powerful and big crews will be placed at first-tier if they are willing to sign the contract with them. As for those medium-sized crews, they would be placed at the third or fourth-tier. A new pirate group like you can only start from the bottom.


    ¡°Of course, if you manage to acquire a huge amount of loot and sell everything to them, they would surely increase their buying price. Perhaps you could get to fourth-tier pricing in three years if you¡¯re lucky. I assume that would be the shortest time for you the get there. Surely, this is not fair to your crew,¡± said Carina as she tried to nudge her slightly swollen wrists that was still tied up.


    Upon seeing that, Zhang Heng drew his dagger and cut off the ropes tied around Carina¡¯s wrists and legs.


    ¡°What do you mean by business?¡±


    ¡°I want to work with you for the long term. I¡¯m willing to buy all the loot that you acquired from the merchant ships. Don¡¯t worry. My buying price is definitely higher than the price that the alliance can offer you. I can offer you a fourth-tier price right away.¡±


    Carina was confident that Zhang Heng would surely take the deal. To her surprise, Zhang Heng rejected her without even thinking twice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    ¡°Why not? Right now, you need a stable partner to trade with you. The price that I offered you is at least 40% higher than the alliance¡¯s price. My offer is only valid for a captain like you. Accepting this deal will help you to secure your position as a captain. Also, there¡¯s nothing for you to lose if you accept the deal.¡±


    ¡°You calculated the money that I¡¯m going to get if I sell my loot to you but you didn¡¯t calculate the risk I will face. Surely, my actions would anger the entire trade alliance if I work with you. In other words, if something bad happens to you, no black market merchants on this island will do business with me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ve stayed in Nassau for a very long time. Nothing bad has happened to me so far.¡±


    ¡°Is that right? Why didn¡¯t you join the alliance then? According to your description, you should have had countless trading partners before they set up the alliance, right? What about now? How many captains are still willing to sell their loot to you?¡±


    This was the question that Carina could not avoid. While she was on the way to Zhang Heng¡¯s house, she had made up several versions of the story in her mind. To her, Zhang Heng was just a lucky bloke that happened to get his hands on a navy battleship, thinking that convincing Zhang Heng to work with her would be easy. The moment the two started talking, however, Carina started to realize that she was too na?ve in thinking that Zhang Heng would agree to work with her. To her surprise, Zhang Heng¡¯s thought process and how he managed to stay calm did not match his age at all. He was scarier than all the pirates that she dealt with before.


    It was at that moment that Carina realized the story she had made up sounded absolutely ridiculous. She was left speechless. The atmosphere in the common area suddenly turned into an awkward silence. All that could be heard was Anne¡¯s loud snoring, obviously uninterested in Zhang Heng and Carina¡¯s conversation.


    Zhang Heng then stood up and draped his jacket over Anne.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that I will work with you if you don¡¯t tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid that you will not work with me if I tell you the truth.¡±


    ¡°Try me.¡±


    Zhang Heng poured two glasses of tea and handed one to Carina.


    ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯m not a black market merchant on this island,¡± said Carina after hesitating for quite some time.


    While she was telling the truth, she took the opportunity to observe Zhang Heng on how he would react to the thing that she was about to say to him. Again, she found out that Zhang Heng was not surprised by her truth at all.


    ¡°You know that I¡¯m not a black market merchant? Do I look like a clown in front of you?¡±


    ¡°Not really. How long have you stayed on this island?¡±


    ¡°Two months.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to do what you are doing right now since you have stayed here for only a short period. Your attire and behavior were very convincing. Most importantly, you seem to know your way around this island quite well. You wouldn¡¯t have raised my suspicions if your skin color was darker. The black market merchants on this island are required to check their items under the hot sun. That is why they are more tanned than most. Here, you look like someone who hasn¡¯t stepped out from the house much.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason? Before this, I stayed in New Hampshire. My father was a black market merchant here in Nassau. When I was a kid, he would tell me stories about this island. He would say that this is the land of money, where only the fearless could survive on this island. Of course, I wasn¡¯t interested in what he had to tell me.¡±


    ¡°So, why are you here now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of my father. Six months ago, he was arrested at New Hampshire, convicted of working with pirates. They threw him in jail and confiscated his ship. Ironically, the port chief and customs officer took a huge bribe from him a week ago.¡±


    ¡°My mother took over his work the moment she knew that he was sentenced. She offended a powerful local businessman by selling a batch of similar products. I did ask someone to help me to bail him out from prison. Unfortunately, the guy demanded an astronomical figure. I can¡¯t even match his number even if I sold everything valuable in my house. That is why I¡¯m thinking of taking over his business to earn more money to bail him out.¡±


    ¡°The moment you came here, the alliance had just been set up.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I couldn¡¯t join the alliance because I¡¯m simply not qualified. I did try to look for several captains who used to work with my father with the hopes of working with them. Unfortunately, his previous contracts are void as my father hasn¡¯t shown up for a very long time. His old friends told me that they couldn¡¯t help even if they wanted to. I was left with no option until I saw your ship this afternoon. All I thought was to try my luck and convince you to work with me.¡±


    ¡°My father left me a ship to move his product. After working as a black market merchant for years, he had established quite a few connections. He told me all those names when I visited him in prison. Besides, he has a permit that allows him free passage through the customs of most of the colonies. Though I can¡¯t access New Jersey right now, I can still sell my stuff at other ports that he used to frequent.¡±

 Chapter 145 - Answer

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°What do you guys think?¡±


    Zhang Heng looked for Billy and Dufresne and told them about Carina, believing that it was unnecessary to this matter from his crew.


    ¡°The black market alliance is no secret. I talked to a few of my friends this morning, and they verified everything that Carina told you. She¡¯s right about the alliance taking advantage of us. Before the black market alliance was established, the Sea Lion could usually sell their loot at a third-tier price. Right now, although we aren¡¯t as capable as the old Sea Lion, I know in my heart that we have a huge potential to become one of the strongest pirate crews on this island. In the future, it won¡¯t be a problem for us to sell our loot at a third-tier price. Right now, however, we can only sell them at the lowest price possible. I¡¯m afraid our crew isn¡¯t going to be too happy about this,¡± said Dufresne.


    ¡°First, let¡¯s not talk about old pirates like us. All our recruits chose to join us because we have a corvette, and they saw an opportunity to earn more for themselves. When they find out about selling the loot that they¡¯d they risked their lives to get for a low price; I¡¯m afraid we might not be able to handle them. If we want to grow bigger and stronger, we will need to start thinking about recruiting better pirates from other more powerful crews. But before we can do that, we must make sure that money is not an issue on our ship,¡± said Billy in the most straightforward way.


    ¡°The other pirate crews have started to contact our members. All of them assume that we will not do well in our first voyage and they are trying to convince them to leave us and join them. How much we sell out loot for doesn¡¯t seem to be the only problem we face¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­and, I look too young for a captain. I lack experience. To make matters worse, the first thing I did after I became a captain was to recruit a female pirate. Everyone must surely think that I¡¯m just another short-term captain,¡± said Zhang Heng, filling in what Billy had to say.


    ¡°That¡¯s about it. You have to know we all trust you 100%. Not only have you saved our lives, but you also managed to stay calm whenever we are greeted with danger. The journey from Charleston to Nassau was enough to prove that you are more than qualified to become our captain. However, as for others who have not sailed with you before, you can¡¯t blame them for not giving you their full trust. What¡¯s happening right now is unfair to you. Usually, new captains would have more time to prepare for the next voyage and bond with his crew members.¡±


    ¡°Having a battleship placed us in a position of great advantage. At the same time, it has also dragged us into a great deal of pressure as well. On this island, many are simply waiting for us to turn into a joke. If we fail to acquire a good amount of loot during our first sail, we will start facing the problem of people quitting our ship. Not to mention the difficulty of recruiting new crew after that.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    After an hour and a half, Billy and Dufresne left Zhang Heng¡¯s room, nodding to greet Anne and Carina before they left the house. Carina was still shaken up, having told Zhang Heng everything last night. However, Zhang Heng informed her that he wanted to discuss the matter with his crew members before giving her an answer.


    Instead of returning to the hotel, Carina decided that she would stay for the night to get the answers she wanted. That said, Zhang Heng was genuinely impressed by what she had achieved. Since her youth, she was carefree and worried not about her life. Before her father was sentenced to prison, she was no different from the nobles and ladies hailing from the upper-class. She would attend proms, operas, and constantly had hi-tea with her friends.


    Last night, she looked for three stools, put them together, and simply slept on it for the whole night. When she woke up the next morning, her neck was sore to say the least. Eventually, she had to spend the entire morning tending to her painful neck. Once Billy and Dufresne left, Carina instantly ran to the first floor, tidying up her messy attire before knocking at Zhang Heng¡¯s door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Carina took a deep breath and entered the room.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s study was sparsely decorated. Besides a table, a couple of stools, and a newly made bookshelf, there wasn¡¯t much else. There wasn¡¯t even a single book on the shelf yet. When sunlight poured into the room through the window, it landed on Zhang Heng¡¯s shoulder and colored his hair a bright gold. Zhang Heng was using a parallel ruler on his nautical chart when Carina entered the room. He looked no different from the time when he studied in the library.


    Carina was shocked upon entering the room. She had seen countless pirates throughout her stay in Nassau and discovered that most of them were rude and uncultured. Sometimes, it was hard for her to communicate with them properly, but to her greatest surprise, Zhang Heng was unlike the conventional pirate. Through the conversation that they had last night, she noticed that Zhang Heng could be reasoned with and was also extremely observant.


    If it were not for the gun that was strapped his chest and the scar from a knife on his arm, Carina found it hard to associate him with the typical pirate.


    ¡°The time is set. We will set sail in three days.¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s voice tugged her back to reality. Immediately, Carina¡¯s heart started to thump faster. This island was different than before. There were only a handful of powerful pirate groups left that had not joined the alliance. Most groups on the island were poorly equipped and severely lacked the workforce to match. In other words, it was unlikely that they would be able to acquire anything valuable. If Zhang Heng rejected her offer, her trip to Nassau would be all but wasted. Not only would she stand a chance to lose her father, but her family might become broke as well.


    ¡°My helmsman and quartermaster suggested that I should negotiate with the alliance to increase their prices. They don¡¯t believe that you can carry out your promises. They might say yes to you if your father is with your right now, but you have to know that you lack experience. This is something that you have never done before.¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s reply was like a boulder landing on Carina¡¯s heart. Though she had prepared for the worst, she still found it hard to accept that she was seen as a miserable failure. She then slouched on the chair and started to cry her heart out. Two months of effort had brought her nowhere. She thought that the Jackdaw might be able to help her to solve her problem, but it seemed that she was wrong. All she could feel right now was despair.


    Of course, Zhang Heng felt sorry for her, though he was left with few other options. Choosing a reliable trading partner was a very delicate decision among all captains. Since Billy and Dufresne placed little hope on Carine, he had to find out for himself if she was really worth his time. To his surprise, though, Carina stopped crying after a minute and lifted her head. There were still tears in her eyes, but the helpless look on her face was gone.


    ¡°There must be a way. Is there something else I can do?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If you can prove yourself to my crew, you might be able to get yourself a deal.¡±


    Zhang Heng then pointed to a mark on his nautical chart.


    ¡°Do you know what this place is?¡±

 Chapter 146 - Setting Sail

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    It was a beautiful day when the Jackdaw unmoored and left port.


    The skies were painted a light blue hue; the sea calm and its breeze gentle. Flocks of seagulls hovered above the masts.


    A crowd had gathered at the port to watch the ship¡¯s departure, a rarity for a new pirate gang.


    In the past few days, Zhang Heng overheard about the happenings on the island. Some of the gambling houses had apparently set up a pool specifically for the Jackdaw¡¯s maiden voyage, betting on how much he could loot during his first sail. Most had put their bets on him coming back empty-handed, meaning that many were less-than optimistic about his debut.


    After all, a ship¡¯s performance and firepower did not represent everything. An excellent captain could win a headwind battle regardless of his equipment at hand, and the probability of an inexperienced newcomer like Zhang Heng losing even in the best of situations was very high.


    Today, Billy arrived before anyone else. As the helmsman of the Jackdaw, he was done delegating the ship¡¯s tasks to everyone and had completed the necessary preparations for their maiden voyage.


    Being the captain, Zhang Heng was last to arrive. Anne came with him as well.


    Quite a few gave out wolf calls at the sight of the two walking down the pier together. Discounting the time that Anne was on the Golden Swallow, there had never been a female pirate in Nassau, what more, one that held the important position of the boatswain. Today was to be considered a historical day for Nassau.


    Considering that the girl had been living in the same house as Zhang Heng, people could not help but let their imagination run wild.


    So, when Zhang Heng and Anne showed up together, all kinds of lewd remarks were spewed. Such was the nature of the human creature. The fact was, the girl had given many of the islanders a sound beating; they knew all too well of how extraordinarily strong she was. Be it as it may, the obscene tendencies of the human mind led them to believe that she must have used her body in exchange for the position on the ship.


    James stood among the crowd with raging and envious eyes. He was the first person to be acquainted with Anne, and at that time, she was just the daughter of a wealthy family living with her mother, a lass with whimsical fantasies of becoming a pirate. It was he who had lured and encouraged Anne to run away with him to Nassau. Of course, he knew what the actual situation here was like. He waited until all of Anne¡¯s money was spent, to the point that they were driven from pillar to post. He hoped that she would find no way out and eventually marry him.


    He had coveted Anne for the longest time, not just her body but also her father¡¯s fortune. Although father and daughter were not on speaking terms, James simply needed to wait until things fell into place. When Anne was pregnant with his child, her father would surely be indisposed to ignore his own grandchild.


    The first half of this plan had gone smoothly. Even though Anne kicked James in the crotch and ran away from him, he was very confident that like the vast majority of rebellious teenage girls, she would still have to face reality at the end of the day no matter where she ran to. When the penniless red-haired girl could no longer stand the hunger or find shelter from the rain, she would come back to him indefinitely.


    Never would he have imagined that halfway through his plan, one Zhang Heng would appear. Not only did the boy let her stay in his place, but he even took care of her meals and living expenses. James did not believe that there would be anyone that kind on this island¨Cunless Zhang Heng had the same motive as he did.


    When James found out that he had a competitor, he was both shocked and pissed, naturally wanting to confront Zhang Heng. But when he found out that the boy was a seaman on the Sea Lion, he quickly abandoned the idea. Everyone in Nassau knew the name, Blackbeard. James had to think twice if he could actually endure Blackbeard¡¯s anger for harassing his crew.


    2Eventually, he decided to wait until Zhang Heng went out to the sea before he would sneak up on Anne. He advised her to leave the house and return to him, but the girl did not show any signs that she wanted to. After a few times asking her, James could very clearly feel Anne¡¯s resentment toward him, building up, getting stronger with each passing day. The truth was: if not for the fact that both of them had been companions for a long time and had arrived at Nassau together, Anne¡¯s kick would have come even earlier.


    That afternoon, James had to lie on the footpath for half an hour before he was well enough to get himself up. Although he still had not given his intentions, he knew that in the short term, he didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    Right now, seeing Zhang Heng and Anne together, James became the loudest among the crowd. But unlike the joyous few who had come to watch, he was so mad he began swearing, which only yielded angry glances from the people around him.


    ¡°I already warned you,¡± Zhang Heng lamented to Anne, ¡°that these kinds of things would happen if you walk with me.¡±


    Anne could not care less, though. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of. If I have the balls to be your boatswain, then why should I care about what other people think? Besides, these guys are only brave enough to run their mouths. None of them can fight worth a damn. When we come back with a full load, their mouths will be sewed shut for sure.¡±


    ¡°Are you that confident in me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you have the strongest boatswain on the island.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Billy and Dufresne were worried that Zhang Heng and Anne would be affected by the jeering of the people on the shore, but when the moment they saw the expressions on the pair, they realized that they had nothing to worry about.


    With the anchor cast-off and the sails propped, the Jackdaw slowly departed the port in the gentle breeze. Billy was at the center of the deck when he glanced at Zhang Heng, who was standing at the bow. The latter nodded, before the Jackdaw¡¯s helmsman clapped his hands to draw the crew¡¯s attention. ¡°I received news from the shore that there a Spanish merchant ship with a load of perfume is on her way to New York. We all know how popular these things are in the New World¨Cwhich is why we came out to sea immediately. That ship is not far from us. If everything goes well, it will take us less than a week to catch up to her. If we succeed in our quest, every one of us will get at least 100 silver coins. Let¡¯s work hard together to take our first victory!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the rest of the crew grinned in eagerness. Nothing could motivate them more than a fat, juicy prey. They could not wait to get the battle started.


    Billy was very satisfied with the morale and enthusiasm displayed by the crew. But having been out at sea on so many voyages, he clearly knew that this was only because they were just at the beginning of their journey. As time went by, the endless monotony a seafarer would face out in the high seas would cause many to be restless. As a result, morale on board would fall¨Cespecially when they could not locate their target for days on end. Anxiety would begin to set in, and that would mark the beginning of their troubles.


    Billy¡¯s only hope was that the Jackdaw¡¯s first voyage would go well.


    Zhang Heng returned to the captain¡¯s quarters after setting the course. He took out the necklace that Simon gave him from the drawer.


    [Name: Hunter¡¯s Blessing]


    [Grade: F]


    [Function: Increases the chance of encountering prey]


    This thing could finally be put to use.

 Chapter 147 - Switching Targets

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The Hunter¡¯s Blessing differed from the Lucky¡¯s Rabbit¡¯s Foot by having a more unusual function, which was why Zhang Heng didn¡¯t get a chance to use it yet.


    It wasn¡¯t before the fourth quest, entering the pirate world and bringing the Jackdaw to begin his own hunting journey that he had any use for this item again.


    The necklace was useful to him now, increasing their chances of encountering a target every time they got out to sea. On top of that, the Lucky Rabbit¡¯s Foot should also be able to enhance the necklace¡¯s effect. However, probability-based game props such as these generally took effect only after some time.


    In fact, in the past ten days, the Jackdaw did not encounter any prey worth capturing, and the Spanish merchant ship that Billy talked about did not appear.


    The morale on the ship had diminished to a new low, compared to when they first left the dock. Although the crew continued to carry out their duties each day, they were not as enthusiastic as before. There was even some slacking amongst the men. Nevertheless, as long as everything was kept in check, Billy and the crew said nothing. No matter how outstanding the helmsman or captain was, it was impossible to keep the crew at an excited state forever; unless they had some sort of driving force such as Kidd¡¯s treasure.


    On top of that, the newly recruited cook and carpenter seemed a little unreliable, where the chef¡¯s unimaginative cooking caused a lack of appetite among the sailors. Fortunately, the batch of dried vegetables and fruits that Zhang Heng prepared came in handy. The pirates knew how rare those things were out at sea, and the lemonade was a source of relief that greatly subdued the complaints on the ship.


    There were also many problems with the resident carpenter. Here was a guy that claimed a flawless resume and excellent theoretical knowledge, but after boarding the ship, he could not even do the simplest of repairs on a barrel. His skills were far from what he had described during the interview.


    Of course, Zhang Heng was mentally prepared for this. There were bound to be all kinds of problems with the new recruits. However, having older men from the Sea Lion was much better than building the team up from nothing. In fact, just two days ago, Billy worked with Zhang Heng to disperse a fight among the crew. Because the experienced seamen quickly found out about the brawl, it was resolved before things got worse. Neither party in the dispute used weapons, and thankfully, the damage it incurred was minimum. In the end, they were only punished to two weeks of deck cleaning.


    In general, the atmosphere on the ship was manageable, but on the eleventh day, Billy knocked on the door of the captain¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll need to change targets.¡±


    The helmsman appeared a little troubled. Situations like this were not uncommon. Most of the information about merchant ships came from the island¡¯s information dealers, who collected their intelligence mainly from the boats docked in Nassau. Along the lines of transmission, packets of information would be either lost or mistranslated. To make matters worse, last-minute route changes often occurred. Thus, obtaining information did not necessarily mean that they would surely find the target.


    To be able to survive the high seas, neither merchants nor pirates had a definite route. Every so often, when the captains found out that their travel plans were disclosed, they would immediately set up a backup plan and divert course.


    ¡°I have one more lead. It¡¯s the Duffy, a tobacco carrier. But then again, tobacco is everywhere in the New World; it¡¯s price can¡¯t match up to perfume. There¡¯s good news, though. The Duffy is also on this route, so we won¡¯t have to change course. We just need to continue chasing.¡± Billy paused for a moment, attempting to avoid adding more pressure on Zhang Heng. He tried to encourage his captain, adding, ¡°We have only been at sea for ten days. We still have time. Our food and water on board are enough to last us for a month and a half. We will definitely return fully loaded.¡±


    Still, perhaps it was due to the helmsman¡¯s recent raising of the flag that the Jackdaw¡¯s gains in the following week were few and far between. They did not even catch a glimpse of the Duffy¡¯s shadow. They did, however, come across two other merchant ships that didn¡¯t even put up a fight. The moment they caught sight of the Jackdaw¡¯s black flag, they immediately surrendered.


    The pirates¡¯ excitement were short-lived, though. The ships turned out to be transporting a less than lucrative cargo. One carried potatoes while the other hauled copper ore. There was plenty of it, but they were worth very little even in the colony. Also, if they moved those things back to the Jackdaw, her speed would be significantly reduced. As a result, the heavy vessel might fail to catch up to her main target.


    After much deliberation, the crew decided to give up robbing the two ships. Unfortunately, the failure to plunder anything had turned the seamen anxious. Billy, the representative of the crew, felt it the most and started to blame himself.


    He had purchased the two pieces of information from dealers that he was familiar with. He was also the one who recommended this route to Zhang Heng. Ultimately, this caused them to be in the predicament that they were in now. The Jackdaw had powerful guns, but she couldn¡¯t find a target worthy of her firepower. Factoring in the time it would take for them to return, they were desperately running out of time to hunt.


    So, on the nineteenth day, Billy went to meet Zhang Heng. ¡°This is all my mistake. We shouldn¡¯t have chosen this unpopular route. You reminded me of the risks, but I let that perfume ship get to my head. If we had chosen a more popular route from the beginning, we would¡¯ve made a lot of money by now.¡±


    ¡°Billy, this is not your fault. We discussed this together and even had the crew¡¯s consent. You¡¯re not responsible for our situation right now,¡± Zhang Heng said. ¡°Anyone getting such information back on the island would surely give it a try.¡±


    ¡°But this is our maiden voyage; that¡¯s the problem,¡± lamented the helmsman who smiled bitterly. ¡°Right now, we don¡¯t have a lot of room to make mistakes. I thought the intelligence was good since there is little pirate activity in the vicinity. I really don¡¯t know why we still haven¡¯t seen the two ships¨Cwhich is why I¡¯m suggesting that we change course immediately and try our luck on a more popular route. The nearest one from here only takes about five days. If we are lucky, we can still hunt for about a week.¡±


    ¡°But that route is also frequented by pirate hunters and the navy,¡± Zhang Heng said. ¡°If you had told me that you wanted to go there when we left port, I wouldn¡¯t have said anything against it. But with the low morale on the ship right now, what do you think our chances of winning are?¡±


    Billy fell silent. He knew what Zhang Heng said was true. The helmsman sighed, ¡°We should have taken that copper ship. At least, we could hand out some money to everyone.¡±


    Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°Those things are useless. We are a warship, and our cargo hold is limited. If we want to take anything, it would have to be valuable. Besides, this is our first voyage. Only a big win can boost our reputation.¡±


    Billy looked a little confused. Naturally, Zhang Heng, the captain, should have been most anxious. If they returned from their first voyage empty-handed, it would mean that the captain would likely be removed from his position. Right now, however, Zhang Heng did not seem worried at all.


    Zhang Heng pointed to a small island on the map. ¡°Based on our course and speed, we should arrive at this spot tonight.¡±

 Chapter 148 - Fresh Water Island

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng knew better than anyone that the maiden voyage was extremely important for a new captain. Besides, many from Nassau were hoping that Zhang Heng would fail his first sail. He had to prove them wrong. The moment he returned to Nassau, he noticed that a lot of people were paying attention to him. The combination of a mighty battleship and the overly young captain seemed like vulnerable prey to a lot of people.


    Once the Jackdaw pulled into shore, Zhang Heng had to consider his worst-case scenario. He did not doubt that Billy and the rest of the old crew members were loyal to him, and after the Kidd¡¯s treasure incident, Zhang Heng knew that all 16 of them would not betray him¨Cfor now, at least. That said, he had to consider the possibility of them being manipulated by others.


    When they were told that the ship that carried perfume and the Daffy would cross an unpopular shipping line, Zhang Feng felt that it was simply too much of a coincidence. When he thought of how stern the black market alliance was, he realized that his first sail had gone too smoothly to be true. Luckily, he still had a trump card with him. He and Carina were considered as outsiders on the island. Since she hoped to earn little more money to rescue her father from prison, she was devastated when she found out that a black market alliance was being set up on the island. Right now, she needed the Jackdaw to supply her with loot so she could sell them elsewhere. At the same time, Zhang Heng needed someone like Carina to get rid of his plunder as well.


    Zhang Heng thought differently from Billy and the rest of the pirates. From the very beginning, he had no intention to work together with the black market alliance. Frazer was not the only problem. A lot of people did not realize how dangerous the black market alliance was. Once these people dominated the market in Nassau, every pirate would lose their rights to negotiate the buying price.


    Undoubtedly, it was not that easy to become a captain of a pirate ship. One had to be courageous, valiant, and filled with experience to master the position. The crew believed that their captains would lead them to wealth and glory all around the world. Loot that could not be sold out wasn¡¯t wealth to them. In other words, if the black market alliance dominated the market in Nassau, they were capable of refusing the loot from the captains that they wanted to eliminate. With such power at hand, the black market merchants would continuously have a grip over the fate of the pirates.


    This was a situation that Zhang Heng dreaded. Other captains might have already figured this out, but it was hard for them to reject the black market alliance¡¯s offer. Not only would the alliance increase their buying price, they even told the captains that the proposal was only valid as long as they remained captains. That would mean their crew had to think twice before they betrayed their captains as it could cost them tremendous loss.


    Undeniably, this could help fortify the captain¡¯s position on the ship. Of course, there were risks to be considered if they decided to take part in the black market alliance, but they figured that they¡¯d only cross the bridge when they came to it. Fundamentally, being a pirate was always a high-risk occupation; most of them did not care about what happened tomorrow.


    Zhang Heng was different from them, though. The existence of the black market alliance interfered with his growth as a captain and here, Carina was offering him another way out. Billy and Dufresne might consider her inexperienced, but Zhang Heng begged to differ. He yearned for a trade partner that allowed him to preserve his rights when trading took place. He needed to know that the loot his pirates acquired could be turned into cold hard cash. Carina was perfect for him, but of course, he still wanted her to prove her worth.


    The Jackdaw reached Freshwater Island before sunset, an uninhabited blotch of sand with a landmass of fewer than 20 acres. There were thousands of islands like this in the Caribbean, and most didn¡¯t even have a name. The island was named Freshwater Island when Magellan landed here as he traveled around the world. For years, many were confused by the name of this island, as the place was, in fact, devoid of fresh water. Magellan named it Freshwater Island because of a mighty storm that swept through the island. The arrival of the storm enabled his crew to collect enough fresh water for drinking.


    After the conditions on the island were made known to many, it became even more desolate. Zhang Heng moored his ship close to the island before rowing to it in a small boat with Anne and Billy. To their surprise, they quickly discovered that someone was here before them. As a result, they did not continue forward. Instead, Zhang Heng made a signal by whistling. Soon, someone emerged from the forest. Zhang Heng was left in shock when he saw who it was. Earlier, Carina told him that she would send a messenger to deliver news to him. He did not expect to see her here in person here.


    She did not look too good. Zhang Heng figured she might have been alone on this island at least for a day or two. Even though the boat that dropped her here left her with enough food and water, it was still no less of an impressive feat that she was here all alone. Carina was bursting with excitement the moment she saw Zhang Heng. Considering that the area wasn¡¯t a popular shipping route, she could have easily died if Zhang Heng hadn¡¯t come to pick her up.


    ¡°I have checked everything you¡¯ve asked me to check. I think you¡¯ll be interested in one of the ships. Half a month ago, it departed North Carolina, and it¡¯s hauling a full load of spice.¡±


    ¡°Spice?


    ¡°Yes. Nutmegs from the Maluku Islands! Surprisingly, they appeared in a New World colony as they are planning to return to Europe. I heard that in London, the price of nutmeg is comparable to gold!¡±


    ¡°How far are we from the ship?¡±


    ¡°I just consulted my ship¡¯s captain, and he said that we should be able to catch up to them in about ten days if we continue at our current speed¨Cprovided that the wind is at our back.¡±


    ¡°Come on then. Follow me to my ship.¡±


    Zhang Heng walked towards the boat lying on the beach. Billy was still rather startled after hearing what Carina said.


    ¡°I asked Ms. Carina to do us a favor. She used her connections in Boston to tell her if there any ships that are worth our time.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ wasn¡¯t she in Nassau?!¡±


    ¡°After we were done talking that day, she traveled back to Boston immediately. I chose to stop at Freshwater Island because this is the island closet to Boston. But, I have to admit that Ms. Carina is really good at what she does. I told her that our time is limited, which means she was only in Boston for less than a day since she managed to meet us here.¡±

 Chapter 149 - Limits and Doubts

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Two pirates were working together at the gunwale. One of them tossed a wood plank with a rope around it into the sea while the other counted the time. Once the time was up, the pirate stopped the rope and calculated the length of rope that was being released into the sea.


    ¡°Current speed is 10 knots!¡±


    Most ships from western countries in the 18th century used this method to calculate their speed. Of course, it was not 100% accurate because the sea itself was fluid and was constantly flowing all the time. However, it was more than adequate. A more precise method to calculate speed wouldn¡¯t invented until the 20th century.


    Zhang Heng stood on the deck in a black shirt, guiding his pirates in adjusting the mainsail according to the wind¡¯s direction. The Jackdaw had just raised the sails on her mainmast and secondary mast. This allowed them to steam ahead at full speed. However, pushingthe vessel to her limits also caused the masts to be under a lot of pressure. Knowing that they were at breaking point, Zhang Heng instantly instructed the pirates to pull back the ropes and tie them at the stern. As for Zhang Heng, he acted as the helmsman to ensure that the draft was perfectly adjusted.


    After a short moment of creaks and violent vibrations, the ship finally adapted to its current speed. Once everything had smoothened out, Zhang Heng passed the ship¡¯s wheel back to the original helmsman. He then instructed the watcher to continue to observe the draft.


    Carina was standing at the side and silently observed every move of Zhang Heng. Of course, her mind was in a raging storm as opposed to her calm looks. When she was in Nassau, she had went around asking about Zhang Heng. She got to know that he was initially a passenger on a merchant ship. After that, his masterful marksmanship earned him a place as one of the Sea Lion¡¯s pirates. They told her that Zhang Heng was not used to living out at sea, suffering severe seasickness on the way back to Nassau. It was during that time that he almost lost his life.


    In a year, Zhang Heng worked his way from an ordinary pirate to the boatswain of the Sea Lion. Not too long after that, he led a group of old pirates to leave the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge. By the time he arrived in Nassau, he was already the captain of a battleship with a large pirate crew under his watch. The swift intensity of his growth cast doubt upon the islanders on whether he had enough experience or wisdom to lead a ship full of pirates.


    Before all these, Carina thought the same as well. However, her opinion of him completely changed after the two of them exchanged words. The man standing before her was completely different from the pirates that she had encountered before. He wasn¡¯t supposed to possess such a high level of charm and maturity at this age. This was what she thought about him anyway. That said, it did not mean others would feel the same way.


    She finally got to see how Zhang Heng led his people now that she was aboard his ship. His behavior did not make him look like a new captain at all. When he was greeted with various challenges, he would somehow look for a way to solve them one by one. After spending a few days with Zhang Heng on the ship, Carina was no longer as surprised as she was, knowing that it would be hard for a man with such discipline not to succeed.


    Carina used to see Zhang Heng sparring with Anne before the sun came up. She also noticed that he would always seek guidance from a more experienced crewman on the ship. Whenever he had the time, he would head to the captain¡¯s quarters and go through a bunch of books left by the ship¡¯s previous owner. Before this, the Jackdaw was a corvette, and there were tons of books about warfare lying in the study. Between these books were also manuscripts holding a wealth of descriptions about different places of the world.


    He looked at this world with a view from the future, and that helped him to accept that he was not actually in the real world. Though there were still heaps of things that he could not understand, reading those books would definitely help him to blend into this era better. To him, it was fun to learn about foreign cultures and exciting events that happened during this time in history.


    On the other hand, Zhang Heng had re-evaluated Carina as well. He found out that she was more decisive than he¡¯d initially expected. He realized why she changed her mind and chose to deliver the news to him personally. She simply wanted to ensure that nothing would go wrong. It also showed that she was serious about this deal. Though black market merchants were a part of Nassau, they lived very different from the pirates. Most of them had families and thrived among the upper society. Their job was simply to buy, sell, deliver and they typically did not participate in raids.


    This was to ensure that they could easily cut off all ties with the pirates if things went south. Undoubtedly, it was unwise for Carina to get aboard a pirate ship. Now, that her fate was tied with Zhang Heng, even he had to admit that she had gone all out to win his trust. Carina was born to be a risk-taker. Maybe she would be able to outplay the black market alliance and carve her own path. This, however, wasn¡¯t the time for her to think about something that was so far ahead. When she saw there was nothing on the sea apart from the Jackdaw, she started to grow more and more anxious.


    This was the 32nd day that the Jackdaw left Nassau¡¯s harbor. Half the ship¡¯s food and water supply had already been consumed, and there were only some vegetables and dried fruits left. This was Zhang Heng¡¯s first time setting out to sea, and it was impossible for him to anticipate every possibility that might happen. The humidity from the sea had caused the vegetables and fruits to go moldy. Left with no other food, everyone on the ship had to go back to eating dried, smoked fish. Still, that would only last about 20 days. In other words, Zhang Heng had to turn his ship back to Nassau soon, or his crew would starve.


    Zhang Heng was frustrated, but there was nothing he could do. He had tried his best to have a backup plan for everything, but still faced all sorts of unexpected events. Even the best captain of the Caribbean could not guarantee that he would be able to return with a ship filled with loot every time. No matter what, Zhang Heng needed to win this war.


    As time passed, Zhang Heng could feel the changes in everyone¡¯s emotions. Not only was it evident among the new recruits, but old pirates like Billy and Dufresne also started to lose hope as well. Carine was no exception. Last night, she knocked at the door of the captain¡¯s quarters, telling Zhang Heng that she suspected that everyone from the colony might know about her father getting into jail. There was a possibility that her friend from the customs had betrayed her. The ship that carried nutmeg could be nothing more than a high tale made up by them. In the worst-case scenario, this could even be a trap set by the navy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it over and over again. It¡¯s impossible that our target would have sailed all the way to the New World. There¡¯s something fishy going on here. I remember my father telling me that he has two enemies from Boston,¡± said Carina in a nervous manner.


    ¡°Now, if this is a trap, why would they make up something that is so ridiculous then?¡±


    Zhang Heng proceeded to the galley and poured Carina a glass of rum.

 Chapter 150 - Leadership

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    After Carina emptied down an entire bottle of rum, Zhang Heng finally managed to divert her attention from the ship that carried spices. After a short moment of silence, she eventually switched topics, beginning to spiral into a rant about her childhood. She spoke of an absent father, a mother that was addicted to partying, her mother¡¯s lover, an older sister that liked to take her stuff, and a dog named Parker. Everything that she said was in pieces, but it was indubitably filled with emotion.


    ¡°I thought that we didn¡¯t like each other that much. I thought that my mother would have gone away with her lover when my father was sent to jail. I thought that my sister would have gone to London to learn how to paint better. My family was born broken. I¡¯ve realized it when I was only six. Everyone, including me¡­ we just bloody mind our own business. The strange thing was that no one left the family when we received the bad news.¡±


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense to me. We spend our entire lives trying to get out of this hellhole. Why did everyone stay when we had the opportunity to run from it?¡±


    While Zhang Heng was waiting for her answer, she suddenly changed topics again and was now rambling on about the salon. She started complaining about how terrible the dessert was and how the guests around her behaved like hypocrites. After that, she began an incomprehensible mumble before falling into a deep sleep on the table. Zhang Heng decided that he would not wake her and left her to sleep it off in his room. He then left the captain¡¯s quarters. Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t worried about Carina finding out his secret as the captain¡¯s quarters only contained books and nothing else.


    There was no one in the corridor when Zhang Heng left the room. He walked for a while but stumbled all of a sudden. Leaning on the wall for support, he closed his eyes. This time, he could feel exhaustion and fatigue engulfing him. The ship was now in a completely different atmosphere from when they just left the harbor. The entire Jackdaw was surrounded by hopelessness.


    After the perfume ship and the Duffy incident, almost everyone started to become suspicious about the intel provided by Carina. Even after Zhang Heng told them about the boat that was loaded with spices, none of them seemed too enthusiastic. As time passed, more and more crew started to groan and complain. Even Zhang Heng himself wasn¡¯t as calm as before. If his first voyage ended a failure, things would surely get worse for the Jackdaw. As the captain of the ship, Zhang Heng would be held responsible for every single thing that took place on his vessel. His situation would turn even more dangerous if he returned to Nassau with no loot on the ship.


    Everyone on the Jackdaw had the right to complain and be cynical about the voyage, except for Zhang Heng. He couldn¡¯t afford to show his crew any negativity. The only person that they could rely on in their helplessness was their captain. No matter what, they would always turn to Zhang Heng, hoping that he would somehow solve their current predicament and guide them to the path of success. His confidence and calmness were the only things that could put everyone¡¯s mind at ease.


    This crisis had a silver lining, though. If Zhang Heng managed to lead them out of the rut, he would be able to gain massive respect from the new recruits and the old members alike. His position would be legitimized, and they would see him as the true leader of the Jackdaw.


    But would he be able to do it?


    Zhang Heng did not know the answer to this question. For the few quests that he completed earlier, he just needed to take good care of himself and complete whatever tasks that were given to him. When he was in school, he always preferred to be alone than to mingle around. It was not that he was bad at socializing; he just did not fancy it.


    His main goal for this quest was to build his force, a challenge that he had never faced before. From the very beginning, he was involved with Frazer and Orff. Not only did he spend a great deal of time learning different skills from different pirates that served on the Sea Lion, but he also considered a lot about the way Orff and Teach led their people. When it came to this, Frazer undoubtedly provided him with lots of guidance, teaching him that not all captains shared the same characteristics. The only trait they shared was to utilize the people that they led fully.


    Just like Edward Teach, he rarely got involved in the things that happened on the ship. However, he still managed to earn a lot of respect from his crew. For three years, no one on the ship had the guts to challenge his authority. One legendary pirate such as Sam, the Black Prince, was known as the best captain in the entire Nassau. Everyone on his ship remained loyal to him to the ends of the earth. And pirates like Honneg was known for his generosity, having a huge following even after he had retired.


    1Zhang Heng woke up early in the morning and started to think about his signature trait. He could not use fear to rule his people as Teach had, and neither was he a social butterfly like Black Prince as well. Also, he was not as generous as Honneg. In the end, Zhang Heng decided that trust could be his signature trait. He hoped that the people on the Jackdaw would continue to trust him no matter what, especially during a crisis like this. So far, his people would execute all his commands even if they did not know the reason behind his decision. This was made possible by the deep trust they had in him.


    Zhang Heng knew that this was not going to be an easy path, realizing that he could not gain their trust just like that. He had to endure several massive crises with his crew to gain their absolute trust. If he managed to succeed, his pirates would be equipped with an excellent ability to execute orders and possess a strong will. It would be hard for their enemies to break them down. Right now, Zhang Heng had to lead them out of this crisis to kickstart his plan.


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡°You look tired.¡±


    Zhang Heng heard someone talking to him from the dark. He then opened his eyes and saw Anne standing in front of him with an oil lamp. Because of the eerie atmosphere around them, Anne looked like a ghost poised to haunt Zhang Heng.


    ¡°The two of you¡­¡±


    Anne grew slightly suspicious when she saw the door that was closed behind him.


    ¡°Erm¡­ she¡¯s here to talk about the plan for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Plan for tomorrow? Aren¡¯t we supposed to go after that ship carrying spices.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    Zhang Heng was left speechless. Of the entire ship, Anne was the only one that had never doubted his plans. He was relieved when he saw that she wasn¡¯t that worried. Before he could reply to her, the watcher suddenly shouted at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Ship spotted!!! There¡¯s a ship in front of us!¡±

 Chapter 151 - Lets Begin

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The loud shouts of the watcher alerted most of the pirates who were fast asleep. Most of them scooted out of their cabins to the deck in a frenzy. Some of them were even undressed. Zhang Heng and Anne were already out on the deck. With a pair of binoculars in hand, the captain watched the approaching ship from afar.


    ¡°So? What about it?¡± asked Billy.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got abysmal visibility tonight. I can¡¯t see it. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s the ship that we are going after,¡± said Zhang Heng while handing the binoculars to his helmsman.


    The weather today didn¡¯t seem to cooperate. It was a dark, foggy, moonless night. The stars that usually lit up the night sky were nowhere to be seen as well. It was actually a miracle that the watcher even managed to spot the ship. That said, that was all they knew about the approaching vessel. There were only four hours left till dawn, and Zhang Heng had no intention to take any risks.


    Firing his cannons now was equivalent to a gamble, where even the best cannoneer would find it hard to land one hit in ten shots. It was unecessary to waste ammunition just like that. Every failed shot that they fired would cost them a lot more money to replenish the armory, and even if the cannoneer was somehow lucky enough to hit the ship, they might not be able to move all the spices back since their surroundings were pitch black.


    ¡°Let¡¯s follow him for now. Be careful not to get within its sights.¡±


    Billy and the rest of the pirates were fine with Zhang Heng¡¯s decision. If Carina was right about this ship, their target had at least a dozen six and nine-pound cannons. Although the Jackdaw far outgunned them, it was still unjustified in attacking at night. It would be a safer and wiser decision for them to wait it out till day broke.


    Soon, Zhang Heng assigned more watchers to keep an eye on the ship, grouping two into a team to ensure that they would their target wouldn¡¯t slip away. As for the rest of the crew, Zhang Heng instructed them to return and to rest to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s raid.


    However, most of the pirates were not sleepy anymore. Most were ready to return to Nassau after spending an entire month on this ship empty-handed. Just as they were about to give up on the operation, they saw hope again. For those that couldn¡¯t sleep, they harnessed their weapons and began to sharpen them.


    15 minutes later, it appeared that the watcher from the other ship had discovered that the Jackdaw was tailing them. Immediately, they sped up to attempt to escape the Jackdaw. Billy and the rest of the pirates were lit with excitement when they saw their prey trying to shake them off. Until now, the black flag of the Jackdaw hadn¡¯t yet been flown. Besides, considering that the visibility around the area was extremely low, there was no way they would figure out that a pirate ship was tailing them.


    That could only mean one thing. The merchant vessel was carrying something precious. Even if it wasn¡¯t spices, it could be something else that was equally valuable. After trying to get away from the Jackdaw for a while, they realized that they couldn¡¯t shake them off. Instead, the two vessels had now crept up to each other.


    By then, the merchant vessel discovered that a navy battleship was the one after them. Considering that they were armed and heavily loaded with cargo, they could only move at a modest four to five knots at the fastest. There was no way that they could outrun the speeding Jackdaw. So, in desperation, they decided to slow down and arm all their cannons, preparing to open fire.


    Under normal circumstances, they were no match to the battleship. However, the night had become their best cover, and besides, luck was the critical factor in this fight. If they managed to land their cannonballs on the Jackdaw¡¯s armory, they might just be able to turn the tide around.


    The crew of the merchant ship knew that this was their last chance to attack their pursuer. Once the sun was up, there was no way that they could beat them anymore. To their surprise, Zhang Heng slowed down the Jackdaw as well. She still followed them closely but kept outside their shooting range. Despair hit the merchant crew when they realized that time was quickly drifting away from them. There was nothing else they could do about the Jackdaw, as they could not fire, nor could they flee.


    At the same time, the Jackdaw made her final preparations for the upcoming war. The helmsman carefully executed every order given by Zhang Heng, ensuring that there was at least a nautical mile between them and their prey. Similarly, the merchant ship attempted to fire, but alas, it failed miserably. Eventually, they gave up and decided to stop the pointless attacks.


    When the sun came up, Zhang Heng confirmed through his binoculars that the merchant ship was hauling a grand load of nutmeg. From the size of the ship, their flag, and the number of cannons, it almost precisely matched the information provided by Carina. All of a sudden, the sorrow and despair of the Jackdaw¡¯s crew was replaced by an elated sense of happiness. Finally, they got to reap what they had sowed. This boosted the pirates¡¯ spirits in an unprecedented manner. Zhang Heng was at the bow with Anne and Billy to discuss the final battle plan.


    ¡°First, we will fire at them twice. Our primary targets are their masts and main deck. We need to make sure that they lose their mobility and kill as many as their crew as possible. We do not want to damage the structure of the ship. The spices will become worthless if water floods into the hull. Once they surrender, we¡¯ll close in and start organizing our people to plunder them.¡±


    It was at that time that Carina finally woke up. With a terrible hangover looming over her head, she remembered bits and pieces of what she told Zhang Heng last night and was worried that Zhang Heng¡¯s impression toward her had changed for the worse.


    ¡°Your identity is somewhat sensitive around here. You should head to the captain¡¯s quarters and stay there. Remember to close the windows. You don¡¯t want anyone from the merchant ship to spot you.¡±


    Zhang Heng needed her help to sell off all the spices that he was about to loot later. It was risky enough for her to get on the Jackdaw and chase down the merchant ship. She was sincere enough about sealing the deal, and Zhang Heng had no doubts about it. There was no reason for her to reveal herself to the merchants on the ship later. If she was exposed to the customs officers, she would be left with no other options but to become a pirate. Carina did not insist on lingering on, clearly understanding the decision Zhang Heng made. She quickly thanked him and left the deck.


    ¡°Ask the cannoneers to get ready. It¡¯s time to fight,¡± proclaimed Zhang Heng to Billy.

 Chapter 152 - First Battle At Sea

    The moment the sun rose, the boom of cannons firing broke the ocean¡¯s silence. The one that fired first was the merchant vessel called the Happiness. However, they lost whatever hope they had when they saw the Jackdaw raising its black flag. To make sure that the cargo on their ship was safe from plunder, they had deliberately chosen a less popular shipping line to travel on and was mum about their route so far.


    Their voyage was smooth for about a month, with no encounters of any pirates whatsoever. Just when they thought that they were out of the red, the Jackdaw spotted them. Alas, their effort was all but wasted.


    With help from the sunlight, they could finally see the true form of the Jackdaw. Some of the crew instantly knew that they were going to lose the battle, losing their last straw of hope once they confirmed that the ship in pursuit of them was indeed a battleship. The unfortunate incident in Charleston was now widespread amongst the colonies. Two governor-generals and a high-ranking officer were killed on that night. At the same time, the entire Charleston suffered the relentless attacks from cannons. This could be one of the most severe incidents happening in the New World. There were even hushed whispers that the navy lost a corvette that night as well.


    As compared to what happened in Charleston, few paid much attention to the corvette. When the merchant ship¡¯s crew saw the Jackdaw, they started to realize that this ship could actually be the lost navy corvette. Undoubtedly, the combination of pirates and a heavily armed corvette had the merchant ship¡¯s crew believing that this might genuinely be the end of thier road.


    That said, those who decided to commit their careers to the ocean were no cowards. Though they knew that they could not outgun the Jackdaw, they would instead take their chances and try to defeat it regardless. After all, the ship¡¯s cargo was valuable enough for them to protect it with their lives.


    Unfortunately, most of their shots missed their targets with only one cannonball managing to fly pass the gunwale. Pumped up with adrenalin, the newly recruited cannoneers were eager to return fire.


    ¡°Captain, do we attack now?!¡±


    ¡°Hold your horses for a little while more.¡±


    Now that Jackdaw had entered the Happiness¡¯ effective range, they should be able to return fire. However, accuracy wouldn¡¯t be that great, where the cannons would lose their effectivity once they were too far away from their targets. If the distance was right, though, the Jackdaw could easily destroy a merchant ship with one volley of shots. This could prevent them from turning the battle into an endless exchange of fire. Before getting closer to them, the Jackdaw had to endure the attacks from their enemy. The good thing was that it should be strong enough to do so.


    Soon, the Happiness was poised to launch the second wave of attacks. This time, their experienced cannoneers managed to land a few accurate shots on the Jackdaw. Three cannonballs landed on the gunwale, and another landed on the mainsail. Fortunately, this did little to damage the vessel, allowing her pirates a little room for relief.


    The third wave of cannonballs were incoming. This time, the Jackdaw had gotten really close to the Happiness. Their offense had managed to put a few holes on Jackdaw¡¯s deck, however, with a cannonball managing to find its way to a spot unprotected by iron plates. Seconds later, seawater started to gush into a cabin that was located at the lowest deck of the Jackdaw. Immediately, the carpenter grabbed his tools and started to fix the leak.


    At that moment, more and more of the Jackdaw¡¯s crew urged Zhang Heng to return fire. Even Billy could not help but stare at his captain. Still, he did not say a single word. Zhang Heng had participated in quite several battles while he was serving on the Sea Lion. This was his very first time orchestrating his own battle. Back then, he simply needed to protect himself and eliminate all enemies that got close to him, and once his flanks were clear, he could lend a hand to his allies as well.


    He was only required to pay attention to the continually changing circumstances when he helped to take down the Scarborough. Also, in an ordinary battle, all he needed to do was to pay small attention to a number of things that happened around him, similar to his battles in the Soviet Union.


    Right now, he was commanding an entire battleship. He needed to figure out how to win the battle at the lowest possible cost. Undeniably, the Jackdaw had way more potent firepower than the Happiness. However, the Happiness had more experienced cannoneers. If only he could pull closer to his enemy, it would be hard for the Jackdaw¡¯s cannoneers to miss their target.


    That was why Zheng Heng took the risk of getting closer to the Happiness. During the fourth wave of attack, some of the pirates on the deck were injured. Even Zhang Heng¡¯s arm was sliced by a ricocheting splinter. Still, he remained his calm, continuing to observe the enemy through a pair of binoculars. He could see that their cannons were being reloaded at an incredible speed and were now about to launch their fifth wave.


    Finally, Zhang Heng broke the silence and gave his crew a new command.


    ¡°Slow down the ship! Hard to starboard!¡±


    The crew had been anxiously waiting for Zhang Heng¡¯s command, and the moment they got the order, they used the shortest time possible to retract the sails to cut some speed. As a result, the maneuver managed to dodge the fifth wave of cannonballs. At the same time, the Jackdaw pulled up to the Happiness¡¯ side.


    In this era, chase guns were mounted on the bow and stern of some sailing ships and would only be used in an emergency. Side cannons were still their primary weapons. That was why the sailors from Happiness had to make sure that their hull faced the target before they could launch an attack. Once they were locked in a state of battle, it would be hard for them to maneuver the ship.


    As of now, the pirates on the Jackdaw held massive grudges against the Happiness after enduring four waves of consecutive attacks. The moment Zhang Heng permitted them to open fire, the pirates mercilessly lit their cannons and fired with everything that they had. Though half their shots missed their mark, the other half of the cannonballs were more than sufficient to cause massive damage to the Happiness.


    One of the 24-pound cannonballs managed to hit their secondary mast. Two sailors were crushed to death by the falling pillar. After witnessing the Jackdaw¡¯s overwhelming firepower, the sailors on the Happiness were in a state of panic. However, some were still adamant about returning fire. Unironically, they were overwhelmed by the constant onslaught of cannonballs that were launched at them.


    Even so, if Zhang Heng hadn¡¯t ordered his pirates to adjust the cannons to a higher trajectory, they would have destroyed the Happiness during the second wave of attack. Just as expected, the sailors on Happiness finally accepted that they could never defeat the Jackdaw. More of their crew would die if the battle were prolonged.


    In the end, they chose to surrender.


    Zhang Heng was not as excited as the pirates on his ship because he knew that they were just about to encounter the real danger. According to the intel given by Carina, there were about 30 sailors on the Happiness. The worst part was, there were also 20 young navy officers on board as well. Clearly, the crew on the Jackdaw were outnumbered.

 Chapter 153 - The Return

    It had been 55 days since the Jackdaw left the harbor, and all kinds of rumors were being spread around Nassau. Some said that they encountered a great storm, causing them to lose their way. Others talked about how they saw the navy capturing them, destroying their ship, and killing her entire crew. Some even claimed that they had crossed paths with mermaids, whose songs had bewitched the poor sailors in jumping into the sea.


    All these rumors shared a common theme: the Jackdaw was never going to return to Nassau. The amount of food and water that Zhang Heng loaded was no secret. A month and a half had already passed, and even if they did not encounter any mishaps, they would have run out of food and water by now.


    Situations like this were common among newly formed pirate crews. The reason Zhang Heng managed to capture so much attention was that he owned a corvette, and had the audacity to recruit a female pirate. Those who gambled on the Jackdaw not returning to Nassau were filled with excitement. As for the bystanders, they were disappointed by the Jackdaw¡¯s fate. They would rather have the ship return empty-handed and see Zhang Heng getting stripped of the captain title by his own crew.


    On the other hand, James remained true to himself. He proceeded to the tavern to have a drink once he received the news that the Jackdaw was gone forever. Somehow, he felt joyous that Zhang Heng was killed as he had taken his Anne away from him. However, when he thought about her, the smile on his face disappeared. He had used a great deal of effort to convince Anne to come to the New World and even spent a ton of money on her as well. Unfortunately, everything had gone to waste. Suddenly, James felt that the rum he was drinking had become devoid of taste.


    The only person on the entire island who felt sad for the Jackdaw was Harry. He was drowning in sorrow for the past few days. Without Anne around, he soon dominated the few streets that were around him. Although kids were giving him money, he still felt that life had become pointless since Anne was no longer here. With hands in his pockets, Harry kicked around the pebbles on the road while he walked. He could not help but miss the moments when he got beaten up by Anne.


    Anne¡¯s fists were filled with power and fury when she beat Harry up. According to Harry, every single punch that Anne delivered carried a particular message for him. He claimed that he could feel his chest burning with passion each time she stuck him. Unfortunately, he would never get to see her again. He let out a long, exasperated sigh, one that did not match his age. The two kids that followed him started to suspect that their boss had gone insane.


    It was at that moment that the three saw someone running from the harbor to the casino.


    ¡°The Jackdaw is back! They are back! Hahaha! I didn¡¯t lose my bet!¡± screamed the person in excitement while running.


    Of course, the three were shocked when they heard that the Jackdaw was back in Nassau. Everyone around here had accepted the fact that the Jackdaw was never going to return forever. Naturally, they should have come back a long time ago. Thus, according to some experienced pirates, this was a clear sign that they were dead as they had failed to return on the expected date. None of them thought that the Jackdaw would be able to defy all logic and made it back in one piece.


    Immediately, Harry ran to the harbor as fast as his legs could carry him. There was already a crowd gathering at the pier, eager to see what was going on. Due to his small size, Harry managed to squeeze through the crowd and was soon in front of everyone. He saw a boat approaching the harbor. However, his heart fell when he saw that the person standing on the deck wasn¡¯t Anne but a woman that he had never seen before.


    The people gathering around had probably grown numb of seeing so many females popping out of the Jackdaw. Nevertheless, nobody really cared about Zhang Heng¡¯s personal life. They were more concerned about the loot acquired from this trip. The few pirates who sent the woman to the harbor returned to the Jackdaw without saying a word. The first thing Carina did was to look for the captain of her ship. She told him something, and right after that, they quickly gathered all their sailors to their boat. They said nothing even though the crowd erupted into a bombardment of questions.


    Their unusual behavior only drew more questions. Finally, someone in the crowd recognized the woman as Carina, the black-market merchant. Before the Jackdaw set sail, she had attempted to strike a deal with certain captains and black-market merchants from Nassau. In the end, she chose not to join the black-market alliance. Many thought that she had left Nassau for good after the failures. Nobody expected her to strike a deal with the Jackdaw.


    After that, the crowd saw that the Gentle Breeze, a merchant ship, had moved closer to the Jackdaw. Once a wooden plank connected both ships, the pirates started to move hundreds of crates to the Gentle Breeze. There was some distance between the harbor and the Jackdaw; hence the crowd could not see their contents. All they knew was that they were moving a great number of items to the Gentle Breeze. Soon, they discovered that Carina previously sought a merchant in Nassau who provided loans. She remained in his house for about an hour, with the merchant personally sending her out as she left his place.


    In the evening, Carina boarded the Gentle Wind and left Nassau. As for the pirates on the Jackdaw, they remained on the ship. Zhang Heng sent a few old pirates, ones who knew how to keep secrets well, to purchase some alcohol and food for the Jackdaw¡¯s crew. He hoped that the food and drink would calm them down as they were not allowed to leave the ship for now. There was an unwritten rule in Nassau; pirates were not supposed to touch the ships of black-market merchants. Besides, the loot that they acquired this time was too valuable. Zhang Heng did not want to risk having his pirates telling others about it.


    Though anything that happened after the trade had nothing to with the Jackdaw, Carina was definitely not wealthy enough to buy all those items from the Jackdaw. She was forced to use two of her properties in New Hampshire and the Gentle Breeze itself as collateral to get a loan from the businessman, where half of the money would be paid to the pirates on the Jackdaw. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, would have to wait until she sold all the goods before he could receive the other half of the money from her. This would be entered into the Jackdaw¡¯s public fund.


    That was why Zhang Heng had to continue to ensure the Gentle Breeze¡¯s safety. Zhang Heng and Carina were now considered allies, and indeed, this wasn¡¯t going to be a one-time deal. Zhang Heng would need her to continuously help him sell all his plunder. He had learned his lesson from the Kidd¡¯s treasure incident where if he were to let his pirates return to the island, everyone would soon know that the Gentle Breeze was carrying a large number of valuable spices.

 Chapter 154 - Who Wants to Try?!

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Though Anne did not mind sleeping with others, Zhang Heng insisted that she sleep in a separate room. The room initially belonged to the quartermaster of this ship and was around six square meters, a space that was more than ample for a person to sleep in it.


    Anne unbuttoned her shirt and lay on the bed, allowing Zhang Heng to change the bandages on her back. As of now, there were no doctors on the Jackdaw, and there was nothing the captain could do about the situation. The truth was, all the pirate ships in Nassau lacked doctors on board. Many who were not even in the medical profession were forced on pirate boats just because they had a slightly better common sense than the regular peasant. Out of desperation, some pirate crews would travel to other places to kidnap doctors.


    Still, at least half of the pirate fleet did not have a doctor on board. To make matters worse, the doctors in this era were not equipped with proper medical knowledge. Though surgeons were one too many in this era, they had no idea about the concept of disinfection, which was why Zhang Heng preferred to carry out the procedure himself. Anne sat up after Zhang Heng helped her to change into a new set of bandages. Unsurprisingly, she was unabashed of undressing in front of Zhang Heng.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well!¡±


    Zhang Heng was referring to what happened on the Happiness earlier. Worried that the enemies would find out that they outnumbered them, Zhang Heng brought those who were still battle-worthy to board the Happiness. He even went as far as arming his cook and carpenter and asked them to stand guard on the Jackdaw¡¯s deck.


    When he led 30 pirates aboard the Happiness, he could somehow feel their hesitation and unwillingness. When they were asked to hand over their weapons, every single one of them attempted to stall for time. They had a feeling that the captain was up to something no good.


    Once the pirates disarmed their enemies, Anne volunteered to bring some people with her to check out the goods inside the hold. Unfortunately, there was an ambush awaiting them over there. The young navy officers on board were extremely unhappy that pirates attacked them and had exchanged their clothes with the sailors on board. They hid inside the cargo hold.


    Anne led a total of six pirates. Naturally, they did not expect an ambush, and that they would have to fight for their lives. Thanks to her lightning-quick reflexes, Anne quickly ducked to the ground the moment she realized that they were about to be ambushed. The pirate that was right behind her was not as lucky. The navy sailor pointed a gun at him and pulled the trigger! In a blink of an eye, Anne swiftly sprung up and slashed her sword to slice one of the men standing in front of her. At the same time, she pulled out her dagger and stabbed another the chest of another one.


    Still, that did not mean she was out of danger. They were outnumbered, and the ambush had caused the pirates to panic. Anne was now in a death trap. Though she managed to eliminate two navies in the shortest time possible, the rest of them quickly regrouped and started to attack her. Seeing someone aiming at her, Anne promptly lowered her head, managing to dodge the speeding bullet by the skin of her teeth. Unfortunately, she felt a bright hot pain on her back. Somebody had slashed her from behind. The sneak attack did not bring her down, though. Instead, it angered her further, causing her to turn around, and with a shriek, she killed her attacker with no mercy.


    Within half a minute, she managed to wipe out another two navy officers and injured another without so much as batting an eyelid. The young navy cadets who were still in training had never seen someone as ferocious as Anne. After witnessing her raw brutality, none of them dared to attack her anymore. It was then that the five pirates who came with Anne charged into the cargo hold. Though they still outnumbered the pirates, the navies were was left with no option but to surrender all weapons. Anne had completely annihilated their morale.


    1The sailors on the deck heard gunshots ringing from the cargo hold. As everyone here wanted to make use of whatever opportunity they had to fight for their lives, Zhang Heng knew that this was not the time to talk about the intricacies of humanity. Worried over Anne¡¯s safety, he immediately drew his gun, ran to the captain of the Happiness, and pulled the trigger on him. Zhang Heng¡¯s quick decision managed to silence every captured sailor.


    Initially, they thought that Zhang Heng was too young to make the tough decisions, expecting him to panic during a critical moment like this. When they saw Zhang Heng killing the captain without any hesitation, they immediately gave up any thoughts of fighting back.


    Right after Zhang Heng gained control of the deck, he ordered five pirates to assist Anne. However, before they could even get to the hold, Anne came back up to the deck with her back drenched in blood. She tossed 12 decapitated heads on the deck and said, ¡°Who wants to challenge me?!¡±


    The siege had ended.


    Ultimately, this was the final nail in the coffin, and the entire crew of the Happiness gave up all hope of retaliation. None of them dared to move an inch while the pirates moved all their goods to the Jackdaw. After that, Zhang Heng ordered them to take enough food and drinking water from the Happiness to ensure that they could return to Nassau in one piece.


    This battle had ensured that the pirates on the Jackdaw would stay loyal to Zhang Heng come what may. They changed their impression Anne had changed as well, especially the five pirates who went to the cargo hold with her. They now looked up to her in fear and admiration at the same time. As they were returning to Nassau, the five pirates told everyone about what actually happened in the cargo hold. Of course, bits and pieces were added to make it sound a tad juicier and more dramatic. Most pirates on board were simple-minded fools. Before their departure, a large number of them had told Zhang Heng that they were unhappy about Anne¡¯s appointment as the boatswain. After this incident, however, none dared to complain about Anne anymore. In other words, everyone thought that Anne was more than qualified to become their boatswain. The price for that recognition? She was bedridden for three full days.


    The wound on her back was very severe, and she had wholly severed her back muscles. Luckily, the battle was short, and Zhang Heng treated her wounds the moment she got back on the deck. Thanks to the proper medical treatment, her speedy recovery enabled her to walk around the boat right before they arrived in Nassau.


    ¡°Since when have you become so polite? I¡¯m here to help you, not to give you trouble. I need to act like a boatswain since you granted me this position,¡± said Anne while putting on her clothes.


    ¡°I know that you are good at fighting. You should have retreated to the deck when you realized that you¡¯ve been ambushed.¡±


    ¡°It would be hard for us to take control of the hold if we let them have the slightest taste of success. Also, the captured sailors on the deck would surely retaliate.¡±


    Zhang Heng was surprised that Anne could see a bigger picture.


    ¡°Did that run through your mind at that time?¡±


    ¡°No. I just thought that it would be deeply embarrassing to flee a battle on my first day as a boatswain.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

 Chapter 155 - First Come, First Serve

    The Jackdaw had been moored at the harbor for three days. During that period, many pirates requested to get off the ship but Zhang Heng denied all of them. If a similar thing were to have happened back then, the crew would have definitely ganged up and force the captain to let them get off the ship.


    Everyone was silent when Dufresne came over to hand everyone their profits. All the new recruits were glad that they made the decision to join the Jackdaw. None of them would be stupid enough to disobey Zhang Heng and lose their right to be part of this ship. However, this whole staying-on-the-ship thing could last only three days.


    After three days of curfew, the pirates were at their wits¡¯ end and decided that they had enough. Even if someone pointed a gun at their heads, it would not stop them from leaving. None of them would listen to Zhang Heng and Billy, where some pirates started to launch lifeboats and rowed to Nassau. Out of desperation, some even jumped into the ocean, attempting to swim ashore. After all, the Jackdaw wasn¡¯t anchored too far from land.


    Based on Zhang Heng¡¯s calculations, the Gentle Wind should be safe by now. So, he did not stop his pirates from leaving the ship. Sensing freedom, they squeezed every bit of strength possible and rowed as fast as they could to get to Nassau¡¯s harbor. The bystanders were excited to see that the Jackdaw¡¯s crew was finally allowed to leave their ship. Everyone was eager to know how well their first voyage went.


    Instead of stopping at the harbor once they landed on Nassau, all the pirates ran to where Gatsby, the moneylender stayed. Noticing a group of pirates running to his place, Gatsby quickly asked his guard to move a table in front of his house. He also carried a gunny sack with him.


    When they arrived at Gatsby¡¯s place, Dufresne handed him a paper containing the signatures of Zhang Heng and Carina. He then read and checked it three times before placing it into his pocket. This was the most exciting moment for all the pirates as they were about to receive their share of the money. Each pirate on the Jackdaw stood to get at least 40 Spanish gold coins, an amount equivalent to 320 silver pesos. It was way more than what they had expected. For the ones with specific tasks on the ship like the cook and the cannoneers, they were given an extra 160 pesos each.


    Zhang Heng received a total of 120 gold coins. As the captain of the ship, he was eligible to receive double the profit. Also, he was one of the seventeen who took over this ship in Charleston. Hence, all seventeen of them received another 40 gold coins.


    Technically speaking, this ship was the first thing that they plundered from the navy. However, it would be unwise for them to sell this battleship for cash. So, Zhang Heng came up with a unique way to compensate all seventeen of them. For three years, they were entitled to an extra share of the loot. This rule would not change even if Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t the captain of the Jackdaw in the future. However, if the elders decided to leave the ship or were killed during a battle, they would no longer be able to receive the extra share.


    As the boatswain and bravest pirate on the Jackdaw, Anne received a total of 80 gold coins. Since she was now wealthy enough to purchase her own property, she did not need to rely on anyone anymore. After that, she handed out 40 golden coins to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Just like what I¡¯ve promised you. I¡¯m going to give half of my share to you since this is my very first yield.¡±


    This was the promise that Anne made when she first met Zhang Heng, one that he had already long forgotten. He was surprised that she still remembered it. Throughout her stay with Zhang Heng, she hadn¡¯t cost him too much money, and considering that the rent for the house had been paid, all he bought for her was a set of utensils. Truth be told, Zhang Heng probably spent a total of two gold coins on her. It was not a big deal for him.


    When he looked into Anne¡¯s eyes, he realized how much it meant to her for him to take it. Left with no other option, Zhang Heng took the coins from her.


    ¡­¡­..


    Soon, the news of the Jackdaw returning to Nassau with a ship full of valuable goods spread throughout the entire city like wildfire. Naturally, a large number of people were shocked by this. A mere two months ago, most of the island¡¯s residents looked down on the crew. Most thought that the captain was too young to lead a pirate group. Even those interested in joining the crew decided to wait for them to return from their first voyage before officially joining them. The same people were now regretting their decision.


    When a pirate from the Jackdaw lost 20 gold coins in a night during a gambling session, it motivated the people of Nassau to form their own pirate crews. However, most of them did not have a proper ship, a reliable crew, and even their captains were randomly chosen. Naturally, they wanted to set sail to earn their fortune. Unfortunately, most of them would not end well. There was nothing to worry about if they returned to Nassau empty-handed but for those managing to return with loot on their ships, they would have to worry about pressure from the black-market alliance. By that time, they would quickly realize that earning good money was no easy task.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Heng allowed his crew to take a month¡¯s break. If there were one word to describe the Jackdaw¡¯s first sail, it would be ¡®perfect.¡¯ That said, the pirates on board had earned a considerable amount of money. The bad thing was that they were no longer motivated to set sail again in search for more fortunes. The only thing that ran through their minds right now was to look for a way to spend whatever money they had in their pockets.


    So, the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates literally poured into the brothels and casinos in Nassau. Expecting them to improve themselves at a time like this was close to impossible. On the other hand, Zhang Heng made use of the time to deal with something that he had in mind.


    That evening, Zhang Heng, Anne, and Billy visited a restaurant called the Mermaid. They saw a couple of pirates from the Jackdaw in there. Most of them were very drunk, and a few attractive ladies were keeping them company. When they saw Zhang Heng, Billy, and Anne, they erupted into loud cheers and urged the trio to join them for drinks. In the end, Billy talked them out of it and made them go home.


    After that, the three of them executed their plan. Anne and Billy entered the restaurant from the front and Zhang Heng walked to the alley behind the restaurant. He then took out the watch that he bought yesterday and took a look at it. Two minutes later, a slender man with a mustache pushed the waitresses aside and scooted out of the restaurant¡¯s backdoor, constantly turning behind him as he ran.


    Unexpectedly, something tripped him, causing him to lose his balance and he fell into someone¡¯s vomit. As he turned around, he was greeted with a gun on his nose. Not too long after that, a middle-aged man stormed out of the restaurant angrily. They both crashed into each other, causing the middle-aged man to drop his glass of liquor. He had come out of the restaurant to teach the man a lesson.


    The slender man was excited when he saw the man running out of the restaurant, seeming as if he recognized the person coming at him. Unfortunately, his excitement only lasted for a short while because Zhang Heng pulled out his second gun and pointed it at the man.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. First come, first serve.¡±

 Chapter 156 - Information Broker

    The little bearded man¡¯s name was Hank, an information broker who had something of a reputation on the island. He was well acquainted with quite a few captains who frequented Nassau and, therefore, was able to amass a lot of information. Many pirates had bought tip-offs from him.


    When Billy was on the Sea Lion, he had gone along with Orff to see the guy. It was also then that he came to know Hank. They even shared a few drinks together. Having a good relationship between them, Billy had elected to employ Hank¡¯s services for the Jackdaw¡¯s first voyage.


    Although Hank may look unremarkable, he had his particular specialty, having done business on the island for such a long time.


    He would assess the value of the prey, the information¡¯s level of detail and credibility, then combine them to estimate the overall quality of the intelligence.


    It was very much like the tip-off about the ship carrying perfume, which scored high in terms of value and source credibility. The information only lacked in minor details but was enough to be regarded as a high-quality tip-off.


    This was also why Hank demanded such a high price¨Ctwo Spanish gold coins. To ensure that the information would be reserved exclusively for the Jackdaw, Billy spent ten Spanish gold coins to buy out the information. The transaction meant that other than the Jackdaw, Hank could not sell the information to any other pirates.


    After that, Hank confirmed that the Duffy, the tobacco ship, was also on the same route, which put Billy at ease. Having secured two leads, he was very confident about the Jackdaw¡¯s first voyage.


    However, everything that happened after went utterly unexpected. If it wasn¡¯t for the female merchant Karina boarding the ship halfway, providing crucial information about the perfume vessel, what would have awaited Jackdaw would be the cruel reality of returning empty-handed.


    While Bill was no wily old fox like Orff, he was no fool either. When the perfume ship was nowhere in sight, he was already suspicious. But then again, these things happened all too often. Even so, he could not immediately dismiss the second tip-off simply because the first one was fruitless. What would be the point of buying the backup piece of information then?


    The direction in which the events developed confirmed his misgivings. With two tip-offs consecutively falling through, Billy realized that he had been duped. What he could not understand was that he had a pretty amicable relationship with Hank all these years, and the Jackdaw had no quarrel with him either. Why would the information broker do this to him then?


    Today, the three had come to the Mermaid Restaurant to get to the bottom of this.


    Hank immediately knew who was behind the door. Recently, Zhang Heng had become the most famous person on the whole island. When the Jackdaw first appeared on the banks of Nassau, Hank came running out to join the crowd too. As an information broker, expanding his network was an essential part of the job. So, he was no stranger to the Jackdaw or her new captain.


    The information broker scrambled to his feet, not even bothering to wipe off the dirt on his shirt. The man clad in black stood in front of him, and smiled thinly.


    Hank nervously blurted, ¡°I was very clear when I sold the information to you. I cannot guarantee that every lead is absolutely valid. Even the most credible information could suffer unexpected outcomes. The target could divert its course halfway, encounters with other pirates, then there¡¯s the weather¡­ look, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask your helmsman. I did reiterate about these risks, you know¡­¡±


    Hank took in a deep breath and then continued, ¡°Of course, I deeply regret your experience, but fortunately, you suffered no losses in the end, right? How about this. Let¡¯s all take a step back; I¡¯ll return your money, and this whole thing will just be water under the bridge, eh?¡±


    Zhang Heng said nothing in reply. Just then, Anne and Billy came in from the back door of the tavern and cornered Hank in.


    Seeing that the situation was not in his favor, the information broker quickly added, ¡°Err¡­ also, the next time you go out to sea, I can give you some valuable tip-offs for free. I guarantee that there will be no more accidents this time.¡±


    Hank leaned against the cold stone wall, trying his best to remain calm. In the past, people had hounded him down because the information he provided was inaccurate, but he had always been shrewd enough to deal with the situation. While there were only a handful of information brokers on the island, and they usually competed against each other, they would also stick together if the need arose. Once, an information broker was killed, and when they discovered the murderer, no one sold any information to the pirate ship the murderer belonged to. In the end, the pirate ship was forced to change their captain.


    Hank looked at Billy. He had been on the island for a long time, so there was no way he had never heard of that incident. As a helmsman by profession, he should be informing his own captain of the possible consequences of harming information brokers.


    However, Billy did not respond, still staring daggers at him.


    Then Hank saw the female redhead pirate drawing out the dagger on her waist. She smiled at him slyly.


    The next thing he felt was a sharp coldness in his chest. When he looked down, he saw that his linen shirt had been torn open, and the dagger was deep inside his flesh, missing his heart by only two centimeters. The redhead only needed to push the blade a little deeper, and it would be the end of him.


    Hank was really alarmed this time. He never expected this bunch to completely disregard the rules. The information broker¡¯s voice cracked as he mumbled in pain, ¡°You¡­ how much do you want as compensation? At least give me a number.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t want any compensation,¡± Zhang Heng finally spoke. ¡°But we need you to answer a few questions. Truthfully, of course.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Hank asked wearily, his eyes squinting as blood dripped down his shirt.


    ¡­


    An hour later, Zhang Heng and his companions left through the alley.


    Anne sheathed her dagger as she frowned. ¡°Malcolm. Anyone of you knows who this guy is? What¡¯s his problem with us?¡±


    ¡°Malcolm is the second-best trader of the black-market alliance. This man comes from a rather powerful family in the New World,¡± explained Billy, who had a better knowledge of the island than the other two. ¡°Do not underestimate him simply because of his background. Malcolm arrived in Nassau about four years ago. When he first came to the island, he had nothing, save a cargo ship. His family located far away in New York could only provide him easy passage through the customs, but when it came to the matters in Nassau, he was on his own. He practically started from scratch. Today, he has established good relations with at least a dozen pirate ships. Last year, Black Prince Sam even started to work with him, making him one of the more closely followed characters of the black-market alliance.¡±

 Chapter 157 - Invitation

    ¡°So, how does our failed voyage benefit Malcolm?¡± asked the redhead.


    ¡°Not everyone on this island supports the establishment of the black-market alliance, especially the smaller, less powerful pirate gangs. But because of their size, no one would pay attention to what they have to say. We are the only ones on the island left who are strong enough but have not joined the alliance¨Cmany are watching our every move, which was why we had such a hard time negotiating the price. The black-market alliance doesn¡¯t mind increasing the buying price for a single pirate group. Still, if they were to do that, they¡¯d be violating their own rules, and it would also set a precedent for others to ask for higher prices. So if our first voyage turned out badly, I¡¯m sure that there would be no such trouble.¡±


    Anne was absolutely bewildered and distressed by this scheme. When she was done listening, she said, ¡°So, very simply, if we work with Carina now, then we¡¯ll have nothing to do with the black-market alliance, right? This means that there won¡¯t be any more of this sabotaging bullshit in the future, right?¡±


    Zhang Heng piped in, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that may not be the case. This is exactly the situation that the black-market alliance doesn¡¯t want to see. We returned with a full load, yet chose to sell our loot through a channel outside of theirs. They watched a batch of precious goods leave the island but did not profit from it¨Cthe thing they can¡¯t tolerate the most especially since they offered us a much higher price than they normally would for the older pirate groups. All the more, they need to make up for this loss from the new pirate group. There¡¯s a good chance that they won¡¯t turn a blind eye to our misdemeanor.¡±


    ¡°Huh? How despicable! We decide for ourselves how we want to deal with the loot we earn. What does that have anything to do with them? Speaking of which, ever since this stupid alliance was established, Nassau has been under a dark cloud. There¡¯s been an awful atmosphere around here. Why don¡¯t we just go over there now and kill them all?!¡± the redhead growled, obviously irritated.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea,¡± said a familiar voice from behind them. ¡°They have the support of some of the most powerful pirate gangs. You are at a disadvantage. It¡¯s not wise to make a move in a time like this.¡±


    The three of them turned around, only to see an old pirate walking out of the bakery next door. He was wearing a new outfit and looked rather cheerful, except for the same old grey tricorn on his head. He also carried with him a bag of freshly baked toast.


    ¡°Well, well. If it ain¡¯t Frazer. How dare you show up in front of us?¡± Billy¡¯s tone turned icy as soon as he heard the voice.


    Back on the Sea Lion, Frazer constantly went against the group of old seadogs, nearly costing their lives. As soon as they came ashore, they ran to the tavern that their captain often frequented, only to find nobody there. Billy never thought that the old captain would make such a grand appearance now.


    ¡°Billy, you know that this is nothing personal. We both share the same goal¨Cto liberate the crew of the Sea Lion from Orff¡¯s and Kid¡¯s lies and barbaric rule. Forgive me for being straightforward, but that little trick you guys pulled was simply not good enough. Thus, I had no choice but to solve the problem in my own way.¡±


    The old pirate shrugged and admitted, ¡°Yes, I did make use of you. Of course, you have every reason to be angry, but if things go according to my plan, I can ensure that you guys won¡¯t be in trouble later. I know you don¡¯t trust me, but, at the very least, you trust Owen, right? That kid¡¯s performance on the ship was stellar. He really did care for you guys. It was genuine. When he becomes captain, he will make sure that justice will be served for you.¡±


    Billy sneered. ¡°You¡¯re right, but that¡¯s provided we can live to see that day. If Zhang Heng hadn¡¯t come to an agreement with Orff, we would¡¯ve been gone even before we arrived at Charleston. I won¡¯t believe your lies anymore, Frazer. Not another bloody word of yours. Your eyes are only on the profit. When it comes to that, there¡¯s no too big of a sacrifice, right?¡±


    ¡°In reality, I¡¯m not as cold-blooded as you think. I know you have your grievances against me. So, take this as me making up to you for all the harm that I¡¯ve caused you.¡± Frazer then reached into his shirt pocket.


    Seeing that, Billy and Anne instinctively drew their weapons. Seeing the situation heating up, he used his other hand that was holding the bread to gesture at them to calm down. With the other, he pulled out an invitation card and handed it to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I admit that there was an oversight on my part. I knew that you were good, but I never thought that you¡¯d perform better than expected. If I can choose again, I would surely recruit you instead of using you as bait. Unfortunately, we can¡¯t change what¡¯s happened, right?¡± The old pirate sighed deeply. ¡°You¡¯re no less talented than Kidd, and have a group of fine seamen with you. The only thing stopping you from becoming the most powerful pirate gang is time. That¡¯s where I come in. I can help you acquire the time you need.¡±


    The old pirate paused for a minute before continuing. ¡°After much persuasion, Malcolm realized that the way he dealt with you before this was a mistake. He is willing to apologize for what happened, and, at the same time, renegotiate the terms of the deal with you. There will be a dinner party at Terrance¡¯s mansion in seven days. Malcolm hopes to meet you there.¡±


    ¡°So, you were the one behind the black-market alliance all along, huh,¡± Billy hissed.


    ¡°You people overestimate me,¡± Frazer replied gingerly. ¡°Redmond and Malcolm¡¯s men have learned their lesson from the failure of the first alliance. Now, they¡¯ve set out to explore and establish a new alliance, or to be more precise, the previous alliance was premature; nothing more but a guinea pig. By using that, they were able to practice and accumulate experience while testing and observing the reactions of each party on the island. That¡¯s why the new alliance seemed to be so well established. Now, they¡¯ve prepared for three whole years. When the news was spread a few months ago, they were very near to its completion.


    ¡°As for me, it was all just a coincidence. Even without my help, they could still look for others to help them contact those pirates. At most, it would cost them more time.¡± Frazer suddenly turned dead serious. ¡°You guys have never met Malcolm before, and do not know how scary he can be. He is the most dangerous person I¡¯ve met in my entire lifetime. I suggest that you take this opportunity to mend your relationship with the black-market alliance. The Jackdaw¡¯s hunting ground is on the ocean, and the black-market alliance is in control of the land. There is no conflict of interest between the two of you. If you could just sit down and talk things through like gentlemen, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no reason to go against each other.¡±

 Chapter 158 - Annes House

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng was unsurprised that the black-market alliance started to panic after knowing that the Jackdaw¡¯s first voyage was a victory. When they found out that Zhang Heng had been working alongside Carina to sell off all his loot, they instantly knew that they had lost the right to negotiate with him. Naturally, they would want to look for a way to solve their problem.


    Frazer was right about the Jackdaw needing time to grow. At the same time, this applied to the newly born black-market alliance as well. Redmond and Malcolm were both black-market merchants that wanted to make the maximum profit they could from the pirates. All these while, they were hoping to establish some sort of order in Nassau to end the chaotic trading era. Through a series of carefully executed plans, they managed to convince enough people to support them. Right now, most of the influential pirate crews were on their side. At the same time, some went against them.


    What they were doing right now had gone against a long-standing principle of Nassau, one that its people held dearly to their hearts. This principle was the spirit of adventure. Many small-time pirates were unhappy with the current proposal offered by the black-market alliance. As compared to the organized black-market alliance, these were considered a leaderless group of weaklings with no sense of camaraderie, and therefore, were no threat to the alliance. Once the black-market alliance crossed the unstable period, these small-time pirates would be left with no option but to accept whatever deal that the alliance threw at them.


    With Zhang Heng¡¯s success, all of them saw a ray of new hope. The Jackdaw was the only pirate crew that had elected to not partner up with the black-market alliance. Things were no longer just a problem between the Jackdaw and the black-market alliance.


    This was both a good and bad thing for Zhang Heng. Whether he liked it or not, he and the Jackdaw had become the center of attention in Nassau. They had eyes on them at any given time of the day. Hence, both parties could only solve this problem through legal channels. Undeniably, Zhang Heng would benefit more than the black-market alliance if they managed to solve their grievances. As long as the Jackdaw was growing, the black-market alliance would continue to be under enormous pressure. To Zhang Heng¡¯s surprise, Malcolm from the black-market alliance looked for him sooner than he expected.


    ¡°I just did a quick check. A banquet will be held at Terrance¡¯s mansion in six days. Malcolm has invited some of the most powerful individuals on this island. That would include celebrated captains and wealthy landowners. Malcolm apparently organized the banquet as a thank-you for their continuous support of the black-market alliance. This banquet should be safe for you to go.¡±


    As the helmsman of the Jackdaw, Billy did everything he could to make sure that the ship and her captain wouldn¡¯t be taken advantage of. Once Zhang Heng received the invitation, Billy proceeded to investigate the matter, telling him about his findings the next morning.


    ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done,¡± said Zhang Heng,


    Anne yawned as she sleepily came downstairs after Billy left the house.


    ¡°Are you planning to attend the banquet?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Malcolm wants to know what kind of person I am. At the same time, I want to know what exactly the black-market alliance is planning as well.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I have seriously no idea what goes on in that mind of yours. If it were to be me, I would just kill all the enemies that stand in my way. Why waste time and reason with them


    As she went on, Anne walked to the dining table and spread some jam on a piece of bread.


    ¡°I wish it was that simple. Hey, let¡¯s not talk about this. Did you manage to find a house that you like?¡±


    ¡°Harry scouted the area for me, and guess what? I¡¯ve finally found a house that perfectly matches what I want! It¡¯s very near to the harbor, and two restaurants located on the next street are only a 15-minute walk away. They are even open at night. There¡¯s even an empty plot of land behind the house where I can practice my fencing skills. The house costs only 200 silver pesos. Harry said he can help me lower the price even more. I¡¯m planning to buy the house this very afternoon if the price is right.¡±


    ¡°Congrats!¡±


    Zhang Heng knew that buying her own property meant a lot to her. The reason why she ran away from her wealthy family was that she wanted to pursue freedom. Throughout her childhood, she had always witnessed her mother slogging like a maid for her father. After that, she swore to never rely on the mercy others like her mother had done her whole life. That was also why she was adamant about giving half of her loot to Zhang Heng, not wanting to owe him anything.


    From the very beginning, Anne told Zhang Heng that she was only going to stay at his place temporarily and promised to move out as soon as she earned enough money. The moment she received her share of the money, she quickly searched for her own place on the island. Her dream finally came true.


    ¡°From today onwards, no one can stop me from putting my legs on the dining table! And no one can force me to finish my soup as well!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    Initially, Zhang Heng wanted to help Anne to move over to her new house. Unfortunately, he was told that some of his pirates had started a brawl in one of the brothels. As the captain of the Jackdaw, it was Zhang Heng¡¯s duty to head there and solve the problem. Luckily, it was not as serious as he thought it would be. There was indeed a fight, but there was no loss of life, albeit an unlucky pirate who got stabbed in the thigh. When Zhang Heng arrived at the brothel, the man¡¯s wound was already wrapped up in bandages.


    It turned out that both parties were fighting over the same woman. Initially, the woman had been booked by a group of pirates from a ship called the Hunter, but when the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates doubled their price, the prostitute changed her mind and decided to serve them instead. Due to bruised egos on the side of the Hunter¡¯s pirates, both parties ended up bludgeoning each other.


    Incidents like this were prevalent in brothels. The solution was equally simple, where all they needed to do was to pay them a small amount of money to prevent conflict from happening. However, the pirates from the Hunter knew that the Jackdaw had returned with a windfall. Hence, greed had motivated them to demand a huge ransom from the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates. When they refused to pay up, the Hunter¡¯s pirates stopped them from leaving the brothel since they outnumbered them.


    The Hunter¡¯s captain stood up and adjusted his collar. It seemed like he was about to say something to Zhang Heng. However, Zhang Heng could not bother to listen to what he had to say.


    ¡°Let my people go!¡±


    ¡°No problem! I¡¯ll let them go after you pay 20 gold coins as compensation for my men¡¯s medical fees.¡±


    ¡°It seems that peacefully resolving this matter is out of the question. Old rules it is then.¡±


    Immediately, Zhang Heng drew his saber from his sheath. The Hunter¡¯s captain was taken aback, seeing how ruthless the Jackdaw¡¯s skipper was. If both sides failed to resolve a matter peacefully, the captain from one party could either choose to duel with another captain or allow their pirates to battle each other in groups. Those were the old rules that Zhang Heng mentioned earlier. It would seem that Zhang Heng chose to mano-y-mano with the captain. If it were 20 years ago, the Hunter¡¯s captain would have accepted the duel. Unfortunately, he was now an old man and was unfit to fight anymore. There was no way that he could defeat Zhang Heng.


    ¡°We outnumber you! Why should I fight with you?¡± snapped the captain of the Hunter.


    At that statement, he noticed his pirates glaring at him in the most condescending of ways. Usually, a fearless pirate would never reject another pirate¡¯s request for a duel. He had just turned himself into a coward in front of everyone.


    ¡°Group fight? Are you sure?¡±


    Calmly, Zhang Heng put away his saber and looked at the goons that stood around them.


    ¡°I will pay three silver coins to anyone able to defeat a pirate from the Hunter. Who¡¯s with me?¡±


    Immediately, everyone in the brothel stood up.

 Chapter 159 - Happy That You Stayed

    The conflict ended with the pirates from the Hunter leaving the brothel without a single coin. To thank the brothel¡¯s patrons, Zhang Heng bought them all a round of drinks. He left the place, earning praises and respect for his generosity. Once this matter was settled, Dufresne asked Zhang Heng to head to the arms dealer¡¯s house. It seemed that the arms dealer had managed to get his hands on the ammunition for the Jackdaw¡¯s 24-pound cannons. Dufresne wanted to discuss the number of cannonballs that they would need with Zhang Heng. He also wanted to talk about recruiting a new cook for the ship as well.


    It was now sunset, and Zhang Heng finally returned home. Anne was no longer there when he opened the door. He then went to her room to look for her, but she was nowhere to be found as well. After the incident in Charleston, Marvin had decided to stay on the Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge. No one knew where they were at the moment. Now that Anne had moved out too, Zhang Heng was left alone in this empty space.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng felt something missing in the house. On a typical day, Anne would complain that she was hungry at this hour. Right now, there was all but silence. Unconsciously, Zhang Heng had gotten used to Anne¡¯s voice around the house.


    He missed her tough masculine antics.


    He missed her coming home to him after fighting with someone outside.


    He missed her long rants about other pirates looking down on her.


    The truth was, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t prepared for her eventual departure. Buying a house had always been Anne¡¯s dream. As she was one step closer to her goal, she gradually lost the reason to continue staying in Zhang Heng¡¯s house. Just this morning, the two of them were talking about how she could do whatever she wanted when she had her room. And Zhang Heng was genuinely happy for her. Somehow, the two avoided the topic of their separation.


    ¡­


    Zhang Heng finished his dinner alone that night. Before he went to bed, he read the journal that he took from the Jackdaw. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, he was woken by a curious rustling in the house. Immediately, his eyes popped open, and he grabbed the saber lying next to him. In all possibility, it was an intruder breaking in. Considering the Jackdaw and the black-market alliance were not on good terms, Zhang Heng knew that he had the potential to make enemies. Logically, Malcolm wouldn¡¯t have sent someone to kill him since the black-market alliance hadn¡¯t officially considered him as their enemy. Besides, a man of Malcolm¡¯s stature would surely not resort to using such a despicable method to eliminate Zhang Heng.


    To prevent himself from becoming a gunshot victim, Zhang Heng swiftly lit the oil lamps in his house. He then lay flat in front of the door and attempted to listen to the footsteps outside his room. When the sounds in the hallway stopped, Zhang Heng instantly stood up and opened the door. He was hoping to surprise the intruder with his saber. However, the shadowy figure in front of him was quick enough to dodge his attack. Instead of retreating, the intruder¡¯s fist was raised and was poised to attack.


    The intruder was bolder than Zhang Heng expected. He wanted to dodge the intruder¡¯s attack, but quickly realized that it was too late to do so. The intruder landed a hard punch on his chin. He was thinking of slashing the intruder at the same time but held back. Soon, the conflict turned into an intense fight in the dark. After a while, Zhang Heng noticed that the intruder¡¯s moves were too familiar. He had sparred a couple of times with Anne and was familiar with her movements. He was also pretty sure that Anne knew that she was fighting him. However, she had no intention to stop her brawls anytime soon. He could feel her getting more excited with every breath.


    The moment Zhang Heng hesitated for a short while, he was hit in the chest twice and was forced to recollect himself to handle Anne¡¯s relentless attacks. The battle abruptly ended when Anne jumped on him and pinned him to the ground. To Zhang Heng¡¯s surprise, his sword skill had been promoted to LV 2 once the fight was over. He was left speechless when he received the notification. On the other hand, Anne was gasping for air, and her face was flushing as well.


    ¡°You lost!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Why are you not talking?¡±


    ¡°You came back in the middle of the bloody night just to fight with me?!¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m here to inform you that I¡¯m not buying the house.¡±


    Anne let go of Zhang Heng¡¯s arm, slid her butt across his belly, and got off from him.


    ¡°Why? Wasn¡¯t that your lifelong dream?¡±


    ¡°I thought it was. When I was young, my father was the one who provided me with food and a place to stay. On the contrary, my mom had to constantly please his whims and demands. At that time, I thought I could freely live the way I wanted if I had my own house. So, that became my main goal when I came to Nassau. Completing my goal meant that I was finally independent.¡±


    ¡°You have done some awe-inspiring things in this era.¡±


    At that point in history, women were perceived as the weaker of the sexes. Hence, their social status was way lower compared to men. Though Zhang Heng had helped her a lot in Nassau, the fact that she managed to gain the respect of the men around her was indeed unprecedented.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave this place. Buying the house means that I can finally live freely. However, if I can¡¯t live the life that I want even after buying the house, it would be pointless. That¡¯s not freedom to me. I mean, it¡¯s good to have my own house and all, and I would very much enjoy putting my legs on the dining table and not being forced to finish my soup. But, my true freedom has nothing to do with all that. I want to be able to choose the life that I wish to lead.¡±


    Once she was done talking, she pushed Zhang Heng to the floor, ripped off her top, and climbed on him.


    ¡°I like you! I don¡¯t care whether you like me or you have your eye on others. I don¡¯t care if or when you¡¯ll leave me. Maybe this love that I have for you will disappear someday. By that time, I will reserve the right to leave you.¡±


    In the dark, Zhang Heng could see her eyes alight with the flames of passion. After hesitating for a short while, Zhang Heng caressed her body with his hands. He gently ran over the scars littering her soft skin.


    ¡°Are they ugly?¡± asked a bashful Anne.


    ¡°No. They are beautiful.¡±


    Zhang Heng was dying to tell her, to be not so cavalier about her life and so blindly charge at every enemy that came at her. Nevertheless, he chose to stay mum in the end. Knowing her personality through and through, Zhang Heng knew that it was pointless telling her things like that.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that you¡¯ve decided to stay.¡±

 Chapter 160 - Terrances Mansion

    Zhang Heng finally got a few days off for himself. It appeared that news about the brothel incident had spread throughout Nassau. Whenever anyone wanted to mess with the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates, they would have to first consider if they could beat Zhang Heng¡¯s wealth. From then on, his conflicts lessened dramatically, and he didn¡¯t need to waste more time dealing with troubles like that.


    These days, Zhang Heng would spend most of his time sparring with Anne. He would also tend to a vegetable farm that he had started as well.


    Zhang Heng was glad that he was now living in a tropical country. All the tomatoes, carrots, and cabbages that he planted in the ground were all ready for harvest when he returned from his voyages. Proper care wasn¡¯t even required as the weather here would take good care of his vegetables while he was gone for a month or two.


    As compared to training for combat, Anne was not interested in farming. Most of the time, she would sprawl lazily on the chair outside the house and watch Zhang Heng tend to his crops. The incident that night was akin to a rock dropping into a lake. There were ripples at first, but calm quickly returned after a little while.


    Anne did not change the way she treated Zhang Heng, not to mention that she did not look as if she was in love as well. The only thing that changed was the frequency of Anne¡¯s sparring requests. Perhaps it was her very own way of showing her love to him.


    ¡­.


    Five days later, Zhang Heng visited Terrance¡¯s mansion with Anne and Billy. Although it would seem that he faced no potential threats there, it would still be inappropriate for the captain of the Jackdaw to go there alone. Malcolm didn¡¯t organize his banquet in the town of Nassau. Instead, it was located on a plantation somewhere near the center of the island. The land belonged to him, and that was his place of residence as well.


    Unlike the wooden houses on the northern shores, Malcolm¡¯s mansion was made out of stone, and it was designed with an adaptation of Baroque architecture. However, stones were not available on New Providence Island. Malcolm had to import those stones from somewhere else. One could only imagine how much a single stone would cost. He even went as far as hiring two Italian architects, taking three long years to build the mansion. This was his first time exposing his mysterious abode to outsiders.


    ¡°Well¡­ it appears that this guy has done very well for himself over the years!¡± exclaimed Anne while staring at the giant statues of Apollo and Daphne in front of the mansion.


    ¡°This is exactly why he organized this banquet. He wants to let everyone know that they too can earn big bucks if they work with him.¡±


    Zhang Heng had Malcolm all figured out in his mind.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s managed to achieve his agenda,¡± said Billy.


    He turned around, only to see every guest standing with their mouths wide open as they stared in awe at the large statues. A man appearing to be a butler stood at the entrance at the mansion and checked the invitation that Zhang Heng brought with him.


    ¡°Welcome to the Terrance mansion. I wish the three of you a pleasant time.¡±


    After that, he rang the bell that he was holding. At the ring, three maids clad in black approached them. They seemed really young, about 16 to 17 years of age.


    ¡°Hello. My name is Daisy. I will be serving you tonight, and I will do my best to fulfill everything that you need.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need a servant. Besides, I don¡¯t like people following me around.¡±


    The maid looked taken aback by Anne¡¯s snappy comment. There was still a smile on her face, but it was evident that it was forced. Once the butler noticed the small commotion, he walked towards Zhang Heng right after he checked the person¡¯s invitation in front of him. He saw that Daisy had started panicking.


    ¡°Greetings. May I know what is going on here? Are you dissatisfied with Daisy¡¯s company? I can get you someone else right away.¡±


    Just when Anne wanted to say something, Zhang Heng interrupted her.


    ¡°Everything is good. We are thinking of asking Daisy to show us around the mansion.¡±


    ¡°I believe that you will definitely like this place. However, I don¡¯t think you can finish exploring in a day because this place is massive. Besides, our special performance is about to begin. I would like to recommend that you enter the banquet hall first. There will be free time for you to walk around after the banquet is over. Feel free to tell your maid if you wish to stay here for the night.¡±


    Zhang Heng then nodded his head and thanked the butler. He started to walk towards the brightest building that was not too far away from him. Anne was smart enough to know why Zhang Heng interrupted her just now. Once they were away from the entrance, Anne talked to the servant.


    ¡°Will you be punished if we rejected your services just now?¡±


    Daisy did not respond to Anne¡¯s question. Instead, she undid the back of her dress, and shockingly, it was scarred from top to bottom, probably the result of continuous whipping. Seeing what the maid had to endure, Anne became so furious that she was about to draw her dagger and kill the person responsible for the torture.


    ¡°Better not try anything stupid here. I don¡¯t like this too. Once the women are sold to the household, they are being treated as property. No one can say a word, no matter what Malcolm does to them. You are going to make them suffer even more if you insist on avenging them. We are simply guests, and we will leave this mansion after tonight. They are the ones who would have to remain here,¡± said Billy in a hushed tone.


    Daisy was grateful for Billy¡¯s explanation. Left in fumes of frustration, Anne put away her dagger. Soon, the three arrived at the ballroom, and Daisy opened the doors for them. If the outer part of the building was luxurious, the structure¡¯s interior could only be described as resplendent and magnificent. A vast chandelier hung from the center of a massive dome with more than a hundred candles alight on it. The candlelight was as bright as day, displaying an intricately decorated wall that was covered with ribbons. A soft Persian carpet lined the entire floor.


    ¡°How nostalgic! I feel like I¡¯m back in Scotland,¡± cooed a landowner who was behind them.


    Throngs of guests were invited to the banquet. However, there were two kinds of people here. One was the conventional businessmen. They were deeply impressed by the lavish decorations and sculptures inside the ballroom. They only stood there and observed without touching anything. On the other hand, there were pirates. This lot had their hands all over the valuables in the ballroom. Of course, the thought of looting these items came across their minds. They knew that it would earn them a handsome fortune if they could sell them off.

 Chapter 161 - Order

    Before the banquet began, Billy introduced some of the captains and businessmen that he knew to Zhang Heng. Pirates usually preferred to keep everything to themselves, but that didn¡¯t mean that they weren¡¯t social animals. All too often, they would employ the assistance of trusted pirate crews if they encountered targets that they could not handle alone. No harm would be done by getting to know more people.


    All the pirates attending the banquet were part of the black-market alliance. They were just trading partners and had nothing against the Jackdaw. As long as Zhang Heng did not stop them from getting rich, they didn¡¯t care who he worked with. Half an hour later, almost all the guests had arrived. Still, Malcolm, the host, was not here.


    After a while, the butler from the entrance came onto the stage.


    ¡°Before the banquet begins, Mr. Malcom has prepared you a simple performance. I hope you will enjoy it.¡±


    The butler then rang his bell once again. This time, two men were being sent out to the stage. Instantly, the atmosphere grew tense. Both of them were topless, with only a pair of boxers on them. Their hands and feet were cuffed, and they had bulging muscles as hard as steel. They gave off the impression of wild animals that had just come out of the forest. A few female audiences could not help but let out screams of fear. A group of guards escorted these men and were shoved onto the stage at gunpoint. After that, the guards uncuffed them, with the others closely watching and ready to open fire if something went wrong.


    ¡°This is not your first stint. You should know the rules better than anyone else. I¡¯m not going to waste my breath here. Kill your opponents in the given time, and you will live to see tomorrow. Otherwise¡­¡±


    The butler then drew his gun and shot a black servant that was pouring wine for the audience. Her blood splattered all over the place, and she soon stopped breathing. The butler then calmly kept away his gun as if nothing had happened. Two other black servants trembled in fear when they saw the butler, signaling them to move the body out and clean the blood on the floor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish for that to happen to either of you. After all, Mr. Malcom spent a lot of money to purchase you two. You are warriors; beasts! I don¡¯t think your dignity would allow you to be put down by a gun, right? So, I need the two of you to bring some happiness to our guests down there!¡±


    After that, the butler left the stage. The two black muscular men glared at each other before pouncing on each other without hesitation. The guests were lit with excitement, with the pirates noisily clanking the dinnerware to hype up the atmosphere. Even the plump businessmen were eager to watch the fight from the front row with their women. Many centuries had passed, but humans still had a liking for gladiator fights like this. In the modern world, such barbarism had become a rarity. In the 18th century, the blacks were often forced to participate in these brutal genocides to entertain the whites.


    In the era, black people were nothing more but commodities. The moment a person¡¯s humanity was reduced to such lows, it was evident that people enjoyed such a degree of barbarism, all the more without the pressure of the standards of modern society.


    ¡°Order. Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡±


    Suddenly, Zhang heard someone talking behind him.


    ¡°Without order, those men on the stage would still be living in some tiny village in Africa. They would be fighting with spears over some worthless women. There would be no audience to witness that. Right now, they can put their muscular bodies and fighting skills to good use by entertaining us.¡±


    The person talking Zhang Heng was a slender and lanky middle-aged man wearing a suit. He stared at the stage, serious and unmoving.


    ¡°Everything I said applies to other black slaves as well. Before slave traders captured them, they were living in utter chaos. Their only purpose in life was to fight for food and territory. They were no different than wild, senseless beasts from the jungle. One should never let such masculinity go to waste.¡±


    ¡°As for now, the slaves are sold to the New World. We have designed a reward and punishment system for them. We even assigned them different jobs based on their capabilities. Some are assigned to the fields and some to the mines. And then some¡­ are assigned to entertain us. We have freed them from the agony of looking for food. We have found a true purpose for their bodies. In return, they help us to earn quite a bit of money. Isn¡¯t that the true meaning of order?¡±


    ¡°You are talking about your wealth, right? I think they would prefer to look for food than living like this,¡± scoffed Anne.


    As they talked, the fight on the stage had reached its climax. The black slave with a scar on his face was dominating the fight. He jumped up and pushed his opponent to the ground without mercy. After that, he started to punch his head nonstop. The audience had become bored with the sound of cracking bones. However, when blood was finally spilled, the spectators roared into a round of applause.


    ¡°They are just items to me. I¡¯m using my property to bring me more wealth. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. But, the black-market alliance is different. It¡¯s all about partnership. We need you guys to bring me more loot, and you guys need me to sell them for you. You see. Our relationship is a mutual one.


    ¡°Even the pirates that dislike us can¡¯t deny this fact as well. The existence of a black-market alliance has created a stable income for many of them. This is what order can bring to Nassau.


    ¡°I know what you are about to say. In every situation that has an order, the rules always favor the stronger side. Like in Nassau, for instance, the black-market alliance is willing to offer a higher price to the captains because they are dominant enough to bring home more loot to their flock.


    ¡°Before the black-market alliance, the black-market merchants had been doing the same thing. They would offer bigger bonuses to the more powerful captains. This was an unwritten rule. We simply made it official in Nassau. As for our previous negotiation, you must know that we weren¡¯t trying to make your life difficult.¡±

 Chapter 162 - Hole

    No one was allowed to surrender in the fight. Though the loser was now unconscious, the scar-faced man had no intention to stop bludgeoning his opponent up, knowing that he had to put on a good show by crushing him to oblivion. He finally stopped when his opponent¡¯s face was covered in blood and torn flesh. The cheers from the audience got louder and louder, fueled by the ever-increasing violence and gore.


    It seemed like scarface, the winner, was getting tired as well. Seeing that his time was almost up, he stood up, walked to the side of the stage, and lifted a heavy bronze statue, intending to use it to deal a final blow to his opponent. Suddenly, the audience screamed. It was too late when scarface realized that something wasn¡¯t right. From the back, his opponent suddenly dealt a massive blow to the end of his head! This caused him to lose all strength and as he dropped the statue in shock. It landed directly on his feet!


    The bronze statue weighed around 100 pounds, crushing both his feet under its weight. Before he could even scream in agony, someone grabbed his arm. Nobody expected his opponent to be still strong enough to continue fighting. Without hesitation, he came up with every bit of strength he had and snapped his opponent¡¯s arm.


    Scarface was now sweating bullets, shuddering in excruciating pain from his crushed arm and feet. The audience cheered even louder in delight as they witnessed the unexpected plot twist. Seeing the opportunity at hand, he instantly grabbed the other arm and broke it as well. Naturally, he wasn¡¯t about to let scarface attack him anymore. As a final hurrah, he wrapped his arm around his opponent¡¯s neck and attempted to squeeze as hard as he could.


    Scarface made some unintelligible grunts as he tried his best to free himself from the choke. Alas, his final struggle was pointless because both his arms were broken. It was apparent that the scarface would soon get to meet his maker.


    Instead of watching the brutal fight, the middle-aged man chose to focus his gaze on Zhang Heng, seeming as if he could read his mind and peek into his soul. After a short pause, he continued,


    ¡°I have to admit that I had made a mistake when I negotiated with you earlier. We have underestimated your capabilities. My employee has also been rude to you without my consent. I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯ve encountered so many problems during your first voyage. I actually invited you here to apologize to you personally. I hope that you can reconsider partnering with the black-market alliance again.¡±


    ¡°Be partners with your lot?¡±


    ¡°You have proven your capabilities to all of Nassau. I¡¯m willing to talk to the alliance to adjust the initial price that we proposed. We might even offer you the highest price that we could, as long as you stop working with the woman called Carina.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that a new merchant like her is powerful enough to go against the entire alliance? Carina¡¯s father used to be a black-market merchant in Nassau, and many from the alliance knew him personally. It was only because of her father that we decided not to make her life difficult. I have to compliment her for keeping the secret so well. We were only informed that she was working with you when the Jackdaw returned from her first voyage. Our grace was the only reason why she could complete her tasks without facing any obstacles. If the alliance did decide to do something about her, I promise you that there would be no way that she could survive in Nassau.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Mr. Malcom, why the rush to renegotiate with us then?¡±


    ¡°Although I believe that order makes this a beautiful world for us to stay in, I know that things are always difficult in the beginning. Three months ago, the alliance set up a new set of purchasing rules for Nassau¡¯s captains. We spent a great deal of effort in coming up with a system for the trades occurring on this island. It¡¯s no easy task to keep it going, but I believe we will eventually conquer all challenges. It¡¯s always a good thing if the whole process can be sped up.¡±


    Malcolm grabbed a glass of wine from a passing butler.


    ¡°Recently, there have been many small-time pirates who consider you their anti-alliance leader. They have all been motivated by your brazenness, and this is a problem for us. By the way, have you played poker before, Captain Zhang Heng?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°To me, good timing is needed to win a poker game. The moment you have a good hand, you should instantly place your bet. If you miss the golden opportunity, you¡¯ll be unable to win any money. Now would be your golden opportunity to win the game. Once Carine is out of the picture, the black-market alliance will regain its stability, and the small-time pirates will be left with no other option but to accept the new reality. By that time, whatever ace up your sleeve would become useless. You will regret it if you don¡¯t accept my offer today.¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just a friendly reminder. I admire everything that you¡¯ve achieved thus far. The last person managing to make his name known in the entire Nassau was William Kidd. You should know that you have a bright future ahead of you, but you need to select your trading partners with the utmost care. I don¡¯t wish to become your enemy someday.¡±


    On the stage, scarface finally stopped struggling as he breathed his last. One of his legs still twitched and convulsed. On the other hand, his opponent had finally used up all his strength and had collapsed to the ground. The back of his head was still bleeding profusely, covering the stage in blotches of red. As the gruesome battle came to an end, the audience cheered loudly and clapped for them.


    The butler then ordered the servants to clean up the stage.


    ¡°Please. Excuse me for now,¡± said Malcolm.


    Holding the glass of wine in his hands, he walked onto the stage as he trampled over the blood. Clearing his throat, Malcolm then gave a short opening speech. He thanked everyone who had supported the black-market alliance. The end of his speech marked the official beginning of the banquet. There was a violinist who had waited backstage for some time to begin his performance. Then, in a long line of servants, the food was finally served.


    As for the scarface and his opponent, they were carried out of the ballroom. Malcolm did not stay at the banquet for too long though seeming as if he had something urgent to deal with. He left right after he finished his speech.


    Zhang Heng, Anne, and Billy had no intention to stay overnight at the mansion as well. They were ready to leave once they finished their food. As they were leaving, Zhang Heng suddenly stopped walking when he arrived at the gate. He saw two people who were under an apple tree digging the ground with shovels.

 Chapter 163 - Conflict

    The two black slaves had been digging the ground for some time and were completely drenched in sweat. Zhang Heng noticed that hey had dug a very deep hole. Quickly, they tossed in two bodies into it. Immediately, Zhang Heng recognized the two bodies were the fighters that performed on the stage earlier. One had a scar on his left face and was dead, and the other, his opponent, was still breathing.


    After tossing the bodies into the pit, they filled it up again with dirt. Suddenly, a man seeming to be their supervisor noticed Zhang Heng watching his men. So, he decided to approach him.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°I think that man is still breathing.¡±


    ¡°Oh. His nose is broken, and he¡¯s blind in one eye. He can no longer perform on stage. Keeping him alive is a waste of energy and food. Considering his severe injuries, we would have to spend a great deal of money treating him. So, Mr. Malcom has ordered me to bury him alive with the other dead slave.¡±


    ¡°Can I have him since you guys don¡¯t want him anymore?¡±


    Seeing the supervisor hesitating for a moment, Zhang Heng tossed him a small bag of coins. He opened it up, counted, and found out that there were 20 silver coins inside it.


    ¡°He now belongs to you, mister!¡±


    Turning to his workers, he snapped, ¡°Why are you still standing there?! Move the injured man to this gentleman¡¯s carriage.¡±


    This time, the two slaves looked at each other and refused to follow the order. In the act of intimidation, the supervisor lifted the whip in his hand. Left with no options, they quickly carried the slave who was alive from the hole and moved him to the horse carriage that Billy rented.


    Anne and Billy did not think too much about it, believing that Zhang Heng rescued the black man out of kindness. Billy, however, was worried about what Malcolm told them earlier.


    ¡°I think the black-market alliance is about to do something to Carina. What should we do?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like them at all. I guess his theories about ¡®order¡¯ and all might make him famous in other colonies, but this is Nassau, the city of freedom! He can¡¯t be ordering us around like his slaves in his mansion.¡±


    ¡°You are right about that, but the black-market alliance has grown really powerful in Nassau. All the great pirate crews have joined forces with them. The ones supporting us are just small-time pirates. I know them quite well. Though there are many of them, they can¡¯t provide us with much help during critical moments. Once Carina loses her foothold in Nassau, we will lose the channel to sell our loot as well. When that time comes, we would be forced to partner up with the black-market alliance.¡±


    ¡°This is the very reason why we can¡¯t ditch her and partner up with the black-market alliance. Malcolm has bigger ambitions that you think, and he¡¯s not that simple. Setting up an alliance to increase his wealth is just one of his goals. He wanted to make use of the alliance to take control of the Nassau¡¯s pirates. If he succeeds, he would be powerful enough to assign captains that he likes for every pirate crew. And no one will be able to go against him.¡±


    Then, Zhang Heng finally voiced out his opinion.


    ¡°Actually, the black-market alliance has a weakness as well. The are formidable when we look at them as an alliance but the truth is, their inner structure is not as tough as we think it is. The core members of the alliance are Redmond and Malcolm. Redmond is the wealthiest and most experienced black-market merchant in Nassau.


    ¡°For his sake, all the black-market merchants of Nassau gathered and came up with a proposal that everyone could agree on. Sadly, Redmond is getting older. Even though he¡¯s the leader of the alliance, his job is limited to stabilizing the structure of the alliance and resolving conflicts. Malcolm is the real guy running the whole thing. He rose to power too quickly in Nassau, and in his quest for ultimate control, he¡¯s offended many people. This is why he needs Redmond¡¯s good reputation to help him set up the black-market alliance.


    ¡°Are there any conflicts between the two of them?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Both of them are powerful individuals in the alliance. I know that they would have to put on a show that they are good partners. However, I don¡¯t think outsiders know the true nature of their relationship. A few days ago, I got to know that Redmond already knew Malcolm before Malcolm came to Nassau.¡±


    ¡°That should mean that they are in good terms, right?¡± replied Billy.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so. Malcolm and Redmond are both successful businessmen, and I believe that they are professional enough not to allow emotions to ruin their work. Meeting Malcolm tonight confirmed my speculations. He is very confident. Though he dislikes us and knew that we have potential to bring massive trouble to the black-market alliance, he remained calm and put only said positive things. To eliminate any future problems, he¡¯s willing to put the past behind him. Likewise, he¡¯s not one to allow friendship to determine his decisions. After working with Redmond for so many years, it¡¯s impossible that there are no problems between them. We just need to dig them out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about driving a wedge between Malcolm and Redmond?¡±


    ¡°It hard to go up against a huge alliance like this from the outside. Like I said earlier, their inner workings aren¡¯t as stable as we think it is. Once the relationship between Redmond and Malcolm becomes sour, the black-market alliance will lose its stability. But even that¡¯s not enough. We need to make sure that we can attack them from the outside as well, and speeding up the process of destroying them is essential. I will talk to Carina about this once she returns to Nassau. Right now, we need to figure out how to ruin their relationship.¡±


    ¡°If there are conflicts between them, I don¡¯t think outsides would know anyway since the top is very secretive. Perhaps we can create some friction between them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea as well. However, I will only do that as a last resort. Redmond and Malcolm are sharp enough to spot any engineered conflicts. Things might become worse for us if they find out.¡±

 Chapter 164 - Escape Plan

    The horse carriage entered Nassau at night, eventually stopping in front of Zhang Heng¡¯s house. Zhang Heng and Billy then carried the slave into the house and placed him in Marvin¡¯s empty room. As for Anne, she quickly went to look for a doctor.


    Billy chatted with Zhang Heng for a while before he took his leave as it was getting late. After that, Zhang Heng went back to Marvin¡¯s room. The slave¡¯s eyes remained closed, and he was as still as a glass lake on a windless night. If not for his shallow breathing, most would have thought that he was dead. The blood smeared over his face had caked up, making him look even scarier than before.


    ¡°I have to say. You sure are good at pretending to be unconscious,¡± said Zhang Heng as he moved a chair to the side of the bed.


    Unsurprisingly, he got no response. The man was still lying on the bed in the same position, unconscious.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about how I knew you were still alive? When we were in the ballroom earlier, everyone had their attention focused on your fight. I was the only one looking around and observing the others. In the end, I noticed something really interesting. Whenever your opponent attacked you, I could see some of the female slaves cringing in fear. At first, I thought that they were worried about you. I also saw that they were relieved when you attacked your opponent.


    ¡°So, I figured that their concern for you must have been genuine. One interesting point, though. I noticed how happy they were when you managed to beat scarface. At the same time, it seemed as if they were expecting something as well. This reaction puzzled me. Until the very end, just when everyone thought that you were done for, you stood up and delivered a heavy blow to your opponent. To my surprise, they didn¡¯t seem too shocked by your epic victory. This made me think of one thing. Maybe, just maybe, they knew exactly what would happen on the stage.


    ¡°Everything that happened tonight was directed by you. You wanted to escape the mansion, and so, you concealed your true ability on the stage. After suffering such severe injuries, you knew all too well that they would never hire a doctor to treat you. Instead, they were going to bury you alive. And the two slaves digging your grave were your people as well. That was why they panicked when I offered to buy you. They never expected this to happen.¡±


    When Zhang Heng was done talking, the slave suddenly sprung from the bed and attempted to strangle him! All too soon, he stopped in his tracks as he saw a Zhang Heng pointing a gun at him.


    ¡°I have no ill intention towards you. On the contrary, you should feel lucky that you met me tonight. if you followed your original plan, you might be able to get away without your supervisor noticing you. However, you still can¡¯t bypass the guards that are at the front entrance. Say you somehow managed to evade the guards without notice, you would still be surrounded by acres of plantations. You can¡¯t possibly escape the area.¡±


    ¡°Is this what you mean by harboring no ill intention toward me? Here you are, pointing your gun.¡±


    Zhang Heng was relieved when the slave talked to him in English. Compared to their female counterparts who were maids, black male fighters were not required to know too many English words. The less they knew, the better as all their masters needed them to do was to fight like wild beasts on the stage.


    Almost every tribe in Africa had their own specific language. Most of the time, it was hard for one tribe to communicate with another due to the language barrier.


    ¡°I have seen what your arms can do. I don¡¯t want to be strangled to death. Whether you believe it or not, me saving you tonight was just a coincidence. I don¡¯t want anything from you. I¡¯m planning to hire a doctor to treat your wounds, and you are allowed to leave whenever you want after you recover. I¡¯m only worried that you might try to break the doctor¡¯s neck. That¡¯s why I thought of talking to you first.¡±


    ¡°Our country might be poor, but we are no beasts.¡±


    The slave appeared to relax a little and was no longer hostile towards Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Anyway, you have been freed. You can choose to let the doctor treat your wounds, or you can leave right now. My door is always open.¡±


    Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t lying when he said that it was merely a coincidence that he rescued the slave tonight. Though he knew that the slave was plotting to leave the mansion, this incident had nothing to do with him. Initially, he had no intention to interrupt his plan and only decided to act on it when he saw that a man was about to be buried alive.


    Somehow, the slave was still doubtful of Zhang Heng. He stood up and walked to the doors. Naturally, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t say a word and just watched him leave. A few minutes later, however, the black man returned to Zhang Heng¡¯s house.


    ¡°Rakutua.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that your name?¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s the name of the man that I killed today. He is the bravest warrior in my tribe, and he is my best friend as well.¡±


    ¡°Was he supposed to escape with you?¡±


    Zhang Heng was bewildered.


    ¡°Yes. The hardest part of the plan is to control your strength. He has to make sure that my injuries are severe but not to the point that it would kill me. It¡¯s tough to achieve that. If my opponent were not Rakutua, I would have surely died tonight. There¡¯s no way that I can turn the tide around just like that.¡±


    ¡°Just who the heck are you?¡±


    Zhang Heng was curious about his background. He had managed to make the slaves worry about him and even convinced a warrior from his tribe to die for him. Every black slave around him was practically helping him to escape.


    ¡°My name is Laeli. I come from a big tribe, and my father is the chief. Those evil slave traders invaded my hometown and turned our lives upside down!¡±

 Chapter 165 - Argument

    ¡°The slave traders sold weapons to an enemy tribe which started a war against us. The surprise attack from the enemy tribe had caused many of us to be captured by the slave traders. Almost half of our tribe was eliminated. To survive, we had to keep on moving. But, no matter where we ran, the traders would always locate us. They even met my father as well, telling him that they were willing to arm him in exchange for the prisoners that we captured. Of course, my father was resolute and strongly rejected their offer.¡±


    ¡°After that, our living conditions worsened. A few of our neighboring tribes attacked us after incitement by the slave traders. The conflict had unfortunately caused the lives of my father and brother. They killed all the tribe¡¯s elderly and sold the younger ones to the slave traders. I happen to be one of them.¡±


    ¡°So, all the female servants and Lakutua came from your tribe? Do they know who you are? How is that even possible? According to what I know, slave traders would usually sell slaves from different tribes to buyers. This is to prevent the slaves from working together and retaliate against their master.¡±


    ¡°The master of the mansion bought six slaves from my tribe, including me. One of them fell ill and died not too long after working there. Another one was killed by a whip for attempting to escape the mansion. Now, there are only four of us left. Honestly, I never thought that I would be able to meet up with Nevasa and the rest of them here. They were among the first batch of black slaves that were captured by the slave traders. Most of them were women. Perhaps they thought that women wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to them, and thus, the slave trader didn¡¯t separate them. As for Rakutua and me, we were both captured at the same time, but sold to different buyers. Malcolm has always loved to watch a good fight. He¡¯s been collecting gladiators from different people. After hearing about Rakutua¡¯s great fighting skills, he instantly bought him up. That was about a month ago.¡±


    ¡°I heard just now that you guys were planning to go up against Malcolm?


    ¡°There have been some conflicts between my Jackdaw and the black-market alliance that he¡¯s in. This is no secret. The entire Nassau knows about it. He invited me to attend his banquet for the reason of making peace with me.¡±


    ¡°And you won¡¯t accept his proposal? Why?¡±


    ¡°I dislike having to place my fate in the hands of others. Malcolm and I don¡¯t hold a grudge against each other. However, I have a problem with the black-market alliance that he¡¯s set up. Once the alliance becomes stable, it¡¯s not going to be good news to the people of Nassau that enjoy freedom.¡±


    Laeli could not understand Zhang Heng¡¯s last sentence, but he knew that he was telling the truth. At least, no matter what his reason was, Zhang Heng was against Malcolm. After a short pause, Laeli continued,


    ¡°After my father and brother were killed in the war, we had to elect a new chief per the tribe¡¯s law. It¡¯s my responsibility to rescue my tribe members. I have to return them the freedom that they once had. That¡¯s why I had to escape from the mansion no matter what.¡±


    ¡°I admire your zeal, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t think I can help you with that.¡±


    Being a decent human being in the future, Zhang Heng was disgusted by the prospect of slavery. It was one of the worst things that a human could ever do to another human being. He was fine with rescuing Laeli from the mansion, but setting free every slave from the place would be a matter that needed extensive planning. This was a critical moment in time for the Jackdaw and Carina. Zhang Heng had to focus solely on Malcolm and his black-market alliance. He was indisposed to help Laeli even if he wanted to.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your help. I simply want to work with you,¡± said Laeli as he shook his head.


    ¡°Work with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You want to know the problems between Malcolm and Redmond, right? I think I can help you with that. It¡¯s heartbreaking to know that so many black men were sold here and turned into gladiators. We were forced to fight and kill each other for the sake of our master¡¯s entertainment. Now, let¡¯s talk about the servants, who are always close to their masters. There are times when they will be able to eavesdrop on their secrets.¡±


    ¡°To the white people, we are merely goods and a means of labor. They see us as their property, and they do not care about what we think and feel. Without their permission, there¡¯s no way that we can leave the mansion. Many a time, they would discuss many sensitive topics in front of us. From the first day that I was sold to the Terrance mansion, I¡¯ve been planning my escape. Other than learning more than a few words, I actually collected lots of information as well.¡±


    ¡°Around eight months ago, Malcolm and Redmond had a meeting with each other. Malcolm ordered me to fight another black man in front of him. However, I could see that they were not watching the fight. They even had an argument about whatever they were discussing.


    Upon hearing that, Zhang Heng was becoming more and more interested in Laeli¡¯s story.


    ¡°They were arguing about some merchant. Since it had nothing to do with my escape plan, I don¡¯t quite remember his name. All I know is that he is one of the merchants from the black market. He is doing the same thing with Malcolm and Redmond, and is quite famous as well. There was this once when Redmond tried to talk about setting up the black-market alliance with him, but, the person rejected his idea without even thinking twice.¡±


    ¡°He told Redmond that the black-market alliance would bring him a lot of trouble, adding that Redmond¡¯s ambition is getting out of hand. After that, Redmond talked to Malcolm about it. Both of them agreed that it would be a problem if the person refused to work with them. Although he wasn¡¯t the wealthiest merchant on the island, he had lots of experience and a good reputation. Redmond suggested that they should take their time to convince him. Not too long after that, the person was captured at a colony. Redmond suspected that Malcolm was behind it. However, Malcolm said that it had nothing to do with him. They both then broke into an argument about this.


    Immediately, Zhang Heng thought of Carina¡¯s father. It would seem that the person in the story referred to him. Zhang Heng did not expect that the capturing of Carina¡¯s father in New Jersey had something to do with the black-market alliance. This incident wasn¡¯t as simple as he thought it was.

 Chapter 166 - Carinas Yield

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°What do you think about my intel? Did it help?¡±


    ¡°What would it cost me?¡±


    Laeli did not rush to answer the question.


    ¡°Even though I¡¯ve left Terrance¡¯s mansion, there are still quite a few of my people stuck there. You want to kick Malcolm out of the game and know more of his secrets, right? I can contact my people to help you.¡±


    ¡°You should know that even if the black-market alliance is dismissed and Malcolm chased out of Nassau, you still can¡¯t change the fate of the slaves inside that mansion.¡±


    ¡°I will change my fate with my own hands.¡±


    Laeli looked determined. Different individuals acted differently when faced with critical situations like this. Some would simply give up all hope and let despair rule their lives while some would choose to embrace hardship and accept their fate. Once the predicament was over, the person in question would usually become stronger than before.


    Laeli definitely belonged to the latter. He had endured the deaths of his brother, father, and his tribe. The marks of a slave had already been engraved onto his body. To escape the mansion, he broke his nose and lost an eye. He was also forced to kill his best friend. Not only did Laeli not allow despair to run him down him, but he was also grooming himself to become a worthy chief of his tribe.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t get to enjoy freedom from where we came from. We didn¡¯t get to enjoy freedom in the colonies. And we don¡¯t get freedom in this city as well. So, we must leave this place. I heard there are several uninhabited islands around this area. Some of them are located along the shipping lines. There is freshwater for drinking and empty land where we can fish, hunt, and cultivate crops. It might be difficult in the beginning, but I believe that we will survive just like how our ancestors did.¡±


    ¡°I have a ship and a crew. I can help you to look out for a suitable island when we set sail the next time. We are capable of bringing you and your people over to the island as well. The problem is, how are you going to rescue your people from the mansion? I deeply sympathize with your current situation. You can¡¯t just barge into the mansion and release them. That would surely anger many powerful people on this island. Currently, the Jackdaw is proliferating in Nassau. Most of our crew¡¯s families are living here. It¡¯s my responsibility to take care of them. I hope you can understand my decision. The most I can do is to bring you and your people to the island that you wish to settle down on.¡±


    ¡°I will solve the problem of rescuing my people out of the mansion, but I will need some weapons. I don¡¯t need much. In order to bring those weapons into the mansion without detection, they would have to be small. I¡¯d say daggers would be perfect. Besides that, I¡¯ll need at least five blunderbusses. One thing, though. I don¡¯t need them right now. You can pass them to me after you settle your problem.¡±


    ¡°I have no problem with supplying you with the weapons that you need. Let¡¯s work together, and I hope that your plan will be a success.¡±


    At that, Zhang Heng then extended his hand as a gesture of goodwill. Laeli was surprised that Zhang Heng was willing to shake his hand. It was his first time encountering such a polite act. It was at that moment when he knew that Zhang Heng did not look at him as if he was property or a wild beast. He was treating him like a fellow human with equal rights. Half a second later, Laeli took Zhang Heng¡¯s hand and shook it. Suddenly, the two of them heard someone coming into the house. It was Anne and the doctor.


    ¡°You take a few days of rest to allow your wounds to recover. My partner will return here in a while. I need you to tell him everything that you have just told me.¡±


    ¡­.


    A week later, Carina returned to Nassau after leading a ship full of nutmegs all the way to New York. New York harbor was one of the best ports that Carina¡¯s father managed, where he had continuously bribed all the officers there. Hence, no one gave her a hard time when she passed their customs. They did not even check the goods that she¡¯d brought into New York. This saved her a tremendous amount of time, enabling her to look for more potential buyers.


    Currently, New York did not require nutmeg, and though they were valuable spices, Carina figured she might have to sell them all in Europe instead. There were a couple of merchants interested in buying them, but Carina wasn¡¯t pleased with the price that they offered. After looking for around ten days, a merchant that specialized in the spice trade came for Carina. Both of them spent a long while haggling, trying to come with a price that could please both parties.


    That was the very first deal that Carina made ever since she became a black-market merchant. After paying off the Jackdaw, her loans, and her transportation fare, she was left with 500 gold coins. Getting such large amounts of money greatly motivated her to work harder and rescue her father from prison. Unfortunately, coming across such valuable targets was a one in a million occurrence. Otherwise, her father could be released from jail within two years.


    The first thing that Carina did was to send 100 gold coins to her mother. All the family¡¯s savings had gone to bailing her father out of jail. With the 100 gold coins, her family could at least breathe right now. Left with 400 gold coins, Carina was going to use a portion of it to maintain a good relationship with the officers at various ports. The rest of the gold coins would be saved for her next job. With the savings, she could at least reduce some of the interest. Without taking any breaks, Carina returned to Nassau immediately after everything was settled.


    Carina, however, was most concerned right now about her relationship with the Jackdaw while she was not in Nassau. She would have never left if she was not tasked to sell all those spices. Carina thought that Zhang Heng had only agreed to work with her due to pressure from the black-market alliance. There was a possibility that Zhang Heng would kick her away once the deal was sealed. Right now, she had no right to ask him to continue trading with her in the future. Although understanding the risks, she still chose to partner up with Zhang Heng. At least she could earn some money from this deal.


    She didn¡¯t know why, but somehow, she had faith that Zhang Heng would not just kick her away like that. Whenever she talked to him, she tended to forget that she was talking to the captain of the Jackdaw. Zhang Heng was different from the pirates that she¡¯d encountered before.


    As she returned to Nassau, she was relieved when she found out that the Jackdaw hadn¡¯t yet partnered up with the black-market alliance. Also. The small-time pirates still considered the Jackdaw the symbol of the anti-black-market alliance.


    When she finally caught up to Zhang Heng, she heard something unbelievable.

 Chapter 167 - A Well-Protected Flower

    ¡°Malcolm¡¯s the reason my father is in prison?¡±


    Carina was left in a complete shock, not knowing what to do when she heard the news for the first time. She also felt uncomfortable when she saw a half-blind and broken nosed black man standing in front of her.


    ¡°For now, we don¡¯t have any solid evidence.¡±


    Zhang Heng then poured a cup of wine for Carina to calm her down.


    ¡°I have to say, the timing of your father getting captured and put in jail was just too much of a coincidence. Redmond¡¯s suspicion makes perfect sense. Your father was one of the black-market alliance¡¯s biggest obstacles when they were being set up. Once your father is out of the game, Malcolm will benefit the most. Billy asked a couple of black-market merchants about your father and discovered that a large number of them believe that somebody must have gotten your father in jail through means of foul play. You must have visited him at least once, right? Did he say anything about this?¡±


    ¡°Before we were allowed to visit him, we had to pay a huge sum of money to the prison guards. To make things worse, we were only allowed to see him for a tiny amount of time, so my mother and sister used up most of it. I only had a few minutes to talk to him. At that time, I told him that I would take over his business. We didn¡¯t discuss anything else apart from business. Even though my father handed me his ship and his connections, he didn¡¯t agree on me coming to Nassau. In the end, he told me that the most dangerous people in Nassau are not pirates and asked me not to trust anyone just like that.¡±


    Carina paused for a moment before continuing.


    ¡°Actually, Malcolm treated me well when I first arrived in Nassau. He told me that the black merchants not working on any pirate ships were not allowed to join the black-market alliance and get their share of profit. He also said that he couldn¡¯t convince the other black-market merchants to give up on dealing with my father¡¯s ex-pirate partners. During that time, there were a couple of powerful pirate groups who had still not join the black-market alliance. Malcolm gave me a list and asked me to convince them.¡±


    ¡°The fact that I¡¯m a woman didn¡¯t make this task easier. I only knew a few people when I came to Nassau, and there was nothing I could offer when I tried to convince them to join the black-market alliance. Of course, I didn¡¯t have enough money to bribe the important personnel on their ships. In the end, I failed to convince them to join the black-market alliance. At that time, I was truly grateful for Malcolm helping me to settle down in Nassau. He was one of the few people willing to help me. I won¡¯t go against the black-market alliance if I have other options to solve my problem. I simply couldn¡¯t have ever imagined that he had something to do with my father being sent to jail.¡±


    Carina took a sip of the wine, but it did little to calm her down. Suddenly, she stood up and said, ¡°No way. I have to confront him right now and ask him to release my father!¡±


    ¡°Are you planning to make him admit that he was the one who got your father in jail?¡±


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t set my father free, I will let this matter be known to everyone in the alliance. He could easily pull off the same stunt to others if he could this to my father.¡±


    ¡°What you are about to do may get him into some small problems. But, as I said, we have no solid evidence to prove that Malcolm is responsible for putting your father in jail. Besides¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng then turned around to look at Laeli.


    ¡°Your only witness was a slave. Technically speaking, all I did was overhear the conversation between Redmond and Malcolm,¡± said Laeli.


    ¡°I have another piece of bad news. Your very existence has brought a negative impact on the black-market alliance. Malcolm is about to do something about you,¡± said Zhang Heng to Carina.


    Carina was shocked. She somehow expected that the black-market alliance would eliminate her the moment she decided to work with the Jackdaw. Still, there was a lot for her to swallow as she tried digesting what Zhang Heng said. If her father could be sent to jail because he went against Malcolm, she wondered what the black-market alliance would do to her since she followed in her father¡¯s footsteps.


    From the first day she arrived in Nassau, she knew that this was a path of no return. At first, her only intention was to earn enough money to free her father from jail. After making a tremendous amount of money from selling the spices, Carina found out that she actually loved being a black-market merchant. Indeed, this sounded crazy. Only a few months ago, she was a rich lady frequenting salons and balls, mingling with the upper-class society. She had no inkling on what the other part of the world looked like.


    Until she came to Nassau, wanting to take over her father¡¯s business, she had face a lot of obstacles along her path. She had tasted hardship that she never experienced before in the past 20 years. To join the black-market alliance, she chose to give up her dignity. She went around the island, looking for her father¡¯s friends for help. She even negotiated with the pirates that she despise, reluctantly givubg in to their demands as she did her best to convince them to work with her.


    Entering a man¡¯s house in the middle of the night was something that the old her would never do. Carina was wondering how was managed to keep her sanity. She used to be a well-protected flower that grew up in a safe environment. Now that she had thrown herself in the wilderness, she finally matured up after going through all those hardships. This was the kind of life that she would never get to experience if she still lived in an upper-class society. The wilderness was filled with countless threats, betrayal, and challenges.


    Carina could feel a surge of passion bursting through her heart, something that she never experienced before. Before all this, the thought of returning to where she came from after her father¡¯s rescue constantly plagued her mind. However, after tasting the satisfying reward of surviving the hardship, she decided that she would never return to her comfortable life.


    ¡°I will be ready. I will not be trampled on no matter who my enemy is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s not enough. After this, I hope that you will work even harder. You need to exert more pressure on the black-market alliance. At the same time, I will make use of your father¡¯s incident to divide Malcolm and Redmond. However, I must tell you that you may face more threats in the future if we do this. Right now, the conflict that we have with the black-market alliance is minimal, but if we decide to treat them as our enemy, I¡¯m afraid that Malcolm might employ some despicable methods to deal with you. You have to remember that we are racing against time. Between you and Malcolm, let¡¯s see who will win the race.¡±


    ¡°I have no other options, right? No point dwelling on it then.¡±

 Chapter 168 - Marine Product and Loot

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    A month had passed. After the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates had more than enough fun in Nassau, most had spent off a large portion of their earnings. Some were even in debt. It baffled Zhang Heng as to how they managed to spend all their money, considering that they were each given at least 40 gold coins before they left the ship. That amount was enough for an ordinary person to live comfortably for two to three years. On the bright side, though, they were starting to miss life out at sea.


    Coincidently, Carina provided Zhang Heng with some valuable intel. After getting a minor refit and going though a recruitment drive, the Jackdaw was ready to set sail again. At the same time, Carina and Laeli started to work on their Nassau operation as well. Before the black-market alliance began to deal with Carina, she had decided that she would do whatever it would take for her plan to succeed. First, she rented a storage facility near the pier. Then, she spread the news to Nassau¡¯s small-time pirates, telling them that she was willing to offer them a higher price than the black-market alliance.


    Upon hearing the news, a large number of pirates on the island started to pay attention. Though Carina was a woman, the fact that she managed to help the Jackdaw earn a huge amount of money had spread around the entire Nassau. Her reputation soon skyrocketed. It was great news to the small-time pirates that someone was willing to buy their loot at a higher price. If that was so, they wouldn¡¯t need to rely on the black-market alliance anymore. After all, the alliance wasn¡¯t as friendly to them as they were to the powerful pirate crews because it was hard for them to valuable loot. The alliance would only offer them a meager price for whatever they had.


    Since they did not sign any contracts with the alliance, they could choose to stop selling to them anytime they wished. With the opportunity for better prospects, they would naturally choose to sell their plunder to Carina. The captain of the Gentle Breeze was left speechless when he saw a group of pirate-wannabes lining up in front of the storeroom that Carina rented.


    Their clothes were in tatters and they wielded all sorts of non-lethal weapons, which made them look more like beggars and thugs instead of pirates. One could only imagine the quality of the items sold to Carina.


    An elderly pirate slowly approached the table. Malone suspected that he must be older than his great grandfather that he buried some time ago. The old pirate then put a basket of crabs on the table as Jim, the records keeper stared at him in a confused manner. Immediately, he pointed at the signboard behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. We do not accept any marine products here,¡± said the records keeper politely.


    ¡°Watch what you say to me, kid. Everyone knew me when I was your age. Even Henry Morgan had to pay his respects to me when he came to Nassau. This is what I acquired when I sailed out earlier.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­. it does not change the fact that your loot is a marine product, sir.¡±


    Malone had personally recruited Jim last year. It was not easy hiring someone who knew how to count and read in this era. Not too long ago, almost half of the sailors from the Gentle Breeze left the ship when they heard that Mr. Fegan had been sent to jail. To Malone¡¯s surprise, Jim had chosen to stay with the ship. A better job would have awaited him if he¡¯d left.


    After selling off all the spices, Malone suggested to Carina that she should increase the pay of the kid hailing from North Carolina. There was nothing Malone could do when he saw Jim trying to explain the difference between marine products and loot to the old pirate.


    ¡°I robbed this basket of crabs from a fisherman. So it¡¯s considered loot, not a marine product. Your boss told us that you are buying the loot that we got, right? This is my loot. What¡¯s your problem?!¡±


    ¡°Sir, I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding.¡±


    Carina could not bear to see them argue anymore. The pirates that were waiting in line were starting to get impatient as well.


    ¡°Pay him five copper coins to buy off his loot. We need to serve the next seller,¡± Carine informed Jim.


    Jim was instantly relieved when he was told to pay off the old pirate. Surprisingly, the old pirate was still unhappy even after Jim paid him the five copper coins. The pirate after him took out two marbles from his pocket and attempted to sell it to them.


    ¡°This is a disaster. You know that we won¡¯t be able to sell all these useless stuff that we bought from these wannabes, right? We talked about this when you first arrived in Nassau. It¡¯s impossible to earn a single dime from them. I thought we¡¯ve agreed on not buying anything from these people. Why are you wasting your time and money on them right now?¡± asked an irritated Malone. He then continued,


    ¡°Forgive my candor, but I feel that whatever we are doing right now is a complete waste of time. I would rather spend the money to let a hardworking boy like him to enjoy himself at s brothel in town. Look at the poor guy. I bet he¡¯s still a virgin.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your reminder. I know how the value of those items. If you can find me a second Jackdaw on this island, I¡¯m more than happy to chase all of them away. If you can¡¯t do it, you¡¯d better shut your mouth. If you are bored, go find a hooker and let her f*ck you. Alternatively, you can just come and help me.¡±


    ¡°I think I will choose the first option.¡±


    Malone folded his arms and stormed away. After taking a few steps, however, he stopped.


    ¡°Did you just ask a hooker to f*ck me? Or, is there something wrong with my hearing?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°I remember when Mr. Fegan brought you on the Gentle Breeze for the first time. You were only eight or nine. Like a porcelain doll, you held up your dress so high; it would not touch the ship¡¯s deck. You were so unhappy that your father brought you aboard the ship. I can¡¯t imagine that the demure lady that you once were became a boss that has taken over the ship. Ms. Carina, you¡¯ve done it. You blended in with this place faster than anyone could have imagined. Your father would be so proud of you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still too early to say that. It¡¯s not easy to survive in this place. Considering that we are facing a powerful enemy, we have to figure out a way to catch a breath from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Malone, I have to thank you for not leaving us even after my father was put in jail.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Fegan was the one who offered me this job when I was lost. I will never forget what he¡¯s done for me. For now, I¡¯m not going to waste my energy on pointless matters. So, I¡¯m going to the brothel right now to look for a prostitute, and ask her to f*ck me.¡±


    1

 Chapter 169 - Rubbish

    Two weeks had passed since the Jackdaw set out to the oceans. At the same time, the farce in front of the warehouse also continued for two whole weeks.


    Unable to cope with the vast number of people lining up, Carina went on to spend around forty gold coins in exchange for what Malone called ¡®a pile of rubbish.¡¯


    The only thing in the entire heap that had any value at all was probably the twelve boxes of potatoes. Even these were not going yield much in the colonies. The Gentle Breeze making a trip for those items was clearly more of a loss than gain.


    No one understood what the tradeswoman intended to achieve by doing this. Even so, the black-market alliance immediately responded by issuing a statement. It said that all pirates found working with Carina would forever get the lowest price from them.


    This meant that the black-market alliance was stonewalling Carina on a large scale. Malcolm¡¯s counterattack was simple and straightforward. As soon as the statement was out, the quality of the items that the tradeswoman received worsened. Now, Carina had to inspect the loot twice when dealing with those pirate-wannabes.


    Of course, those who were desperate were unaffected by this. Never having the habit of thinking ahead, they would just go wherever the money was. These, however, were never the black-market alliance¡¯s target group anyway. Malcolm felt that he would ultimately be at an advantage, having these guys eventually wearing out and discouraging Carina to go on.


    The people on the island gave the tradeswoman¡¯s secondhand business the undesirable moniker of a ¡®rubbish collection station,¡¯ and many merchants from the black-market alliance were simply waiting for her to make a fool of herself.


    During this period, Malone had also become very dispirited. Whenever he met anyone on the island he knew, they would always ask him when he was going to sell off all the Colony¡¯s trash. Eventually, under the pressure of the constant mocking, he hid within the brothel, refusing to emerge until Carina sent a messenger to look for him.


    ¡°Set sail tonight?¡± chuckled Malone bitterly as he rolled out of bed and put on his clothes. ¡°Stop joking. Are you really going to listen to those guys and transport all that stuff to Boston, New York? To whom should we sell them to? How much would the journey cost us? How much profit are we going to make?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged for workers in advance. You¡¯ll just need to ferry the goods to their destination, and someone over there will handle it. Then you can return to Nassau,¡± the messenger replied.


    Just then, Carina walked into the room, catching the Gentle Breeze¡¯s captain completely off-guard. Thank goodness his pants were already on.


    Carina glared at the stark-naked prostitute and said, ¡°Can you please excuse us?¡±


    The girl smiled, blowing a kiss at her before picking up her garments on the bench. She sultrily walked out of the room, swaying her hips.


    Carina asked the messenger she sent for Malone to guard the door. Then, she poured herself a glass of whiskey. ¡°Can you load everything on the ship in one afternoon?¡±


    Malone shrugged. ¡°I have to gather the crew, buy supplies for the trip, replenish water on board, check the sails¡­ so, I guess¡­ it should be alright. If you insist, we can leave this place before sundown.¡±


    ¡°Very good. There¡¯s no need to rush. We leave after dark.¡±


    Malone frowned, ¡°Leaving in such a mighty rush? Ah¡­ you¡¯re worried that your potatoes would start sprouting, eh?¡±


    Sensing sarcasm in the captain¡¯s tone, Carina leaned back and rubbed her temples wearily. ¡°Do you know how much money we¡¯ve lost during this period?¡±


    ¡°I know you may not want to hear this, but I¡¯ve already told you earlier on that if we could actually make any money off of those guys, you wouldn¡¯t have had to beg the captains who worked with your father to deal with you.¡±


    ¡°I never expected to earn any money off them. Not now, at least,¡± groaned Carina. ¡°I just needed them to help me spread the word, to let all the pirates on the island know that working with me is more profitable than working with the black-market alliance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very sure Malcolm received your message too. That¡¯s why he had the black-market alliance issue a statement. Now, the powerful pirate gangs on the island are even more disinclined to seek us.¡±


    ¡°No, on the surface, they won¡¯t come to us.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡¯


    ¡°When I was tiny, my father told me stories about this place, about how brave and fearless the people are. They would chase after riches completely unrestricted by rules whatsoever. Many people thought that the pirate captains sided with the black-market alliance because of a contract with them, but that wasn¡¯t the case. In fact, most of them couldn¡¯t care less about what¡¯s written on a contract. They only chose the black-market alliance because it provided them with a higher income. All they care is feeding their men, avoiding a mutiny, and securing their positions as captain.¡±


    ¡°That may be true, but because of this, they would surely never leave the black-market alliance to work with us,¡± Malone sighed. ¡°Do you know what I¡¯ve been hearing¡­ what other people have been saying about us?¡±


    The tradeswoman raised a brow.


    ¡°Those bastards think that we won¡¯t last. They believe that the Jackdaw continues to work with us only because¡­¡± The captain paused for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve discovered a woman¡¯s talents?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. Everyone here thinks that, sooner or later, Malcolm and his black-market alliance will be chased out of Nassau. Forgive me for being blunt, but under such circumstances, no one would want to work with us.¡±


    ¡°Right now, I¡¯m not trying to strive for a long-term partnership with anyone,¡± said Carina. ¡°I¡¯m just providing them with a means for some extra income.¡±


    ¡°Extra income?¡± Malone couldn¡¯t understand what the tradeswoman was saying.


    ¡°My target is not the few top-tier pirate groups. The black-market alliance has been feeding them well. To be honest, there¡¯s not much hope working with the guys from the third and fourth categories, either. But some of the first and second category pirates are actually not bad. It¡¯s just that they were established a little late, just like the Jackdaw. The black-market alliance lowered their prices, but I can offer them nearly 20% more, which should be pretty attractive to them¨Con the premise that the black-market alliance doesn¡¯t know about the transactions between us.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? Once the Gentle Breeze sets sail, everyone will know¡­¡± Malone began but suddenly stopped. Then, his eyes widened. ¡°The rubbish that you¡¯ve been buying for the past two weeks¨Cyou¡¯ve actually been preparing for this?¡±


    Carina nodded. ¡°About five days ago, a helmsman from one of the ships contacted me in secret. He wanted to sell a bolt of cotton fabric¨Cvery high-quality stuff. They have always been rather unhappy with the price that the black-market alliance offered them, so they came looking for me. Right now, that bolt is in our warehouse. I need you to help me move it to Boston. Jim is already there and will liaise with a local merchant.¡±

 Chapter 170 - Target: The Goddess Spear

    Following a piece of intel given by Carina, the Jackdaw was chasing down a ship called the Goddess¡¯ Spear, a whaling vessel plying the waters around this area. Their patience finally paid off this time, after being at sea for over a year. Recently, some ships which returned to Nassau told everyone that the Goddess¡¯ Spear had managed to hunt down a 70-foot giant sperm whale. It was so smart that the Goddess¡¯ Spear circled the same spot for three months just to capture it.


    It was time for them to reap the rewards of their hard work. Getting a sperm whale was a giant treasure in itself. Its fat could be refined into blubber. The oil from its brain could be used to make whale-wax. And then, the most valuable treasure, ambergris, lay within the whale¡¯s intestines.


    Ambergris either came in a hue of black or grey. When first extracted from the whale¡¯s stomach, it would be in wax form, not to mention that it smelled terrible. Once dried, it would turn amber, and the foul smell would be replaced by a unique fragrance. It was typically used as a fixative for very premium perfumes. As a result of its rarity, ambergris was more expensive than gold. This was undoubtedly the reason why Zhang Heng set his sights on the Goddess¡¯ Spear.


    The previous pirate ship that attempted to plunder the Goddess¡¯ Spear did not end up well. In this era, whale hunting was to be considered a job with extremely high-risks, and only true men dared to venture in this field. Having such brazenness, they didn¡¯t even flinch when they saw a pirate ship. At that time, they did not have enough firepower to take on it. Nevertheless, their captain instructed them to take on the pirates the moment they boarded the ship. At the end of the day, they used tridents and fishing nets to defeat the pirates that came with guns and sabers.


    The entire ship of pirates ended up being prisoners of the Goddess¡¯ Spear. The sailors took possession of their weapons and ammunition. Once the situation was under control, the sailors were instructed to slit the throats of the pirates and toss their bodies over the deck. It was a clear warning to any other potential pirates that this would happen to them too.


    Their brutal method worked way better than expected. Whenever the weaker pirate vessels saw a pile of bodies on the deck, lying on their own blood, they would turn around and leave the Goddess¡¯ Spear alone. As for the more powerful pirate groups, the sight of the bodies only got them more excited. This could only mean that the ship must be hauling some precious cargo.


    The Jackdaw did not retreat as well. After his first victory, Zhang Heng managed to recruit even more pirates to join him. Right now, he had a total of 62 pirates on board. The newly hired pirates were of better quality than the first group of pirates who joined them. This was especially true for the cannoneer. Billy managed to convince the most skillful cannoneer from another experienced pirate group to join the Jackdaw.


    Dufresne, too, had managed to recruit a very talented chef. Initially, the chef worked for a hotel on the island. After joining the Jackdaw for about half a month, every single pirate on board took turns to complement his food. It seemed that life on the high seas wasn¡¯t as bad as it was anymore.


    Most importantly were the newly recruited pirates. The old pirates had their absolute faith in Zhang Heng. Due to their previous success, Zhang Heng did not need to give them another morale-boosting speech. No one on the Jackdaw feared the piles of bodies on the Goddess¡¯ Spear, which gave Zhang Heng the confidence to continue pursuing them. The fierce battle that they were about to face would only increase the combat experience of his pirates.


    Previously, the fight between the Happiness and the Jackdaw proved too easy for them. It was evident that the Happiness was a lot weaker than the Jackdaw in terms of firepower. In fact, it did not even look like a battle at all, being more like target practice. In the beginning, the Jackdaw took a few hits from them, but soon after that, the Jackdaw dominated the rest of the battle. The only dangerous thing that happened on the Happiness was Anne getting ambushed by the navies that hid in the cargo hold.


    This time, taking down the Goddess¡¯ Spear wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. Although the whaling vessel proved a formidable foe, Zhang Heng was more worried about his competitors. One week after they left port, they crossed paths with a pirate ship. Not too long after that, they met another one. Both ships raised their black flags at almost the same time. Thankfully, after a short conversation and exchange of information, the Jackdaw and the other pirate ship came to an agreement that they would leave each other alone.


    They were actually not being friendly but were simply afraid of the Jackdaw¡¯s overwhelming firepower. As nobody had any loot on their ships during that time, they chose to settle the matter peacefully.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s mind drifted elsewhere as he had his gaze fixed on the pirate ship that slowly sailed away from them. He was wondering how Carina was managing her situation back in Nassau. Before he left, she discussed her plan with him, and Zhang Heng decided to invest 100 gold coins in her. The money could be used to solve some of her problems besides fortifying the partnership between Zhang Heng and her.


    Zhang Heng also promised that he would invest another 800 gold coins in the future. Carina would no longer need to worry that Zhang Heng would kick her out of the game. By becoming her partner, he would be entitled to 20% of her yield. If Carina did manage to convince more pirate ships to partner up with her, and if they returned to Nassau with a ship full of loot, Zhang Heng would also be able to profit from that as well.


    Billy was tempted to invest in this venture as well but was forced to reconsider as he needed to provide for his family. In the end, he invested only 30 gold coins. As for Anne, she spent a total of 40 gold coins since there was no more need to purchase a house. And just like that, the two of them became small shareholders of the business.


    At the same time, Laeli began to contact his people at the mansion.


    After a short moment of distraction, Zhang Heng snapped back to reality. He realized that it was pointless for him to worry about Carina. It was entirely out of his control since he was out at sea. All he could do was to have faith in his partner. As captain of a pirate ship, he should focus more on the sea. If not for the conundrum of the black-market alliance, there would be no need for him to care about what happened on the island.


    The Jackdaw needed to grow a lot stronger. Once his vessel was categorized as a top-tier pirate crew, it would easier for him to control his fate. That was why every voyage was important to Zhang Heng. This time, he was confident that he would be able to bring something valuable back to Nassau.


    As compared to other pirates, he had his Hunter¡¯s Blessing and Lucky Rabbit Foot with him. If everything went right, these two items should help him in pursuing the Goddess¡¯ Spear. Besides that, he received a notification from the game to inform him that his sailing skills had increased to LV 2.


    With everything set in stone, it was time for the Jackdaw to shine.

 Chapter 171 - The Carrack

    After sailing for 21 days, Zhang Heng could feel that they were getting closer and closer to their target. A few days ago, a pirate ship attempted to plunder the Goddess¡¯ Spear. Unfortunately, the pirates were defeated, and the Goddess¡¯ Spear managed to seize all their weapons. It was going to be hard for the Jackdaw to loot their ship since they were now more robust. After a short exchange of fire, both parties sustained some damage on their boat. In the end, the pirate ship was forced to flee the Goddess¡¯ Spear when their secondary mast was destroyed. Once again, the Goddess¡¯ Spear managed to survive yet another battle against pirates.


    After that, the Jackdaw crossed paths with the pirate ship that fought the Goddess¡¯ Spear. Billy knew their helmsman, so, they were willing to tell the Jackdaw what they knew about the Goddess¡¯ Spear.


    There were about 50 sailors on Goddess¡¯ Spear. Their ship was equipped with 17 cannons. 9 of them were acquired from the pirate ship that they defeated earlier. Otherwise, they had keen sailors who knew how to fight well. The only drawback about the whaling ship was their speed. Having a hold filled with blubber and wax, they could go no faster than a humble 5 knots.


    If everything went well, the Jackdaw was set to catch up with Goddess¡¯ Spear in about half a day. Unfortunately, the weather on that day changed all of a sudden. They could see menacing dark clouds billowing above the Jackdaw. Immediately, Merck, the person that in charge of maneuvering mainsail, instructed his people to climb to the top of the mast to tuck away the mainsail as the wind grew stronger. Some pirates started praying to the goddess Thetis to keep them safe.


    As for Zhang Heng, he stayed within the captain¡¯s quarters and studied the nautical charts, not forgetting his promise to Laeli. Whenever he passed an inhabited island, he would put a mark on the chart. First, he would eliminate the islands that were too small. Islands that lacked essential resources and islands that were too exposed were also crossed off the list. He also made sure to exclude islands that were too close to the busy shipping lanes.


    In the end, there were three islands left for Zhang Heng to pick. He planned to pay them a visit after plundering the Goddess¡¯ Spear. As he put away the charts, the ship suddenly shook violently.


    When he first entered this world, he would stumble around whenever the ship encountered a great storm. As of now, he became a lot more steady, as long as the storm wasn¡¯t too severe. This was the result of his continuous fencing practice on the ship. To prevent himself from falling, all he needed to do was to adjust his center of gravity according to the way the ship moved in the storm.


    Zhang Heng opened the door of the rocky ship and walked to the gunwale. Large raindrops, coupled with salty mists, hit his face with a fury. On the deck, Billy was talking to the watchers.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I was about to look for you. Everything is fine so far, except for a small problem to our northeast.


    ¡°The Goddess¡¯ Spear?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure as well. I¡¯ve been watching them for a while now. It seems like they have stopped moving. I think we¡¯ll find out soon enough. We should be able to catch up to her in about thirty minutes.


    ¡°Be careful. We need to avoid pulling up to its side. After knowing what the Pelican had to go through, they might use the same trick to defeat us. They would deliberately make their ship look deserted to bait us. Technically, we shouldn¡¯t cross paths with them this early. Again, something might just happen to them in this period. After all, Goddess¡¯ Spear isn¡¯t the only threat around here.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. I will bring a team of scouts,¡± said Anne.


    At that, Zhang Heng simply nodded his head. All he could do right now was wait. At the same time, the entire Jackdaw prepared itself to go into full combat mode. Unfortunately, due to strong headwinds, they spent 40 minutes before they could catch up with the ship in front of them. Before they pulled up to it, Zhang Heng used his binoculars to check on it.


    Unlike the ordinary ships that passed by the Caribbean Sea, the ship in front of them seemed to be uniquely designed. The stern was round in shape, and it had four thick masts as well. However, her mainsail was broken. Its tall citadel and poop deck had it looking like a large ¡®U¡¯ from is side. Zhang Heng even noticed that the ship¡¯s hull was covered in barnacles.


    Having determined its characteristics, Zhang Heng knew that this vessel wasn¡¯t the Goddess¡¯ Spear that they were looking for.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a carrack?¡±


    Billy was too sure as well. After all, the carrack, a type of vessel hailing from Spain, had gone extinct in the 17th century. Widely used in the 15th and 16th centuries, its unique design enabled it to carry more goods on board. The carrack¡¯s large number of masts allowed it to move faster than its counterparts and was usually plyed the long-haul routes. When Magellan traveled around the world, four out of five of his ships were carracks.


    However, it usually costs so much to build that few actually owned the type. Besides, maneuvering the vessel was no easy task as well. When it went against the wind, its unnaturally tall forecastle and poop deck would be continuously battered by the winds. The carrack was used right until the Elizabeth Era, where it slowly went into retirement. Not too long after that, carracks were gradually replaced by galleons. Even an old experienced pirate, the likes of Billy had never seen a carrack before.


    ¡°She sure has aged well,¡± said Billy.


    Although he saw what looked to be words engraved on the stern, it had been well eroded by time and the rigors of the ocean, and was no longer legible.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone on board. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Zhang Heng shouted out loud to Anne, who was getting ready to launch a small boat. Other than Zhang Heng and Anne, Billy brought another four pirates with him as well. They had five oil lamps with them. The carrack was merely a stone¡¯s throw away, but the rough sea kicked up by the storm caused the seven to have a tough time getting to it. When they finally got to the ship, they saw that the gunwale¡¯s rope had already rotted away. Luckily, Billy brought a grappling hook with him.


    Once the hook was set in place, Anne volunteered to climb onto the ship first. Zhang Heng, Billy, and the other four pirates followed right behind her.


    ¡°The deck is fine!¡±


    Anne used the oil lamp to look around the ship. Now, Zhang Heng could finally confirm his speculation. This ship did not belong to this era. Though it had cannons, they were too old and outdated to protect it from the weapons of the day. As compared to the Jackdaw, the carrack¡¯s guns were like toys.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move in pairs. Search the ship. Safety is our priority.¡±


    As Billy got on the ship, Zhang Heng started to delegate tasks, where each pair would search a different part of the ship. Then, Zhang Heng entered the captain¡¯s quarters.

 Chapter 172 - Sailors That Disappeared

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The stench in the cabin was awful. Zhang Heng saw that everything was covered in a layer of green, slimy algae. He had to tear off a part of his shirt to mask his mouth and nose. As he made his way to the captain¡¯s quarters, he noticed that the doors of all the cabins were ajar, and the place was in complete disarray. Tables and chairs were all over the floor, with a couple of old rags strewn around the place as well.


    Considering that the ship had been adrift for a long while, everything he just witnessed wasn¡¯t surprising. He noticed something peculiar, though. It looked as if the crew had left in a hurry. Let alone people that were still alive, he saw no rotting corpses or bones. He also noticed that all the windows had been boarded up by wooden planks.


    That explained why the ship¡¯s interior was so stuffy. Zhang Heng drew his sword and punched holes into the boards, allowing fresh air to flood into the ship. Thankfully, the putrid stench soon became more bearable. As he continued on, he found three gold coins stuck between the boards on the floor. It puzzled him as to why the owner would leave such valuable items there.


    Zhang Heng did not linger around for too long. Soon, he arrived at the captain¡¯s quarters located at the end of the hallway. It was the only cabin along the corridor that had its doors closed. Zhang Heng attempted to push the door. To his surprise, it didn¡¯t budge, seeming as if something was jamming the door from the inside. So, Zhang Heng took a few steps back and gave the door a kick. After three continuous bootings, the door finally flew open. At the same time, he saw what was blocking the door. It was a chair, now broken, thanks to Zhang Heng¡¯s brute force.


    Instantly, he proceeded to explore the room. The captain¡¯s quarters were less humid than the other parts of the ship as it was sealed off well¡ªmoldy books sprawled all over the floor. Surprisingly, the table was still in its original position. Just like the other cabins, there was no one here as well, and the windows were tightly sealed. After going ahead to hang his oil lamp on the hook, he carried on looking around the room. He found a pearl necklace, a ring, and some coins in the drawer.


    With the gold coins that he found earlier, Zhang Heng could confirm that this ship hadn¡¯t been looted by any pirates. Something else must have happened to them. He then found a couple of the captain¡¯s diaries on the table, but they were illegible to him. Based on all the languages that he knew, he could confirm that it was neither English nor French. There were a ton of languages spoken in the continent of Europe, and Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t figure the language that the captain used. In the end, he decided to bring all the diaries with him, telling himself that he would look into them later.


    After that, he spent another 15 minutes searching the quarters but found nothing worthy of taking. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed something and stopped in his tracks. For the previous cabins that he visited, Zhang Heng could see evidence of people fleeing in a hurry. However, the captain¡¯s quarters were in a completely different state. The windows were sealed, and there was a chair blocking the door as well. How did the person leave this room considering it was locked from the inside?


    A chill ran down Zhang Heng¡¯s spine. Knowing that this ship had been adrift for a very long time, there was a small chance that the chair was sent to the door by the rocking boat. Still, he could not explain why they would seal the windows. The valuable necklace, ring, and gold coins were strong evidence that the crew left without even looking back. Were they trying to hide from something?


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng heard someone walking towards him. Immediately, he turned around and drew out his saber, only to find that it was Anne.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I just checked out the cargo hold. I quickly came up after I heard someone kicking the doors. This is so weird! I don¡¯t see anyone on this ship. In fact, the goods are still intact in the cargo hold. Unfortunately, the humidity had damaged the entire stock of nylon. It¡¯s impossible to sell them off. By the way, why do you look so nervous?¡±


    1¡°There¡¯s something very wrong with this ship. Let¡¯s leave since we can¡¯t find anything valuable. Where¡¯s Billy and the rest?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone to check the lowest deck with Monte. Should I inform them that we are leaving?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Zhang Heng had a bad feeling about Anne walking alone on this ship. He quickly collected the diaries and unhooked his oil lamp. As usual, Anne led the way. Soon, the two arrived at the stairs that led to the lower decks. Strangely, the guardrails were gone. It looked as if someone destroyed them on purpose.


    ¡°Billy said that this ship is about 100 years old. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Judging by its fitting and structure, she sure doesn¡¯t look like something that belongs to this era.¡±


    ¡°Where are all the people?¡±


    ¡°I would love to know the answer to this question as well. I¡¯m pretty sure that no pirates looted this vessel. I found no trace of fighting in the captain¡¯s quarters as well. The possibility of the sailors retaliating against something are relatively low as well. We should have seen some skeletons lying around if a deadly disease hit them. Something horrifying must have forced the entire crew to abandon ship.¡±


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng heard Billy¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Both of you better come here! I found something interesting.¡±


    At that, Zhang Heng and Anne sped up and descended to the lowest deck. Billy and the two pirates with him lifted their heads and looked at the ceiling. Everything else around them seemed normal.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Billy lifted his oil lamp, and a series of claw marks were presented to Zhang Heng and Anne.


    ¡°Are those¡­ caused by rats?¡± asked Anne.


    ¡°I have never seen any rat capable of inflicting such damage to a ship. How about you guys? Have you found anything interesting?¡± asked Billy.


    ¡°Everything looks normal in the cargo hold,¡± replied Anne.


    ¡°There is a large amount of smoked meat left in the kitchen. I don¡¯t think there was a food shortage around. We also found two boxes of silverware.¡±


    Only the last pair of pirates brought them some good news. Still, none of them could figure out how the sailors disappeared from this ship. At least, they did not return empty-handed.


    They soon left the derelict vessel after moving the silverware to their boats; rowing back to the Jackdaw. As the small boats were approaching the Jackdaw, Zhang Heng turned around and gave the mysterious ship another look. He thought he saw a line of ghostly black shadows standing at the gunwale watching over them. When he took another good look, all he could see were the shadows of the masts.

 Chapter 173 - Poetry Book

    Zhang Heng returned to the captain¡¯s quarters. He was drenched by the rain and got a towel to wipe himself down. Anne quickly got out of her wet clothes as well. As they were both shivering in the cold, Zhang Heng poured themselves a glass of rum to warm up. Rum was the signature drink of pirates. It didn¡¯t have a decent taste, and though fermented from sugar cane, it was very bitter. As compared to wine and brandy, rum wasn¡¯t as smooth. Its only upside was its low price. Not only was it cheap, but it could also be preserved longer than drinking water.


    After a month, the drinking water on the ship would start tasting awful as various kinds of plankton would start growing in it. Rum, however, could be preserved for at least a year. That made it an essential item for every pirate ship. Zhang Heng could feel a warmness radiating in his belly after he bottomed a glass of rum. Suddenly, someone knocked at his door.


    Billy had come for Zhang Heng with a group of youngsters with him.


    ¡°This is Mr. Vincent. I passed the diaries that you gave me earlier to our crew, hoping that someone could read them. I think we are in luck. Mr. Vincent here knows how to read that language!¡±


    Zhang Heng instantly recognized him. He was the Jackdaw¡¯s doctor and had been personally recruited by Billy. Passionate in the field of botany, he was supposed to carry out some research somewhere, but along the way, pirates had unfortunately plundered his ship. Thus, he was forced to become their doctor. A year later, the pirate group that he was in joined forces with another pirate group. Finally, Vincent regained his freedom. However, he feared that others would find out that he once worked for pirates, choosing to stay on the island in the end.


    In Nassau, he stayed right beside Billy. They were neighbors. He typically made a living by keeping accounts for the taverns and brothels. Greatly influenced by Billy, he eventually decided that he would join the Jackdaw.


    ¡°This is a list of goods on the ship. It¡¯s written in Polish. It records everything they were supposed to transport. These are just everyday items¡ªcotton, nylon, and wood.


    This was the very first time Vincent spoke to the Jackdaw¡¯s captain, and he seemed to be nervous. Naturally, he was worried that Zhang Heng might not believe him.


    ¡°My father is from Scotland, and my mother is from Poland. When I was young, I stayed in Poland for some time. That¡¯s why I know how to read Polish.¡±


    ¡°How about these two books?¡±


    Zhang Heng then handed the other two diaries to Vincent. Initially, Anne was about to leave but decided to stay. She, too, was curious about the sudden disappearance of sailors on that ship.


    ¡°I think¡­ this is a poetry book,¡± replied Vincent after he opened up the book and glanced through its contents.


    ¡°A poetry book?¡±


    ¡°Yes. A book filled with romantic poems. Most of them were dedicated to a woman called Betty. I must say that the contents are mediocre at best. This is my first time seeing someone using a storm to describe someone he loved. His descriptions are pretty¡­ sensual.¡±


    Vincent blushed as he read through those poems.


    ¡°Can you read them aloud to us?¡±


    ¡°Okay. No¡­ no problem.¡±


    Immediately, Vincent glanced at Anne, quickly realizing that she was okay with it. He then started to look for a poem to read to them.


    ¡°Betty my love, I praise you, I adore you, You are my storm, I¡¯m your master, Your breasts are like the fruits of a crooked branch, Your¡­ erm¡­ Your legs are like a river flowing with honey¡­.¡±


    Vincent began sweating profusely as he read the sultry literature. He couldn¡¯t help but loosen his collar.


    ¡°Do you want me to continue?¡± asked Vincent while looking at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Since you are halfway through¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay. You wrap me with your body, Whisper in my ear, You allow me to fly, I love you so much, Regardless of everything, I love you more than my soul, I¡¯m willing to stay by your side for the rest of my life¡­. that¡¯s it. You know, I can find you better Polish poems if you like these things.¡±


    Suddenly, Vincent realized that the three other people in the room were staring at him. Immediately, he picked up the third book.


    ¡°It seems like this is a record of where they got their supplies from. The names of different ports, dates, and amounts of goods are recorded here.¡±


    ¡°So, the captain¡¯s journal is not here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see it here.¡±


    ¡°Did you forget to take it?¡± asked Anne.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I searched everywhere in the captain¡¯s quarters. I even checked the books that were scattered all over the floor. There are three handwritten books in the room. The rest of them were published books.¡±


    ¡°All three books have the same handwriting?¡± Zhang Heng asked Vincent.


    ¡°Two have the same handwriting. These are the list of goods and supply records. The romantic poetry book has different handwriting.¡±


    ¡°Writing down the list of goods and supplies is the job of the records keeper. Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t find the captain¡¯s diary. There¡¯s no way that we will ever know what happened to the ship,¡± said Billy, who looked a little disappointed.


    ¡°Hold on. This is weird,¡± Vincent chipped in.


    ¡°I know these two ports. They are far apart from each other. My brother and I spent a month sailing from one port to the next. Their supply records show that they only spent 15 days traveling between these two ports. That would mean the ship must have exceeded nine knots. I don¡¯t think they had a ship that sailed that fast in that era,¡± continued a perplexed Vincent.


    ¡°Theoretically, they might be able to achieve that if they sailed at full speed. In reality, it¡¯s impossible¡­ unless the winds were at their backs for all 15 days and they managed to find a way to prevent the mast from breaking into half. The possibility of these two things happening would be like a bag with 1,000 gold coins suddenly dropping from the sky,¡± said Billy while shaking his head.


    ¡°It seems like the captain of that ship had different ideas. They loaded their vessel with 16-days worth of supplies before they departed. That¡¯s cutting it real close. It¡¯s only a day and a half away from their last voyage.¡±


    ¡°Ha! No wonder they met with an accident! We found a large number of supplies lying around when we got on board. Clearly, the captain¡¯s ego wasn¡¯t the cause of their mishap. I remember that there was a complete nautical chart on their ship. Let¡¯s look for it and ask Vincent to take a look. I want to see if we can mark down all the ports that they stopped at. Then, we will be able to calculate their average speed. With that, we will know if they met with an accident or not.¡±

 Chapter 174 - Tripartite Battle

    ¡°How¡­ how is that even possible? How did that ship manage to maintain full speed the entire journey?¡± asked Vincent.


    ¡°If the book¡¯s records were true, it would mean that the ship was at least one and a half times faster than ships of this era. That is just insane,¡± said Billy.


    Among them, Billy was most experienced when it came to sailing. Having spent the better half of his life out in the oceans, he knew all the factors that could affect a ship¡¯s speed. Even if the helmsman and boatswain were extremely good at what they did, environmental factors were something out of their hands.


    ¡°So, right now, we have no idea how the ship¡¯s crew suddenly vanished. Then, there¡¯s the other problem. How did the ship move at such incredible speed?¡± said Anne.


    ¡°I think these two questions have the same answers to them. I need you to translate everything that is written in these three books,¡± Zhang Heng instructed Vincent.


    ¡°Sure thing. I don¡¯t have many things to do anyway.¡±


    ¡°Great! For now, we need to focus on Goddess¡¯ Spear first. I think we have almost caught up with them. Let¡¯s hoist the mainsail when the weather improves,¡± said Zhang Heng to Billy.


    ¡°Understood¡­¡±


    ¡­..


    The mysterious carrack appeared during the storm, and when it was over, she was nowhere to be found again. The watchers looked high and low for any clues around the area, yielded no results.


    It was like a phantom that appeared and disappeared without a trace. If it were not for the silverware they got from the carrack, the whole incident would have quickly been passed off as a dream. After that, Zhang Heng inspected the two boxes of silverware. Just like the ring and necklace, he didn¡¯t receive any notifications about acquiring any game items. It was all expected, though. After all, it seemed that the crew of the phantom ship had encountered some kind of supernatural incident. The Jackdaw could be in significant trouble if a cursed object were among the silverware. Still, he did not expect such an outcome.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s curiosity wasn¡¯t the only thing that motivated him to investigate the carrack. He still remembered what the old man in the Tang suit told him. He would eventually unveil the truth that was hidden in the real world through the game. Ever since he participated in the game and was given the extra 24 hours, his life had changed entirely. At first, he thought that the real world had changed, but after the appearance of Moresby and witnessing a wall devouring someone alive, Zhang Heng realized that the world was still the same. The only thing that changed was the way he perceived it.


    The truth was always there, only people rarely paid attention to them. Except for the Shadow Moment and Shadow Key, information about the game items that he possessed could easily be found on Google or Baidu. This might not be a coincidence as, during his previous quest, Zhang Heng came across some supernatural items but rarely got the chance to know their background information. If only he could find out what actually happened to the carrack, he might gain a better understanding of the real world. It was essential that he knew where they came from and what their purpose was.


    Though the two boxes of silverware were somewhat valuable, it wasn¡¯t quite enough to distribute amongst 62 people. Everyone on the ship had high expectations after the Jackdaw¡¯s first huge success, and Zhang Heng knew that his priority right now was to take down the Goddess¡¯ Spear. Twenty-two days had passed since the Jackdaw left Nassau. It would seem that they were in luck this time. While pursuing the Goddess¡¯ Spear, they came across a couple of merchant ships. Due to time constraints, Zhang Heng did not attack them. On the afternoon of the 22nd day, the Jackdaw finally found her target.


    However, the situation was a rather delicate one.


    ¡°That¡¯s Black Prince Sam¡¯s ship, the Quidah. This is going to be a problem. I bet they know about Goddess¡¯ Spear as well,¡± said Billy.


    The Quidah was as famous as Black Beard¡¯s Sea Lion in Nassau. They were one of the most powerful pirate groups and was a better vessel than the Sea Lion. The Quidah first entered service two years ago in London. Her name came from a trading city in West Africa, Quidah, and she was the best ship in the fleet to transport black slaves to other countries. The type was known as a galley, and it could travel at breakneck speed. Even during a windless day or heavy headwinds, they could make use of the paddles at the ship¡¯s hull to propel it forward. To make matters worse, they were equipped with massive firepower as well.


    Roland, their ex-captain, once told the investors that they would be able to earn an unimaginable amount of money if they invested on the ship. To everyone¡¯s surprise, however, the ship was captured by Black Prince during her first voyage. In the end, the captain was forced to surrender. Though he got to keep his life, the Quidah fell into Black Prince¡¯s possession.


    After Billy saw that the Quidah was in the vicinity, he frantically scanned the other directions using his bronze binoculars. Ironically, he saw another pirate ship located northwest of the Goddess¡¯ Spear. That explained why the Quidah did not launch any attacks. The black flag of the foreign pirate ship was something Billy had never seen before.


    ¡°That pirate ship¡­ it doesn¡¯t belong to Nassau.¡±


    The port of Nassau was the most famous pirate-infested harbor in the entire Caribbean. However, that did not mean that all the pirates would make Nassau their home. There were a large number of pirates outside New Providence as well. From time to time, they would come across pirate ships from other places.


    The Quidah and the other pirate ship were now in the hunting zone. Still, the Goddess¡¯ Spear did not do anything about it. The number of pirate ships in the vicinity did not matter to them. After being told how mighty Goddess¡¯ Spear was, none of the pirate ships thought that it would go down without fighting. They were simply waiting for the right moment. The more chaotic the situation was, the better it would turn in their favor.


    Three pirate ships surrounded the Goddess¡¯ Spear from three different directions. At the same time, they had to watch out for each other as well. The unknown pirate ship was apparently way weaker than the Quidah, and almost lost when it tried to fight earlier. The Quidah¡¯s only concern was that the Goddess¡¯ Spear might escape if it attacked the unknown pirate ship right now. Initially relieved when seeing a third pirate vessel joining the party, they realized that things were about to become more complicated as their competitors had increased as well.

 Chapter 175 - Distribution Plan

    It was rare for pirates to be seeing their prey but yet, unable to attack.


    At the moment, the Quidah was the strongest vessel, followed by the Jackdaw, and at the very bottom of the list was the anonymous pirate ship. But those were just dry comparisons. In reality, the vessel and firepower of the unnamed pirate ship were actually not that bad. Unfortunately, they came across two vessels that were way more powerful. That said, neither one of the three ships could take down the prey by themselves.


    Should one of them attack first, the other two would surely team-up. What¡¯s more, the seamen on the Goddess¡¯ Spear would not just stay still and wait for the enemy to attack. In the end, the Quidah was the first to signal the other two captains, inviting them for a parlay over the loot¡¯s distribution.


    As the first pirate ship to discover the Goddess¡¯ Spear, the Quidah clearly did not want the situation to drag on. No matter how valuable the cargo on the Goddess¡¯ Spear was, once it was divided between the three ships, it would surely be a lot less abundant. Should another pirate ship join in, only scraps would be left for the three of them. They might as well just try their luck on robbing other passing merchant ships.


    ¡°Black Sam has a pretty good reputation in Nassau, and he¡¯s known for his loyalty, solid reasons on why his men are so willing to follow him,¡± said Billy. ¡°Even though he sides with the black-market alliance now, he¡¯s not one to double-cross us for something like that. At the moment, it looks like other than a negotiation, there are no better ways to go about this situation. We should discuss it first.¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded, indicating that he agreed with Billy. ¡°Send a message to the Quidah. I¡¯ll go over.¡±


    On the other side, the unnamed pirate ship found themselves in a bit of a dilemma. Even though they had heard so much of the famous Black Sam, this was their first-time making contact. They did not know how much of what they had heard about the guy was true. Now, seeing that Zhang Heng¡¯s ship had deployed a small boat, they were worried that the two parties would form an alliance to kill them first, so in the end, they too sent a boat out.


    Since it was just a negotiation, Zhang Heng brought only a few men with him¨Conly Dufresne and another pirate. In case of any untoward incidents, Bill and Anne remained on the Jackdaw.


    The reason Zhang Heng agreed to it so readily, apart from Black Sam¡¯s reputation, was that he had his Shadow Moment on him. Should something unfortunate really happen, he could at least escape to somewhere nearby even if he could not return to the Jackdaw.


    The captain of the other ship, on the other hand, was very much on edge. He brought eight men with him, all armed to the teeth, seeming as if ready to face some sort of confrontation.


    For some reason, Black Sam did not show up at the Terrance Mansion¡¯s dinner party, so it was the first time Zhang Heng would be meeting him.


    To Zhang Heng¡¯s surprise, the captain who equally notorious as Blackbeard looked to be no older than him, probably around twenty-six or twenty-seven years of age. He sported bright blue eyes and long black hair neatly tied into a ponytail. If Teach¡¯s presence was like a looming mountain in the night, then Sam¡¯s was like the first rays of the morning light.


    He had an easy-going, infectious smile that made people forget about all their troubles¨Cit was no wonder that his other nickname was ¡®The Prince of Pirates.¡¯ While utterly unrelated to his attire, occupation, or activities he was engaged in, some were just born as natural ¡®princes¡¯ of whom people were drawn to ever so willingly.


    The pirate group led by Sam was also the most stable in Nassau. No one had ever challenged his position since he became the captain. The idea of his replacement was never even raised.


    Naturally, rumors about him were also rife. It was said that he often used his own portion of loot to compensate those who wounded or those who died in battle, and since he didn¡¯t possess his private residence on the shore, he often woke up in different places every day. Furthermore, he was extremely generous to his prisoners. In his early days as a pirate, after taking over a ship, he would give his old ship to the poor people they robbed so that they could escape, sometimes going as far as to distribute the proceeds to the poor on the island. His crew even dubbed themselves ¡®the merry men of Robin Hood.¡¯


    As Zhang Heng was studying Black Sam, the latter¡¯s gaze also fell on him. It could have been merely his imagination, but Zhang Heng felt that Sam seemed to be usually friendly toward him.


    ¡°Captain Zhang Heng, I have been looking forward to meeting you for a long time. There has been a lot of talk about you and your Jackdaw in the streets of Nassau recently. I should¡¯ve met you earlier, but thankfully, it¡¯s still not too late,¡± smirked Sam as he offered a hand coupled with a wide grin on his face.


    The third group of pirates that boarded grew even more uncomfortable upon learning that Zhang Heng and Sam had come from the same place. When they noticed that the two planned to continue their conversation, the one appearing to be the captain quickly interrupted the conversation. ¡°Time is precious. I believe none of us here wants anyone else to interrupt us. If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s start the negotiations then.


    Black Prince Sam nodded and said politely, ¡°How should I address you?¡±


    ¡°I am Hutcheson, the captain of the Blizzard. My crew and I have been chasing this whaling ship for more than a month. Frankly, she¡¯s ours. If both of you are willing to return her to me, then you have earned yourself the Blizzard¡¯s friendship,¡± said Hutcheson.


    The Quidah¡¯s helmsman, a black man, sniggered, ¡°There has never been such a thing as ¡®first-come-first-serve¡¯ on the high seas.¡±


    ¡°Based on each of our strengths, I think that forty, forty, thirty sounds like a reasonable plan.¡± Black Sam did not want to beat around the bush and instantly laid out what he thought to be a sensible division for the loot.


    ¡°I have no problem with you guys taking forty percent of the portion since I¡¯ve heard of the famous Quidah before. But forgive me for my frankness: why should this guy get a thirty? Is it because the two of you come from the same place? I¡¯ve been at sea for so long, but I¡¯ve never heard of the Jackdaw.¡±


    ¡°The other forty percent is actually for him, not you, and the reason is simple¨Che has a warship.¡±


    Hutcheson¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hah! Since when the quality of a vessel became a measure of a pirate gang¡¯s prowess? If that is so, then no one will have to do anything anymore. We might as well just compare our ships every time we meet.¡±


    Black Prince Sam frowned. ¡°Watch what you say, Captain Hutcheson. We called you over to parlay because we respect you. If you don¡¯t know how to respect others, then this negotiation cannot go on.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Thirty percent it is then. But I want to pick out two things first. Only then will we split the rest of the goods according to your proportion.¡±


    ¡°We all know that the most valuable item onboard is the ambergris. If you take them right away, then what else would be left for our taking?¡± the Quidah¡¯s helmsman spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought this is just a discussion among the Captains,¡± grumbled the captain of the Blizzard.


    ¡°Erik.¡± Black Prince Sam glared at his helmsman.


    Eric simply shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on the guys on the second deck to make sure they are not loafing around,¡±

 Chapter 176 - Pincer Movement

    Once the helmsman was gone, Hutcheson spoke again.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t accept this deal. What am I supposed to tell my crew later? Am I supposed to tell them that the other two ships received the same amount of loot, but we are the only one receiving less?¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with the captain¡¯s prowess? Amongst the three ships, you guys are the weakest one amongst the three pirate ships. If your crew is wise enough, they should know that this deal makes perfect sense,¡± said Black Prince Sam.


    ¡°Hmph! If thye were wise enough in the first place, they would never have chosen the pirate¡¯s life then. Please, the two of you are captains as well. You know that these shoes are hard to fill as well. I¡¯m fine with the deal, but I can¡¯t accept it just like that. Otherwise, my crew would think I¡¯m weak. They¡¯d kick me off the ship even before I return home!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do,¡± said Black Prince Sam. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to change the terms, but isn¡¯t there anything you can do to make it seem a little less obvious?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to give my privilege of selecting the loot first, and yes, I¡¯ll accept the deal. The least you could do is make me look good in front of my crew.¡±


    ¡°What do you have in mind? How are we going to take down the Goddess¡¯ Spear later?¡± asked Hutcheson.


    ¡°As usual, we attack them with our cannons first. Once they surrender, we¡¯ll send a boarding party. All their sailors are real men. I believe you¡¯ve heard about the Pelican incident, right? We have to make sure that we are well prepared before we attack them. Let¡¯s each send 20 pirates to board the Goddess¡¯ Spear later.¡±


    ¡°What if I choose not to join the fight? With that, I¡¯ll be able to convince my crew that we got lesser loots because we didn¡¯t join the fight.¡±


    ¡°So, you want a share of the loot without participating in the fight?!¡±


    ¡°Technically, I¡¯m saying that I¡¯m only joining the fight that happens on the ship. Of course, we, too, will fire on them during our coordinated attack later. After that, I will help you to secure the perimeter when you send your men to board their ship. I will stand guard and make sure no other external forces interrupt us. This is so that I can calm my crew after they find out they¡¯re getting a lesser portion. Though the Goddess¡¯ Spear is fearless, they not no idiots. They know that there is no way they can defeat three pirate ships at the same time. In other words, it is implausible that they¡¯ll set up an ambush when we board them. Am I right?¡±


    Black Prince Sam then took a look at Zhang Heng. He instantly realized that Black Prince Sam had accepted Hutcheson¡¯s proposal. It was out of courtesy, that he asked for Zhang Heng¡¯s opinion first.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    ¡°Then, we will each send 30 men to board them. Let¡¯s all attack at the same time in about 15 minutes,¡± said Black Prince Sam.


    Zhang Heng and Hutcheson were fine with his idea. All three sides wanted to attack the Goddess¡¯ Spear as soon as possible knowing that that other competitors plied the waters, and their loot could easily be hijacked by any opportunistic pirate vessels. Once the plan was set in stone, Zhang Heng and Hutcheson returned to their ship to discuss the battle plan with their respective crews.


    Back on the Jackdaw, Anne cleaned her saber with a smile on her face. She was excited to join the fight later.


    ¡°You stay on the ship this time,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Huh? Why?! Aren¡¯t the crew of the Goddess¡¯ Spear known to be good fighters? This is when you¡¯ll need me the most! Before this, didn¡¯t you use the Pelican as an example to warn us about the crew of the Goddess¡¯ Spear?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about the Goddess¡¯ Spear. The Quidah will send their best to attack them. Combine with our pirates; it should be more than enough to deal with the sailors on their ship. Once I leave with my boarding party, the Jackdaw will become extremely vulnerable. As compared to the other two pirate ships, we have the least people. Since Hutcheson is not joining the fight, I have to bring at least half of our people to join the fight. I don¡¯t plan to bring our best men with me. I¡¯ll take some of the experienced fighters, and I¡¯ll leave the rest with you to guard our ship. If everything works as planned, the Goddess¡¯ Spear should go down without much of a fight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the captain. I will comply.¡±


    15 minutes quickly passed, and the Quidah gave the signal to attack. The Jackdaw and the Blizzard followed right behind the Quidah. Three pirate vessels had successfully surrounded the Goddess¡¯ Spear. Just as expected, they had no intention to go down without putting up a fight, knowing it would be impossible to attack all three pirate ships at the same time. So, they decided to pick one as their main target. They hoped to put some fear into the other two pirate ships by focusing all their fire on one. The Goddess¡¯ Spear didn¡¯t have many options anyway, knowing that the Quidah was the largest ship here, and it was protected by thick armor. As for the Jackdaw, the Goddess¡¯ Spear knew that it was a bad idea to attack a battleship as well. In the end, they decided to focus all fire on the Blizzard.


    Hutcheson was furious at this. Not only was he given the least of the share of loos, and now, they were now taking heavy fire from Goddess¡¯ Spear as well. However, he was smart enough by slowing down his ship to dodge the Goddess¡¯ Spear¡¯s attacks. Being a qualified captain of the Blizzard, he must have possessed a particularly good skillset. In fact, he was excellent at maneuvering his ship, managing to evade half of the Goddess¡¯ Spear¡¯s attacks. The Blizzard might have looked like it was in a tight spot, but eventually, they didn¡¯t sustain too much damage.


    With the Blizzard drawing the Goddess¡¯ Spear¡¯s attention, the Quidah and the Jackdaw managed to close into their target really quickly. Zhang Heng fired first, and the Quidah followed suit. The Goddess¡¯ Spear wasn¡¯t prepared when two powerful pirate ships attacked at the same time. Their crew started to panic. Still, they didn¡¯t surrender, believing that they could defeat them like how they beat the Pelican.


    Unfortunately, it was a pointless struggle trying to beat two powerful pirate ships. Five minutes later, the Goddess¡¯ Spear finally raised a white flag. Zhang Heng led 30 of his men to the gunwale. Once they got closer to the Goddess¡¯ Spear, they launched a landing craft and rowed towards Goddess¡¯ Spear.


    The overpowering scent of gunpowder still lingered in the air when they boarded the Goddess¡¯ Spear. The sailors were glaring at all the pirates that boarded their ship in anger and frustration. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t go straight to the goods. Instead, he waited for Black Prince Sam to board the ship. He then handed the list of goods to him.


    ¡°We are in luck. This ship hauls a lot more than we initially thought. It looks like we can still earn a lot even if the goods are evenly distributed amongst the three pirate ships,¡± said Black Prince Sam.


    The pirates erupted into cheers after hearing what he said. On the other hand, the dejected sailors of the Goddess¡¯ Spear could simply glare at the pirates with a murderous stare.

 Chapter 177 - Blizzard Is Good At Running Away

    Shortly after Zhang Heng left the ship with his men, Anne received a warning from the watchman that a ship had appeared coming from the southwest.


    She took over the bronze telescope and saw a 3-masted vessel. It, too, had apparently also taken notice of the Jackdaw. Instead of turning back in fear, she was steaming towards them at full speed with their black flag raised.


    ¡°That looks like someone wants a piece of the loot too,¡± scowled Dufresne while frowning.


    As agreed, the Blizzard had already gone ahead to intercept the incoming pirate ship. Hutcheson even signaled to Anne with a thumbs up, telling her not to worry and to just leave the matter to him.


    However, the skirmish between the two pirate ships ended quickly with the Blizzard retreating. Anne knew that the Blizzard was inadequate, but she didn¡¯t expect them to be that useless. They hadn¡¯t even begun buying time for the rest of them before they started cowering and fleeing for their lives.


    All in all, the Blizzard only managed to buy them ten minutes. Now they were already on their way back.


    Black Sam, who was on the Goddess¡¯ Spear, looked on disapprovingly at their ally. How could he have made a pact with such a poor excuse of a pirate? His crew had only just started seizing the weapons and cross-checking the goods according to the list. However, this was not the time to hold anyone accountable. He had no choice but to order his crew to come to the Blizzard¡¯s aid.


    The newcomer¡¯s firepower was similar to that of the Blizzard, and it shouldn¡¯t be too tricky for the Quidah to fight against them. With the help of the Blizzard, they should both be able to take down the enemy.


    The moment the Whydah Gall¡¯s helmsman received the order, he immediately rushed to the scene of the battle. Since he did not see eye to eye with Hutcheson, he deliberately made a detour so that the latter would suffer just a little longer or better yet, let the newcomer sink the Blizzard, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about Hutcheson¡¯s portion of the loot.


    Unfortunately, although the Blizzard was an incompetent fighter, she sure was very good at running. Once again, Hutcheson demonstrated his excellent skills at the helm, maneuvering the Blizzard so that she dodged every cannonball fired at her.


    When Hutcheson saw the Quidah in the vicinity, he immediately fled toward her direction.


    The Whydah Gall¡¯s helmsman was so irritated by the cat and mouse game that he thought of getting rid of the Blizzard first. In the end, however, he managed to resist that desire and ordered the gunmen to be at their battle stations.


    Although he was reluctant to admit it, the Blizzard did do one thing useful¨Cleading the target straight into the Quidah¡¯s arms. However, perhaps due to panic or some other reason, the Blizzard blocked the Quidah¡¯s cannons, and the latter could not fire. In contrast, the pirate ship behind them was able to fire freely at their target.


    Erik, the Quidah¡¯s helmsman, cursed loudly as he instructed his crew to signal to Blizzard, telling them to move as far away as possible.


    Thank goodness the Blizzard got the message, as their crew immediately circled around and made her way behind the Quidah. Erik wasn¡¯t bothered to find faults with Hutcheson right now, nor did he pay attention to where the Blizzard was heading. After all, even without the Blizzard¡¯s help, he was confident that they could defeat the enemy ship on their own.


    Erik ordered his crew to return fire. With that first counterattack, the Quidah exhibited its legendary Caribbean reputation. The pirate ship that had just kicked Blizzard¡¯s butt a minute ago was overwhelmed by the Quidah. Whether in terms of firepower or the quality of their personnel, the difference between them was so clear that you practically see it with your naked eye. It was only a matter of time before the newcomer would be subdued.


    Erik was composed, just like all the other battles he had fought before. Once the Quidah opened fire, it was clear who the victorious one would be. The helmsman even had the opportunity around and spectate the Blizzard¡¯s embarrassment. As soon as he saw the Blizzard¡¯s opening the shutters of the cannons, however, the smile on his face was wiped away.


    The helmsman sensed that something was amiss. He immediately shouted to the pirate who was manning the helm, screaming, ¡°Hard to port! Double-time!!!¡±


    It was too late, though, for in a split second, the Blizzard¡¯s weak countenance took a 180-degree turn. Hutcheson¡¯s incredible performance had everyone fooled. He was now in the best offensive position. With their ships so close together, his cannons would tear through the Quidah with ease.


    This unexpected turn of events was a disaster for the Quidah. With their starboard side taking a hit from the devastating blow, everything on the ship tumbled and collided, and they were forced to stop their attack on the other pirate ship. This gave the latter an opportunity to counterattack.


    The sudden change in circumstance caught everyone off guard, including the Jackdaw. Little did they know, however, that danger was quietly inching towards them.


    The pirate on the crow¡¯s nest had not forgotten Zhang Heng¡¯s instructions and kept a watchful eye on the sea. All he could see though, was a vast expanse of ocean and the other ships. Even he himself started believing that he was a little too edgy. If another enemy did show up, it would take them at least half an hour to enter their firing range, more than enough time to prepare themselves for battle.


    So, when the first enemy appeared and slit the throat of an unlucky pirate when everyone was still unaware, the first person to react was the pirate on the crow¡¯s nest. Although distracted by the Blizzard¡¯s sudden betrayal, he was first to notice any unusual activities down below, being way up high. He shouted at the top of his lungs, warning his crew that they were under attack. As soon as he did that, an arrow flew into his throat, and the poor guy dropped to the ground without saying another word.


    Thanks to his warning, the pirates on deck were now aware of intruders on their ship. One look at the attacker¡¯s wet clothes, and Anne knew right away where they came from. When the Blizzard went to intercept the pirate ship that arrived later, they passed the Jackdaw. These men must have jumped into the water then. They waited until the Quidah was under siege before attacking the Jackdaw.


    The redhead was ecstatic. She was just lamenting about staying on the boat, not having anything to do. Now that a battle had presented itself at her doorstep, Anne licked her lips, drew her dagger, and welcomed it with open arms.


    Led by the boatswain, the pirates on the Jackdaw quickly snapped out of their initial panic and jumped right into battle.


    Dufresne was secretly grateful that Zhang Heng left all the good fighters on the ship. The thirty men that Zhang Heng had brought with him included the cook, carpenter, and doctor. Thanks to early detection by the pirate on the crow¡¯s nest, the enemy only managed to kill around four men and did not cause any widespread panic.


    After that, Anne quickly stabilized the situation. There were not many in this group of attackers, only around twenty or more of them. This was not because Hutcheson was reluctant to send more, but rather, he was worried that the more of them there were, the easier they would be discovered. Above all, he still had to fight the Quidah¨Cthe enemy that mattered most to him. By comparison, he did not care much for Zhang Heng or his Jackdaw.

 Chapter 178 - Naval Ram

    The sailors of Goddess¡¯ Spear were elated to see the pirates fighting among themselves. Some even started thinking about fighting back since the whole thing had fallen apart. To their surprise, Black Prince Sam and Zhang Heng were calmer than the thought. Zhang Heng did not expect Hutcheson to pull such a dirty trick. Thankfully, he had asked Anne to stay with the Jackdaw. The ship¡¯s real strength lay not in her pirates but her cannons.


    Most of the pirates that stayed behind on the Jackdaw were cannoneers. These were young men in their twenties or thirties and were definitely more than capable of handling close-quarters combat. With Anne by their side, they soon managed to take control of the situation. At the same time, Zhang Heng realized that Hutcheson had no intention to take over the Jackdaw but was attempting to stop the Jackdaw from joining the other fight that was raging on.


    Though the Quidah was Black Prince Sam¡¯s real target, he wasn¡¯t the least worried. As of now, the Quidah was under attack by two ships. Still, Black Prince Sam managed to keep his calm and instructed his people clearly on how to deal with the critical situation. He even smiled when he saw Zhang Heng looking at him.


    ¡°Many people compare me to Honigg and Blackbeard and say I¡¯m the best captain of the Caribbean. I think they overestimate me. I started to work on the ocean four years ago, and I only came to Nassau about a year ago. At that time, I was just a small-time pirate that nobody knew. After that, I met a helmsman called Eric at a tavern. His captain was caught red-handed stealing their share of the loot. During that time, I didn¡¯t have a job, and they needed a captain to lead them. We were so drunk that night, and the next thing I knew, I became the new captain of their ship when I woke up the following day.


    ¡°Even though I became their captain, I told myself to push on harder to earn my keep. I made many preparations for my first plunder. Unfortunately, I got drunk again the night before it happened. When I opened my eyes the next morning, I found that the ship was already loaded with loot.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Until today, few know that I actually suck at maneuvering a ship, shooting a cannon, and fighting at the frontlines. Despite all my weaknesses, my crew has become the most powerful pirate gang in the entire Nassau. All these within three years. It¡¯s all because of my reliable crew. They are willing to place their trust in me, and I fully trust them. This is why we dominate the oceans. They will surely pay with their lives if they think that they can underestimate the Quidah when I¡¯m not on the ship.¡±


    The main mast of the Quidah was struck by a cannonball, and it down it came, tumbling on the ship. It then landed on a group of pirates. Usually, most of the pirates would start panicking in a time like this. Even worse, their captain was not with them. To everyone¡¯s surprise, though, the Quidah¡¯s pirates used the shortest time possible to reorganize themselves were quickly back to what they were supposed to do.


    The cannoneer continued to load the cannons with gusto.


    The doctor continued treating wounded pirates.


    The carpenters were busy fixing the leaks.


    Even the cook was helping to clean up the deck.


    The helmsman got up from the deck, brushed away the woodchips on him, and continued to direct the Quidah¡¯s maneuvers. Seeing that this was a golden opportunity, the other two pirate ships attacked the Quidah with everything they had. Miraculously, the Quidah¡¯s iron-plated hull managed to nullify all the attacks. The few carpenters on board were working frantically, trying their best to patch up the leaks as fast as possible. After that, the Quidah quickly took down their secondary mast.


    Hutcheson could not figure out what the Quidah was trying to do. Right now, they faced the Quidah¡¯s bow. In other words, they would be able to return fire with their side cannons. The only weapons that were still functioning were the bow and stern cannons. Still, it was not powerful enough to deal with the two pirate ships that attacked them.


    No captains with a logical mind would decide this. Suddenly, the Quidah¡¯s hull was opened, and two rows of paddles were presented in front of everyone. She then started to row towards the other pirate ship. Hutcheson was left paralyzed in shock. He had heard that the Quidah was one of the most potent pirate ships in the Caribbean, but he didn¡¯t expect it to move around with paddles. After all, he did not come from Nassau, and whatever information he had about the Quidah was minimal at best.


    After noticing that the wind was against them, the black helmsman quickly decided to keep the mainsail and used the paddles to maneuver the ship instead. The other pirate ship did not expect that the Quidah would make such a bold move, seeming as if they were willing to go down with the pirate ship that they targeted. Now, it was too late for them to move away. All they could do was to continue firing their cannons. They hoped to sink the Quidah before it could get close to them. Unsurprisingly, their plan failed.


    ¡°Go down with you? What a na?ve thought!¡± said the helmsman with a smile when he saw that both ships were about to ram each other.


    The pirate ship started to shake violently even before the Quidah came into contact with them. To their horror, they saw a giant gaping hole at the bottom part of the hull! Seawater mercilessly gushed into the ship. The hole was also too big for the carpenters to fix. In other words, the pirate ship was slowly sinking. Their crew desperately looked for places to run, with the captain still paralyzed in shock. None of them knew what happened to their fine ship.


    From afar, Hutcheson could not believe what he saw as well. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.


    ¡°Naval ram?!¡±


    A naval ram is an object that was used to destroy the hull of an enemy¡¯s ship and was usually hidden under the waterline. These were widely used by ancient Phoenicia, Greece, and Rome until the invention of cannons in the 18th century. It wasn¡¯t before the 19th century, where the naval ram was once again installed on armored ships.


    Hutcheson did not expect the Quidah to be equipped with an outdated weapon. He wished he knew about it earlier. In retrospect, Hutcheson figured that the naval ram was no threat to him. He just needed to make sure that he steered clear of the Quidah.


    It was too late for Hutcheson to regret, as there was nothing he could do to help the other pirate ship. He watched it slowly taking on water and sinking. Their crew was forced to jump overboard since there was nowhere to run. At the same time, the Quidah had turned in a different direction.

 Chapter 179 - Turning The Tide Around

    ¡°Captain, what should we do now?¡± asked the pirates on the Blizzard.


    Hutcheson was in a dilemma as well. The Quidah¡¯s hull had been severely damaged by another pirate ship earlier. It seemed like they were on the verge of breaking up. Not only did they not stop for repairs, but they continued charging at the Blizzard, carrying out a suicide attack.


    On the other hand, the Jackdaw had managed to deal with the intruders coming from the gunwale, ready to assist the Quidah. After a long bout of hesitation, Hutcheson decided that he would retreat for now. Immediately, the Jackdaw went after them. They attempted to fire on the Blizzard, but unfortunately, Hutcheson managed to dodge every attack with his masterful maneuvering skills.


    Anne, too wasn¡¯t happy when she saw the Blizzard trying to make a run for it and wanted to continue pursuing them. However, she was stopped short by Dufresne. Though the Jackdaw outgunned the Blizzard, they had fewer pirates with them now. With only 20 people on board, the Jackdaw couldn¡¯t utilize her firepower to its fullest.


    The Blizzard might even retaliate if the Jackdaw continued the chase. So after a short pursuit, the Jackdaw decided to turn back to Goddess¡¯ Spear. Seeing that the Jackdaw was no longer on their tail, Hutcheson became incredibly frustrated. This was indeed a significant loss to him. Initially, he intended to attack and plunder the Quidah and the Goddess¡¯ Spear with two pirate ships. If he managed to pull it off, he would become the most powerful pirate of the area.


    Not only did his plan fail, but it also cost him a ship and half his crew. Fortunately, his Blizzard did not suffer any damage. In the end, he wanted to take out the Jackdaw as a consolation prize. Sadly, the Jackdaw did not continue their pursuit. Left with no other options, the Blizzard had to flee the scene as fast as possible. Though the battle was thrilling and tumultuous, it lasted for only 20 minutes from beginning to end.


    Currently, the Quidah¡¯s condition was worse than Hutcheson estimated. Seawater was gushing into the bottom of the ship. Even though their carpenters were trying their hardest to plug up the hole, the seawater had flooded the cabin and was now up to the pirates¡¯ knees. It would be impossible for them to participate in another battle.


    Before the Blizzard fled the scene, the Quidah had already begun repairing their ship. The helmsman, Eric, and everyone else aboard chipped in to help. They looked for everything around them that could be used to close up the hole. At the same time, some pirates activated a pump, hoping to flush out the entering seawater. With their combined effort, they managed to get the water out faster than it could come in.


    At the same time, Black Prince Sam was done with counting the loot on the Goddess¡¯ Spear. With the Blizzard out of the game, it was now easier for them to divide the spoils.


    ¡°I want to thank you for helping us. Honestly, you guys deserve a larger share than us. However, the Quidah suffered a great deal of damage from the battle with the Blizzard. We¡¯ll need a lot of money to repair our ship. Consider that I owe you guys a favor for what you have done for us,¡± said a remorseful Black Prince Sam.


    ¡°Captain Sam, you are most welcome. If the Quidah wasn¡¯t here, they would have surely targeted us instead. It¡¯s a miracle than your ship managed to retaliate and sink the enemy. Only your crew can pull off an insane move like this.¡±


    Black Prince Sam simply shrugged. It was indeed not an easy task for the Quidah to turn the tide around after their ship was severely damaged by the enemy. Black Prince Sam welcomed all the compliments poured at him and his crew with a big heart.


    ¡°Eric is good at coordinating battles. With his sharp skills, he is more than capable of becoming a captain. I have talked to him a lot regarding this matter. However, it seems like he¡¯s not interested at all.¡±


    While they discussed, their pirates were done dividing the loot. Black Prince Sam was probably the most reasonable captain around the entire Nassau. He had this certain charm that could draw people closer to him. Always behaving humbly, he told everyone that his crew was the reason for his success. However, almost everyone from the Quidah could be replaced except for Black Prince Sam. Without his charm, it would be impossible for the entire pirate crew to band up and work toward the same goal.


    Influential people usually came with a mighty temper, something that would never change over the course of time. Black Prince Sam might look like an easy-going captain, but the truth was, he was the only one on the ship that could make everyone obey his orders without being questioned.


    ¡­¡­..


    The Jackdaw was getting closer to the Goddess¡¯ Spear. They rescued a couple of pirates that had jumped off the enemy ship earlier. After a series of interrogations, they finally discovered their background. Hutcheson¡¯s pirate crew had only been formed recently. They were initially a band of raiders. Not too long ago, they encountered a merchant ship flying a British flag. Technically, they were not supposed to plunder them, but when they found out that they were hauling a considerable amount of silk, Hutcheson decided to break the rules and attacked them. To make sure that no one knew about it, he ordered his men to kill everyone on the merchant ship. Unfortunately, someone on his boat sold him out in the end.


    Once he knew about it, he had to flee the port with the rest of his men. Before they left, they didn¡¯t look for information about their next target, eventually wandering the high seas for two weeks. One fine day, Hutcheson came across two pirate vessels that were fighting against each other. He then helped one to eliminate the other. Not only did he receive a portion of the loot, but the winning captain even thanked him for his assistance. However, Hutcheson, being Hutcheson, quickly decided that he should destroy the other ship as well. The other vessel, on the other hand, was unprepared to face Hutcheson¡¯s surprise attack. In the end, he destroyed them and took all their loot into his possession.


    After this incident, Hutcheson felt that it wasn¡¯t such a bad idea to conduct a ¡®dog-eat-dog¡¯ style of business. So, he placed some of his men on the pirate ship that he captured, recruited a small batch of pirates, and ordered them to loiter around pirate-infested waters. They would plunder merchant ships and other pirates that were heavy with loot. He was smart enough to make sure that both his ships would not get too close to each other, with only a mirror to communicate with each other. When one of his ships attacked its target, Hutcheson would pretend that he was passing by. He would ¡®help¡¯ the target to ¡®attack¡¯ his pirate ship. When the right moment arose, he would turn around and attack the ship that he ¡®helped.¡¯


    That was the time when Hutcheson mastered the skill of dodging cannonballs. Many powerful pirate crews around the area lost out to his tactics. This time, though, Hutcheson changed strategy, but his goal remained the same. Loot wasn¡¯t the only reason that motivated Hutcheson to attack the Quidah. After several victories, Hutcheson¡¯s ambitions got more demanding as well. Money could no longer satisfy his desire, and now, he yearned for his name to be known in the entire area. If he managed to defeat the legendary Quidah, he would surely be able to make a name for himself.


    Unfortunately, his wish wasn¡¯t granted this time. Captain Sam had brought a group of elite pirates with him to board the Goddess¡¯ Spear, and he managed to trick everyone with his realistic acting as well. The best part was, he managed to make the Quidah suffer severe damage. Still, the Quidah somehow managed to destroy one of his ships and pushed him to a corner.

 Chapter 180 - Weather Changes

    Black Prince Sam was just as the rumors said he was. He did not kill or torture the sailors on the Goddess¡¯ Spear after he took all their stuff. All he did was take half of their cannons and made sure that they could not retaliate. After that, he took some of their wood to fix the Quidah before he let them go. However, the Goddess¡¯ Spear¡¯s sailors less than grateful that Black Prince Sam spared them. All their hard work on the sea was now replaced by disappointment and void. Vengeance and anger started manifesting in their hearts when they saw the pirates sailing away from them.


    ¡°Well, we are all pirates here. It¡¯s totally normal that our victims hate us. I don¡¯t expect any gratitude when I give their freedom back to them. I have no intention of killing them, as well. One day, if some of them were to quit their jobs to become pirate hunters, I welcome them to hunt me down. Life is too short, and I value happiness more than anything else in this world. It¡¯s pointless to keep worrying about the future,¡± said Sam.


    Black Prince Sam was slightly older than Zhang Heng, who didn¡¯t expect that he could live his life so freely. Maybe this was why he was so well-liked. In the very beginning, Zhang Heng was cautious about Black Prince Sam because of the black-market alliance. Now that he had the chance to work with him, Zhang Heng found out that he was worthy of becoming a friend.


    The pirate¡¯s world was filled with cruelty, and it was nothing short of a miracle that Sam could live like this. When Zhang Heng was on the Quidah, Black Prince Sam was friendly toward him. He didn¡¯t behave as if they were meeting for the first time. Zhang Heng was naturally a bit apprehensive. Since everything had settled down, Zhang Heng took the opportunity to ask a question that he always wanted to ask.


    ¡°Have we met before?¡±


    ¡°Oh. About this. Anne, the redhead, did me a favor before. Do you remember Frazer asking you to catch a thief? And the thief was killed in the end? I have been looking for the same thief for quite a long time now.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°I have a friend. He¡¯s not from my ship, but he was a good friend of mine. During that time, he was promoted as the helmsman on another ship. I remember that he drank quite a lot on that night as a celebration, but he quickly realized that his pouch was gone when he left the tavern. It was filled with pearls that he exchanged earlier. These pearls belonged to the ship that he worked on. The pirates on his ship trusted him and asked him to exchange the money that they earned with something small and portable. The next day, his dead body was found on the beach.


    ¡°The person that you guys killed was a regular thief, and he only steals jewelry that are made of pearls. Usually, he would loiter around where the pearl merchants stayed and follow his targets when they came out from their houses. I only knew about this way later. My friend wasn¡¯t as smart, and he couldn¡¯t figure out a way to prove that he didn¡¯t steal those pearls. In the end, he chose the stupidest way to prove his innocence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate that thief. He was just like us, doing what he needed to do to survive. However, I still wished to avenge my friend. As it was a personal matter, I did not ask my crew to help me to hunt down the guy. To my surprise, the thief was more cunning than I thought. I found it hard to track him down and capture him. During that time, I had to go on another voyage and couldn¡¯t spend too much time on land. When I returned from my trip, I heard that he had been killed by someone.


    ¡°Frazer told me the names of his killers. Anyway, it¡¯s all over now. My friend can finally rest in peace.¡±


    Finally, all of Zhang Heng¡¯s questions were answered. To prevent Hutcheson from attacking the Quidah, Zhang Heng suggested that the Jackdaw escort the Quidah back to Nassau. Of course, Black Prince Sam would not say no. After this incident, Zhang Heng and Sam had gotten closer than before. While they were on the way back to Nassau, Sam would regularly board the Jackdaw with a small boat to have a chat with Zhang Heng. Through him, Zhang Heng learned about the numerous hardships that only captain could endure.


    Today, they talked about the distribution of forces on the island.


    ¡°You¡¯re interested in joining the meeting in Nassau?¡± asked Sam, who seemed surprised.


    Zhang Heng nodded his head. This meeting had a lot to do with his main goal in this game. When he first entered the game, he had no ship and wasn¡¯t famous enough on the island either. Hence, he had never thought about digging his fingers in pies like this. As of now, the Jackdaw and his name were well known throughout the entire Nassau. Part of the reason why they became so famous was due to Zhang Heng¡¯s conflict with the black-market alliance. Threats and opportunities coexisted with one another. The fact that he did not succumb to the pressure made it possible for him to lead the Jackdaw to the path of success. His fame was enough for him to qualify for the meeting.


    ¡°Actually, that meeting is pointless. The black-market alliance claims that they want to help with maintaining the market¡¯s order. Truth is, only a couple of meetings were held ever since the alliance had been set up. Nassau is a land with no master. No one on the island enjoys the feeling of being controlled by others. For the powerful landowners, they care about their land more than anything in this world. As for the pirates, we have our own ways and rules to deal with our business. Undoubtedly, the black-market merchants have their unwritten rules as well. Once the black-market alliance is formed, they would not resolve any conflict through meetings.¡±


    ¡°The last time they sat together and had a meeting was two years ago. During that time, someone there spread the word that Spain was about to attack the island. It left all the island¡¯s residents in a panic. In the end, the rumor did not come true. Ever since the incident, there were fewer and fewer people wanting to join the alliance. When someone joins the alliance, they are required to take an oath that they would protect Nassau. Back then, no one cared about this whole oath thing. When they found out that they needed to fight to protect Nassau, even fewer people volunteered to join the alliance since they would receive no benefit from the alliance other than a formal title.


    ¡°What are the requirements to join the meeting?¡±


    ¡°Nothing too difficult. Typically, the person would need to be an influential or famous individual on the island. Contributions to the island¡¯s development are one of the requirements as well. The only difficult one is to get seven members from the meeting to vouch for the person. The brothel¡¯s boss, Klay, has served the island well with his girls. That¡¯s a huge contribution to the island. He was among the first batch that was chosen to join the meeting. Are you interested in joining the meeting as well? I can help you with getting the seven persons needed to vouch for you. Consider it a reward for helping me kill Jacob.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Captain Sam.¡±


    Black Prince Sam did not mind helping Zhang Heng at all. He was interested in hearing Zhang Heng telling him about the battle in Charleston. Just as he was about to ask Zhang Heng about it, he noticed that it had gone dark outside the window. Both of them lifted their heads at the same time and saw that the sky was covered in dark clouds.


    ¡°The weather changed? That was fast. The weather was fine earlier. This damn weather is more unpredictable than a woman!¡±

 Chapter 181 - A Sudden Storm

    The torrential rain fell faster than everyone¡¯s expectations. Worried about the Quidah¡¯s newly repaired hull, Black Sam didn¡¯t stay too long on the Jackdaw. However, as soon as he got into the boat that was supposed to bring him back to his ship, rain started pouring from the skies with a fury, and the sea started to swell.


    Bright, menacing whips of lightning flashed across the dark sky, followed by deafening claps of thunder. The sights and sounds were nothing less of apocalyptic, and seemed as if the world was coming to an end.


    Both ships were less than 30 meters apart, but it took Black Sam a solid ten minutes of hard rowing against before he got to his ship. As they were climbing up the vessel, one of his men fell overboard and was swept away by a massive wave.


    There was nothing that the other pirates on the Quidah could do; all they could do was watch as their companion disappeared into the depths of the turbulent ocean. It was impossible to rescue anyone in such unforgiving weather.


    On the other ship, Zhang Heng did not retreat to the captain¡¯s quarters. He stood at the bow of the Jackdaw next to Billy, who was busy directing the crew to prepare for the storm.


    A frown hung above Zhang Heng¡¯s eyes. His opinions about the weather differed from Black Sam, who probably thought nothing more about the weather other than its sudden emergence. Zhang Heng had some knowledge about gybing, something he learned from Roscoe, who had also taught him how to read the winds and predict the weather.


    Whilst not as accurate as the old pirate in terms of forecasting weather, his conjecture about this abrupt meteorological change was at least eighty percent right. The storm had emerged so abruptly and without warning. Just a minute ago, the sky was still clear and cloudless. Based on the experience Roscoe had relayed to him, the sea should have been calm until the night.


    In a matter of ten minutes, however, the weather changed drastically. Zhang Heng had only encountered this situation once, and that was when the carrack appeared. However, the wind and waves were not as wild as it was right now, Today, the sea was like an outraged monster, battering one giant wave after another against the ship.


    Zhang Heng held onto a rope with one hand to steady himself, and with the other, he pulled out the bronze telescope he carried. First, he looked toward Black Sam¡¯s direction. The Quidah was bustling, with their sailors running frantically to hunker everything down. However, everything seemed under control for now, so Zhang Heng looked further out.


    To his greatest surprise, he did not see the ghost ship from a century ago. On the contrary, as fast as it appeared, the terrifying storm began to subside. The waves gradually became smaller, and the raindrops slowed to a drizzle. In a mere five minutes, the sun peered from the clouds, and the waters resumed their earlier calm. The dark clouds that had hung over their heads like an ominous veil had all but disappeared.


    JAnd just like that, the ordeal lasted a short twenty minutes. Even the absent-minded Anne found it incredulous. When the rain finally stopped, she shook the rain off her drenched hair and said, ¡°What is this? Some kind of joke?¡±


    Zhang Heng was just as baffled, but as a precaution, the first thing he did was to examine the two boxes of silverware in the storeroom. However, he found nothing unusual. He then picked up the ring and the necklace from the drawer. Again, he did not get any prompts from the system.


    Was it merely a coincidence?


    There was no way to be certain. He kept having his nagging feeling that he¡¯d missed something about that carrack, but he had nothing to go on. He would just have to wait for Vincent to complete the translation of the notebooks to see if he could get more information from them.


    For most people, this sudden storm burst was just a brief interlude in a lengthy voyage. Very soon, the pirates on the ship turned their attention to other things, such as the person who always slipped into the kitchen at night stealing bread, or where they should go once they docked.


    The Jackdaw was drawing closer and closer to Nassau, and Zhang Heng had no inkling that another storm awaited him on the shore.


    Carina¡¯s secondhand business was blooming on the island. There was never a shortage of pirates at the warehouse¡¯s doorstep. On top of that, she possessed an uncanny boldness and willfulness that was uncommon for her gender at that time. She never turned away used goods. As long as they weren¡¯t completely worthless, the tradeswoman was willing to purchase it. This won her the favor of the smaller pirate gangs.


    Captain Malone bid goodbye to his time in the brothel and resumed his busy life. The Gentle Breeze started to travel back and forth from Nassau to the colony¡¯s port, exchanging covertly acquired goods for bags of gold coins. Although most of the income was used to subsidize the secondhand business, Carina offered a very high price, and it turned out to be ideal in terms of profit. This was nothing like the time when her father, Fegan, was on the island.


    Nevertheless, they were all still profitable. At least everyone was not bored out of their minds when the Jackdaw went out to sea.


    However, nothing lasted forever; for all good things, at least. Not long after that, the secret about Carina using the secondhand business to cover-up the under table trade was soon exposed. In a single night, the news was made known throughout the entire island.


    It was followed by the news about her father being detained in the colony. This wasn¡¯t a secret among the black-market merchants, though. Some of the more well-informed people on the island heard about it too, but the fact that it was so suddenly made public told of a malicious intention behind it.


    The captains who traded with Carina were getting overwrought, having only wanted to earn some extra money. Of course, they did not want to be tied to this sinking ship that was Carina. Every one of them insisted that it wasn¡¯t their men who had exposed the secrets. They even suspected that Carina herself was the one who did it. They believed that if their relationship with the black-market alliance was ruined, the one benefiting from it at the end of the day was Carina.


    Carina had to personally go up to each of them, attempting to convince them that their black-market alliance wouldn¡¯t fulfill the sanctions on the statement. Doing that would just be pushing the pirates to her side. In the end, however, only two captains agreed that if Carina could solve the problem of the leak, they would continue doing business with her.


    Malone shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no way to solve this problem. We¡¯ve already done a fine job here. We had people guard the warehouse, and even our sailors didn¡¯t know what cargo we hauled on each trip. There¡¯s no way the leak came from our side. The other pirates, on the other hand, are mouthy. As the saying goes, never trust pirates to keep secrets¨Cespecially when they are drunk.¡±


    Carina shook her head in protest. ¡°Most of their men didn¡¯t know that they sold the goods to us. This must be the work of our trusted aides. Everyone else only cares about the money that they would get in the end. The black-market alliance might have caught wind of it, but they couldn¡¯t have investigated it that quickly.¡±

 Chapter 182 - Smoked Fish Alley

    Carina walked toward the horse carriage, with Malone opening the door for her. Suddenly, she stopped and did not enter the carriage. Looking at the coffee shop opposite her, she spotted Malcolm having his lunch. He invited her to join him by signaling her with his hand.


    After a short moment of hesitation, Carina walked towards the coffee shop. Malone wanted to follow her but was stopped by two muscular men that seemed to be guarding the shop. Malone was worried about her, but she simply nodded at him, indicating that everything was fine.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± asked Malcolm while cutting his fried egg with a knife.


    ¡°I recommend the coffee and tuna sandwich. They are quite good.¡±


    ¡°I will order whatever you ordered.¡±


    ¡°Those who know me well know that I dislike those who say no to my suggestions. I want to have another cup of coffee, a fried egg, and a tuna sandwich,¡± said Malcolm to the waiter.


    Carina only responded with a smile.


    ¡°I have stayed in Nassau for quite some time now, but I¡¯ve never really walked around town. I had no idea that there¡¯s a coffee shop here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. On normal days, this coffee shop remains closed. It¡¯s only open for business when I¡¯m here. Sitting here makes me feel like I¡¯m back in the modern world.¡±


    ¡°I would have fallen in love with you if you were ten years younger.¡±


    ¡°I have known your father Fegan for some time, but I didn¡¯t know he¡¯s got such an excellent daughter. When you first appeared in front of me, I thought that you were some kind of scammer. Now, I believe that you are your father¡¯s daughter. Both of you share the same qualities. Once you have a goal in mind, you will never give up until you achieve it.¡±


    Malcolm placed some fried egg into his mouth and sipped his coffee.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because we don¡¯t have the right to give up on life.¡±


    Carina thanked the waiter that brought her coffee.


    ¡°Are you still angry at me for what happened when you first came to this island?¡±


    ¡°Should I be angry at you?¡±


    ¡°Even a man like me isn¡¯t allowed to do whatever I want to do.¡±


    Malcolm put down the cutlery and cleaned his hand with a napkin.


    ¡°To be precise, this position that I¡¯m in doesn¡¯t allow me to do whatever I want. Outsiders might see that the black-market alliance is mighty, but nobody knows that it was no easy task forming this alliance. We had to face all kinds of threats from outside and within the alliance. We had to compromise so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but what does this have to do with me? I have acquired what you people have refused to give me. Right now, I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s pity. I don¡¯t care about the effort that you put in to form the alliance. I don¡¯t care how much it means to you. I would ask you to stop wasting your time if you plan to take advantage of my emotions! I¡¯m not as free as you. I have other things to deal with. Goodbye.¡±


    After that, Carina was about to leave the coffee shop.


    ¡°Do you not care about your father as well?¡±


    Carina stopped walking and was instantly filled with anger. However, she managed to control her emotions when she thought about what Laeli was doing right now. She turned around and tried her best to sound as calm as possible.


    ¡°My father?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what happened to him. An uncle of mine is close to Count Slaughter. Maybe I can ask him to release your father as early as possible. I think you want him to be free, right?¡± asked Malcolm while looking straight into Carina¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s will it cost me?¡±


    ¡°Leave Nassau right now. I think you had earned quite enough from selling those spices. This amount of money is enough for you and your father to start afresh elsewhere. And the money that you will earn from your new business should be able to feed your family.¡±


    Just when Carina was about to react, Malcolm put up his finger.


    ¡°This is not a trade. Because of your father, I¡¯m willing to grant you a final chance to redeem yourself. I want to resolve this matter peacefully. You should know that better than anyone else. Whatever you¡¯re doing right now, it won¡¯t last long. And my patience has a limit.¡±


    ¡°What if I say no?¡± asked Carina after a short moment of silence.


    ¡°Maybe I have underestimated you. All the while, I thought you¡¯ve come to Nassau to earn enough money to set your father free. You are now treating this whole thing as your business, right? Unfortunately, this is not the right time for you to do something like this. I have changed my mind, and I don¡¯t want to keep dragging this matter. The time of games and chatting with you are over. Bad things are going to happen to you if you refuse to leave Nassau.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    15 minutes later, Carina came out of the coffee shop.


    ¡°How¡¯s everything? Did he do anything to you?¡± asked Malone.


    ¡°Same old same old. Malcolm thought that I¡¯m still a little girl. He thought that he could threaten me to leave Nassau. Let¡¯s ignore him. The Jackdaw should be back soon as well. We need to do what we need to do before they come back. There are still some items in the storage. I will need you to sell all it as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I have restocked the ship with new supplies. I think I can move all those things to our ship and leave Nassau before the sky turns dark.¡±


    ¡°Great. You can prepare to set sail right now. I have to make a trip to Smoked Fish Alley. Let¡¯s part ways here,¡± said Carina as she sat in the carriage.


    ¡°Should we go together? I don¡¯t need the whole afternoon to do what I need to do. Smoked Fish Alley is a lawless hellhole with thugs, and thieves are everywhere. I don¡¯t think a young woman like you should travel there alone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a friend over there. Please be careful, Uncle Malone.¡±


    After that, Carina closed the door and left the place.


    ¡°I should be the one telling you to be careful,¡± said Malone.


    Half an hour later, the carriage stopped in an alley, and Carina stepped out. A couple of thugs immediately whistled at her. Although she looked calm when she talked to Malone earlier, she was actually worried about her safety. When she thought about the way she handled Malcolm¡¯s threats, there was no way she would be scared off by a couple of low-life thugs.


    So, Carina took in a deep breath and walked into the alley. After walking a short distance, she crossed paths with some kids. This time, they deliberately spilled some squid ink on her shirt. Left in frustration, Carina took out her handkerchief, attempting to wipe off the ink, but to no avail. It was at that time when she realized that the thugs she encountered earlier were following her.


    Carina walked toward the horse carriage, with Malone opening the door for her. Suddenly, she stopped and did not enter the carriage. Looking at the coffee shop opposite her, she spotted Malcolm having his lunch. He invited her to join him by signaling her with his hand.


    After a short moment of hesitation, Carina walked towards the coffee shop. Malone wanted to follow her but was stopped by two muscular men that seemed to be guarding the shop. Malone was worried about her, but she simply nodded at him, indicating that everything was fine.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± asked Malcolm while cutting his fried egg with a knife.


    ¡°I recommend the coffee and tuna sandwich. They are quite good.¡±


    ¡°I will order whatever you ordered.¡±


    ¡°Those who know me well know that I dislike those who say no to my suggestions. I want to have another cup of coffee, a fried egg, and a tuna sandwich,¡± said Malcolm to the waiter.


    Carina only responded with a smile.


    ¡°I have stayed in Nassau for quite some time now, but I¡¯ve never really walked around town. I had no idea that there¡¯s a coffee shop here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. On normal days, this coffee shop remains closed. It¡¯s only open for business when I¡¯m here. Sitting here makes me feel like I¡¯m back in the modern world.¡±


    ¡°I would have fallen in love with you if you were ten years younger.¡±


    ¡°I have known your father Fegan for some time, but I didn¡¯t know he¡¯s got such an excellent daughter. When you first appeared in front of me, I thought that you were some kind of scammer. Now, I believe that you are your father¡¯s daughter. Both of you share the same qualities. Once you have a goal in mind, you will never give up until you achieve it.¡±


    Malcolm placed some fried egg into his mouth and sipped his coffee.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because we don¡¯t have the right to give up on life.¡±


    Carina thanked the waiter that brought her coffee.


    ¡°Are you still angry at me for what happened when you first came to this island?¡±


    ¡°Should I be angry at you?¡±


    ¡°Even a man like me isn¡¯t allowed to do whatever I want to do.¡±


    Malcolm put down the cutlery and cleaned his hand with a napkin.


    ¡°To be precise, this position that I¡¯m in doesn¡¯t allow me to do whatever I want. Outsiders might see that the black-market alliance is mighty, but nobody knows that it was no easy task forming this alliance. We had to face all kinds of threats from outside and within the alliance. We had to compromise so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but what does this have to do with me? I have acquired what you people have refused to give me. Right now, I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s pity. I don¡¯t care about the effort that you put in to form the alliance. I don¡¯t care how much it means to you. I would ask you to stop wasting your time if you plan to take advantage of my emotions! I¡¯m not as free as you. I have other things to deal with. Goodbye.¡±


    After that, Carina was about to leave the coffee shop.


    ¡°Do you not care about your father as well?¡±


    Carina stopped walking and was instantly filled with anger. However, she managed to control her emotions when she thought about what Laeli was doing right now. She turned around and tried her best to sound as calm as possible.


    ¡°My father?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what happened to him. An uncle of mine is close to Count Slaughter. Maybe I can ask him to release your father as early as possible. I think you want him to be free, right?¡± asked Malcolm while looking straight into Carina¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s will it cost me?¡±


    ¡°Leave Nassau right now. I think you had earned quite enough from selling those spices. This amount of money is enough for you and your father to start afresh elsewhere. And the money that you will earn from your new business should be able to feed your family.¡±


    Just when Carina was about to react, Malcolm put up his finger.


    ¡°This is not a trade. Because of your father, I¡¯m willing to grant you a final chance to redeem yourself. I want to resolve this matter peacefully. You should know that better than anyone else. Whatever you¡¯re doing right now, it won¡¯t last long. And my patience has a limit.¡±


    ¡°What if I say no?¡± asked Carina after a short moment of silence.


    ¡°Maybe I have underestimated you. All the while, I thought you¡¯ve come to Nassau to earn enough money to set your father free. You are now treating this whole thing as your business, right? Unfortunately, this is not the right time for you to do something like this. I have changed my mind, and I don¡¯t want to keep dragging this matter. The time of games and chatting with you are over. Bad things are going to happen to you if you refuse to leave Nassau.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    15 minutes later, Carina came out of the coffee shop.


    ¡°How¡¯s everything? Did he do anything to you?¡± asked Malone.


    ¡°Same old same old. Malcolm thought that I¡¯m still a little girl. He thought that he could threaten me to leave Nassau. Let¡¯s ignore him. The Jackdaw should be back soon as well. We need to do what we need to do before they come back. There are still some items in the storage. I will need you to sell all it as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I have restocked the ship with new supplies. I think I can move all those things to our ship and leave Nassau before the sky turns dark.¡±


    ¡°Great. You can prepare to set sail right now. I have to make a trip to Smoked Fish Alley. Let¡¯s part ways here,¡± said Carina as she sat in the carriage.


    ¡°Should we go together? I don¡¯t need the whole afternoon to do what I need to do. Smoked Fish Alley is a lawless hellhole with thugs, and thieves are everywhere. I don¡¯t think a young woman like you should travel there alone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a friend over there. Please be careful, Uncle Malone.¡±


    After that, Carina closed the door and left the place.


    ¡°I should be the one telling you to be careful,¡± said Malone.


    Half an hour later, the carriage stopped in an alley, and Carina stepped out. A couple of thugs immediately whistled at her. Although she looked calm when she talked to Malone earlier, she was actually worried about her safety. When she thought about the way she handled Malcolm¡¯s threats, there was no way she would be scared off by a couple of low-life thugs.


    So, Carina took in a deep breath and walked into the alley. After walking a short distance, she crossed paths with some kids. This time, they deliberately spilled some squid ink on her shirt. Left in frustration, Carina took out her handkerchief, attempting to wipe off the ink, but to no avail. It was at that time when she realized that the thugs she encountered earlier were following her.

 Chapter 183 - Slaughterhouses Owner

    Carina started to get nervous when she saw a couple of people staring at her with sly smiles on their faces. Unconsciously, she took two steps back. There were others too in this small alley, but none of them had the intention to help as they were used to these things happening around them. Poverty had made them numb with their surroundings.


    Before the leader of the thugs could say anything to Carina, a black shadow covered him, and his smile froze.


    ¡°Cauchy?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my guest, Andy,¡± said the black man that looked as strong as a bull.


    The other young thugs looked at each other, and their leader named Andy quickly put both his arms up.


    ¡°This is all just a misunderstanding, Cauchy. We¡¯ll never harm your guests,¡± said Andy with a wide grin on his freckled face.


    After that, the young thugs quickly fled the scene.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me first. Check if your pouch is still with you.¡±


    Immediately, Carina checked her pockets and was unable to locate her pouch.


    ¡°That bunch of kids!!!¡± exclaimed a shocked Carina.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know where they are. I will help you get your money back. Let¡¯s go. He¡¯s waiting for you.¡±


    Andy then brought Carina to the slaughterhouse. Several workers were busy slaughtering pigs in front of them. None of them seemed to care about Andy and Carina entering the slaughterhouse. After that, Carina followed Cauchy to go to the basement, and she finally met up with Laeli. The last time they both met was about a month ago. Zhang Heng had given Carina some money and asked her to pass it to Laeli. Laeli went dark after that, right up until two days ago. He was the one who had taken the initiative to contact Carina.


    ¡°Thank you, Cauchy.¡±


    The boss of the slaughterhouse nodded at Laeli and left the basement.


    ¡°Cauchy is not from my tribe, but he is someone I can trust. No one dares mess with him in this street. He¡¯s helped me out a lot recently. I¡¯m so sorry that we have to meet here in this basement. Malcolm is a very cautious person, but he has a weakness as well. He usually focuses on the enemies that could affect him more. He would spend hours studying your behavior, pattern, background, and even your childhood. He is determined to look for the most effective ways to crush you, people. Captain Zhang Heng and you seem to have become worthy enemies for him.


    ¡°However, there¡¯s only so much he can do. When Malcolm focuses on one thing, he will not care about all the other unimportant enemies around him. For example, the slaves and me from Terrance¡¯s Mansion; we¡¯ve become no different from the trees around us. He no longer cares about me the moment I was dragged out from the banquet hall. The supervisor would also never tell him that he sold me to Zhang Heng. However, if he finds out that I¡¯ve been talking to you, he will realize that I¡¯m still alive. From there, he will start to assess all the possible threats that I can bring to him. This could cause me a lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°I can understand that.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your father.¡±


    Laeli was back to the topic that he wanted to discuss with Carina after explaining to her why he chose to meet up with her in this basement.


    ¡°I have used my methods to contact my people in the mansion. Just like what I told you earlier, my people do not matter to Malcolm. To be honest, there¡¯s nothing they can help me with. All the young muscles are stuck at the farms and orchards, and most female servants are tasked with the cleaning and reception work. It¡¯s not possible that they would come across anything valuable. However, there¡¯s one exception. Her name is Leah.¡±


    ¡°Leah?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s one special kid. She managed to differentiate herself from the others even when she was still in the tribe. Malcolm must have found out about how special she was as well. So, he focused on grooming her. He didn¡¯t ask her to entertain the guests like the other female slaves. Not only did he teach her to speak other languages, but he even hired someone to teach her how to read. After that, she was tasked with settling Malcolm¡¯s paperwork. For example, she would be asked to write some greeting letters and invitation letters. Every Saturday, Leah was asked to clean his study. No one is allowed to enter the room except for him and Leah.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I have managed to contact Leah. She¡¯s agreed to help us search for evidence that Malcolm was behind your father getting into jail. However, she¡¯s only allowed to clean Malcolm¡¯s study for no longer than 15 minutes. So, she has to finish her task first before searching the room. She has to make sure that the guards won¡¯t notice anything fishy as well. That¡¯s why she needed a long time to find something useful for you.¡±


    Laeli then produced a letter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s written in this, but Leah told me that it could help you guys.¡±


    Carina took the letter, and her face changed the moment she read it. It¡¯s contents were relatively simple. Sent from Malcolm¡¯s family, everything that was written on it sounded somewhat vague. It invited Count Slaughter to dine at his place, and that the problem had been dealt with. The letter was sent precisely half a month after Carina¡¯s father was put in jail. After connecting with what Laeli heard from Malcolm, Carina confirmed that Malcolm did indeed have something do with her father¡¯s imprisonment.


    ¡°Can this letter help you bring them down?¡± asked Laeli.


    Carina had to try her best to overcome her blinding rage.


    ¡°This letter might be able to bring him some trouble, but it¡¯s not enough. We need more solid evidence to prove that he was the one who had put my father in jail.¡±


    After a short moment of hesitation, Carina returned the letter to Laeli.


    ¡°Put this letter back to where it belongs. I don¡¯t want Leah to get into trouble.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We are close. I will ask Leah to continue searching for more solid evidence. Once I find something useful, I will contact you again,¡± said Laeli.


    ¡°Please ask her to be careful. By the way, is the money enough? Do you still need more?¡±


    ¡°I still have more than half of it, miss.¡±


    ¡°Come and look for me if you need more money.¡±


    At that, Cauchy returned her pouch to her before she left the slaughterhouse. He even escorted her out of Smoked Fish Alley. After thanking him, Carina went to look for Malone in her horse carriage. When she saw boxes of items being moved to the Gentle Breeze, she felt a sense of uneasiness looming over her.

 Chapter 184 - Give Me A Price

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Seven days had passed since Malcolm threatened Carina to leave Nassau. Even though she seemed calm and composed in front of others, she was actually terribly distraught. That said, nothing wrong happened to her for the past few days.


    There was still a line in front of the storage that Carina rented, with throngs of people forming long lines to sell their secondhand goods to her. The captains that secretly traded with her received no warning from the black-market alliance as well. This had woken them up from their dormant state, and they started to believe everything Carina told them. It seemed that Malcolm had no intention to deal with this matter. Carina was now officially the enemy of the black-market alliance. As a result, the captains from different pirate ships started to visit Carina secretly again.


    Just when everything seemed to be looking up, something awful was about to happen to Carina.


    One night, Carina woke up from a dream. She did not even have the time to wear something proper, hurriedly donning on her pajamas, and running to the port barefooted. It was late at night, but a large number of people had gathered around the beach. Honegg, the person tasked with defending the island, and his people, were confronting a group of new pirates that had just entered Nassau.


    However, the crowd wasn¡¯t paying any attention to them. They were looking at the two ships that were docked at the harbor, never having seen these two barques in Nassau before. The pirates that disembarked were new around this area as well. The vessels¡¯ sturdy hulls, massive cannons, and black flags were proof that they were indeed pirates. And they were powerful.


    Previously, some new pirates landed in Nassau. As it became increasingly famous, more and more pirates visited Nassau to purchase supplies for their ships. Technically, the constant arrival of new pirates shouldn¡¯t have been too surprising to residents of Nassau. However, this group acted differently than all the other new pirates that they encountered before. This bunch was so arrogant that they fired their cannons twice on the empty beach before docking their ships at the harbor! Luckily, no one was on the beach when the shots landed. Still, many were shocked by the audacity of the new bunch.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the captain?¡± asked Honegg.


    A man sporting a mermaid tattoo on his arms was instructing two of his men to plant two wooden logs on the beach. Once he heard Honegg was looking for the captain, he walked up toward him.


    ¡°How should I address you?¡±


    ¡°Captain Wilton. You can call me Wilton. However, merchants that I¡¯ve robbed before prefer to call me the Executioner.¡±


    At that, Wilton drew his dagger from his waist. Immediately, Honegg¡¯s men pulled out their guns as well. Wilton simply smiled, took out an apple, and used the blade to peel off the skin of the fruit.


    ¡°The Executioner? I have never heard of this title before,¡± answered Honegg.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t blame you. That¡¯s because I kill everyone on the ships I plunder. All those who know my name happens to be dead.¡±


    He bragged about carrying out his ruthless and brutal endeavors in an extremely casual way. By the look on his face, it seemed that he enjoyed what he did. Even experienced pirates felt sick to the stomach after hearing what he said. Honegg was once the elder of Nassau and gained fame when Blackbeard and Black Prince Sam made a name for themselves. It surely wasn¡¯t easy to put fear in a man the likes of him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are and where you came from. If you dare fire your cannons on my island again, I will make sure your story ends here!¡±


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Wilton put down his dagger and began acting more politely.


    ¡°This is our first time here. Forgive us if we failed to acknowledge the rules of the place. I¡¯m willing to apologize if I have offended you in any way. I have always heard people talking about Nassau. The truth is, we are just here to check out this place known as the hometown of pirates.¡±


    Seeing that Wilton was willing to play nice, Honegg asked his men to stand down immediately.


    ¡°Nassau is a land of freedom. As long as you don¡¯t cause any trouble here, you are welcome to stay.¡±


    Just when Honegg was about to leave the port, someone called out to his name.


    ¡°Captain Honegg, I remember there¡¯s a rule here stating that pirates are now allowed to plunder the ships of the black-market merchants, right?¡± asked Carina.


    Now, she was worried about the Gentle Breeze. Supposedly, the vessel should be in North Carolina right now, but instead, it was in between the two new pirate ships that just landed in Nassau. Previously, she had been informed that the Gentle Breeze returned to Nassau with two unfamiliar pirate ships. There could be only one possibility if the Gentle Breeze returned to Nassau before the expected time. They must have been plundered by other pirates. That explained why she was so anxious. The ship¡¯s goods were not as important. She cared more about the safety of Malone and his sailors.


    Honegg then stopped in his tracks. He, too, noticed that the Gentle Breeze was between the two new pirate ships.


    ¡°Did you guys rob her ship?¡±


    ¡°Well, we are pirates. It¡¯s only right that we plunder other ships, right?¡±


    ¡°You better return the ship to her,¡± scowled Honegg while looking at Carina.


    ¡°What if we refuse to return it to her?¡±


    ¡°Then, you guys won¡¯t be able to sell your loot to her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your gentle reminder. I think we can figure out a way to solve this problem.¡±


    After that, Honegg did not say a single word. Carina ran up to him immediately and stopped him from leaving.


    ¡°Just like that?¡± whispered a shocked Carina.


    ¡°The black-market merchants are part of the black-market alliance, right? This isn¡¯t under my jurisdiction. You should go ask for the help of your alliance. Technically, they didn¡¯t break any rules. They weren¡¯t considered pirates of Nassau when they plundered your ship.¡±


    Honegg lifted Carina¡¯s hand that was tightly grabbing his sleeve.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My only responsibility is to make sure that the island is safe. Your problem is not part of that responsibility.¡±


    Seeing Honegg walking away, Carina felt helpless. She then took a look at everyone around her. Most who were present here had sold items to her before. They quickly looked away when they saw that she was trying to look for help, knowing that it was probably a bad idea to mess with men, the likes of Wilton, and his cohorts. Although ignoring her pleas would impede any opportunity for future business, it was better than dying right now.


    Carina did not expect Wilton to be the first to talk after she looking at the crowd.


    ¡°Is that your ship?¡±


    ¡°I never thought that the second-in-command of the black-market alliance would play such dirty tricks to force me off Nassau. Let me warn you. If anything happens to my men, I will¡­¡±


    She was interrupted before she could finish her sentence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell the black-market alliance is. I don¡¯t care about your quarrels with that alliance as well. I¡¯m simply glad I found the owner of the ship. Let¡¯s talk business.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. You plundered my ship, and you dare talk business with me?¡± replied Carina with a burst of laughter.


    ¡°Why not? We have to sell the loot that we acquired anyway. I have a batch of special items with me. I think you might be interested in purchasing them.¡±


    Wilton clapped his hands, and the pirates behind him quickly rowed to the Gentle Breeze. This time, they returned with another four men. Carina instantly recognized that the captives were indeed the crew of the Gentle Breeze. Their hands and feet were bound tightly. Seeing that they were alive and well, Carina was slightly relieved. However, what Wilton told her next almost caused her to flip in anger.


    ¡°Ah¡­ my loot is here. What would you offer me for these?¡±

 Chapter 185 - Not For Sale

    Wilton looked at Carina. ¡°What is it? Don¡¯t you want them?¡±


    Carina simply bit her lip, not saying anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. We¡¯re all civilized people¨Cwe don¡¯t force anyone to do business with us, miss.¡± Wilton waved his hand, and immediately, one of his men grabbed a Gentle Breeze sailor, dragged him to a wooden pole, and tied the helpless man to it.


    Wilton took one last bite from the apple and threw the core on the ground. He wiped his hand on his clothes before taking out his dagger again.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± gasped Carina as she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.


    ¡°Did you know, ever since I was a kid, I¡¯ve always been curious about the inner workings of the human body?¡± Wilton pried the sailor¡¯s shirt open with his knife.


    The poor freckled boy was only around sixteen to seventeen years of age. Carina remembered him. He was called Booker, and her uncle had recommended him some time go. The two worked together on the Gentle Breeze. Booker was a cheerful lad who always wore a pleasant smile on his face. Right now, however, he looked terrified, more so when the knife slithered down his chest.


    ¡°What do you want?!¡± Carina hissed.


    Wilton smiled slyly, letting the blade linger on the boy¡¯s abdomen. ¡°As I said, I just want to make a deal that¡¯s mutually consented.¡±


    Carina¡¯s eyes looked like they were about to burst into flames, but there was nothing she could do¨CWilton had two pirate ships and around 200 men while she was all alone. There was this one guy who reported this to her, but he was just a docker at the exchange of secondhand goods. Carina had no other choice but to agree to Wilton¡¯s terms.


    ¡°How much do you want?¡± sighed Carina, eventually giving in.


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. If only you said this earlier, then there wouldn¡¯t have been any problems, eh?¡± Wilton kept smiling as he put his knife away. Just when everyone thought that the danger had passed, Wilton suddenly swung around, and something in his hands flashed. Before anyone could react, he plunged the blade into Booker¡¯s stomach!


    Booker howled in pain, and a look of wild excitement flashed across Wilton¡¯s demented face. Instead of pulling away, he shoved the knife upwards until finally, the boy¡¯s stomach was sliced open, his guts spilling out like a crushed snail.


    Never in her entire life had Carina ever witnessed such barbaric savagery. She instinctively covered her mouth, mind saturated with fear.


    When she was younger, Carina had her fair share of pirate-related horror stories. The civilized world regarded these men who roamed the seas as beasts and thugs. When she came to Nassau, however, she realized that the truth couldn¡¯t be further from the tales she heard. Pirates were humans too, and of course, they had feelings. In fact, most of them were very reasonable, where some were even smart and polished like Zhang Heng.


    So, her impression of pirates was reversed entirely; that was until Wilton showed up and reignited the terrifying impression of pirates buried deep in her mind.


    Fresh, warm blood dripped from the knife and Wilton¡¯s right arm. He stepped backward and tilted his head as if admiring his handiwork. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating. Did you know that even if a person¡¯s stomach is cut open, they won¡¯t die immediately?¡±


    When Carina looked at him again, her demeanor had completely changed. She asked in a shaky voice, ¡°Haven¡¯t I already agreed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, except for this one,¡± Wilton answered as he wiped the blood off the blade with a handkerchief. ¡°This is not for sale. After all, other than making money, I have to find some way to have my fun, right?¡±


    Wilton flashed his teeth at Carina. Next to him, Booker¡¯s cries were getting weaker and weaker. Wilton¡¯s soulless smile would make anyone¡¯s blood run cold.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t ask for an unreasonable price. Right now, a strapping black slave is worth five gold coins. I¡¯ll sell these very experienced sailors to you for only ten gold coins. The captain is worth twofold. I think that¡¯s a very fair price. Apart from the four of these here, there are also twenty-eight men on the ship. That makes thirty-two people in total. Oops¡­ it¡¯s now thirty-one. So, that¡¯s a total of three hundred and twenty gold coins.¡±


    Carina tried to calm herself, but she could hear her voice trembling whenever she spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much money on me right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be a problem,¡± smirked Wilton with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°Tsk, tsk. I¡¯ve given you an excellent price. I¡¯m afraid I cannot do any better. But, if you really don¡¯t have enough, you can consider buying half of them. I can present the goods to you for you to pick whichever you like. What do you think? It all sounds pretty good, right? You get to decide their fate, and the ones you select will be eternally grateful to you. As for those who remain¡­¡±


    Wilton paused for a second. ¡°They will hate you, of course. But nevermind that. I will help you solve this problem. Consider it a value-added service for the transaction.¡±


    ¡°No, I want them all¨Cnot one less,¡± Carina insisted.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear? Depending on how many coins you give me, that¡¯s how many people you¡¯ll get. There¡¯s no room for bargaining here,¡± Wilton shook his head.


    ¡°I may not have that much money, but I have a piece of property in the colony. Give me some time; I will get you your money.¡±


    Carina felt wholly dejected and humiliated. Not only had her ship been so rudely snatched away from her, but one of her crew had been tortured and mauled before her eyes. Right now, she was forced to agree to the trade, and even begged Wilton to give her time to amass the ransom.


    Wilton rubbed his chin as he considered Carina¡¯s offer. After a while, he walked up to her, used his knife to pick up a lock of her hair, and leaned in to sniff it.


    Carina felt goosebumps all over her body. After what he did to Booker, who knew what the madman would do next. Carina stayed as still as she could, eyes closed and praying that the ordeal would be over soon.


    After half a minute, his demonish voice echoed in her ears, ¡°It¡¯s our first time here, and we are not very familiar with this place. It just so happens that we need a guide. How about this, you become our guide, and I will agree to your request.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think I am?!¡± Carina¡¯s eyes flew open, shocked, and outraged. ¡°A prostitute from one of those brothels?!!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. A virgin comes with its own advantage. If you serve us well enough, who knows, I might even return that cargo ship of yours.¡±


    Carina was shaking even more violently now, unable to tell if it was from her anger or fear.


    Just as she was about to give up all hope, a familiar came from behind Wilton.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she likes having strangers being so close to her.¡±

 Chapter 186 - Ceasefire

    While everyone was attracted to the drama on the beach, none of them noticed that the Jackdaw and the Quidah were back in Nassau. Standing on the deck, Zhang Heng saw the lights and the large crowd that had gathered. At first, he didn¡¯t pay too much attention, but after he moored his Jackdaw, he rowed to the port with Anne, Billy, and the other two pirates. He quickly noticed the Gentle Breeze¡¯s odd position and the two unfamiliar barques docked there.


    Zhang Heng started to realize that something must have gone very wrong. Even before the small boat reached the port, he saw the captured sailors from the Gentle Breeze and the dead Booker. He frowned as he whispered something to Billy, who then nodded and returned to the Jackdaw with the other two pirates after dropping off Zhang Heng and Anne at the port.


    Stepping on the soft sand, Zhang Heng stepped up toward Carina as the crowd parted automatically, opening a way for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but who the hell are you?¡± asked Wilton.


    ¡°I¡¯m Zhang Heng, captain of the Jackdaw.¡±


    ¡°So? Does this have anything to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Miss Carina is my trading partner on this island, and she is my friend as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I understand now. I¡¯m afraid that you will have to look for a new trading partner. That¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t own a ship now and she has lost her people. Plus! She owes me a huge amount of money! I¡¯m asking her to be our guide on this island. I might consider sparing the life of her men if she can¡­ well¡­ please me.¡±


    Carina could no longer hold back her rage, landing a hard slap on Wilton¡¯s face. Wilton touched his face and stared at Carina. As she glanced at his lewd gawks, she unconsciously took two steps back. Wilton was also smiling. Instead of calming her down, she grew even more apprehensive of him.


    ¡°It seems like Miss Carina is still living in a dream. It¡¯s time to wake her up,¡± said Wilton to his pirates.


    Immediately, his pirates took down Booker¡¯s bloody corpse from the wooden pole and strapped the second sailor to it. Carina¡¯s started breathing rapidly. She gave Zhang Heng a quick glance hoping that he could somehow figure out a way to help her. However, she had no idea how he would do that considering Anne and him were the only two that came down from the Jackdaw. Wilton, on the other hand, had more than half of his people on the beach.


    Zhang Heng was clearly outnumbered. Any sane person would know that nothing else could be done to salvage the situation. Wilton grabbed his dagger and walked towards his second target, looking at Zhang Heng in disdain at the same time. As expected, Wilton could only remain silent in this situation. This time, he wanted to plant his dagger straight into the sailor¡¯s chest, using its sharp tip to run through the sailor¡¯s body, taunting him and enjoying the look of fear on his face. Just when he was about to kill his target, he heard the sound of two cannons firing.


    ¡°Who the f*ck fired the cannons again? We are here to do business! We don¡¯t want any trouble, eh? There are still some powerful pirates over here. We cannot afford to mess with Honegg, Black Prince, and Blackbeard. Let¡¯s play nice in the land of others,¡± said Wilton.


    ¡°Captain, our ship didn¡¯t fire the cannons. It¡­ it seems as if our ship is under attack!¡± said one of the pirates who was starting to panic.


    Wilton¡¯s face changed immediately. When he turned to the port, he saw that his ship, the Skeleton, was under attack! Though he left quite a few of his men on board, he never expected anyone to be brazen enough to attack it. The ambush caused the Skeleton¡¯s crew to run around like headless chickens. They didn¡¯t even get the opportunity to open their cannon¡¯s hatches after the first round of attacks.


    ¡°Return the Gentle Breeze and the goods into Carina. I want you to release all her sailors as well. Do that, and I will stop the attack,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    ¡°What if I say no?¡±


    ¡°I will sink your ship then.¡±


    ¡°No one had ever threatened me before since I became a pirate!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations! You have one now. You can continue taking your time to think about it, but I cannot guarantee that your ship still floats in about¡­ five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of the consequences of breaking the laws of this island? Attacking any ships that are docked at the harbor is forbidden!¡±


    ¡°You are not a pirate of this island. I don¡¯t see any problem attacking an alien ship.¡±


    Wilton tapped the handle of his dagger faster and faster. It appeared he was deep in thought.


    ¡°By the way, if you are thinking of stalling me and asking your second ship to attack us, I suggest you give up on the idea. That¡¯s because I can guarantee that your second ship will be paralyzed as well.¡±


    At first, Wilton did not believe Zhang Heng. However, when he saw that the Quidah had their cannons pointed directly at his second ship. It was then that he realized Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t in a mood for empty threats.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to make an enemy out of me?¡± asked Wilton as he glared at Zhang Heng with an icy stare.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    Zhang Heng looked into Wilton¡¯s eyes without the slightest bit of fear. Eventually, Wilton caved in and decided to do what Zhang Heng asked him to do.


    ¡°Release them!¡±


    Wilton¡¯s pirates cut the ropes that tied the sailors of the Gentle Breeze. The two ran to Carina and embraced her the moment they regained their freedom. Another middle-aged sailor staggered towards the lifeless Booker and started to weep uncontrollably as he held his body in his arms. He was Booker¡¯s uncle and was the one that asked him to work for the Gentle Breeze. Never would have expected that this job would cause him to lose his nephew just like that.


    Wilton then glared at Zhang Heng, but received no response.


    ¡°Inform our brothers on the ship to let the rest of the captured sailors go. Return their goods to them as well! Are you happy now?¡± growled Wilton with gritted teeth.


    This time, Zhang Heng finally responded. He signaled the Jackdaw¡¯s watcher, who quickly updated Billy about their captain¡¯s decision. Half a minute later, the Jackdaw finally stopped firing. Unfortunately, the Skeleton was already severely damaged by then. Though it was still afloat, it had lost all ability to retaliate.


    The Jackdaw was more potent than most of the ordinary pirate ships. After all, it was a corvette, and they did not miss a single shot since the Skeleton was parked so close to them. Once Wilton¡¯s knew about the extent of his ship¡¯s damage, he led his men back to Skeleton without uttering a single word to Zhang Heng. All he did was glare at him.


    ¡°Are we really going to let them go? I don¡¯t think they will let us off the hook,¡± said Anne.


    ¡°They have a lot more people than us. I¡¯m afraid he will kill us all if we pressure him too much. But you are right. He will begin attacking us once he fixes his ship. We will have to deal with this problem tonight. Inform our men to prepare for the next battle!¡±

 Chapter 187 - Preparation

    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to this slide?¡± asked the Skeleton¡¯s crew to Wilton.


    ¡°Let it slide? I have been venturing the seas for 20 years now. No one has ever had the guts to talk to me like that! He threatened me and forced me to spit out our plunder, our rightful loot! If I let this matter slide, no one in this city will respect us anymore. No one will fear us when we ply the oceans!¡± Wilton growled with a murderous stare.


    ¡°Will we be breaking the island¡¯s rules if we attack them right here? Aren¡¯t you the one who told us that there are many powerful pirates here? I believe the ship that paralyzed us is Black Prince Sam¡¯s Quidah. I heard that they have a large number of pirates as well, not to mention that they seemed to be fearless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get our priorities wrong, Rhodes. This is not our territory. It was only due to someone asking us to take care of the woman that we came all the way to Nassau. We weren¡¯t even supposed to be here for too long. I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re going to do. I need you to help fix the ship as soon as possible. The day the Skeleton sails again will be the day I kill that bloody guy and everyone he knows! I will cut off their heads and toss them around the city center! May that serve as a fine warning to whoever that messes around with me! After it is done, we will leave the island right away.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, captain.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    On the other side, Carina looked at Zhang Heng in excitement, never expecting him to make it back to Nassau in time and coming to her rescue. The moment he appeared in front of her, she knew that all her problems were solved. Not only did he save the entire crew of the Gentle Breeze, but he also managed to return her the ship and all its cargo.


    It was at that time that Carina realized how much the Jackdaw meant to her. Though she managed to do her job well when Zhang Heng was away, she was in constant fear. However, all that insecurity disappeared the moment he came back. She had faith that the man standing before her could solve every problem she faced.


    Ever since she came to Nassau, she felt like she was living amongst a pack of hyenas and was forced and was forced to be vigilant at all times to survive. Only when Zhang Heng was around her could she finally take a breather. Although they had not known each other for a long time, Carina felt she could fully trust Zhang Heng no matter what the situation would be.


    She bounced excitedly in front of Zhang Heng, staring at him with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°We can talk later if you have something to tell me. Right now, I need you to send some of your men to watch over Wilton. Come update me immediately if you think something¡¯s not right,¡± Zhang Heng told her.


    Meanwhile, Honegg returned to the beach after hearing cannons being fired. Earlier, Wilton promised him that he would never fire them in Nassau. At first, Honegg thought that Wilton must have broken his promise. He instantly stormed back to the beach with his people, also instructing one of them to bring more of his men to the beach.


    When he was halfway there, Honegg realized that, in fact, the Skeleton was the victim here.


    ¡°Did you fire at the Skeleton?¡± Honegg demanded when he met Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we broke any rules, right? All I did was help Ms. Carina get back whatever belonged to her.¡±


    ¡°You guys attacked a ship docked at Nassau¡¯s without permission! I don¡¯t think I need to tell you how serious this matter is. If I don¡¯t punish you right here, right now, I¡¯m afraid that the ships at our port would no longer be safe!¡±


    ¡°We attacked an unidentified ship docked at our port. They also robbed our black-market merchant, not to mention directly firing at Nassau only 15 minutes ago. Technically speaking, we are helping to defend the island.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I can¡¯t tell the two apart?!¡±


    ¡°Well. We really did help the island eliminate a threat. Erm. That was actually my idea. I didn¡¯t like the newcomers, being so arrogant and all the moment they set foot on our lands. That¡¯s why Captain Zhang and I decided to teach them a lesson. We simply want them to learn how to obey the rules. We even saved you from the incident repeating itself if they were to come again,¡± Black Prince Sam chipped in after tying his small boat to a pole on the beach.


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Is there anything that you are not involved in on this island? Should I propose that you take over my position during our next meeting? You can help with the defense and maintaining the order of this island. I might as well go back to sea and become a captain again. Speaking of which, I have haven¡¯t set sail for almost seven years now. You know, I¡¯m actually starting to miss the life out there. Although the food on a ship ain¡¯t that good, at least I don¡¯t have to deal with shit like this every single day!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone on this island can replace you. People here respect you, Mr. Honegg. Your reputation alone is enough to make everyone on this island bow down to your wishes.¡±


    ¡°I highly doubt that.¡±


    Honegg harrumphed and glared at Zhang Heng again. For the sake of Black Prince Sam, Honegg did not pursue the matter any further. Before he left, he gave Zhang Heng a warning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about whatever quarrel you have with the black-market alliance. I hope that both parties can practice some self-control. Resolve the matter while abiding by every law of the island. I do not wish to see this ever happening again!¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded and watched Honegg walking away. Before Black Prince Sam could say anything, Zhang Heng interrupted him.


    ¡°Leave this matter to me. Your Quidah has helped enough. I¡¯m afraid that your relationship with the black-market alliance might be affected if you continue associating with me.¡±


    ¡°I merely trade with them. I do not work for Malcolm. But, it seems like you have a plan in mind anyway. If that is so, I will not disturb you anymore. You can look for me any time you need my help. My men will tell you where I am.¡±


    Zhang Heng thanked him with a warm handshake. After Black Prince Sam left, Zhang Heng and Anne started to work on what they would do next. First, they visited one of their old friends, Baal, an arms dealer in Nassau. Half an hour later, Zhang Heng purchased everything that he needed, and Carina¡¯s most trusted worker delivered the items to the reef. Another hour soon passed, and Anne covertly arrived with another 40 pirates from the Jackdaw.

 Chapter 188 - Massacre

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    It was midnight when the Skeleton arrived at Nassau. After enduring a series of events, most of its crew were exhausted when they returned to their ship. Typically, there was no need to patrol the ship at night since it was docked at the port, but ever since the Jackdaw attacked the Skeleton, Wilton decided that he wasn¡¯t taking any chances. He specially formed four teams of pirates to take turns and spy on the Jackdaw, informing Wilton if they saw it attempting to make a move on them.


    After that, Wilton locked himself in the captain¡¯s quarters and started drinking liquor. As he sipped on the rum, he could not help but think about the incident that happened on the beach. It made him so angry that he took out his dagger and stabbed it on the table. It was at that moment that he changed his mind about killing Zhang Heng. Now, he was hellbent on torturing him to the point he regretted he was born into this world.


    Most of the pirates were already asleep when Wilton was having his 6th glass of rum. None of them realized the imminent threat they were about to face. After taking a look at the time, Zhang Heng stood up and nodded to Anne.


    ¡°It¡¯s time. Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    After that, Zhang Heng hid his pocket watch and gun under a rock. He entered the water first with Anne following right behind him. The rest of the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates had all changed into black suits and held a dagger between their teeth. All of them were swimming towards the Skeleton. Hutcheson actually inspired this strategy, and although he didn¡¯t manage to take the Jackdaw down with this method, the 20 enemies that boarded the Jackdaw had completed what Hutcheson wanted. Their job was to stall Anne and the remaining pirates on the Jackdaw, and they actually did it.


    If the watchers hadn¡¯t spotted them, the Jackdaw might have suffered an even greater loss. This time, the situation was way different. Hutcheson attacked the Jackdaw in daylight, and their pirates were all armed since they were already in the middle of a fight. This time, Zhang Heng chose to attack the Skeleton at night because it was surely harder for their enemies to spot them. Most of the pirates on the Skeleton were also asleep right now, with only a couple of them guarding the ship. In other words, the ship was at its most vulnerable state.


    They would have never expected Zhang Heng to attack again right after the Jackdaw attacked their ships a few hours ago. And, this time, they came well-prepared, electing to bring along silent and stealthy arms. The dagger was their primary weapon of choice. Only a a couple of grenades were carried in case of an emergency. Other than that, Zhang Heng also bought a hunting bow from Baal.


    Anne and Zhang Heng were the first ones to board the Skeleton. He immediately crouched down, looked for a corner, and opened up his tarpaulin bag. He then took out the hunting bow and arrows. As for Anne, she silently analyzed and observed the enemies that were standing on the deck.


    Wilton formed a group consisting of three pirates to spy on the Jackdaw. One stood on the watchtower, another at the bow, and the last person was constantly on the move. Anne hid behind the rudder as she counted the footsteps that she could hear. The moment she counted until seven, she jumped out and slit the throat of a passing pirate! Then she instantly moved to the pirate at the bow. As luck would have it, he was sound asleep and didn¡¯t realize her approaching him.


    The pirate that stood at the watchtower finally spotted Zhang Heng and his pirates. Before he could even sound the alarm, Zhang Heng shot an arrow directly into his heart. At the same time, Anne managed to eliminate the last pirate as well. As of now, all existing threats on the deck were eliminated. Zhang Heng quickly headed back to the gunwale to signal all his pirates to board the ship. After that, all of them stormed into the cabins as fast as they could. Zhang Heng¡¯s orders were reasonably straightforward. Kill everyone on this ship that breathed.


    A brutal massacre was about to unfold on the Skeleton. With a team of two, one would cover the enemy¡¯s mouth, while the other would slit their throats, slowly moving from one side of the ship to another. With this method, they made sure that no one was left alive. Soon, the stench of blood wafted across the room. It would seem that Zhang Heng conducted his operation when the pirates of the Skeleton were in deep sleep.


    However, an accident was bound to happen since so many people were being killed at the same time. Three minutes later, one of Zhang Heng¡¯s teams failed to inflict a lethal wound on their target. The pirate started to struggle, and the commotion quickly woke the rest of the pirates that were still alive. Unfortunately, it was all but too late as two-third of the Skeleton¡¯s crew had been killed in their cabins.


    Before they could even wield any weapons to retaliate, the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates planted daggers into their hearts. Only a dozen managed to get a hold of their weapons and started to fight back, but again, it was all too late. The plan turned out better than Zhang Heng expected, and the whole conundrum lasted for only 15 minutes.


    In the end, Zhang Heng and his men had eliminated more than a hundred pirates. When it whole thing was almost done, none bothered to count the enemies that they¡¯d killed. The grenades they carried with them remained unused throughout the entire battle.


    When Zhang Heng entered the captain¡¯s quarters, he found no one inside, but the windows were ajar. Zhang Heng quickly peered outside only to see Wilton attempting to swim to his second ship. Calmly, he placed an arrow on his hunting bow and released it.


    Thwack!!!


    Wilton¡¯s shoulder was hit! Knowing that his life was on the line, he could do nothing but swim as fast as he could. Suddenly, he took in a deep breath and dived below the water. Zhang Heng frowned as his second shot missed its target. Tonight¡¯s plan was only half-successful. Though all the pirates on the Skeleton were all dead, there were still around 60 pirates on the second ship. If Wilton managed to get there, he might be able to flee Nassau. He might even decide to destroy the Jackdaw since it was almost empty now. Zhang Heng and the rest of the pirates would surely not make it back in time if Wilton launched an attack on the Jackdaw.


    Without the slightest bit of hesitation, Zhang Heng took out his Paris Arrow and aimed it at Wilton. This item cost him around 400 game points. Previously, he was worried that the waves might carry the arrow away if he used it. That would be a significant loss for him. However, this wasn¡¯t the time to worry about this problem.


    Once Wilton emerged from the water to catch a breath, Zhang Heng took a shot with his Paris Arrow. As there was no time for a good aim, he simply fired at will. The arrow flew into the water with a loud whizz!


    Moments later, Wilton¡¯s body floated to the surface of the ocean.

 Chapter 189 - Protest

    Honegg was getting old. By the time he dealt with all the things at hand, it was already late into the night. He retreated to bed, only to wake up again not too long after he closed his eyes. Perhaps he knew that he did not have much time left. It was common for older people to greatly appreciate the remaining days that they had.


    Honegg put on his clothes and tricorne. His mood had greatly improved after gorging on the warm breakfast delivered by one of his men. According to his daily routine, he would head to the city walls after breakfast, looking down over the entire Nassau from where he stood. This was the point where he could feel the joy in his heart. Nassau didn¡¯t have an official governor-general assigned by Scotland. The closest person to that was Honegg. He was given the unenviable task of defending Nassau.


    It would seem that Black Prince Sam had somehow ignited his anger. In reality, he was quite happy with his current condition. A very long time ago, when he was still a legendary captain, he had started planning for his retirement. He and Frazer were known to be the two most powerful captains on the island of Nassau. Now, age had taken a toll on him, and he wasn¡¯t as healthy and strong as before. He did, however, accumulate massive wealth after being a pirate for decades. At the same time, he fell prey to certain illnesses as well. Rheumatism was one of the diseases that had been torturing his knee for a long time now.


    Eight years ago, Honegg decided that he would quit being a seafarer and, instead, lead his men to take over Nassau. It was then that he embarked on a new life. According to the agreement, he would protect and maintain order in Nassau with his men. In return, the merchants of the isle would pay him a certain amount of money each month as the protection fee.


    The fee wasn¡¯t too expensive, and the merchants of Nassau could easily come up with whatever Honegg asked for since they earned considerable profit from their trade. Though it faded in comparison with whatever he made when he was still a pirate, the difference wasn¡¯t much at the end of the day. The most important thing for him, though, was the safety of his pirates. Now, he did not have to put their lives at risk anymore.


    Although they lived comfortably at the moment, it did come with its disadvantages. They were forced to stay inside the fortress for a long time every single day. The boredom that resulted from it constantly tormented their minds. Since they no longer needed to fight, their bodies started to shrivel as well. Most importantly, they lacked an injection of new blood. When he was still a captain, he would lose his men in battle from time to time. After that, he would recruit eager younglings to join his ship. It was an effective method to replace the older crew no longer suited for the pirate¡¯s life.


    Since they didn¡¯t live on land, most of the men that stuck with Honegg were the last batch of pirates that conquered Nassau with him. Over time, his men started becoming lazy. Nevertheless, Honegg would never fire them since they all shared a profound relationship with him. Of course, he could use the money he collected to recruit a new batch of young fighters, but he realized that he would never trust them the way he trusted his old allies.


    Fortunately, his name preceded his reputation, and nobody in Nassau realized that he¡¯d lost his edge. Honegg knew better than anyone that he and his men were now way weaker in terms of combat ability compared to the time when they first arrived here. If he could take down this fortress with his men years ago, other pirate crews could also do the same right now.


    In a time like this, he needed to show that he was still as tough as before. That was why Honegg brought his men to the beach when he heard that the Skeleton had opened fire there. As he confronted the young and dominant Wilton, he managed to put on a good show and concealed his weaknesses well. Still, he felt extremely exhausted after dealing with a matter like this.


    Luckily, Wilton was willing to take a step back and promised that he would never cause further trouble in Nassau. Since Honegg got what he wanted, he decided that he would not hold Wilton responsible for his deeds. As for Carina¡¯s business, it wasn¡¯t under his jurisdiction. Everyone knew that her career was coming to an end in Nassau. At first, Honegg thought that all problems had been solved. He did not expect that Zhang Heng would return and assist Carina by attacking Wilton¡¯s ships.


    The matter started to head in the direction where Honegg least desired, especially when Black Prince got involved. Once the conflict became more significant and he failed to contain it, people would quickly realize that he must have grown weak. That was why he gave Zhang Heng a stern warning.


    Honegg could see that Wilton and his crew were only passer-bys and would probably leave once they settled their business. The best-case scenario would be everyone going through this period together peacefully. Sadly, things didn¡¯t turn out the way he wanted it.


    He was sitting on his favorite chair, one that was taken from a governor-general¡¯s room during one of his pillages. It was one of the few items that he cared about. When he sat on it, he would start to reminisce about his good-old-days, the days that were filled with pomp and glory. As he enjoyed his peace and quiet, he suddenly noticed a huge group of people gathering at the beach. This time, it appeared that the crowd was larger than yesterday.


    ¡°Now¡­ what the hell is going on again?¡±


    A bald plump guy who was behind him simply shrugged. He was the helmsman of Honegg¡¯s ship. During the old days, he was considered one of the smartest men in the area. Now, he had been reduced to a sorry drunkard. He would usually drink until the early hours of the morning to the point of unconsciousness.


    ¡°No idea. Perhaps some fishermen have come to sell their catch,¡± replied the helmsman while burping.


    ¡°I have seen fishermen here before, Domingo. I¡¯m pretty f*cking sure that they aren¡¯t selling seafood. Send some people to check them out. This is a delicate time. I don¡¯t wish to see any more accidents happening.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Domingo left the place, stumbling around wonkily. Honegg could not help but sigh as he looked at him. Oh, how the great have fallen. Half an hour later, the person tasked to check the beach came back to Honegg.


    ¡°Wilton!! Wilton!!!¡±


    ¡°Ah, crap! What did he do this time?¡±


    ¡°No. Wilton is dead!¡± said the investigator.


    Honegg was shocked, unable to believe that the captain of two ships and 200 men had been killed in one night. Above all, he heard something even more ridiculous.


    ¡°It¡¯s not only Wilton; all of his men are dead as well! Most had their throats slit. As for Wilton, someone tossed his body on the beach in the exact spot where he executed the sailors. His stomach had been cut open!¡±

 Chapter 190 - Changes That Come With It

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Honegg ran to the beach with his men, and that was when he saw Wilton¡¯s body. Tied around two wooden planks, he seemed to have died in a similar fasion to the sailor he killed earlier. Even the wound on his stomach was identical as well. It was genuinely an ironic situation. However, the cut on his stomach appeared to be added post-mortem. The lethal wound was actually a small hole on his chest. He must have been killed by an arrow.


    Just like the dead pirates on both of Wilton¡¯s ships, the perpetrator left no clues around the crime scene. However, even a blind person would know who the culprit was. The Skeleton was here for less than a day, and the only person they had friction with was Zhang Heng. Both of them argued at the port, with Zhang Heng attacking Wilton¡¯s ship in the end. Since his ship was severely damaged, he had no choice but to release the sailors from the Gentle Breeze. Admittedly, that was how they became enemies.


    Many who gathered there knew that this matter wasn¡¯t about to be settled just like that, but nobody expected Zhang Heng to make the first move as well. All the while, he had the upper hand, so everyone was shocked when they saw how he tackled this problem. It was both ruthless and brutal.


    1Wilton was one of the bloodthirstiest pirates Nassau had ever witnessed. He sliced open the stomach of a living man in front of everyone and even smiled while he was at it. That was enough to send chills down everyone¡¯s spines. He was indeed a lunatic. Three hours after the incident, Zhang Heng used the simplest way to avenge the sailor.


    A total of 200 pirates were brutally killed. When dawn arrived, the fishermen had first spotted Wilton¡¯s body, and the entire tragedy was unfolded before the people of Nassau. Conflicts were rather frequent amongst the pirates of Nassau. Typically, they would only argue over their dispute. Rarely, some resorted to physical fights. Even the most severe incident that they witnessed were two captains brawling with each other. None had ever seen an entire gang of pirates being annihilated, what more, by their fellow pirates.


    Of course, anything could happen at sea with witnesses few and far between. Right now, this incident occurred at a busy port. Honegg was natuarally displeased. In the period of a night, the event had escalated and was blown out of proportion into something out of his control. After Honegg warned Zhang Heng, it seemed that he was willing to make peace with Wilton. With the help of Black Prince Sam, the incident was supposed to end right there.¡±


    As compared to Zhang Heng and Jackdaw, Honegg was more worried about the Skeleton, especially Wilton, whose absolute merciless personality was a rarity amongst the pirates. Birds of the same feather flocked together, and now, Zhang Heng displayed similar brutality. Honegg began to worry that they would cause more trouble to Nassau. He then took another look at Wilton¡¯s body. It appeared that Wilton had severely underestimated Zhang Heng. If he knew that Zhang Heng was coming at him, he would have killed Zhang Heng first even if it meant losing his flag.


    ¡°Where is he right now?!¡± asked Honegg furiously.


    The moment Zhang Heng annihilated the entire Wilton¡¯s pirate group, it meant that he was directly challenging Honegg¡¯s authority. It appeared that yesterday¡¯s warning was all but wasted breath. It was indeed an embarrassing moment for him.


    Honegg¡¯s man hesitated to answer his question. However, when he saw his boss getting angrier, he finally spoke up.


    ¡°Someone saw the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates near Carina¡¯s trading center. It appears they got a good yield during their last voyage. I think they are getting their share of money now.¡±


    Honegg harrumphed and stormed to the trade center without saying a word. His men looked at each other, and a smart-alec ran to tell Domingo about it. The rest were forced to follow Honegg as he looked for Zhang Heng. Soon, Honegg spotted Carina talking to Zhang Heng from afar and increased his pace. Zhang Heng instantly noticed Honegg coming at him in a mighty fury.


    Honegg was one of the most experienced pirates in Nassau. He was a generous man when he was still a captain, even going as far as to give a ship that he¡¯d robbed to his men. Rumour had it that half of the captains of Nassau were involved with him one way or another. It might sound like an exaggeration, but it proved that he had connections all over the island.


    ¡°Captain Honegg, how can I help you?¡±


    Zhang Heng approached Honegg first and greeted him politely. At first, Honegg wanted to confront him about Wilton¡¯s death but became speechless the moment they met. After witnessing Wilton¡¯s body and all the dead on the two ships, Honegg felt that Zhang Heng had changed. The Jackdaw had gotten famous in Nassau recently. The reason of their success had everything to do with their conflict with the black-market alliance. Since they lacked experience, old sea legs like Honegg didn¡¯t pay too much attention to him.


    After last night¡¯s incident, Honegg unconsciously saw Zhang Heng as someone on the same level as him. Apart from that, Honegg also realized that many pirates were lining up, waiting to receive their share of gold coins. Judging by the weight of their money bags, it seemed Zhang Heng had another excellent yield. The prospect of getting rich made the pirates in line drool like little babies.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s capability of leading his men to good money had been proven once again. The Jackdaw was close to becoming a top-tier crew in Nassau. All they needed right now was some fame to make their name known. Attention from the conflict that they had with the black-market alliance wasn¡¯t something they wanted, but rather, they wished to be known as the most successful pirate group of Nassau. Usually, there were no shortcuts around matters like this. After Wilton¡¯s death, however, they had inadvertently made their name known throughout the entire Nassau.


    Not only did Zhang Heng manage to deal with Wilton¡¯s threats, but he also managed to instill the word that no one should mess with him. The name, the Jackdaw, had become a bit of a hush-hush matter. This could be seen from the reaction of Honegg¡¯s men. When they heard that Honegg wanted to confront Zhang Heng, they started trembling in fear. This fear and respect he earned came at the cost of 200 lives. Other than Blackbeard who had attacked Charleston and killed two governor-generals, Zhang Heng was now the most highly respected individual of Nassau.


    1

 Chapter 191 - Double Victory

    ¡°Are you going to explain what the hell happened on the beach?¡± Honegg enquired in a displeased manner.


    ¡°The beach? What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    Honegg cursed Zhang Heng in his heart for being so shameless. It was no secret that Zhang Heng was the one who had massacred Wilton and his pirates, but nobody could find any substantial evidence to pin this crime on him. Most importantly, Wilton and his pirates were all dead. In other words, there were no witnesses alive to prove that Zhang Heng was guilty of the allegations.


    ¡°Attacking a docked ship with cannons and massacring the entire gang?! Aren¡¯t you afraid of the public¡¯s wrath?¡±


    ¡°Who would be angry at me?¡±


    Honegg was speechless again when he heard the question. He was so focused on Zhang Heng¡¯s crime that he¡¯d forgotten to rethink the whole incident carefully. The two events that Honegg mentioned earlier were rather severe. Almost everyone on this island had one or two enemies in their lifetime and nobody wished that their throats were slit while they were fast asleep.


    However, the Skeleton and her crew weren¡¯t originally from this island. They were outsiders. Also, the way they made their presence felt had angered many of Nassau¡¯s folks. Judging by the reaction of the crowd this morning, nobody sympathized with Wilton¡¯s death. They were, however, shocked that Zhang Heng would come up with such a dramatic solution. They became more cautious of him, but their feelings weren¡¯t as intense.


    ¡°Captain Honegg, I know that you have sacrificed a lot to protect and maintain order on this island. The existence of you and your men have made it possible for Nassau to stay peaceful. Just like others on this island, I¡¯m grateful for that. Please know that I¡¯m not trying to destroy everything that you have built. You have talked to Wilton before, and you know what kind of person he is. Forgive me for being honest; you should know better than anyone that your wish will never come true. Wilton and his pirates are not about to stay here without causing any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that I should thank you for solving my problem?¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you a question. Do you wish to see my body lying on the beach or Wilton¡¯s?¡±


    Honegg didn¡¯t know what to answer Zhang Heng, and although he was still mad, he had to admit that Wilton was never going to reason with him like a respectable human. He and his gang were more like wild beasts. Still, he felt troubled that Zhang Heng killed them even after he attempted to bargain with Wilton.


    Honegg didn¡¯t seem as angry as before, and he had calmed down a little. After all, Zhang Heng did not go all the way to push the button. Though the entire Nassau knew that he was responsible for the Wilton gang massacre, at least Zhang Heng didn¡¯t admit that he was the one who did it.


    Right now, Honegg had weigh the consequences that resulted from this incident. If it was in the old days, he could simply hold Zhang Heng accountable for his actions, or he could exert his influence and exile Zhang Heng from Nassau. With Zhang Heng¡¯s current reputation, he surely couldn¡¯t pull off something like that. On the other hand, if he took a step back and let it slide, it would show everyone that he was losing his edge. They would then doubt if he still had the capability to hold the fortress. Honegg had gotten used to life on land. He was never going to go back to sea.


    Just when he had reached a crossroads, Zhang Heng spoke to him.


    ¡°Many on this island do not know how important you are. We can set sail with peace of mind knowing that nothing would happen to Nassau. All these because we know that you are here with your men. Let me tell you this, defending Nassau shouldn¡¯t be the responsibility of a single person.¡±


    Honegg twitched his eyebrows and waited for Zhang Heng to finish. Thankfully, what he was about to say did not disappoint him.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to make an official announcement that I¡¯m willing to protect Nassau with you. Of course, you and your men still hold absolute authority. I¡¯ll only be there when you need me to deal with the utmost of dangerous situations. Anyone messing with you is equivalent to messing with the Jackdaw.¡±


    Right after Zhang Heng finished talking, a group of people walked toward him furiously. The man leading the group was Domingo. Through the fog of his drunkenness, he was still shocked when he heard that Honegg had gone ahead to confront Zhang Heng. The news of Zhang Heng¡¯s actions had spread throughout Nassau like a raging wildfire. Although the Jackdaw didn¡¯t have many pirates, no one dared belittle them anymore. Domingo was worried about Honegg¡¯s safety and brought everyone from the fortress as a backup.


    They were at the ready to fight with Zhang Heng. Although nowhere as good as their young selves, they possessed undying loyalty towards Honegg. To their surprise, they saw Honegg calmly chatting with Zhang Heng. Domingo couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on. However, when he saw that Honegg was alright, he was relieved and stood down.


    ¡°I¡¯m old. This is an era for the young now. Yoy and Sam are the future of Nassau. Old men like me with a busted leg can only stay with a pile of useless rocks. But, you guys don¡¯t have to worry. As long as I still live in the fortress, I will make sure that I¡¯ll protect Nassau with my life. With that, you can always set sail knowing that our home will be safe.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    The reason why Zhang Heng decided to kill Wilton was a straightforward one. The moment they crossed paths, Zhang Heng knew that Wilton would become his arch-enemy. If he didn¡¯t kill everyone on the Skeleton, it would have been him who was lying dead on the beach. Wilton definitely wouldn¡¯t hesitate to destroy Zhang Heng once he fixed his ship, which was why Zhang Heng chose to attack the Skeleton at a time least when everyone least expected it. At the same time, he intended to send a message through Wilton¡¯s body as well. Anyone that dared mess with Carina¡¯s ship would end up like Wilton.


    Since Zhang Heng was done with the black-market alliance, Carina was essential to the Jackdaw. One might even say that Carina couldn¡¯t live without the Jackdaw. The truth was, the Jackdaw couldn¡¯t live without Carina either. On the one hand, she was the only one who could help Zhang Heng sell all his loot. On the other, Zhang Heng had to make sure that his partner would be safe all the time. As for Honegg, Zhang Heng knew that Wilton and his pirates didn¡¯t really matter to him. All he cared about was his authority in the fortress. And this wasn¡¯t a hard problem to solve. After thinking for a bit, Zhang Heng figured out that partnering up with Honegg was the best solution to the problem.


    Amongst the two respectable elders in the world of pirates, Zhang Heng¡¯s relationship with Frazer had turned sour. This indicated that Honegg¡¯s support was now vital. Honegg¡¯s reputation was enough to make everyone obey him, and partnering up with the Jackdaw would only fortify his authority on this island and the fortress. Zhang Heng had no interest in controlling the fortress. At his age, he would never want to sit in a stone wall and do nothing like Honegg. However, it was good to have an ally that had Honegg¡¯s authority.


    This was a win-win situation. Hence, Honegg decided that he wouldn¡¯t go up against Zhang Heng.

 Chapter 192 - Expansion and Suspicion

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Once Honegg left, and after the pirates of the Jackdaw got their share of gold coins, Carina quietly approached Zhang Heng and thanked him. She couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen to her if Zhang Heng did not come back in time.


    All the while, she tried her hardest to compete better in the world of business, constantly figuring out how to get more captains to work with her, save Malcolm, of course. Also, she made sure that her prices were always high enough to attract as many prospective sellers as possible. As a result of her efforts, she managed to outdo the black-market alliance by a large margin. After what happened to her father, she also made sure to avoid a few large ports controlled by the Malcolm Family. Little did she expect that they would send a gang of pirates to hunt down the Gentle Breeze.


    An incident like that hadn¡¯t happened in Nassau for a very long time now. The pirates that Malcolm hired weren¡¯t originally from Nassau and hence, weren¡¯t worried about breaking the rules of the island. Last night was the first time that Carina brushed with the darker corners of the world. After living in Nassau for some time, she had gone through significant changes. At first, she was too shy to talk to men. Right now, astonishedwas bold enough to bargain with a group of fierce captains. As she received compliments from Malone and others, she was glad that she¡¯d officially blended into this world to the point that she could face a group of pirates used to killing for a living.


    Last night, Wilton managed to reignite the fear that she once had. The dagger in his hand was only two centimeters away from her neck. It was the very first time she came so close to death.


    ¡°I¡¯m responsible for the Skeleton¡¯s attack on the Gentle Breeze. I was the one who told you to remain aggressive on this island. To be honest, I underestimated the magnitude of the threat to you. I¡¯m astounded that Malcolm decided to deal with us a lot quicker than expected,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    He then took a look at his surroundings. Since that morning, a large crowd of people had already been lining up to sell their stuff to Carina.


    ¡°You have done a spectacular job so far. I believe that you¡¯ve managed to pressure the black-market alliance.¡±


    ¡°It might seem that there are many people selling their stuff to me, but honestly, I don¡¯t earn much from it. At the end of the day, I still have to rely on the Jackdaw.¡±


    ¡°How many captains looked for you while I was gone?¡±


    ¡°Four captains were working with me, and there were a few interested in selling their stuff as well. I was trying to negotiate and bargain with them. After that, Malcolm suddenly announced that all captains should only trade with the black-market alliance and not random black-market merchants. In the end, only two captains were still willing to work with me. I think things will get better, now that you¡¯ve eliminated Wilton and his goons. Many will start to think that our business might just survive on this island. Just now, a few captains told me that they are willing to stop trading with the black-market alliance and would trade with me instead. Though they are not from some powerful pirate group, they are definitely more influential than these people lining up to sell their useless stuff to me.¡±


    At the same time, Carina glared at a pirate who demanded that he should have been paid two extra bronze pesos.


    ¡°Right now, we have a problem. If we are going to expand, I don¡¯t think one cargo ship is enough.¡±


    ¡°Wilton had two ships. His Skeleton can be entered into service after we fix it, and his second ship is totally fine. Though that ship isn¡¯t as well-armed as the Skeleton, it sure is more spacious. I think it¡¯s the perfect vessel for a cargo ship conversion. The only problem is that it was once a pirate ship. I¡¯m afraid the port¡¯s workers might recognize it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be a problem. Wilton told us that he never left anyone alive when he plundered their ships. I¡¯m pretty sure that very few had laid their eyes lay their eyes on that ship before. Before I use it, I¡¯ll hire someone to carry out a refit and some modifications. Then, we can be sure that nobody would recognize it even if they have seen it before.¡±


    ¡°As for manpower, I believe that we can source most of that from this island itself. There are a lot of young people here, and since they can¡¯t earn much by becoming a pirate, I don¡¯t think they¡¯d mind working on a cargo ship as long as their pockets are filled. They are also not asking for much. Most importantly, their family members and friends are living here. If last night¡¯s incident were to happen again, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll just sit still and do nothing.¡±


    ¡°If any emergency were to happen when I¡¯m not around, you can look for Black Prince Sam or Honegg. They will help you. Alternatively, you can hire private security for your protection. I would say four to five people should be enough to help you to tackle any untoward incidents.


    Zhang Heng saw that Carina was about to say something, but held back.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing bothering me. I might be overthinking, but I did work with a couple of pirate ships previously. I never thought that I would be able to keep this a secret from the black-market alliance forever. Still, I did something to make sure that Malcolm wouldn¡¯t find out so soon. Something smells fishy. The moment I started to work with the other captains, I instantly received a warning from him.¡±


    ¡°At first, I thought that perhaps one of the pirate groups had tipped Malcolm off. You know how hard it is for pirates to keep secrets; a glass of rum and a hooker would make them spill all their beans. But, I did notice a problem, though. If they really did tell Malcolm about me, he shouldn¡¯t have known my plans in such great detail. I didn¡¯t expose anything at all when I met up with him, but I felt that he knew every single move that I was about to make.¡±


    ¡°Could there be a mole among us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think anymore. Everyone who works for me is a trusted ally of mine. I even made sure that only a handful knows about my plan. Most of the sailors on the Gentle Breeze don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re transporting.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any suspects in mind?¡±


    ¡°Jim, for one. He¡¯s young, and he knows how to read. He was initially the records keeper of the Gentle Breeze, and Malone was the one who recommended that I hire him. Right after my father was put in jail, half of the experienced pirates left the ship. They were the ones who my father paid highly. However, Jim chose to stay on. He only joined our ship last year. Technically, he shouldn¡¯t have a strong attachment to it. With his capabilities, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to look for a better job too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about him, but he chose to stick with us during our most trying times. I have to say; he¡¯s helped me a lot for sure. That¡¯s why Malone and I trust him fully. He seems to be serious about his job as well. So, I brought him off the Gentle Breeze and asked him to work with me here. He¡¯s supposed to keep track of all the loot that we buy. He knows where every item comes from. At the same time, he is also one of the few who knows which route the Gentle Breeze takes.¡±

 Chapter 193 - Baiting a Mole

    Malone was lazing on the bed in a brothel as an attractive prostitute helped him to spread some medicine on his wound.


    Previously, when the Skeleton pursued the Gentle Breeze, Malone insisted that they were black-market merchants, but the pirates from the Skeleton ignored the claims. As captain of his ship, Malone tried his hardest to fight off the pirates bravely with his crew. Unfortunately, the Skeleton was way more potent than the Gentle Breeze, and within three minutes, every single one of the Gentle Breeze¡¯s sailors was defeated by the Skeleton¡¯s pirates.


    After that, they started to kick and punch Malone. He fell to the ground the moment one of the pirates landed a heavy blow on his stomach. The searing pain from the bludgeoning caused him to drop the dagger in his hand. When the pirates were done bashing him up, Malone was dragged and locked up in the depths of the ship¡¯s hold. When he was finally alone, he quickly checked his body and realized that it was bruised and bleeding from top to bottom. Not one part of him was left unscathed.


    Just like the entire crew of the Gentle Breeze, Malone thought that those pirates would surely kill him. While they sailed back to Nassau, the Skeleton took the opportunity and plundered another merchant ship. Malone witnessed first hand on how Wilton gleefully tormented the Gentle Breeze¡¯s sailors for sport. Even after all the experience gained from working at sea for decades, Malone still trembled at the sight of the inhumane pirates that plundered his ship. He became so hopeless to the point where he wanted to kill himself.


    Right until when his freedom was granted back to him, he couldn¡¯t believe that he had to endure such unspeakable horrors. When he was sure that he was no longer in danger, the first thing he did was run the tavern and drink as much as he could stomach. Having his fill of alcohol, he proceeded to the brothel he visited regularly. Finally, he found some peace and quiet that he craved for so long in a familiar place he was comfortable with. When he woke up the next afternoon, he was met by Carina.


    ¡°Hold on. You suspect that Jim is working for Malcolm?¡±


    The prostitute left the room half a minute ago. Malone blinked, shaking his head as he tried to clear the awful hangover that was pounded his mind. Through his daze, he was shocked to hear Carina suspecting that Jim was a mole. He quickly fumbled around, eventually finding his shirt before putting it on.


    ¡°To be honest with you, I won¡¯t believe such accusations if I don¡¯t see solid evidence. Jim is a good kid. I dug around, asking about him when I thought of recruiting him to the Gentle Breeze. Everyone said that he¡¯s a terrific kid. He¡¯s one hardworking lad, never allowing the slightest bit of laziness to get the better of him. Though he could be boring at times and has no sense of humor whatsoever, that didn¡¯t stop me from putting him on my list of favorite persons. Have I told you about his sister?¡±


    ¡°What sister?¡±


    ¡°Jim has an adopted little sister who is two years younger than him. During that time, his family was doing well, and he was taught how to read and write. Unfortunately, the happiness was short-lived. Shortly after that, both his parents were tragically killed in an accident, leaving the two of them alone. Of course, they needed money to support themselves. So, some people suggested that he send his stepsister to an orphanage or a monastery. Jim rejected all of them with a resounding no. In the end, he had to sell off everything valuable in his house. It was then that he started to look around for a job that could support him and his sister. He was only 14 years old.¡±


    Suddenly, Malone paused.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of his sister, I heard that she had just recovered from a severe illness. Jim spent quite a huge sum of money, looking for a doctor to cure her. I did ask him earlier if he needed my help, but he told me that he had settled his debts. Apparently, he has a distant uncle who sent him some money to deal with his crisis.¡±


    ¡°Could this man be Malcolm?¡±


    ¡°I have never thought about it from that angle. I still don¡¯t think that Jim will sell us out and let Wilton know which route the Gentle Breeze took.¡±


    Malone shook his head, and he had put on his clothes. He then moved his shoulder, and the pain from his wounds caused him to wince and grit his teeth.


    ¡°Have you talked to him about it?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I don¡¯t want to be rash and alert the enemy. Right now, we don¡¯t have any solid evidence about him selling us out. Once he notices that we are on him, it would be extremely hard for us to catch him red-handed. This matter is of the utmost importance to us. Even though Wilton and his pirates are dead, our next journey would be perilous if we fail to catch the mole. The worst thing would be that Malcolm will know all of our moves.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, hang on. Wilton and his pirates are dead?! How is that even possible? Is this supposed to be a joke?¡±


    Malone had no idea about the entire incident on the island since he slept through the day.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t get drunk last night and unleash your inner beast at the brothel, you should have heard of the big news. Right now, you are probably the last person on this island that finds out.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ this has to be the best news I¡¯ve heard in a long time.¡±


    Malone pretended that he didn¡¯t hear the undertone of sarcasm in Carina¡¯s voice.


    ¡°While I was on my way back to Nassau, I cursed Wilton, hoping that his pirates would be somehow engulfed by the ocean. I didn¡¯t even mind being a casualty alongside them as long as they¡¯re dead. Anyway, I¡¯m cool with this ending as well. How did they die, eh? Who killed them? How did they get killed? How many survivors are left? To be honest, I find it hard to believe that anybody could kill them. Wilton had over 200 pirates with him, and they were bloody good at what they did. How did this person kill him under the protection of his men?¡±


    ¡°You should go look for the answer yourself. Back to our little Jim, then. Is there anything you wish to add?¡±


    ¡°Let me think¡­ well¡­ I think that should be it, I suppose. I have known him for some time now, and he is a good worker, a good brother, and a good neighbor. I reiterate. I don¡¯t think he is the mole.¡±


    ¡°Regarding your last point, we will make sure to get to the bottom of it.¡±


    ¡°What are you planning to do? Send someone to spy on him?¡±


    Malone gulped a mouthful of water and rinsed his mouth. With that, he was done cleaning himself for the day.


    ¡°No. I want to give him a reason to sell us out.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Just now, I ¡®accidentally¡¯ spilled some top-secret news to him; deliberately of course. I said that two powerful pirate ships are planning to leave the black-market alliance, choosing to work with us instead. If he is indeed the mole, he will surely tell Malcolm about it.¡±


    ¡°After that?¡±


    ¡°Malcolm will surely do something. As compared to the small traders we deal with, he won¡¯t just stand aside and watch us snatch away his powerful clients and will definitely try to stop it from happening. Judging by his personality, he would approach the two captains and convince them not to leave the alliance. All we need to do right now is to watch them closely. Once he meets the captains, we can go ahead and apprehend Jim.¡±

 Chapter 194 - Sleeping Position

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    With that, Zhang Heng tasked Carina with finding the mole. Ever since the Jackdaw returned to Nassau, Zhang Heng hadn¡¯t managed to get any sleep. As promised, he made the announcement to Nassau¡¯s residents that he would defend the fortress with Honegg. When that was done, he retreated home to get some well-deserved rest.


    It was late in the evening when he opened his eyes. Zhang Heng took a look at Anne, who was sleeping next to him. She had a questionable sleeping position, with an arm and a leg placed on Zhang Heng¡¯s body. She was drooling like a baby as well. The most ironic part was that Anne had her leg placed on Zhang Heng¡¯s chest while her hand was on his thigh.


    Zhang Heng had no idea how she managed to turn herself upside down while she was sleeping. The reason why he suddenly woke up suddenly because Anne kicked his chin accidentally. Trying his best not to wake her up, he spent quite a bit of effort to remove her contorted limbs from his body. However, it seemed like he overthought it. Once Anne was asleep, waking her up was a challenge, to say the least.


    On the flip side, she had this feral instinct when it came to threats. Even when she was in a deep sleep, she would automatically wake up if something dangerous happened around her. Zhang Heng had no idea how to explain a phenomenon like this. He guessed that it had everything to do with her personality, a beast-like nature that automatically allowed her to detect any incoming threat.


    What she told him that night reminded him of the little fox of Little Prince. Due to the little fox taking a liking toward Little Prince and it knew that goodbye was coming, it was willing to be domesticated. The little fox did that because it wanted to remember the color of Little Prince¡¯s hair when it gazed upon the wheat field.


    Zhang Heng took a jacket from a nearby chair and covered Anne with it. He went proceeded downstairs to his little farm, where he plucked the vegetables that were ripe and dug up a few potatoes. While he was tending to his garden, he saw the little girl living next to him and gave her a barbary fig. Before entering the game, Zhang Heng had never tried Barbary figs before.


    It was the fruit of a cactus and was native to the north and south of America. It could typically be found above the cactus plant. Like the main tree, the fruit was also covered in thorns. One had to cut off its tail and remove its skin before it could be eaten. It was essential that the octagonal thorn within the fruit was picked out as well. As for its taste, there was a tinge of sweetness coupled with sour parts. Zhang Heng was weirded out when he first ate this fruit. He had once heard that Indians favored the fruit a lot, regularly using it as medicine.


    As usual, the little girl ran away the moment Zhang Heng approached her. He wasn¡¯t too bothered by this, knowing that the parents of kids her age would usually advise them to steer clear of strangers. When he was done with the harvest, he brought the Barbary figs and vegetables back in. Instead of eating the fruit just like that, Zhang Heng preferred to scoop out its flesh and add a little honey with it.


    When Anne finally woke from her slumber, Zhang Heng was already done preparing dinner for the two of them. He sprinkled some salt on the fishes that he¡¯d just grilled over a flame. The 18th century wasn¡¯t as exciting as the modern world where there were no cellphones or computers. Even books were a rarity. Each time they returned from a voyage, they would be distraught from the harsh life out at sea. Hence, different people had different ways to relieve their stress.


    For Anne, she preferred picking fights as a stress relief method. As for Billy, he preferred to spend his time with his family. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, liked to cook and tend to his little farm. It helped him to take his mind off things when he wasn¡¯t on the raging oceans. Farming was a hobby he acquired when he entered his very first quest. When he was on the island alone, he needed to survive. Thus, he looked for something to do to keep him going. Not only did farming bring him game points, but it also provided him with satisfaction and joy.


    To see the seeds he sowed finally bear fruit was a great healing process. Cooking had the same effects as well. Unfortunately, the pace of life in modern society had gotten a lot faster, and a good amount of devotion would be needed for these things to succeed. It was possible to reap happiness if the person involved managed to calm their heart down. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer individuals from the modern world chose to embark and commit to these kinds of activities.


    After becoming a pirate of the Caribbean, Zhang Heng realized that he had more time for activities like this. Now, he was required to stay in the game for an unprecedented amount of time. After reaching LV2 on his saber and sailing skills, Zhang Heng was thinking of learning other skillsets. Learning other languages had become a priority. After completing a few rounds of the game, Zhang Heng realized that it was vital for him to speak various languages. After all, communication was the most important skill a human could master. During the Mannerheim Line quest, many people took advantage of him as he didn¡¯t know how to speak their language.


    Though he now spoke two foreign languages (plus a couple of Finnish words), he was better than most around him. However, every quest was unpredictable, and knowing only two languages wasn¡¯t quite enough. Zhang Heng quickly realized the advantage of the formation of teams, where each member could choose to learn a different language. If there were six people in a team, they would be able to communicate in six languages.


    However, a single-player like Zhang Heng could only rely on himself. Fortunately, he had ample time to learn other languages. Now, he planned to learn French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, and Latin throughout the ten-year tenure in this game. He wanted to be able to understand basic speech at the very least.


    If his memory served him right, Zhang Heng remembered that Latin was only used up until the early 18th century. As the official language of Rome, Latin was widely spoken throughout Europe during the 1st century BC. French, Italian, and Spanish were considered as local dialects. Along with the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Renaissance Era, Latin started to lose its place as the essential language of Europe. In the end, the Vatican was the only country that remained using Latin in their day-to-day business. Although languages of this era and languages of the modern world varied slightly, Zhang Heng figured it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to master some simple ways of communication.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Zhang Heng was still waiting for Black Prince Sam to vouch for him so he could join the meeting that was to be on this island. The next morning, he received an unexpected notification telling him that his main quest of the game had been completed. After eliminating a few possibilities, Zhang Heng figured that Billy must have recruited a new batch of pirates. There were at least 70 pirates on the Jackdaw right now. Thus, when the game instructed him to build his own force, it meant that he had to recruit a certain number of people to work under him.


    It seemed that his quest was complete. After living in this world for one year, it was only logical that his main quest was completed. Zhang Heng had no intention to give up on anything after achieving so much in this game. After all, he had to stay here for another ten years. Everything that he did right now was preparation for a bigger goal. Be it joining the meeting, helping Carina fight the black-market alliance, becoming Honneg¡¯s ally, or helping Laeli, Zhang Heng was building a strong foundation for himself.


    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    With that, Zhang Heng tasked Carina with finding the mole. Ever since the Jackdaw returned to Nassau, Zhang Heng hadn¡¯t managed to get any sleep. As promised, he made the announcement to Nassau¡¯s residents that he would defend the fortress with Honegg. When that was done, he retreated home to get some well-deserved rest.


    It was late in the evening when he opened his eyes. Zhang Heng took a look at Anne, who was sleeping next to him. She had a questionable sleeping position, with an arm and a leg placed on Zhang Heng¡¯s body. She was drooling like a baby as well. The most ironic part was that Anne had her leg placed on Zhang Heng¡¯s chest while her hand was on his thigh.


    Zhang Heng had no idea how she managed to turn herself upside down while she was sleeping. The reason why he suddenly woke up suddenly because Anne kicked his chin accidentally. Trying his best not to wake her up, he spent quite a bit of effort to remove her contorted limbs from his body. However, it seemed like he overthought it. Once Anne was asleep, waking her up was a challenge, to say the least.


    On the flip side, she had this feral instinct when it came to threats. Even when she was in a deep sleep, she would automatically wake up if something dangerous happened around her. Zhang Heng had no idea how to explain a phenomenon like this. He guessed that it had everything to do with her personality, a beast-like nature that automatically allowed her to detect any incoming threat.


    What she told him that night reminded him of the little fox of Little Prince. Due to the little fox taking a liking toward Little Prince and it knew that goodbye was coming, it was willing to be domesticated. The little fox did that because it wanted to remember the color of Little Prince¡¯s hair when it gazed upon the wheat field.


    Zhang Heng took a jacket from a nearby chair and covered Anne with it. He went proceeded downstairs to his little farm, where he plucked the vegetables that were ripe and dug up a few potatoes. While he was tending to his garden, he saw the little girl living next to him and gave her a barbary fig. Before entering the game, Zhang Heng had never tried Barbary figs before.


    It was the fruit of a cactus and was native to the north and south of America. It could typically be found above the cactus plant. Like the main tree, the fruit was also covered in thorns. One had to cut off its tail and remove its skin before it could be eaten. It was essential that the octagonal thorn within the fruit was picked out as well. As for its taste, there was a tinge of sweetness coupled with sour parts. Zhang Heng was weirded out when he first ate this fruit. He had once heard that Indians favored the fruit a lot, regularly using it as medicine.


    As usual, the little girl ran away the moment Zhang Heng approached her. He wasn¡¯t too bothered by this, knowing that the parents of kids her age would usually advise them to steer clear of strangers. When he was done with the harvest, he brought the Barbary figs and vegetables back in. Instead of eating the fruit just like that, Zhang Heng preferred to scoop out its flesh and add a little honey with it.


    When Anne finally woke from her slumber, Zhang Heng was already done preparing dinner for the two of them. He sprinkled some salt on the fishes that he¡¯d just grilled over a flame. The 18th century wasn¡¯t as exciting as the modern world where there were no cellphones or computers. Even books were a rarity. Each time they returned from a voyage, they would be distraught from the harsh life out at sea. Hence, different people had different ways to relieve their stress.


    For Anne, she preferred picking fights as a stress relief method. As for Billy, he preferred to spend his time with his family. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, liked to cook and tend to his little farm. It helped him to take his mind off things when he wasn¡¯t on the raging oceans. Farming was a hobby he acquired when he entered his very first quest. When he was on the island alone, he needed to survive. Thus, he looked for something to do to keep him going. Not only did farming bring him game points, but it also provided him with satisfaction and joy.


    To see the seeds he sowed finally bear fruit was a great healing process. Cooking had the same effects as well. Unfortunately, the pace of life in modern society had gotten a lot faster, and a good amount of devotion would be needed for these things to succeed. It was possible to reap happiness if the person involved managed to calm their heart down. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer individuals from the modern world chose to embark and commit to these kinds of activities.


    After becoming a pirate of the Caribbean, Zhang Heng realized that he had more time for activities like this. Now, he was required to stay in the game for an unprecedented amount of time. After reaching LV2 on his saber and sailing skills, Zhang Heng was thinking of learning other skillsets. Learning other languages had become a priority. After completing a few rounds of the game, Zhang Heng realized that it was vital for him to speak various languages. After all, communication was the most important skill a human could master. During the Mannerheim Line quest, many people took advantage of him as he didn¡¯t know how to speak their language.


    Though he now spoke two foreign languages (plus a couple of Finnish words), he was better than most around him. However, every quest was unpredictable, and knowing only two languages wasn¡¯t quite enough. Zhang Heng quickly realized the advantage of the formation of teams, where each member could choose to learn a different language. If there were six people in a team, they would be able to communicate in six languages.


    However, a single-player like Zhang Heng could only rely on himself. Fortunately, he had ample time to learn other languages. Now, he planned to learn French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, and Latin throughout the ten-year tenure in this game. He wanted to be able to understand basic speech at the very least.


    If his memory served him right, Zhang Heng remembered that Latin was only used up until the early 18th century. As the official language of Rome, Latin was widely spoken throughout Europe during the 1st century BC. French, Italian, and Spanish were considered as local dialects. Along with the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Renaissance Era, Latin started to lose its place as the essential language of Europe. In the end, the Vatican was the only country that remained using Latin in their day-to-day business. Although languages of this era and languages of the modern world varied slightly, Zhang Heng figured it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to master some simple ways of communication.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Zhang Heng was still waiting for Black Prince Sam to vouch for him so he could join the meeting that was to be on this island. The next morning, he received an unexpected notification telling him that his main quest of the game had been completed. After eliminating a few possibilities, Zhang Heng figured that Billy must have recruited a new batch of pirates. There were at least 70 pirates on the Jackdaw right now. Thus, when the game instructed him to build his own force, it meant that he had to recruit a certain number of people to work under him.


    It seemed that his quest was complete. After living in this world for one year, it was only logical that his main quest was completed. Zhang Heng had no intention to give up on anything after achieving so much in this game. After all, he had to stay here for another ten years. Everything that he did right now was preparation for a bigger goal. Be it joining the meeting, helping Carina fight the black-market alliance, becoming Honneg¡¯s ally, or helping Laeli, Zhang Heng was building a strong foundation for himself.

 Chapter 195 - Monster From the Depths of the Sea

    ¡°You said someone intruded into your place last night. What did you mean by that?¡±


    Vincent was sitting across Zhang Heng, and seemed to be very uncomfortable and nervous.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what happened as well. I slept early last night, and I was half-asleep when I woke up in the middle of the night all of a sudden. I saw that the windows were open, and a shadowy figure was standing beside it. His back faced me, and it appeared that he was searching for something in my drawer.¡±


    ¡°What made you think that he was looking for something?¡± asked Zhang Heng while pointing at the poetry book that he found on the carrack.


    ¡°That¡¯s because he turned my bedroom upside down! Strangely, he didn¡¯t lay a finger on the 33 gold coins that I hid inside my drawer. There was some change on the table as well, and the amount was intact when I checked on them. All he took were the supply records and the list of goods that we acquired from the carrack. As for this poetry book, I placed it under my pillow, so it was untouched.¡±


    ¡°Hang on. Now, why would you place a poetry book under your pillow?¡± asked Anne with a cocked eyebrow.


    The young doctor¡¯s face begun to flush, and he was left speechless. Zhang Heng could feel how embarrassed and awkward he became, and hence, quickly changed the topic.


    ¡°Did you manage to see his face?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not human. His shirt was wet, looking as if he just emerged from the sea. I could smell an overpowering stench of fish and a saltiness in the air when he was in my room. Water dripped down from his sleeves and pants. Apart from that, I noticed corals and seashells hanging on his shirt and hair.¡±


    Vincent trembled in fear as he tried to remember the details of what happened last night.


    ¡°I remember that I pretended to sleep. Out of curiosity, I cracked open my eyes. That was when I saw his hand and the side of his face. It was covered in scales! Then, he somehow discovered that I was peeking at him, and he turned around and smiled. I was so terrified that I fainted! It was early in the morning when I opened up my eyes again. Immediately, I ran outside the house.¡±


    Once Vincent was done talking, he took out three notebooks.


    ¡°I am almost done translating these three notebooks. I didn¡¯t manage to translate the last few pages of the supply records, though. I would like to apologize for not being able to protect them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You have done a good job. Thank you so much for your service. I have another favor to ask of you. Would you mind if I took a look around your place?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! Both of you are always welcome at my house.¡±


    After that, Zhang Heng and Anne followed Vincent back to where he stayed. He lived in a small wooden house, large enough for a single person. There were various types of plants around his home. Amongst them were rare species of plants that only grew on the island of Nassau. Zhang Heng remembered Billy saying that Vincent fancied botany when they were introduced to each other. His house was covered in lush vines and looked gorgeous from the outside. Billy lived right next to Vincent, as well.


    During that time, Billy was holding his two-year-old daughter and was taking a slow walk in his garden. He quickly waved he saw the three. Passing his daughter to his wife, he strolled towards them.


    ¡°You guys are here for the bizarre incident, right?¡± asked Billy.


    ¡°Can you give me a moment?¡±


    Vincent opened the door and looked at Anne in an embarrassed manner.


    ¡°This is your house. You can do whatever you want to,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    Vincent was grateful that Zhang Heng allowed him to do as he wished. Immediately, he ran into his house and closed the door after him as fast as he could. Soon, they heard a curious clanking coming from inside the house.


    While Vincent was at it, Zhang Heng took the opportunity to ask Billy some questions.


    ¡°Did you notice anything strange last night considering you live right next to him?¡±


    ¡°I fell asleep immediately when I returned home last night. This morning, he knocked at my door in his pajamas and told me what happened to him last night. I could see that he was scared to death. It was my first time seeing him so afraid.¡±


    ¡°Do you think this incident has something to do with the mysterious ship that we found?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Zhang Heng suddenly remembered that a bizarre storm hit them when they were returning to Nassau. Every unexplainable thing that occurred to them indicated that they had indeed encountered something supernatural. It seemed the owner of the carrack was trying to retrieve the items that belonged to him. Still, Zhang Heng felt that things didn¡¯t quite add up, which was why he wanted to check out Vincent¡¯s house.


    After a while, Vincent opened the door and invited the three of them to come in. He had hurriedly tidied up his messy place when he entered earlier and had even made a pot of tea for them. However, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t interested to have any tea.


    The first thing the three did was to check out Vincent¡¯s bedroom. Upon entering, they saw a series of herbariums and sketches on the wall. They also noticed shoes and clothes scattered all over the floor. Vincent became embarrassed when he saw that the three were looking around his messy room. He had no time to tidy it up after cleaning the common area. As a single man, though, his room¡¯s condition was actually not too bad. Zhang Heng had seen way worse than this when he was in his hostel.


    Ignoring the unkempt mess, Zhang Heng squatted and used his finger to touch the floor. There were a few wet spots, and it seemed that the mysterious person must have been standing there for some time. The wet spots led to where the drawer and bed were.


    Besides that, he also picked up two pieces of small seashells and a scale on the floor. The story that Vincent told them must be true. As for the fishy stench that he mentioned, it was gone, perhaps because the windows were open. After that, Zhang Heng walked towards the window. This was the spot where the mysterious man apparently entered and left the room. There were supposed to be two potted plants placed on the window sill, but one of them had been knocked down. Outside of the window, Vincent¡¯s small garden could be seen.


    ¡°May I?¡±


    Zhang Heng glanced at a nodding Vincent before climbing on the window sill and jumping into the garden.


    ¡°How often do you water your plants?¡± asked Zhang Heng after he deliberately stepped on the soil twice.


    ¡°Erm. Once a week. I usually ask for Netti¡¯s help to water my plants when I go on a voyage. It should have been five days since she last watered them.¡±


    Netti was Billy¡¯s wife. She helped Vincent a lot after he moved into the neighborhood, a reason why Vincent was willing to become a doctor on the Jackdaw after Billy persuaded him. Zhang Heng then walked around the garden and saw that there were a few houses around. So, he proceeded to visit them one by one with Anne. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t manage to acquire any useful information from the residents. It was late at night when the mysterious thing broke into Vincent¡¯s house. Hence, there were no witnesses.


    That afternoon, all of them stopped at Billy¡¯s house for lunch. Vincent was still shaken by last night¡¯s bizarre incident. He was extremely grateful after getting Billy¡¯s permission to stay at his house for a couple of days; his spirits slightly lifted.

 Chapter 196 - Something Left Behind

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Do you really think that a monster broke into Vincent¡¯s house?¡± asked Anne the moment they left Billy¡¯s house.


    ¡°At first, I thought some supernatural entity from the carrack came for him after hearing what he described. However, I changed my mind after I checked out of his house.¡±


    At that, Zhang Heng passed the seashell to Anne.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this?¡±


    Anne took a look at it but saw nothing out of the ordinary.


    ¡°This shell is a foreigner, in the sense that it came from outside of Nassau. You won¡¯t normally find this type of shell here.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ that reminds me of something. Harry picked a bunch of seashells exactly like this one. I don¡¯t think I can ever understand his hobby.¡±


    ¡°And the scale. This a scale of a great barracuda, one of the most common fish often caught by the fishermen around this area.¡±


    ¡°How on earth do you know stuff like this?¡±


    Anne was shocked and slightly impressed by Zhang Heng¡¯s broad knowledge.


    ¡°I have done extensive studies on fishes. Anyway, that¡¯s not important.¡±


    In his first round of the game, Bell taught Zhang Heng how to tell apart edible sea fishes. Upon returning to the real world, he had also looked up about fishes online. Now, he could recognize more than 200 types of ocean fish.


    ¡°But, that carrack sailed around oceans of the world, right? It¡¯s entirely possible that it ended up around the waters of Nassau at some point.¡±


    ¡°You are right, which is why I investigated Vincent¡¯s garden earlier. He told me that he watered his plants once a week, and Netti helped him to water them five days ago. She also told me that the island hadn¡¯t received any rain lately. The dry, dusty soil in his garden verified her claims. However, I found an exception in one of the spots of the garden.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°After I checked out Vincent¡¯s house, I¡¯ve been thinking about what he told me earlier. He mentioned that the mysterious man looked as if he just came out of the water. His shirt was dripping all the time. However, the problem here is that Vincent¡¯s house is quite far from the sea. If that creature came from the ocean, he would have had to take a huge risk by walking all the way to Vincent¡¯s house even under cover of the dark. Most importantly, most of the seawater on him should have dried up after taking such a long walk.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think common sense can be used to solve this matter. Perhaps the mysterious man is cursed and is always drenched in seawater? I¡¯ve heard a similar story when I was a kid.¡±


    ¡°I did think about that possibility. If that¡¯s the case, then the water dripping from his clothes should have been constant. However, I found a spot in the garden that was way wetter than all the other spots.¡±


    ¡°Are you suspecting that someone deliberately wet himself and stuck seashells and scales all over his body? Why would he make himself look like a monster if all he wanted was to break into Vincent¡¯s room to look for the three notebooks?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking about the purpose of him acquiring the three notebooks or the purpose of making himself look like a monster? I can¡¯t figure out why he wanted the three notebooks as well. As for making himself look like a monster, I believe he did that so others couldn¡¯t recognize him. I should¡¯ve thought about it earlier. I¡¯ve checked everything that we removed from the carrack, and I can assure you that there¡¯s nothing wrong with them. We did, however, come across a storm on our way home, though. Now, I finally remember the items that I forgot to take.¡±


    ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°it appears that crate of silverware, ring, and the necklace isn¡¯t everything that we brought back. There were seven people on the carrack, including you and me. Someone must have gone behind our backs and secretly took something else from the ship. He should be the same person that broke into Vincent¡¯s room.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t share your theory when we were at Billy¡¯s house?¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded in reply.


    ¡°We were all together last night, so that proves our alibi. That leaves us with five people. I don¡¯t doubt their loyalty, but I do think that the notebook thief didn¡¯t realize the severity of this matter. Not a single person was on the carrack, and there¡¯s a good chance that it has something to do with this. Alright. Since the area is small enough for us to conduct a proper investigation, all we need to do right now is to investigate them one by one.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to do that. I think I know who the person is.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Basically, two in a group when we were tasked to check out the carrack. It¡¯s not easy to hide something when your partner is watching you. I remember that I was checking the cargo hold with Seth. When I heard you kicking down the door, I thought that you came across something dangerous, and I quickly ran to you. Seth was left there alone. If there¡¯s anyone who had an opportunity to hide something from us, it has to be him. He was already on the deck when we regrouped. At that time, I remember that he looked as if he was in a trance. I didn¡¯t think much about it because all of us didn¡¯t look too well, either.¡±


    ¡°What was he doing when the storm hit us?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see him. He was supposed to be resting at that time. I didn¡¯t see him on the deck as well. Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, I remember something. I saw a bruise on his face when we met during dinner. He simply told me that he fell somewhere when I asked about it.¡±


    Anne continued,


    ¡°Fighting on the ship is strictly prohibited. Still, I heard that some had broken this rule. After all, they are new recruits on our ship, and a few of them already know each other on the island. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised that they had unresolved issues while they were still on the island. Seth¡­ Seth is one of the new pirates from our first batch of recruits. He married not too long ago, and his wife was one of the prostitutes from a brothel. He spent a great deal of money to set her free from her pimp. I heard that they both share an intimate relationship. Still, it¡¯s hard to stop people from gossiping about them.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where he lives?¡±


    ¡°No idea. But, I know someone who knows where he stays.¡±


    Anne looked for a pirate called Sean, one of the cannoneers on the Jackdaw. He and Seth were close friends and had been working on the same ship before the two joined the Jackdaw. They would usually hang out together when they were back in Nassau. Of course, Sean would know where Seth lived. Upon the request of Zhang Heng and Anne, he led them to Seth¡¯s house. The moment they arrived at his place, they saw a large amount of furniture placed at the front of his house.


    Seth peeked out from behind a closet he was rummaging through and was caught off-guard when he saw the three of them. However, he became extra nervous when he saw Zhang Heng, swiftly concealing his emotions after that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just about to move,¡± said Seth.


    ¡°Not bad. You just got married, and now, you¡¯re moving. Why didn¡¯t you ask for my help?¡± asked Sean.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have many things, and anyway, I didn¡¯t want to trouble you.¡±


    Seth then glanced at Zhang Heng and Anne.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that this might be a bad time, captain. Can you come again tomorrow?¡±

 Chapter 197 - Betty

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ve got nothing to do anyway. Let us help you,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    Seth forced a smile when he heard Zhang Heng had offered to help.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Seth, do we have guests?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Sean and¡­ erm¡­ two more friends.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite them in?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I almost forgot! My house is kind of messy now, and I hope you guys won¡¯t mind.¡±


    Seeing that he was about to have visitors, Seth moved the chairs back into the house. Zhang Heng, Anne, and Sean followed him from behind.


    ¡°Tracy, go make our guests some coffee, will you?¡±


    Seth was talking to a voluptuous lady. This should be the woman that Seth married not too long ago. Tracy nodded and headed into the kitchen. After a short while, she talked to Seth again.


    ¡°Seth, where are the coffee beans that Beth gave us?¡±


    ¡°Ah! I know where they are. Let me go get them.¡±


    As he talked to Tracy, Seth went upstairs. Half a minute later, Tracy emerged from the kitchen with a plate of fruit in her hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Seth kept away all the utensils and there are only some fruits left in the kitchen,¡± said Tracy.


    Zhang Heng took the plate of fruit and thanked Tracy and started a conversation with her. Talkative by nature, she answered every question he asked with no misgivings. Obviously, she wasn¡¯t the cautious type. When he was done talking, he knew then that Seth didn¡¯t tell her anything about the carrack. It also seemed that she knew nothing about what happened last night.


    Zhang Heng looked at Anne. Both of them knew that Seth was the person that they were looking for. They decided that it was time to confront him once he came down.


    ¡°What¡¯s taking him so long? All he needs to do is to get the coffee beans,¡± said Sean while looking at the stairs.


    ¡°Let me go get him,¡± replied an embarrassed Tracy.


    She proceeded to the storeroom beside them.


    ¡°Ahem¡­ Seth is upstairs,¡± Sean reminded Tracy.


    ¡°Huh? But the first floor is empty. There¡¯s nobody there.¡±


    Immediately, Zhang Heng ran upstairs and found out that there was indeed no one there. All he saw was an open window. Through the window, he spotted Seth running away from his house as fast as his legs could carry him. He even looked back a few times!


    ¡°Let¡¯s spread out and go after him!¡±


    Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t to be blamed for not being more cautious. After all, he came with the sole intention of talking to Seth and had no plans to rough him up to extract information out from him. Other than breaking into Vincent¡¯s house and almost scaring him to death, Seth didn¡¯t do anything that harmed anyone. Logically, there was no reason for him to be running from them.


    Anne quickly ran out of the house. As for Zhang Heng, he exited through the window and climbed onto the roof. That said, he was in no way trying to be like Ezio Auditore from Assassin¡¯s Creed. The area Seth lived in was similar to the Smoked Fish Alley and was one of the more famous slums in Nassau. The only difference was that it was a lot more crowded, with squatters literally stacked on each other. The entire area was also extremely disorganized.


    Seth had an advantage here since he had stayed here for a long time. To make sure that he could keep track of him, Zhang Heng had to continually find high vantage points. As for Anne, her job was simple. All she needed to do was trail Zhang Heng.


    It was at that moment when Seth noticed that someone was coming after him. Not only did he continue running, but he ran even faster than before. At the same time, he kept switching directions erratically, hoping to take advantage of the familiar terrain to lose Anne. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t manage to shake off Zhang Heng, and that made him more nervous by the second.


    Running along the rooftops allowed Zhang Heng to disregard the slum¡¯s haphazardness. All he needed to do was to move in a straight line. His balance had gotten a lot better after living at sea for almost a year. Though the rooftops of each house were at different heights, he still managed to maintain an excellent balance.


    Seeing that he was getting closer to Seth, Zhang Heng estimated that he could jump off from the roof after another ten steps. Unfortunately, all his calculations and effort went to waste during the most critical moment. The roof that he just jumped on caved in all of a sudden due to its dilapidated condition. Immediately, he grabbed on to a wooden support pillar, but even that broke into half as well.


    Seth was delighted when he saw Zhang Heng falling into one of the houses. Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared from the left of the alley. Before Seth could react, the person landed a kick on his chest, sending him flying to a wooden rack beside him. Seth ignored the pain on his back. He hurriedly got up and started to limp away. However, before he could make any headway, he found a sharp dagger on his neck.


    After a while, Zhang Heng came out of the house he fell into with a dust-covered face. He compensated the owner with two gold coins, an old man that was sunbathing at that time, before heading to Seth.


    ¡°Why did you run from us?¡±


    Seth merely remained silent.


    ¡°Give it all up now. We already know. You were the ¡®monster¡¯ that broke into Vincent¡¯s room, right?¡± asked Zhang Heng. ¡°How did you pull it off when the storm hit us back then? Did it have something do with the thing that you found on the carrack?¡±


    This time, Seth finally lost his calm. He was hoping that Zhang Heng was here for some other issue. After all, he was all alone when it happened. No one should have seen what he did. Any ordinary person would definitely not connect the matter to the storm. Hence, Seth had no idea how Zhang Heng could grow suspicious of him. After two successful voyages, Zhang Heng¡¯s reputation had skyrocketed amongst his pirates.


    After a short moment of hesitation, Seth finally spilled everything out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, captain. I¡­ it wasn¡¯t me who found the thing. She was the one who found me.¡±


    ¡°Her?¡± asked Anne.


    ¡°Right after we separated, I heard a woman¡¯s voice. She called herself Betty. I searched the entire cargo hold, but I couldn¡¯t find her.¡±


    ¡°Betty?¡±


    It was a familiar name to Zhang Heng, having being mentioned numerous times in the poetry book that he read. At first, Zhang Heng thought that Betty must have been the captain¡¯s wife or lover. Now, it seemed that the identity of this Betty was more complicated than he initially thought.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us about it?¡± asked Anne.


    ¡°I thought there was something wrong with me. The woman, Betty, gave me a warning. She said if I told anyone about this, they would consider me a lunatic and maroon me on that carrack!¡±

 Chapter 198 - Ancient Celtic God

    ¡°We went to the cargo hold after that, but we didn¡¯t see you there until everyone gathered on the deck. What were you doing when you were alone?¡± asked Anne.


    ¡°Betty brought me to the stern. She told me that she had something to show me.¡±


    ¡°And what would that be?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    ¡°A gift.¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡±


    ¡°She told me that she¡¯s an ancient Celtic god. She also told me that she has the power to control the weather on the ocean! Apparently, I would be granted a portion of her divine powers if I chose to worship her!¡±


    Seth hesitated and took out a seashell from his pocket. Zhang Heng took it from Seth and started to examine it. Judging by its exterior, it was no different than the white shell that he saw on the beach. Suddenly, he received a notification from the system. Zhang Heng instantly knew then that he must be holding a supernatural game item.


    [Betty¡¯s Shell (Unidentified)]


    After knowing the item¡¯s name, Zhang Heng still couldn¡¯t figure out what its effect was. Seth had mentioned about an ancient Celtic god. Celtic mythology was one of the three major European mythological systems, juxtaposed to Greek and Northern European mythology. In the ancient days, the Celtics were not a single race but rather, a band made up of different ethnicities. According to history, these various groups were bought together by similar cultures and languages. They were also one of the earlier civilizations that had expertise in the use of iron tools. Other than that, most were equipped with the knowledge to build their own houses.


    The Seine in eastern France, the upper streams of Loire, the Rhine in southeastern Germany, and the upper stream of the Danube River were the birthplaces of the Celtics. They penetrated Europe and expanded swiftly, forming a tribe. They could be even found across the Alps. During that period, they were known as warriors, merchants, blacksmiths, poets, and artists. It was said that they could be seen modern France, Spain, Portugal, and other European countries.


    When the Roman Empire rose, Caesar seized Gaul, the Celtic¡¯s cultural center, and in the process, killed over a million of them. That was the reason why Celtic culture started to disappear across entire Europe. Many of their legendary tales were lost, explaining why Celtic mythology wasn¡¯t as popular as Greek and Northern European mythology.


    The only legendary tale of the Celtics that was passed from generation to generation was the story of Arthur, the king, and his sword that was stuck in a stone. Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t familiar with Celtic mythology as well. His father had studied Greek and Northern European mythologies in college, and his mother studied Christian mythology. When he was still a kid, his parents had told him many tales of Greek, Northern European, and Christian mythologies. Hence, Zhang Heng was unfamiliar with the name, Betty, that was mentioned in the poetry book.


    ¡°She told you to worship her, right? How are you supposed to do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I have no idea. Supposedly, I would first need to pass a test. She told me to look for the three notebooks before letting me know the next step.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Are you still trying to lie to us?!¡±


    Anne was extremely displeased about Seth¡¯s attempt to tell them another tall tale. In frustration, she pushed her dagger closer to his throat.


    ¡°The storm that we faced earlier had something to do with you, right?¡± asked Anne.


    ¡°As the captain of the Jackdaw, I¡¯m willing to put aside all everything that you have done but I need you to be honest with me. You have to tell me what you have done to our ship. You saw what happened to the carrack, right? I don¡¯t think you want to see every single pirate from the Jackdaw disappearing without a trace, right?¡±


    Seth could feel chills running down his spine. This time, he didn¡¯t dare mess with Zhang Heng and Anne anymore.


    ¡°According to her instructions, I¡¯m supposed to engrave her Celtic name above the Jackdaw¡¯s mast. Once it is done, the ship will be under her protection. I did ask her about the carrack, and she told me that it was an accident.¡±


    ¡°An accident?¡±


    ¡°The carrack¡¯s crew was too greedy. All those years, they used her power to summon storms that enabled their ship to sail faster than any other merchant ships. By utilizing the supernatural force, they managed to amass an obscene amount of wealth. However, there was a price to pay for doing something like that. These storms were fueled by their rage. The angrier they were, the more powerful the storms were. In the end, they were lost in a storm that wouldn¡¯t seem to blow away. After knowing that they would be stuck for eternity in a storm of their own making, the sailors sealed all the windows and doors. However, although the entire ship was boarded up, the sound of wind and thunder haunted their ship, and slowly drove the crew to insanity. Having lost all hope, they had were left with no option but to jump overboard.¡±


    ¡°Last question. How did you contact her? Have you seen her true form?¡±


    ¡°I have no way to contact her. All I can do is to pray to her. It¡¯s up to her if she wants to respond to me or not. She answered my prayers once after we left the carrack. As usual, I only heard her voice, but I have never seen her true form.¡±


    Sean and Tracy caught up to them once Seth was done explaining. Seeing Seth leaving the house in a mighty rush and being chased down by Zhang Heng and Anne had baffled them. When they saw that Seth was being forced into a corner, they began feeling uncomfortable and worried. Immediately, Zhang Heng glared at Anne, who promptly kept away her dagger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever gamble on by ship anymore. I¡¯m willing to forgive you since this is the first time you¡¯re doing this. Your share of the loot will be reduced by half the next time.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    To avoid spreading unnecessary panic amongst the crew, Zhang Heng had no intention of telling them about this supernatural incident. He was also not worried that Seth would tell others about it. Not only did he hide Betty¡¯s seashell from them, but he even engraved her Celtic name on the mast of the Jackdaw. He could have brought grave danger to the pirates on Jackdaw. If he were smart enough, he would never tell a living soul about this. Just like Zhang Heng expected, he admitted to Tracy and Sean that had indeed put the ship and the lives of her crew on the guillotine.


    ¡°You look like you don¡¯t completely trust him. Do you think that he lied to you?¡± asked Anne after the three of them left.


    ¡°In this case, the possibility of him lying is slim. However, this doesn¡¯t apply to that deity whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Betty?¡±


    ¡°Clearly, she lied to Seth about what happened to the carrack. All those sailors that disappeared did not jump overboard and commit suicide. At least not all of them. The captain quarters that were locked from the inside and the claw marks in the cargo hold make her story a little more than doubtful.¡±


    ¡°Even ancient gods lie?¡±


    ¡°It all depends on which tribe the ancient god belongs to.¡±


    Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t familiar with Celtic mythology, but he knew Greek and Northern European mythologies well. Instead of calling them gods, Zhang Heng saw them as regular humans who possessed supernatural powers. Just take a look at Zeus, for instance. A supposed ¡®god,¡¯ he used his private parts more than his brain. All these gods did whatever they fancied on Earth and its residents with little care of its consequences.


    However, Betty was an exception. It appeared that she was very cautious. Seven people boarded the carrack, but she only chose to whisper to Seth. It could have simply been her nature, or was she, perhaps, trying to hide something from the rest of them?

 Chapter 199 - Confrontation

    Zhang Heng and Anne finally figured out the reason behind the storm that battered them. As for the tragic incident that happened on the Jackdaw, only Betty, the ancient goddess, had the answer to that.


    After Zhang Heng acquired the seashell from Seth, Betty did not attempt to contact him. He figured that it probably had something to do with him being on land. However, he did not underestimate her. The first thing that he did was to return to the Jackdaw and scrape away her name that was engraved on top of the mast with his dagger. After that, he looked for Carina, instructing her to get someone to look for a Tule tree among other colonies.


    According to the bartender, a box made from the wood of a Tule tree could be used to ward off all kinds of supernatural forces. Tule trees were typically found in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. If memory served him right, Zhang Heng remembered that Oaxaca was a colony of Spain.


    If everything went smoothly on his next voyage, he would be ever closer to acquiring a box made out of Tulewood. Unfortunately, this thing wasn¡¯t a game item. Otherwise, Zhang Heng would have loved to bring a box like that to the real world, where he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about where to store his game items.


    To prevent others from being tempted by Betty, Zhang Heng decided that he would keep the shell close to him before he got his hands on the box. At the same time, Carina¡¯s investigation of pinpointing the mole had come to an end as well. The person she assigned to watch Malcolm told her that he had just quietly left his mansion with the intention of visiting Captain Baal.


    Now, Captain Baal was part of a disinformation campagin coined up by Carina. That said, Malcolm remained cautious, leaving Baal¡¯s house ten minutes later. Instead of looking for the next person on his list, he went to visit an irrelevant person, an attempt to misdirect and confuse whoever that was targeting him.


    However, Carina had locked on her target. Surprisingly, Malone wasn¡¯t lazing at the brothel when Carina found him, and this time, he was all prepared. He took out a military sword and a gun that he kept inside a box for a long time. Carina took a deep breath as she took the gun from Malone.


    ¡°Are you sure the two of us are enough? Should we get a couple of sailors to come with us?¡± asked Carina as she loaded the pistol with gunpowder and bullets.


    ¡°If you are right about him doing all these for his sister, I don¡¯t want others on the ship to know. We will let him walk free after I¡¯ve asked him whatever I want to ask. Jim is simply a records keeper, and he doesn¡¯t know how to fight. The two of us are more than enough to handle him.¡±


    ¡°That would be the best-case scenario. Don¡¯t you worry, I¡¯m not that old yet. I¡¯m confident that I wouldn¡¯t lose a one-to-one fight.¡±


    ¡°You would sound more convincing if you could make that belly smaller.¡±


    Once Carine was done loading the weapon, she tucked it in a concealed holster on her back. No one could see that she was carrying a gun from the front.


    ¡°How do I look now, eh?¡± asked Carina.


    ¡°You look like you are going for a walk in the park.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Malcolm might send someone to warn him if we are slow.¡±


    Carina took the lead and proceeded down the stairs, not wasting a single second once they received the news. Jim was tasked with checking their new storage location. Ever since Carina¡¯s business bloomed, her old warehouse had run out of space. It was filled to the brim with all the items she bought. As a result, she had been scouting around for potential new storage spaces to keep her business going. When she asked for Jim¡¯s assistance, he did not suspect a single thing.


    The storage space that she found wasn¡¯t too far away from the port. It consisted of two buildings with a vast and empty land between them. It was perfect as her new storeroom. Be that as it may, Malone¡¯s and Carina¡¯s faces changed the moment they arrived at the place.


    They saw a pool of fresh blood on the ground between the two buildings. A series of bloody footprints led to the building at the back.


    ¡°Shit! Did Malcolm and his men arrive here before us?¡± asked Malone.


    Immediately, he drew his sword and ran to the building. Using his body to ram the door, he managed to open it but found no one inside the building. The floor was covered with a thick layer of dust, and there were no visible footprints. Suddenly, Malone¡¯s eye twitched. He could sense that something terrible was about to happen to him.


    When he turned around, Carina was pointing her gun at him!


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± asked Malone with a smile on his face.


    ¡°You tell me, Uncle Malone. You¡¯ve known my father for 20 years. You¡¯ve been around since I was a kid. You are like family to me. I never thought you would betray me just like that.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?! Wasn¡¯t Jim the one who spread the news to Malcolm?¡±


    As he spoke, Malone attempted to inch forward slowly. When Carina noticed that he was approaching, she placed her finger on the trigger. That made Malone stop in his steps.


    ¡°You know, I actually told him a different name. In fact, I told different names to all the people that I suspected. Little did I think that you were the one who betrayed me.¡±


    ¡°How dare you¡­ how dare you set me up?!¡±


    ¡°I just¡­ I had to consider every possibility. This is what you taught me, Uncle Malone.¡±


    ¡°Should I be relieved? You¡¯ve grown at an incredible rate during your tenure in Nassau. No wonder Malcolm saw you as a threat. I¡¯m afraid your own father won¡¯t be able to recognize you if he were to be here.¡±


    The moment Malone was done talking, a few men came down the stairs. That included a very confused Jim, four pirates from the Jackdaw, and a man with both hands tied. This man was an assassin sent by Malcolm to kill Jim. If Jim had indeed been murdered here, Carina would have thought that Jim was the mole. No one would ever suspect Malone anymore. Fortunately, the assassin was promptly apprehended by the pirates.


    ¡°I have lots of questions to ask you, but there¡¯s only one thing I care about. Did you have anything to do with my father being jailed, Uncle Malone?¡±


    ¡°I will never betray Fegan matter what, as long as he¡¯s still around. Once we came to Nassau, Malcolm¡¯s men approached me. At that time, I got cheated and lost a huge amount of money in the casino. They told me that they were willing to help pay off my debts. In return, I would have to deliver useful information to them from time to time. It was already was too late when I realized how wrong that was. Betraying you was never my intention. I thought that you¡¯d leave this island after a short while, just like the others. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t find a valid reason to say no to him.¡±

 Chapter 200 - Carina’s Determination

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Malone¡¯s betrayal hit Carina real hard. In all of Nassau, he was the person she trusted the most. In fact, it wasn¡¯t too much to say that he was the only person she trusted. He was the last person she would expect to be bought over. According to Malone, although he had only sent Malcolm a total of three messages, she felt a wave of nausea wash over her whenever she thought about how someone close to her had been watching her the entire time.


    Perhaps the only fortunate thing was that the information Malone had access to were mostly trade-related. However, she was always on her own when she met with the black gladiator. Malone had asked to go with her several times in the name of safety, but he had always been turned down. Of course, at that time, she never suspected Malone¡¯s intention, refusing simply because she feared that bringing an escort along might offend Laeli. Had that not been the case, Malcolm would have found out that his study had been invaded.


    Carina did her best to keep her emotions under control. She questioned Malone a little bit more before handing him over to the four Jackdaw sailors. She would let them investigate the authenticity of his statement, then transfer him to a ship heading back to England. Malone mentioned before that he had a sister in Kent, so this was actually the best outcome for him. Even if he wanted to return, he could only do it next year. By that time, the strife between Carina and Malcolm should have been settled.


    When it was all over, a drained and exhausted Carina tossed her short musket to the side of the road. Today, she finally understood what her father meant by never trusting anyone on the island.


    The relationship she shared with Malone went beyond friendship. He was more like family and a mentor. To her, losing him meant far more than just losing a seasoned captain who could get through port authorities. If Wilton¡¯s blatant threat on the beach made her feel fear for the first time, then Malone¡¯s betrayal caused her to experience another kind of pain.


    There was even a moment when she considered giving up. She was no longer sure what waited for her on the other side if she continued down this path. How high of a price would she have to pay to win this fight against the black-market alliance?


    Carina stopped in front of the horse carriage sporting a blank look in her eyes, wondering where she was supposed to be going. She stood there for some time until suddenly, the driver coughed, ¡°Ahem. Ms. Carina?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Head to Captain Zhang Heng¡¯s residence.¡±


    Carina opened the door and climbed into the carriage, not bothered to look back. She had made a decision¨Clet the past remain where it was. From the time her father was sent to prison until now, there would be no turning back for her. As that was the case, she could only continue walking down this path.


    About half an hour later, the carriage came to a stop. Carina had also regained her composure.


    Zhang Heng was in the living room, taking Dutch lessons from Vincent. When he looked up and saw Carina outside the door, he nodded to the young doctor and said, ¡°That will be all for today.¡±


    Vincent immediately collected the books and left. Anne had gone to meet Harry that afternoon, so when Vincent left, Zhang Heng and Carina were alone.


    Zhang Heng picked up the teapot on the table and poured his visitor a cup of tea. Perhaps it was because of his Oriental lineage that he preferred tea over coffee.


    ¡°How are things on your side?¡±


    ¡°We found the spy¨Cit was Malone.¡± Carina paused for a moment, her expressions stoic as if it was something insignificant. ¡°The problem wasn¡¯t that serious. I suppose we can call it solved. It shouldn¡¯t affect us any further. However, the Gentle Breeze is devoid of a captain, and once the other cargo ship is repaired, she¡¯ll need a captain too.¡±


    ¡°Do you have anyone in mind?¡±


    ¡°For the Gentle Breeze, I plan to let the first officer take over the role of captain. To prevent something like this from happening again, I will test him regularly. As for the other ship¡­ it¡¯s going to be difficult, as I plan to recruit sailors from Nassau on the spot. Thus, I will need someone who has the authority to control them. At the same time, this person cannot be a pirate. It will be a great advantage if he¡¯s familiar with the authorities of the colonial ports, as well.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. These requirements won¡¯t be easy to meet.¡±


    ¡°I know. Good captains are a scarcity everywhere. On top of that, practically all the outstanding captains of this place have now become pirates. Of course, I¡¯ll be generous with the wages¨CI can pay twice the average captain¡¯s salary to our prospective captain.¡±


    Zhang Heng thought about what the tradeswoman was saying before he answered, ¡°A few cargo captains lost their vessels and goods to robbers. Out of desperation, they had no choice but to come to Nassau to look for wealth here. There should be someone among them who meets your criteria. That said, all the other pirate ships that lack captains also have their eyes on them. How about this? I¡¯ll find Billy tomorrow and see if he can recommend me anyone suitable.¡±


    Carina nodded. ¡°I thought about what you said before¨Cwe are competing against the black-market alliance, and it won¡¯t be enough just having the support of small and medium pirate gangs. I¡¯ve decided to approach the biggest landowner of the island to see if we can offer to ship their yield without charge, all these in exchange for their support, of course. Also, everything we got from the exchange of the secondhand goods are just bits and pieces of miscellaneous trinkets. No one in the colony will buy them. It¡¯ll be treated like garbage. But it would be a pity to throw them away too. After all, there¡¯s still some value in them, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do with them?¡±


    ¡°I plan to open a grocery store here and another in the colony where the knick-knacks can be sold. It doesn¡¯t have to make a profit. I simply want to recoup my losses. That would be enough. Then we won¡¯t have to keep bleeding money by holding on to these things,¡± Carina explained.


    Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I thought that your debacle with Malone would be a big blow to you, but from the way you talk, it seems that I have misplaced my worries.


    ¡°In the beginning, I was furious and disappointed, but on the way here, I thought through many things, and my angst dissipated. I haven¡¯t done well in many aspects as well. I was so used to asking for his help, and it has always been one-sided¨Con my part, I never paid attention to the difficulties he faced. Although he owed the gambling den a large sum of money and has borrowed from many people, he never wanted to trouble me, and would rather accept Malcolm¡¯s offer. He probably didn¡¯t think I could help him anyway,¡± Carina chuckled to herself before quickly moving to another topic.


    She looked squarely into Zhang Heng¡¯s eyes and seriously told him, ¡°I want to defeat Malcolm, not just to keep the secondhand business going, but to completely destroy him! I will drive him out of Nassau and take his place as the most powerful black-market merchant on the island. No matter the cost, no matter what danger awaits me, I will not falter. I won¡¯t stop until it¡¯s done.¡±

 Chapter 201 - Late Night Talk and Visitors

    In the dead of night at Terrance¡¯ Mansion.


    Malcolm kept a regular schedule of work and rest. It was his secret formula to maintain his energy and momentum, especially during the early days of the black-market alliance. A slew of unexpected events and situations had taken place, yet Malcolm was able to systematically solve each of them without showing any sign of fatigue. Even in his forties, his body behaved as if he was a twenty-year-old.


    At this hour, he would usually be already in bed. Tonight, however, he decided to remain in his study, which was a rarity.


    Malcolm plucked a book from the shelf and flipped through its pages.


    The maids in the hallway hardly dared to breathe, knowing that Malcolm¡¯s mood was usually foul at this hour.


    With an aloof and stern demeanor, he wore a face of austerity and rigidity from the old days. When he heard of the news about the incident on the beach, his expression grew even more solemn. Even from afar, one could instantly sense the formidable aura oozing out of him.


    Once, during breakfast, one of the newly hired maids was so intimidated when she caught sight of him that she dropped the plate she was carrying. As a result, the chamberlain had someone drag her out of the house to be whipped. After that incident, every servant of Terrance¡¯ Mansion would do well to keep their heads down.


    When they saw that Malcolm had been in the study for nearly an hour past his usual bedtime, nobody could muster enough courage to approach their master. At the same time, they were also afraid that they might be punished for not doing so.


    The maids really didn¡¯t know what to do. Finally, they all turned to a petite maid named Leah, Malcolm¡¯s favorite of all the maids. He treated her differently and never punished her, even when she made the gravest of mistakes. Due to the preferential treatment, some of the other servants greatly ostracized her.


    Leah said nothing, merely turning around and proceeded downstairs to the kitchen. When she returned, she held a glass of warm milk with her. As she was about to enter the study, she adjusted her uniform and knocked gingerly on the door.


    Malcolm answered from inside, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The maid pushed the door open. Malcolm, who was sitting on the velvet couch, didn¡¯t look up until Leah placed the glass on the table in front of him.


    Malcolm snorted, ¡°That¡¯s sweet. I¡¯m waiting for a guest. I¡¯ll be sleeping a little later tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Malcolm.¡± Leah smiled as she picked up the tray. Just before she was about to exit the room, Malcolm spoke again.


    ¡°Has anyone entered my study recently?¡±


    Leah started to panic, thinking that Malcolm must have discovered that someone had rummaged through his letters. She had only taken one and made sure to return it the next day. How could Malcolm have noticed it?


    Could her luck be really that bad, so much so that Malcolm decided to reexamine those old letters on the very day and notice that one had gone missing? But then again, there was a whole bunch of them. How could he have remembered each and every one of them? Right now, however, the most crucial question was: what would she do now?


    Should she make up a story of a non-existent thief? She could divert Malcolm¡¯s suspicions to the phantom so that he would focus on it instead of her. Or perhaps, she should put the blame on someone else?


    A jumble of thoughts flashed across Leah¡¯s mind, but it lasted only a moment. When she turned around, the expressions on her face displayed just the right amount of confusion. ¡°Is something missing, sir? As per your instructions, Mr. Malcolm, I am the only person who comes in every day to clean the room.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just asking. Things haven¡¯t been peaceful recently. It¡¯s always better to be extra careful.¡± Malcolm pointed to the chair in front of him and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, don¡¯t leave in a hurry. Stay for a while, and have a chat with me.¡±


    Leah breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she had made the right bet. Malcolm didn¡¯t notice the missing letter. She gathered up her long dress and sat down with a smile. ¡°What would you like to talk about, Mr. Malcolm?¡±


    Malcolm put down the book in his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about books. What have you been reading lately?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading the Bible because I noticed many reading it when I came here.¡±


    ¡°Well, the fastest way to integrate into a culture is to understand its religion. Have you read the book of Exodus? What are your thoughts about it? The Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians, and under the guidance of God, they escaped Egypt and followed their prophet, Moses. After a period of suffering, they finally reached a place they called the Promised Land, a land overflowing with milk and honey. Has this book enlightened you in any way?¡±


    Leah¡¯s smile faded a little, becoming a little less confident.


    ¡°Do you know what I like most about you? You rarely say anything that contradicts your conviction. If I were to ask the other servants, they would quickly tell me that they are pleased with their lives now and would never try to escape or leave.¡± Malcolm shifted in his seat to make himself more comfortable. ¡°But the reality is that no one likes to be enslaved,¡± he continued.


    Leah stayed silent for a long while before answering, ¡°Will God end the suffering of my people then?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Malcolm retorted. ¡°Thousands of years ago, the Israelites had faith in the Lord their God, so He liberated them from the evil rule of the pagans. But now, since you and I believe in the same creator, do you think he will liberate you from us?¡±


    ¡°Then where would our path lead us? Will our children and grandchildren continue to be enslaved like us?¡±


    ¡°That would have to depend on when you can truly integrate into our world.¡±


    The maid opened her mouth to speak, but Malcolm raised a finger to stop her. ¡°The integration I speak of doesn¡¯t simply encapsulate the subjects of language, food, clothing, etiquette, or even religion¨Cnot just these kinds of things. Although they are all important, there is something more essential.¡± Malcolm pointed to his head. ¡°You need to think like us. Only then will you really be accepted by our kind.¡±


    ¡°But when that day arrives, will we still be who we are?¡± Leah asked.


    ¡°Good question. Civilization is the cruelest thing the world has ever seen. It has only one main motive, and that is subjugation,¡± replied Malcolm. ¡°Before it completes its destiny, it will never stop. If your kind refuses to assimilate with us, then the only way forward is complete destruction.¡±


    As soon as Malcolm finished, there was a knock on the door, and the chamberlain¡¯s voice could be heard from the other side.


    ¡°Mr. Malcolm. The guest has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s end out little chat here for today. Go on ahead,¡± Malcolm shooed her off.


    The maid bowed subserviently and left. Not long after, a man draped in a cloak came in from outside where a drizzle had started, carrying with him the scent of the outdoor humidity.


    When the door to the study was shut again, the man uncloaked himself, revealing the face of Frazer.

 Chapter 202 - Opportunity

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°You gave me your assurance that there will be no more surprises this time,¡± Malcolm groaned.


    Frazer hung his cloak on the coat rack and shrugged.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, we agreed to sink the ship, kill everyone on board, then leave quietly.¡±


    ¡°That is right.¡±


    ¡°Tell me then, what happened on the beach four days ago? Why did the Gentle Breeze and her crew return to Nassau? And why did that Wilton guy use the crew to threaten Carina?¡±


    ¡°I did as you asked and found the most brutal pirate outside the island. It seems that even I have underestimated his ruthlessness.¡± Frazer appeared frustrated. ¡°Things got out of hand. Wilton was a lot greedier than expected. He took our deposit, but I suppose that wasn¡¯t enough for him because he tried to milk more money by using the Gentle Breeze¡¯s sailors. He flouted our agreement. I planned to see him the next day but, on that very morning, I found out about what happened after¡­ look, the good news is that we don¡¯t have to pay them the rest of the money,¡± said Frazer as he picked up the glass on the table.


    Malcolm pointed at the brandy on the shelf. ¡°So, after spending so much energy and effort, not only did we achieve the undesired result, we even gave her another cargo ship?! On top of that, the whole incident inadvertently helped the Jackdaw become ever more popular on the island. In fact, they are about to surpass the fame of Black Sam¡¯s Robin Hood of the Sea!¡±


    Frazer walked to the shelf and poured himself a glass. ¡°Although I¡¯m considered his teacher, I¡¯ve never really seen through him. He¡¯s different from Black Prince Sam, but they do have one thing in common¨Cthey both clearly know what they are doing. When I heard that the Jackdaw returned to port, I had a bad feeling. I should¡¯ve warned Wilton ahead of time. I didn¡¯t think he would be so rash in his actions. But in retrospect, it was his best chance to make a move.¡±


    1The old pirate took a sip of brandy and continued, ¡°In fact, I just received some bad news.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Black Prince Sam is making allies with several captains with parliamentary seats on the island. He intends to induct Zhang Heng into the parliament. With his influence and connections, he managed to get seven parliamentary members to support him, so the prospects of Zhang Heng joining the parliament is pretty much set in stone. I hate to admit it, but the Jackdaw¡¯s influence on the island is growing bigger and bigger. Are you still not planning to consider my proposal?¡±


    Malcolm gave Frazer a cold look. ¡°I am a businessman, Frazer, not Julius Caesar. I came to this island to make money. These few years, Nassau has undergone rapid development. The volume of goods we get is increasing every year, but the quality has been dropping. There are fewer top pirates, and since Blackbeard Teach attacked Charleston, he¡¯s disappeared. Now, Sam is the only top pirate left on the island. The Jackdaw might be the one to fill in this void. Carina is relying solely on one pirate ship to survive. This just shows how strong the earning power of the Jackdaw is.¡±


    ¡°Only on the premise that he is willing to cooperate with the black-market alliance,¡± Malcolm replied. ¡°If we can cut off his channel for transporting the goods out of the island, he will be forced to turn around and work with us. If it hadn¡¯t been for that small error on your part, he would already be negotiating with us.


    1Frazer sipped up the last drops of brandy in his glass. ¡°What should we do now then? Should I find someone else to rob her cargo ship? Our spy has been exposed. They will be even more cautious now. It¡¯s not going to be easy to get our hands on their planned route again. Besides, they have two cargo ships now. If we sink one, there will still be another left. I heard that some captains are already meeting with Ms. Carina to explore the possibility of a long-term partnership. Opinions of her are also changing¨Cmore people are beginning to believe that she¡¯s no longer just a passerby in this place.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s set the robbery idea aside first. Although this is the simplest and most effective method, it also brings many negative effects along with it. The black-market alliance is still young; I haven¡¯t been able to completely take control of it. There are still voices of dissent within it. This situation cannot be allowed to repeat itself. If we can¡¯t solve it in the shortest time possible, then we¡¯ll have to seek other ways.¡±


    Malcolm continued, ¡°I met her not long ago. I thought that she was going to be exactly like her father¨Cthe basis of my previous arrangement. But I soon found out that there was an error in my judgment of her. She is nothing like him. On the contrary, she is very much like me in my younger days, only more ambitious and radical. I can probably guess what she¡¯s thinking right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°After she found out that Malone had been bought over by me, she must be filled with anger and resentment. These emotions, however, will quickly turn into hunger. She will yearn to beat me more than ever. This hunger will motivate her even more, but it will also make her more willing to take risks. So, I will give her a chance.¡±


    Frazer cocked his eyebrows. ¡°What chance?¡±


    ¡°A chance to beat me,¡± Malcolm answered.


    ¡­


    This time around, the Jackdaw¡¯s repair only took a short while, in the span of a little less than a week. Because the Gentle Breeze was robbed on its way out, they were unable to bring back new information from the port. However, Black Prince Sam came looking for Zhang Heng two days ago, inviting him to join a hunt.


    ¡°A Spanish treasure ship?¡± Billy repeated himself to make sure he heard the guy correctly. ¡°Did you say a Spanish treasure ship? The type that has three decks full of cannons, and over 200 heavily armed sailors? Spanish galleons are usually accompanied by frigates. As far as I know, the only person who has ever successfully plundered a treasure ship and managed to transport its loot back to China is Peter Hein, and he had to deploy the entire navy fleet to do that!¡±


    ¡°Really? I don¡¯t know this story, but I heard that back when you were with Blackbeard Teach, you successfully took over the proud Scarborough with a little more than a hundred men against the Royal Navy¡¯s 700 sailors,¡± Sam said.


    ¡°Whoever told you this certainly didn¡¯t mention that we were just simply at the right place and the right time. Orff¡¯s scheme worked, and it took a lot for us to get on the deck. Captain Teach alone fought against ten men, and everyone else gave everything they got. But even then, if it weren¡¯t for Zhang Heng¡¯s shots at the end, and their captain¡¯s fear of death, we would¡¯ve fallen short of our goal.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t wish to experience that same excitement again?¡± Black Prince Sam blinked.


    2

 Chapter 203 - Letter of Recommendation

    ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. After that battle, I swore that I would never go through such an experience again,¡± Billy said.


    ¡°Apart from us, I also intend to recruit another four experienced captains from the island. With the six of us working together, we have a good chance of a victory,¡± said Black Prince Sam. ¡°After it¡¯s done, we¡¯ll split the loot equally among us. It¡¯s a lot of money¨Cenough money to pay everyone¡¯s wages for an entire year. This means that if you want to, you can take a year-long vacation after that.¡±


    ¡°If the whole point is just to make money, you can probably a more suitable prey, right? What draws you to this Spanish treasure ship anyway?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    It was undeniable that Spanish ships carried the most valuable treasures. Other than tobacco, they would also haul silk, silver, and most importantly, gold. When Black Sam said that it was enough to pay off a year¡¯s wages, he wasn¡¯t exaggerating. Even if the money were to be divided equally among the six pirate ships, they would definitely each get a handsome share.


    However, the stakes were also very high. Unless the motive were revenge, like Blackbeard¡¯s battle, most avoided getting involved with military forces under normal circumstances.


    What more, Spanish ships were notoriously tricky to plunder. Even the most valiant of pirates avoided robbing the Spaniards because they rarely surrendered. Many a time, when the Spaniards were at a disadvantage, they would rather go down with their ship than to suffer any financial loss. Robbing them not only meant having to face a fierce battle but also a good chance that they would simply return battered, bruised and empty-handed in the end.


    ¡°The main reason we should try is that it¡¯s a rare opportunity. Generally, Spanish treasure fleet travel in a convoy of at least a dozen ships, which make them practically impregnable. This is one rare occasion that a Spanish ship will be moving alone. Even with two naval frigates escorting her, it¡¯s still considered a golden opportunity,¡± Black Prince Sam harrumphed with great enthusiasm. ¡°I acquired the route they would take from a trusted intelligence dealer for a large sum of money. So? Are you interested in doing this together? If we succeed, we will be the first group of pirates to ever successfully to rob a treasure ship!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all you really care about, right?¡±


    Unsurprisingly, Black Prince Sam did not deny it. Instead, he flashed his signature smile at his companions. ¡°We always need a little challenge in life. If Blackbeard Teach can take the Scarborough, then it makes no sense that so many of us cannot take on a Spanish treasure vessel.¡±


    Zhang Heng looked at Billy and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    The Jackdaw¡¯s helmsman looked a little troubled. ¡°I still prefer the safer route of robbing merchant ships, but we haven¡¯t had any tipoffs recently, and I know those bastards on our ship won¡¯t refuse an opportunity like this to make big money. Their ravenous appetite for wealth can never be satisfied, much like a bottomless pit. But since our target has only three ships and we have six, I think perhaps¡­ perhaps we should give it a try.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s recruitment going? Can we set sail in two days?¡± Zhang Heng asked. When he received the prompt from the system earlier, the number of crew on the Jackdaw had reached 70, and they hadn¡¯t stopped recruiting since. Zhang Heng and Billy agreed that the goal was to reach 90 sailors this time.


    Once they hit the number, sideboard battles would no longer be the Jackdaw¡¯s Achilles heel. Even though this meant that they were still far behind the larger pirate gangs, they would end up faring a lot better should someone attack them from below the waterline again.


    ¡°So far, we¡¯ve recruited a total of 26 men. In our last battle, we lost four, and the two severely injured men left the ship after taking their severance pay. Now, we have 82 sailors on board. Our main problem would be finding experienced gunners and carpenters. For now, though, our workforce is nearly enough,¡± Billy answered. ¡°Two days shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Replenishing supplies won¡¯t take long as well. I will arrange for a few people to haul our men out of the brothels and taverns.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me. I¡¯ll need to inform a few more people. Let¡¯s meet up here again after two days,¡± Black Sam said hurriedly. As he was about to leave, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and reached into his coat. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. This is for you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°A joint letter signed by seven influential people recommending you to be part of the parliament on the island. I must apologize¨Cthere was a delay in the process. Two of them were in dispute because of a problem in the distribution of a batch of loot. Each of them insisted that if the other signs the letter, they will not be a part of it. I could¡¯ve simply found someone else to replace them, but the conflict between them wouldn¡¯t have been resolved through this matter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± replied Zhang Heng, who gratefully accepted the recommendation letter.


    ¡°You just have to hand this letter to Mr. Klay, the Speaker of the House. Then the parliament will organize a vote for its members. As long as the votes in favor of you exceed a third of them, you can join the parliament.


    ¡°Klay? Which Klay? Kim Klay, owner of the brothel?!¡±


    ¡°Urm¡­ don¡¯t take it to heart. The position of the Speaker in the parliament is more of a formality. Anyway, everything has been going well the past two years, and the Speaker simply reviews the memberships. When it comes to huge decisions, however, everyone is involved. Klay¡¯s popularity in the parliament¡­ well, you know, there is no one on the island dislikes him. On top of that, he¡¯s willing to give a 30% discount to all members of the parliament, so it¡¯s a challenge, to say the least, to not support his Speakership.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± Zhang Heng chuckled.


    After that, Zhang Heng did as Black Prince Sam instructed and went to the brothel. Before he even said a word, he was given a grand welcome when he arrived.


    This was mainly thanks to the Jackdaw¡¯s sailors who had recently been the top whales at the brothel, spending an obscene amount of gold coins at the establishment. After remembering her employer¡¯s instructions, the bawd lit up the moment she saw Zhang Heng from a distance. She quickly gathered all her available girls and offered Zhang Heng with a complimentary service as an expression of gratitude for his contribution to their business. However, Zhang Heng turned down the proposal.


    As they conversed, a scraggy elderly man hurried out of the building with a cigarette in one hand.


    He was Kim Klay, the owner of the brothel who also happened one of the most well-informed lads on the island. Having ears everywhere, he had already heard of Zhang Heng¡¯s preparations to join the parliament.


    The old man accepted the letter of recommendation with a smile and said, ¡°Welcome to the Parliament. Even if you hadn¡¯t seen me, I would¡¯ve come to you sometime later. Your name, Captain Zhang Heng, has recently become notorious on this small island. We sure need an outstanding man like yourself if we want to build up Nassau.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mr. Klay. Isn¡¯t it too early to welcome me? Doesn¡¯t the parliament need to vote on this?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the vote. The one-third ruling is simply a preventive measure to stop anyone from causing trouble. In fact, there are a handful of members there who didn¡¯t pass through the votes since the parliament was established,¡± Klay said. ¡°Above it all, no one would dare refuse a recommendation letter with the signature of Captain Sam on it.¡±

 Chapter 204 - Rat Infestation

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Kim Klay took the recommendation letter.


    ¡°I might need some time to find all the required people for the vote. It¡¯s easier to look for those living on the island. However, as for captains like you, some of them are currently not on the island. They should be back in about a month. By that time, you should be able to join the meeting officially.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Klay.¡±


    ¡°What do you think about a celebration in my brothel when you are allowed to be part of the meeting, eh? My girls have heard a lot about you. They are all very curious, to say the least. I sincerely hope you¡¯ll be able to make it to the party.¡±


    Before he could finish, a girl looking to be about 17 or 18 asked curiously, ¡°Word is that you can summon a dolphin during a battle and go after your enemies riding them. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°No. From what I heard, I was told that the ropes on their ship have some sort of magical power. They can fly on their own and tie up their enemies!. One of the pirates on the Jackdaw told me about it!¡± a voluptuous woman chipped in.


    ¡°When are you going to tell us about your battle with the skeletons? I heard that you encountered a skeletal ship on one of your voyages, and there were 300 skeletons on it! You and your band of pirates defeated them fearlessly¡­¡±


    The girls chattered nonstop until a pimp came and chased them all away.


    ¡°Wow¡­ I didn¡¯t know there were so many stories about me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. Every rising captain will have their own legendary tale. When Sam took the Quidah into his possession, people believed that he was the heir of Arthur the King,¡± said Kim Klay while putting a pipe to his mouth.


    ¡­¡­.


    So, before Zhang Heng set sail again, he went to the secondhand trading center to look for Carina. However, she wasn¡¯t there, and he was greeted by Jim instead. After Jim¡¯s name was cleared of any treason, Carina increased his salary. He was even appointed person in charge of the trade center. At least, he got something good out of his misfortune.


    After asking Jim a few questions, Zhang Heng got to know that Carina had been performing some incredible feats in Nassau. Previously, she mentioned to Zhang Heng about opening a grocery store. Now, he heard that she found a suitable location for it, a visible, bustling spot just right beside the market. Carina planned for its official launching tomorrow, so, on second thought, Zhang Heng decided that it was best not to bother her at this time.


    The next day, a vast crowd had gathered at the port before Zhang Heng set sail to the sea. This was one of the most significant joint-operations in Nassau in the past few years. All the ships that took part were incredibly famous, the Quidah being one of them. Ever since the disappearance of Teach, Black Prince Sam and his pirates had become the most powerful gang in the waters around the area. This time, every pirate ship that joined him was undeniably powerful.


    The least experienced in the convoy was Zhang Heng and his Jackdaw. However, they were now the most famous pirate group in the entire Nassau, and it was the dream of all single men on the island of joining the Jackdaw. The vessel brought a tremendous amount of loot three consecutive times, even managing to defeat a pirate gang three times their size. Though the Jackdaw hadn¡¯t been established too long ago, every step they had taken was genuinely awe-inspiring.


    Nobody would ignore their existence now even if they tried to. All the captains of legendary pirate gangs came to greet Zhang Heng, bidding him well wishes for his upcoming journey. Aside from that, Zhang Heng spotted Malcolm as well. This was the first time after the banquet that he laid his eyes on Malcolm. He simply looked the same. Malcolm didn¡¯t linger at the port for too long and wished Black Prince Sam a safe and fruitful voyage before he left the port.


    From afar, Malcolm saw Zhang Heng and nodded. Zhang Heng reciprocated with a nod as a sign of courtesy. Outsiders would never know that they were actually enemies.


    On the other hand, Black Prince Sam saw that the pirates from six different ships were getting excited about the treasure hunt. Being the bigger man, Sam revealed the route of the Spanish galleon to the five captains. There was no need to keep it a secret from them. With the firepower of the Spaniards, attacking them alone was no different from going on a suicide mission.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin. If we succeed this time, even the Queen of England will hear of our name. When that day arrives, every merchant ship that passes us would automatically lower their flags!¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡°There are rats on the ship?¡±


    In the captain¡¯s quarters, Zhang Heng put down the notebook that he used to write new Dutch words he learned. He was conversing with the quartermaster and the cook of the Jackdaw.


    ¡°I will let Mr. Ramsay explain the situation to you,¡± said Dufresne.


    ¡°Technically, I have never laid my eyes on those tiny goblins, but there is food missing in the kitchen! And it¡¯s getting more and more serious,¡± the plump cook lamented.


    Rats were one of the most hated creatures on a ship. Not only did they speed up the consumption of food and water, but they also gnawed through the ropes and deck of the vessel. All these problems, though, were not as severe as the horrific plague that they would spread around the ship.


    The bubonic plague is a highly contagious disease. Early symptoms would have the infected person experiencing headaches and fever. Soon, they would feel nauseous, and ecchymosis would start to appear on the person¡¯s skin. Then, the person¡¯s lymph nodes would generate pus to the point of rupture. In about three to five days, the person would either suffer severe toxemia, pneumonia, or sepsis. If not treated in time, the person would eventually die from it.


    Quarantine was the best way to stop the bubonic plague from spreading, having no known cure for the disease in this era. Zhang Heng knew better than anyone that the condition came with a high fatality rate. During the 14th century, the Black Death claimed a whopping 25 million lives, a third of Europe¡¯s population. The most recent pandemic happened in London 40 years ago, spreading widespread panic amongst its residents


    ¡°No one bothered checking the ship before this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my mistake. The day before we set sail, I did check the ship. However, when our new supplies were loaded, I didn¡¯t recheck it. The rats probably came along with the wood and food.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t blame you. There was barely any time for us to check everything. I heard that you went around last night gathering our people. Fortunately, we discovered the rats now. Let¡¯s use whatever time we have now to deal with this problem,¡± Said Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I bought a cat when I disembarked the last time. I think it should be capable of tackling the rats. I¡¯ll let it search the ship now.¡±


    ¡°Dufresne and the cook left the captain¡¯s quarters after that. Still, the cat could not locate the rats that have been eating their food. Left with no other option, Zhang Heng had to deploy everyone on the Jackdaw for a rat-hunt. Finally, they found something in the room that they stored their wood supply. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t know whether to cry or to laugh when he saw the results. This was true, especially for Anne. Her face had changed completely.

 Chapter 205 - This Suggestion Is Perfect For Me, I Think

    ¡°How did you get on this ship?¡± asked Anne.


    Harry was in total shock when he was found in the cabin used to store wood. There was a piece of stale bread and a half-eaten sausage beside him. Other than that, there were two wooden buckets nearby him. One of them was used to store clean water and the other for his excrement.


    Harry scratched his head, not knowing what to say in a situation like this.


    ¡°No wonder you kept begging me to bring you on the ship recently! You have been planning all along to sneak onboard, right?


    Anne grabbed Harry and lifted him by the collar.


    ¡°Not bad. You knew how to scout the place and make good use of me, huh? I can see that your guts are getting bigger and bigger,¡± she growled.


    Harry started trembling in fear as Anne confronted him.


    ¡°Calm down, boss. I have begged you so many times to let me set sail with you. You tell me each time that you¡¯ll ask Captain Zhang Heng about it. However, I know that you¡¯ve never asked him even though you promised me again and again, which is why I had to find a way to get on board. It¡¯s always been my wish to work on this ship.¡±


    ¡°You are only seven, kid! You need to know that you are not old enough to work on a ship!¡±


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m twelve. Look at my body. It¡¯s impossible that I look like a seven-year-old kid, right?¡±


    ¡°Is that right? Now, why do I feel that your brain stopped growing at seven? Captain, according to the rules on this ship, what do we normally do to intruders?¡± asked Anne while turning around to look at Zhang Heng, who was standing nearby.


    ¡°Oh. To save us from unnecessary trouble, we usually kill them.¡±


    ¡°Well then, it seems that would be the only way to solve this problem.¡±


    While she spoke, Anne drew her saber from her waist with a sly smile.


    ¡°I think you know what happened to the Skeleton, right?¡±


    Harry was bewildered by their rough treatment. When Anne placed her saber on his neck, Harry felt that he was a step closer to death. Finally, the last line of defense in his heart crumbled, and he broke down, starting to cry hysterically with streams of snot flowing out of his nose.


    ¡°Boss, save me, please! This is all my fault. I swear I¡¯ll never do something like this again.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. If that¡¯s the case, then, what other ways can we punish him?¡±


    Anne turned around and looked at Zhang Heng; saber still glued on Harry¡¯s throat. Harry was so terrified he couldn¡¯t move a single muscle on his body.


    ¡°We shall see how much he¡¯s worth. We can stow him as a prisoner first. After that, we can exchange him for something more valuable, ¡°smirked Zhang Heng, who was playing along with Anne.


    ¡°You heard that? Do you think you are valuable to us?¡± asked Anne while kicking Harry.


    ¡°No. I have no value at all! I¡¯m currently staying with my aunt. She won¡¯t pay you guys a single dime even if you kill me in front of her!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for not giving you a chance to redeem yourself then.¡±


    ¡°Hang on¡­ hang on¡­ actually, I¡¯m valuable in my own way. I don¡¯t eat much, and I¡¯m extremely agile. And I¡¯m also hardworking. I will do whatever you ask me to do! I¡¯m willing to clean the deck, climb the mast, and learn how to be a good helmsman. I can do all kinds of things you ask me to,¡± said Harry while tapping his chest.


    ¡°Fine. You can stay on this ship.¡±


    Harry was elated the moment he heard that. After that, he saw Anne laughing at him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted to hear the most? There is no punishment for you. Your wish has just come true.¡±


    Knowing he had been duped, Harry scratched his head in embarrassment.


    ¡°You will clean the toilet and help out in the kitchen. I will make sure you get off the ship when we are back in Nassau,¡± Anne went on.


    ¡°Hey!!! That¡¯s not fair! I¡¯ve always kept you company when you couldn¡¯t find a job. I have never abandoned you. Now, I¡­¡±


    However, before he could continue, Harry saw Anne cracking her knuckles and instantly changed what he wanted to say.


    ¡°¡­I think your suggestion for me is perfect.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    Once Harry kneeled to Anne¡¯s absolute dominance, the ¡®rat problem¡¯ on the ship was finally solved. After that, Anne brought Harry around the boat and introduced him to the other pirates. She emphasized to all that Harry was just a temporary sailor. Nevertheless, the crew was unhappy when they saw the boy. For the past two days, they had been searching high and low for the rat, and it had been a chaotic and tiring situation. It was a miracle that they did not bludgeon Harry up when they saw him.


    Anne had no intention to side with him either. She wanted to let Harry experience the reality of life on a pirate ship. By doing that, she hoped to change his mind about staying on. Anne mentioned to Zhang Heng before about Harry wishing to work on Jackdaw, but after much consideration, he didn¡¯t agree to it. It was too A twelve-year-old boy was simply too young to work on a ship. If this was the modern world, Harry should have been attending primary school.


    Despite all that, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t mind the extra stowaway on his ship. All of them were pirates after all and risked their lives every single day onboard. Once an attack against them commenced, the enemies would not care if Harry was still a kid or not. They would kill him, regardless. He wanted to make Harry wait for another two years or so before letting him join his ship. Unfortunately, Harry thought differently.


    Anne returned to the deck after arranging for a cabin for Harry to sleep in. It was at that time that the Quidah raised her flag to signal all the other ships, a sign that summoned all five captains to gather together. Upon receiving the indication, Zhang Heng brought two pirates with him and rowed to the Quidah. Erik, the helmsman, was a good friend of his, and he automatically greeted Zhang Heng when he saw him.


    ¡°Captain Zhang Heng, how have you been? Sam is in the captain¡¯s quarters. Everyone else is already here. You are the last to arrive.¡±


    A young sailor led Zhang Heng to Quidah¡¯s captain quarters. Other than Sam, another four captains from four different ships surrounded the table, looking at a nautical chart. Zhang Heng closed the door upon entering the cabin.


    ¡°Let me explain the plan since everyone is here. For now, we know that two corvettes are protecting the Spanish ship. Each corvette should be armed with at least 50 cannons. Now, the Spanish ship is even more powerful than the corvettes. If we all attack all three at the same time, we can only last two rounds, give or take. We will lose a lot of people even if we win the battle.


    ¡°However, they have their weaknesses as well. Although their hull is tough enough to withstand our cannons and protect its cargo, it¡¯s challenging for them to maneuver their ship. If we can dodge attacks from their side cannons and instead, fire at their bow and stern, I think we should yield some good results.¡±


    ¡°How are we supposed to do that?¡± asked the Warrior¡¯s captain.


    ¡°They are not nearly as agile as us, and the sea is vast. When they see us charging at them from afar, they still have enough time to change direction unless we split up and surround it from all directions. Still, don¡¯t forget the two corvettes guarding it. They could sink our ships one by one if we were to do that.¡±


    ¡°Good insight. Parrot Island is only three days away. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the galleon should cross it in about five days. We can ambush them from there,¡± said Sam while pointing to an island on the nautical chart.

 Chapter 206 - Draw Lots

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°How are we supposed to ambush them? For now, their planned route is the only information we have. We can all hide behind the island, but how are we supposed to know how far they are away from us? Anything more than half a nautical mile, and it would be impossible for us to ambush them,¡± said the bald captain.


    Most of the captains nodded, echoing his concerns.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we to bait them. We can¡¯t all be hiding behind the island. One of us will need to initiate the attack and draw them toward the island,¡± Sam continued.


    ¡°What if the treasure ship doesn¡¯t follow us, but the two corvettes follow us instead? You mentioned that two corvettes are escorting the treasure ship, right?¡± said the Warrior¡¯s captain.


    ¡°We need to take out the corvettes first. Once we disable them, we will turn around to take out the treasure ship. I believe we can surround it easily without the interference of the two corvettes. For that, we will need two ships to bait it. If we use only one, there¡¯s a high chance that only one corvette will come after us. Two pirate ships will force both corvettes to come after us at the same time. We need to make sure that everything goes according to plan. There¡¯s a high chance that the treasure ship will follow the corvettes and attack us,¡± Said Sam.


    None of the captains went against Sam¡¯s idea. However, everyone became quiet when Sam mentioned about bait. Undeniably, this was the most dangerous part of this operation. The two pirate ships that were deployed would have to face the brunt of two heavily armed corvettes and the Spanish ship. Before they reach the ambush point, no one would be able to help them. In other words, they would have to brave the attacks alone.


    ¡°I wish that I can take part in this operation, but my Quidah¡¯s only advantages are a tough hull and the naval ram. When it comes to speed, my ship falls far short of the others. Though the treasure ship is slow, the two corvettes around it are extremely agile. This is why we need two ships that can travel fast. At the same time, we also need experienced captains to lead this operation. Considering that our ships have to face various uncertainties and risks, I suggest changing the ratio of the loot. The two ships acting as bait will get 50% more loot than the other four ships. Everyone agree?¡±


    After a short hesitation, all six captains, including Sam, raised their hands in agreement.


    ¡°Great. So, volunteers?¡±


    ¡°Count me in!¡±


    A man with a bony face and sunken eyes spoke up. From the moment Zhang Heng entered the captain¡¯s quarters, he remained there like a log. Other than speaking up during voting, he did not speak a single word during the entire discussion. However, he wasn; surprised when the man volunteered to become bait.


    He was known as Full Speed Brook, the fastest pirate in the entire Nassau. His ship, the Swordfish, was a heavily modified vessel. To become the fastest pirate ship in the whole Nassau, he had sacrificed some of his ship¡¯s firepower and armor. The one incident that made him famous was the time when he plundered four different merchant ships at four different locations on the same day.


    That was how he got his name. Besides, he was extremely good at steering his vessel, on par with Hutcheson¡¯s talents. Amongst all the captains, he was best suited as bait. However, one pirate ship wasn¡¯t enough. There were only 31 nine-pound cannons on the Swordfish. Drawing the attention of two heavily armed corvettes was going to take a lot more than his streamlined speedster.


    ¡°We need one more volunteer. Anyone?¡± asked Sam.


    No one said a word even after an entire minute. One thing was for sure, nobody in this room were cowards, but it didn¡¯t mean they would take unnecessary risks just to prove their bravery either. All these captains had led their pirates through countless battles on the high seas and had made a name for themselves. From the outside, they might look fearsome. However, they had the uncanny ability to remain absolutely calm and composed during critical moments like this. When Sam offered 50% more of the loot to whoever that volunteered to become bait, everyone in the room instantly started weighing the consequences and benefits if they were to participate.


    To Brook, the gains outweighed the risks considering he had the fastest barque in the entire Caribbean. To the others, though, the extra 50% of loot wasn¡¯t worth the risk.


    ¡°Let¡¯s use the old way to decide who¡¯s will become the second bait.¡±


    Sam took out five silver coins from his coin bag.


    ¡°Let draw lots. I will mark one of these coins. The one that receives the coin with a mark on it will join Brook.¡±


    By utilizing this method, the chosen one might not have the fastest vessel in the fleet, but this was the fairest way to select the second bait since no one wanted to volunteer. Silver coins that were minted in this era looked almost the same when compared. However, due to limited technology in the minting process, each coin had minute defects and differences. Knowing this, Sam asked everyone to turn around when he marked one of the coins. He then tossed it into a bag, shook it, before inviting everyone to pick one. He would be the last one to choose.


    Once everyone was done with picking a coin, Sam spoke again.


    ¡°Who got the coin with two scratches on it?¡±


    Immediately, everyone checked the coins that they picked. At the same time, Sam picked the last one from the bag. Everyone looked at each other. However, Zhang Heng¡¯s face twitched as he tossed a coin with scratch marks on it back to Sam.


    ¡°The second bait is going to be the Jackdaw. Any other questions?¡±


    ¡°We will discuss the rest when we arrive on Parrot Island.¡±


    After finding out that the Jackdaw had become the second bait, the captains found no reason to stay on the Quidah anymore, leaving the ship soon after. However, Sam halted Zhang Heng after rolling up the nautical chart.


    ¡°What do you think? Is this going to be too hard for you?¡±


    Zhang Heng shook his head. His Jackdaw was a corvette, a battleship intended to engage in war. Undoubtedly, it could sail faster than most of its counterparts, and his sailing skill had also reached LV2 recently. Besides Brook¡¯s Swordfish, Zhang Heng¡¯s ship was the second-best ship for the role of bait. Although he felt that the risk wasn¡¯t worth an extra 50% of the loot, he didn¡¯t say no since he had been basically chosen by fate.


    If he rejected the task, his reputation would surely be diminished once he returned to Nassau. No one would ever work with him anymore.


    ¡°Great. See you there on Parrot Island.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    Four days had passed, and Zhang Heng regrouped with the rest of the five captains on Parrot Island. There, they finalized the final plan for the operation. After that, Zhang Heng and Brook left the island with their crew and sailed to their designated spots. They were both separated by around half a mile. They then lowered their mainsails and waited for their prey to arrive.

 Chapter 207 - Battle Prelude

    Waiting for something to happen was always a dry and dull affair. Except for the watchers tasked with scanning the surroundings, there was nothing else the pirates on the ship could do. Some lay on hammocks, dreaming away, some chatted with their mates, and some cleaned their weapons. There were those who even sought to kill time with prayer.


    Harry was known as the ¡®little king¡¯ on the street where he lived. On a normal day, he would lead a band of kids to fight with another group from the next street. That said, this was the very first time he faced a real battle. At first, Anne thought that Harry would have completely freaked out since he was always one to bully the weak. To her surprise, she noticed that Harry wasn¡¯t actually nervous, but instead felt excited about the upcoming conflict.


    While everyone was waiting for their target to show up, Harry started bothering the quartermaster, begging him for a weapon to defend himself.


    ¡°Mr. Dufresne. I can fight too! Captain Zhang Heng said that once a battle commences, there would be no escape for all those on board.¡±


    ¡°What kind of weapon do you want?¡±


    ¡°A gun would be nice. I don¡¯t think I can handle hand-to-hand combat since I¡¯m the smallest here. I think I should be able to aim and shoot at our enemies from a distance.¡±


    ¡°Have you shot out of a gun before?¡±


    ¡°No. As the saying goes, there¡¯s a first time for everyone. Even Captain Zhang Heng didn¡¯t shoot too well when he first started using a firearm.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Captain Zhang Heng was quite the marksman when he fired a gun for the first time.¡±


    Dufresne paused before continuing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will give you a gun. I don¡¯t want you to shoot my people in the heat of battle accidentally.¡±


    ¡°Come on, man! Don¡¯t be such a miser. I promise I will not shoot our people by accident.¡±


    ¡°I highly doubt that.¡±


    Harry wanted to continue convincing Dufresne to give him a gun, but when he saw Anne coming from a distance, he immediately tried to make a run for it, as if he had just encountered his arch-nemesis. Before he could make any headway, Anne stopped him.


    ¡°Mr. Dufresne, did Harry give you trouble again?¡±


    ¡°No. Quite the opposite actually. Our young Mr. Harry here helped me a lot this morning. He counted our weapons stockpile with me.¡±


    Harry¡¯s sour face started to brightly shine when he heard Dufresne¡¯s compliments.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Seeing Anne¡¯s less than enthusiastic response, Harry was rendered speechless.


    ¡®What kind of tone is that? Are you disappointed by the fact that you can¡¯t find a good reason to beat me up?!¡¯


    Harry wished he could say that out loud, though, he would never dare speak to Anne like this. All he could do was to curse in his heart silently.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Anne continued.


    At that, Harry followed Anne, and they both headed towards the galley. It was a familiar place for Harry, considering he had been tasked with peeling potatoes for hours on end each day.


    ¡°When the battle begins after this, I need you to stay here with Mr. Ramsay. Come out only after the battle is over.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Before I say anything, I need to tell you that I¡¯m happy with everything so far. Ever since I started working on the ship, I¡¯ve been cleaning the toilet and peeling potatoes every single day. I have done everything you¡¯ve asked of me. I think it¡¯s time for me to take up bigger responsibilities.


    ¡°It makes sense, I guess. When the battle starts, I¡¯ll need you to stay here and protect Mr. Ramsay,¡± said Anne while passing her dagger to Harry.


    ¡°It¡¯s no different from what you asked me to do just now,¡± Harry lamented.


    ¡°What kind of difference are you asking for?¡±


    ¡°For example¡­ let me stay on the deck? This will be my first sea battle! I beg of you, Boss Anne. What am I supposed to tell the others when I return to Nassau? Am I supposed to tell them that I hid in the galley like a coward while the rest are busy fighting on the deck?¡±


    Suddenly, Harry realized that he had overstepped the border. Immediately, he turned around and apologized to Ramsay.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. You¡¯re not the first, and you won¡¯t be the last to something like this to me.¡±


    ¡°Battles between pirates are very different from your little street fights. I have no problem with you joining us, but you have to wait at least two years before I can allow you to do that.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    Zhang Heng was in the captain¡¯s quarters, fiddling with the seashell. He had been carrying it for three weeks, and up until now, nothing special happened to it. At first, he thought that it must have something to do with him being on land. Now that he was out at sea, Betty, the ancient god, still hadn¡¯t contacted him.


    He had also instructed Anne to arrange for someone to keep an eye on Seth. As the first person on the ship that came in contact with Betty, Zhang Heng was worried that she would somehow affect him in some way. Many days passed, and Seth acted like how he typically behaved. He no longer acted suspiciously, seeming as if he was truly liberated from the supernatural incident.


    Having said that, Zhang Heng was in no rush to study the seashell. For now, he knew that Betty would grant the power to summon storms to whoever that worshipped her. Hence, he suspected that Betty might have even more supernatural forces up her sleeve. In the end, he decided that the best time to study the shell was when he got his hands on the wooden box that was made of a Tule tree.


    The next morning, the sun shone brightly, and the sea was calm. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had taken place. The Spanish treasure ship was still nowhere to be found. It wasn¡¯t until the afternoon before the watchers finally spotted something. At the same time, Zhang Heng extended his bronze monocular and gazed out to the ocean as well. At first, he saw three black dots approaching from afar. He could not identify what these dots were.


    After a while, Zhang Heng finally saw a Spanish flag flying above the mast. The pirates on Parrot Island signaled Zhang Heng and Brook using a mirror, indicating that their targets were approaching them.


    ¡°Our targets have arrived! On the ready!¡± said Zhang Heng as he put away his monocular.


    Billy quickly ordered the pirates to hurry back to their designated positions. At the same time, the Jackdaw raised her black flag. Suddenly, Zhang Heng and a couple of old pirates raised their heads after noticing a change in the wind direction. It was coming from the southeast but was now blowing from the southwest. In other words, they would need more time to approach the treasure ship. Naturally, Billy wasn¡¯t too happy about this. Now, fighting the enemy would take a longer time, exposing them to more damage.


    Whether they wanted it or not, the Spanish convoy was already too close for them to make any adjustments. Zhang Heng stood at the bow of the Jackdaw with one hand holding a rope and a cutlass in the other.


    ¡°Adjust the mainsails! Let¡¯s charge at the enemy; full speed ahead!¡±


    After the briefing, everyone on board discovered that they were just bait in this battle, learning how they were supposed to lure the target to the rear of the island. The damage they could inflict did not matter in this operation. The most important thing here was to ensure the survival of their ship after being attacked by their enemies. Other than the helmsman, the next stressful position had to be the carpenters. They were already prepared, ready with all the planks and tools that they would need to fix the ship.

 Chapter 208 - Contest

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Both the Jackdaw and Swordfish raised their black flags at the same time, racing to the Spanish treasure ship as fast as their sails could carry them. Although the Jackdaw was closer to the Spanish ship, the Swordfish caught up to the Jackdaw in no time. The moment their ships were aligned, Brook slowed down and moved at the Jackdaw¡¯s speed. He did this knowing that the enemies will focus their fire on the Swordfish if Brook overtook the Jackdaw.


    There was a 200-meter gap between the Jackdaw and the Swordfish. Being this close to each other, they could quickly help the other if necessary. At the same time, they hadn¡¯t gotten too close to the point where they would lose their agility as well.


    The Spanish convoy finally saw their enemies. Immediately, they slowed down and maneuvered their ship so that their side cannons pointed at the enemies. They were at the ready to get into a battle with Zhang Heng and Brook.


    On the other side of things, Billy and Anne were standing on the deck, having their eyes fixed on their prey. They couldn¡¯t help but feel a little worried. The intel that Black Prince Sam acquired earlier was extremely accurate. However, as opposed to what he heard, things were different when he saw the vessel with his own eyes. This was Zhang Heng¡¯s second encounter with such a massive ship, its size only slightly smaller in comparison with the pride of the Royal Navy and the king of the Caribbean Sea, the Scarborough.


    Originally, the Jackdaw was a corvette. When put beside an ordinary merchant ship, the Jackdaw was large enough to terrify most of them. However, when compared to the Spanish treasure ship, the Jackdaw appeared to be on the losing side.


    ¡°Are we going to fight this monster later?¡± asked a newly recruited cannoneer.


    ¡°We are not going to fight them. All we need to do is to draw their attention. We¡¯ll need to lure them to the back of Parrot Island. Once they get there, the other four pirate ships will fire at them simultaneously,¡± explained Dufresne.


    Unfortunately, the explanation did little to calm the nerves of all the pirates on board. After looking at the tremendous number of cannons on the Spanish ship, they began second-guessing their own capabilities. Thankfully, they were calmer in a situation like this when compared to the older pirates that participated in taking down the Scarborough. Fifteen minutes later, the Jackdaw had officially entered the shooting range of their enemies. Surprisingly, they weren¡¯t greeted by the enemy¡¯s cannons.


    Zhang Heng and Billy had a bad feeling, anxious that things might not go according to plan. This could only mean one thing. This wasn¡¯t going to be an easy enemy. Usually, amateurs would attack the moment their enemies entered their range of fire, believing that they would be able to drop in a couple of rounds before their enemies got close. Sadly, they didn¡¯t consider the fact that the cannons would overheat from the continuous shooting. Once the cannons overheated, the crew would have to cool them down before they could use it again. This meant they would become sitting ducks.


    During the initial rounds of shooting, it was usually tough to accurately land cannonballs on the enemies. Even if they did somehow manage to land a couple of lucky shots, the damage to their ship would be minimal. Truly experienced commanders would wait for the enemies to enter their effecting shooting range before firing their cannons at them. In other words, there was a greater chance of inflicting serious damage if they fired all their cannons on a target close enough.


    ¡°Are we going forward?¡± asked Billy.


    Every step that the Jackdaw took would only increase their risk of being annihilated. A calculated approach was essential in this situation.


    ¡°Not yet. They can¡¯t damage us effectively with this distance. At the same time, it¡¯s going to be hard for us to create problems for them as well. Once they fire their cannons at us, it would be impossible for us to get close to them again. Now that they are allowing us to get closer to them, we should do that.¡±


    Brook shared the same thoughts with Zhang Heng and hence, didn¡¯t slow his vessel down. Seeing two pirate ships charging at them, the three Spanish boats still refused to fire their cannons. However, once the two pirate vessels were close enough to the point where the Spanish sailors could be seen with the naked eye, Zhang Heng and Brook quickly turned their ships in different directions and, at the same time, ordered their pirates to prepare for battle.


    The commanders of the three Spanish ships were taken by surprise, frustrated by the fact that the two pirate ships did not get closer to them. Though both parties hadn¡¯t fired at each other yet, a competition of strategies had now commenced. The Spanish commander controlled his urge to fire at them, hoping to trick the two pirate ships into coming closer. His plan would be successful if they were just a hundred yards closer. The commander was also confident that he would be able to sink the Jackdaw and Swordfish with three consecutive attacks.


    However, Zhang Heng and Brook sensed that something wasn¡¯t right. Hence, they instantly stopped their ships at a critical moment, causing the Spanish commander to miss the perfect window of attack. Seeing that the two pirate ships were in the process of turning to different directions again, he was done with playing games and ordered his sailors to fire at them.


    ¡°Fire all cannons!¡±


    1At the command, the three Spanish ships fired everything they had at the same time. The boom it produced was so deafening, it was as if thunder had stuck that very spot. Some pirates were so terrified that they lost their balance and fell onto the deck.


    ¡°Incoming!!! Everyone! Brace yourselves!¡± shouted Zhang Heng.


    The moment he gave the order, flying cannonballs rained down on them. At least a quarter landed on the Jackdaw and the Swordfish. Even without firing a test round to gauge the accuracy of their shots, they still managed to inflict considerable damage. This proved that the cannoneers on the Spanish ships were exceptionally skillful.


    As compared to the sailors on Scarborough, the sailors on the three Spanish ships were more a lot more experienced. At least seven or eight cannonballs landed on the Jackdaw¡¯s deck. It was not a pretty scene to behold, as the unlucky pirate acting as the helmsman had a piece of wood penetrating his neck and killing him instantly. Without the helmsman, the Jackdaw began free sailing and was now headed toward the Spanish ships. Luckily, Zhang Heng was right beside the dead helmsman. He quickly pushed the body away and attempted to turn the ship around.


    The second round of attacks came right after the first ended. This time, the Jackdaw was hit by even more cannonballs. Not only was their deck severely damaged, but their hull began to suffer as well from the continuous onslaught. Immediately, the carpenters jumped into action, fixing the damage as fast and as best as they could. Zhang Heng swept the dust off himself, breathed a sigh, and continued to maneuver the ship. At the same time, he turned around to check the condition of the deck.


    It appeared that the firepower of the Spanish vessels wasn¡¯t as powerful as Zhang Heng thought it would be. The scary thing about them, however, was their pinpoint accuracy. If this went on, he might have to consider expediting their retreat. When the third round of attacks commenced, only a few cannonballs landed on the Jackdaw. This wasn¡¯t the result that Billy and the rest of the pirates expected. Their accuracy couldn¡¯t have dropped so dramatically after witnessing their first two rounds of sharp firing.


    Nevertheless, their faces changed when they saw what had become of the Swordfish. The Spaniards were focusing their fire on them. Thanks to Brook¡¯s excellent maneuvering skills, he managed to dodge several attacks. However, flying cannonballs from three ships were one too many to emerge unscathed. Besides, the Swordfish had been modified for optimum speed, significantly sacrificing their defensive abilities. When the third round of attack was over, two of their masts had fallen, and their bow was severely damaged.

 Chapter 209 - Paralysis

    The last volley of attacks severely damaged the Swordfish. However, it gave the Jackdaw an opportunity to change directions. This avoided the Swordfish from being attacked continuously.


    The cannon¡¯s shutters on one side of the Jackdaw were ajar. With their gunners in position, and upon Zhang Heng¡¯s orders, they finally began returning fire.


    After two successful looting trips, the Jackdaw shot to fame in Nassau after killing Wilton¡¯s two hundred men in one night¨Can opportune moment for their recruitment drive.


    If Zhang Heng wanted to, he could have quickly recruited two hundred men, the entire ship¡¯s complement, in half a day. However, that wouldn¡¯t have been too sensible a move. With each addition, the share of the loot that each person would receive would decrease. As opposed to the merits of the quantity he could amass, Zhang Heng cared more about the quality of the sailors they recruited.


    For that reason, each time they returned to the island, the Jackdaw¡¯s recruitment threshold would be significantly higher than the last. The standard of the ship¡¯s gunners was now completely different from those of the first voyage. On top of that, the Jackdaw was one battleship with outstanding firepower. The moment they began firing, it instantly caught the attention of the three Spanish ships.


    However, at this time, the Spanish fleet commander was still focused on the Swordfish. The latter¡¯s hull now wrecked, and it seemed like the fabulous time to sink them with one blow. It would be a real pity if the Spaniards chose to give up right now and let the Swordfish get away. Not only would that mean changing targets, but it also meant having to realign the sights of the heavy cannons.


    Realizing the consequences of the aforementioned actions, all three Spanish vessels ignored the Jackdaw and concentrated their firepower on the Swordfish instead.


    Upon realizing the enemy¡¯s tactical maneuvering, Brook decided to abandon the original plan. Although the Swordfish had its sideboard facing the Spanish treasure ship, she didn¡¯t fire but instead did a left full rudder, preparing to escape!


    The Swordfish was severely battered during the attack, and the damage to its hull caused it to lose some mobility. Fortunately, their main mast was still intact, and Brook¡¯s well-timed reactions were enough for the Swordfish to complete the U-turn successfully. This allowed them to retreat before the next round of firing could begin.


    Brook¡¯s excellent seamanship was on full display. The three Spanish vessels launched another two cannonball volleys, and despite their damage, the Swordfish dodged most of the shells effortlessly. Not to be outdone, the Spanish commander was just as quick to react! Realizing that his opponent was a crafty one, the Spanish quickly changed tactics and fired on them with all their cannons, all at the same time!


    This time, even Brook¡¯s superior rudder skills were useless, as the Swordfish¡¯s stern was hit four times! Even then, the Swordfish stayed afloat. Instead, at the cost of the enemy, they were able to put a good distance between them and the three Spanish ships.


    On the other side, the Jackdaw¡¯s attacks were growing fiercer. Zhang Heng had chosen to target a frigate. This time, he did not hold back. After being fired at for such a long time, the Jackdaw¡¯s gunners had enough. Fueled by anger, the gunners got into the action with a fury the moment they received their orders.


    The main gunner took aim, then lit the fuse! As the cannonballs launched in a staggered staccato of blasts, the assistant gunners packed gunpowder into the barrel with rapid clockwork accuracy. In seconds, cannon smoke fogged the surface of the sea with a cloud of thick smog.


    After two rounds of intense bombardment, the frigate¡¯s deck was a mess. Her hull, after being hit by gargantuan 24-pound shells, was perforated with large, gaping holes. Fortunately for them, they were all above the waterline. For now, they were not in danger of sinking, at least not yet.


    However, the frigate wasn¡¯t holding up any longer, as the captain had already started sending desperate signals for help to the commander of their mothership.


    The Spanish commander looked at the swaying Swordfish in the distance with a bitter look in his eyes. That ship was at the very end of her tether. Two more volleys and she would be done for. After that, they could go on and attack the other pirate ship, thus completely wiping out this gang of wicked robbers, once and for all.


    There was nothing wrong with the plan itself, except that the Spanish commander did not expect the Jackdaw to be so potent. If this went on, and even if he exterminated the two pirate ships, it might just cost him an entire frigate, a price he wasn¡¯t willing to pay. In frustration, he signaled to the other two in his fleet, instructing them to switch targets. He would have them give up on the Swordfish and take it all out on the Jackdaw instead.


    Despite everything, Zhang Heng¡¯s objective had been achieved, and he was already turning around to leave the battlefield. Then, out of the blue, at the very last minute, he decided to change direction abruptly. Now, they weren¡¯t heading to Parrot Island as initially planned!


    ¡°Captain?¡± asked a very puzzled Billy.


    ¡°Our opponent¡¯s commander is no slouch. We only have two ships, and yet, we had the nerve to attack them. If we head for Parrot Island, wouldn¡¯t he grow suspicious?¡±


    ¡°But what if they all decide to come after us?¡±


    ¡°The probability of that happening is minuscule. The Swordfish is practically in a critical condition, and with two of her masts gone, she¡¯s now very slow. If you were to be them, which ship would you choose to go after?¡±


    As if confirmation of Zhang Heng¡¯s conjecture, all three Spanish ships gave up chasing the Jackdaw and turned around to pursue Swordfish again.


    The Spanish commander, looking down with indignant disgruntlement. He had been in charge of this route for ten years, and through that period, never once had pirates dared provoke them. If he¡¯d allow those infernal pirates to get away without paying a hefty price, it would be too good to be true for them.


    The Swordfish was once the fastest three-masted vessel in all of the oceans. However, at the current state of her hull, she was half as fast as what she used to be. Moreover, they were still some distance away from Parrot Island. In the past, such a small distance would not have bothered Brook, but right now, every minute felt like an hour.


    Seeing how close the three Spanish ships had come, and having no way getting rid of them, Brook¡¯s forehead broke out with streams of cold sweat. All too soon, the bow of a Spanish frigate was almost touching the stern of the crippled Swordfish! But then, the Jackdaw, well on her way to the other side, turned around again! With their chief gunner manning the ship¡¯s main cannon, they began harassing the warship dead ahead of the Swordfish, giving Brook and his battered ship a much-needed chance for a breather.


    Brook had his men tried desperately to lighten their ailing boat, throwing away every heavy object they did not need. The weight-loss exercise helped it inch faster by half a knot. Nonetheless, it was this half a knot that saved the Swordfish in this pivotal moment.


    The Spanish commander became inconsolably outraged by his opponent¡¯s constant outmaneuvering. Zhang Heng¡¯s earlier escape in the other direction had debilitated him. In the past, whenever he encountered islands or terrain that hindered his field of vision, he would instinctively be on high alert. Right now, though, he was overcome by a crazed urge. Seeing that he was so very close to sinking the Swordfish, he had lost all means to think clearly.

 Chapter 210 - The Decisive Battle and Finale

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Parrot Island stretched long and narrow across the ocean. North of the isles sat a natural U-shaped gulf. A broad ridge ran through it, tall enough to conceal what lay beyond, which was why Black Prince Sam and the others chose this place as the ambush site.


    The Swordfish desperately tried to flee, having the three Spanish hot on her tail. No one noticed that the Jackdaw was gradually slowing down and keeping a distance from the three Spanish boats.


    The Swordfish was in terrible shape, and water poured into the flooding ship through every gaping hole of the battered and tattered hull. There was no longer any point for the carpenters to fix anything now. Everything that could be thrown overboard had been gotten rid of. Not even the food and water was spared.


    Brook couldn¡¯t care less about any of that, though, so long they could get out of this predicament alive. In any case, they could always get those things from other pirate ships.


    The Spanish commander knew that the Swordfish was at an impasse and that they shouldn¡¯t be giving up the chase right now. So, when the experienced commander saw the Swordfish disappear behind the ridge, warning horns started blaring in his head. But there wasn¡¯t the time to think it over.


    It was all too late, though. When the three Spanish ships came around the ridge, they came face to face with the four other pirate ships, armed to the teeth and ready for battle!


    The second the target emerged, the cannons on all four pirate ships blew up to life! Sam went above and beyond, making all the necessary preparations. He had borrowed 25 twelve-pound guns and set them up on the shoreline for this exact moment.


    The three Spanish ships were caught off-guard by this sudden attack, not expecting to be ambushed at such a close range. As they were so fixated on chasing the Swordfish, they paid no attention to keeping their own distance. Now, they were too close to each other to turn around.


    As luck would have it, one of the frigates¡¯ luck was so bad, a shell came out of nowhere and hit its gunpowder storage!


    The probability of something like that happening was very low, perhaps not even once in a hundred battles. When it did happen, however, the event would result in the complete annihilation of the ship. The violent explosion ruptured the keel of the frigate. The sailors closest to it were killed on the spot, while the rest were thrown into the water.


    The Jackdaw had turned up from behind and joined the battle!


    With all the pirate ships together and with assistance from the on-shore artillery, they fired their cannons with no mercy. Except for the severely damaged Swordfish, which was forced to throw all of its ammunition overboard, they instantly got the upper hand.


    The tables turned, and of a sudden, things were going downhill for the remaining two Spanish ships.


    When the Spanish commander arrived, he was still unaware that they had fallen into a trap. Either way, it was too late for them. They were at a disadvantage when it came to firepower, and the treasure ship wouldn¡¯t be able to outrun all the pirate ships.


    So, the Spanish commander gave up trying to make a run for it and issued an order to the remaining two ships to turn around retaliate.


    Even though they were enemies, Zhang Heng could not help but laud his opponent¡¯s courage. The position the Spaniards were in left them at a disadvantage. Choosing to face the battle basically meant that they had given up any hope of survival.


    On the deck, Sam frowned at the sight. He had revealed the strength of his firepower, hoping to intimidate their opponent into thinking that there was no way they could win and that they would be forced to surrender anyhow. Right now, however, it looked like the Spaniards were not planning on doing that.


    ¡°These barmy, dogged Spaniards,¡± the black helmsman muttered. He was standing on the deck without a shirt. A row of human teeth was fastened to a string around his neck, and he had a hideous mask on his face. This persona was his favorite incarnation when fighting in a battle.


    This was especially true during one-on-one battles. The cannibal costume was so intimidating that more than once, the enemy would simply concede without putting up a fight. The truth was, the blood on the mask was, in fact, the sap of a particular fruit, and the human teeth had been purchased from a dentist on the island.


    ¡°If this battle continues, we¡¯ll have more casualties than them,¡± said the helmsman.


    ¡°Take down the remaining frigate to give them a warning,¡± said Sam. He had come for the precious cargo of the treasure ship, not to witness a massacre. Under such circumstances, however, it appeared he had no other choice.


    Hence, five minutes later, the last remaining frigate sank, leaving only the Spanish treasure ship. On the pirates¡¯ side, one severely wrecked vessel also decided to withdraw.


    The battle was getting fiery. One Spanish treasure ship was battling four other ships clearly put it at a disadvantage, but its thick, solid hull was able to endure one blow after weathering another. Though the Spanish ship might have taken a beating, the Spaniards simply refused to give in. In the meantime, Sam sent out a group of men, attempting to board the Spanish ship. But halfway to their destination, a shell sank one of the tiny landing crafts.


    As the other boats were drawing near to the ship, the Spanish musketeers shot at them from behind the portholes, killing more than a dozen pirates. When those who survived finally made it to the hull, they were chased back into the water by the stubbornly unyielding Spaniards.


    Owing to that, the pirates decided to resort to tougher measures. Due to their concerns about the cargo in the hold, they focused their attacks on the deck, hoping to destroy the enemy¡¯s masts and rudder. However, the Spanish didn¡¯t seem to mind that. Amid their rising number of causalities, their resolve only grew stronger. The remaining sailors gave up on saving the first deck, retreating down to the second deck to continue the fight.


    Having no other options, Sam ordered for a full-on attack on the Spanish treasure ship.


    Under the savage and unmerciful bombardment of four pirate ships, the Spanish treasure ship was soon riddled with holes. Yet again, their crew had no plans to surrender. The carpenters gave up trying to patch the holes, allowing the raging waters of the sea to gush into the cabins.


    The cannons on the Spanish vessel were still thundering even until the very last of her breath. Sam thought about getting another group to board the ship again, but he knew that none of the boats were able to approach the target. In the end, the pirates could only watch as the Spanish treasure ship sank slowly to the bottom of the ocean.


    When the battle was over, Zhang Heng received a notification that he had earned 20 game points.


    After that, he docked the Jackdaw by the bay and brought his men to Parrot Island. Down by the beach, he looked for Sam, who was bandaging his arm.


    Sam called out, ¡°I received information about the cargo from some Spaniards that were thrown overboard by the blasts. It appears that there are 5,000 pounds of gold on the ship! Thank goodness they sank here, right in front of the gulf. I¡¯ve already sent some men ahead to search for it.¡±

 Chapter 211 - Celebration

    Black Prince Sam assigned a dozen pirates that could swim well to dive to the spot where the Spanish treasure ship sank. Soon, the divers managed to discover where they stored the gold bars. The next problem that needed solving was how they could salvage the ingots from the bottom of the sea. The crates were located half a nautical mile from the coastline at a depth of about 20 meters.


    Such depths were close to the limits a human could dive. It wasn¡¯t just the oxygen starvation, but the water pressure would increase every ten meters. If they continued venturing deeper, the pressure would cause them to suffer from nitrogen narcosis and oxygen poisoning, which could be fatal.


    Zhang Heng vaguely remembered that the deepest a human ever attempted to dive without the assistance of equipment was about 40 meters. He was puzzled as to how the person managed to achieve such a superhuman feat. People like Black Prince Sam and his allies all grew up right next to the sea. Most of them were sons of fishermen, and from a young age, they were already natural swimmers and divers.


    Having said that, the divers were forced to resurface the moment they laid their eyes on the crates that contained the gold bars. Only one person amongst them managed to dive to where the boxes were and retrieved a dislodged gold bar.


    ¡°It appears that we¡¯re going to be on this island for some time,¡± said Black Prince Sam.


    Despite the losses the pirates sustained, their hunting trip was considered an enormous success. A total of 5,000 pounds of gold divided among six ships would see every single pirate returning to Nassau with a tremendous amount of wealth.


    Apart from the gold, the Spanish ship was hauling a shipment of tobacco as well. Unfortunately, the dried leaves became useless the moment they hit the water. Despite Brook suffering the most damage in this battle, he was happy with the results. The extra 50% of the loot he would receive meant he could fix his ship and even compensate those who were wounded during the battle. And even after everything was settled, he would still walk away pocketing a large sum of money.


    Everyone was envious of Zhang Heng and the Jackdaw¡¯s luck. Although he and Brook were both chosen as bait, the enemies, unfortunately, decided to focus fire on the Swordfish instead of the Jackdaw. It was all because the Swordfish looked to be the weaker of the two. After two rounds of bombardment, the Jackdaw received no further damage. When the Spanish convoy of three fell into their trap, Zhang Heng waited until the four pirate ships attacked them before joining the battle. Amid the cacophony of artillery, the three Spanish vessels weren¡¯t bothered to deal with the Jackdaw anymore.


    When the Jackdaw played the bait, Zhang Heng made the right decision by taking every random opportunity that came to avoid taking as much damage as possible. Not only did he manage to confuse the enemies, but it also allowed the Swordfish to retreat. If Zhang Heng didn¡¯t stall the Spanish, Brook and his men would have ended up at the bottom of the ocean.


    Brook was extremely grateful for Zhang Heng¡¯s assistance, going up to him and thanking him personally when they were all on Parrot Island. Before this, Zhang Heng had spoken little to Brook, though, having heard of his name before. Other than his notorious reputation in Nassau, he was one of the captains that vouched for Zhang Heng to join the meeting. To Zhang Heng¡¯s surprise, he discovered that Brook wasn¡¯t as aloof as he seemed to be after talking to him. He was actually quite talkative.


    During the meeting for the battle, Brook barely said a word. Zhang Heng thought that it must be Brook¡¯s nature to stay quiet, but as it turned out, he was wrong about him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not trying to offend anyone here, but I have some beef with Dynamite Jarvis.¡±


    Dynamite Jarvis, captain of the Warrior, was also one of the captains that vouched for Zhang Heng. Sam had once told him about wanting to utilize this trip to solve a longstanding conflict between his two friends. It was now apparent that Sam referred to Brook and Jarvis. None would have thought that they would both clash again amid a critical operation.


    ¡°I have been friends with Jarvis for decades. I knew him long before I knew Sam. About two months ago, I received a precious lead. A slave-trading ship departed Africa and was heading towards Boston, carrying a decent amount of cargo. Most of the slaves on board were teenagers no older than 18 or 19. They were of good health and had all their teeth intact. I brought someone with me to check on the route this ship would take.


    ¡°Just as I was close to my target, a group of unknown people came out of nowhere and disrupted my plan! So, I sent someone to talk to them. Unfortunately, they were in no mood to talk. In the end, they killed the people I sent to negotiate with them! As if that weren¡¯t enough, they wanted to attack my ship as well! Luckily, we were fast enough to flee.


    ¡°When I think about it again, I believe the group of people had been waiting to ambush me. That was how I knew that it was no coincidence. Someone wasn¡¯t happy with me. However, I only talked to Jarvis before I set sail. So, I confronted him when I returned to Nassau. Unsurprisingly, he strongly denied all my accusations. He was furious, and he told me that I should never doubt him. At that time, I felt guilty that perhaps, I could have wronged him. After that, I assigned someone to dig deeper into this matter, and I found out that he had secretly left Nassau the night before I set sail! He also didn¡¯t leave with his own ship.¡±


    ¡°So, this is the conflict, huh?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why he would do something like this to me. We have been friends for a long time. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore¡­ I¡¯m done thinking about it. I promised Sam that I won¡¯t harm him in any way. It¡¯s just that¡­ from today onward; he is just another stranger to me.¡±


    ¡°Ah. You guys are here. Our luck just gets better! Ball found some wild goat, rabbits, and other animals on the island. I think we are going to have a feast tonight! There¡¯s quite a bit of rum left on the ship as well. Sam suggested that we should start a bonfire to celebrate our success. We are now the first pirates to rob a Spanish treasure ship!¡± Eric exclaimed with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Celebrate? Now? The gold bars are still at the bottom of the sea,¡± Zhang Heng replied.


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not like they¡¯ll run away, eh? Don¡¯t worry. We will find a way to bring them all up. Do you have any food on your ship? You can contribute to the celebration as well,¡± said Eric while patting Zhang Heng¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I can provide 30 barrels of rum and some fresh lemons.¡±


    ¡°Great. I will ask someone to go fishing. We can use your lemons for the garnish. Sinks the stench, I say.¡±


    ¡°All of you can see that I have nothing left on the ship,¡± said Brook.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok. Captain Sam has solved the problem. Maybe you can thank Jarvis later. I heard that he¡¯s willing to give you a third of his supplies.¡±


    ¡°Did he volunteer, or did Captain Sam make him?¡±


    ¡°Would there be a difference? Be the bigger man here, Brook. That incident is ancient history! Are you still going to dwell on it? You¡¯ll recoup all your losses the moment we get our hands on the gold.¡±


    Brook harrumphed and didn¡¯t say a word after that.

 Chapter 212 - Missing Harry

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Just great! I hid with a pile of potatoes during my very first sea battle. All I heard was a couple of cannons being fired, and everything was over before I knew it. Now that everyone is celebrating the victory by having a feast, I have to stay here to cook for them.¡±


    Harry complained while roasting the skewered whole goat over a flame.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just eat two pieces of baked fish to stop your hunger?¡± said Ramsay while rubbing spices onto the roasting lamb.


    1¡°That¡¯s different. Eating alone and celebrating with them are two different things. Damn it! I want to celebrate the victory with them too.¡±


    Harry watched the pirates having fun, and he became envious of them. He heard Ramsay¡¯s reminder when he turned around.


    ¡°Turn it over!¡±


    Harry snapped out of it and turned the lamb around. Beside him, Ramsay was taking his time, dutifully sprinkling spices all over the meat.


    ¡°Mr. Ramsay, did you hear that the gold bars are at the bottom of the sea now? I think it¡¯s not too far away from us.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to check it out? I have never seen so many gold bars in my entire life! It would be nice if I can get at least two of them.¡±


    ¡°Better scrap that idea, mate. There are patrols around the area all the time. The captains have agreed that they would assign someone to guard the spot every two hours to prevent the gold bars from being stolen. Didn¡¯t you wish to stay on and become an official pirate? IF you are serious about that, there are tough rules aboard every pirate ship. Stealing and hiding loot is strictly prohibited. Grab its leg; I want to apply some honey.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it matters anymore. That woman wants me off the ship the moment we are back in Nassau! I know that for a fact. She assigned me to wash the toilet and to help out in the kitchen, knowing that I hate these things. She is trying to force me to leave the ship. I¡¯ve been calling her boss for a very long time. I have always been on her side when she got into fights,¡± Harry grumbled, his lips pursed while glaring at Anne.


    ¡°I think she is doing this for your own good. Okay. Turn it over. I¡¯ll need the other leg.¡±


    ¡°Yea¡­ yea. Everyone says that.¡±


    Harry was distracted. Suddenly, he rolled his eyes and pressed on his stomach.


    ¡°Ah, shit! I think I ate something wrong. My stomach is going crazy on me. I don¡¯t think I can hold on any longer. I have to go and clear it out first.¡±


    Immediately, Harry let go of the goat and ran away. He did not wait for Ramsay¡¯s permission. This had Ramsay in a fit. However, he also knew that Harry was distraught tonight. The hearty laughter from afar probably triggered him, probably why he wanted to run as far as possible from the area. Understanding the young boy, Ramsay decided he would leave Harry alone for now.


    Harry wasn¡¯t heading towards the Spanish shipwreck. It was out of anger that he told Ramsay about stealing those gold bars. In fact, he had no intention to do something like this. Even without pirates guarding the place, Harry figured he couldn¡¯t possibly dive that deep to pick up those gold bars. Besides, there was no place for him to hide on the open beach as well. If he attempted to steal the gold bars, everyone would be able to see him even from a distance.


    Having no heading in mind, Harry walked on, just wanting to get away from the crowd. Before he knew it, he had no idea where he was and how far he¡¯d wandered away. There were tall trees on Parrot Island, and every path he took looked precisely the same. At that moment, Harry began worrying that he might be lost. So, he randomly chose a heading and continued walking along with it. An hour later, he finally saw the sea. He sighed, breathing deeply, taking in the smell of the salty sea. It appeared his mood was finally getting better. Without him even realizing it, he had gotten to the other side of Parrot Island.


    Following the coastline, he walked for at least two hours before he got back to where he started. It would be midnight by the time he rejoined the Jackdaw¡¯s crew. His own hastiness had led him to go for wool and come home shorn. The more he thought about it, the angrier he felt. The pirates were feasting on the barbequed lamb and chugging rum as if it was seawater. No one even noticed that he was gone. Harry was at the age where he yearned for recognition, unhappy that he was being treated like an insignificant little man. In angst, he kicked a stone, watching as it flew away from him.


    That was when he saw something shocking.


    It was a little boat. Harry rubbed his eyes to make sure it wasn¡¯t an illusion. There were about seven people on it, and they were rowing towards the beach as fast as they could. Harry instantly realized that something wasn¡¯t right. Other than the pirates patrolling the sea in their small boat, the rest were celebrating on the beach. This wasn¡¯t the area where the Spanish treasure ship sank, and it didn¡¯t make sense for the patrols to come all the way here. Where did they come from? Were there other people on this island? Why were they in a mighty rush?


    Logic told him that he should inform Anne about what he saw. Just when he was about to go get a better look, someone pushed him from behind! Harry fell down the cliff he was on, screaming for dear life.


    ¡­¡­.


    On the other side of things, Anne was drunk, and someone wanted to challenge her. As she turned around, she saw that Harry was not with Ramsay. Immediately, she quickly walked to him and asked him where the boy was.


    Ramsay was extremely busy, having just finished roasting two whole goats. Now he needed to cook a dozen rabbits.


    ¡°Why are you alone? Where is Harry? Is he getting lazy again?¡±


    ¡°He told me that his stomach was acting up earlier. I think he went to relieve himself. Speaking of which, he¡¯s been gone for some time. Now I¡¯m starting to worry.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry. I¡¯m pretty sure the lazy thing was just looking for an excuse and slacked off somewhere. I asked my men just now. They told me the island is free from ferocious beasts. He should be safe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but night has fallen. What if he¡¯s lost?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. At his level of intelligence, that might actually happen to him.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Zhang Heng who was walking toward them.


    ¡°Harry is missing. I¡¯m planning to go into the woods to look for him.¡±


    Anne cracked her knuckles loudly as she talked, garnering stares from everyone around her.


    ¡°He better pray he doesn¡¯t cross paths with me!¡±


    ¡°I will go with you. After all, he is a pirate of the Jackdaw,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    ¡°This is exactly why I refused to bring him on our voyages. He gives me nothing but a shitload of trouble.¡±


    Not wasting any time, Zhang Heng and Anne began looking for Billy. At the same time, a dozen sober pirates were also commissioned to search the entire island.

 Chapter 213 - Incoming Threat

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng and Anne led the group, searching almost half the island. Still, they couldn¡¯t locate Harry.


    ¡°How could I not know how good Harry was at running?!¡±


    Anne was surprised by the search result. It left her perplexed, knowing that it would only be logical for someone lost to stay as close as possible to the beach. The further away they were, the smaller the chance they¡¯d be rescued.


    ¡°It seems he¡¯s lost his way.¡±


    After hearing what happened to Harry, Dufresne joined the search party as well. Staying at least two meters apart from each other, the search party called out for Harry as they scouted around the island. However, it yielded no result.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng¡¯s team on the left found something. It was a barrel and two liquor bottles on the ground.


    ¡°Did the watchers leave all these stuff behind?¡± Zhang Heng asked as he lifted the barrel¡¯s lid with his saber.


    ¡°When we asked our men to observe the Spanish treasure ship, we set up three observation posts on this island. From what I remember, I don¡¯t think this area is one of it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe Ball¡¯s men left these during their hunting trip,¡± said Dufresne.


    ¡°Ball and his men hunted at the west side of this island. That¡¯s where the wild goats are. Besides, they wouldn¡¯t have carried a barrel with them,¡± replied Zhang Heng.


    Immediately, everyone looked at Dufresne, who simply shrugged.


    ¡°I asked them about it earlier because I want to bring back a few roasted goats to the ship.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it was left by whoever that was here previously,¡± Said Anne.


    Though Parrot Island wasn¡¯t known to have been occupied before, it was still on the nautical chart. It shouldn¡¯t come as a surprise that people did live here.


    Zhang Heng agreed as well, as he squatted down, tipped the water with his thumb, and tasted it.


    ¡°The water inside the barrel is clean and safe to drink. It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s been here long.¡±


    Next, he went on to check the two liquor bottles.


    ¡°Are you trying to say that there are others on this island? That¡¯s not possible. We combed the island thoroughly the moment we set foot on its sands! There is no one here except for us.¡±


    ¡°How would you explain this barrel of drinking water then?¡±


    ¡°Maybe they left right before we got on this island¡­¡±


    Dufresne paused before he could finish. If that were the case, they would have found the barrel of water when they were searching the entire island.


    ¡°It¡¯s our people,¡± Zhang Heng replied while passing one of the liquor bottles to Anne.


    ¡°The rum that we drank came from a brewery in North Carolina. Their bottle¡¯s design is unique. Usually, they would send a shipment to Nassau. Even though their rum is sold in other colonies as well, the probability of us finding it here on this island is extremely small.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, why would our people come here? Captain Sam¡¯s orders?¡± asked Anne.


    ¡°Highly unlikely. This is a bad location. The Spanish treasure ship didn¡¯t even pass this area. Setting up an observation point here would be a waste of time. He would have also informed others if he did something like that. I want everyone to be extra careful. Something doesn¡¯t smell right.¡±


    The moment Zhang Heng was done talking, the sound of footsteps came from in the dark woods. Immediately, he drew his gun, and Anne charged to the source of the sound. Just as she was about to land a slash, she paused midair!


    ¡°Harry?¡±


    ¡°Boss Anne!¡±


    She saw Harry in an awful state. His whole body was soaking wet, looking as if he¡¯d just been fished from the sea. Anne also noticed that Harry was limping, and had a hand of his covering a wound on his arm. Evidently, Harry was extremely relieved to meet Zhang Heng and the rest of them.


    ¡°I have something important to tell all of you!!!¡±


    ¡°Something important? Maybe you can start by telling us what the blazes happened to you?¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m about to tell you is extremely urgent! Someone betrayed us. Jarvis and his men have been pardoned, and they¡¯d stopped being pirates for months! He¡¯s only still in Nassau because of an agreement he made with the new governor-general from Charleston. He promised the govener that he¡¯d help capture all the famous pirates of Nassau!¡±


    ¡°Jarvis, the Dynamite Jarvis? Are you sure you want to accuse him of such a grave crime? He is one of the oldest pirates in Nassau. He even arrived in Nassau before Blackbeard Teach did!¡± said Dufresne.


    ¡°I heard them talking about it earlier when I was lazing away. Oh no¡­ I mean, I came here when I had my stomachache. Not too far from the cliff, Jarvis and his men hid a small boat over there. I saw it with my own eyes! When I tried to take a closer look at them, someone pushed me from the back, and I fell down the cliff!¡±


    It was visible that Harry was still in shock as he described what happened to him.


    ¡°There were sharp rocks everywhere. I was lucky enough to fall between two of them. Thanks to that, I wasn¡¯t hurt much. After that, I didn¡¯t dare to swim back to the shore, so I swam to a giant rock and hid behind it. After a while, the one who pushed me down came to see if I was alive. After searching the entire place, they found no one. Perhaps they thought that the fall had killed me. That was when they let their guard down. They were close to where I hid, and I managed to hear what they said.


    ¡°One said that they were supposed to be in Nassau for a little longer. Right now, it would save them a ton of trouble since all the famous pirates are here, all at once, on Parrot Island. They said that their job would be done once they captured all of us. By doing that, the governor-general will pardon all their previous crimes, and he would add an additional 20 pounds to each of them. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ve been planning this for a very long time. Before we left Nassau, they leaked our plan to the authorities!¡±


    Harry was getting very nervous and started talking faster and faster.


    ¡°A fleet made up of the navy and pirate hunters have been secretly following us from the very start. They used the small boat I saw to make contact with them. Tonight¡¯s grand party is Jarvis¡¯ idea! He was hoping to create a perfect window to attack all of you!¡±


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng remembered the incident that Brook told him. A group of mysterious people had ambushed Brook and he was sure that they were unfamiliar pirates. The question was now answered. They were pirate-hunters working with Jarvis.

 Chapter 214 - Time is of the Essence

    Previously, considering that there was no need to keep this operation a secret, Black Prince Sam revealed the travel plans of the Spanish treasure ship to all five captains. If Jarvis did betray all of them, he must have had many opportunities to contact to the navy. From what they remembered, the Warrior was always the one at the back of the line. By doing that, Jarvis would be able to communicate with the navy without anybody noticing. After hearing what Harry¡¯s story, they were sure that Jarvis must have indeed betrayed them. Now, the only question that loomed over their minds was if they had enough time to flee the island.


    Under normal circumstances, the naked eye could only spot ships that were about ten nautical miles away. Any prospective enemies should be located at least twenty nautical miles away if they wanted to remain invisible. If someone from the island instructed them to attack the pirates, they would need at least 5 hours to get there and back. In other words, the navy should be arrive when dawn was near.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have that much time left. It¡¯s dark, which means our visibility is down to a mile or two. This means they won¡¯t need to stay too far from us. If they are fast, they should be able to reach the island within an hour. However, this is only the worst-case scenario. When did you see the little boat leaving?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I was so nervous earlier that I didn¡¯t pay attention to the time. From the moment I fell off the cliff until they left the island, it should be half an hour or so,¡± stammered Harry.


    Harry started shivering the moment a gust of wind blew.


    ¡°That means the enemy can appear in front of us any time now!¡± said Anne.


    ¡°We have to quickly inform the people on the beach. Otherwise, we¡¯ll lose this battle! The first thing the enemy will do is to sink our ships. And they can do it from afar. Then, they won¡¯t even need to get on the island. They¡¯ll leave us all here to starve!¡± exclaimed a distressed Dufresne.


    ¡°We spent about an hour coming to this spot. Even if we are fast, it¡¯ll take no less than forty minutes to get back,¡± Anne added.


    ¡°Not everyone here needs to go back to the beach. I¡¯ll go with you first. The others can head back later,¡± said Zhang Heng while taking off his jacket and draping it on a frozen Harry.


    He then handed three of his four guns to Dufresne, keeping one for himself in case he needed it later. He even discarded his sword as well. Zhang Heng realized that he needed to take drastic measures to lighten up if he wished to return to the beach in the shortest time possible. Anne also did the same, stripping off everything that weighed her down. The only weapon she kept on her was a dagger.


    After shedding off the heavy iron, the two started running to the beach as fast as their legs could carry them.


    When they were living together, Anne spent most of her time laying on a chair like a piece of dead meat. Zhang Heng rarely saw her working on her physique. Somehow, she managed to keep her body fit, where every single muscle on her body was firm and tight. She could sprint better than most men. Apart from her small chest, her body was close to perfection. In her defense, even she paid no attention to the size of her chest, as well.


    Her swift moves and light-footedness were like an agile deer in the woods. Anne¡¯s weak stamina had always been her Achilles heel, and although better than most people, her endurance still fell short of Zhang Heng¡¯s marathon prowess. During the first ten minutes, Anne was way ahead of Zhang Heng. However, like an overheating cheetah, she gradually fell behind him. They were not even halfway to the beach at this point.


    ¡°You should go first. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll catch up with you.¡±


    Anne huffed and puffed, as she stopped to catch some breath.


    Zhang Heng nodded in reply. This wasn¡¯t the time to act like a gentleman. The earlier he got to the beach to tell the pirates about Jarvis, the more time they had to prepare for battle. As he swept away the branches that blocked his way, Zhang Heng managed to maintain the rhythm of his breathing, thus, giving his running a constant speed.


    Suddenly, out of nowhere, he heard the whizz of a bullet flying past him followed by the unmistakable bang of a gunshot!


    Fortunately, the shooter had shot from a great distance, and since Zhang Heng was on the move, even the best snipers would find it challenging to him. The bullet meant for him landed on the small tree on his right. The first thing that he did when the moment he heard the gunshot was to immediately drop on the ground, laying as low as he could.


    Then, he remembered the two persons that pushed Harry down the cliff. Whoever that was shooting at him must be Jarvis¡¯ trusted ally. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t expect them to hide in the woods and ambush him. They must have heard his search party shouting out Harry¡¯s name loduly. That was how they discovered his location and ambushed him on his way back to the beach.


    Seeing that Zhang Heng had started running, they would have figured that their plan must have been exposed. Hence, they decided to kill him, effectively stopping him from sounding the alarm. Zhang Heng roughly knew the location of the two shooters, catching a glimpse of them when he lifted his head.


    They were about twenty meters away from him. One was aiming at him from behind a tree, while the other was frantically reloading gunpowder and bullets into this gun. Without hesitation, Zhang Heng pointed and pulled the trigger on the one aiming at him!


    Then, he stood up and charged at the other shooter! Seeing Zhang Heng coming at him, the shooter was so nervous he spilled all his gunpowder. Left with no options, he dropped his gun and pulled out his cutlass to fight. Just as Zhang Heng reached his target, he tossed his gun at the assailant. Instantly, he shielded himself with his saber. Seeing the opportunity, Zhang Heng landed a kick on his wrist, causing him to drop what was in his hands! Within seconds, he also landed an uppercut on the shooter¡¯s chin.


    After taking on Zhang Heng¡¯s surprise blows, the man was disoriented. He took a few steps back before he fell to the ground. Zhang Heng quickly jumped at him to continue punching. Before he could do so, somebody jumped down from the tree, intending to slash his back! Zhang Heng did not expect a third enemy in the woods. Harry told him that there were only two of them. Now, Zhang Heng knew that Harry was telling the truth when he said that they were attempting to kill him.


    Though he managed to dodge the attack, the third enemy still managed to cut his back. Luckily, it was just a flesh wound. Right now, he had to deal with two enemies at the same time with no weapons whatsoever. He knew some karate, but swordsmanship was the melee skill he trained the longest on. Besides, the enemy ship might arrive on the beach any time now. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste precious seconds on a brawl.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng saw Anne running towards him.


    ¡°Go to the beach! Let me deal with them.¡±


    Anne took out her dagger and licked her lips.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the chance to fight during the previous battle. I hope you¡¯ll allow me a good workout!¡±

 Chapter 215 - End of the Party

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Zhang Heng entrusted Anne with the two other enemies while he took off his inner shirt and bandaged the wound on his back. After that, he continued running towards the beach.


    All in all, his entire trip back to the bonfire party took him less than twenty-five minutes.


    Things weren¡¯t looking good right now. The party had been going on for quite a while, and most of the pirates were already gin-soaked. No other pirates successfully robbed a Spanish treasure ship ever before. Everyone, including Sam, was in an extraordinarily cheery mood.


    In the past, although there had been joint-operations between Nassau¡¯s pirates before, this was the first time six influential pirates collaborated with each other. Since the partnership was off to a good start, many thought about joining forces again. They also intended to use this as an opportunity to cultivate stronger bonds amongst themselves.


    The gold was just a few hundred yards from them, almost within grasp, and the fact that so many were gathered together gave them a strong sense of security.


    One had to admit that Jarvis had chosen a good time, a time when the pirates were at their most gullible and susceptible. Other than six people guarding the gold, even the men in charge of patrolling the area couldn¡¯t help but join the celebration.


    The sailors were so drunken on rum that they lost the ability to determine one¡¯s own keep. Pirates from different ships had their arms slung around each other¡¯s shoulders, and they were all mixed up. No thanks to all the intermingling, Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t locate Sam.


    When someone saw that Zhang Heng had returned, they stumbled over to him and urged him to have a drink.


    Instead of accepting the bottle, Zhang Heng grabbed a musket from the pirate and fired a shot into the air!


    The camp ran silent for a moment. Then, in all bewilderment, the pirates exploded into roars of laughter, thinking it was a sideshow that Zhang Heng prepared. Some found it so amusing that even they joined in, firing their guns into the sky!


    All at once, gunshots rang all over the island, along with the pirates¡¯ loud cheers.


    Zhang Heng knew immediately that with the condition they were in, confronting the men wasn¡¯t the brightest option. It was simply unrealistic to expect this group of dazed men to pick up weapons and fight the navy, of all people.


    The only viable option was to inform the captains and have them evacuate their people. As he was looking for Harry, Zhang Heng found a dozen men who were not as sozzled. These men should be reliable enough to navigate the Jackdaw. As for whether the other ships could find enough sober men for their helms, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t know for sure. He couldn¡¯t do anything about it either.


    Zhang Heng found Billy first in the crowd. Unsurprisingly, he was as drunk as a skunk and was sprawled on the ground, snoring away. Zhang Heng shook Billy hard, hoping to wake him up, but the man seemed to be out like a light. It took a good while before he finally responded. Billy opened his mouth but appeared to completely clueless ¨C like a completely different person from the usually calm and reliable helmsman he was.


    Realizing he couldn¡¯t possibly rely on Billy tonight, Zhang Heng searched for a few more sailors. Most, however, were in bad condition. The Warrior¡¯s crew had been coaxing the others to drink the whole time. Now, the people on the beach were no different than Billy, having drowned themselves in rum for a good two hours. Many of them were worse for wear.


    Zhang Heng looked everywhere, and after a lot of dragging and hustling, was finally able to put together a group of sober sailors. With Ramsay being the main chef of the bonfire, he and his helpers were so busy roasting that they didn¡¯t drink much.


    Zhang Heng pulled Ramsay aside and told him, ¡°Hurry and find all of our crew. Tell them to gather and tell them¡­ forget it. Tell them I¡¯m about to give out extra money, and those who are late won¡¯t get any. As for those who can¡¯t walk straight, have the others carry them. Remember, you have ten minutes. In ten minutes, I want to see at least fifty people here. Do well, and you¡¯ll get double your portion the next time we distribute the loot.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Ramsay nodded vigorously. He immediately put down the lamb he was cutting, wiped his hands on his apron, and hurried off to find his fellow sailors.


    Knowing that the kitchen staff must be sober, Zhang Heng quickly found the cooks of the other ships, including the Warrior¡¯s chef. He asked them to bring their captains here, telling them that he had figured a way to get the gold out.


    The situation was worse than Zhang Heng imagined it to be. He knew that the people on the beach would be drunk, but he never thought that they would be this bloody drunk. Strangely, the Warrior¡¯s men were in the best condition. So, even though the other ships had the numbers, it would be challenging to overpower Jarvis and his men, at least in the short-term. At this rate, it would be easier if everybody just surrendered to the navy.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s only advantage now was that Jarvis didn¡¯t know Zhang Heng knew about his betrayal. The three assailants in the woods only made a move because they saw someone sprinting. So, Zhang Heng decided to change tactics and take the opportunity to overcome Jarvis lest it would be difficult to board the ships from the beach.


    Every second that passed was painful, especially when he had no way of knowing when the navy fleet would arrive.


    In the meantime, Zhang Heng used Billy¡¯s clothes as a tourniquet for his wound, even taking his cutlass and short musket.


    The person who appeared first was Brook from the Swordfish. He appeared to be in pretty good shape, probably because he was still outraged. Having lost so many of his men, he didn¡¯t have the appetite for drinks and merry food. Because the Warrior and Swordfish were also enemies, Jarvis¡¯ men did not coerce Brook to drink.


    When he came over to see Zhang Heng, he looked somewhat surprised. ¡°So, you¡¯ve figured out how to get the gold, huh? That¡¯s great! I won¡¯t have to see Jarvis¡¯ annoying face again.¡±


    Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s something else.¡±


    Brook looked at Zhang Heng with raised eyebrows. He was about to ask more when the second captain arrived. It was Captain Kemp of the Shark. He had to be carried all the way to the rendezvous point, and on his way there, he thought removing his trousers would be a good idea. Luckily, the ship¡¯s cook could stop him before he did. The third captain soon arrived in no better condition.


    Black Sam and Jarvis arrived last. The two chatted and laughed away. Sam looked sober for the most part, except for a little stumbling. When he saw Zhang Heng, he flashed him his signature smile.


    ¡°We were just talking about you! Where¡¯d you go? You disappeared when the party started, so we had to ply your helmsman with liquor. To be honest, I like the man. Had you not returned, I would¡¯ve been tempted to recruit him over to my ship.¡±


    However, Sam suddenly stopped in his tracks as Zhang Heng pulled out a short musket and pointed it at Jarvis. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt the fun, but I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to end the party early.¡±

 Chapter 216 - Patience

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Captain Zhang Heng?¡±


    Jarvis looked at the gun pointed at him, and the smile on his face instantly vanished. He was baffled by Zhang Heng¡¯s actions. A few other captains that stood beside him were equally shocked. However, what Zhang Heng said next shocked them even more.


    ¡°A fleet of navy battleships and pirate hunters have been following us since we departed Nassau. They are planning to attack us tonight. Our enemies are on their way to this island as we speak. I believe they would appear anytime now.¡±


    ¡°How is that even possible? We¡¯ve sailed for many days, and we would have seen a tail. Unless¡­¡± said Black Prince Sam.


    ¡°Unless someone betrayed us. The traitor has provided our itinerary to our enemies. With that, they would be able to follow us without being noticed. It was no wonder that someone randomly attacked my ship. I see that you have sold your soul to the nobles. What do you think? You like licking their butts, right, Jarvis?¡± said Brook.


    Jarvis was one of the most experienced pirates amongst them and remained calm even after he was accused.


    ¡°I can understand your anger. All the time, you suspected that the ambush had something to do with me. Of course, it is human nature to believe someone the moment they point out a traitor. Luckily, there are more sensible people here,¡± replied Jarvis as he turned around and looked at Zhang Heng without waiting for Brook to respond to him.


    ¡°Captain Zhang. You have made grave accusations towards me. I would like to ask if you have any evidence to prove your claims. For all we know, you could have been the one who betrayed us. Or, perhaps, you¡¯re trying to use a dirty trick to make us leave the island so you can take possession of all that gold!¡±


    Jarvis¡¯ statement sounded logical, and most of the captains on the beach agreed with him. Especially the last sentence, powerful enough to make everyone suspect Zhang Heng as the traitor. Even Brook started leaning towards Jarvis. As compared to Zhang Heng, they knew Jarvis longer than him, being one of the longest-serving pirates in Nassau. Amongst the old-timers, Zhang Heng was just a newbie, only arriving in Nassau not too long ago. Technically speaking, this was their first time working with Zhang Heng. When it came to credibility, they had every reason to lean towards Jarvis. No one could say for sure that Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t lying.


    Jarvis was sure good at what he did. Previously, he was confident no one would find out about his relationship with the navy. He did not expect his plan to be eventually exposed by Zhang Heng. After doing some thinking, he figured that the people assigned to guard the little boat must have been captured by Zhang Heng. Since those were his men, he knew that they would never admit to the accusation. However, there was still a possibility that they would spill the truth under a death threat.


    With a knife on their throats, they could have been forced to admit to crimes they didn¡¯t commit as long as they got to keep their lives. Jarvis figured that he could convince everyone that the captured men were interrogated under duress. Although doing that would not exonerate him completely, it was enough to stall them until his allies came to his rescue.


    However, he had to admit that Zhang Heng¡¯s accusation had brought with it significant trouble. Initially, he planned to pretend to fight the attacking navy. Now that Sam and the rest of the captains started to suspect him of treason, that plan was officially over. With Zhang Heng¡¯s warning in mind, the other captains and pirates would definitely watch out for him. He needed to figure out a way to protect himself when the navy arrived here later. As of now, he managed to deflect the threat away from him.


    After Jarvis was done defending himself, he looked at Zhang Heng calmly.


    ¡°We need to investigate this matter first. I have a proposal. Since I am not accused of anything, I can ask my men to watch the bay¡­¡± Sam added, but before he could finish, Zhang Heng interrupted him.


    ¡°All of you have misunderstood my intention. I¡¯m not here to accuse Captain Jarvis. I¡¯m only here to break the news to you. I don¡¯t care if you guys believe me or not, but I¡¯m leaving with my men right now.¡±


    ¡°You want to leave? Now? How about the gold at the bottom of the ocean? And are your men sober enough to even climb on board?¡± asked a shocked Brook.


    It was just then that Anne, Dufresne, and the rest of their party emerged from the woods. Anne still held onto her bloody dagger. As for Harry, a few strong pirates took turns carrying him back to the beach. Ramsay, on the other hand, had put in his best efforts to earn the double-reward he would get. He gathered all the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates in the shortest time possible. Most of them were drunk, going on endlessly about how they¡¯d be rich once they sold off the gold.


    ¡°You guys can keep the gold bars,¡± said Zhang Heng while pointing his gun at Jarvis.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Captain Jarvis. Please ask your men to lower their weapons. I will lower mine once my men are safely back on our ship.¡±


    Jarvis did not expect Zhang Heng to be so decisive in a critical moment like this. He had no intention to reason at all. Technically, Jarvis had more pirates than Zhang Heng. Should the worst happen, he could order his men to force Zhang Heng to remain on the beach. By doing that, however, everyone would know that he was indeed the traitor. The other captains and pirates would not hesitate to fight him then. Although it was possible that Jarvis wouldn¡¯t take such risks, Zhang Heng took no chances, ensuring that he made his men stand down.


    It had been almost an hour since the little boat that Harry saw left Parrot Island. The more time passed, the more dangerous it was to remain there. Besides, Zhang Heng had spent an extra fifteen minutes on the beach.


    He knew that it was time to leave this island immediately. Seeing that Anne and the rest of his men were back, Zhang Heng quickly asked Dufresne to send them back to the Jackdaw. The cramped boat could only fit around ten people, and they would need seven to eight minutes from the beach to the Jackdaw. In other words, a total of thirty minutes were required to take the entire crew back to the ship.


    Thirty minutes was simply too long, and Zhang Heng knew they didn¡¯t have the time. Suddenly, the Warrior¡¯s ferry caught his attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to borrow your ferry,¡± Zhang Heng suddenly said.


    Without waiting for Jarvis¡¯ reply, Zhang Heng instructed Anne to approach the boat. Immediately, a group of pirates from the Warrior jumped up and tried to stop her. Though outnumbered, she had no intention to retreat, quickly drawing her saber to resist. On the contrary, Zhang Heng had acted faster. He pointed his gun at Jarvis¡¯s feet and pulled the trigger! The bullet penetrated his boot, causing him to scream in agony. Next, Zhang Heng took another gun from his men and aimed at Jarvis¡¯s head.


    ¡°Do not test my patience.¡±

 Chapter 217 - A Decent... Human Being

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Right until Zhang Heng fired his gun, the incident that happened in Nassau not too long ago wasn¡¯t of the minds of the crowd. Zhang Heng eliminated Wilton and his men of two hundred pirates, leaving unscathed. Those who were on the ship after the massacre described the cabin as a slaughterhouse. The entire floor was awash with blood.


    Throughout the entire hunting trip, Zhang Heng had been inconspicuous to the point that most forgot he was a man of his word. In a life-threatening situation like this, Zhang Heng had no interest in playing the Werewolves of Miller Hollow with Jarvis. He had done his part by informing Sam and the rest of the captains about this incident. Having them believe what he said was out of his control altogether.


    From the gunshot, Jarvis saw Zhang Heng¡¯s determination, which was why he wasted no time asking his pirates to make way for Anne. He only accepted the pardon after he figured out that he made enough wealth as a pirate. However, he would not be able to return to civilian life since he was a wanted criminal in all the colonies. Hiding from the authorities like a scared kitten, his heart was filled with fear whenever he returned to his hometown.


    Now that he finally had the opportunity to clear his name by eliminating all of Nassau¡¯s famous pirates, he could eventually return to his hometown with pride and glory. Before he could do that, though, he had to stay alive until the navy came to rescue him.


    Jarvis never once doubted Zhang Heng¡¯s determination. From the beginning, Zhang Heng¡¯s gun stayed glued to Jarvis¡¯ head. Even though Sam and the other captains tried to talk Zhang Heng out of it, he failed to change his mind. Such determination caused alarm bells to ring among the others about what was to happen next. Sam planned to send his people to set up an observation point in the woods, wanting to monitor the ships that sailed toward this island. At the same time, Brook was left in a profound dilemma. Due to previous bad experiences, Jarvis was one that Brook could never ever trust. For this reason, Zhang Heng trusted him most right now.


    If Brook chose to leave, he wouldn¡¯t get his hands on the gold bars. Throughout the entire trip, the Swordfish suffered the most damage compared to the rest of the pirate ships. His ship¡¯s hull was in a wreck, and repairing the broken masts wasn¡¯t easy as well. It was hard for him to accept he wouldn¡¯t get a single penny out of an operation that cost him so dearly.


    In the end, Brook decided that the value of gold didn¡¯t outweigh the value of his life. Immediately, he sent someone to inform his men about the impending attack. That said, he didn¡¯t plan to stray too far from the island. He would linger nearby and observe the situation. The remaining two captains were still in a dilemma, this especially true for the one getting drunk at the earlier celebrations. Even the wave of a gold bar in front of him wouldn¡¯t make him budge.


    Time passed swiftly, and soon, every captain had their own plans. To prevent further chaos, they decided to refrain from telling their men the details of the impending attack. Sam did best, having done a shipload of things with the limited time they had. He first retrieved the cannons he set on the beach before handpicking a few sober pirates to set up an observation post in the woods.


    Although setting up a post at this time would be pointless, it was better than sitting there doing nothing nonetheless. The spotters would be able to spot a ship from a distance if it was day, giving enough time to inform the captains about an impending attack. Unfortunately, it was in the dark of night, and visibility was extremely low. The fleet would be too close once spotted, and it would all be too late.


    The terrain on Parrot Island granted countless advantages when they ambushed the Spanish treasure ship. Now, it had become their biggest inconvenience. The tall ridge blocked them from viewing the port.


    Sam actually sided more with Zhang Heng, having worked with him before, after all. Between Zhang Heng and Jarvis, one of them had to be lying. If Zhang Heng was the one, all they needed to do was to keep an eye on the Jackdaw, and the gold would be safe. However, if Jarvis was the one that betrayed them all, then they were in serious trouble.


    Less than half the pirates were in any condition to fight, and those who could, couldn¡¯t think straight. After the massive battle, all their ships suffered a certain extent of damage, not to mention out of ammunition as well. They would lose almost instantly if the navy appeared in front of them right now. Zhang Heng knew that they were in bad shape. That was why he wanted to leave the island as soon as possible.


    Sam did not blame Zhang Heng for abandoning them and fleeing on his own. Judging the Jackdaw¡¯s current condition, Zhang Heng barely had enough people to operate the ship, let alone sparing some of his men to fight off the enemies. He was left with no other option but to leave the island.


    Meanwhile, all the Jackdaw¡¯s pirates had boarded their ship. Harry and Ramsay did a fantastic job, managing to gather most of the ship¡¯s complement in ten minutes amid the chaos. Unfortunately, two pirates from Jackdaw remained missing.


    Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t afford to wait any longer. He was the last to leave the island. Seeing that the ferry was here, he pushed Jarvis onto it before he got on.


    Anne and a few other pirates rowed the boat with all their might. As for Dufresne, he had temporarily relieved Billy¡¯s position at the helm and took command of pirates still sober enough to understand a sentence. Releasing the mainsail with a whoosh, they retrieved the anchor and prepared to leave the island. Every second counted if they wanted to stay alive. Once the ferry was well on her way, Jarvis finally dropped the act.


    ¡°How did you find my men in the woods?¡±


    ¡°No. Technically, your people found my people in the woods.¡±


    ¡°What an interesting coincidence. You do know you can¡¯t be running forever, right? Even if you manage to escape this time, there will always be a next time. It¡¯s extremely rare that pirates have good endings. Take a look at Honegg, for instance. He now has power over the cannons set up to protect the island! He said he¡¯s done with risking his life as a pirate. If the Red Coat from Scotland sniffs him out, he would have no place to run.¡±


    ¡°I agree with you to a certain extent. But, this can¡¯t be the only reason you betrayed the people on the beach. Many saw you as their friend, your brother.¡±


    ¡°You will need some courage to begin a new life, young man. I shall cut off every garotting of my turbulent past. Only by doing that will I be able to live a better life in the new world. You have not seen the way those people look at us, Zhang Heng! We are like savages, ferocious beasts to them! You see, the letter of pardon isn¡¯t of importance. I have to wipe my slate clean and leave everything behind here. If I do that, then I will be able to become a de¡­ a decent human being.¡±


    ¡°I hope you get what you want.¡±


    The ferry finally arrived at the Jackdaw. Zhang Heng kept away his gun and grabbed the rope beside him. Just as the Jackdaw was about to leave, a black shadow appeared near the island.

 Chapter 218 - I Will Take You Home

    Dufresne started getting nervous the moment he saw the black shadow.


    ¡°What should we do? Are we going to attack them?¡±


    ¡°How many sober cannoneers do we have?¡±


    Zhang Heng and Anne were probably the only ones that could remain calm in a critical situation like this. They displayed uncanny fearlessness even as the fleet of battleships charged towards the island furiously.


    ¡°Four. I was a cannoneer last time. I can take up the position if you need me¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless to fight with them with sticks and stones. Release the mainsail. Let¡¯s get to them before they get into formation.¡±


    ¡°They have seven battleships! How are we going to fight?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have many choices here. It¡¯s do or die right now. They will sink us if we stay on. We will also lose our window to attack if they get into their battle formation and seal off the port. As long as we are fast enough to charge into the middle of their formation, I¡¯m pretty sure that only two or three ships would attack us since they need to be careful and not shoot their allies. I believe the Jackdaw is tough enough to withstand the onslaught.¡±


    When all was said and done, Zhang Heng took a glimpse of the beach. The pirates had realized that a fleet of navy battleships was moving fast towards them. Immediately, chaos and panic broke among the crowd. These the best pirates Nassau had ever seen, gathered here for a common goal, doing something that no one had done before. If only they¡¯d not gotten drunk and prepare respective ships, they might have a chance to defeat the navy. Unfortunately, just a single lapse of judgment sealed their fate. The celebrated pirates were reduced to running and screaming headless flies.


    The only pirate that hadn¡¯t given up was Black Prince Sam, mustering up his people as he attempted to aim the cannons at their enemies. The fact that he was the only one who retaliated made him seem a little lonely. On the other hand, Jarvis boarded a small boat and was ordered to row back to the island. However, he changed his mind the moment he saw the navy fleet dawning on Parrot Island. He quickly changed direction and rowed towards the navy, waving his hands and screaming out to them.


    At this point, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t bothered about his allies anymore. He turned around and looked at his men. Panic and despair had hit the crew hard. Helpless and afraid, they didn¡¯t know what they should do if they wished to live to see another day. Suddenly, Zhang Heng heard a deep, commanding voice in the dark.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will take you home.¡±


    ¡­


    The fleet of battleships moved faster than expected. Even though the Swordfish decided to leave Parrot Island, they were still attempting to gather all their men. It was too late for them to escape. Brook¡¯s face had turned pale with the Jackdaw being his only comfort. Although Zhang Heng and his men got on the ship earlier than them, it seemed like it was too late for them to get away as well.


    To everyone surprise, not only did the Jackdaw not retreat, but they now charged at the navy without respite. Such a suicidal move shocked everyone.


    Worden, the navy fleet commander, stood on the deck, watching the Jackdaw calmly.


    ¡°Is that the corvette we lost earlier?¡±


    ¡°Her exterior seems different. I believe the pirates modified it. But yes, sir. This was indeed the Glory, a corvette we lost during the battle of Charleston,¡± replied the chief officer after taking a good look at the Jackdaw.


    Worden kept shaking his head as he replied emotionlessly, ¡°This corvette no longer deserves her name of the Glory. Elmer, the idiot, has chucked the glory of the navy to a bunch of bandits! Now, I have to clean up his mess. Open fire at them right away. I want them all dead tonight.¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Captain Jarvis¡¯ boat is still close to them. If we open fire now¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you just graduated from navy school? Didn¡¯t you hear my orders?! I told you to kill everyone! Everyone! That includes Jarvis and his barbaric beasts.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I thought they were ours? Captain Jarvis provided us with all the information that we need. I heard he has an agreement with Count Lambert. After we eliminate the pirates, Count Lambert is supposed to grant him and his men immunity! After that, they will serve the queen¡­¡±


    The chief officer was interrupted by Worden.


    ¡°Open your eyes and have a good look, Chris! Look hard and long! Those creatures on the beach aren¡¯t humans. They are a herd of wild beasts! Do you know what they did to Count Bellomonte and governor-general Watt in Charleston? Oh right, and the idiot Elmer. Let me tell you! They took over the Scarborough and killed every single man on board. I¡¯m talking about seven hundred navy sailors! That excludes the collateral of innocent citizens killed during the senseless raid.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why Count Lambert asked for me specifically to deal with sea-threats, kid?¡±


    ¡°Because you are the best at dealing with pirates?¡±


    ¡°No. Because I never negotiate with wild beasts. I know a few aristocrats who said that we should deal with them in the most humane way possible. I can guarantee you; I¡¯m not the kind of person to be merciful to such a lot. What makes you think I¡¯ll allow a bunch of thugs immunity, let alone returning them to civilized society? After all the blood on their hands, all the pain and suffering they¡¯ve caused, we grant them a good life as punishment?! Let¡¯s just pretend nothing happen then!


    ¡°So, no. I will never allow such good to happen to them. Over my dead body! So, do me a favor and kill everything that moves out there! No one will know what happens tonight except for us. Our mission will be complete, and Count Lambert will get to keep his reputation. Now, are my orders clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Chris gulped.


    ¡°Excellent! Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    By now, everyone knew that Jarvis was the traitor in question. The pirates from the Warrior started fighting the other pirates as well. It came as no surprise that they were all still sober. Knowing a fight was coming, they had kept their weapons close to them. From the very start, they had the upper hand in the situation.


    However, they were outnumbered not too long after that. As time passed, Sam and the other captains managed to hold the line, albeit barely. They started to turn from being defensive to offensive. The pirates from the Warrior began to panic as Jarvis, their leader, wasn¡¯t with them. Besides, whatever they were to their fellow pirates doing was uncouth, nothing to be proud of. Soon, their morale diminished, and they were defeated. Jarvis wouldn¡¯t risk his life by heading to the beach to help his men to fight back all the other pirates.


    His only option left was to row to the navy as fast as his arms could muscle the oars.

 Chapter 220 - Perhaps, I Could Try?

    The Jackdaw had never been attacked by so many cannons before, and within a matter of minutes, her hull was riddled with holes. Throughout the entire battle, Zhang Heng managed to outperform himself, dodging most of the lethal shots. Right now, they were only a quarter of a mile from the navy. The attacks grew fiercer as The Jackdaw drew closer to them, with cannonballs raining down on them like hailstones.


    ¡°Captain! Captain! We can¡¯t go on like this! The Jackdaw will be in pieces before we can get close!¡± shouted a desperate Dufresne.


    ¡°Repair the damage! It¡¯s too late to back down now! Do you really think they will let us turn around and flee?¡± asked Zhang Heng as he guided the ship through choppy waters.


    A few moments ago, a cannonball flew past Zhang heng¡¯s elbow, the shockwave it produced stunned him silly. He and Anne were at the most dangerous spot on the ship. All his men could hunker down except him, having to make sure that his hands were always dancing with the wheel. The only thing he could do was pray that the Lucky Rabbit Foot was in effect.


    ¡°Even if we manage to break through their defensive lines, the Jackdaw can¡¯t get far. Look at her state, Captain! We¡¯ve lost a topsail and a mainsail!¡±


    ¡°We will discuss this problem after we get through their defensive line.¡±


    Soon after that, his voice was overcome by the sound of deafening cannons firing at them. Dufresne realized that this would be the ship¡¯s most precarious moment. He ran out instantly, pulling pirates that were still sober to fix every damage he could see. Even Ramsay turned acting carpenter, looking for everything around him to patch up the ailing boat. Unfortunately, the crack-team of workmen couldn¡¯t keep up against the ever-increasing holes no matter how quick they worked. Helplessness began setting in.


    It was then when Zhang Heng¡¯s strategy finally worked. After a few volleys of continuous firing, the entire area was covered in thick smoke. It was time for the Jackdaw to enter the smokescreen. Now, the navy would be staring into a grey mist, let alone aim at anything. Naturally, Worden wasn¡¯t very pleased. They were now in perfect alignment to deal a fatal blow to Jackdaw, now that they were close enough. If they waited until the Jackdaw exited the smokescreen, it would be impossible for some of the ships to attack as they would emerge misaligned to their cannons.


    Wanting none of it, Worden ordered his men to continue firing into the thick fog. That said, the Jackdaw could relax a little for now.


    At the same time, the battle on the beach was reaching its climax. Since Jarvis¡¯ betrayal had been exposed earlier than expected, pirates from the Warrior were well prepared to face the inevitable battle. Still, they didn¡¯t manage to hold the upper hand for too long, soon to be rendered passive. Under the command of Black Prince Sam, every pirate fearlessly charged at their enemies like stampeding rhinos. Since they were severely outnumbered, the Warrior¡¯s pirates were in deep trouble. They could only hope that the navy would come for them after dealing with the Jackdaw. Unfortunately for them, that wish didn¡¯t come true.


    ¡°Sir, the battle on the beach is wrapping up! I think the Warrior¡¯s men are about to lose. The remaining pirates might bring us a lot of trouble if we let them get back to their ships.¡± said the chief officer after he put down his monocular.


    ¡°Inform the Miranda and Warrior. Let them deal with the corvette we lost in the smoke. We have damaged them severely just now. A few hits, and that¡¯ll be the end of her. The rest of us will prioritize attacking the pirates on the beach. The first thing we need to do is destroy all their ships,¡± Worden muttered while rubbing his chin.


    ¡°Aye, sir!¡±


    Although the Jackdaw was concealed in the smoke, Zhang Heng was sharp enough to detect that their enemies had been significantly weakened. However, he could hear their cannons firing again. Zhang Heng guessed that something must have happened to the beach. The navy must have turned some of their fire and focussed it there. It would seem this was the best time for the Jackdaw to flee the place.


    Right now, they were extremely close to the enemy. At such close proximity, it would be impossible that he could escape detection. All of a sudden, the fog cleared just enough for Zhang Heng to see his enemy pointing their cannons at him. The enemy, too, had noticed the Jackdaw, and without hesitation, opened fire! In such moments where life hung by a thread, all of Zhang Heng¡¯s sailing skills were rendered useless. There were no dodging attacks when both ships were so close to each other.


    All he could do right now was to point the Jackdaw to the beach and sail there full speed ahead. Dufresne led a few men to fix a massive hole in a cabin under the main deck. Without warning, the spot that they just patched blew up in their faces, and a cannonball squashed one of the pirates¡¯ heads. Before they could react, more and more cannonballs were launched at them. The hole started to let seawater in.


    The flooding water into the cabin gushed at everyone with mighty force. It threw Dufresne off balance, and his head hit a barrel beside him. He went unconscious, only to wake up a moment later after he almost drowned. Dufresne got up and touched his forehead. It was bleeding profusely, stinging from the salty seawater. Dazed and confused, he vaguely saw broken pieces of wood floating everywhere around him. With the water up to their knees, his injured men lay sitting at a corner, crying for help. He then looked to his left and saw a hole that was as big as a basin, filling up the ship fast with seawater. He shook off the pain in his throbbing head and quickly grabbed a floating board to fix it.


    With Dufresne¡¯s initiative, the pirates that weren¡¯t too injured jumped in to help. They managed to plug the leak in the shortest time possible, but the water level still didn¡¯t go down.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more hole at the end of the ship. I think it¡¯s behind a wine cabinet, and my hands can¡¯t reach it,¡± said one of the pirates.


    ¡°Let¡¯s work together then. We will have to first move the cabinet.¡±


    Instantly, a few pirates went into action, trying to pick up the fallen cabinet. Unfortunately, it wouldn¡¯t budge, lodged securely in the hole it fell in. The water had now reached their waists, and if nothing was done, the Jackdaw would sink indefinitely.


    ¡°Can we cut it into half?¡±


    Dufresne asked a bald pirate standing beside him, the only qualified carpenter on this ship.


    ¡°Yes, we can, but it will take some time. I don¡¯t think we have enough,¡± replied the carpenter after a short moment of hesitation.


    Just when the last drops of hope were almost dried up, a young man spoke up.


    ¡°About that¡­ perhaps, I could give it a try?¡±

 Chapter 221 - No Where To Run, Jarvis

    ¡°You?¡± asked a skeptical Dufresne.


    ¡°I¡¯m small enough to squeeze in, which means I can fix the hole without moving the cabinet,¡± Harry replied.


    Dufresne looked at the carpenter, who then turned to Harry for a good look. Then he nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible¡­ theoretically.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Dufresne, please let me try. Otherwise, we¡¯re all going to die here!¡±


    ¡°How about the wound on your arm?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I hurt it earlier while running because I was too afraid. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Harry chucked while swinging his arms to prove that he was fine.


    ¡°Quick! Take off your shirt.¡±


    After Harry took off his shirt, Dufresne tore a sleeve off and wrapped it around a cork. He then passed it to Harry.


    ¡°Use this to plug the hole. If you think it¡¯s not big enough, wrap some more cloth around the cork.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°You want to become a part of the Jackdaw, right? Finish this task, and I will suggest that the captain take you in as an official crew. Now, be careful.¡±


    Harry was elated when he heard that.


    ¡°Leave it to me!¡±


    Immediately, he took a deep breath and dived into the water.


    ¡­¡­


    On another note, Jarvis had invested a lot of time making sure he got as far as he could from the Jackdaw. After a long while, he finally managed to get close to the navy ship. From his little boat, Jarvis could see Worden and Chris on the main deck. This was his first time meeting Worden. All this time, he had been contacting Chris. Throughout the entire operation, Jarvis had been leaking the pirates¡¯ plans to Chris, knowing he was a high-ranking officer of the navy. When Jarvis came under the shadow of the hull, he put down the oars and waved to Chris, who strangely avoided eye contact.


    ¡°Are you ashamed?!¡± Worden harrumphed.


    ¡°No, sir.¡±


    Though Chris¡¯s face burned hot, he still managed to hold himself most confidently.


    ¡°Remember, they are a herd of primitive beasts. There¡¯s no shame in fooling them. Think about the people they killed. You shouldn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of guilt! I want you to lift your head and look him in the eyes.¡±


    Chris longed to disobey the order, but he did it anyway. Jarvis was still waving his hands at him, glad to have finally caught their attention. It wasn¡¯t too long before Jarvis realized the ice-cold stare coming out of Chris¡¯ eyes. He quickly caught on, sensing that something wasn¡¯t right. Being a legendary pirate of Nassau, of course he could read Chris¡¯s mind. Whether he wanted it or not, he had thrown in everything get to where he was today. There was no turning back now.


    The moment he betrayed Black Prince Sam and the rest of the captains, he knew that he could no longer return as a captain. Besides, most of his men were killed in the battle. Now, he was all alone in the vast ocean. Jarvis initially thought that he could get his immunity documents, thereby severing his past for good. But even if he managed to leave his life behind him, the door to the new world seemed to be permanently shut as well. Right now, he had nowhere else to go.


    ¡°Great! Now, I want you to kill him. Tell Count Lambert that Captain Jarvis was killed in battle. We shall honor our word and allow him to return to a civilized society. That only applies to his dead body, of course.¡±


    Jarvis then saw the cannons on the main deck aiming at him. If he wanted to, there was still enough time to abandon the boat and swim away. After all, the navy was focusing on the Jackdaw and the beach. If he jumped into the water, he could probably dodge the cannonballs. Despite everything that could be said about him, Jarvis valiantly stayed on little boat. He knew that he would never be able to live in this world anymore, even if he managed to survive.


    The cannoneer lit up the fuse once Chris gave the order to fire. The first projectile missed its target. So, the cannoneer readjusted the cannon and retook aim. As luck would have it, the second shot missed as well. The little boat rocked and shuddered violently as the massive cannonballs flew past at supersonic speed! Still, Jarvis sat like a statue, unwilling to yield. The third time around, the cannoneer took half a minute to aim at Jarvis. Finally, he fired!


    The flying cannonball landed directly on Jarvis. Seconds after that, his body surfaced, but no one seemed to care about the man. The death of Captain Jarvis was just a tiny interlude in the long symphony of battle.


    After that, the navy and pirate-hunters started firing on the pirate ships docked onshore. Black Prince Sam used the swiftest way in dealing with the remaining pirates from the Warrior, gathering whatever of his men were left and rushing back his own ship. Casualties were mounting, and right now, they severely lacked men to fight off the navy and the pirate hunters. The cannoneers they had were enough for only two ships, so after a short discussion, they decided to gather all that could still fight into one vessel.


    Just when they alighted a small boat and were about to row to the nearest ship, the navy and pirate hunters launched a massive volley of artillery at them. This time around, they received their reckoning.


    They were forced to watch flames engulf their ships. The first one that sank was Brook¡¯s Swordfish. Having been severely damaged by the Spanish treasure ship, the carpenters had only fixed half of the damage. As Jarvis had personally relayed this piece of information to the navy, the Swordfish would naturally become their first target. Brook knew all too well that his ship would be first to go. Still, he could not help but feel upset. After all, they had been through countless battles together, and his heart was like an anchor.


    The next to come under siege was the Tigershark. Its strength was only second to the Quidah and was initially one of the ships that Black Prince Sam and the pirates intended to board. Before they could even get there, the enemies had started bombarding it with cannonballs. Luckily, its hull was tougher than the Swordfish. It lasted longer than the former, managing to buy the pirates some valuable time.


    In the end, Black Prince Sam decided that he would give up boarding the Quidah because it was simply too far away from them. Immediately, he asked his men to turn around. Now, their new heading was to the Warrior. Previously, their crew were thinkong of leaving the place after their betrayal had been found out. They were parked closest to the beach. Unfortunately, things had gone south, and now, they were unable to board. This gave Black Prince Sam and the rest a fighting chance instead of running away.


    Though the outcome of this battle was no rocket science, they insisted on fighting for honor, till life¡¯s very end.


    .

 Chapter 222 - Fury

    ¡°Are we safe now?¡±


    By some miracle, the Jackdaw didn¡¯t sink even after two rounds of intense shelling. Instead, she limped clumsily out of the harbor.


    Anne dislodged a large splinter stuck in her shoulder and asked, ¡°Are we safe?¡±


    When the armored ship opened fire, Zhang Heng had to stay by his post, so Anne shielded him. Although fortunate enough to steer clear of the explosion, the shrapnel from the blasts was an even more significant threat. Thus, the red-haired girl bore the brunt of all the flying debris.


    It wasn¡¯t just her busted shoulder. Her arm, calves, and cheeks also had varying degrees of chaffs and lesions. Yet, despite the pain, she didn¡¯t whine or complain.


    Zhang Heng did thank her ¨C with the relationship they shared; there was no need for verbal expression. Instead, without saying a word, he took off his shirt and bandaged her wound with it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If they didn¡¯t have the upper hand, they wouldn¡¯t have just let us off like that. However, they won¡¯t need so many ships to fight the people on the beach, so I believe they will split up and send some after us.¡±


    As if a demented prophecy, the silhouette of two armored ships emerged amid the thick fog of war!


    They must have just turned around since they were pretty far away from the Jackdaw. Nevertheless, they caught up to ailing ship pretty quickly.


    Zhang Heng wouldn¡¯t typically worry about having a tail. With the Jackdaw¡¯s imposing firepower and a crew to match, he could easily win a fight against two pursuing enemies. Even if the situation did go south, they could just turn away and escape.


    Right now, the Jackdaw was in terrible condition. They were understaffed, having practically no gunners on board. At least three masts were damaged, and the leak in the hull was getting worse. The flood had quickly risen by three feet and was already at the danger line.


    Under such circumstances, it would take a miracle for them to make it back to Nassau. They couldn¡¯t fire, and they couldn¡¯t flee. How were they supposed to fight? This was the same situation that hit Dufresne. Even if the Jackdaw could break through the naval blockade, she wouldn¡¯t go any further in such a hamstrung state.


    Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t see the light at the end of the tunnel, but since he had put everything he had on this mission, he wouldn¡¯t have come unprepared. He put Anne in charge of the rudder after borrowing her dagger. Then, he went up to the mainmast. Back when he was on the Sea Lion, he was Roscoe¡¯s apprentice for some time and was no stranger to climbing high structures.


    Even though he hadn¡¯t done anything of that sort since he became captain, he wasn¡¯t wholly rusty yet. Clamping his dagger between his teeth, he scaled the rickety rope ladder as quickly as he could. Once he was on the top at the crow¡¯s nest, he saw the scratched surface where an ancient Celtic name was once engraved.


    Zhang Heng took the dagger out of his mouth. Ironically, being the one who crossed out the name, he was the one to carve it back on again.


    Initially, the plan was to communicate with the so-called ¡®ancient Celtic god¡¯ only after he got the Tulewood box, the safest method he could think of. Now he had no other choice.


    Zhang Heng had quite a few game props in his possession, but the only thing that could be of assistance in this situation was the yet to be identified seashell.


    However, nothing out of the ordinary happened after he finished engraving the name, and the two armored ships drew even closer to the Jackdaw, their gunners ready to light the fuses.


    Time was running out fo Zhang Heng. That said, he wasn¡¯t inclined to think that Betty, the ancient Celtic god, must have abandoned him. In fact, he had always suspected that the god¡¯s objective back on the ghost ship wasn¡¯t Seth, but him, the captain himself.


    Anne¡¯s sudden presence interrupted the god¡¯s appearance. As a result, it had to give up on Zhang Heng and targeted Seth instead since he was all alone. From the beginning, her goal had never changed. There was a reason why she instructed Seth to steal the three notebooks. She intended to use him as bait for Zhang Heng, knowing it would draw his attention.


    But if that was the case, then why didn¡¯t she look for him again the moment he got the shell?


    Zhang Heng quickly reevaluated his earlier conversation with Seth. He recalled the abrupt storm they encountered on their way back to Nassau, and he remembered Seth saying that anger was needed to control it.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s brows furrowed. Perhaps it was because his parents were never around, and he was part of the grow-up-real-fast group, that he ended up more emotionally stable.


    There were times when he got mad, of course, but ever since he realized that anger only solved nothing, he rarely flamed up at every other matter that annoyed him.


    When Wei Jiangyang got cheated on his first job, his friends brought him for a night out. After having a little too much to drink, he told Zhang Heng, ¡°Zhang Heng, I think that the most incredible thing about you is that: you see this cruel world for what it is, yet you¡¯re not disappointed by it. How do you do it? You¡¯re just like a bystander¡­ you are good at everything. It¡¯s just that sometimes, you¡¯re just too calm that it gets boring.


    Zhang Heng also knew that his SAN value fell slower sometimes, but he never thought that it would be a problem for him someday.


    He looked back at his life, finding that no particular baggage weighed him down, nor was there the taste of bitterness in his heart. He harbored no hate towards anybody, hence the cavalier disposition.


    This was going to be tricky.


    Based on his deductions, not only did he need anger to summon the storms, but it would require continual waves of rage to keep the storm going. Seth¡¯s anger came and went quickly, which was why the storm only lasted for a short while.


    So, if Zhang Heng wanted to break away from the two ships, he would need a storm that could last at least thirty minutes.


    Zhang Heng had to find another way. He took in a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut.


    Half a minute later, the bows of the armored ships had almost come up to the stern of the Jackdaw. Suddenly, a flash of lightning as bright as the sun flashed across the night sky, striking a mast of one of the armored ships! Although no one was standing near it, the crew was shaken, terrified by the incident.


    However, that was only just the beginning. Thunder rumbled along the horizon, and the wind started billowing from all directions. At the same time, the purple bolts of lightning grew more frequent akin to a discharging power grid. The calm seas became blustery, battering the wooden hulls with fury. Seeing that their target was mere feet away, the armored ship¡¯s captain gave the order to open fire.


    However, a massive wave suddenly came crashing onto the side of their ship, knocking the cannoneers off their posts with a mighty force!

 Chapter 223 - Successful Escape

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The Jackdaw¡¯s pirates waited patiently in the cabin, staring at the fallen cabinet. Harry had been under the water for a minute and a half. An ordinary person could only hold their breath underwater for about thirty to forty seconds. For those who lived by the sea from a very young age, they could stay submerged for two to three minutes. Considering that Harry needed to fix the hole while holding his breath, his oxygen consumption would increase and should be reaching his limit now.


    There was no still response from below. Then, the pirates saw that the water had stopped rising. In other words, Harry must have successfully blocked the hole. The pirates started cheering and patting each other¡¯s backs. Soon, the cheers faded off as they realized that Harry hadn¡¯t emerged. Immediately, Dufresne took off his shirt and jumped into the water.


    Harry didn¡¯t disappoint, managing to fix the hole as promised. Unfortunately, when he was about to head back, his leg was caught a fishing net. Desperate to flee himself, Harry did everything he could, but only got entangled more. Despite his best efforts, he couldn¡¯t get rid of the net. Soon, he started choking for breath, and strength slowly sapped away from his muscles.


    Due to the lack of oxygen, Harry¡¯s mind went blank.


    ¡°Is this where I die? I should have told them that I couldn¡¯t do the job. But then again¡­ come to think about it, I think I¡¯m the only one capable of fixing the hole. If I didn¡¯t do it, the Jackdaw would have sunk¡­¡±


    Harry¡¯s lungs burned and could see his world turning darker and darker. His hands and legs stopped moving. That was all he remembered.


    He regained consciousness after feeling someone slapping his face and pumping his chest. Immediately, Harry vomited a mouthful of seawater as he sputtered and gasped for dear air. The next thing he remembered was somebody lifting him onto their shoulders, and pirates chanting his name.


    ¡®Is this what it feels like to be a hero? Hmm¡­ I think I like this feeling a lot,¡¯ thought Harry as he scratched his head in a daze.


    Before he could relish the fame, there was a violent jolt, and he was thrown back into the water! The pirates around him were shocked as well. Suddenly, the Jackdaw started shaking and vibrating. It was so bad that nobody could stand on their feet. The roof started to crumble, and the holes and cracks they just fixed started to tear open again.


    Dufresne quickly ordered two men to pump all the seawater from the cabin. As for the rest, they were instructed to get down to fixing the holes and cracks again. Everyone in the cabin was tasked with something to do. Soon, the situation stabilized, and when Dufresne was sure that they were out of danger, he ran up to the main deck in a hurry.


    The moment he got outside, he was dumbfounded by what he saw. After he spent twenty minutes in the cabin, the ocean had changed entirely. Giant waves rocked the seas, and a gale with terrifying howls blew at them with ungodly force. With the storm came bright flashes of lightning. The wheelhouse was only a few steps away, but Dufresne spent half a minute to reach it. He even slipped and fell twice.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the captain?!¡±


    Anne was unable to hear Dufresne over the deafening wind and thunder. Now, Dufresne had to shout to get his question across. Anne pointed at the mainmast behind her. It was all blurry, but Dufresne could see a shadowy figure right atop of the mast. Of course, he didn¡¯t connect the sudden storm to Zhang Heng, thinking he must have gone up to keep the mainsail.


    ¡°Where is the navy?¡±


    It was about then when a cannonball suddenly landed ten meters away from the Jackdaw. An armored ship was hot on her tail, closing in fast from the left! The captain of the enemy vessel had ordered his men to attack it. Fortunately, the wild storm would stop even the most experienced cannoneer from landing an accurate shot. Every time their cannoneer adjusted their sights, a mysterious wave would hit them, and the cannons would be misaligned.


    As for the other enemy that was further away from the Jackdaw, they were less fortunate. The storm came so suddenly that their sailors failed to keep their mainsail in time. The unrelenting gusts caught the sails and broke their mainmast along with it. Left with no options, the captain turned around and returned to Parrot Island. With one enemy less, the Jackdaw could breathe a small sigh of relief.


    The same couldn¡¯t be said for Dufresne¡¯s mood. Though they managed to solve part of the problem, he knew that it would be a great challenge for the severely crippled Jackdaw to survive such weather. As for Anne, she was busy wrestling the ship. Throughout this time, she had managed to employ brute strength to convince everyone that she was worthy of staying onboard.


    However, Dufresne and a few on the ship knew all about her background. Before she came to Nassau, she had never been to sea before. In other words, she didn¡¯t know how to handle a ship. From the start, all she did was to hang on the wheel for dear life! Zhang Heng told her that all she needed to do was to make sure that they traveled in a straight line.


    Dufresne was getting more worried that Anne might actually mess this up. What amazed him the most was the waves hitting the bow, literally like an undulating magic carpet ride. He didn¡¯t see a single wave hit the Jackdaw¡¯s side. However, Dufresne wasn¡¯t one to risk sinking the ship, and after witnessing Anne¡¯s less than stellar skills, he immediately took over the wheel. The enemy was still on their left. Soon, the storm only grew bigger, and the enemies started to question their rationale for continuing the pursuit.


    The enemies knew that the Jackdaw was reaching the end of its line. All they needed to do was to strike them with some cannonballs, and they would see her on her merry way down to the bottom of the ocean. They were so close to their goal, and giving up now would be a waste.


    However, these were pirate hunters and not the navy. Though Worden told his men to eliminate the Jackdaw at all costs, they wouldn¡¯t just put down their lives for some order. Under such dire circumstances, it was simply too risky for them to continue on. The storm too didn¡¯t look like it was about to let up anytime soon. There was a good chance that it would destroy their ship even if they managed to sink the Jackdaw.


    Frustrated by the futile effort, the pirate hunters were forced to turn back after a few minutes. The Jackdaw was finally free of enemy pursuit. Right now, they had one last enemy left to fight ¨C the storm. That was what bothered Dusfrene in the first place. They would be forced to endure the raging sea for a little longer. Half an hour later, the wind gradually subsided, and like sorcery, the sea returned to its former calm.


    Things seemed to be looking up for the Jackdaw once again. Throughout their tumultuous voyage, they managed to overcome every single threat that was hurled at them.

 Chapter 224 - New Crisis

    After the wind and waves died down, only the Jackdaw remained on the vast ocean.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we actually escaped!¡±


    Dufresne surveyed the surrounding waters until he was sure that the enemy was nowhere to be seen. Only when he was convinced that they were alone did he plop down on the deck, breathing a long sigh of relief.


    After finding Harry and hearing of Jarvis¡¯s betrayal, he had been extremely anxious and tense. He held it all in until the danger was over. Now, he was completely drained and weak.


    In a case where the navy had absolute firepower and completely blockaded the seaport, twelve pirates miraculously got the Jackdaw through the blockade, shook off their pursuers, and even successfully made it through the terrible storm. All this in a ship that was less than seaworthy at that time.


    Every step of the way was a perilous affair, and everyone contributed by doing their absolute best. Even so, a lot of luck was involved, especially with the occurrence of the storm. It started brewing at the perfect moment. Had it struck them a minute later, and the two armored ships would have sunk the Jackdaw. What was even more incredible was that even in her condition, the Jackdaw was able to survive the fierce storm and still come out in one piece.


    As the skies brightened, a souffl¨¦ of pink clouds lined the horizon. The drunk sailors finally woke from their slumber. Soon, the main deck began filling up with a hushed murmur audible amongst the pirates, most merely happy to be alive. Dufresne looked around until his gaze finally fell upon a silent figure standing at the stern.


    When that man said that he was going to take everyone home, Dufresne thought that he was only saying it to appease the sailors. After all, as captain of the ship, it was only his duty to stabilize the situation first. What Dufresne never expected was that Zhang Heng would actually fulfill his promise, and lead the Jackdaw in an astonishing escape from a desperate situation that seemed hopeless.


    Whatever he had done last night, no one else could have done it in his place.


    His achievements overshadowed the sphere of what an ordinary human could do. The Jackdaw¡¯s incredible night was nothing short of a miracle, clearly reflected in the expressions of awe and admiration on the sailors¡¯ faces. Zhang Heng, however, didn¡¯t look particularly cheery.


    Having recuperated his strength after resting for a bit, Dufresne walked up to the captain and looked in at the direction he was looking at. It was probably toward Parrot Island. Nevertheless, they couldn¡¯t spot anything from so far away.


    ¡°Do they¡­ still have a chance?¡±¡®


    Zhang Heng shook his head. ¡°The navy came very well prepared this time. And then there¡¯s Jarvis, their spy. We¡¯ve lost a lot this time around. If Black Sam and the others wish to live, they would have to retreat to the heart of the island. But that is exactly what the navy hopes for. They won¡¯t even have to do anything. All they need to do is to wait for two weeks, and when they get on the island, they¡¯ll find themselves a gang of famished, diseased pirates who are on the verge of death.¡±


    Dufresne fell silent. He, too, had already guessed it. This was the very reason why Zhang Heng did everything in his power to get the Jackdaw away from the island. This battle was doomed long before it even started.


    Although both sides were on equal footing when it came to firepower, it wasn¡¯t a fair contest at all. The pirates on the island were attacked while celebrating, caught completely unaware. They were separated from their ships and their weapons weren¡¯t loaded. On top of that, their brains were gin-soaked ¨C in no condition to fight, yet, forced to do so. One could only imagine what the outcome of that would be.


    While Dufresne and Zhang Heng were in the middle of the conversation, the recently hired bookkeeper hurried over to them.


    ¡°Captain, Mr. Dufresne, you better come see this,¡± said the man while panting.


    Zhang Heng and Dufresne quickly followed the bookkeeper to the hold. Nearly all the seawater had been pumped out, and except for the dampness, it was mostly back to its normal state. However, the sailors inside looked grim, as they stood looking at a bucket of clean water.


    Dufresne reached in and scooped some into his hands. He took a sip, but its saltiness made him spit it out instantly. He asked, ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re out of luck, sir. Two shells hit the area where we stored our fresh water. It destroyed around seven or eight barrels of them. It was fine at first, but when the flood came in, seawater mixed with it. There¡¯s also not much rum left on the ship because we took out thirty barrels for the party!¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± the quartermaster asked when he saw the bookkeeper gulp.


    ¡°The biscuits stored in here are soaked in seawater as well. We managed to save some of it, but the rest of it can¡¯t be eaten.¡±


    ¡°So, how long can our reserves last us?¡±


    ¡°We have enough food. Even without the biscuits, we still have the dried meat and potatoes. We can also have our men go fishing. If we carefully ration our food, it should be enough to last us till Nassau. But¡­¡± the bookkeeper paused. ¡°¡­there¡¯s only enough water for four days.¡±


    ¡°Four days?!¡±


    ¡°At our rate of current consumption, yes.¡±


    Dufresne immediately recognized the direness of the situation. It took the Jackdaw almost two weeks to get from Nassau to Parrot Island, and that was with the wind on their tail.


    The Jackdaw had just endured a major battle. As luck would have it, the masts were not seriously damaged, and the sails had been patched up by the crew. Now, of all things, the wind wasn¡¯t in their favor. It would take them much longer to return to Nassau.


    ¡°Are there any islands nearby where we can replenish our water supply?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°There is one near us¡­ a small island, only a quarter of the size of Parrot Island, but there¡¯s no water there, sir,¡± a sailor answered.


    ¡°Then, from now on, we¡¯ll start restricting the water on board. Everyone will receive an allotted amount every day,¡± Dufresne said.


    Zhang Heng made no comments. Instead, he turned to Harry and said, ¡°Go get my chart from my quarters.¡±


    The latter had been eavesdropping on the conversation, wondering when Dufresne would tell Zhang Heng about his contribution. When Zhang Heng spoke directly to him, he was taken aback, but for whatever reason, a look of excitement suddenly washed over his face, and he made haste to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    However, once inside, he was distressed. Unfamiliar with the room, it took him amost half a day of rummaging around to find the chart tucked away at the top of the bookshelf.


    ¡­.


    Zhang Heng spread out the chart, and the first thing he did was to locate Parrot Island and tried to look for the nearby island. He seemed to be calculating something in his head.


    Dufresne was puzzled. ¡°There¡¯s no fresh water on the island. What is the use of us going there?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been hounded and pursued by these guys for the longest time now. We¡¯d be letting them off the hook too easily if we just leave without asking for any recompense. Also, the water that we need will come from them,¡± Zhang Heng explained.

 Chapter 225 - Coral Island

    Jackdaw no longer suffered the lack of staff after all the pirates sobered up. The ship¡¯s cannons could finally be put to good use. As for its condition, most of the cracks and holes had been hastily patched up, and she could move normally again. Although not the best option, restoring it to its mint state would take ages, not to mention needing a dry dock. Right now, there weren¡¯t any materials left to fix it. Any further repairs would have to wait until they returned to Nassau.


    In the jerry-rigged state that the Jackdaw was in, they would certainly meet their end if they engaged in another battle. This time around, Harry was asked to attend the pre-battle meeting. Back then, when discussing the attack on the Spanish treasure ship back, Ramsay and Harry were asked to stay out of it. Later, it was discovered that Harry became very upset due to this. So he was pleasantly surprised when Zhang Heng allowed him to be a part of the coveted discussion, a closed-door meeting typically attended by the higher ranking staff of the ship. Naturally, this got Harry really excited, and though the captain forbode him from talking during the meeting, he was so happy that a silly grin couldn¡¯t leave his face.


    On the other spectrum of emotions, Billy was deeply guilty about what happened last night. He had gotten so drunk that he couldn¡¯t help protect the ship and was genuinely disappointed in himself. Feeling dishonored, he insisted on giving up his helmsman post. However, after some persuasion, Zhang Heng and the rest of the crew managed to talk him out of it.


    No doubt, Billy was the best candidate to be the helmsman on the whole of Jackdaw. Dufresne, although no slouch, preferred to work as quartermaster of the ship. Before last night¡¯s incident, Billy had been always been a trustworthy crewman, taking his duties very seriously.


    The crew wouldn¡¯t simply deny all his contributions because of one accidental lapse of judgment. Of course, he would be punished accordingly for overindulging to the point where the ship¡¯s security was compromised. For the next three voyages, his regular portion of loot would be cut in half. However, he was still allowed his bonus. Fortunately, after all the deductions and subtractions, he would still receive the same amount as the others, more or less. Even as they were talking, Billy was already well into his tasks again.


    ¡°Are you sure they will come after us?¡± asked Billy.


    ¡°I¡¯m bloody sure they will. Previously, they sent two ships because they wanted to defeat us in one go. We only managed to shake them off because of the sudden storm. I have every reason to believe that the navy sank all pirate ships on Parrot Island last night. In other words, they would only need a ship or two to keep an eye on the remaining pirates there. This leaves the rest of them free to pursue us. After all, we have suffered a considerable amount of damage, and we are only half a day from Parrot Island. They can easily catch up to us if they depart now.¡±


    ¡°What if they decide to come after us all of their ships? If that¡¯s the case, we would be willingly walking into their trap,¡± said Dufresne.


    ¡°The possibility of it happening is extremely tiny. After crossing paths with the enemy, I see that their commander is extremely good at what he does. I think he should figure out that we would take the longer route back to Nassau if we wish to avoid them. So, the best option for them would be splitting up to cover more water. Our hull is severely damaged. We won¡¯t last long if we engage in battle with them again. They know that one ship of theirs is enough to defeat us even if they all split up. I believe that the commander is willing to risk it to finish us off.¡±


    ¡°Coral Island is two hundred nautical miles east of Parrot Island. It is in the same direction as Nassau. However, it is slightly to the north. We should stop here and wait a day. If my deductions are wrong and our enemies choose to stick together instead, they would head straight to Nassau. If that¡¯s the case, they will pass by without noticing us, and our threat would be nullified. If I¡¯m right, then one of their ships would definitely cross paths with us. By that time, we could take to take their ship and solve our water problem.¡±


    ¡°What should we do? The hull is in real bad shape. I don¡¯t think we will survive another high-intensity battle,¡± said Billy.


    ¡°This is why we need a small island. It¡¯s similar to the strategy we used for the Spanish treasure ship. First, we dismount the cannons and move them to the island. After that, Jackdaw will lure the ship into the firing range of the on-shore cannons. We will attack them with everything that we¡¯ve got! By luck, we can prevent our ship from taking further damage.¡±


    Zhang Heng had so much faith in his strategy only because he heard the game¡¯s notification earlier. He leveled up his sailing skills from two to three, but in the heat of battle, he was so focused that he completely ignored it. Once the storm was over, he noticed that his level on his character panel had changed.


    When he rammed his ship into the navy¡¯s defensive line, the tremendous amount of pressure he was put under inadvertently awakened his potential. Thanks to that, his sailing skills received a massive boost. After he realized that it had been upgraded to Lv3, he found that maneuvering the Jackdaw was as easy as a swing of the arm. He was confident about using his ship to lure the enemy into his trap without receiving any damage.


    The key to success for this plan was to make sure that Jackdaw could lure its target within their shooting range. Then, the cannoneers had to make sure that it was eliminated. It had to be done there and then. Once the enemy was out of range, it would be impossible for the crew to move the cannons back to the ship and continue pursuing them.


    ¡°Let survey the terrain first. We should figure out a way to solve this problem,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    The nautical charts of the 18th century weren¡¯t as accurate as their modern counterparts. Without the existence of the Global Positioning System, it would be an arduous task to accurately map out the entire terrain of the island. Everything was drawn by hand, and other than its name and a roughly estimated size, they got nothing useful out of it. Luckily, Jackdaw was very close to the island, and after half a day, they finally arrived. Zhang Heng, Anne, and the ship¡¯s senior crew proceeded to explore the place.


    ¡°I finally know why they called this place Coral Island,¡± said Anne.


    ¡°The reef made up most of the island, more than its landmass,¡± Billy continued.


    While on their way here, they noticed the most diverse coral reef they had ever laid eyes on under the water. With brilliant and kaleidoscopic colors, they blanketed the ocean floor. However, there were shallow reefs hidden around the area as well. This had Zhang Heng interested.


    ¡°Perhaps we have a way to make the target stay within our firing range after all,¡± Zhang Heng muttered.


    ¡°Are you planning to use the shallow reefs to force them into a particular spot? Sounds like it could work. That said, if we do that, our ship will be in danger as well. I don¡¯t think we have the time to locate every shallow point.¡±


    ¡°For that, we will have to rely on the draft of both ships. Our ship and our enemy¡¯s ship are similar in size. However, once we dismount the cannons, our ship will be significantly lighter. But no. I want it even lighter! We will move all our food, drinking water, and anything heavy to the island. With that, Jackdaw will run well above the shoals, and we will cross safely!¡±

 Chapter 226 - Crossing Paths

    The previous battle ended less than a day ago, and now, Jackdaw was already preparing for the next fight. None of the the crew complained, though. The pirates were in deep frustration about the previous battle. Most were drunk silly, and they didn¡¯t know what happened to them. All they knew was that the navy suddenly appeared and started attacking nonstop. Having so many pirates around, the navy and pirate hunters should have had a challenging enemy, but unfortunately, the obscene amount alcohol the pirates consumed rendered them useless.


    No one could accept losing such a lopsided battle. That was why everyone snapped out from their misery the moment Zhang Heng said he wanted to attack one of the enemy ships. They were reignited by the prospect of taking all their food and water before returning to Nassau. After witnessing what Zhang Heng had done for them and the ship, Jackdaw¡¯s pirates now had absolute trust and faith in him. They would forge a path ahead even if it meant death awaited them.


    Without wasting any time, the pirates doubled their efforts and dismounted all the cannons from the ship in the shortest time possible. Only the chase gun was left on board. Other than the artillery, they moved their entire supply of food and water to the island as well. Some even went around the cabins to dismount everything that could lighten the ship. When everything was done, Zhang Heng kept twenty men with him to operate the vessel.


    There was practically nothing left on board, save for some food rations that could last them half a day. In exchange for amenities, the ship¡¯s draft had reduced significantly and was now literally sitting on the very surface of the water.


    ¡­¡­..


    The target came into sight faster than anticipated. Jackdaw had only departed the island for less than two hours, and already, the watchers spotted a ship from afar heading for them full speed ahead. Zhang Heng¡¯s deductions were right. The navy would leave no stone unturned, making sure that not a single pirate would leave this place alive. Destroying five ships wasn¡¯t enough for Worden. Though they had the upper hand, Jackdaw still managed to escape. Such a humiliating outcome was unacceptable for the likes of Worden.


    When the storm was over, Worden instantly sent some men to pursue Jackdaw. Zhang Heng knew these people. They were the two armored ships that came after him earlier, one of them being Miranda. It was the ship that persevered till the very end, not letting up until they were forced to turn around after the storm got worse.


    Although Worden didn¡¯t say anything about losing the target, Ford found this an unacceptable outcome as captain. This was his first time letting his prey slip away ever since becoming a pirate hunter. Accordingly, he quickly volunteered to join the hunting team. Ford intended to sink Jackdaw as proof that he was the best pirate hunter around these waters.


    However, when he was told that every ship had to choose a different direction, Ford didn¡¯t have much hope that he would cross paths with Jackdaw again. To his surprise, the goddess Fortuna had once again showered her blessings upon him. They had stumbled upon the one that got away. The moment Ford spotted Jackdaw, he quickly ordered his men into a combat-ready status. This time, he swore he would never let his prey escape his sight anymore.


    At the same time, Zhang Heng also saw Miranda charging towards them. Putting down his monocular in hand, he declared with confidence, ¡°Let¡¯s stick to the plan.¡±


    After the chase ensued fo a while, Ford noticed that Jackdaw had released their topsail to increase speed. However, that seemed ineffective as there were holes in the fabric. Ford figured their topsail might have been damaged during their previous battle, and wondered why they didn¡¯t fix it. Anyhow, this explained why Miranda caught up with Jackdaw a lot faster than expected. According to Ford¡¯s calculations, he estimated that he would need at least a full day to catch up with them.


    This early encounter gave Ford a pleasant surprise. He wasn¡¯t interested in knowing what had happened to Jackdaw. All he wanted to do right now was to destroy them. Since Ford became captain, his Miranda was one of the fastest ships around this area, almost as fast as Jackdaw. Now that it was in a bad shape, it was time for Miranda to shine.


    The invincible Jackdaw was now running away from it, and they had become the hunted. Ford instantly noticed the prowess of Jackdaw¡¯s helmsman when they escaped the navy earlier. Just like that time, Jackdaw didn¡¯t disappoint. Only that now, there was a huge difference in speed. Soon, Miranda would catch up with Jackdaw.


    Standing at the bow, he could spot Jackdaw¡¯s pirates working nonstop with the naked eye. His blood started boiling with excitement. Like most pirate hunters, Ford used to be in the navy. Not too long after joining the force, he was hired as captain for a merchant ship. Through that, he managed to earn himself a handsome amount of money. Most pirate hunters who chose that line of work had been robbed by pirates before. Their resentment and grudges towards the sea bandits turned them to pirate hunting. They hoped to end the menace for good. Ford was different, though. He had never been plundered by pirates before.


    Ford chose the life of a pirate hunter simply because he craved adventure. Other than the bountiful reward and glory that came along with the job, becoming a pirate hunter reminded him of hunting with his father in the woods when he was still a kid. He always enjoyed a good fight with his prey. Words could never descibe the satisfaction gained after killing his victim. All that money aside, this wasn¡¯t something he could experience being a merchant ship captain.


    ¡°Captain Ford, there¡¯s an island dead ahead!¡± said the chief officer.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°According to the charts, it¡¯s Coral Island.¡±


    The chief officer then paused before continuing.


    ¡°Do you think they fled here on purpose?¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    The chief officer didn¡¯t know the answer to the question. After the pirates used Parrot Island to ambush the Spanish treasure ship, the chief officer became cautious whenever he saw an island. However, after putting some thought into it, the he realized that Jackdaw couldn¡¯t afford to ambush them. Five out of six pirate ships were destroyed in this operation, with Jackdaw the only survivor. Even if they wanted to ambush them, they had no allies for support.


    ¡°On the charts, I see that this area has been marked high-risk. There are many shallow reefs around the entire pleace. Could they, perhaps, intend to lure us there, and run us aground? We¡¯ll be stranded if we hit the shoals.¡±


    ¡°Regarding this¡­ well, I don¡¯t think they had time to explore this area. Unless someone on their ship is familiar with this place, it will be even riskier for them if they run into those reefs. However, it appears we won¡¯t have to test our luck. Have the helmsman follow them closely. We will move directly behind, following their path. If there¡¯s anything to hit, they¡¯ll hit it before us.¡±


    Ford paused a while then harrumphed,


    ¡°Previously, they tried to use the storm to make us retreat. This time, they use hidden reefs to scare us off! Do they really think that we are a bunch of cowards? I will quit pirate hunting if they manage to flee from us again!¡±

 Chapter 227 - Victory

    A cannonball aiming for Jackdaw flew past the gunwale and landed onto the water. The cannoneer on Miranda was so frustrated that he slapped the bow chaser. This was the fifth time he missed his target. It had never happened to him before. Not only did Jackdaw manage to dodge the attack, but as if taunting them, they also successfully hit Miranda with their chase gun.


    Ford could feel that it was going to be a big challenge to deal with them this time. They were like mudskippers that always slipped away from their hands, no matter how hard they tried to grasp it. It was no wonder they were known as one of the best pirate crews in Nassau. They were bloody good at what they did. Even in this critical situation, they were still alive and kicking. However, certain things couldn¡¯t be solved by courage alone¡ªthings like Jackdaw¡¯s damage. They were also a lot faster, and the moment Miranda pulled up to them, they would be able to fire their side cannons.


    By that time, Jackdaw would be greeted by death, whether they wanted it or not. That was why Ford wasn¡¯t too worried when his cannoneer missed their target. The sailors on Miranda started to loosen up as well. Coral Island was different from Parrot Island. It was smaller, and there wasn¡¯t a tall ridge running through it. The land was unobstructed except for a small forest in the middle. After circling half the island, the chief officer was confident that no other pirate ships were hiding there.


    It appeared that Jackdaw and her crew had run out of options, and they were forced to sail into a hidden reef zone. Just like what Ford said, their ship would be safe from scraping the reefs as long as they followed right behind them. A couple of old and experienced sailors were on Miranda, and they had been through many battles with countless pirates. These were cunning and crafty old sea dogs. Defeating so many pirates was enough to prove that they were no ordinary folk. Their experience taught them to be extremely sensitive to any threats that approached them.


    Until now, they didn¡¯t notice anything fishy. Victory against Jackdaw was within their grasp. Just as Ford started drowning himself in joy, he felt his ship shudder violently. Many sailors were caught off guard and fell off balance.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± asked Ford.


    ¡°Captain, I think our ship hit a reef,¡± said the chief officer.


    ¡°Of course, I know we hit something! You don¡¯t need to tell me that. I¡¯m asking, how is it possible that we hit the hidden reef?!¡±


    Ford lost all calm and had started shouting furiously. He then pointed at Jackdaw.


    ¡°They just passed this place as well! Why didn¡¯t they hit the reef?!¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡±


    The chief officer was left speechless. The ship had started taking in water as they were arguing. Having hit a rather high shoal, it scraped open a large gash under the hull. The hole was too big to be fixed, and soon, Miranda started to list before finally stopping at 30 degrees. Just before they could do anything, they heard cannons being fired at them.


    The pirates asked to stay on the island had been waiting for this moment for far too long. Miranda colliding with the reef was their signal to open fire.


    Lady Fortuna must have missed her mark, and Ford wasn¡¯t in luck today. Cannonballs rained on Miranda during the first round of attack. Their sailors stumbled again as their ship was pattered by the relentless firing from the shore. The chief officer was shouting orders, attempting to gather all available cannoneers to return fire. Unfortunately, Miranda was at an angle where the beach was out of reach of its cannons. At most, their shells could only reach the beach. They simply didn¡¯t have the range to attack the enemies that were hiding in the woods, no matter how hard they tried.


    At the same time, Ford shouted and ordered his men to adjust the mainsail with the hope of getting his ship away from the place. Unfortunately, it yielded no result. His bulging eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his neck popped out. No matter how hard he screamed, he couldn¡¯t stop Miranda from sinking.


    ¡°Captain. It¡¯s time to abandon ship!¡± cried the chief officer desperately with tears in his eyes as he embraced Ford.


    Ford was unable to accept that this was happening to him. The whole thing was puzzling. Only a few minutes ago, Miranda was slated for a sure win in this battle. Within the blink of an eye, everything changed dramatically. This was the second time Ford dealt with Zhang Heng. Supposedly, Jackdaw had lost all her advantage. However, today¡¯s outcome was worse than in the previous battle. At that time, Ford had to retreat due to the weather, something he didn¡¯t have control over. Now, he had no excuse. The haggard man was embarrassed and disgraced. They hadn¡¯t even touched Jackdaw, and they had already started sinking.


    How did Jackdaw pass the hidden reefs undamaged?


    Where did the attack come from?


    Who was working together with Jackdaw to attack them?


    These were questions Ford couldn¡¯t answer. It was indeed a peculiar battle. Disgraced and demoralized, the crew could take it no more, hence jumping into the sea one after another.


    ¡­..


    Ford had no recollection of being dragged down the ship by his chief officer all the way to the beach. By the time he regained consciousness, he was greeted by guns pointed at him. The survivors from Miranda were huddled together on the beach, trying to tell each other that everything was going to be okay. With their heads bowed, they were waiting for fate¡¯s judgment.


    Once the battle was over, Zhang Heng rowed to Coral Island on a small boat. Billy was so excited that he ran up to Zhang Heng when he spotted him.


    ¡°This is a tremendous victory for us! Other than a pirate getting hurt while capturing the sailors, everyone else is fine. However, we spent a lot of ammunition to complete this mission. I tried my best to ask our men to conserve it, but it seems many grudges are buried within their hearts. Luckily, they managed to stop in time. The Miranda is still intact. I have sent someone of our men to see what they have on board.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Looking at a dejected Ford, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t surprised by the outcome. The Miranda¡¯s fate was sealed the moment she took the bait and decided to pursue Jackdaw. The fighting part wasn¡¯t that complicated. The complicated part was getting Miranda to take the bait. Now that victory was claimed, Jackdaw¡¯s food and water problem were solved.


    Zhang Heng was also surprised that he managed to capture Miranda¡¯s captain and chief officer. In other words, he could extract valuable information about Worden¡¯s plan, the number of ships they had, the direction they were heading, and the rendezvous point. This could greatly help in their safe return to Nassau.


    ¡°Look for a quiet place. I want to interrogate them.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±

 Chapter 228 - A Bold Plan

    Zhang Heng interrogated the captain, chief officer, and the sailors separately. This was to prevent them from working with each other and fool him with some story. He then compared all the information he collected to verify the authenticity of their stories. Half an hour later, he was about to unveil some shocking news. He quickly gathered Billy, Anne, and the rest of the ship¡¯s senior staff. He even looked for the chief carpenter to join the meeting.


    ¡°You wish to return to Parrot Island?!¡±


    Billy was taken aback by Zhang Heng¡¯s decision.


    ¡°According to the information from our prisoners, there is one navy battleship, the Kent, docked at Parrot Island. Their defense is at their weakest right now. Perhaps we can take this opportunity to rescue everyone from the island. It¡¯s a double-edged sword. We can also retrieve the gold bars at the bottom of the sea!¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to do that? Judging by Jackdaw¡¯s current condition, I don¡¯t think we can survive another battle. If our ship is fine, we wouldn¡¯t have needed Coral Island to eliminate Miranda in the first place. Once we arrive at Parrot Island, we can¡¯t use its terrain to aid our battles anymore. This time, we can¡¯t just beat them by coming up with another plan to outsmart them.¡±


    Though Billy was interested in rescuing all the pirates stuck on Parrot Island and retrieving the gold bars, he figured the risks were simply too great. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t respond to Billy¡¯s concerns, and instead, turned to Gale, the chief carpenter.


    ¡°With enough materials, how long would it take to fix the ship till she¡¯s combat ready?¡±


    ¡°If I have all the materials and manpower I need¡­ six days. No. I can complete the task in five days.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going to get the materials we need?¡± asked Dufresne.


    Zhang Heng then pointed at Miranda.


    ¡°Cannibalize her, and we will have enough parts.¡±


    ¡°That is a good idea! If that¡¯s the case, two days would do it, captain,¡± replied Gale.


    ¡°Time is not a problem. The navy sent five ships to pursue us. We managed to eliminate one. Now, they have four ships. They¡¯d all agreed to return to Parrot Island in two weeks to kill the remaining pirates. One day has passed now. Let¡¯s say we take a week to fix the ship. I believe we should have enough time to return to Parrot Island and fight them.¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s plan convinced Billy. Truth be told, the navy didn¡¯t just carelessly leave only one ship to guard Parrot Island. With Jackdaw¡¯s current condition, it would be a miracle if they returned to Nassau. The prospect of Jackdaw returning to Parrot Island simply didn¡¯t cross their minds. One navy vessel was more than enough to keep an eye on the marooned pirates. Zhang Heng¡¯s plan might sound ridiculous, but it was doable. The pirates of Jackdaw were elated when they defeated Miranda and even had even stocked up enough rations to carry on with the voyage. This, of course, didn¡¯t make up for the losses that they sustained.


    This time, the entire pirate entourage had almost been entirely defeated by the navy. Not only did they lose their ships, but the gold they worked so hard to get were also about to fall in navy hands. However, if they managed to save all the pirates and take back all the gold bars, it could be a huge turning point for them.


    ¡°I think this plan could work. We can start preparing for the next battle.¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    Soon, everyone on the ship had gotten wind that Zhang Heng was to return to Parrot Island. Just as expected, no one went against his decision. This plan for retribution had everything to do with the pirates¡¯ honor and 5,000 pounds of gold bars. Very quickly, everyone gave up resting and began all the necessary preparations for their next battle.


    Since he had all the men he needed, Gale decided to clean up the entire ship. It was littered with all manner of filth, and the hull was smothered by a thick layer of barnacles and seaweed. By clearing them off, Jackdaw could at least speed up by half a knot, a crucial increase in facing their next fight.


    While everyone was working hard to patch up the ship, Zhang Heng was nowhere to be found. When Anne finally found him, he was sitting on a rock, gazing at the sunset. His mind was 200 lightyears away from the beach. From afar, he looked like someone from another world. Anne looked for an empty spot and sat beside, passing a bottle of wine to him.


    ¡°The repairs are going well. We should be able to complete the whole thing by morning. Gale says the ship will become even sturdier after the repairs.¡±


    ¡°Great. We¡¯ve spent a little too long on this island. It¡¯s time to leave.¡±


    Zhang Heng sipped a little wine and passed the bottle back to Anne. The calm sea breeze blew in their hair as they silently gazed at the setting sun.


    ¡°How about you? Are you doing okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to talk about the storm? Everyone said that it was a miracle. They said the Goddess of Ocean, Thetis, must have blessed us. We both know that¡¯s not true. We all heard Seth¡¯s story. I know you engraved the name of the Celtic god on our mast during the storm, right? What¡¯s her name again? Betty, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Look. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let our Jackdaw end up like the carrack. I just¡­ I don¡¯t remember the last time I sat down quietly to enjoy the sunset.¡±


    During those critical moments, Zhang Heng did indeed use the shell. He did not have a bitter past, and he was no angry teenager as well. In the end, he had to immerse himself into the world of literature to trigger his anger. He chose the novel, Les Mis¨¦rables. The main character, Jean Valjean, was jailed for nineteen years just because he stole some bread to help his sister feed her seven hungry children. Before meeting Bishop Myriel, he had been through unspeakable torment, and it made him hate the world and all that was in it.


    The method was very effective. Not only did Zhang Heng manage to summon the storm, but he even led Jackdaw to escape their enemies. That was the very first time Zhang Heng came in touch with Betty. He finally knew the reason why the goddess didn¡¯t look for him. She wasn¡¯t trying to be mysterious, nor was it bad timing. It was because she was in a weakened state. After convincing Seth on the carrack, she did not have enough strength to show herself anymore. It wasn¡¯t until Zhang Heng took the shell and engraved her name on the mast that she finally managed to recover some of her power.


    According to her, she was way weaker than she used to be. One didn¡¯t have to go as far back as a thousand years when she was at the top of her prowess. Just a hundred years ago, she was even stronger than her current self. That was why Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t control the storm to speed up the ship. The most he could do was to ensure that Jackdaw got out of the storm in one piece.

 Chapter 229 - Crocodile and Plover Bird

    Zhang Heng managed to talk to Betty for a short while during the storm. She told him the similar story she told Seth. Betty claimed she was an ancient Celtic God, and had the power to protect all sailors out at sea. She would grant her followers the power of controlling storms. This power, however, was limited for now, and Zhang Heng could only use it once a month.


    According to Betty, the world had almost forgotten her name. If Zhang Heng could recruit more disciples for her, she would eventually be powerful enough to grant Zhang Heng more abilities. Once she was restored to her pinnacle, she would be able to make Zhang Heng the lord of the ocean. In order for it to come true, the goddess would need millions of disciples. This was why she targeted Zhang Heng all the while after noticing his extraordinary leadership skills.


    However, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t answer her on the spot. He knew that he would only be only in this world for another decade. It would be pointless even if he became king of the ocean. Aside from that, what Betty said reminded him about the Moresby, the monster that escaped from Papua New Guinea.


    According to that older man, that thing was a sacred totem worshipped by one of the Papuan tribes. Along with the extinction of the Alkiz tribe, Moresby had to stick himself into a short time loop. When it emerged, it had significantly weakened.


    After talking to Betty, Zhang Heng discovered that all supernatural entities were actually facing the survival problem as well. As compared to humans, their situation was on the verge of collapse.


    Thanks to that, he didn¡¯t wholeheartedly believe what Betty told him. Since she would cease to exist real soon, the promises she made were questionable. Besides, Zhang Heng still couldn¡¯t figure out what happened to the carrack. In no way would he place all his faith in this mysterious being. Be it as it may, he still managed to extract useful information from their conversation.


    Whether it was Moresby or Betty, their powers had everything to do with the number of disciples they had. It seemed as if they were afraid of being forgotten by the world. When Zhang Heng was a kid, he heard countless stories about gods. Regardless of where the mythology originated from, gods were always perceived as mighty and powerful beings. They created the world and humans, and they could do anything they want. Right now, Zhang Heng understood that gods and humans actually shared a mutual relationship. Just like the crocodile and the plover bird, the sea anemone and hermit crab.


    Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t sure if his metaphor was suitable to describe the ancient gods¡¯ current state of affairs. This evening, he could watch the sunset on the beach. It had nothing to do with any previous occurrence whatsoever. In retrospect, he realized that he had been in this world for almost two years now, and was getting increasingly comfortable with his current life. Memories of his real-life strayed further and further away from him.


    As he gazed at the crimson sunset, faint wisps of memories from the real world drifted through Zhang Heng¡¯s mind. Perhaps that was the only thing that remained unchanged throughout three hundred years. Nonetheless, despite being homesick, he didn¡¯t dwell too long in his nostalgia and longingness. He pulled himself back to where he was and finished the wine with Anne. As the sun descended into the horizons, the two strolled back to base camp.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Anne¡¯s told you about the progress of our repairs. We are nearing completion! If it all works out, I think we can set sail tomorrow afternoon,¡± Billy said as he ran towards Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Everyone has worked very hard for this. Let¡¯s take half a day off after it¡¯s done. We need to rest well and prepare for our next battle. We will depart to Parrot Island day after tomorrow.¡±


    Billy was cool with the idea. After he left, it was Dufresne¡¯s turn to look for Zhang Heng. He gave the situation report to the captain.


    ¡°The food and water problem is solved for now. We have enough for another month and a half. However, since we are heading to Parrot Island to get the rest of the pirates, I¡¯ve hidden the rest of the rations inside a cave west of the beach. By leaving the extra bulk here, our ship will sail faster during critical situations. We can always come back if we need them urgently. After all, it¡¯s only a day from Parrot Island.¡±


    ¡°Good job.¡± said the captain.


    Dusfresne wasnt finished and continued,


    ¡°As for our ammunition, we have been through several fierce battles, and we have spent a lot. We still have some for our twenty-four-pound cannons. We got some from Miranda as well.¡±


    ¡°Worst come to worst, we can always replace the twenty-four-pound cannons with the twelve-pound cannons.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not worried about the number of cannonballs we have. I¡¯m worried about the gunpowder. Miranda didn¡¯t do a good job of keeping their gunpowder away from getting wet. When we fought with them, most of their gunpowder barrels were opened. We managed to salvage some of it. I opened up two to see if they were any good. After I looked at it twice, I found it badly affected by moisture.¡±


    ¡°Do you think our gunpowder is enough for the next battle?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s enough for seven or eight rounds, sir.¡±


    These figures were acceptable for Zhang Heng. Seven shots should be enough to end a battle. However, that meant they couldn¡¯t afford to make a single error. Everything was ready, and they had no reason to give up on the mission. Once Jackdaw was wholly fixed, it would be strong enough to handle a battle. Even if the enemy was more robust than them, Zhang Heng could still choose to run away. Ever since his sailing skill had increased to Lv.3, he felt confident about his seamanship.


    Whether it was for the five thousand pounds of gold bars, or to save the pirates marooned on the island, or even for vengeance, this battle was inevitable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will defeat them with seven rounds,¡± said Zhang Heng while patting Dufresne¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Yes, captain.¡±


    Dufresne didn¡¯t want to return to Nassau empty-handed as well. His job was done, and he reported the current situation to Zhang Heng. Now, he would wait for the captain to make the call.


    The night went by peacefully.


    On the second day, the pirates were done fixing Jackdaw, launching it back to sea over a bed of rolling logs. The moment she hit the water, cheers erupted when they saw the vessel bestowed to her former glory. All that effort hadn¡¯t been wasted after all. Not only had all the holes and cracks been fixed, but they even employed extra materials cannibalized from Miranda¡¯s wreck. Blending hard work with a bit of scrap, they managed to greatly fortify the ship.


    Jackdaw was now ready for the next battle.

 Chapter 230 - Black Flag

    Nine days had passed since the battle began.


    The navy fleet¡¯s sudden appearance caused the celebrating pirates to suffer massive losses. It was complete chaos on the beach. Under Black Prince Sam¡¯s persuasion, Brooke and some pirates not too sloshed from the drinking launched a bold counterattack against the navy.


    However, their valiant efforts were not enough to alter the final outcome. Brooke and Black Prince Sam each lead their men to not only successfully board a pirate ship but also to employ its artillery against the navy. Alas, their attacks only lasted two rounds before the enemy sank their ships.


    Some sailors lost their lives to the sea, and some, like Brook, swam to the shore and escaped into the woods. Not long after, they came across the second group of pirates who also managed to escape. They had brought along with them their other drunk men from the beach as well. Owing to time constraints and with gunfire and explosives raining on them, they only managed to bring less than a fifth of them.


    Brook looked around him. Including those who died battle, fewer than a hundred men were left from six pirate ships that sailed together. After nine days of starvation and exposure, the one hundred men were frail and on the verge of death.


    Due to the hasty retreat, they brought almost nothing with them. Most of the food and water were on the ship which was now at the bottom of the sea, no thanks to the enemy. Brooke knew very well what the navy planned to do ¨C very soon, they would return, and the final battle will ensue. There was nothing he could do, though. He had lost his ship and was stuck indefinitely on the island.


    Despite Parrot Island being rather large, it was devoid of freshwater. For the past few days, the pirates could only quench their thirst by licking off condensation on the rocks, much like mountain goats, or sucking on wet earth. The moisture tasted like mud, and there wasn¡¯t much of it either. Brook¡¯s lips were dry and cracked.


    Thankfully, they successfully captured a goat last night. Not only did each of them have a piece of lamb, but they also had a drink of its blood. Though enough to relieve their hunger and thirst by a little, the goat was shared among nearly a hundred people. There was barely enough to go around.


    To make matters worse, there were not many goats on the island to start with. Most had already been hunted for the party, and now it was becoming more and more difficult to find any of them. The goat they managed to capture was the only one they came across in two days.


    Along with the lack of food and water, they were also short on medicine and ammunition.


    They had nearly one hundred men but only twenty long muskets and eight blunderbusses. Even bladed weapons such as daggers and scimitars weren¡¯t enough for every man. Whatever remaining bullets they had were used for hunting, and with no medical supplies, the wounded had to get by with simple tourniquets. It was safe to say that they had reached the absolute point of exhaustion.


    Of course, the worst part of it all was the devastating blow to their morale. At this point, none could see the light at the end of the tunnel. In the dark of the night, agonized howls of their wounded comrades could be heard, many of them near the brink of mental breakdown. Some, unable to put up with the terrible conditions, threw themselves into the sea. Nearly every day, someone chose to end their life.


    Brook got up from the ground and passed the last piece of lamb to Eric, the Quidah¡¯s helmsman. The man had eaten practically nothing for the past eight days. Sitting motionless under a large, shady tree, there was an emptiness in his eyes, as if his soul had been ripped out of his body.


    As he knelt beside Black Prince Sam, the most fearless pirate in all of the Caribbean, he broke down and cried like a child. He hugged his captain¡¯s lifeless body, seemingly forgetting that he was still on the battlefield, reluctant to let go until the Warrior submerged under the water.


    Thank goodness, one of the Quidah¡¯s men managed to rescue him just as he was about to drown. When Eric came to, the first thing he did was look for Black Prince Sam¡¯s body. When he realized that the captain¡¯s body had been washed away, he completely shut down.


    ¡­¡­


    Brook pressed the food onto Eric¡¯s lips, but the helmsman did not respond.


    In a hoarse, cracked voice Brook said, ¡°If you don¡¯t try to live now, then you will never be able to avenge him.¡±


    When the helmsman heard those words, something flashed across his pale, grey face. He finally opened his mouth and whispered in a weak, almost inaudible voice, ¡°Revenge¡­ how will we do it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if you give up now, then it¡¯s over for all of us, for sure.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t comforted many people, have you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing my best, but you insist on dying, I have no problem with that too. After all, in the situation we¡¯re in right now, having one less mouth to feed isn¡¯t completely a bad thing,¡± Brook shrugged.


    ¡°Is there only one ship out there?¡± asked Eric as he took two bites of the lamb. It wasn¡¯t long before recovered some strength, finally turning his attention to the situation at hand.


    ¡°Yes. It seems that Jackdaw managed to get away that night, so the navy sent the others to pursue them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable how they could break through the blockade.¡±


    ¡°I guess it should be considered good news¡­ which is rare these days. Unfortunately, it¡¯s no use for us,¡± Brook smiled bitterly. ¡°It would be great if we had a boat ¨C whatever kind ¨C at least we¡¯d have some hope.¡±


    While both of them were talking, the pirate on scout duty suddenly shouted, ¡°There¡¯s a ship over there!¡±


    Brook and Eric looked at each other, knowing right away that when the ships sent out to pursue Jackdaw returned, their reckoning had come.


    This meant that there wasn¡¯t much time left. The pirates, however, were surprisingly calm even after knowing they were practically doomed. Their time on the island was only getting harder each day. Compared to the endless torment of waiting for death, they would rather die in battle.


    But just as Brook and Eric were rounding up the men for the final battle, the spotter suddenly shouted with a look of disbelief on his face, ¡°Jackdaw! It¡¯s the Jackdaw! She¡¯s back!¡±


    ¡°What??? I thought they were gone?!¡± Brook could hardly believe that Jackdaw had returned. Being able to escape was already a miracle on its own. Had he been in Zhang Heng¡¯s shoes, he would never have returned to Parrot Island, especially since they had no clue about the situation there. There was no way Brook would¡¯ve returned knowing that they risked coming under siege.


    Then, as if to thwart his doubt, Jackdaw¡¯s black flag rose to the top of its mast.

 Chapter 231

    The pirates were greatly moved when they saw the black flag of Jackdaw flapping in the wind. It had been nine days since they witnessed their bitter defeat right before their very eyes. The navy was happily trampling and burning the black flags they were once so proud of.


    The saddest thing of it all was the death of Black Sam, one of the greatest pirates ever known. Swordfish, Quidah, and Warrior had been sunk by the navy-pirate-hunter collaboration, and those still breathing were now screaming and crying out for help. However, the navy had no intention to grant them any mercy. The pirates on the beach were forced to watch as their enemies brutally slaughtered their helpless allies. This whole incident left the pirates a deep scar, a memory that would remain with them till the very ends of their lives.


    This was one of the largest defeats that Nassau¡¯s pirates ever suffered. For that reason, the atmosphere on the island was one filled with despair and anxiety. Those tough men who braved countless battles had now lost all hope. Whenever they saw anybody wearing red, they would drown in fear, hiding for dear life. Until they saw Jackdaw again, the black flag on her mast was sending the navy a message. The great oceans belonged to no country or person. It would take the side of warriors bold enough to seek freedom.


    Worden and his men surrounded the pirates, killing them one by one. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t repeat the same mistake, which was why he docked his ship outside the harbor. The spot was sufficient to monitor the pirates¡¯ movements and, at the same time, a good one to defend themselves from incoming threats. The moment Jackdaw appeared near Parrot Island, the sailors quickly informed their captain of their sighting.


    Chris put down his monocular and found it hard to believe that Jackdaw had the nerve to return to Parrot Island. She just wouldn¡¯t quit.


    ¡°How¡­ how is this even possible? Why would they come back here?!¡±


    In fact, Chris wasn¡¯t supportive of this whole pirate-hunting plan. He didn¡¯t mind staying alone on Parrot Island to keep an eye on the pirates, confident that no threat would come to him. Thanks to the awful weather that greeted them, Chris figured that it must have brought Jackdaw down to an underwater grave. However, Worden wanted to make sure that all pirates were dead. This was his stand, and nothing could make him change his mind.


    Since they had literally nothing to do during their stay on Parrot Island, they figured that it would have been a better use of time to search for Jackdaw. Even if all they found were the ship¡¯s remains, they would still be awarded merits. That was why no one went against the idea in the end.


    Chris was baffled, wondering how Jackdaw could actually survive the storm and dodge the ships searching for them. He also noticed that it looked different compared to when it left the island. It appeared that they had it all in for a good fight.


    ¡°They got lucky and managed to run the last time. Since they are here now, let¡¯s make sure that they never get to leave this place! Raise the mainsails! It¡¯s time to go and greet them,¡± growled Worden in a deep voice.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Chris was ashamed of himself as he felt panic grip him the moment he saw Jackdaw coming for Parrot Island. Being part of the Royal Navy, this wasn¡¯t the time for them to step back. Though Jackdaw was also a battleship with equal firepower, the navy wasn¡¯t supposed to be afraid of a band of pirates. At the same time, Billy kept his eyes glued at the enemy¡¯s movement. He spoke up when he saw that Kent was on the move.


    ¡°The Ford guy wasn¡¯t lying. He was right about their commander¡¯s arrogance.¡±


    ¡°Considering the feats he achieved in battle, I would say he has all the right in the world to be haughty. I heard that pirates are almost nonexistent in the places he swore to protect.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Harry.


    ¡°Because he hung all of them,¡± replied Zhang Heng.


    When Harry heard that, he was frozen in shock and fear. Despite that, he still did his best and squeezed out a smile to show he wasn¡¯t afraid of the commander. Anne knew Harry very well, and no matter how good his acting was, she knew he was almost scared to death. She couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him. Whenever a battle was near, he would pester her to allow hin to join. Now that his wish had come true, fear had gotten the better out of him. Anne was annoyed by his immature antics, and she wasn¡¯t bothered to entertain him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s prepare for battle. Remember, we don¡¯t have as much ammunition as them. We will only fire our cannons when we are very, very close to the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± nodded Billy.


    ¡°How are the cannoneers? Are they ready to put up a hard fight?¡±


    ¡°They are in position. We can begin out attack any time now.¡±


    Through Ford¡¯s descriptions of his Worden, Zhang Heng understood the commander better now. He wanted to learn the man¡¯s routines and tactics.


    Worden was considered one of the most hardened navy officers in the fleet; his strategies just as ruthless as his character was. He enjoyed engaging his enemies at close quarters, where according to him, was the rawest method to test someone¡¯s courage in battle. No fancy outmaneuvering here; only one true warrior would prevail at the end, with the other meeting their demise.


    This was precisely what Zhang Heng planned to do. Right now, Kent had more ammunition than Jackdaw. If Worden decided to test them with a few rounds, Zhang Heng would be at a disadvantage since they couldn¡¯t fire in return. Nevertheless, his problem seemed to have sorted itself with Worden wanting to get up close and personal.


    Worden had his reasons for would choosing such a risky tactic. Other than his skillful brigade of cannoneers, his gunmen were all well-trained marksmen as well. They would join the battle once their adversary was around forty meters away. With the overwhelming firepower, he would usually be able to pressure their enemies into submission or submersion. After dealing enough damage and taking charge of the situation, he would then declare victory. That explained his extremely high win rate.


    Throughout his long and eventful navy career, Worden had only lost two battles before. One was to a French battleship that had almost double the number of his cannons. The other was because of an enemy ambush. This time, he knew that Jackdaw was once a corvette that belonged to the navy. He also knew that it was all alone. Accordingly, both ships held on from firing until they were fifty meters from each other. Then, they turned at the same time and took aim with their side cannons.


    Zhang Heng was the first to act. He instantly found the right window and ordered his cannoneers to fire. The swift and powerful assault dealt some good damage to Kent. In times like these, the exceptional quality of Kent¡¯s sailors was on display. Not only did they remain calm, but the first thing they did was to get their wounded to sickbay. The rest continued working the cannons without so much as a flinch. Like a well-oiled machine, the crew ticked like clockwork.


    At the same time, Worden¡¯s trusted gunmen could finally be put to good use. Along with Chris¡¯s order, the gunmen in red fired at Jackdaw! To their surprise, the pirates were ready for them. Having brought a shipment of planks salvaged from Miranda, they used it as a makeshift armor to repel the bullets.


    Once the gunfire died down, the pirates emerged from their shield and started to fire back. It didn¡¯t matter who took the helm right now. Zhang Heng relieved himself as helmsman and passed the position to one of the pirates. Then, he pulled out his weapon and jumped into battle! This was the best time to showcase his Lv.2 shooting skill. For this fight, he had prepared a total of six guns for himself. There were also three people standing behind him, helping him to reload those guns.


    Within a matter of three minutes, Zhang Heng managed to exterminate all the gunmen on the watchtower. Apart from that, he killed two officers as well. Unfortunately, Worden was cautious enough not to show up after noticing that his men were getting picked off, one after the other.

 Chapter 232 - Follow My Order

    ¡°Stay calm! Hold your ground! Where¡¯s the ammunition? When is the next batch going to be here?¡± shouted Billy as he shuffled around the deck.


    ¡°It¡¯s on the way. It will be here soon, Mr. Billy.¡±


    A short-looking sailor dragged two crates of ammunition while trying his fastest to get to Billy.


    ¡°Mr. Billy. Two of our cannons were destroyed, and three of our cannoneers are wounded.¡±


    ¡°Quickly! Get someone to replace them.¡±


    Just as Billy turned around, a cannonball suddenly landed half a meter away from him, penetrating the ship¡¯s hull! The short sailor had taken most of the brunt of the attack. His arm was completely shattered, crushed beyond redemption. The pain he was in caused him to fall to the ground, screaming hysterically for help.


    ¡°Quickly send him to Vincent. The rest of us continue with the attack!¡±


    Instantly, two men came over and carried the injured pirate to the doctor. The crew had seen an incident like this far too many times, and thus, none were distracted by it. After all, most of Jackdaw¡¯s recruits were experienced pirates. All that was in addition to the recent violent skirmishes they went through. Even if there was someone new onboard, they should be all grown up by now.


    ¡°Damn it! These guys outgun us by a large margin. It would be nice if we had our twenty-four-pound cannons here,¡± gasped one of the cannoneers while wiping the blood off his face.


    ¡°Everyone! Hang in there! We will defeat them and take back our gold!¡±


    The busiest person on Jackdaw right now had to be Vincent. He had once dreamt of becoming a botanist. Right now, he played an essential role on the ship. There were injured lying everywhere in the sickbay. Due to the lack of beds, some had to make do with the tables and the floor. Blood could be seen on every surface of the infirmary, only to be made worse by the screams and howls of decapitated men.


    Luckily, Vincent was well-prepared for such a situation. Before they departed to Parrot Island, he had collected some fine sand from the beach and scattered them all over the floor. By doing that, he solved the problem of the bloody, slippery floor. Right after he was done extracting a bullet from a pirate¡¯s arm, the short pirate was carried into the infirmary. Vincent quickly examined his wounds and discovered that the bones in his arm had been completely shattered. Not to mention the flesh hanging off it, the mangled mess was a lost cause. It would have to be amputated right away.


    He took out a wooden stick and asked the short pirate to bite on it. Then, he instructed his assistants to hold the man¡¯s limbs down. Vincent then brought out a hacksaw and prepared himself to sever the poor pirate¡¯s arm. Suddenly, he remembered what Zhang Heng told him earlier. It was crucial for him to apply heat to the tools that he used on his patients. Before he carried on, he retrieved the stick from the man¡¯s mouth and fed him some rum.


    ¡°Are you ready? I will begin if you are ready.¡±


    On another note, the plan that Zhang Heng, Billy, and the senior officers coined was finally working. The strategy Worden was so proud of was ineffective against Jackdaw. Instead, Jackdaw was the one constantly putting them under the limelight. Until now, Worden still didn¡¯t dare show his face. However, despite the chaos, he remained very calm. Though half of his men were either injured or had died in battle, he had no intention to retreat. That was because Kent¡¯s cannons still had the upper hand in this battle.


    This had nothing to do with the courage and skill of his cannoneers. It was simply because Kent had greater firepower than Jackdaw. Jackdaw and Kent were battleships of the same type. Technically, they should be equal in firepower as well. However, Jackdaw now sorely lacked ammunition. Left with no other options, Zhang Heng had to replace all the twenty-four-pound cannons with the twelve-pounders. Thanks to that, they were now significantly weaker than Kent.


    In reality, Jackdaw¡¯s cannoneers actually exceeded Worden¡¯s expectations. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that they were equally as potent as the formally-trained Royal Navy.


    ¡°If this goes on, we won¡¯t be able to hold up for much longer,¡± said Billy who sounded very worried.


    Zhang Heng managed to kill another red-uniformed gunner before he replied.


    ¡°Time to use our backup plan,¡± Zhang Heng replied while looking at Anne.


    ¡°Is¡­ is that doable?¡± asked Billy.


    ¡°We have killed two-thirds of the enemy¡¯s gunmen. I would say our success rate has gone up, but I will need someone to cover me,¡± Zhang Heng said.


    ¡°Are six men enough?¡±


    ¡°Two is more than enough. It¡¯s pointless to have so many cover me.¡±


    While he talked, Zhang Heng sent his men to the captain¡¯s quarters to get his weapons bag. There were four rifles in it. Ever since Zhang Heng bought them from Baal, he realized that they were of great help when taking over Scarborough. From that day onwards, Zhang Heng realized that rifles were an invaluable piece of weaponry in any battle. However, he was still under Blackbeard at that time and hence, wasn¡¯t allowed to get three more rifles for himself. Right until he set sail to plunder the Spanish treasure ship, did he purchase three more of it from Baal.


    This was their moment to shine. Zhang Heng crouched and crept to the gunwale. He then lifted one of his rifles. At such close proximity, the smoothbore gun would be an excellent choice as well. However, a rifle was definitely more reliable since it allowed the shooter to administer a lethal shot to his enemy. He then took aim at Kent¡¯s helmsman.


    ¡°Follow my orders. Get Jackdaw closer to Kent.¡±


    Jackdaw¡¯s maneuvers couldn¡¯t fool Worden¡¯s eyes. Though he was ready to fight if the pirates boarded his ship, he had no reason to give up the advantage he had right now. So, he quickly ordered his helmsman to stay as far as possible from Jackdaw. Before Worden could even finish explaining, Kent¡¯s helmsman suddenly dropped to the ground, dead as a doornail.


    Worden frowned in frustration. Accidents like this happened all the time during a battle. Although unsettling, he was used to it. Immediately, Chris looked for someone to replace the dead helmsman. Right after the new helmsman took over the wheel, Zhang Heng killed him as well.


    ¡°Captain, someone is targeting our helmsmen!¡± shouted Chris.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?! They are just aiming for one person. Use whoever we have to block him from the bullets. Our human wall should suffice for now. Just hang in there. Soon, we will sink them indefinitely.¡±


    Right after Chris received the order, he ordered some men to form up and block all incoming bullets. Of course, all those chosen were extremely unhappy with the decision. However, they had worked for Worden for some time now and knew about the consequences they would suffer if they disobeyed him. They might just be able to live if they followed the order. However, if they left right now, they would be ensured an ending worse than a crumbling wall.


    Leaving with no other choice, they were forced to barricade the new helmsman to protect him. With no qualms whatsoever, Zhang Heng killed all who formed the human shield first before again. taking out the helmsman. Faced by Zhang Heng¡¯s masterful marksmanship, everyone was soon too afraid to step up again. Chris had to keep on repeating himself, screaming for sailors to step up, and man up. However, no matter how desperate his orders were, no sailor would budge from where they were.


    Unfortunately, Zhang Heng¡¯s position was exposed. Due to the overwhelming firepower of the enemy, the pirates that covered him and reloaded his guns were hit. No thanks to that, they managed to buy Jackdaw enough time to get closer to Kent. They were now only ten meters from each other.


    In the chaos of raining bullets and thunderous cannons, Zhang Heng took the opportunity to change position. He then continued to reload his rifles and kept firing at his enemy nonstop. Once both ships were side by side, Anne and the rest of the pirates launched their signature grappling hooks over Kent¡¯s gunwale, bridging the two vessels together. Then, under heavy fire, she led a group of pirates to board Kent, the flagship of the Royal Navy.

 Chapter 233 - End of The Ken

    The entire battle lasted around twenty minutes. Zhang Heng managed to deal a massive blow to the enemy by taking out their entire gunmen brigade. As it was, Jackdaw¡¯s pirates were determined to avenge their dead. Still, invading another ship had its costs. A bullet grazed Billy amid the battle, hitting his arm and causing a chunk of flesh to tear off. Thankfully, he was alive.


    Once both ships were connected, Zhang Heng instantly joined the fight. The first thing he did after boarding Kent was to look for their commander. However, Worden was hidden securely behind an army of heavily armed navy sailors. At the same time, the men were looking for Zhang Heng as well, intending to kill Jackdaw¡¯s captain and demoralize their crew.


    As the two sides clashed, everyone began treading lightly. Zhang Heng relied on his masterful marksmanship to open a path for himself. Worden, on the other hand, had more men than Jackdaw, not to mention that they were extremely well-trained as well. It soon appeared that neither side was gaining the upper hand in the battle.


    However, little by little, Jackdaw¡¯s men managed to overwhelm Kent¡¯s crew. It would seem that the navy had lost their edge, and was actually losing to the pirates. Worden had no other choice. He got a few men and hastily retreated to the lower decks. Both sides exchanged fire on the stairs, where a heavy gunfight ensued. In the end, after a good ten minutes, Anne and her team managed to take control of Kent, most of it anyway.


    Worden and his men retreated to the ship¡¯s belly, where the captain¡¯s quarters were. Knowing that they had no place to hide, they became like mice in a trap and were extremely sharp at the moment. Naturally, Billy and his men would go after the remaining sailors. However, they were no match for the desperate navy and some were instantly gunned down. Having lost a few good men today, Billy felt dejected and sorrowful.


    Nevertheless, Jackdaw managed to take over Kent. In raising the white flag, all their sailors had put down their weapons and began surrendering to the pirates. All that was left was Worden and his merry men, still hiding out in the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Billy shouted at them from the outside and urged them to surrender, telling them that it was all over. Unironically, the navy replied in kind by shooting at him. Billy ducked as bullets whizzed past his head. He had already been shot once. Luckily, he wasn¡¯t too close to the entrance. This deadlock had the pirates very impatient. Thankfully, not too long after that, Zhang Heng appeared.


    ¡°So. What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°Initially, I wanted to deplete their ammunition and rush into the quarters. However, it seems like they are holding up real good in there,¡± said Billy.


    Zhang Heng waved his hand, and a young and terrified navy officer was brought to him.


    ¡°I want you to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Captain Worden asked me to drag twelve barrels of gunpowder to the captain¡¯s quarters when they went in just now. He told me that the gunpowder is only to be used for the worst-case scenario,¡± stuttered the young man, obviously scared out of his living daylights.


    ¡°Why does he need so much gunpowder?!¡± asked Billy.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Although he lost the battle, he has no intention to give us the ship!¡± said a frowning Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Worden is waiting for the rest of our men from Jackdaw. Once everyone is here, he will blow everyone to hell. It appears he is about to destroy his Kent and kill most of our men. I think we should give up on taking their ship. Call all of our men to retreat! Only leave a few here to deal with them. Before all of you get off, go to the cargo hold and take everything they have, especially the food and water.


    ¡°Once we rescue the pirates from Parrot Island, all these will be essential on the ship. We need to move everything back before this ship sinks. Don¡¯t leave behind their gunpowder and ammunition as well. These are the things we need most right now. We have fifteen minutes to do it.


    ¡°Once the fifteen minutes are up, I want everyone back on Jackdaw, even if we fail to move everything. Drop whatever you have in your hands and return to our ship. I also want all our cannons aimed at the captain¡¯s quarters. Once everybody is back on Jackdaw, we will fire at them immediately. Since Worden wants to go down with his ship, we shall grant him some assistance!¡±


    The pirates followed Zhang Heng¡¯s orders by the dot, returning to Jackdaw once the fifteen minutes were up. The moment everyone on board, they swiftly retrieved the grappling hooks and started pulling away from Kent.


    Once they were far enough, Jackdaw fired all their cannons at them. The captain¡¯s quarters exploded with a massive boom, breaking Kent into half. The blast instantly disintegrated Worden and his men, with nothing left of them except burnt flesh and cinders. Putting aside the fact that they were enemies, Zhang Heng was actually impressed by Worden¡¯s spirit. Both sides knew that this was the battle that would determine their fate. From the start till the end, Worden had brilliantly strategized his attacks, barely making any mistakes as he went along.


    He was simply unfortunate that Zhang Heng knew him well enough to win this fight. Earlier, Zhang Heng squeezed out every last drop of information he could about Worden. Armed with new knowledge about his adversary, Zhang Heng came up with an effective plan to defeat him. As for Worden, he never expected that to fight Jackdaw again. Hence, he spent no effort whatsoever to delve into Zhang Heng. Other than that, his previous victories and vast combat experience had turned him arrogant. Such costly errors eventually drove him to lose the battle, eventually paying the ultimate price with his life.


    ¡­¡­..


    Though the battle was over, Zhang Heng and his men had a shipload of things to deal with, no pun intended. Doctor Vincent faithfully treated the wounded in the infirmary. Gale, the carpenter, was scurrying about the decks with his other carpenters trying to fix all the damage they could find. As for Dufresne, he was counting the goods that they plundered from Kent, and, at the same time, figuring out a way to move all the gold bars from the bottom of the ocean. As the crew busied themselves with their seemingly neverending tasks, Zhang Heng brought some food and drinking water to the Parrot Island survivors.


    While Jackdaw was fighting Kent, Erik and Brook had gathered the remaining pirates on the beach. Unfortunately, their guns wouldn¡¯t shoot that far, and they could only stand ashore and watch the battle unfold before them.


    They burst into loud cheers the moment they saw Jackdaw claiming the final victory. Zhang Heng figured there would be a handful of survivors on the island but didn¡¯t expect to see so few actually survived. As he passed the rations to the famished pirates, he got to know that Black Prince Sam was killed in action.


    ¡°My deepest condolences. So, what¡¯s your plan after this, Eric?¡±


    ¡°Initially, I wanted to destroy Kent to avenge him. Destroying Kent¡­ this is what kept me alive on this island. But then again, I didn¡¯t expect you guys to solve my problem so quickly. Luckily, they have six more ships for me to destroy!¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ technically, there are only five ships left. We destroyed the Miranda a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much. We are only alive now thanks to you and your Jackdaw. I plan to look for a ship to avenge Sam when I return to Nassau. I will make everyone involved in this scheme pay dearly!¡± Erik roared furiously.


    ¡°However, I won¡¯t force anybody to ride my path of revenge. The Quidah is gone, so is Sam. My life as a pirate is over. If possible, I¡¯m hoping that you can take in the rest who are still alive.¡±


    ¡°No problem. You can always come back when you¡¯ve settled your unfinished business.¡±


    Zhang Heng shook Eric¡¯s hand warmly.


    There were less than twenty survivors from Quidah. Half of them wanted to avenge Sam with Eric. The other half wanted to join Jackdaw. Whichever ship they chose to board, though, these men were all experienced pirates, an invaluable asset to any pirate ship of this era.


    Most importantly, Zhang Heng was willing to absorb those wanting to join Jackdaw. Now that a wide range of talents was part of his crew, Zhang Heng was glad to know that the next challenge would certainly be met with a little more tenacity and valor. Owing to the unexpected ¡®enlistment,¡¯ pirates from the other two pirate vessels were quickly interested to join Jackdaw as well.


    As for Swordfish, Brook was still alive. Hence, nobody there was interested to hop over.

 Chapter 234 - Return to Nassau

    After distributing the food and water to the survivors, Zhang Heng shifted his attention to getting the gold bars from the bottom of the ocean. There wasn¡¯t much time left, as the navy agreed that they would regroup on Parrot Island in two weeks. More than a week had passed, and now, only five days were left. However, knowing the navy, they wouldn¡¯t stick to their agreed time and would usually arrive a day or two earlier.


    That would mean Jackdaw had only around three days to retrieve all the gold bars. After that, Zhang Heng would need to think about how to escape and avoid the navy en route back to Nassau. He would need a good day for planning. In other words, excluding tonight, Zhang Heng and his men had only two days to retrieve all the gold bars.


    Amid all the bad news, a silver lining appeared. Earlier, Kent had thought about getting those gold bards as well, ordering their carpenters to make a set of salvaging tools. They were of crude design, where all they did to use a modified grappling hook. The carpenters added two more hooks to the claw and tied the ropes at the front part of the hook. This helped to make the contraption more sturdy and would allow them to lift the sunken crates. Even with the device, they would still need to send divers to attach the hooks to these crates. Initially, Worden wanted to force the captured pirates to get it done. Of course, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t one to force his men to do it, so he decided to consult Gale.


    ¡°What do you think? Is it doable?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to make the tools they made. They have come up with the right thing for this task. We just need to copy it. We have a ton of grappling hooks on the ship. I believe I can make ten of them before sundown.¡±


    ¡°I have picked the most qualified men for this task as well. They are the best divers on Jackdaw. That said, we can¡¯t possibly ask them to stay underwater for too long. By that time, they would have to resurface before they even reach the crates,¡± Dufresne added.


    ¡°Hmm, they¡¯ll run out of oxygen by the time they reach the gold. Tell the divers to hug heavy rocks on the way down. They would automatically start submerging, and no energy would be needed. Besides that, tie a rope around their waists and set a time limit. Once the time is up, we will pull them out. If everything goes smoothly, they should have enough time to install the grappling hooks on the crates.¡±


    As for the water pressure, Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t find any solutions. The divers simply had to overcome it themselves. Twenty meters depth should be bearable for a human body. Although it would leave them with the bends, it wasn¡¯t lethal. Considering the risks they would be taking, the divers would receive extra rewards if they completed the task successfully. This was a much-needed boost of motivation for these men.


    Zhang Heng left the matter for Dufresne and Billy to decide. Dufresne nodded and instantly sent someone to test their theory. Once the first crate was out of the water, he would know right away that Zhang Heng¡¯s method worked well. All he needed to do after that was refine the technique until all the crates were out of the water. At the end of the second night, Jackdaw had managed to retrieve more than half of the sunken gold.


    After that, the salvage operation slowed down tremendously. The Spanish treasure ship was exceptionally well built, and the pirates had to hammer her with cannonballs until she sank. Unavoidably, the cargo hold was hit as well. Jackdaw had retrieved all the crates that were still intact, but there were still many gold bars that were scattered all over the place.


    It was going to be a troublesome and arduous task to pick them up one by one. The contraptions that they made earlier weren¡¯t going to help in a situation like this. It had to be manually done. In other words, they would need a longer time to complete the entire salvage operation. Other than that, the divers could only dive for a limited number of times a day. The depth and pressure would take a toll on them, and they would end up exhausted.


    Luckily, the survivors on the island had mostly recovered. To show their gratitude to Jackdaw, not only did they give up their right to the gold bars, but they were even willing to help retrieve them without asking for anything in return.


    It was the third night, and with the help of the survivors, Jackdaw managed to recover a total of 3,200 pounds of gold ingots. There were 1,800 pounds left on the ocean floor, but most of them were scattered around, and many were buried under the wreck. Of course, they could retrieve all of them if they wanted to, but that would take a longer time.


    Zhang Heng had no intention to wait any longer. For the past few days, Jackdaw had been through nonstop combat. When they fled Parrot Island, every single pirate on Jackdaw began to hold a massive grudge towards the navy. When they destroyed Kent, the resentment was settled. Now, most of Jackdaw¡¯s crew lay spent and exhausted. Even though some ammunition was acquired from Kent, most of them had lost the vigor for another fight.


    That was why Zhang Heng decided not to continue staying on Parrot Island. Once he picked up Brook, he set for home. Everyone was more than eager to head back to Nassau. Running heavy, Jackdaw spent double the time they needed to return to Nassau. Having so much gold and the extra compliment on board, they were a lot slower than they usually were. They had to avoid the other five enemy ships as well. Luckily, they did not come across any threats. It wasn¡¯t until the stone walls, and Nassau¡¯s castle was spotted that they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    Everyone on board had mixed feelings when they saw Nassau. To Jackdaw¡¯s pirates, they prevailed once again and claimed victory even although it was a hard-fought battle. As the captain of Jackdaw, Zhang Heng got to carry on being the legend of Nassau. In a dire, hopeless circumstance, Jackdaw was the only ship that survived and escaped the navy. They miraculously turned the tide around by destroying Miranda and Kent. In the end, they salvaged most of the gold bars and saved the pirates that were still alive on Parrot Island.


    On the other hand, the other five pirate ships were not as lucky as Jackdaw. They lost everything this time. They failed to get anything out of the hunting trip, and to make matters worse, their ships were also destroyed as well. However, they were simply grateful to be alive and got to return to Nassau. Once Jackdaw arrived at the harbor, Brook and the other captain quickly got off the ship. They had a lot of things to deal with, having needed to recruit new pirates and look for a new boat as well. After that, Eric bid Zhang Heng farewell too.


    Zhang Heng sent them off to shore in a small boat. Once they were gone, Zhang Heng ordered his men to unload the gold bars from Jackdaw. Although there were still 1,800 pounds of gold bars lying on the bottom, the other five pirate ships gave up their share. Thus, they were delighted and contented by their yield this time. The remaining scraps would most probably be snatched up by the navy and pirate hunters.


    After this voyage, Jackdaw¡¯s pirates were wealthy enough to quit being a pirate. Most of them had never even seen so many gold bars before. As they unloaded their gold bars, the entire Nassau was left in shock.

 Chapter 235 - Capital Woes

    The pile of gold bars was a monument on its own, creating a stunning sight as it shone and shimmered in the sun. Except for the pirates tasked with moving the gold bars, Zhang Heng gathered everyone from his ship and distributed weapons to them. They needed them to maintain order at the harbor in case of untoward incidents. That said, after Zhang Heng annihilated the Skeleton, everyone knew it best not to mess with Jackdaw. Unsurprisingly, no one lost their minds when they saw the gold bars coming out from the ship.


    Afterward, Zhang Heng sent someone to contact Carina, asking her to empty one of her warehouses. He would use it as temporary storage for the gold. The Jackdaw had an overwhelming yield this trip, and if Zhang Heng distributed the gold to his men right now, safety would be a primary concern. On the surface, no one seemed to dare go against Jackdaw¡¯s pirates but in actual fact, multitudes of thieves and robbers were waiting to get their hands on all those precious gold bars.


    Other than that, the group of pirates who had previously gambled away twenty gold coins in a single night received a stark warning from Zhang Heng. Though the captain had no intention to poke around everyone¡¯s spending habits, he knew his men would become moving targets the moment he gave them their share of the money.


    So, he decided to only give them a portion of their share first. He would help them to keep the rest for now. He came up with a ledger to keep track of all the gold that he gave his men. Anyone could ask for more whenever they needed it. After a while, Carina and her men came to the pier.


    It was then Zhang Heng noticed that Carina didn¡¯t look too good. Since there were outsiders around him, he figured it was a bad time to talk about it. Only after reaching the warehouse and seeing that all the gold bars were safe did he talk to her in a quiet place.


    ¡°How¡¯s everything? Has it all been good throughout my absence?¡±


    ¡°The situation¡­ is not looking good,¡± replied Carina as she tried squeezing a smile.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When Zhang Heng left Nassau two months ago, Carina¡¯s problem was solved because the Skeleton was no longer a threat to her. Along with the rise of Jackdaw, her trading business flourished in Nassau as well. Not only did she enjoy repeat business with the captains she used to deal with, but some pirate ships even left the black market alliance hoping to build a long term partnership with her. All the while, Malcolm had been trying to dominate the black markets of Nassau. Naturally, Carina¡¯s growth had become a huge threat to him. More and more traders were increasingly interested in trading with Carina instead of the black market alliance.


    This was indeed great news for Carina since the black market alliance had been retarding her growth for a very long time. When she saw hope in defeating Malcolm and the black-market alliance, she instantly signed every contract of the captains who wished to trade with her. To take control of a broader market share, she purchased another ship to help her move the increasing amount of items moving through her warehouse. Right now, she was the proud owner of three cargo ships. Of course, the expansion required an increase in hiring as well. With the large acquisitions, she literally invested everything that she earned back into her business.


    Unfortunately, whatever happened after that was out of her control. Carina¡¯s biggest problem was her lack of shrewdness as a black-market merchant. The black market alliance was newly formed when she first came to Nassau. All her father¡¯s trading partners had left to work with them when he got incarcerated. In the end, Jackdaw was the first and only ship willing to trade with her. Owing to that, she managed to survive in Nassau. However, although sleeping on a bed of roses, sharp thorns were present as well. She had to face perpetual harassment and pressure by the black-market alliance, which just wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook.


    That was why Carina differed from all the other black-market merchants. She never trusted anyone aside from Zhang Heng. Of course, she traded with many different captains under the radar of the alliance, but those were just one-off trades. The real situation, however, was way more complicated than that. Although Carina had a natural flair for business, she sorely lacked experience, not to mention needing a lot more time. All that in a place she was unfamiliar with. If Malcolm wasn¡¯t after her, she would have had sufficient space to grow like a potato seedling. Right now, Malcolm was akin to a giant stone pinning her down. She had waste precious energy to squirm and crawl underneath its weight. In other words, he had severely stunted her growth.


    Malone¡¯s betrayal had also slowly affected Carina. After all, he used to be her father¡¯s most trusted partner. He was also the only one familiar with his trading techniques. Without Malone¡¯s guidance, Carina had to rely on herself to do business in a world filled with hounds and sharks. From that time on, one problem after another began to plague her.


    For instance, she had supposedly set her buying price at 5% higher than the black market alliance, a rate Carina and the captains both agreed with. However, the black-market alliance offered different prices to captains from different tiers. Some pirates eventually discovered that they had been offered different rates compared to some others although the items they sold were similar.


    It was hardly surprising then, how some pirates felt increasingly displeased with the double-standards. During that time, Carina was busy discussing partnerships with the merchants, worried that the bad reputation of the alliance would spill over to her. Ultimately, she was forced to cap her prices at the highest possible rate. That would mean she would be getting significantly less profit from all her trades.


    The low-profit margins were just the beginning. Along with the increase in her cargo volume, the customs officers demanded an increase in bribes as well. This would all translate to higher costs, and subsequently, the retail price for the items would increase as well. Such a situation would only spell fewer buyers in the end. Initially, Carina thought that Malcolm must have been messing with her. Shockingly, she attempted a different port but found the same thing happening to her again. It was then when she realized that this was an unspoken rule for all black market merchants.


    As if to worsen the situation, she had troubles at her business spot as well. The local traders were unhappy after seeing Carina dealing on a large scale on their turf. Two lawsuits were filed against her thanks to the jealous and disgruntled lot. The matter had to be settled regardless, and she was forced to spend a considerable sum to settle the case outside court. The detour eventually incurred huge losses for her.


    All the above led to only one conclusion: the financial pit, the worst of her woes. Before Zhang Heng left, he gave Carina the Skeleton. Although it was supposed to be her third cargo ship, she would still need to pay for its refit and the manpower required. During that time, she had just spent a large sum of money to expand her warehouse by opening a grocery store. When the time came for her to purchase loot, she was so cash strapped that she was forced to mortgage her father¡¯s property just to have enough.


    The entire process of purchasing the goods from the pirate ships, finding prospective buyers, and shipping them to various colonies usually required a set amount of time. It was a well-established system that most traders were familiar with. Unfortunately, the situation didn¡¯t always go as planned. The time the ships would return to port remained an uncontrollable factor. At times, a few pirate ships would all return to Nassau at once, and she would need a tremendous amount of money at hand to purchase their loot.


    A week before Zhang Heng¡¯s return to Nassau, Carina was already on the verge of financial collapse. As of now, she still owed two captains a large sum of money. Then, this morning, she was trying her hardest to calm her increasingly disguntled partners who had not received their payment on time.


    Unfortunately, the heightened emotions caused some pirates to lose all patience and they proceeded to ransack her grocery store.

 Chapter 236 - Malcolm’s Dilemma

    Competition in business was akin to the cruelty of an actual war.


    Malcolm knew Carina¡¯s weakness and quickly changed tactics from aggression to concession. This time, he threw a bait the businesswoman could never refuse.


    If Carina wanted to expand her business, she couldn¡¯t sorely rely on Jackdaw alone. It didn¡¯t matter if it was flourishing her second-hand dealership or the private transactions with pirates from the black-market alliance ¨C they were all retaliation to the obstacles Malcolm threw at her. Thus, there was no reason for her to turn down an opportunity laid before her feet.


    Had Carina been given another six months, and being a quick learner at that, she would have solved her current predicament and turned her rags into riches. However, for obvious reasons, Malcolm was never going to allow her to do that.


    ¡°How much money do you have right now?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°To get the business running again, I would need to throw in at least 700 gold coins. But then again, what¡¯s the point of continuing anyway? We are bleeding money by the barrel. Before this, the business was slow, but now¡­ now, we lose money every day, every hour, every minute,¡± she replied. There was a hint of frustration and exhaustion in her raspy voice, a rarity for her.


    She had come across the most challenging time for her business. Strangely, no matter how hard she worked, she couldn¡¯t seem to turn the situation around. An endless string of problems simply kept ramming into her.


    Because they were expanding at an exponential rate, her capital reserves would not keep up with her expenditure. To make matters worse, the current market had reached a saturation point, with too much stock lying around and no buyers to take them. Then there was the problem of increased customs bribes and the local business¡¯ boycotts ¨C significant impediments that simply couldn¡¯t be solved in such a short period.


    ¡°I can give you an additional 800 gold coins as a follow-up to my investment. On top of that, I can lend you 200 gold coins,¡± Zhang Heng said. During their last voyage, Jackdaw came back fully loaded. He made a simple calculation ¨C as the captain, he and the founding members of Jackdaw would each get around 1200 gold coins ¨C an indubitably tremendous amount of money.


    With the newfound wealth, he could simply retire now, buy two plots of land, and live a comfortable life on the island. Nonetheless, Zhang Heng thought about how Roger Woode and his fleet would come back in a few years to recapture Nassau and how he refused to put his life at the mercy of others.


    Roger Woode, the first governor in the history of Nassau, occupied the island with his fleet and pardoned most of the pirates there. However, Zhang Heng found it hard to believe that things would go that well for himself, especially given what he had done ¨C including Scarborough, he had now attacked two navy fleets. Jackdaw, the pirate ship he now captained, had also been taken from the navy, not to mention that he was part of Queen Anne¡¯s Revenge¡¯ bombing of Charleston. Then, not long ago, he killed Worden, the highest-ranking navy commander of the British Caribbean.


    With Blackbeard Teach missing, Black Sam dead, and Honegg retiring, Zhang Heng and his sailors were now the de facto top group of pirates on the whole island.


    Should Roger Woode manage to take Nassau, many others would still have a chance to keep their lives, considering the fact that Nassau required a ton of young laborers to help develop the island. But not Zhang Heng. He would be among the first to be gotten rid of. So long Roger Woode¡¯s head was attached to him, he would kill the chickens to scare the monkeys (to punish an individual as an example to others).


    On that account, even though Zhang Heng had already completed his primary mission, he couldn¡¯t go on a vacation. Moreover, it was no longer just him alone. As the captain of Jackdaw, he was now responsible for the welfare of his sailors, all depending on him for stipends. And then there was Anne, of whom he looked after. Without his support, the competition between Carina and Malcolm would instantly be over, with Malcolm completely crushing her.


    At this point, it was hard to think of himself or resign at the height of his prosperity.


    ¡°But in return, my share of the business must increase by 10%,¡± Zhang Heng said.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. But are you sure you want to continue? At least in the short term, there won¡¯t be much hope of making a profit.¡±


    ¡°What if the Malcolm were to be resolved?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    Considering the windfall they got from their most recent expedition, Jackdaw¡¯s sailors would most likely withdraw into a lengthy sabbatical, and it would probably be a while before they put to sea again. On top of that, the legendary battle of the Jackdaw had basically entrenched her dominance in the entire island of Nassau.


    This meant Zhang Heng had enough time and energy to deal with the final opponents ¨C Malcolm and his black-market alliance.


    Although Carina¡¯s business seemed to be bleak for now, she had made a strategic move that unwittingly pressured the black-market alliance. Regardless of whether Malcolm¡¯s concessions were voluntary or not, his moves had indisputably caused this large-scale expansion of the used goods business.


    The black-market alliance did not voice their doubts. Only Malcolm was assertive enough, foreseeing that he could afford it, whereas Carina couldn¡¯t.


    But when Zhang Heng returned with all that gold, it had become a whole total different ballgame altogether. One the other side, though, the black-market alliance lost five powerful pirate ships, the loss of Black Prince Sam and his Quidah, an especially big blow to them.


    It appeared that Malcolm¡¯s current situation might not be better than that of Karina.


    In the early days of the black-market alliance¡¯s establishment, they offered very favorable prices to the pirates, meaning that it also a time when their profits were at their lowest. Now that the number of powerful pirate ships was on a rapid decline, it was foreseeable that the amount of valuable loot would also decrease ¨C aggravating an internal conflict that had been brewing within the black-market alliance.


    Later that day, Zhang Heng secretly met up with Laeli behind Smoked Fish Alley.


    During this period, the gladiator had also made a lot of progress. With Leah on the inside, Malcolm¡¯s study could practically hide no secrets. She took the opportunity to go through his letters quietly each time she cleaned the room. To avoid being discovered by Malcolm, Leah did not take any of them but simply memorized any useful information she came across. Then, she would put them into writing, and have someone take the notes to Laeli.


    Zhang Heng flipped through the notes, spotting some interesting messages. Along with the summary of the letters, Leah had also jotted down her impressions and analysis of Malcolm¡¯s antics, which helped paint a more comprehensive picture of the man¡¯s character. However, news regarding Carina¡¯s father, Fegan, was only found in one letter.


    Although it confirmed that Malcolm¡¯s family had indeed contacted Count Slaughter, the man who framed Fegan, it wasn¡¯t enough evidence to charge him for it. There was also a letter stating that Malcolm secretly invested in a parliament member of Whitehall and that he and Raymond¡¯s son-in-law were political enemies.

 Chapter 237 - Interrogation

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about your father¡¯s imprisonment first. Financially aiding political enemies should start a new conflict between Redmond and Malcolm. We need to investigate the Normand matter first.¡±


    ¡°Normand, who is that?¡±


    ¡°The black-market alliance that you know right now is actually not the first in existence.


    ¡°I heard my father mentioning it before. Three years ago, another black-market alliance was established in Nassau. However, it did not end well. It existed only for a short period of time, and it was dismissed soon that.¡±


    ¡°The leader of that alliance was Normand. We all know Redmond as the most experienced black-market merchant in Nassau. When Normand was still around, he was the most respected black-market merchant on this island, which was why he was chosen as the alliance¡¯ leader. During that time, Redmond was second in command. Not too long after that, the whole thing was managed poorly, and Normand¡¯s reputation was destroyed thanks to that. He left many angry and resentful. After that alliance was dismissed, Normand secretly left Nassau. In the end, I heard he died of some illness in his home.¡±


    ¡°Does this incident have anything to do with Malcolm? He¡¯s been only on the island for a year, right?¡±


    ¡°He made a name for himself during that time. Of course, it fades in comparison to what he¡¯s achieved today. He played a big part in the establishment of the black-market alliance, but he chose to lay low instead. I believe he is not a good man.¡±


    Zhang Heng then passed the notebooks to Carina.


    ¡°Malcolm incited the black-market merchants against Normand. Why would he do that? Isn¡¯t he one of the supporters of the black-market alliance?¡± he asked.


    ¡°He is one of the supporters of the black-market alliance, but he wants to be the one in charge of it all. It was too soon for Malcolm to do anything when Normand formed the alliance, having only been in Nassau for a year. His position and growth were limited, and it wouldn¡¯t be good for him if the alliance managed to fortify their territory on the island. If he wanted to grow and expand further, he had to put a stop to the black-market alliance. To achieve that, it was done in great secrecy. I heard that he used a courier called Eugene.¡±


    ¡°Eugene? The intelligence trader who lived on our island?¡±


    ¡°Well, he was once a black-market merchant as well. Once the alliance was dismissed, he switched jobs as an intelligence dealer. We need to talk to him. Amongst the merchants, Normand¡¯s reputation was unparalleled. Though the black-market alliance incident had cost him his good reputation, he still holds the respect of many. For years now, his best friend was always Raymond.


    ¡°After Normand passed away, Redmond took care of his funeral and buried him. If we can get Eugene to testify against Malcolm, we could deepen the conflict between Malcolm and Redmond. With the letters that the two have, I believe it would hit Malcolm harder than exposing your father¡¯s issue. Considering that the black-market alliance isn¡¯t doing well, I believe that we can land him a critical hit if we expose this old incident about him.¡±


    Just as Zhang Heng finished, someone ran into the cellar. It was Cauchy.


    ¡°Something bad is happening at the mansion! You guys better head to the central plaza and take a look.¡±


    Fifteen minutes later, Zhang Heng and Carina arrived at the central plaza with their faces covered. A large number of people had already gathered. At the center of it all, a naked black man was being tied to a wooden stake. There were whip marks and open wounds all over his body, and he seemed to be not long for this world. The butler that Zhang Heng met before at Terrance Mansion, Wallace, stood there calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you one last chance. Who have you been contacting outside the mansion? Who did he ask you to pass the message to? Tell me his name, and I will let you go! I¡¯ll give your freedom back to you! What do you think, eh? Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve always wanted? To become a free man.¡±


    The black man¡¯s mouth remained shut, causing Wallace to instinctively pick the whip before slashing the man again. The poor soul howled in pain when a big chunk of flesh on his back was torn off by the whip. Soon, he could no longer stand the pain, and he lost consciousness.


    After that, Wallace lifted a bucket of water and splashed it on the man. It did it¡¯s work, waking him up with his face all twisted.


    ¡°You lot won¡¯t stop begging me to be more merciful! Alright! Right now, I will show you mercy! You have my promise, and the people around you shall bear witness to my words. As long as you give me the name, I will release you immediately. Before you leave, I will even throw in a doctor to treat your injuries. As a bonus, you will be given a new set of clothes so you can leave this place with honor. Honestly, I can¡¯t think of a better deal than this. All I want are the names. Just give me the two damn names, and we can end this bloody farce!¡±


    The black man started panting rapidly. Nonetheless, after a short while, he decided that he would not say a word to the butler.


    ¡°This is why I hate your kind. The kind that will never learn how to put themselves in the shoes of others. Why do you have to turn this into an ugly scene?¡± growled Wallace in a disappointed tone.


    After that, Wallace stood up and took two steps back. The supervisor behind him moved to the front again. The black man was trembling, dreading terrible things would befall him soon. Laeli could bear it no more, and was about to punch Wallace in the face. However, someone grabbed his arm before he could go.


    ¡°Calm down. The reason why Wallace chose this placewas to make sure that you get to see all of it. If you show yourself right now, you are walking right into their trap. The man on the pillar¡­ is that your contact?¡±


    Laeli nodded as he clenched his jaws, trying his best to suppress his anger.


    ¡°His name is Nadya, a kitchen helper in the mansion. In the morning, he would usually visit the market with the chef to get the day¡¯s supplies. We would secretly meet up and I¡¯ll pass him the messages for Leah.¡±


    ¡°How did Wallace come to know about it?¡±


    ¡°We always met behind the cook¡¯s back. I¡¯m pretty sure that another kitchen helper sold him out, and the traitor is apparently not from my tribe. However, Nadya told me that he had been dealt with. I tried my best to meet up with him only when he was alone. Then, I realized that another kitchen helper would always stand close by whenever we talked. All the slaves who have been granted permission to step out of the mansion are usually very obedient. Still, he is worried that some of them might escape when they are out. That is why he would never let his slaves stray too far. Just so you know, I made sure to always cover my face when I talked to Nadya. No one should recognize me unless they know me well!¡±

 Chapter 238 - Eugenes Secre

    Carina was heartbroken as she looked at the black man¡¯s horrendous condition. Unfortunately, there was nothing the three could do to help him. In this era, blacks were treated no differently than livestock. Even if Malcolm ordered all the black folk in his mansion to be killed, nobody would do anything about it. Besides, Wallace ordered his men to hide around the central plaza to see who would emerge to rescue Nadya.


    In the end, they were forced to watch Nadya getting brutally whipped by the supervisor to the point where he fainted again. Despite his display of total dominance, Wallace wasn¡¯t happy with the outcome. The moment he was told that Nadya was dealing with someone outside, he quickly planned this fracas to lure out the man behind all this. Unfortunately, the main character didn¡¯t show up in the end. If he beat Nadia to death, his only clue would cease to exist.


    Seeing that Nadya had stopped screaming, he was left with no other option but to stop the supervisor from whipping.


    ¡°Look for a doctor to treat his wounds. Let¡¯s head back to the mansion,¡± said a dark-faced Wallace.


    Since the scene was over, the crowd gathered at the central plaza slowly dispersed as well.


    ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Though Nadya is not a warrior from my tribe, I can say that his willpower is stronger than most warriors. He will never betray us,¡± Laeli replied, his eyes redded by the horrendous barbarism inflicted upon his kind.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with loyalty. People rarely survive such continuous torture. Say he could withstand the agony this time. What about next time and the time after that? Sooner or later, Wallace will figure out a way to make him talk.¡±


    ¡°What should I do then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to consider leaving this place. You have given us so much useful information all this time. It is enough for us to figure out how to deal with Malcolm. My earlier promise to you still holds ground. During my last voyage, I scouted some islands for you, and I managed to find a suitable one. There is a ready supply of drinking water and a thick forest on the island. It¡¯s is a perfect hideaway for your tribe. And if you need weapons, I can give them to you. Don¡¯t worry about your daily essentials. I¡¯ll send you a batch as well.¡±


    Zhang Heng paused for a while before continuing.


    ¡°Just as I said. My ship and men will be waiting for you at a designated location. I can¡¯t get involved in your slave war. Otherwise, the plantations on the island will make an enemy out of me.¡±


    ¡°I can understand that. When I leave, I will ask Leah to bring all the letters you need and pass them to you.¡±


    Once Zhang Heng was finished with Laeli, he looked for Carina to discuss Eugene. They quickly realized that it was going to be an uphill battle getting Eugene to work with them and stand up against Malcolm.


    ¡°Sounds easy enough to me. We just need to tie him up and give him a good beating,¡± grinned Anne.


    ¡°This time, we are not allowed to use any violence. Otherwise, we could lose all credibility. We need to make sure that Eugene is willing to speak out the truth. His words will be proof that Malcolm has always placed his own interests above the black-market alliance. Eugene also needs to tell everyone that Malcolm is not suitable as a leader. Anyway, we¡¯ll need to check him out first.¡±


    Billy wanted to be a part of this operation as well, and on the third day in the morning, the four of them gathered at Zhang Heng¡¯s place.


    ¡°I will speak first. Eugene became an intelligence dealer three years after the first black-market alliance collapsed. After the first alliance was formed, he managed to convince a group of people to bring Norman down by becoming his competitor. From what I know, he succeeded in snatching away a few important deals from the black-market alliance. The situation was still salvageable at that time. After all, Normand¡¯s reputation was soaring in Nassau. A large number of people were willing to trust and follow him. That was until something happened¡­¡± said Carina.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Normand was caught secretly dealing with two pirate ships. He was accused of misusing his power to gouge for higher prices. In return, the two pirate ships gave half of their earnings to Normand. This was the incident that caused him to lose all his reputation. It all seems so wrong to me. The captains of the two pirate ships were close to Eugene. One of them even used to work with him.¡±


    ¡°Can you locate those two pirate ships?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. My investigation stops here. From what I know, one ship set off and didn¡¯t return after that. I¡¯m guessing that they were plundered and subsequently sank. The other ship was forced out of business by competing pirates. One year ago, their captain was stabbed to death over an argument in a tavern. After that, the entire crew underwent major changes. All the old pirates were replaced by new ones. Even if we could find the original crew of that ship, it would be pointless. After all, there¡¯s only so much an ordinary pirate would know about the captain,¡± said Billy.


    ¡°Anyway, the black-market alliance was disbanded because of this incident. Normand has a lot of friends, though, and Eugene wasn¡¯t welcome in the black-market merchant circle after what happened to Normand. That was why he was forced to quit to be an intelligence dealer instead. With his strong connections with the customs, he has become quite successful now. Of course, it¡¯s nothing compared to what he achieved when he was still a black-market merchant. Now, here¡¯s the problem. In the end, Eugene got nothing from this incident. Why would he do what Malcolm asked?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to say that perhaps Malcolm rewarded Eugene secretly?¡± asked Billy.


    ¡°On the contrary, I think there¡¯s a big possibility that Malcolm threatened Eugene to submission. I¡¯ve studied Malcolm¡¯s character, and he seems to be a before very cautious person. If he can make Eugene accuse Normand of something he didn¡¯t do, he definitely held something against Eugene. However, judging by Eugene¡¯s personality ¨C if he was willing to frame Normand for money, he could do the same to Malcolm as well.¡±


    ¡°So, right now, we need to find out what Malcolm¡¯s beef with Eugene is?¡±


    ¡°I think I might know the answer to that question.¡±


    No one expected Anne to voice up in a moment like this. Immediately, everyone turned their attention to her. At that, she simply shrugged.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I have my own methods of investigation. Harry is very close to the kids around this area. Though all they do is mess around every day, they are actually quite useful when I need help. Due to their young age, no one really pays attention to them. From time to time, they would overhear secrets from the adults and spill them out. Very few people actually know that Eugene has an illegitimate son.¡±


    ¡°Illegitimate son? How old is he? Where is he right now?¡±


    ¡°A prostitute bore his child when he first arrived on this island. According to what the kids heard, Eugene got the prostitute out once he knew that she was pregnant. He even bought her a house in Nassau. Unfortunately, the house was burned down. Eugene managed to get out in time but not the woman. Miraculously, the child survived the fire. This incident caused him and his son to be at odds. He left Nassau alone when he was only ten.¡±

 Chapter 239 - Hesitation

    ¡°Was Eugene married?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, he¡¯s got a wife in the colony, but they couldn¡¯t have kids. If that¡¯s true, then the illegitimate son is probably his only child,¡± Billy said.


    ¡°This child must be of great importance to him. Eugene must have felt very guilty, especially about that fire,¡± Carina reasoned.


    ¡°So, Malcolm used the child to make Eugene do his bidding?¡± Anne quizzed.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not Malcolm¡¯s style,¡± Carina shook her head. ¡°At times, he¡¯d use the simplest and most straightforward way to solve a problem, much like the Skull issue. However, keeping someone captive like that is crossing the line ¨C there¡¯s no way he would imprison a living person for that long.¡±


    ¡°So, Malcolm¡¯s hold over Eugene is not his son,¡± Billy said, stroking his chin. ¡°Then we¡¯re back to square one. Is there anything else that Eugene really cares about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t find anything other than his son. He leads a pretty simple life right now. Spending most of his time each day in the same tavern, he buys and sells news to the captains. Other than this, he rarely does anything else. He¡¯s one man with a bloody rigid life. Apart from work purposes, he never interacts with people, and only does things that rarely put him in conflict with others,¡± said Carina.


    ¡°I still think that Malcolm is using Eugene¡¯s son,¡± said Zhang Heng, who hadn¡¯t spoken a word since the start. ¡°But he didn¡¯t resort to lowly means such as holding the child in custody. I believe Malcolm showed Eugene that he would always have a way to get to his son, which is why Eugene did as he was told automatically. I know someone we can ask.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating Eugene¡¯s interpersonal relationships mainly because I was curious ¨C he¡¯s only in his early forties, meaning that his physique hasn¡¯t suffered significant deterioration yet. Men of this age still have their basic physiological needs. But like you said, after the fire, he had no relationships with women, and he never visited the brothel either. How did he manage to maintain his chastity for more than ten years?¡±


    ¡°Did you find the answer?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm. Eugene suffers from severe backache. He¡¯s tried various methods but hasn¡¯t found a cure. Then someone recommended him to try the remedy of the Guanahatabey people. He would go to a small manor on the island every other week, where a woman named Carmen owns the place. I believe both of them share some kind of intimate relationship¡­ no, more like a very, very intimate relationship. The treatment has continued for nearly ten years now. They are not simply ordinary friends or lovers. Carmen probably knows quite a bit of Eugene¡¯s secrets, and it¡¯s highly likely that she knows how Malcolm controls Eugene.¡±


    ¡°So, all we have to do is find this Carmen to tell us what Malcolm has on Eugene. Right! then what are we waiting for?¡± Anne raised her chin.


    ¡°We¡¯re waiting for a friend. Carmen will be easier to handle than Eugene, but like I said, she and Eugene have been in a relationship for nearly a decade now. We need to be prepared. Carina and I will go. If there¡¯s too many of us, she may feel uncomfortable.¡±


    Just as Zhang Heng finished, the sound of a carriage coming to a halt could be heard downstairs.


    Zhang Heng grabbed his coat and went downstairs with Carina. This was a relatively safe undertaking ¨C Carmen was not much of a fighter ¨C so, to minimize the chances of hostility, Zhang Heng left his knife behind. He only brought a short musket for self-defense.


    He opened the door of the carriage for Carina as she picked up her dress and entered it.


    Once Zhang Heng was inside, he told the driver, ¡°Go to Hyman Mansion.¡±


    ¡°What about your friend?¡± Carina asked when she noticed that the third person wasn¡¯t in the carriage with them.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arranged a time to meet. He will be there when he¡¯s needed. Let¡¯s just hope that it won¡¯t get to that point.¡±


    Only until the carriage door was shut did Carina finally relax as if stripping off a masquerade. Gone was her stern, unrelenting stance. She leaned back against the seat, rubbing her temples in exasperation. Then, she suddenly remembered that she wasn¡¯t alone and was immediately embarrassed. She did not know what to say to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve been having a tough time.¡±


    ¡°Not really. Thanks to the money you provided, I was able to pay off all our debts. The rest are just small problems. Speaking of which, whatever you¡¯re doing now¡­ isn¡¯t that even more dangerous? I heard that you came across the navy this time! Six pirate ships went out, but only you made it home. Not only that, you even brought back most of the gold. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve even congratulated you. It must have been an interesting story,¡± Carina straightened herself.


    ¡°There was also a lot of luck at play.¡±


    ¡°It may be blind luck the first time, but after the second and third, it¡¯s not luck anymore. Now that Black Sam is gone, you and your men are the most powerful pirates on this island. I knew that this day would come when I first met you, but I didn¡¯t expect it to come so soon.¡±


    ¡°You did pretty well yourself. Even though you have Malcolm and the black-market alliance breathing on your neck, you are still able to grow your business into what it is today. When you first came to the island, I¡¯m sure no one believed that you could get to where you are now, not to mention that you were a newcomer.¡±


    Carina smiled thinly. ¡°But I¡¯ve never even won once against Malcolm. If it weren¡¯t for you, my bags would¡¯ve probably been packed, and I would¡¯ve and left Nassau a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Malcolm has been operating on this island for so long, and now, he even has the black-market alliance under his grasp. You wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. Now that we¡¯ve identified his weak point, it¡¯s our turn to forge the path ahead.¡±


    At Zhang Heng¡¯s calming suggestions, Carina rested for the remainder of the journey. When she closed her eyes, her mind drifted to the first time she boarded Jackdaw. That night, after having one glass too many of whiskey in the captain¡¯s cabin, she began rambling about her childhood and turbulent past.


    That night alone, she revealed her entire life¡¯s story, but ironically, whatever she really wanted to say simply couldn¡¯t leave her lips. After that, when she found out about Zhang Heng and Anne, a woman whose bravery she admired, she had to admit that she must have hesitated at some point.


    Concerned that she was merely attracted to his air of mystery, and troubled by Zhang Heng¡¯s pirate identity, she didn¡¯t despise Anne for getting him first. The truth was, what caused people to lose out had nothing to do with timing, but rather, their own hesitation, hesitating at the point of a crucial decision.

 Chapter 240 - Carmen

    The horse carriage had parked outside Hyman Manor when Carina opened her eyes again. Carina was the kind of woman that could move on once she realized that her goal was a lost cause. Although she felt upset for some time after she knew that relationship between Zhang Heng and Annem, she snapped out of it and focused solely on her business. Time had washed off the sadness that she had within her heart.


    She was reminded of some of the memories that she had since she was in a small space with Zhang Heng. After taking a short nap, she felt that her energy was rejuvenated. Once Carina got down from the horse carriage, she stretched her back and looked around the place. This place was different from Malcolm¡¯s Terrance Manor. Carmen¡¯s Hyman Manor was not as huge as Terrance Manor. Its size was only one-tenth of Terrance Manor¡¯s size. There were no plantations around the mansion. The mansion was surrounded by a huge garden and grassland. Carmen had inherited this place from her late husband, Smith. Only one year after they were married, Smith fell from the horse carriage and died.


    ¡°How can I help you both?¡±


    A black man was cutting grass in the garden. He put down the scissors and walked toward them when he saw them standing in front of the mansion.


    ¡°I heard the master of this mansion is an expert at Guanahatabey¡¯s healing skill. I¡¯m here to ask for her help,¡± Zhang Heng said after he got down from the horse carriage.


    ¡°You are right about that. Mrs. Smith is very talented at Guanahatabey¡¯s healing skills. I can say that her healing is better than all the Guanahatabeys on this island. However, you will need to make an appointment if you need her help. We need time to prepare herbs and the right medical tools for you. Other than that, Mrs. Smith will need to go into meditation one night before she uses this healing skill on others.¡±


    ¡°Is that right. But we are here right now. Can we at least experience her healing skill a little?¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± The black man looked sheepish. ¡°You came at the wrong time. In half an hour, a patient will come and meet up with Mrs. Smith. So¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a woman.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. Drew, let them come in.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Drew then moved aside and welcome Zhang Heng and his people into the mansion. Zhang Heng and Carina followed behind him, and they passed by a small garden before then entered the main entrance. After that, Drew went to the kitchen to make tea for them. About five minutes later, the woman that talked to Drew earlier finally came down from the second floor. Before that, she was standing in front of the window on the second floor. Zhang Heng managed to take a quick look at her. Finally, he had the chance to meet her officially.


    According to the information that Zhang Heng gathered about Carmen, her age should be similar to Eugene¡¯s¡ªaround forty years old. However, it was hard to guess her age from the way she looked. It seemed like she had a great method of taking care of her skin, as her entire being was emanating an aura that was mixed with maturity and innocence. Zhang Heng could finally understand why Eugene was so attracted by her.


    ¡°Drew, did you know who you stopped from entering my mansion?¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for not knowing, madam.¡±


    ¡°Who is the most famous person on this island recently?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Malcom that formed the black-market alliance. Black Prince Sam becomes the pirate king of Nassau. And the most recent famous person on Nassau is the captain of Jackdaw, Zhang Heng.¡±


    It was at that time that Drew realized the person sitting in front of him was Zhang Heng. After all, the characteristics of Easterners stood out amongst all the people in this mansion. At the same time, he was astonished by this realization.


    ¡°No matter what, you can¡¯t ask the most famous captain in Nassau to leave this mansion right now. Drew, I need you to cancel my next appointment. Tell Mr. Buffon that his treatment has changed to tomorrow night.¡±


    Drew nodded his head and served the tea to Zhang Heng and his people before he left the house.


    ¡°I hope that my man didn¡¯t offend you.¡±


    Carmen extended her hand. All these while, Zhang Heng did not like European¡¯s hand-kissing gesture. This was a tradition passed down from the Vikings. It spread to Europe, and it became a polite gesture used by the aristocrats. Usually, this gesture was used by men to show their respect to married women. In modern society, it was still commonly used amongst the royalties in Europe. Still, it did not hide the fact that it was an unhygienic move. Considering the people that lived in this era showered only once every week, there were surely a lot of bacteria on their hands. So, Zhang Heng extended his hand and chose to shake her hand instead of kissing it.


    Carmen was embarrassed by it, but she managed to conceal her emotion before anyone realized it. She then turned around and smiled at Carina.


    ¡°Let me guess. Since the captain, I¡¯m pretty sure you are Anne. No, Miss Anne has red hair that everyone is envious of. You are Miss Carina. Though the things that you¡¯ve done are not as famous as Captain Zhang, your name had spread across the entire Nassau. Especially the women on this island. A lot of them are always talking about you and Miss Anne. The two of you have proven that women can still rule in the world that is dominated by men.¡±


    ¡°You think too highly of me. I¡¯m just a businesswoman that wants to earn more money.¡±


    After a while, the three of them were done with complimenting each other.


    ¡°I have never thought that Captain Zhang Heng knows me. How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°There is something I need your help urgently, Madam Smith.¡±


    ¡°That would be my honor. Might I know which part of your body is unwell?¡±


    Carina lifted the cup of tea in front of her and asked.


    ¡°Madam Smith, I heard that you are very close to Mister Eugene.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°We have no ill intention towards Mister Eugene. Actually, we know that he is being stuck in a helpless situation for many years. We wish to help him to solve his problem. But I need you to tell me the things that are threatening him right now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. I¡¯m just a doctor that knows Guanahatabey healing skill¡­¡±


    ¡°We know the relationship between you and Eugene. He always comes here to look for you in the middle of the night, and he would leave the next morning. His wife is not on this island, and you have remained a widow for so many years,¡± Carina interrupted.


    ¡°Forgive me for being straightforward. You know nothing about being a widow. If you are here for this matter, I¡¯m afraid I have to end the conversation here. Drew, the guests want to leave.¡±


    Carina¡¯s tone had changed. She was no longer as polite as before. Drew came into the mansion, but Zhang Heng and Carina did not get up


    ¡°I heard that you are not in a good relationship with your late husband¡¯s family after he passed away. They want to reclaim all the properties that he owned, especially this mansion. I think we can provide you with some assistance.¡±


    Carmen was moved by it, but she still rejected them in the end.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. I can¡¯t help you even if I want to. Whether you want to believe in what I say or not, Mister Eugene is just a patient to me. If you are here to seek my healing skill, I welcome you. As for all the things that you have just mentioned, forgive me for not being able to help you.¡±

 Chapter 241 - The Threat Against Eugene

    Neither persuasion nor bribe were effective, and there was no way to employ direct force. Carina looked at Zhang Heng who was next to her, wondering if he had any idea about what else they could do.


    Zhang Heng sat very still, not saying a word, sitting as silently as a rock on the couch.


    After a while, another carriage arrived at the door.


    Drew looked puzzled. ¡°Mister Buffon has arrived earlier than usual this time.¡±


    However, when the vehicle stopped, it was a pale-faced young man who alighted. Blinded by the sunlight, he reached out a hand to shield his face.


    Drew¡¯s expression changed abruptly upon seeing the man and he rushed to close the door to the house. But the young man quickly recovered and when he saw Drew and Carmen, he quickly moved towards the door. But his body moved as if it was hollow, his footsteps faint-he had only taken two steps forwards and already he was gasping for air.


    Carmen said to Drew, looking rather annoyed, ¡°Drew, go help him.¡±


    Drew was reluctant but it was his master¡¯s instruction so had no other choice but to walk up to the man and put on a smile. ¡°Mister Gary¡­¡±


    But before he could say any more, the latter pushed him away and spat impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t block my way.¡±


    As the young man walked into the house, he said to Carmen, ¡°I¡¯ve been tight on money lately. Give me another sum of money.¡±


    Even though Carina was unhappy with Carmen¡¯s reluctance to cooperate, this young man¡¯s haughtiness was just too much. She had never seen anyone ask for money so righteously. And from his appearance, Carina could tell that he had been smoking way too much opium.


    Carmen¡¯s smile was visibly forced. ¡°Wait a minute, Gary. Let me deal with the matter here, and send these guests away first, then we¡¯ll talk.¡±


    ¡°Why? Am I keeping you from making money?¡±


    As soon as the young man had finished talking, he received a hard slap across the face. Carmen could not hold back the anger bubbling inside her anymore. Her chest rose and fell violently in tempo with her fury.


    Carina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She turned to Zhang Heng and whispered, ¡°This is the friend you found. Who is he?¡±


    ¡°Carmen¡¯s late husband¡¯s younger brother. He has no purpose other than to cause trouble. Carmen¡¯s late husband had asked her to take care of his little brother. Contrary to what most people believe, Carmen had a very good relationship with her husband. If her husband had not passed away too soon, she would not have chosen to make money this way. By the way, he is not my friend. My friend is behind him.¡±


    An elderly gentleman with a pipe wedged between his fingers walked into the house. He took off his hat and greeted Carmen, then turned to nod at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°Klay King. Owner of a brothel,¡± said the old man, smiling.


    Carmen could sense that something was amiss. ¡°What is the reason for your visit, Mister Klay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Miss Carmen, please take care of Mister Gary¡¯s recent expenditures for him.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a total of 720 gold coins.¡±


    ¡°How is this possible?¡± Carmen laughed in frustration. ¡°How long did he stay in your brothel? Even if he was there for three months, it wouldn¡¯t have cost that many gold coins.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just a representative. The 720 gold coins not only includes Mister Gary¡¯s spending at my place, but also at the gambling house and tobacco house¡­ Oh, and this is bill signed by Mister Gary. Mister Gary here can verify them,¡± Klay said, offering the bill.


    Carmen took the paper and quickly glanced through it. Then she turned to Zhang Heng and asked, ¡°Is this your doing?¡±


    Zhang Heng made no attempt to deny it. ¡°The day of repayment is today. If it is overdue, Mister Gary will be sold to the mines where he will work to pay off the debt. The decision is yours, Mrs. Smith.¡±


    The Zhang Heng today was very different from the one who had just arrived on the island. Jackdaw was now the most powerful pirate gang in Nassau. Zhang Heng no longer had to fight on his own as he did, and his network had also expanded; although only he and Billy, and a few others could be trusted to handle crucial matters such as dealing with Malcolm, in small matters such as dealing with Carmen, Clay and some others were more than happy to assist.


    Carmen shook with rage. There was no way she could pay up such a large sum of money immediately; not to mention that she never liked Gary much. She was tempted to use this opportunity to solve the trouble that was her brother-in-law, but when she thought about her late husband¡¯s request, her heart softened again. She and Smith never had children, and this was Smith¡¯s only dying request.


    No matter how much she despised Gary, she could not bear the thought of seeing him being sold to the mines.


    Zhang Heng repeated, ¡°There is no rivalry between Mister Eugene and I. On the contrary, we also want to help him solve his long-standing troubles. You probably have heard about the situation between the black-market alliance and me, and know my position.¡±


    Carmen fell silent. After a while, she heaved a deep sigh. ¡°I know what you want to know. But if I tell you, will you release Gary?¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded. ¡°You have my word.¡±


    Not wanting to be involved in the rivalry between Jackdaw and the black-market alliance, Klay did not stay to listen to the conversation. He patted Gary on the shoulder and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s an interesting new program back at the shop. Don¡¯t you want to give it a try?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gary looked surprised. ¡°Is it specially prepared for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The girls miss you a lot.¡±


    Gary rubbed his palm together. ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Since Carmen had agreed to deal with his debts, he completely lost interest in her. He did not even thank her on his way out.


    But that was not surprising to Carmen at all. After she had Drew brew a fresh pot of tea for her two guests, she said, ¡°Eugene has an illegitimate child. Did you know that?¡±


    Carina replied, ¡°We heard that his relationship with Eugene is not great, and that he left Nassau when he was very young.¡±


    ¡°Eugene still cares a lot about the child. He spent a lot of money hiring people to search for that child.¡±


    ¡°Did they find him?¡±


    Carina nodded. ¡°They did. The child entered the navy academy and graduated four years ago. He was a very young officer. When he saw that his son was doing well, Eugene kept his distance, not wanting to bother him. Until one day, Malcolm found Eugene and used that child to threaten him.¡±


    ¡°How did Malcolm do it?¡±


    ¡°Before the child left Nassau, he found work on a pirate ship very briefly-only about two weeks. But during that period of time, they robbed a cargo ship carrying cotton. The group of pirates killed the captain, the first officer and some sailors who resisted. Only five or six people were spared. Among them, two were rescued by a passing merchant ship and survived. Now, they are working under Malcolm.¡±

 Chapter 242 - Eighty Percent Chance

    ¡°Malcolm controlled Eugene and made him frame Normand, not because he had leverage over him but his son?¡± asked Anne as she returned the weapon to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Yes. Many of the colony¡¯s residents have a zero-tolerance policy toward pirates. If that incident was made public, not only would Eugene¡¯s son be booted from the navy, but he would even face the death penalty,¡± Zhang Heng confirmed.


    ¡°No wonder Eugene was so compliant to Malcolm. Before we can ask Eugene to expose Malcolm, we would have to solve his problem first. Did Carmen tell you who the two survivors were?¡± asked Billy.


    Carina shook her head.


    ¡°Eugene didn¡¯t tell her the names of the two survivors, but I think I might have a way to find out. The customs have a record of the names of pirate attack survivors. I can write in and have someone look it up.¡±


    ¡°So, our next step is to look for the names of the two survivors. We have to find a way to either kill them or abduct them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be that easy¡­ if it was, Eugene would have done that already. There¡¯s no way he would let Malcolm hold sway over him for the rest of his life. Even if he didn¡¯t do it himself, he could have hired someone to do it for him,¡± said Carina.


    Zhang Heng simply kept quiet.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Carina.


    ¡°Nothing. I suddenly thought of something, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s the right way to achieve our goal. Can I borrow two men from you? I want them to travel to the colony and check something for me.¡±


    Zhang Heng and his men were on the wanted list of several ports and though he had spent a long time at sea and was now tanned, his oriental appearance still made him stand out like a sore thumb. That said, the Northern American colonies of this era had always fascinated Zhang Heng, and given the opportunity, he would have loved to traverse the lands on a sightseeing tour. All that, of course, on the premise that his core mission had been completed and had earned enough money. He could even pay the retired Roscoe a visit. The old man had taught him so much, not to mention controlling the sails and reading the winds. It wasn¡¯t hyperbole to say he was Zhang Heng¡¯s enlightenment guru. However, those wisps of sentimentality lingered in his mind only briefly ¨C it was simply too risky. It was a shame knowing that with his current identity, he was destined to never reintegrate into civilized society.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Carina nodded, adding, ¡°Pick whoever you want.¡±


    Zhang Heng selected two somewhat competent-looking men and briefed them on the matter they were to investigate. Then, he gave them forty silver coins for their expenses, which had the two pleasantly surprised and pleased. That very night itself, they embarked on a journey back to the colony.


    As usual, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t waste any time. After digging around for a bit, he quickly found the pirate gang that Eugene¡¯s son had been a part of.


    As a matter of fact, that pirate group had long since ceased to exist. Like most pirate gangs on the island, it existed only for a short time before disbanding in less than a year. It wasn¡¯t even a large group to start with. At their peak, the time when Eugene¡¯s estranged son joined in, there were fewer than thirty individuals. There wasn¡¯t much to gloat either; their most significant achievement being robbing a merchant ship hauling cotton, and that was nine years ago.


    After the gang¡¯s dismantling, The small portion who were left joined other pirate gangs, and one after another, they were subsequently buried at sea. There were even a few who returned to their life as fishermen. So, after about a week, and with Brook¡¯s help, Zhang Heng found a guy who used to work on the ship. After asking the man a few questions, Zhang Heng thanked him and went on his way.


    Coincidentally, the results of Carina¡¯s investigation were out ¨C she finally understood why Eugene submitted to vicious humiliation all these years and was unable to get rid of Malcolm¡¯s control over him.


    Malcolm had sent one of the two survivors to the naval fleet, and the other to the governor¡¯s mansion as a bodyguard. This meant that Billy¡¯s plan wouldn¡¯t work. Unless resolving to a mass bombing akin to Queen¡¯s Anne Revenge¡¯s bombardment of Charleston, it was unrealistic that they could kidnap or kill the two men.


    Carina felt a strong wave of frustration ramming into her. They thought they had identified Malcolm¡¯s weakness, but after all that bloody effort, they found themselves at another dead end. Malcolm was like a juggernaut without a flaw. Carina couldn¡¯t help but wonder who was going to win this war. After all, even Normand, the leader of the first generation Black-Market Alliance, lost to a fledgling Malcolm. Compared to him, she was nothing but a dabbling rookie in the industry.


    Four days had passed, and Carina still found no solution. She grew more anxious by the day, generally uneasy and edgy. That was until Zhang Heng knocked at her door and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. The men you¡¯ve lent me are back. We should pay Eugene a visit too.¡±


    ¡°Now? Are you sure you can convince him to give up his only son¡¯s life to be on our side?¡±


    ¡°At least an eighty percent chance,¡± Zhang Heng answered.


    ¡°How is that even remotely possible?¡± Carina replied with wide beady eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually not as complicated as you think. I¡¯ll explain later.¡±


    So that night, the pair arrived at Hayman Manor by carriage. Drew was already waiting at the door. He led them upstairs to the study, where Carmen and Eugene were present. After the latter finished reading the letter in his hand, he grew emotional. He asked with a sniffle, ¡°How do I know what you¡¯re saying is


    true?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve read the letter, you would know that your son never boarded any pirate ship before he left Nassau. He paid for his journey with what he earned doing odd jobs around the island,¡± Zhang Heng said. ¡°When Mrs. Smith mentioned you and your son, she said that you both grew apart after the fire, and you haven¡¯t been in contact ever since. And this is why Malcolm¡¯s scheme worked.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that I didn¡¯t look into it at that time? I found a pirate from that ship, and he verified that my son was indeed there! I even had customs check the records of the two survivors. They really were survivors of a plundered vessel! Are you about to tell me that Malcolm planned years ahead just so he could threaten me?¡±


    ¡°No, Malcolm is not God. He couldn¡¯t have planned this so far ahead of time. So, the survivors are real, that pirate ship is real, and the robbery is real too, except for one thing. The person on the ship wasn¡¯t your son. Malcolm must have found out by chance that you and your son were estranged. When he realized that he could use it against you, he only had to buy off one person, the helmsman of that pirate ship.¡±


    Zhang Heng paused, then continued, ¡°I found an old sailor from that ship. It was all very close to what I anticipated. At that time, the ship experienced a very high turnover rate ¨C a common problem among the underdog pirate gangs. If their loot wasn¡¯t nearly enough, it was difficult to retain people. In reality, most either fished or grew crops for a living. They would only rush over if they heard a ship is hiring. Most of them don¡¯t even know each other or would be acquainted for a short while before completely forgetting each other. There happened to be a teenager around your son¡¯s age at that time. Malcolm saw it as the perfect tool to be used against you!¡±

 Chapter 243 - Two Sets of Arguments

    ¡°The helmsman is the person responsible for recruiting manpower. Only he knows where everyone comes from.¡± Zhang Heng said to Eugene, ¡°You can find someone to verify this matter and you will definitely find the helmsman of the ship. He will tell you that your son is on that boat. As for the others, because so much time has passed, they will only remember that there was indeed a teenager who worked on the ship. However, this seems to further affirm what the helmsman has said and make you believe that your son is indeed on that boat.¡±


    Carina looked as astonished as Eugene. ¡°You mean, Malcolm actually has no leverage at all, he just created an illusion of having one?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Wait, but what about the two survivors? Why did one join the navy and the other the governor¡¯s residence? If they had nothing to do with this matter, why is Malcolm protecting them ¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you still don¡¯t understand that it wasn¡¯t Malcolm who sent them to join the navy and governor¡¯s residence. It was after they had joined, and Malcolm discovered it that he chose them, which put the entire plan in his favor and makes it more believable. Zhang Heng turned to Eugene and asked, ¡°When you first heard the news, were they already in the navy and the governor¡¯s residence?¡±


    Eugene was silent for a moment, then nodded. ¡°After all, seven years have passed since that incident. I went back to the colony myself and learnt about it. I confirmed that they had entered the navy and the general-governor¡¯s residence two years ago and realized that I stood no chance. At that time, I naturally thought that Malcolm had done this, and I felt that he was too terrifying a force to contend with. The thought that he planned it all two years in advance, left me discouraged and in despair.¡±


    ¡°So Malcolm knows that the state of your relationship with your son, and how important your son is to you. So, he used a real event to fake your son¡¯s pirate experience in order to control you.¡± The businesswoman felt chills run down her spine. She did not know which version of Malcolm was more terrifying ¨C the invulnerable one with no apparent weaknesses or the one who had his opponents in the palm of his hand.


    In contrast to her, Eugene had calmed down after the initial rush of emotions. The ropes that had been around his neck for many years showed signs of loosening. In his chair, he seemed to be different from than before. He straightened his back and his gaze grew sharper, as looked up at Zhang Heng who was seated opposite.


    ¡°I must admit you¡¯re really close to persuading me, but so far, these are just your inferences. Except for that letter from my son, you have no concrete evidence. I haven¡¯t seen my son in ten years so I don¡¯t recognize his handwriting anymore. How would I know that the one who¡¯s deceiving me is not you?¡±


    Eugene paused. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the conflict between you and the black-trade alliance. The two of you have worked so hard to resolve my problem as a stranger. I¡¯m guessing you must need my help to deal with Malcolm. I can agree to your request, but I need more evidence to be certain that my son is safe if I am to be going up against Malcolm. That¡¯s not too much to ask, is it?


    ¡°Actually, the simplest way is for you to look for your son and speak to him face-to-face,¡± Zhang Heng said.


    Eugene fell into silence again. It was noticeably longer this time. None of the four people in the room spoke. The atmosphere seemed to have frozen over before the intelligence dealer spoke again with a sad smile, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I still have the right to be his father. When the fire broke out, I was cowardly and ran out of the house. At that moment, I had lost them forever. I don¡¯t deserve his forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because you¡¯ve never tried asking him for his forgiveness.¡± Zhang Heng stopped talking and got up from his chair. He opened the wooden door behind him which led to a balcony, where a young man who looked like Eugene stood, with a complicated expression on his face.


    Carmen, who had not uttered a word before this, said softly, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t tell you about this in advance. I was worried that you would be unwilling to meet him. But now that you¡¯re both here, we¡¯ll give you both some time alone.¡±


    After she finished talking, she got up and left the house first, followed by Zhang Heng and Carina, and closed the door behind her.


    The three went down to the living room downstairs, and Carmen went to get wine for the two. There were too many surprises tonight. Carina was still recovering from the shock.


    After a while, she asked, ¡°It was you who found his son?¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded. ¡°Eugene is a very cautious person. Without enough evidence, it was impossible for him to help us deal with Malcolm. However, it was not an easy task bringing his son back. The enmity between them runs deep. Under normal circumstances, they would have only met again at Eugene¡¯s funeral.¡±


    ¡°So how did you manage to persuade him to return?¡±


    ¡°I had prepared two sets of arguments in advance. One from his mother¡¯s perspective, and the other regarding his blood ties to Eugene.¡±


    ¡°Which one convinced him?¡±


    ¡°Neither. Fortunately I still had a card to play. I let the dispatcher inform him that if he wants to go back to Nassau, I can pay him forty gold coins,¡± Zhang Heng explained. ¡°Although room and board are included in the navy, low-ranking officers like him have a low income. If he wants to climb up the ladder, he would need funds but he¡¯s unwilling to receive support from his father. Of course, considering my identity, this money will eventually need to be paid through Miss Carmen.¡±


    Carina took a moment to digest all this then said, ¡°So now we have already won Eugene over.¡±


    ¡°If all goes well, yes. Laeli¡¯s preparations are nearly done. Tomorrow night I¡¯ll have Billy take twenty crew members to wait for him on the west side of the island, which is the coast closest to Terrance Manor. There is nothing but shells and sand in that area, so people rarely go there. The Jackdaw can take them away from Nassau by night.


    ¡°Once you get those letters, and Eugene¡¯s accusations, Malcolm¡¯s reputation will fall fast, and the other black-market merchants will not allow a person tied to so many misdeeds to continue controlling the black-market alliance. Considering Redmond and Normand¡¯s relationship, he can¡¯t just ignore what happened three years ago. So Malcolm will have a hard time making a comeback this time.¡±

 Chapter 244 - New Contact

    Of late, a dark cloud had been hanging over the heads of Terrance Manor¡¯s residents.


    Leah was in the kitchen, making Malcolm his breakfast when she subconsciously glanced at an empty corner. Just three weeks ago, a familiar face had stood there. She last saw Nadya when he got dragged out of the kitchen by the supervisor after he was reported.


    By the time she saw him again, he had already been whipped to oblivion. The supervisor lifted the mangled Nadya and dragged him out of the house. Leah¡¯s heart dropped as she trembled with fear at the awful sight of the now unrecognizable man. Thankfully she managed to put up a calm front.


    The constant anxiety she had been subjected to caused her to have vivid and revolting nightmares each night. She started dreaming that the supervisors had come to get her too.


    During that trying period, everyone who had been in contact with Nadya was brought in for questioning. Many didn¡¯t make it back, and yet, she had somehow escaped it by serving Malcolm breakfast each day. As a result, no one thought of approaching her so far.


    Ever since she was sold to Terrance Manor, Malcolm saw her in a different light. The same went for the other members of the household, who unexpectedly treated her with the utmost respect. Leah was certain, though, that this special treatment wasn¡¯t because of how important she was. Once she lost this ¡°viewed-in-a different-light¡± status, she would be demoted to the fate of the other slaves in the manor; their survival at the mercy of Malcolm¡¯s whimsical temper. Despite the confusion and the mess in it all, she saw the whole situation crystal clear.


    After Nadya¡¯s apprehension, Laeli¡¯s lifeline to the Terrance Manor was severed, turning communications into a daunting task. With tensions running high, the slaves were strictly prohibited from contacting outsiders. They went as far as to replace those tasked to buy food with the supervisors.


    Seeing how challenging the situation had become, Laeli put in extra effort to look for a new messenger. Who he found happened not to be a black slave but a missionary who would come to preach at the manor every day. He hailed from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. (Founded by Thomas Bray in 1701, it was approved by the British Royal Family to preach the gospel to Native Americans, blacks, and whites, albeit with limited success.)


    Laeli attempted to bribe the priest with the gold coins Zhang Heng gave him, hoping that he could pass his words on to Leah. To protect Leah, he told the priest not to talk to her directly, but instead, to a girl from his tribe. This girl would pass his words to Leah after that.


    So, as it was, Laeli was set to leave the place in two days. On that day, Leah was supposed to clean Malcolm¡¯s study. This time, she was asked to slip Normand and Redmond¡¯s letters out of the manor. By choosing this day, Laeli could lower Leah¡¯s risks when she stole the letters. All she needed to do was to hold out until the night, and she would be able to leave the manor. A day before the plan¡¯s execution, Laeli asked the clergy to smuggle in a pile of daggers, guns, and weapons into Terrance Manor.


    Unsurprisingly, the straight-as-a-fiddle priest rejected him. Initially, he sympathized with the slaves and yearned to earn a quick buck as well. Never in his mind did it occur to him that Laeli would blow the whole thing out of proportion. The moment he caught sight of the weapons, he was terrified to death.


    It was too late for Laeli to step back right now. He had no idea how long Nadya would last inside the manor. He wanted to wait no longer, seeing that he had run out of time to look for a new insider. Once he missed this window of opportunity, he would need to wait another week before he could act again.


    In an attempt of encouragement, Laeli kidnapped the priest¡¯s brother after apologizing, intending to use him as a means of leverage. Unbeknownst to the priest, his sympathy would eventually put his life at risk. Suddenly, he realized that Laeli wasn¡¯t the simple man he thought he was. He was a dangerous wild beast that would do anything it took to achieve his goals. Besides, blacks like Laeli were naturally hostile towards the whites since they enslaved them for centuries. It drove him harder to save his people from the manor even if he was to pass the gates of hell and diminished all thought of the consequences that his actions might bring.


    man


    There was no turning back for the priest too. He had no choice but to carry out Laeli¡¯s demands if he wanted to save his brother. He came up with an excuse that he was to distribute food to the slaves. Seeking to appear as inconspicuous as he could, he rode on his horse carriage piled with bread back to the manor. At the sight of the heavily laden wagon, the mansion¡¯s butler felt it strange, recalling that the churches didn¡¯t typically help slaves since they all had their masters. If they started distributing alms, it would send a distasteful message to everyone that their masters were not feeding the slaves enough.


    However, the priest once said that everyone walking this earth was god¡¯s children, and the status of their wealth did not categorize them. The butler failed to come up with anything that could rebuke those words. After all, everyone in the manor, Malcolm included, respected these missionaries highly. Many of these priests had willingly given up their lives in Scotland to serve the people of the more impoverished regions. Such a sacrifice was deemed admirable, one that almost always gained reverence.


    Adding to that, the priest was a regular visitor to Terrance Manor, and the butler felt it wasn¡¯t necessary to inspect his carriage. Thanks to the constant patronage, he was allowed in almost immediately. He was so nervous at that time that he almost bit his tongue.


    Once in the compound, the priest parked his carriage at a space where he usually gave his sermons. Once the supervisor saw the man getting down, the slaves were swiftly gathered. The time to eat had almost arrived, and in order not to hold up work, the priest would usually use this time to preach to them.


    However, considering the man he was, the priest was too nervous to think straight. All that came out of his mouth were a jumble of unintelligible sentences as his mind reeled with blankness. Luckily for him, the supervisors weren¡¯t the least interested in his sermons. As usual, they would indulge in poker as the words of the priest floated them by. Ironically, none of them noticed the priest acting strangely. As for the slaves, they had always been the priest¡¯s most faithful listeners, daring not to complain or say a word although they noticed that he wasn¡¯t quite himself today. Although seemingly drowned in his words, most slaves actually drifted away as the sermon droned on and on, unconcerned by what the preacher had to tell them.


    Ten long minutes later, the priest finally ended the sermon and began distributing the bread around. After making sure everyone had a piece in hand, he took four baskets of bread that were stored under the horse carriage and walked toward the manor. However, the guards blocked him the moment he arrived at the entrance.


    The priest knew that his most crucial moment was upon him. Whatever he did next would determine if the plan was a failure or success.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver the bread. The female slaves are inside, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You are not allowed in the manor without permission.¡±


    ¡°I am burdened by my duty bestowed by the Queen herself to spread the gospel across this land. I have the liberty to travel anywhere I want on this island.¡±


    The priest did his best to sound convincing, but unfortunately, the two guards seemed unmoved by his effective proclamation. Just when the priest was figuring out another way to enter the manor, he heard Wallace scoffing.


    ¡°You guys can¡¯t stop him. Father Tim is one of the bravest men that I¡¯ve had the fine pleasure of meeting. I heard that he once walked three days and three nights around North Carolina preaching the gospel! Let the man in.¡±

 Chapter 245 - Are You Planning To Run?

    Priest Tim steadied his breath as he entered the manor with the baskets of bread in hand. Wallace then signaled over a slave to take them from him. Suddenly, Priest Tim spoke up.


    ¡°Is Daisy around?¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you need her for something?¡±


    Wallace raised an eyebrow, surprised that Priest Tim would specifically ask for Daisy.


    ¡°She asked a question about my last sermon, and I didn¡¯t get to answer her right away. For the past two days, I¡¯ve been praying for God to guide me. Now that He has finally graced with an answer, I must let her know.¡±


    ¡°You can tell me the answer. I will relay your message to her,¡± smiled the slave who was with Wallace.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think it would be more appropriate if I tell her personally. This is, after all, my job.¡±


    Priest Tim stood his ground, insistent and adamant. The slave then turned around to look at Wallace for an answer, but he simply shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say no to a priest. Call Daisy here.¡±


    After that, Wallace turned to Priest Tim again.


    ¡°Priest Tim, are you feeling warm? This is the second time I see you wiping your sweat in five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. The weather is extra hot today.¡±


    Priest Tim¡¯s heart thumped violently in his chest when he heard Wallace¡¯s remarks. Instinctively, he wanted to wipe off the sweat on his brow again, but quickly put down his trembling arm. Wallace noticed that something wasn¡¯t right, but just as he was about to say something, Daisy arrived. Out of courtesy, Wallace stepped aside and allowed the vicar and slave to talk. Graciousness notwithstanding, he actually intended to eavesdrop on their conversation, and hence, lingered around the vicinity, hoping to pick up on something


    Henceforth, Priest Tim spent a good five minutes explaining Daisy¡¯s engaging question: who God would listen to first if the blacks and whites prayed together at the same time.


    ¡°Very impressive explanation, Priest Tim. I was wondering. Is there anything else that you need to do here?¡± asked Wallace right after the vicar was done talking.


    Priest Tim shook his head and passed the baskets of bread to Daisy.


    ¡°Please help me distribute the bread to the rest of the children.¡±


    ¡°Allow me to send you off then,¡± said Wallace with a stare as he gestured at the door with his hand.


    Once Priest Tim left the mansion, Wallace quickly talked to two of his supervisors.


    ¡°Fetch Daisy to the torture room. Give her a healthy dose of whipping. I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°What about Priest Tim?¡±


    ¡°Leave him be. We shouldn¡¯t mess with priests if there¡¯s no solid evidence. It could get us into a lot of unnecessary trouble.¡±


    At that, the two supervisors ran to Daisy¡¯s room, grabbed her by her hair, and dragged the struggling girl of the room. Wallace then walked in and kicked the four baskets of bread, expecting to find something. Lo and behold, whatever was in the baskets, was indeed nothing but good ol¡¯ bread. Wallace then stepped on all the loaves, crushing them to verify their contents. However, he found nothing within, as well.


    Wallace wasn¡¯t the least satisfied. He went on, turning over the sheets and flipping her bed, going as far as to dismantle every single plank that held it together. Still, despite ransacking almost everything, he found nothing unusual. Wallace frowned in frustration. For good measure, he tossed her entire wardrobe before walking out of her room. The few slaves who had gathered at the door to see what the commotion was all about quickly opened up a way for the storming Wallace.


    In a blinding rage, Wallace suddenly targeted one of them and asked, ¡°Have you seen Daisy leave the room?¡±


    The slave quickly shook her head, only making Wallace ever the madder. He growled in a low, menacing tone,


    ¡°You know the consequences of lying to me,


    right?!¡±


    The slave was so fearful of Wallace that she started crying loudly. Wallace shoved the terrified girl away and looked at the rest of the slaves.


    ¡°How about you guys? Did you see Daisy leaving her room?¡±


    All of them shook their heads together. Although it could happen, the possibility of so many slaves lying to him all at once was tiny, and Wallace began to doubt himself. Perhaps he was mistaken after all. When he thought about the strange way Priest Tim behaved, he was almost sure that there was something wrong with him. This was a critical period for Malcolm, and Wallace wasn¡¯t taking any risks. Since he failed to find anything in Daisy¡¯s room, he would have to resort to interrogating Daisy personally.


    Wallace wasted no time and rushed to the torture room with long strides.


    Leah¡¯s room was right beside Daisy¡¯s. When she heard Daisy screaming, she quickly hopped over to see why. Whatever she saw next terrified her. Daisy had become Laeli¡¯s new insider from Terrance Manor after Nadia¡¯s apprehension. She didn¡¯t expect her to be caught just days before her escape.


    This time, Leah started to panic. It wasn¡¯t because Daisy might tell Wallace that she had a part in it, but once Daisy was captured, Laeli¡¯s link to the manor would once again be severed. Right now, she had no idea what Laeli was up, and she didn¡¯t know what to do next as well. What worried her most was Laeli thinking that she must have received his message, and he¡¯d jump into action when the time wasn¡¯t right. Not only would he fail to save his people, but he would also get himself into big trouble.


    Suddenly, someone tapped Leah¡¯s shoulder. When she turned around, she saw Lola. The woman wasn¡¯t from her tribe, and they weren¡¯t in good terms with each other. Lola had been envious of Leah getting special treatment from Malcolm and would usually ostracise Leah in front of the other slaves. At such a critical juncture, Leah didn¡¯t want Lola to see her panic. What Lola said next, however, left her in shock.


    ¡°Are you people planning to escape this place?¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what are you talking about?¡±


    Leah¡¯s heart instantly fell in dread, and her teeth started chattering.¡°Hey, listen. Now, don¡¯t you be afraid, little kitty. Daisy asked me to come for you. Follow me. I have something to show you.¡±


    After that, Lola led her to the hut used to store the cleaning equipment. Leah hesitated for a while but decided to follow her anyway. The thoughts of Lola using this method to sell her out to Wallace swiftly crossed her mind. After all, the two weren¡¯t exactly friends, and Lola wasn¡¯t from her tribe either. She had no obligation to help her at a time like this. Either way, Leah was left with no other option. As long as a slim chance to turn the tide around existed, she didn¡¯t mind the self-sacrifice.


    Once Leah entered the hut, Lola lit up an oil lamp and lifted the canvas lying at the corner of the room. Two guns and eight daggers were presented before her.


    ¡°These are the weapons your allies brought for you. I also have one more thing to pass to you,¡± said Lola as she produced a letter.


    Leah was about to take it, but Lola suddenly pulled it back.


    ¡°Did you really think I¡¯ll give it to you just like that? I have taken a massive risk hiding these weapons for you. If I weren¡¯t there to clean up the place, Daisy would have been caught in possession of those weapons.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± asked Leah. She had finally calmed down.


    ¡°I want whatever you guys want. I want to leave this hellhole as well. I want to take a huge whiff of the air of freedom! You can either let me join you, or we can all rot here for eternity in this god-forsaken manor.¡±

 Chapter 246 - True Enemy

    Right after Zhang Heng and Carina left Hyman Manor, they met up with Billy to improve and calibrate the plan that was to be carried out when they received Laeli¡¯s letter. That included the partnership with Eugene. They needed to spread the news as soon as possible within the black-market alliance, badly needing all the support they could find on the island. In this operation, Redmond¡¯s approach was the key to their success. As the leader of the black-market alliance and a highly-reputed black-market merchant, his decision would affect the fate of all the other black-market merchants in Nassau.


    However, it wasn¡¯t easy convincing Redmond to go against Malcolm. After all, Redmond was old, and it was getting hard for him to deal with all these managerial nonsense. With Malcolm leaving the alliance, it would be almost impossible for him to keep it running. The good news was that Redmond was from his counterpart and was not quite as ambitious as him. When it came to Carina¡¯s trading business, Redmond actually wasn¡¯t that harsh on it.


    As of now, Zhang Heng had two trump cards with him. One was the friendship between Redmond and Normand. Almost the entire island knew that Redmond was Normand¡¯s only supporter in the black-market alliance. If Redmond knew what Malcolm did to Normand, he would definitely not sit still.


    The second trump card in Zhang Heng¡¯s hand was Malcolm funding the political enemy of Redmond¡¯s son-in-law behind his back. With the heated argument that had broken between them, there was a high chance that Zhang Heng could pull Redmond to his side.


    The sun was almost up when the discussion came to an end. Carina returned home, where she cleaned up and prepared to take a short nap. Just as her head hit the pillow, a horse carriage pulled up in front of her house. She heard a knock at the door and an ensuing commotion. Immediately, she put on some proper attire and went to open the door. The sight of her newly hired bodyguards with loaded guns in their hands greeted her. There were in a confrontation with the visitor, and a fierce fight seemed to be imminent.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m not very welcome here,¡± said the man as he pulled off his black gloves.


    Carina was in shock when she saw the unexpected visitor.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, showing up in front of my house after what you did to me. I should order them to shoot you right now!¡± she replied.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it then?¡±


    At that, Carina was rendered speechless.


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re still thinking straight. You know you¡¯ll never set foot in Nassau again if you kill me. Great. I love dealing with those who can think logically. Since you are not going to shoot me, aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡±


    Carina didn¡¯t like what she was feeling right now. It was just like the feeling she had at the coffee shop, the very essence of herself being overshadowed by an oppressive aura. Right now, Malcolm held absolute power over her, and she found it hard to argue with him. Technically, there there wasn¡¯t much the two could talk about right now. After tonight, the winner would be disclosed.


    Be that as it may, Carina moved aside and allowed Malcolm to enter.


    Malcolm was cool and calm when he entered Carina¡¯s house. He appeared to be comfortable as if he was in his own home. Carina¡¯s two bodyguards, on the other hand, were on high alert and stuck as close as they could to her. After hesitating a short while, she ordered her bodyguards to stand down. Carina and Malcolm were now alone in her house. Malcolm pulled out a chair, sat down, and went straight to business.


    ¡°I want to suggest a truce between us.¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s because you can¡¯t hold up any longer?¡±


    To her surprise, Malcolm didn¡¯t disagree.


    ¡°I have to admit that I made many mistakes. I thought of two possibilities when Sam set to plunder the Spanish treasure ship. The first would be them successfully getting the 5000 pounds of gold. The second would be failure, and they would be forced to return to Nassau. None of these possibilities would solve your current problem. However, I¡¯m astonished that it was Jackdaw who took into possession more than half the gold. The navy attack was unexpected, though. After learning a few lessons, do you really think I lost this time by coincidence?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°If my plan had been perfectly executed, in no way would I have allowed you to survive until Jackdaw returned.¡±


    ¡°I see now. The omnipresent leader of the black-market alliance has to resort to parlor tricks to drive fear into me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know who your real enemy is, do


    you?¡±


    Malcolm placed his gloves on the dining table and leaned back on the chair.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m entirely clear about the matter. You ordered pirates to plunder my ship and asked that asshole of a Wilton to threaten me and kill my sailors. You also planted a mole in my company to monitor me. The entire black-market alliance locked me out, and I was bullied for my lack of experience. You¡¯re also the one who lured me into over-expanding my business¡­¡±


    ¡°This is what competition is in business! You¡¯re doing the same thing to me as well, are you not? All the while, you¡¯ve been snatching away tons of captains from me. Do you know what trouble you¡¯ve caused me? It seems you¡¯ve been enjoying this, huh?¡±¡°Enjoying this?! You used dirty tricks to incarcerate my father and destroy my family. Now, you are telling me we are supposed to be friends?! This has to be the lamest joke I¡¯ve heard in my entire life.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s your father. I finally know where your anger comes from.¡±


    Malcolm raised his eyebrows and paused before continuing,


    ¡°What if I tell you that I have nothing to do with your father getting jailed? What would you think of me then?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Malcolm, I still respect you as a competitor. Please do not lose whatever little respect I still have for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but I wasn¡¯t joking. From the beginning, I¡¯ve always respected your father a lot. We have a different view on things, and as a competitor myself, I won¡¯t hesitate to defeat him and drive him out of Nassau. Rest assured, I will never resort to such lowly methods to eliminate him. The moment he was in jail, I contacted my family for help in investigating this matter. Unfortunately, concrete proof in such matters is usually hard to find, and in the end, I made them contact Count Slaughter with their connections. We invited him over for a meal and gifted him with two pieces of top-notch ceramics in exchange for telling us what he knew. Eventually, he told us who put your father in jail.¡±


    ¡°And who might that be?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe what I¡¯m about to tell you. This man was a dear friend of your father. No, he was a friend to every black-market merchant on this island. His name is Redmond, the current leader of the black-market alliance. It¡¯s not the first time he¡¯s done something like this. Have you heard of a man called Normand? He used to be Redmond¡¯s close acquaintance as well. The first-generation black market alliance¡¯ dismissal had everything to do with Redmond!¡±

 Chapter 247 - Don’t Do Anything

    ¡°Mr. Malcom, do you really think I¡¯m that stupid? Let¡¯s not talk about my father¡¯s case first. Redmond was the vice leader of the first black-market alliance. Why would he be against Normand? It¡¯s not like he would gain anything out of it. According to what I know, Redmond stayed on to support Normand during his most difficult time. As for you, you just arrived on this island at that time. If the first generation of the black-market alliance was stable, you would have had a tough time getting to where you are today, right?¡±


    Malcolm¡¯s expressions stayed the same, even after hearing what Carina said to him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. Even I missed the real target. Redmond has bigger ambitions than anyone could imagine. As one of the pioneering black-market merchants on this island, he was never worried about his wealth and fame from the beginning until now. However, he was forced to live under Normand¡¯s shadow. If he didn¡¯t do what he did back then, he couldn¡¯t have gotten to where he is today. He is now the leader of the black-market alliance.


    ¡°As for me, it¡¯s true that I secretly wished the first alliance wouldn¡¯t last long, all because of profits, of course. I did ask a merchant called Eugene to sabotage the black-market alliance, but the impact was minimal. With Normand¡¯s reputation, it was hard to shake him off from his position.¡±


    ¡°So, you asked Eugene to coin up a story that Normand had been secretly working with two captains, right? Since you had the guts to do something like this, why should I believe that it wasn¡¯t you who sent my father to jail?¡±


    ¡°It seems like you are well-informed of the past. Whatever Eugene did after had nothing to do with me. I didn¡¯t ask him to frame Normand of something he didn¡¯t do. After your father was jailed, I started my own investigations, and I found out that Redmond had something to do with this incident.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that? You are not even that close to Normand, aren¡¯t you? So, why are you investigating this matter?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to be the second Normand. All this time, Redmond had always resented the setting up of the alliance, hoped that it never existed in the first place. He only supported the first alliance to get rid of Normand. This time, he believes that I¡¯m a huge threat. I have to say, he¡¯s one brilliant old man. Though he¡¯s now the leader, and I¡¯m just the vice leader, he knew that I would eventually get to his position within three years. By that time, he would be forgotten everyone around him.¡±


    ¡°If what you say is true. Why would Redmond agree to form the alliance with you?¡±


    ¡°Why would he support Normand to form the first alliance in the first place?¡± asked Malcolm.


    Before Carina could answer, Malcolm, continued,¡°That¡¯s because he couldn¡¯t figure out an effective way to get rid of Normand. If Normand weren¡¯t the leader of the alliance, it would be hard for Redmond to turn everyone against Normand since he¡¯s a rather reputed person here. Things were different when Normand was elected leader. The alliance¡¯s members automatically went against him when they were told that he had been receiving bribes from the captains. The profits of the members were severely affected, causing them to revolt.


    ¡°I knew that he would use the same strategy to fight me. Your problem isn¡¯t the only one I¡¯ve had to deal with lately. I have to admit that your business did give me some problems, and if Redmond¡¯s men didn¡¯t stir up trouble, would I have been so passive? Most importantly, Frazer betrayed me. He told me earlier that he had a beef with Zhang Heng, and he was willing to dispose of you and your people for me. However, I started to be suspicious of him after what happened to the Skeleton.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that Zhang Heng and his Jackdaw arriving that night was too much of a coincidence? Wilton¡¯s Skeleton arrived first, and Jackdaw came right after that. That wasn¡¯t a coincidence. Frazer calculated everything. According to our agreement, the Skeleton was supposed to sink your ship and kill everyone on it. After that, they were supposed to leave Nassau. However, Frazer told me that Wilton was out of control. Not only did he take your money, but he also wanted to use your sailors to rip you off. Can¡¯t you see that he¡¯s fooled us here?


    ¡°Frazer is considered to be Zhang Heng¡¯s mentor, more or less. He knows Zhang Heng better than anyone else on this island. In that situation, he knew exactly what decisions Zhang Heng would make. Frazer had already anticipated that Wilton and his men would live past that night. I have to admit that he had it all hidden so well. Though I suspected him before, I couldn¡¯t find anything solid to pin him. So, I decided to trust him once more. When he contacted the captains on the island to leave the alliance and deal with you instead, I realized that I made a huge mistake.


    ¡°It was supposed to be a ¡®kill-two-birds-with-one-stone¡¯ strategy. If everything went smoothly, I would use the opportunity to destroy you and your business. Once you¡¯re gone, the other captains on this island would have no option but to rely on the black-market alliance even though they don¡¯t like us. The person that destroyed this plan wasn¡¯t Zhang Heng. It was Frazer.


    ¡°We all know his conflict with Zhang Heng on this island. I only chose to believe him previously because I thought his target was always Zhang Heng and not me. After this incident, I can tell that he works for Redmond. However, it would be naive for Redmond to think that he can get rid of me so easily. If he can look for Frazer¡¯s help, then I can work with you to get rid of him as well. You get to keep your twelve pirate ships, and I won¡¯t interfere with your business anymore. I can even provide you with assistance to get through certain customs and local markets. Once this whole thing is over, I will help you to get your father out of jail.¡±


    ¡°What would this cost me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything. I just want us to stop fighting each other. I will solve my problem while you just sit quietly and watch the drama unfold. As for your father¡¯s case, I¡¯ll make the person responsible pay the price. Take your time and think over my offer. I¡¯ll give you three days to think about it. We will meet again at the coffee shop in three days.¡±

 Chapter 248 - Tempted

    After Malcolm left, Carina sat silently at the table for a full hour, staring blankly without even taking a sip of water.


    Her well-heeled upbringing and the comforts that came with it sheltered her from actual malignant adversaries. Her most serious incident was simply caused by jealousy among little girls, literally child¡¯s play at this point when compared to Malcolm. He was the first ¡°proper enemy¡± she ever encountered.


    He had ruined her life, slowly laying out it¡¯s bare, harsh realities before her eyes.


    It was the first time Carina experienced such powerful sensations of fear and abhorrence. Throughout her days on the island, she would dream of diminishing Malcolm in her sleep, making him pay for every single horrible thing he¡¯d done to her.


    However, when the day actually came, a time when the opportunity was ripe, and victory was nigh, Malcolm simply strolled into her room, looked her in the eye, and told her that she had the wrong man all along. The man who had destroyed her family, and locked away her father, was, in fact, someone else.


    Carina considered the possibility of Malcolm lying, and that it was just another deceitful narrative he conjured out of desperation to throw her off. Although she hated to admit it, she knew deep down inside that Malcolm¡¯s rationalization actually made sense.


    Of late, she had been in a state of continuous disillusion, unsure of herself and where she was actually headed.


    Everything seemed a little too smooth this time around. Although Carina was forced through dire situations before, to the verge of bankruptcy at one point, Malcolm and the black-market alliance didn¡¯t take drastic measures to defeat her in her most trying times ¨C very unlike Malcolm. On top of that, they even located Eugene without much hassle. While it took significant effort to persuade him, Eugene¡¯s resistance wasn¡¯t as vehement as expected.


    Compared to previous clashes, Malcolm¡¯s standards seemed to have fallen short this time. It would all make sense if Redmond had secretly intervened, though.


    Carina simply found it hard to accept that after all this while of chasing him down, Malcolm wasn¡¯t the perpetrator. It was as if she had been traversing an arid desert for an eternity, heading in one direction, and just when an oasis was in sight, it suddenly disappeared like a mirage.


    Nonetheless, wherever the truth lay, Malcolm¡¯s offer was indeed, very tantalizing. Not only would the black-market alliance officially recognize her pawn business, but they would even agree to a whole list of favorable terms. The most important thing was that they promised to set her father free and help her exact revenge. Now that they shared a common enemy, she didn¡¯t have to worry about Malcolm and his bothersome antics anymore.


    Carina was slightly tempted.


    ¡°Is this your escape plan?¡± Lola asked, looking baffled. ¡°We have first to take out the two guards at the gate, then avoid the night patrols to sneak into the torture chamber and rescue Daisy and Nadya? Then, we pray hard that we didn¡¯t alert anyone, right? After that, we just have to run to the gate, kill a whole team of highly trained guards, and finally, make our way to the beach? Forgive me for being blunt, but this is not an escape plan, this is suicide!¡±


    Leah tried to explain, ¡°No, Laeli will eventually bring in more people, and we¡¯ll take care of the guards at the gate together. And he¡¯s already prepared a carriage that will send us to the beach.¡±


    ¡°But it still doesn¡¯t change the immeasurable danger we have to face before all that. You can¡¯t just pray for the guards to go blind, or for the guard at the chamber to magically disappear. There¡¯s no way we can fight so many with just two blunderbusses and eight daggers.


    ¡°We will kill the two guards outside the gate, and that itself is a huge risk. After that, we go straight to the main entrance. You¡¯ve seen how the slaves sent to the chamber were treated. Come tomorrow; Daisy would¡¯ve been in there for a day, and more than twenty days for that Nadya guy. Even if we manage to get them out, could they even walk in that state? I don¡¯t need to be dragging along two deadweights while trying to escape!¡±


    ¡°They are not deadweights; they are my companions,¡± Leah insisted firmly. ¡°Without them, we would have never contacted the people outside. It if hadn¡¯t been for Nadya and Daisy¡¯s perseverance, we would¡¯ve ended up in there with them. So we either leave together, or no one leaves at all!¡±


    ¡°Your stubbornness will only kill us all!¡± Lola bemoaned with wide eyes. ¡°You are like a tiny canary that Malcolm caged up for too long. You have no idea how cruel the world is outside this place.¡±


    ¡°So, it seems this is all about your personal resentments. What about you, then? Do you know how cruel it is?¡± Leah retorted.


    ¡°Of course, I do!¡± Lola stripped off her dress and pointed at the thick scars pockmarking her chest. ¡°At least I¡¯ve actually tried escaping before. How else do you think these came about?¡±


    Leah stared in stunned silence. After a while, she blurted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know about this.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t. You weren¡¯t even here yet.¡± Lola slipped her dress back on and said earnestly, ¡°I have attempted escape before, and I¡¯ve seen many others do the same. I know better than anyone just how dangerous it is to do so. You have to do all you can to lower the risks involved. Perhaps you¡¯ll have a chance to succeed then. I know that they are very important to you and I also know that you don¡¯t want to disappoint them. But sometimes, Leah, someone needs to make the difficult decisions.¡±


    For a minute, Leah stared silently at the floor. Then, she looked up and replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We either go together, or none of us leaves.¡±Lola felt deep frustration coursing through her veins, and in a rage, she erupted in curses. 1*^$@!#! I¡¯m so stupid! I should never have gotten involved in this!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll understand if you want to back out now. But no matter what, I will always be grateful to you. Without you, we couldn¡¯t have gotten the weapons, and we wouldn¡¯t have communicated with our allies outside the manor,¡± replied Leah, sincerity brimming in her eyes.


    ¡°Do you still not understand?! I have nowhere else to go! If you fail, you will be tortured until you confess and sell me out!¡± Lola punched the shelf next to her before taking in a deep breath and composing herself.


    ¡°Alright, you win. I give in. We can go save your friends, but we cannot rush it.¡±


    ¡°Any ideas you can think of?¡± Leah asked humbly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way around being noisy if we break into the torture chamber. Since that¡¯s the case, we just make a louder noise. We¡¯ll distract the patrols by setting fire to the granary east of the manor, as well as the firewood store. That way, we¡¯ll have enough time to save your friends.¡±


    ¡°But with so few with us¡­ it can¡¯t be done, right?¡± Leah wondered out loud.


    ¡°Yes, which is why we have to convince more to join us!¡± Lola answered resolutely.

 Chapter 249 - Special Leah

    Leah¡¯s insistence on saving her friends significantly lowered the chance of a quiet escape.


    Since they were throwing in everything, Lola went all out to encourage everyone she could to join the daring escape, albeit remaining extremely conservative on who she told. She didn¡¯t inform everyone about the plan, revealing it to only a trusted few at lunch the next day. Those who were part of the plan would be alerted, and they would start preparing themselves without leaking any information.


    Leah was set for an important task herself. Her job was to steal any letters related to Normand and Raymond. Since she cleaned Malcolm¡¯s study every week, it wasn¡¯t too complicated, provided the room was empty.


    Leah¡¯s biggest worry was that Malcolm would be there while she cleaned. The good news was, Malcolm had something important to do and left the manor early that morning.


    Thus, when noon came around, Leah entered the study as usual. After greeting the guard with a smile, she closed the door behind her, letting out a massive sigh of relief as he steadied herself. Instantly, she went about the chore of cleaning the room. She was extra swift this time, but once she was done, there wasn¡¯t much time left for her original mission. Leah hastily stormed to the bookcase and pulled the drawer open.


    There was nothing inside.


    It was completely empty! She swore the letters were still there when she cleaned the room last week.


    Could the recent tensions and successive incidents of Nadia and Daisy have prompted Malcolm to move away everything important? But then again, from the haphazard way those letters were piled up, she could tell that Malcolm didn¡¯t care about them much.


    She forced herself to stop panicking as she went through the various possibilities in her mind. At the same time, her hands didn¡¯t stop, searching the entire study as she went along. However, despite her best efforts, there was still no trace of the letters.


    Leah grew more anxious by the second as every drawer she opened turned up empty. In her haste, she made a blunder. As she shifted backward, she accidentally knocked a low cabinet, sending the binaural vase on it to come crashing down!


    She turned around to try to catch it, but it was already too late. The vase had already fallen onto the floor. Fortunately for carpets, it didn¡¯t shatter, although one of its handles had broken off.


    Leah was horrified, her heart falling even harder the vase. This was Malcolm¡¯s favorite piece of porcelain. An adventurer brought it from a distant and mysterious land of the far east, and no doubt. It was a priceless artifact, worth hundreds of times of what she was sold for. She had always been extra careful whenever she cleaned, but this time, her mind was so preoccupied with finding the letters that she discounted her surroundings.


    Before she could even think up a plan to salvage the situation, she heard footsteps from the outside of the study.


    They were the sound of Malcolm¡¯s unique stride, swifter than most men, but with a pace firm and confident. The interval between each step was almost always the same too. It was just as he was, efficient, solemn, and calm.


    The guard pushed the door open, and Malcolm entered. The moment he saw Leah clutching the vase with one hand and cleaning the counter with the other, she thought she was done for. However, he simply cocked an eyebrow and didn¡¯t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.


    In fact, he seemed to be in a good mood today. ¡°Stop cleaning. Go tell the kitchen to put some steak on the grill,¡± he instructed Leah.


    ¡°Alright. Haven¡¯t you had your lunch yet?¡± Leah turned around, hiding the damaged vase behind her back and trying her hardest to maintain a smile.


    ¡°Mm. I had two bites of apple pie on the way back. Average tasting stuff.¡±


    Thank goodness Malcolm wasn¡¯t looking at her. In an attempt to shift the man¡¯s attention, she picked up a wine bottle and hurried over to pour him a glass.


    Malcolm cleared his throat.


    ¡°I heard that you and Daisy are quite close.¡±


    Leah froze, and a feeling of dread overwhelmed her. Malcolm must have turned his suspicions to her. To her relief, he said, ¡°Do you happen to know who she¡¯s close to?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Leah started but was hesitant.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you afraid that the others would shun you if you tell me? But haven¡¯t you always been getting the cold shoulder anyway?¡±


    Leah was surprised that Malcolm knew about it.


    ¡°Are you surprised? I¡¯ve been giving you preferential treatment, so naturally, the others will be unhappy. They are too afraid to hate me, so they turned to the person closest to me. That happens to be you. But because of that, I get to sniff out the rogues. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let them hurt you. Haven¡¯t you realized it yet? Those who have mistreated you have all but disappeared?¡± Malcolm paused. He finished up his wine as he stared at the girl with a cocked head. ¡°With you helping me, I don¡¯t have to worry about anything,¡± he went on.


    Leah wasn¡¯t the least pleased the creepy undetone in her master¡¯s voice. When those words hit her, her blood ran cold, and a frigid chill ran down her spine.


    Truth be told, she actually felt guilty that she had seen Malcolm¡¯s letters. No matter what the other slaves thought about him, he treated her well, at the very least. And after all these years of Malcolm¡¯s influence, her mindset was actually closer to that of a white woman.


    That also made her different from her own people. At times, she even felt that Malcolm understood her better than her own compatriots. He played a similar role as her father and mentor, and undeniably, she felt some warmth from it. However, as it turned out, it was all an illusion. Malcolm treated her differently, not because of how special she was, but because he needed her to seem ¡°special.¡±¡°Alright, I¡¯m hungry. Go hurry the chef up,¡± Malcolm said. ¡°And oh, it¡¯s been quite humid recently, so I had someone sun the letters this morning. Collect them later in the evening, will you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Leah nodded and left the study.


    It was destined to be a sleepless night.


    When the hands of the clock in the living room struck twelve, Lola woke the maid in the bed next to her and told about their escape plans. At the same time, the same thing was happening in all the other rooms until eventually, almost twenty maids were gathered in Leah¡¯s quarters.


    These were almost half of all the maids in the manor. Except for Laeli¡¯s people, the rest of the colored women wishing to escape were now practically together. Lola tied up the ones afraid of getting caught, gagging them to keep them from blowing the whistle. Most of all, it was done for their own good. If they were caught with any information, they would be punished severely once Leah and the others escaped.


    As for the male slaves living in another building, they were led by someone else.


    Leah glanced at the faces of the women before her. In their eyes, she saw anxiety, fear, and a powerful yearning for freedom. Without hesitation, she declared, ¡°Sisters, let us together, break the shackles that bind our necks!¡±

 Chapter 250 - Riot

    Malcolm couldn¡¯t remember the last time he got some proper sleep. Once he realized that Redmond was the enemy, he wasted no time coming up with a plan to deal with him. However, that wasn¡¯t Malcolm¡¯s biggest problem right now, as he would need to stabilize the increasingly volatile black-market alliance once Redmond was out of the game.


    Most outsiders viewed the black-market alliance as an invincible and impenetrable force. As one of it¡¯s founding fathers, Malcolm secretly knew that its foundations were weak and crumbling. No matter how robust the system was, solving every internal conflict that arose within its core would be impossible. This was where Redmond¡¯s influence came in handy, something the system couldn¡¯t do.


    Every black-market merchant had their own cliques and factions, and naturally, some were hostile to each other. Malcolm wasn¡¯t the right person to balance power and resolve their conflicts since held only been in Nassau for a few years. When it came to matters like this, he still had to rely on Redmond. After all, Redmond was one of the eldest and most experienced black-market merchants in Nassau.


    This was why Malcolm was in charge of the alliance¡¯s operations while Redmond became its leader. Within two or three years, Malcolm would have built a strong reputation within the alliance, and Redmond would be kicked out of the game. He was even confident that he could take over all his tasks within a year. Owing to that, he was surprised that Redmond would turn against him a lot earlier than expected.


    At this point, the two could never go back to how they were before. Redmond knew that the longer he dragged things on, the more unfavorable his situation would be. To him, Carina, Malcolm¡¯s rival, was the wildcard in this game, and it would be unsurprising if he decided to secretly take action on her. That said, Redmond failed to keep it a secret from Malcolm


    Malcolm¡¯s priority, as of now, was to find a way to kick Redmond out of Nassau, and at the same time, ensure that the operation would cause minimal effects on the alliance.


    Malcolm wrote down the names of a few influential black-market merchants on a piece of paper, supposed candidates for Redmond¡¯s replacement. It wasn¡¯t until late that night that he went to bed. Not too long after he fell asleep, he was awakened by some loud shouting and rapid thumps of footsteps outside his room. Such actions were typically forbidden inside the manor. Instantly, Malcolm¡¯s eyes popped open as he jumped out of bed. At that time, someone knocked at his door.


    ¡°Come in!¡±


    Wallace pushed the door open and stormed into the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on outside? What¡¯s with that loud noise?¡± asked a frowning Malcolm while hastily changing his attire.


    ¡°The slaves are rioting! They¡¯ve set fire to the barn and our wood and cotton warehouses!¡±


    ¡°How many of them?!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t come up with a number right now, but I believe more than half of our slaves are in it. They are all armed mainly with stones they picked, and knives from the kitchen. But there are some with daggers and guns. On the bright side, they have at most, two or three guns with them. I¡¯ve sent for a team to protect you, and I¡¯ve also rushed a messenger to get help from other plantations. Once their men arrive, we should be more secure.¡±


    Once Malcolm put on his proper attire and shoes, he walked out to the balcony and instantly saw the fires that were raging nearby. It seemed that a new fight had just broken out at another spot. It was just like what Wallace said, the black slaves had the numbers, but the guards were better equipped. As of now, the guards were holding up well. Not too long after that, the supervisors joined the brawl as well.


    Getting assistance in crushing the dissent should be a breeze too. Managing the slaves had been a constant headache for landowners like Malcolm, and as he shared a good rapport with a few plantations, they would inevitably run to his aid in a time like this. Malcolm¡¯s confidence was boosted, and he wasn¡¯t too worried about the ever-growing riots around his manor. Even when Wallace told about the massive losses they had suffered, he seemed unconcerned.


    Malcolm was trying to figure if the riots had something to do with Redmond. If it did, what was he hoping to achieve? How did he convince so many to work for him?A handful of slaves had attempted to escape Terrance Manor before, but a riot of this scale was unprecedented. It would have been a massive undertaking, not to mention that with so many being involved, the secret was bound to be spilled somehow. Most slaves weren¡¯t petite as well, and they could be easily spotted. There was no place they could hide even if they escaped successfully. Malcolm was also baffled by how the slaves got their hands on the daggers and guns. All these questions could only be answered after the riots were over. He knew one thing for sure, though. Daisy wasn¡¯t the snitch.


    Soon, they received updates that the slaves were moving toward the ranches, a spot that was poorly defended. If that were to be the case, the guards might actually be on the losing end. Once the horses were set free, the situation would only become more chaotic and eventually get out of hand. So with Malcolm¡¯s permission, Wallace and his men scrambled to the ranch hoping to stop a horse stampede.


    Wallace was running when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. It dawned on him that fierce fighting was happening at three different locations around the manor. One place, however, had been unusually quiet tonight. It was in the fields where the torture chamber was.


    ¡°Cunning little pieces of shit!¡±


    Wallace reloaded his rifle, and with a scowl, turned to the plantation. From afar, the body of the supervisor guarding the room could be seen lying on the ground. Several knives were sticking out of his back like bristles. Meanwhile, a black man was dragging Nadya out of the room.


    Wallace pulled the trigger, the bullet missing its target and landing on a nearby barrel instead.


    Startled, the black man fell to the ground as he dropped Nadya. Wallace¡¯s men had also started shooting as well. Desperate to save his own life, he left Nadya and ran back to the torture room. At the same time, Leah heard gunshots as well. She was right behind the black man. As for Lola, she was carrying Daisy and was behind Leah. They were joined by four women and two men who had previously been slaves at the plantation.


    Earlier, a few slaves were in a fight with a supervisor, and one woman survived with light injuries. Those were their only people left still capable of fighting. As for Wallace, he had five guards with him, and four were armed with guns. Creeping slowly and quietly to the torture room, they hoped to take their targets by surprise. Just as they were about to reach, they were greeted by a loud gunshot, followed by the loud thud of a guard dropping to the ground. Wallace and the rest quickly crouched as low as possible; the casualty only turning them more cautious. What they didn¡¯t know was that Leah only had one gun, and she had just shot her last round.

 Chapter 251 - Correspondence

    Short on weapons and personnel, they had no idea if Nadya was dead or alive. Now, they faced the risk of Wallace and his men barging in at any moment ¨C Leah had never met with such a dangerous situation before.


    That very moment, thoughts flooded her mind, and she recalled what Lola told her. Despite it all, she didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of regret saving Daisy and Nadya. Instead, she felt guilty that her insistence had plunged Lola into the precarious situation she was in.


    Lola¡¯s jaws were clenched, and with indignance written all over her face, she knew there was no point complaining now. She squeezed the dagger in her hand and hissed, ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. You don¡¯t want to know what will become of you if you¡¯re caught. The best thing for us now is to die together! Dying beats getting caught.¡±


    Leah felt a chill run down her spine, but she nodded anyway. With trembling hands, she shoved some gunpowder into the flash pan.


    Another loud gunshot rang outside the door; everyone inside the torture chamber held their breaths for what was to come. Nevertheless, Wallace and his guards didn¡¯t force their way in.


    Leah realized that the guards must have come across someone else. Before the whole thing started, the entire team split up ¨C this meant the group in charge of causing a commotion had returned. Among them were the remaining maids and a good number of well-built male slaves who had joined in halfway. When they saw Wallace and his guards surrounding the torture room, they immediately stormed into action.


    Leah and the others in the room didn¡¯t let the opportunity slide. As the chaos brewed, they made their way out of the room, led by a male slave with a pitchfork in hand. She rushed to where Nadya had fallen and found his chest smothered in blood, and he was no longer breathing


    Her chest tightened with grief. Fewer and fewer of her brothers and sisters were still alive and breathing. Even so, there was no time to grieve. In a few minutes, another two slaves were shot dead. Wallace and his men reloaded their guns. Leah knew that they had to leave right now, but Lola, the one leading the pack, suddenly stopped. She stood where she was, frozen in place. Then, when the others caught up, she handed Daisy over to another maid.


    Leah followed Lola¡¯s gaze and saw that she was staring at Wallace. There were flames raging in her burning eyes. Other than the sole instance where she showed her scars, Lola never talked about how she got them or who did it to her, but by how she glared at Wallace right now, Leah had a good idea.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid. They have five guns with them. Even if you kill them, you¡¯ll probably get killed yourself!¡± Leah pleaded.


    The others were way ahead of them now. Lola hesitated for a moment. Suddenly, without so much as a warning, she grabbed the gun in Leah¡¯s hand, aimed at Wallace, and pulled the trigger. With over meters between them and no training, Lola naturally missed. The bullet deviated from her target and hit the arm of another guard.


    Grimacing with frustration, Lola understood that was no time to ponder over anything. Just as they were about to leave, Wallace was done reloading, and he began shooting again. Leah watched in horror as a bullet tore through the cheek of a maid running toward the both of them. Then, the group hastily retreated with the wounded, and Wallace stopped pushing forward since there were only five of them. One of his men was also shot in the arm. They wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against a mob of famished and tormented slaves.


    As a result, Wallace had to let them go, watching on in vexation as the slaves disappeared into the night.


    Meanwhile, Laeli was already the gate of the manor with the carriage. Cauchy and the few colored men had all hailed from different places ¨C there was a sailor, a fisherman, and even a slaughterhouse owner ¨C they all had one thing in common ¨C all ex-slaves that either escaped or joined pirates, subsequently regaining their freedom.


    The similar horrors they all shared caused them to sympathize with their own people, where they were all brought to the plantations against their will. Cauchy even established a secret organization to grant assistance to the plantation escapees. So, when Laeli approached this organization with the plan in mind, they readily expressed their willingness to help. Since they were all employed and had proper jobs on the island, their faces were covered tonight to avoid retaliation.


    With Cauchy taking point, they swiftly eliminated the guards at the gate.


    Then, as if on cue, Leah and the others arrived. Laeli was taken aback by the number of people with her. When the chaos broke out, he knew that a massive riot was about to happen, but upon seeing the group, he realized that there were a lot more people than initially planned.


    Thankfully, they prepared two extra carriages in the event of such a situation. For good measure, the slaves in the stables also sneaked out two of Malcolm¡¯s carriages amid the chaos.


    However, the guards were catching up to them. Cauchy and his men jumped down the carriage and shouted to Laeli as they took cover, ¡°You go first. I¡¯ll buy you some time. I¡¯m not a slave of this manor. We¡¯ll just get to somewhere secluded, and once we get rid of our cover, then they won¡¯t be able to recognizeus.¡±


    Another slave, a sailor on a pirate ship, exclaimed, ¡°I am a crew of the Lion. If they touch a single strand of hair on me, they will face my brothers¡¯ revenge!¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a time for formalities. It wasn¡¯t just the manor¡¯s guards, but their reinforcements were also approaching fast. Laeli nodded at Cauchy and his people as a gesture of thanks. The appointed time was here, and although some had still not arrived, Laeli could wait no longer. He pulled the reins with all his might, and all six carriages carrying the slaves broke through the night toward the direction of hope and freedom.


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t go to the beach. Instead, he chose to stay with Anne and Carina and waited for news of the operation. He had done everything he could. Now, the rest would have to depend on Laeli. Of course, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t bet everything on the gladiator and was prepared in the case of failure on Laeli¡¯s end. This, however, made things slightly complicated. Apart from that, Zhang Heng also noticed that Carina seemed a little absent tonight.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you rest up in the day?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I couldn¡¯t really sleep,¡± Carina stammered as she managed a smile.


    Zhang Heng handed a cup of coffee to her. She thanked him and accepted the drink. Just as she was about to say something, the messenger came running in.


    ¡°Captain! Mr. Billy has received the group! Jackdaw is already leaving the port! They also wanted me to give you this,¡± the man panted as he took out five letters from his coat.

 Chapter 252 - The Dust Settles

    Lately, one after another major incident kept occuring in Nassau. Six of the island¡¯s most potent ships were led by Black Prince Sam to plunder the invincible Spanish treasure vessel. After a long and arduous fight, they finally managed to sink it. However, the navy ambushed them after that and eventually, only Jackdaw survived the battle, hauling home more than half the gold bars back to Nassau.


    Not too long after that, a riot erupted at Malcolm¡¯s Terrance Manor. It was a rough night to say the least. The plantations around the mansion sent their men as well, hoping to assist Malcolm in dealing with the dissent. Some slaves were killed in the battle, and a few were recaptured. Just when speculations about Terrance Manor suffering great losses began to gain traction, news of Malcolm framing Normand started spreading throughout the entire island.


    After three years, Eugene finally mustered enough courage to tell everyone that Malcolm made him frame Normand. He admitted working with a few captains to accuse Normand of taking bribes, the main reason why the first black-market alliance was disbanded. After that, Normand left Nassau quietly. Eugene even made public the letters between him and Malcolm.


    This shocking news impacted the black-market merchants of Nassau significantly. Though Normand had left Nassau for a couple of years, he was still quite influential amongst the merchants, with more than half of the alliance attending his funeral when he died. However, once Malcolm¡¯s secret was exposed, enormous pressure fell upon his shoulders. The next afternoon, Redmond made an official announcement on behalf of the black-market alliance. On the surface, it seemed as if he was trying to calm everyone down, but whether he wanted it or not, his true intentions were soon revealed. He told everyone that he was going to investigate this incident.


    Of course, Malcolm knew Redmond¡¯s ultimate goal, and if he was the one investigating this incident, he already had the outcome in mind. However, Malcolm made no excuses to stop Redmond from immersing himself into this matter; his influence helping him to open up a desirable path. Considering the fact that Redmond was Normand¡¯s close friend and leader of the black-market alliance, he was the best person to dig into this matter.


    Until now, Malcolm still couldn¡¯t find a way to dismiss the accusation. On the other hand, three days were almost up, and he was slated to meet up with Carina. Malcolm had high hopes for the meeting, seeing that his situation was deteriorating by the minute. He also needed new allies to overcome this crisis. The terms he offered Carina were still negotiable, and he was prepared to sacrifice some things on his part in convincing her to take his side.


    The day eventually arrived, but Carina was nowhere to be seen in the coffee shop. He waited at his favorite table for the entire afternoon until the sun went down. Then, just as he was about to leave, he finally heard someone walking into the restaurant. It was Wallace.


    ¡°Something happened again?¡±


    Malcolm set the cup of cold coffee down. He lifted his head and frowned.


    ¡°Rumors about you spreading all over the island like wildfire! They say that you have something to do with Mr. Fegan¡¯s incarceration. Many knew that he disagreed forming of the black-market alliance before he went to jail. Ms. Carina is with Redmond right now, hoping that he would help her uphold justice,¡± said Wallace.


    To his surprise, Malcolm¡¯s face remained stoic and unmoved. It appeared as if he¡¯d expected Carina to side with Redmond.


    ¡°I got it,¡± Malcolm replied calmly.


    ¡°The investigation regarding the riot at your manor has come to an end. Leah started the whole thing. She led a large number of slaves to the beach, boarded a ship, and left Nassau. I have checked all the ships leaving port yesterday and the day before that, and guess what I found. Jackdaw set off early this morning with a ship full of supplies. It¡¯s possible they returned to port when it was dark. So¡­¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°I believe the riot has something to do with them. There¡¯s a high possibility that Leah was the one who stole all those letters. Regarding this, we should inform all the other powerful landlords on this island. I¡¯m certain they don¡¯t want the same thing happening to them someday. We¡¯ll also need to force Jackdaw to surrender the slaves to us.¡±


    Malcolm did not respond to that. Instead, he pointed at the seat in front of him.


    ¡°I remember that we messed around every day when we were kids. You used to steal baked potatoes for me. After I went to school, we no longer had meals together. In fact, you¡¯re the one who hired this restaurant¡¯s chef.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. He¡¯s called Alfonzo, a Spaniard. He has a terrible temper, and he hates pirates to the core. I had to spend an entire week and two times the usual salary just to convince him to work here. I remembered that after he hung a large ¡®NO PIRATES ALLOWED¡¯ sign outside the restaurant, someone almost strangled him to death that night.¡±¡°I see. I have to admit that his coffee and fried eggs are pretty darn good. Anyway, we should eat. Let¡¯s have a meal together since you¡¯re here. After that, can you ask Alfonzo and see if he is willing to leave Nassau with us.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Wallace was worried about Malcolm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I came here four years ago, empty-handed. Within that period, I have made more money than most can make in a lifetime. The wealth is still mine even if I leave this place, but I have lost this fight. That said, I¡¯m not the kind of person that won¡¯t admit my mistakes. I can always move somewhere else and start all over again. There are tons of ways to make money. Remember that I came with nothing and now, I leave with everything in my hands. With all this money, I believe that I¡¯ll be able to forge a new path. Besides, Redmond¡¯s not going to last long in Nassau. The moment he underestimated Carina, he was doomed from the start.¡±


    ¡°You appear to have high hopes for her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who opened Pandora¡¯s box and released her inner demons. Now, she can finally inspect her own ambitions and desires. I know she¡¯s a good student, but how fast she grew exceeded my expectations. Just not too long ago, she blamed me for destroying her whole life. Now, she can take stock of her emotions and make decisions that only benefit her, even going as far as teaming up with the person responsible for putting her father in jail. This is starting to get really interesting. I made her who she is today, and yet, she had to be the one to destroy my career on this island completely. I guess we are even now.¡±


    ¡°Her relationship with Redmond is very fragile. We can always tell Redmond that she knows who really put her father in jail.¡±


    ¡°No, we are not going to do anything about it. Redmond is no idiot, and I won¡¯t turn my back against Carina before I leave Nassau, either. At this age, I won¡¯t allow emotions to govern my decisions anymore. Why would I do something that won¡¯t benefit me? I¡¯m guessing that Redmond is drowning in victorious joy right now. However, he doesn¡¯t know that he has a ticking time-bomb by his side. It¡¯s best to leave her with him. Consider it a parting gift for my old friend.¡±

 Chapter 253 - A Walk

    Zhang Heng looked at Billy, not expecting to see another person on board Jackdaw when he returned.


    The helmsman shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea. She wanted to come back. It was her decision.¡±


    Leah held her luggage with both hands, and requested politely, ¡°Can you please take me in? I can do lots of things.¡±


    ¡°I could do that, but why didn¡¯t you leave with your people? You fought so hard to escape that manor. Wasn¡¯t it so you could live a life of freedom?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I respected Laeli very much. He united us in our most difficult time and led us out of a miserable life. He¡¯s surely a better chief than his father but I don¡¯t agree with him on some things. I don¡¯t think the deserted islands are a way out for my people.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhang Heng cocked his eyebrow.


    ¡°We may be able to live a peaceful life on that island for a while, but sooner or later the slave traders will find us again. Just like what happened back home, they¡¯ll kill the old and the weak first, then separate the mothers from their children. If we can¡¯t find a secure way out, it will happen again and again until every black man and woman will become a slave.¡±


    Zhang Heng was astounded by how someone of Leah¡¯s age would consider such things. Although she was simply a teen at this point, she saw further into the future than Laeli when it came to certain things.


    Zhang Heng looked earnestly at her and asked, ¡°What do think should be the way out then?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know,¡± Leah shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m still searching for it. One thing for sure, I know my talents and skills won¡¯t be very useful on the islands, which is why I want to live in the civilized world and fully utilize my potential.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a very civilized place. I¡¯ve already recruited enough sailors, and you¡¯re not even a sailor and you¡¯re a girl¡­¡± Zhang Heng trailed off, thinking hard. Then he looked at Carina. ¡°Do you need anyone on your side?¡±.


    Carina nodded and turned to Leah, ¡°I heard that you know how to read. It just so happens that I have a grocery store in Boston that is about to open. You can go there to help me keep the accounts, and I will provide you with lodging. You will be paid a pound each month. Once the business picks up, I will increase your salary accordingly.¡±


    Leah beamed at the prospect.


    After Leah¡¯s issue was settled, Carina continued their interrupted conversation. She gave Zhang Heng a brief account of her private encounters with Redmond and the agreement between them. When they were done, she suggested that they take a walk. Zhang Heng nodded and followed Carina out of the house to the field.


    It was a fine day; the sun blaring down its bright rays and a gentle sea-breeze was blowing ¨C an excellent day for a walk. Carina had no destination in mind, so she just walked in a random direction. Zhang Heng simply followed her. All the way, neither Carina nor Zhang Heng spoke a word.


    are


    It wasn¡¯t because they had nothing to say to each other; they were simply enjoying the rare calm. It had been three weeks since the riot broke out at Terence Manor, and so many things happened during this brief period of time. Nonetheless, for the time being, the situation had stabilized itself, and Malcolm¡¯s defeat was imminent.


    Malcolm reacted to the situation accordingly, immediately listing and selling various assets on the island. Without Malcolm¡¯s specialty, Redmond, on the other hand, was unable to continue managing operations of the black-market alliance. Although no formal statement had been issued, everyone knew that the dissolution of the Black Market Alliance was inevitable.


    Soon, there would be a major reshuffle of powers among the black-market merchants on the island. The situation would return to what it was when the competition was fierce. Recently, the black-market merchants had been the move again, contacting the pirates they previously worked with and looking for anybody to spy on their competitors prices.¡±


    While this meant a loss of income for some, it also meant opportunities for others. In the past, Malcolm used the first black-market¡¯s dissolution to quickly climb up the ladder, and now, many were eager to reproduce his success. In a case like this, Malcolm was clearly on the losing end. Even though Redmond lost the position as the president of the black-market alliance, his reputation rose to a whole new level thanks to him seeking justice for Normand and Fegan. As a result, he had almost caught up to Normand.¡±


    With a good reputation and strong connections, many powerful pirate gangs in Nassau had already expressed their willingness to continue working with Redmond even after the black-market alliance was dissolved. However, as long as he sat on the throne, he couldn¡¯t respond to those rumors. Nonetheless, everyone believed that Redmond would have more pirate ships than before after the disbanding.


    The next beneficiary of this was Carina. Despite being fairly new on the island, she responded well to the enormous pressure that Malcolm and the black-market alliance imposed on her and at the same time, letting her extraordinary flair for business shine. Her pawnshop also won the praises of the smaller pirate gangs. On top of that, Malcolm had deliberately sent a wave of powerful pirate ships to her. If she could handle it successfully, she would become the second most successful black-market merchant after the alliance¡¯s dissolution. But that was still a long way to go. Right now, she wouldn¡¯t think too far ahead, wanting to savor her victory first. The pair eventually ended up on the beach.


    After the long silence, Carina decided to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been actually hiding something from you.¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to the time Malcolm talked to you in private?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    Carina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand me. I didn¡¯t send anyone to monitor you, but it was the day of the operation and I was keeping tabs on Malcolm¡¯s movements. In fact, I can guess what he said to you,¡± confessed Zhang Heng. ¡°When I thought about it, there were just too many coincidences in Eugene¡¯s case, and he was simply too cooperative. I did have my doubts on Redmond, and afterward, when I saw how distracted you were, my theory was confirmed in some way.¡±


    ¡°Since Eugene¡¯s case was related to Redmond, then there¡¯s a good chance Redmond also played a part in your father¡¯s case. We were prejudiced at first. When we saw the letter Leah stole, we believed that Malcolm had framed your father, but the truth was, from the contents of those letters, Malcolm was obviously investigating the matter. You didn¡¯t tell me because you feared that I wouldn¡¯t have given you a choice in this matter. From my point of view, I would have suggested that you use the opportunity to get rid of our biggest threat: Malcolm. Then you would lose the chance of joining forces with him to avenge your father.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why didn¡¯t you warn me if you knew?¡±


    ¡°Because the choice is yours to make,¡± said Zhang Heng. ¡°Even though I have a share in your pawnshop, this is your enterprise at the end of the day, and it was your father who got framed and subsequently imprisoned. You and you alone must make the choice.¡±


    ¡°Then do you think that I¡¯m cold-blooded for not avenging my father and instead, sleeping with the enemy?¡± Carina asked.


    This time, Zhang Heng did not answer her directly. He simply said, ¡°One day, you will defeat Redmond and become the most powerful merchant in the black market, just like how you defeated Malcolm.¡±


    ¡°But when that day comes, would I have changed so much that I won¡¯t even recognize myself anymore?¡± Carina smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Perhaps, you¡¯ve never really known yourself, in the first place.¡±

 Chapter 254 - The End

    ¡°Have you heard of his story?¡±


    ¡°Whose story?¡± asked the aristocrat with a silver wig to the man sitting across him. The nobleman seemed increasingly nervous as he talked.


    ¡°The story of the Caribbean King.¡±


    ¡°This part of the ocean belongs to Scotland, and there¡¯s only one king in England. King George is his name.¡±


    The aristocrat valiantly defended his country, but the bearded man opposite him knew that he wasn¡¯t too confident. Ignoring the aristocrat, and like a graceful whale cruising the oceans, he said,


    ¡°He goes by many names. The slaves from the New World call him the Freedom Fighter. That¡¯s because he attacks slave ships, and sets the slaves free. When he plunders merchant ships, he would only take their possessions but not hurt a single soul. Some merchants even complimented his ways. The Royal Navy deems him their worst nightmare. In these ten years alone, he¡¯s sunken at least a dozen navy battleships, and he¡¯s even managed to evade a coordinated attack between the navy and pirate-hunters. Oh, before I forget, the pirate hunters call him the Pirate-Hunter Killer. Whenever they see his black flag, even the bravest pirate-hunter goes into hiding.¡±


    The man then paused for a while.


    ¡°Do we have any liquor here?¡±


    The aristocrat was ungratified that the bearded man had dominated the conversation. Even though four muscular bodyguards were behind him, he still felt as if he was trapped in a cage with a ferocious beast. After a while, the aristocrat loosened his collar, his face looking pale and nervous. He wanted to remind the bearded man that he was merely a criminal here. However, he quickly changed his mind.


    ¡°Get him a glass of tawny port.¡±


    ¡°Seven years ago, he led his men in an attack against Nassau¡¯s Roger Wood. During that battle, he managed to destroy Roger Wood¡¯s ship and turn Nassau into a land of the free.¡±


    ¡°Land of the free? We reclaimed the place three years ago.¡±


    The aristocrat smirked, finally finding something to gain the upper hand in the conversation.


    ¡°You are right. The navy provided immunity to all the pirates of Nassau except for him. You guys even tried to convince a mighty black-market merchant, which was also his most trusted ally to betray him. I must say, the real reason why the navy won the battle was because the man gave up in the end.¡±


    The aristocrat was speechless. Roger Wood was a good friend of the royalty, and even though he was rescued from a battle seven years ago, his life had turned for the worse since then. Whenever the name of the person was mentioned in front of him, he would start shivering in fear. Three years ago, Roger Wood was asked to become the navy¡¯s consultant for a reconquest of Nassau. However, he had a grim outlook about the future. He once told the royalty that even if the navy managed to reclaim Nassau, they would have pay a hefty price for it.


    However, Jackdaw left Nassau the night before the battle broke out. With Carina¡¯s help, the navy managed to reclaim Nassau without shedding a single drop of blood. Roger Wood was appointed the new governor-general of Nassau, and Carina became his special consultant.


    ¡°I heard his achievements have spread as far as London, Paris, and even all the way to Lisbon. he has become the talk of town. King George even hired someone to learn more about this legendary figure. What about you? What kind of person do you think he is?¡±


    The bearded man lifted his head and looked at the aristocrat seriously, who quickly looked away, trying not to make any eye-contact. In that split second, the aristocrat realized that his actions only indicated that he was the weaker one here. To protect the royalty¡¯s honor, he quickly looked back into the bearded man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Only fools and plebeians will address him at the Caribbean King. Some are even dumb enough to believe that he¡¯s under the protection of Thetis herself, the Goddess of the Ocean! They also say he has the ability to control storms, and that he¡¯s actually immortal. To me, he¡¯s just another rotten pirate. When he¡¯s sent to the gallows, I will watch him struggle for dear life. By that time, I will know if he is truly immortal or not.¡±


    After the aristocrat was done talking, his face turned grave all of a sudden.


    ¡°Captain Zhang Heng! I now officially arrest you for crimes not limited to piracy, murder, plunder, assaulting the navy, and contempt of the King of Scotland. You will be tried in London. You will not be represented in any way whatsoever.¡±


    After that, the aristocrat stood up and waved his men over to apprehend Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can wait that long.¡±


    Zhang Heng calmly glanced at his watch. The hour hand had completed 102 cycles, which meant he had been in this world for 3,900 days. After all these years in the game, he could no longer differentiate between the real world and the constructed one.


    ¡°I have asked many people about you. Everyone said that you¡¯re from the most powerful family in the New World. Good. I¡¯ll need you to tell everyone what you¡¯re about to witness. My request is very simple. I would like you to drop all charges against Anne and Jackdaw¡¯s pirates. You¡¯ll also have to promise me that the navy will no longer deem Jackdaw as a target. Otherwise, I might just enter your bedroom at night without you realizing it.¡±


    ¡°Do you the slightest idea of what you are talking about? How dare you threaten me when I¡¯m about to arrest you?! I was only so polite because of my good upbringing, but it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t play the bad guy too.¡±


    Once the royalty was finished, he signaled his two guards with the eye. Like mindless androids, they put their guns away at the same time and walked towards Zhang Heng with curled fists. On the other hand, Zhang Heng was still sitting calmly on their chair. However, right before the guards could land their punches on him, he disappeared into thin air.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s vision blackened, and he heard an echo. It was the sound of a familiar voice.


    (Your time to return has come. The mission is complete¡­](You have completed Black Sail, your fourth round of the game. You will now be sent back to the real world¡­]


    ¡­.


    ¡°Hehe! You look like shit. Just like the other player.¡±


    The bartender poured a glass of whiskey with her masterful hands and pushed the drink over to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I like what you are right now. It looks like you have lots of stories to tell me. I must say that it¡¯s hard for a woman to resist a man like you.¡±


    Zhang Heng grabbed the glass, gulped down its contents, and asked, ¡°What time is it now?¡±


    His current voice and younger body took him by surprise, and he wasn¡¯t used to it.


    ¡°Welcome back to 21st of January, the year 2018. You can check your phone if you don¡¯t believe me. Or, tomorrow morning¡¯s news will tell you anyway.¡±

 Chapter 255 - Dinosaur that Trespassed the Chicken Coop

    Zhang Heng checked his phone and found that the date displayed matched the bartender¡¯s statements. If it was right, Zhang Heng had spent a total of 3,900 days in an 18th-century Caribbean. However, he had only been gone for two hours in the real world.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve taken a long trip this time.¡±


    The bartender lady leaned over the wine cabinet and stared at Zhang Heng with a sparkle in her eyes. As he sipped his whiskey, he unconsciously tried to wipe away the foam on his beard. Suddenly, he realized that he no longer had a beard. All he had was his bare, smooth chin. After a short pause, he asked the bartender a few questions.


    ¡°What¡¯s the longest a player has ever stayed in the game?¡±


    ¡°No one knows. I heard of a player who stayed in his quest for a total of six years. This is the longest known time a player has spent inside the game. Also, the world he was in wasn¡¯t much different from the real world. After his quest was completed, he had to spend a long time telling apart real and fictional events that he had gone through.¡±


    ¡°So, this is just a game?¡±


    ¡°Why? Why would you ask something like that?¡±


    ¡°I have a solid foundation in world history, and I have done extensive research about it as well. So far, every event that I¡¯ve experienced in the game is no different from real history. Of course, with my involvement, the game¡¯s history differs slightly to the real world.¡±


    Zhang Heng then took out his cellphone, clicked on his Baidu browser, and typed in the keyword, Nassau. He discovered that Nassau¡¯s history didn¡¯t change at all. In the year 1718, Roger Wood had been appointed by George I of Great Britain to become the governor-general of Nassau. He also led the navy to New Providence and reinstated order there after driving out all the pirates in the area. Not long after Blackbeard Teach assaulted Charleston, he was killed by the navy. They also captured Anne, causing her father a great deal of money just to give her back her freedom. She died of old age in the colony.


    He realized that everything about him had been wiped out of history. Logically speaking, this was impossible. After the Mannerheim quest, Zhang Heng had a plan inside his head. During the Black Sail quest, he deliberately made his name known in as many countries as he could during his last few years in the game. Once he left the quest, he wanted to verify his speculation and eventually found the answer that he wanted.


    ¡°During my second quest, I was wondering if I had traveled through time, but the possibility was simply too slight.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± The bartender cocked her head.


    ¡°Because in a dynamic system, even the smallest change can spur a long-term chain reaction in the system.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called the butterfly effect,¡± the bartender snapped her fingers.


    ¡°Yes. If all the players are really being sent back to the past, our world history would have turned into a mess. During the last auction, around four to five thousand players were present, and I can say for certain that there are at least tens of thousands of players in the system. With so many wings flapping, the changes it would bring to history would be unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, those living in their countries don¡¯t even know that their nation¡¯s borders have changed,¡± shrugged the bartender.


    ¡°That is a possibility, but I¡¯ve left many marks on the script this time. It¡¯s impossible that the real world had remained the same, and I clearly remember two different periods of history.¡±


    ¡°Wow. It seems like you¡¯ve done many great things this time,¡± exclaimed the bartender.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m now leaning toward the theory that you¡¯ve integrated a historical timeline in each quest and made it a game. My question is, why do it? Why did you choose actual human history? What¡¯s the message you¡¯re trying to convey? And what happens to the people inside the quest when I leave?¡±


    Now that the thought crossed his mind, Zhang Heng told the bartender, ¡°Give me an extra round of the game.¡±


    Having spent over ten years in the Black Sail quest, he had accumulated a shocking 342 game points, a whole 100 points more than he had expected. Whether it battling against the proud Scarborough of the Royal Navy while he was on Sea Lion, or when he and Black Sam and the others robbed the Spanish treasure ship, or even fighting against Roger Woode to keep him from capturing Nassau¡¯s fleet, eventually earning himself great fortune and reputation ¨C all these earned him many points.


    Including the remaining 700 game points from the sale of the Moresby Bones, he now had more than 1000 game points. Spending 400 points to buy a chance at an extra game wasn¡¯t extravagance on his part.That said, he had just ended a long episode and was in no hurry to begin a new journey.


    So, Zhang Heng spent 400 game points on an extra round of the game, but he wouldn¡¯t be using it any time soon. Shortly after, he passed ¡®Betty¡¯s Shell,¡¯ the game item, to the bartender and left the bar.


    Upon stepping out of the lounge, he was greeted by the deafening thump of electronic dance music, with folk bobbing their heads and flailing their arms in the rhythm.


    The nights here were always so lively, an actual city that never slept.


    Zhang Heng walked down the steel staircase. With his figure, he would soon be swallowed by the manic crowd. This time though, when the hormone-filled youths saw him walking down the steps, they automatically stepped aside to make way for him. Even the showoffs, rebellious thugs who loved to exhibit masculinity before their female counterparts dared not strong-arm him.


    They had no inkling of why they would unconsciously step backward when they saw the man who looked no different from a university student. Those who frequented the establishment knew better than to mess with the two brawny men standing at the bottom of the staircase. When compared to Zhang Heng, however, the bouncers in suits and sunglasses seemed like harmless sheep.


    Zhang Heng frowned. He could guess what was going on, sort of. He had been an 18th century pirate for more than a decade in the Caribbean Sea, and he became a horrible nightmare in all of Great Britain, and even Europe, putting the fear of God in them. Even if he didn¡¯t enjoy killing people, he spilled a lot of blood to survive in the cruel and harsh environment ¨C so much he could not even remember how many people he must have killed, or how many had died because of him. Without him realizing it, his temperament had undergone tremendous changes.


    In the eyes of these intoxicated youths, born and raised in peacetime and dancing the night away in a nightclub, Zhang Heng was like a dinosaur that trespassed the chicken coop.

 Chapter 256 - Let’s Us Bring You For Some Fun

    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t stay at the bar for long. He pulled his hoodie over his head and walked out of the with his head lowered.


    Instead of going back to school, he went to a nearby public restroom.


    Since it was a little over two in the morning, no one else was around. But the lights were on, and the air smelt of cheap disinfectant. Zhang Heng walked up to the sink in the men¡¯s toilet. The leaky faucet on his right dripped with a steady plop.


    However, his eyes were on the mirror above the sink.


    Back in Sex City, he did feel like his younger self again, but only now did he have a chance to examine his reflection. The beard on his face was gone, and the weathered hue on his skin had lost it¡¯s bronze tone. The callouses and scars on his body had disappeared too.


    His face was ten years younger than his time in Nassau, a sight he found a little unfamiliar.


    Most importantly, he understood what the bartender meant when she said that he looked like a completely different person. Physically, he might look the same, but he had retained the temperament of an 18th-century pirate.


    This was actually going to be troublesome. Most wouldn¡¯t notice it, but those who were close to him would be able to tell from a glance that he had changed a lot, especially since the Spring Festival was approaching, and he would have to return home soon. His parents, who had been having the time of their lives in Europe, may not sense the change in him, especially considering the fact that they never once remembered his birthday correctly. He could even send someone else of the same height and age back, and they probably couldn¡¯t even tell the difference. Nonetheless, his grandad, who had raised him since he was a child, would definitely sense something.


    More importantly, with his current demeanor, he would inevitably be asked to have his ID checked whenever he was out on the street.


    While he was still deep thought, a group of young men with colorful hair swarmed into the restroom, each with a cigarette between their fingers. They gave off the appearance of the neighborhood¡¯s small-time ruffians. Zhang Heng saw them outside of the bar a few times before; many of these the children of relocated villagers. Initially, there were two relatively large villages here. As the city continued developing rapidly, expanding further into the wilderness one ring after another, many small hamlets turned into either industrial or residential areas.


    This was something worthy of celebrating ¨C the villagers received compensation and were relocated from their small wooden huts to chic and modern high-rise apartments. Many of them switched from farming to playing mahjong all day and collecting rent. Along with the sudden influx of wealth came its own set of problems, where the once simple villagers started to lose purpose in life, and their children lost the motivation to be diligent.


    After all, all they needed to get by was to collect rent. As a result, most of the village¡¯s youth turned into neighborhood thugs after high school. Of course, to the common man, there was a certain light-heartedness within the cacophony even though it was a nuisance.


    Every day, these youths who dressed like gangsters from old Hong Kong films did nothing all day but patron the arcade, cyber cafes, or roughing up hawkers operating nearby ¨C nothing but indulging in their own folly and fantasies.


    Come night, their favorite hangout spot was in front of the nightclub or the bar. In addition to helping the owner solve inconvenient security issues, they also picked up drunk girls from the side of the road. Unlike hustling for money on the streets, this brought them great excitement and pleasure. Nonetheless, since it was illegal to do so, they tended to get into trouble. Not to be outdone were certain quarters who took advantage of men¡¯s philandering desires. They planted young, scantily dressed women on the street pretending to be drunk. When an unsuspecting victim picked the ladies up, he would have to choose between getting blackmailed or serving jail time.


    However, these local thugs weren¡¯t worried about anything this sort happening to them. They shared a pretty good rapport with these conniving groups, and they were gutsy and familiar with the place. Once they were done with their business, they would leave hastily. That way, they rarely ran into any trouble.


    Hence, this group of rowdy young men entered the public restroom with a young, unconscious girl, jeering loudly among themselves. Much to their surprise, they weren¡¯t alone. While the toilet wasn¡¯t too far from the bar, it was definitely not close to it either. Between the buildings was another restroom, so most of the bar¡¯s patrons wouldn¡¯t come all the way here.


    By the time the youths entered the building, Zhang Heng¡¯s hood was over his face so his identity could be concealed. He didn¡¯t react to the situation, though, feeling that he had become more cold-blooded in character. He wondered if it was because of the ten years he spent as a pirate.


    Moreover, this sitaution was completely different from when the wall engulfed the scavenger. At that time, he had hurried over to help the elderly lady and the child because they were innocent, genuine victims who were simply at the wrong place and time. Since it was within his ability to help, he was willing to lend a hand.


    In essence, single men and women patroned nightclubs so they could unleash the raging hormones burning within them. All were adults, though, capable of taking care of themselves. Since women were the fairer gender, they should have known better what might become of them if they got sloshed at the bar at two in the morning. Every night, many young women would be so hammered they often collapsed by the side of the road outside Sex City. From the way Zhang Heng saw it, such matters were out of his control, and he wasn¡¯t interested in barging in.


    Every sentient being had the right to live the way they wished, and at the same time, they too were responsible for the consequences of their own choices.


    So, Zhang Heng merely glanced at the group and left with his bowed low.


    However, someone reached an arm out to block his path.


    ¡°Dude, it¡¯s your lucky day today,¡± a boy in a leather jacket grinned. ¡°What do you think, eh?¡± he pushed the unconscious girl¡¯s head up by her chin. ¡°See here, this is what we call by fine quality ¨C an absolute beauty. On a normal day, when you ask girls like this for their WeChat contact, they would ignore you unless you drive a BMW. We are all brothers here, and we must have met by fate. We¡¯ll bring you for some fun if she refuses!¡±


    Zhang Heng knew what the guy was thinking. All that destiny crap was bullshit. The youth didn¡¯t expect to run into anyone and was worried that the stranger would report them. Thus, they decided to cut Zhang Heng a deal and turn him their accomplice. At the same time, an extra man would make it an even more exciting state of affairs.


    There was no point trying to explain anything in this situation. Even if Zhang Heng wouldn¡¯t call the cops, these thugs would never believe him. So, Zhang Heng stuffed his phone into his pocket and threw a punch at the guy¡¯s face without warning.


    He had been training hard in the gym recently. With his forty-eight hour day, his strength had exceeded that of the average person. So, when Zhang Heng¡¯s fist made contact with the youth¡¯s face, the kid subsequently fell to the ground with a sickening thud.

 Chapter 257 - Superpowers of Ordinary People

    The gangsters held sway over this area, relying on their large numbers. They had always been the ones doing the bullying, and this was the first time the tables turned against them.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s punch was too sudden, coming entirely without warning. The leather-jacketed boy had invited him to join their little party, and his friends were all grinning from ear-to-ear, excited by this new gameplay. Lo and behold, something even more stimulating happened. The leather-jacketed youth crashed onto the floor, head first. His vision went dark, and before he could scream in pain, he was already out cold.


    His friends were all disconcerted. They simply stood there, forgetting to fight back for a split second. However, real-life was no turn-based game, and Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t going to go easy on them. After taking one down, he immediately grabbed another by the collar and threw him down. This one was even unluckier. As he fell, his forehead hit the sink, and bright red blood gushed out. There was no fight left in him.


    Having lived in the Caribbean for more than a decade, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t just upgrade his knife skills to level 3; even without a weapon on him now, his melee skills were just as impressive. Anne was the one who taught him that shoulder throw, and he managed to learn everything from her when they sparred. Coupled with his extensive combat experience, it would be challenging to find a match for his skills.


    In just five seconds, Zhang Heng had taken down two opponents.


    After taking a moment to register what was happening, the remaining three thugs finally snapped out of their stupor. They set the girl down as they screamed a cheer for themselves, armed with switchblades and slicing the air as a gesture of intimidation.


    This scare tactic usually worked on ordinary people. Unfortunately, they ran into Zhang Heng today. By simply observing their posture and gait, Zhang Heng could tell that these small-time thugs weren¡¯t formally trained, and in fact, had already made all sorts of mistakes. They seemed formidable standing still, but once they moved, their weak points were glaring


    But a sharp weapon like the switchblade still posed a degree of danger, especially in a scuffle. That was also why Zhang Heng opted to take down two thugs first, making it easier for him to tackle the other three.


    The whole fight lasted less than a minute. Zhang Heng actually held himself back. Two out of the five thugs were out cold, and the other three were conscious but bruised. The most miserable one was the one who charged at Zhang Heng with the blade but missed and had his head pushed down the urinal. Zhang Heng even finished him off with a kick on his back.


    Such petty street fights were no match for all the battles Zhang Heng had fought all throughout his pirate career. He did not even break a sweat. Upon their defeat, the other three thugs, having some life left in them, dragged their unconscious friends out of the toilet while shooting their mouths off, making empty threats as they made a hasty retreat.


    Zhang Heng pretended to chase them. The thugs were so scared they tripped over the sidewalk and fell onto the tall grass. Having learned their lesson, they kept their mouths shut and ran desperately for their lives.


    Zhang Heng had no interest in pursuing them. So, he returned to the toilet. Once inside, he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows at the sorry sight.


    There were traces of the fight everyone, with obvious trails of blood on the floor left by that unlucky bastard who hit his head on the sink, and vomit from the leather jacketed guy. There was even a random sneaker, three switchblades, and a small dent in the stainless-steel handrail of the urinal.


    Everything else was the same as when he had left two minutes ago. The only difference was that the unconscious girl had disappeared.


    Had she run off on her own?


    Zhang Heng had been so focused on the group of thugs that he did not pay attention to what was happening behind him. The girl might have taken the opportunity to escape. The toilet had two exits, one at the front and the other at the back. Zhang Heng had chased the thugs out of the front entrance, but the one at the back led to a small, open park with lush vegetation. It would take less than two minutes to get from the toilet to the park.


    Although the girl appeared to be unconscious when she was brought in by the group of thugs, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t sure how drunk the girl actually was. The fight was a messy and loud affair, and she could have woken up in the middle of it. Upon realizing that she recognized nobody around her, she might have pretended to be drunk until everyone left before escaping into the park.


    Having made a satisfactory deduction of what happened, Zhang Heng left the matter as it was. He had no other intentions for the girl, and it wasn¡¯t important if she thanked him or not.


    His fight had nothing to do with the girl, but rather because he was stopped from leaving. Since the girl escaped on her own, it saved him the trouble of having to contact her family or friends to come for her.


    To avoid unnecessary trouble, Zhang Heng cleaned the blood on the floor and pocketed the switchblades before he left.


    At this hour, the main door leading to the dormitory was already locked. Not wanting to trouble the caretaker, Zhang Heng checked himself into a single room at a hotel like he did the last time.


    Since most modern hotels were equipped with face recognition equipment, Zhang Heng had to unsheath his hood to peer into the camera. Unsurprisingly, his appearance gave the receptionist a good scare. Unconvinced, the receptionist swiped his identity card twice. No match to any fugitive was found in the system, and although good news for her and the hotel, the receptionist seemed reluctant to believe it.


    In the end, Zhang Heng had to show her his student ID and his campus card. The receptionist, in turn, was very surprised.


    When she returned it to him and gave him the room card, she could not help but ask, ¡°Are you really nineteen?¡±


    Zhang Heng took the room card from her and answered, ¡°Err, there¡¯s still some time before the new year, so, yes. I¡¯m still considered nineteen.¡±


    Until he got on the elevator, the lady at the front desk downstairs still seemed to be in a daze. She had held her position for two years, and during the tenure, she had seen all kinds of people. To pass the time during her tedious, monotonous job, she had invented some games to entertain herself. One of her favorites was guessing her guest¡¯s profession.


    Whenever a guest walked into the hotel, the receptionist¡¯s mind would begin conjuring theories of the occupation of the person. Then upon issuing an invoice or during checkout, she would ask them to confirm.


    She had always enjoyed this game. After two years, she could now accurately guess eight out of ten professions, and she considered that a superpower of an ordinary person. But this time, the superpower she was so proud of proved completely ineffective.


    Student? How¡¯s that possible. That kind of temperament, to be frank, was more like a pirate from the movies, who killed their victims without remorse.


    The receptionist was greatly amused.


    It was the twenty-first century China. How could such inexplicable things even exist?

 Chapter 258 - Peeking

    The comfort of the budget hotel chains was only averagely comfortable, but way better than sleeping on some woven fabric or straw on a hard wooden floor. It had been the longest time since Zhang Heng slept on a proper bed. During the Black Sail quest, he spent more than half of his time out at sea and usually slept on a hammock on Jackdaw. Only after returning to Nassau would he be able to sleep on a bed. That said, it was a bed made out of two blankets and a cotton cloth.


    According to history, European royalties would typically sleep on feather mattresses. As for pirates, they didn¡¯t have many options to choose from. When Zhang Heng¡¯s first entered the quest, he did experience a few sleepless nights.


    This was Zhang Heng¡¯s first night returning to the real world. After doing some simple cleaning, he turned off the lights and went to bed. By the time he opened his eyes again, it was already afternoon, with bright rays piercing through the curtains flooding the room. When he got up from the bed, he felt warm sunlight caressing his face. Thirst hit him hard, and immediately, grabbed the complimentary water bottle from the table and gulped its contents down. Fragments of last night¡¯s dream still lingered in his mind.


    The ferocious ocean, salty sea breeze, and crimson hair¡­ all these memories were like a longspun dream to him. Everything disappeared the moment he opened his eyes. After that, Zhang Heng grabbed his cellphone and saw there were two unread WeChat messages. One came from Wei Jiangyang. He informed Zhang Heng that he¡¯d arrived in Qingdao with his girlfriend and planned to stay there for two to three days. Before leaving, he intended to head to the wholesale market to buy some raw seafood and asked if Zhang Heng wanted anything, also offering to send it to him by express delivery.


    The other message was from Hayase Asuka. She told Zhang Heng that she had bought a return ticket to Japan and was set to fly on the 1st of next month. Before she went home, she wanted to ask if he could accompany her to buy some souvenirs for her family.


    Zhang Heng replied Wei Jiangyang first. After that, he changed his keyboard language to Japanese and replied Hayase Asuka. She texted back within a second, seeming as if she had been anxiously waiting for his reply. Zhang Heng replied to her, and once again, she texted back almost instantly.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thanked you properly for helping me win the giant doll! You haven¡¯t had lunch, right? Can we meet after one hour at Xidan? My treat!¡±


    She even inserted a smiling bear emoji at the end of her message. In his current state, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t want to walk around the streets. It wasn¡¯t the first time he experienced such a sensation, though, for when he returned from the Mannerheim quest, his character and temperament had changed. Some small habits from the battlefield had stuck with him, and even his friends from the hostel could sense that he was different. However, he was slowly recovering after reintegrating himself into the daily life of the natural world.


    To neutralize the memories and habits of his ten-year piracy tenure, Zhang Heng knew that he had to socialize with as many people as possible. After a brief consideration, he replied Hayase Asuka with a ¡®yes.¡¯ He then set his phone down and headed for a shower. After checking out at the front desk, Zhang Heng proceeded the pharmacy to purchase a 3M face mask. With the industrial boom of the era, developing cities would usually be engulfed by a thick layer of noxious haze, especially true for the cities up north. For obvious reasons, many had taken to putting on masks, and the way Zhang Heng presented himself was nothing out of the ordinary.


    However, a mysterious sensation hit him as he paid his items with his Alipay, feeling that someone was staring at him from the back. When he turned around, he saw an old grandma searching for some over-the-counter flu remedies for her grandchildren. She had to put on her glasses to read the description that was printed on the packaging. The pharmacy was rather small, and other than the pharmacist, cashier, and the elderly grandma, there wasn¡¯t anyone else around. Zhang Heng could finally rule out that an enemy was lurking around the corner.


    It was almost time for Zhang Heng to meet up with Hayase Asuka, and hence, did not dwell further on the matter. After boarding the metro, Zhang Heng arrived in Xidan on time. On the other hand, Hayasa Asuka took full advantage of studying abroad and traveled to as many places around her as she could. After feeling that taking pictures with the phone was simply not engaging enough, she bought an instant camera, voraciously capturing photos of life on the subway and streets. Those around her must have had the impression that she had all the money in the world to buy the unlimited rolls of films to feed her polaroid.


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m glad that you are here!¡±


    Hayase Asuka tucked the camera and photos into her bag. With a sniffle, she rubbed her demure nose and said, ¡°This morning, I was thinking about what to buy for my family. My mom asked me to buy her fermented tofu soaked in red oil and tea leaves, and my father wants white wine. Sigh¡­ this is so troublesome. They should know how to shop online, right? They told me that only the locals would sell me the original stuff. But, then again, I¡¯ve never bought those things before. Luckily, you¡¯re here to help me. Before that, let¡¯s get some food. Do you have anything in mind?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particular. What about you telling me what you feel like eating, and I¡¯ll take you to the best restaurants where they serve it.¡±¡°Really?! But¡­ is this appropriate? After all, you¡¯re the guest here.¡±


    As she talked, Hayase Asuka pulled out a flyer from her bag.


    ¡°What is this? It looks so yummy!¡±


    ¡°Ah! This is a hotpot. Follow me. I know of a place that serves delicious hotpot.¡±


    However, right after saying that, Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t take a step forward. Only half a month ago, he was here to purchase something, but right now, everything felt so foreign and awfully disorientating to him. He had no idea how to go to the restaurant that served the famous hotpot. In confusion, he had to use his cellphone to search for it.


    This was one of the drawbacks of staying in a quest for too long. There were limitations to how much a human could retain memories, and upon absorbing new sets of knowledge, the person would gradually forget the past. Zhang Heng was lucky enough to enter the Black Sail quest right after his final exam, or he would have failed by now.


    There was only a short line outside the restaurant when Zhang Heng and Hayasa Asuke arrived at the place. After all, it wasn¡¯t lunchtime. He then took a number from the reception. That was when the feeling of being watched hit him again. What happened at the pharmacy was perhaps, an accident, but having the same feeling twice was enough to alert him. With his current skills, he wasn¡¯t afraid of thugs or gangsters. He recalled that when he attended the auction, the professor and Ding Si warned him that the circle of players wasn¡¯t always peaceful and pleasant.


    Humans were the most complicated creatures to step this planet, and once its population reached a specific number, a variety of people and characters could be found in society. Ding Si once told Zhang Heng that there were crazy players that would hunt down other players for game items. Until now, he had been playing the game alone, making sure that he laid low and as inconspicuous as possible. He hadn¡¯t even revealed his identity to any players in the system. It wasn¡¯t logical that anybody would target him.

 Chapter 259 - Kumamon

    Zhang Heng started observing the crowd after collecting his number. This time, the situation was way more complicated than the pharmacy. There were students, couples, families, sons and daughters, and office workers waiting to enter the restaurant. In total, 20 to 30 people were queuing up. Zhang Heng even saw a gay couple in the line, with the slightly plump one donning Hello-Kitty hair clip on the left of his head.


    On the surface, it was hard to find out the person who peeped at him. Even though a couple of high-school students were looking at his direction, Zhang Heng knew that they were actually staring at Hayase Asuka. She was standing close to them before they queued in front of the restaurant. In other words, they weren¡¯t the ones who peeped at him.


    Besides, the mall was an open space, and many different people regularly passed him. Technically, it was entirely possible that the person staring at him wasn¡¯t in the line at all. Zhang Heng could feel something about to happen to him. However, he couldn¡¯t figure out what exactly, and it frustrated him.


    Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder. Zhang Heng then heard Hayase Asuka screaming in excitement. When he turned around, he saw a Kumamon mascot. Many shopping malls would hire people in costumes to walk around, a marketing strategy to attract more customers. Usually, children and girls adored Kumamon a lot.


    Just as expected, Hayasa Akuma was elated when she saw the mascot.


    ¡°Ah! So cute! I didn¡¯t expect to see Kumamon in China!¡±


    As Hayase Asuka spoke, she took out her instant camera.


    ¡°Can the three of us take a picture together?¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded, and momentarily gave up looking for the peeping tom. A couple was standing near them, and he politely requested their assistance in taking a picture. When that was done, the Kumamon didn¡¯t leave but instead, stood in front of Hayase Asuka and extended its hands. With a broad smile plastered on her face, she quickly gave the mascot a tight hug.


    A rose appeared in Kumamon¡¯s hand the moment she let it go. It then pointed at Zhang Heng and Hayase Asuka. She instantly blushed, probably feeling shy, or that she wasn¡¯t well versed in Mandarin. After taking the rose, she didn¡¯t utter a single word.


    The Kumamon then used its hands to draw a heart before leaving them alone to search for the next couple. Hayase Asuka¡¯s mind was filled with all kinds of thoughts after that. A minute later, her instant camera printed the picture, and she quickly stuffed it in her bag without looking at it. Just as she was about to put the picture in, she paused.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Where¡¯s my wallet? I remember it was in my bag before we took the picture!¡±


    She then searched her bag all over again, but to no avail. She frantically searched her pockets as well. Yet, there was still no trace of her wallet. It was at that time that panic began gripping her. Not only was there cash, but her Chinese and Japanese bank cards and student ID were in there as well. To make matters worse, she soon discovered that her passport had vanished too. She was slated to celebrate the New Year with her family and even purchased a flight ticket earlier. Without the passport, it would be impossible to board the airplane.


    If she remembered correctly, before taking out the instant camera, her wallet was still in her bag, and the only person that got close enough to her was that Kumamon. The mascot had left for less than three minutes.


    ¡°Wait for me here. Do not leave this place. I will come back to you in a while,¡± said Zhang Heng sternly.


    Hayase Asuke was on the verge of crying. Immediately, Zhang Heng started to go after the Kumamon mascot. However, after searching for a bit, he failed to spot it even after reaching the end of the hallway. Logically, the mascot shouldn¡¯t outrun Zhang Heng since the person was in a giant, clumsy suit. Zhang Heng asked around to see if they had seen a Kumamon suit, deliberately picking those coming from different directions. Unfortunately, not a single person said that they saw a large Kumamon passing them. It was as if the massive thing had simply disappeared out of thin air. Perplexed, Zhang Heng approached the concierge counter and asked the person operating it about the Kumamon.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir. We cannot divulge personal information of our mall¡¯s employees,¡± the guide replied nervously, feeling that Zhang Heng looked more like a criminal than anything else.


    ¡°Do you think I should call the police and reporters here to investigate this for me? Do you want everyone to hear about this? Perhaps you wish to be seen in the newspapers and the internet? Next time, the first thing your customers will do is to protect their wallets whenever they come here. Or, should we look for the thief now and retrieve my friend¡¯s wallet. We can choose not to call the police, or we can call the police but not the reporters. Which option do you think would benefit the mall more? Don¡¯t blame me for not reminding you; the thief got away only a few minutes ago. There¡¯s a high chance that he¡¯s still in this mall.¡±


    The guide was startled by Zhang Heng¡¯s dominant approach.


    ¡°Please hold on, sir. I¡¯ll consult my supervisor regarding this,¡± replied the guide while gulping hard.


    Half a minute later, the guide was done talking with her supervisor.¡°Sir, I just asked my colleague about this matter, and he told me that our mall didn¡¯t hire any Kumamon today.¡±


    ¡°How about the tenants in the mall? Did they hire any mascots?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be too sure about that.¡±


    The guide paused for a while before continuing


    ¡°One thing is for sure; the shop owners would have informed us if they were to hire anyone to put on a show¡­¡±


    Before she could go on any further, Zhang Heng scooted to another escalator. As the guide was talking to him, he saw the Kumamon on the second floor from the corner of his eye. It appeared that it had no intention to run away and was playing with a young girl in front of a shop. After giving a hug, it handed a lollipop. Before leaving, it brushed the little girl¡¯s head.


    At the same time, everyone was left in shock and awe when they saw Zhang Heng jumping down from the escalator. He spent only ten seconds getting from the fifth to the second floor! Two ladies that were having their milk tea were about to record his fantastic feat with their phones. However, Zhang Heng was too fast for them. The Kumamon was on the second floor, and he had to go after it as quickly as he could.


    They weren¡¯t very far apart from each other, but an atrium divided them. Zhang Heng had to run along the corridor before he could get to the Kumamon. It seemed that the mascot had noticed him too, but instead of feeling nervous, it stood in front of the shop with both hands on its hips, waiting for Zhang Heng to come at it. The combination of a gaping mouth and two red cheeks made it look like it could use a beating.

 Chapter 260 - Gratitude From An International Friend

    The Kumamon waited until Zhang Heng ran pass seven to eight stores, and when he was about 30 meters away from him, it turned around and ran into a women¡¯s apparel store called Only. Unfortunately, there was no escaping this time, for there wasn¡¯t another exit. In other words, the bear was bound to be captured by Zhang Heng. When he saw the mascot entering the fitting room, he quickly proceeded to follow it.


    The sudden commotion had startled the store¡¯s attendant, and considering it was a store specifically for women, it was rare to see men entering it. Even if there were any, they would usually come with their wives or girlfriends. When someone like Zhang Heng so aggressively barged into the shop, it was only natural that the attendants would be afraid. Customers quickly fled the store in fear, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for its staff.


    Left with no other options, the store manager was forced to confront Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Sir, how can I help you?¡±


    Zhang Heng simply ignored her and went ahead to pull the curtains of the fitting room open. The shopkeeper was so shocked by Zhang Heng¡¯s actions that she thought she must have come across a pervert of some kind and was close to screaming for help. The fitting rooms in Only had a particular layout. A curtain covered the two-square-meter fitting room to allow the customers¡¯ privacy. However, it only blocked the front; the top was bare and uncovered.


    Before Zhang Heng pulled the curtain, he could see the Kumamon¡¯s calves and feet. It appeared that the person was hastily trying to remove the cumbersome suit. He could also see the mascot¡¯s head popping out above the fitting room. However, there was no one in the fitting room when Zhang Heng pulled the curtain. Like magic, the Kumamon¡¯s costume lost all rigor and form and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap! Initially, the manager was on the verge of shouting, but she stopped herself when she saw that it was actually empty.


    ¡°Where is the person?!¡±


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t answer the manager. Instead, he bent down and shook the flaccid costume vigorously. A small piece of paper fell out with a short message written on it.


    It said: (I have returned your items to you. Here¡¯s a friendly reminder. As you¡¯re reading this, mall security should arrive in about a minute and a half. Don¡¯t let them think you are a pervert, lest you might just get caught.]


    As if to add insult to injury, there was even a Japanese phrase at the end of the message.


    [Gambate!)


    At the same time, Zhang Heng received a message from Hayase Asuka as well.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found my wallet! This is weird. How is it on someone else¡¯s table? I didn¡¯t even go near it. I still can¡¯t find my passport, though.¡±


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng remembered the person mentioned that he had returned those items to him instead of her. He then touched his pocket and found out that Hayase Asuka¡¯s passport was on him. Suddenly, footsteps could be heard approaching the fitting room. Earlier, when he jumped off the escalator, he had attracted the attention of the shopping mall¡¯s security guards. However, the most troublesome part was that he ran into a women¡¯s clothing shop and pulled the curtains of the fitting room open, enough to warrant severe punishment.


    Now that he had found the wallet and passport, the person in the Kumamon costume was nowhere to be found. He would have a hard time explaining things to security, so, he sent Hayase Asuka another message.


    ¡°Your passport is with me. Let¡¯s meet at the subway.¡±


    Zhang Heng wasted no time after sending the text, pulling his hoodie over and exited Only¡¯s main entrance. It was at that time when he noticed that two security guards were approaching him from his right. At the same time, more security guards had gathered on the first floor¡¯s escalator.


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t panic at a time like this, instead, taking two steps forward along the glass railing. Just when the two security guards thought that they had got him, he jumped off. As he descended, he grabbed the bottom of the rails to absorb the impact. When he let go, he¡¯d already landed on the first floor successfully.


    Before Zhang Heng entered the Black Sail¡¯s quest, his rock climbing skills were at Lv. 1. Throughout his ten years in the Caribbean, he didn¡¯t improve on his climbing skills, but his muscle control had gotten better after training a lot with the saber. Living at sea for a long time had granted him good balance as well, which was why such feats were no sweat for him.


    The two guards were in disbelief, having a hard time picturing how someone actually jumped off the escalator. Now that they saw it with their own eyes, they were definitely impressed. On a regular day, the guards would be dealing with disgruntled customers and the minor arguments that ensued from it. At most, petty shoplifters or street thugs were the worst they had to deal with. None had seen someone pulling off what Zhang Heng did. Naturally, they felt as if the whole thing was a scene from a movie.


    No one dared stand in Zhang Heng¡¯s path after he jumped from the second floor. He simply walked out of the mall with no complications. Chinese New Year was just around the corner, and throngs of people had crowded the mall for some last-minute shopping. When the guards arrived at the mall¡¯s entrance, Zhang Heng had already disappeared amid the crowd.


    After Zhang Heng exited the mall, he walked around the area to ensure that no one was following him. Only when he was sure that he was safe did he move to the subway station. That was when he saw Hayase Asuke waiting for him over there. Earlier, she was leaning on the glass railing and witnessed all that happened on the second floor. Throughout the whole incident, her mouth stuck in a round ¡®O,¡¯ momentarily forgetting that her wallet and passport were lost. It wasn¡¯t until Hayase Asuka received Zhang Heng¡¯s message that she the mall for the subway station.


    As quickly as the situation escalated, she had already forgotten the earlier incident. Right now, she was more interested in Zhang Heng, as if it was her first time meeting him.


    ¡°Zhang San, please tell me! Are you actually Superman?¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ I¡¯ve trained hard for my marathons.¡±


    Zhang Heng realized that what he did earlier was indeed insane. After all, he wasn¡¯t in 18th century Nassau anymore. Not only did he manage to retrieve Hayase Asuka¡¯s wallet and passport, but he even discovered that the mysterious person was, in fact, targeting him. However, he was still unable to figure out its identity and purpose. If he managed to capture the person in the Kumamon suit, everything about his current situation would immediately be enlightened.


    Speaking of which, the mysterious individual¡¯s attempts were all futile. After running off with Hayase Asuka¡¯s wallet and passport, it was returned in the most dramatic way possible. The whole thing almost seemed as if a kid was pulling a prank on them. However, Zhang Heng could confirm that the person in question possessed at least one game item. Otherwise, what happened in the fitting room would be practically impossible to explain. Judging by the handwriting and sentence structure of the note, the mysterious person was probably female.


    ¡°Huh? Running a lot would eventually allow you to jump down from great heights? During high school, I woke up nearly every morning to jog. However, I¡¯m still hopelessly clumsy.¡±


    Hayase Asuke took two steps back, attempting to figure the whole thing out.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re the one who¡¯s telling me all these, I¡¯ll believe you for now. Oh, right. I feel you¡¯ve changed a lot. When I saw you earlier, I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. Thankfully, you¡¯re still as reliable as before. That¡¯s great,¡± she murmured shyly in a soft tone.


    After that, Hayase Asuka spread her arms and hugged Zhang Heng tightly.


    ¡°Consider¡­ consider this as gratitude from an international friend,¡± she continued as her face blushed.

 Chapter 261 - Charity Organization

    It would be unwise for them to return to the shopping mall for now, so Zhang Heng brought Hayase Asuka to a different restaurant for their hotpot. After that, he helped her pick the fermented tofu, tea, and white wine that her family wanted. She also purchased some gifts for her two nephews and an off-season short-sleeved shirt for herself as well.


    Seeing Hayase Asuka¡¯s voracious retail appetite was enough to prove that women could be like a runaway Hexie bullet train when it came to shopping. It was already dark when she was finally done. After having some ramen for dinner, Zhang Heng sent her back to her hostel. Once she was safe, he returned to his dorm.


    The final exams of each course were scheduled differently and not all students had their semester breaks at the same time. At that time, even the last batch of students was done with their finals, and the hostel was left with the university¡¯s interns like Zhang Heng and Ma Wei. With most of the students gone, the campus was eerily silent at night.


    After a while, Zhang Heng saw a familiar face under the streetlamp. It was Shen Xixi. He hadn¡¯t seen her after their unpleasant dinner not too long ago, and his last memory of her was when she got into a black Mercedes. Coming from a well-heeled family, she didn¡¯t need to work for the university during the breaks, so Zhang Heng was surprised that she was still around campus. Standing by her side was the young man who picked her up with the Mercedes. It seemed that they were in a heated argument.


    ¡°I can¡¯t accept your proposal! We can¡¯t just make an innocent person take such great risks.¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be considered as a risk. We will stay near her and jump in if anything happens. I will personally guarantee her safety.¡±


    ¡°Guarantee her safety? You? Or Yang Zihe? Forget it. Until now, we still can¡¯t figure what the hell that thing is or how we¡¯re supposed to deal with it. We can¡¯t even protect ourselves, much less protect her!¡±


    ¡°Tell me what we should do then? We¡¯ll never figure out how to deal with that thing if we don¡¯t get close to it. As we speak, it might have already killed someone innocent. I told her¡­ I told her this would be a dangerous mission. She agreed to do it, and I promised to pay her good money to make up for the risks she would have to face.¡±


    ¡°No! She has no idea what she¡¯s about to come across¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Shen Xixi paused as she noticed Zhang Heng walking toward her. The young man attempted to taunt Zhang Heng by cocking his eyebrows, only to be met by Shen Xixi¡¯s frown. During the last gathering, the young man was supposed to pick Shen Xixi up at a spot further away from the restaurant. She had never thought he would actually drive all the way there and take the initiative to open the door for her.


    The circumstnances of that time were critical and hence, Shen Xixi didn¡¯t say a word about it. She¡¯d heard about the rumor going around the university. Though they were unpleasant, she never bothered explaining herself even if it could explain her sudden disappearance from the university or not returning to the dorm at night. However, that didn¡¯t mean that she was okay with the rumors. Now that it had spread throughout the university, her purpose was achieved. That said, she wished to keep them they were, especially in front of Zhang Heng.


    Though she harbored no romantic sentiments toward Zhang Heng, she had to admit that he left her with an excellent impression. Many friends had deserted her due to the recent incident, and only a handful would still talk to her without being judgemental.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end it here tonight,¡± said Shen Xixi to the young man.


    ¡°Okay. I will send you a WeChat message later.¡±


    The young man nodded and stopped glaring at Zhang Heng


    ¡°Wang Yu. I believe that we should try to calm down tonight. Let¡¯s figure out some other way to deal with this matter.¡±


    Wang Yu raised his eyebrows, sensing that Shen Xixi wasn¡¯t too happy about the whole thing. From the first time they met, her emotional maturity left a deep impression on him. Whatever the situation, Shen Xixi would always prioritize the feelings of those around her.


    When he noticed that she wasn¡¯t too happy, he instantly stopped doing anything that would aggravate the situation. He simply walked towards the parking lot. Once Wang Yu was gone, Shen Xixi turned around and looked at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I feel like having some milk tea. Would you like to come with me?¡±


    Zhang Heng could see that Shen Xixi was definitely in a foul mood so he didn¡¯t reject her offer. They both walked out of the university to Coco¡¯s, a milk tea shop near the bus terminal. Shen Xixi purchased two cups of milk tea and handed one with less sugar to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve changed a lot.¡±


    Both were merely acquaintances, and Shen Xixi didn¡¯t know too much about Zhang Heng. So, she came up with a random statement and quickly moved the conversation to the young man that she was with.


    ¡°Wang Yu. I got to know him from a charity organization,¡± said Shen Xixi while planting a straw into her cup.


    ¡°Charity organization?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but whatever we do seems to be unpopular around here. We specialize in studying and dealing with extraterrestrials that invade the country. You know about them, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about them in my high school biology class.¡±


    ¡°These beings bring catastrophic effects to our ecosystem. Not only do they affect the economy, but they would eventually cause the extinction of all life on this planet. We believe that the very survival of humans may be threatened with them around. Our country is a good example of the damage these extraterrestrial beings can bring. Although the government is trying to solve the problem once and for all, the workforce is sorely lacking, which is why organizations like ours offer assistance to them. Residents would typically report any sightings to us, or they would enquire about it online. When we have enough information, we will travel to the affected locations and provide them with a free identification service.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re doing something very meaningful.¡±


    Whatever Shen Xixi told Zhang Heng explained her argument with Wang Yu. However, she still kept a lot of details from him, such as the type of extraterrestrials they were dealing with or why would anybody¡¯s life be at risk from dealing with them. There was also a possibility that Zhang Heng didn¡¯t hear any of it, considering that there was some distance between them earlier. Nevertheless, Shen Xixi didn¡¯t want to dwell on the topic further, not wanting to indulge in it after her brief explanation.

 Chapter 262 - Bicycle Repair

    With the new year fast approaching, those yet to return to their respective hometowns each had their own worries.


    Shen Xixi and Zhang Heng were just ordinary friends ¨C although exchanging WeChat contacts since their camping trip together, they rarely talked to each other. After briefly explaining about the nonprofit organization she had joined and her daily activities, their conversation quickly switched to the finals.


    This, however, was Zhang Heng¡¯s blind spot. To him, the exams that had taken place a week ago were a thing of the past, a good ten years ago, to be exact. He couldn¡¯t recall much of its details, and so, he merely played along, nodding at everything she said without much comment.


    Shen Xixi noticed the polite obligation in his responses. Still, since they rarely interacted with each other, there weren¡¯t many different topics they could touch on other than the final exams. It was starting to get awkward, and although Shen Xixi had only finished half of her tea, the two decided to part ways. Somehow, she looked hesitant as she turned to leave. In the end, after a short pause, she quickly blurted, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Be careful?¡± Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks.


    TI


    Realizing how vague her statement sounded, she began to explain, ¡°Yes, I mean, since many people will be on the move during Spring Festival, you should be careful on your way back.¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded. ¡°You too,¡± he replied.


    Zhang Heng was back in his dorm room that he left a long time ago, and Ma Wei hadn¡¯t yet returned from his tutoring job. After turning on the lights, he set his backpack down and sat at his desk. Out of habit, he took out a piece of paper and a pen, and tried to organize the information he gathered from this round of the game.


    Because of the lengthy duration of the game this time around, Zhang Heng had a lot of time to burn after completing its main task, using most of it to improve his skills (mainly language), and also to confirm some of his conjectures. Other than what he had told the bartender, Zhang Heng really wanted to know where Moresby and that wall that swallowed the old lady had come from. He was also curious if the game items with supernatural powers had anything to do with them. What secrets lurked within this mysterious game he was involved in?


    Discounting Moresby¡¯s Bones, Betty¡¯s Shell was the sixth game item Zhang Heng found. As of now, it was also the most powerful one ¨C able to change the weather at sea. At the same time, it was unlike the other game items he had, seeing how perilous it was to use.


    Was the sailor on the carrack truly lost in greed and anger like what Seth said? Zhang Heng was still skeptical about it. However, there was one thing he was sure of ¨C these game props were all related to ancient myths and legends. Aside from the unidentified Shadow Moment and Shadow Key, the Rabbit¡¯s Foot was a symbol of luck in many folklores. The necklace Simon gave him was connected to the Tapio, the Finnish mythical forest god. The Moresby creature, according to the old man in the Tang suit, was the guardian of a tribe from the remote Papua New Guinean islands called the Alkiz.


    The Paris Arrow he carried with him originated from a Greek legend, and when he was on the Black Sail quest, he encountered an ancient god that he suspected to be part of Celtic mythology. Unfortunately, that ancient god, Betty, was weak and drained when they met. Later on, Zhang Heng attempted to help her by expanding her pool of believers, but for some reason, she was unable to regain full strength. In the end, he was unable to communicate with her on a deeper level. But then again, during the auction, Zhang Heng saw game items that looked very much like Louis Vuitton handbags, and even iPhones. Also, the game item ¡®Escape Dagger¡¯ that sold for a hefty 2000 game points, looked, and sounded very much like a popular prop from another game. It seemed as if the conclusion he¡¯d drawn wasn¡¯t complete. Zhang Heng subsequently circled the words ¡®folklore¡¯ and ¡®myth,¡¯ then wrote a question mark next to them. Then on a blank space, he wrote Shen Xixi and Huang Yu¡¯s name, noting at the end that they too might be players themselves. He put down his pen just as Ma Wei walked into the room. Ma Wei removed the gray knitted gloves from his hands and rubbed his fingers, all red from the cold, and he was surprised when he saw Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back!¡±


    Zhang Heng closed his notebook. ¡°Yeah. How did it go today? Is the tutorship going well?¡± Ma Wei shook his head. ¡°That kid is tough to manage. His father is an executive in an organization, and the mother is a branch manager of a bank. They have two houses on the third ring road and one each in the fourth and fifth. I told him that since his family is so well-to-do, he just needs to study hard. With his parents paving the way for him, he can easily succeed in whatever he wishes to do. Guess what he answered me with? He said: my family is so rich that we can never finish spending our money. Why do I need to be successful anyway?¡±¡±


    ¡°That seems right in some kind of way.¡±


    Ma Wei sighed. ¡°The kid¡¯s parents are very busy. They constantly entertain their clients and are only home very late. It was always just him and his nanny. The nanny, on the other hand, wouldn¡¯t discipline him, and he¡¯s always eating imported junk and snacks. He¡¯s only thirteen, and he¡¯s already 120kg! I also heard his schoolmates calling him the devil incarnate. His mom hired me to help him with his homework for one hundred and fifty yuan per hour. If he shows any improvement in his mid-term and final exams, she will pay me a hundred for each subject.¡±


    ¡°So, how were his results?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as before. No progress at all,¡± Ma Wei sighed, looking very glum. After all, when he was discussing his employer¡¯s pay, the particular topic motivated him a lot. It was evident that the little fatso had a weak foundation, meaning that there was lots of room for improvement. For this, Ma Wei had put in a lot of effort, even filling up a notebook with various learning strategies. Alas, the plump little boy sneered at the notes he was given, saying, ¡°What¡¯s the use of learning? Look at you. You¡¯re so good at it, yet, instead of getting somewhere, here you are tutoring


    me.¡±


    Those words hurt Ma Wei deeply, but he never mentioned it openly. In fact, if it wasn¡¯t for the handsome salary, he would have chosen to tutor someone else. This was especially true after the little plump thing recently grew fond of a girl, and his mind was completely distracted, constantly thinking of ways to win her over. Ma Wei could already tell that the boy¡¯s results would only worsen come the next semester.


    Ma Wei picked up a thermos next to his bed and poured himself a cup of warm water. Then after a moment¡¯s deliberation, he turned to Zhang Heng. ¡°Oh, by the way, do you know how to repair bicycles?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The chain felt a little loose when I was riding back yesterday,¡± said Ma Wei. ¡°It felt like I was peddling air.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at it with you,¡± Zhang Heng replied. Back when he was in Tokyo Drift, he had learned how to modify cars, and considering how much simpler the transmission of a bicycle was, repairing it shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem for him.


    Zhang Heng took out a flashlight from his drawer before grabbing a screwdriver that had been left by someone. Then, he went downstairs with Ma Wei to where the bicycle was parked.


    With the new year fast approaching, those yet to return to their respective hometowns each had their own worries.


    Shen Xixi and Zhang Heng were just ordinary friends ¨C although exchanging WeChat contacts since their camping trip together, they rarely talked to each other. After briefly explaining about the nonprofit organization she had joined and her daily activities, their conversation quickly switched to the finals.


    This, however, was Zhang Heng¡¯s blind spot. To him, the exams that had taken place a week ago were a thing of the past, a good ten years ago, to be exact. He couldn¡¯t recall much of its details, and so, he merely played along, nodding at everything she said without much comment.


    Shen Xixi noticed the polite obligation in his responses. Still, since they rarely interacted with each other, there weren¡¯t many different topics they could touch on other than the final exams. It was starting to get awkward, and although Shen Xixi had only finished half of her tea, the two decided to part ways. Somehow, she looked hesitant as she turned to leave. In the end, after a short pause, she quickly blurted, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Be careful?¡± Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks.


    TI


    Realizing how vague her statement sounded, she began to explain, ¡°Yes, I mean, since many people will be on the move during Spring Festival, you should be careful on your way back.¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded. ¡°You too,¡± he replied.


    Zhang Heng was back in his dorm room that he left a long time ago, and Ma Wei hadn¡¯t yet returned from his tutoring job. After turning on the lights, he set his backpack down and sat at his desk. Out of habit, he took out a piece of paper and a pen, and tried to organize the information he gathered from this round of the game.


    Because of the lengthy duration of the game this time around, Zhang Heng had a lot of time to burn after completing its main task, using most of it to improve his skills (mainly language), and also to confirm some of his conjectures. Other than what he had told the bartender, Zhang Heng really wanted to know where Moresby and that wall that swallowed the old lady had come from. He was also curious if the game items with supernatural powers had anything to do with them. What secrets lurked within this mysterious game he was involved in?


    Discounting Moresby¡¯s Bones, Betty¡¯s Shell was the sixth game item Zhang Heng found. As of now, it was also the most powerful one ¨C able to change the weather at sea. At the same time, it was unlike the other game items he had, seeing how perilous it was to use.


    Was the sailor on the carrack truly lost in greed and anger like what Seth said? Zhang Heng was still skeptical about it. However, there was one thing he was sure of ¨C these game props were all related to ancient myths and legends. Aside from the unidentified Shadow Moment and Shadow Key, the Rabbit¡¯s Foot was a symbol of luck in many folklores. The necklace Simon gave him was connected to the Tapio, the Finnish mythical forest god. The Moresby creature, according to the old man in the Tang suit, was the guardian of a tribe from the remote Papua New Guinean islands called the Alkiz.


    The Paris Arrow he carried with him originated from a Greek legend, and when he was on the Black Sail quest, he encountered an ancient god that he suspected to be part of Celtic mythology. Unfortunately, that ancient god, Betty, was weak and drained when they met. Later on, Zhang Heng attempted to help her by expanding her pool of believers, but for some reason, she was unable to regain full strength. In the end, he was unable to communicate with her on a deeper level. But then again, during the auction, Zhang Heng saw game items that looked very much like Louis Vuitton handbags, and even iPhones. Also, the game item ¡®Escape Dagger¡¯ that sold for a hefty 2000 game points, looked, and sounded very much like a popular prop from another game. It seemed as if the conclusion he¡¯d drawn wasn¡¯t complete. Zhang Heng subsequently circled the words ¡®folklore¡¯ and ¡®myth,¡¯ then wrote a question mark next to them. Then on a blank space, he wrote Shen Xixi and Huang Yu¡¯s name, noting at the end that they too might be players themselves. He put down his pen just as Ma Wei walked into the room. Ma Wei removed the gray knitted gloves from his hands and rubbed his fingers, all red from the cold, and he was surprised when he saw Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back!¡±


    Zhang Heng closed his notebook. ¡°Yeah. How did it go today? Is the tutorship going well?¡± Ma Wei shook his head. ¡°That kid is tough to manage. His father is an executive in an organization, and the mother is a branch manager of a bank. They have two houses on the third ring road and one each in the fourth and fifth. I told him that since his family is so well-to-do, he just needs to study hard. With his parents paving the way for him, he can easily succeed in whatever he wishes to do. Guess what he answered me with? He said: my family is so rich that we can never finish spending our money. Why do I need to be successful anyway?¡±¡±


    ¡°That seems right in some kind of way.¡±


    Ma Wei sighed. ¡°The kid¡¯s parents are very busy. They constantly entertain their clients and are only home very late. It was always just him and his nanny. The nanny, on the other hand, wouldn¡¯t discipline him, and he¡¯s always eating imported junk and snacks. He¡¯s only thirteen, and he¡¯s already 120kg! I also heard his schoolmates calling him the devil incarnate. His mom hired me to help him with his homework for one hundred and fifty yuan per hour. If he shows any improvement in his mid-term and final exams, she will pay me a hundred for each subject.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as before. No progress at all,¡± Ma Wei sighed, looking very glum. After all, when he was discussing his employer¡¯s pay, the particular topic motivated him a lot. It was evident that the little fatso had a weak foundation, meaning that there was lots of room for improvement. For this, Ma Wei had put in a lot of effort, even filling up a notebook with various learning strategies. Alas, the plump little boy sneered at the notes he was given, saying, ¡°What¡¯s the use of learning? Look at you. You¡¯re so good at it, yet, instead of getting somewhere, here you are tutoring


    me.¡±


    Those words hurt Ma Wei deeply, but he never mentioned it openly. In fact, if it wasn¡¯t for the handsome salary, he would have chosen to tutor someone else. This was especially true after the little plump thing recently grew fond of a girl, and his mind was completely distracted, constantly thinking of ways to win her over. Ma Wei could already tell that the boy¡¯s results would only worsen come the next semester.


    Ma Wei picked up a thermos next to his bed and poured himself a cup of warm water. Then after a moment¡¯s deliberation, he turned to Zhang Heng. ¡°Oh, by the way, do you know how to repair bicycles?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The chain felt a little loose when I was riding back yesterday,¡± said Ma Wei. ¡°It felt like I was peddling air.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at it with you,¡± Zhang Heng replied. Back when he was in Tokyo Drift, he had learned how to modify cars, and considering how much simpler the transmission of a bicycle was, repairing it shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem for him.


    Zhang Heng took out a flashlight from his drawer before grabbing a screwdriver that had been left by someone. Then, he went downstairs with Ma Wei to where the bicycle was parked.

 Chapter 263 - Aren’t You a Little Smug?

    The street lights outside the hostel had been turned off for a few days now, and most of the building¡¯s residents had already returned to their hometowns for the Spring Festival. Only a few dorms were still lit, and the building¡¯s surroundings were unusually dark at night. Zhang Heng turned on his powerful LED flashlight, which shone brightly with a white glow. Following Ma Wei¡¯s directions, he found the parked bicycle. It was a Flying Pigeon* bicycle Ma Wei purchased from a senior from his hometown. It appeared worn and rusted and seemed to have done more than a couple of miles under its belt.


    Every year during graduation season, the new graduates would set up stalls in front of the hostel building to sell the items they no longer needed at reasonable prices. It was then that Ma Wei purchased this two-wheeler for less than a hundred yuan, thinking he could eventually sell it off to the freshmen when his turn to graduate arrived. It was excellent value for its price, and the robust machine reliably ferried him back and forth from his part-time tutoring job. Zhang Heng took a quick glance at the vehicle and found that its chain was indeed loose, just as Ma Wei had reported.


    The solution to this problem was actually rather straightforward. All he needed to do was loosen the nut holding the rear axle and pull the rear wheel back to tighten up the chain. He would finish up by replacing the nut and screws with brand new ones. Since Zhang Heng could fix the minor problem there and then, he crouched down and went straight to work. Ma Wei, who was walking up from behind him, wore a peculiar smile on his face. Zhang Heng focussed on fixing on the bike, and Ma Wei stood outside the flashlight¡¯s beam, so unless Zhang Heng had eyes at the back of his head, he wasn¡¯t able to see the expression on his friend¡¯s face.


    Ma Wei appeared to be hopeful and happy like a birthday boy unboxing his presents at a party.


    Zhang Heng was already reaching for the rear axle but suddenly, he stopped halfway. Without warning, he dropped the torchlight in his hand, and grabbed Ma Wei by the wrist. ¡°Well, you¡¯re a smug one, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ma Wei¡¯s face fell. Before he could say anything, Zhang Heng was already on his feet, pushing the screwdriver hard against his throat.


    ¡°God damn it! What is the meaning of this? Such a reaction is unwarranted if you don¡¯t want to fix my bike, huh?¡± growled Ma Wei as his face darkened.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that,¡± replied Zhang Heng. ¡°Why have you been following me? What is your purpose? That Kumamon back at the mall¡­ that was you, right? How did you disappear from the fitting room? Why are you pretending to be my friend? Where is the real Ma Wei? Did you hurt him?¡±


    ¡®Ma Wei¡¯ thought about the question for a bit, but before ¡®he¡¯ could come up with a lie, he felt a sharp pain on his wrist.


    The imposter gasped and gritted his teeth. ¡°Ow! Ow! Ow! It hurts. So, you¡¯re not only violent towards boys, but you¡¯re also unfriendly towards girls! How ungentlemanly of you¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng was taken aback. ¡°Are you that drunk girl from the public toilet?¡± Throughout the years, Zhang Heng had experienced many battles, some big and some small. Nevertheless, all of them happened in the game. In the real world, the only time he laid a hand on someone was last night, and there were no other witnesses at the scene, either. The drunk girl on the ground had also disappeared when he was chasing down the group of bastards who ran from the toilet. Now that he thought about it, it was an uncannily similar incident to what he experienced at the mall.


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter didn¡¯t answer him. Instead, he said, ¡°How did you find out that I wasn¡¯t actually your friend?¡±.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you did it, but your appearance and voice are impeccable. Your mannerism of him is slightly flawed, but it¡¯s not too bad. You made a grave mistake, though. It seems you don¡¯t truly understand who Ma Wei truly is. Due to the environment that he grew up in, Ma Wei is very insistent on being independent. He¡¯s always ready to offer his assistance but rarely troubles anybody for help. Simple things like fixing his bicycle; he would have done it himself. Even if he were to ask for my help, he would¡¯ve only done it after several failed attempts. Moreover¡­¡± Zhang Heng paused. ¡°¡­ he doesn¡¯t like drinking warm water. He only drinks it only after it has cooled a little. Ma Wei would never have poured it out of the thermos and drink it straight away.¡±


    There was of course a third reason that Zhang Heng didn¡¯t reveal. Ever since he completed Black Sail, his temperament had changed drastically. After knowing each other for more than a year, even if Ma Wei didn¡¯t comment about the changes, he would have at least looked slightly shocked.


    When Ma Wei¡¯s imposter walked in, Zhang Heng noticed that his expression barely changed. The imposter greeted him as if they¡¯d already met. This was because the two had already met last night.


    That was when Zhang Heng began to be suspicious of this ¡®Ma Wei.¡¯


    ¡°Huh, if it wasn¡¯t for the lack of time, I wouldn¡¯t have made such an amateurish mistake,¡± pouted the imposter. To be honest, seeing a guy do that was kind of strange. I didn¡¯t do anything to your roommate. I just brought his wallet and bicycle back first,¡± the imposter continued, indirectly admitting that he had actually come for Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Do we have anything against each other?¡± Zhang Heng¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°What do you think? Last night, I came out for some fun, and when I finally had the stage set up, caught myself five little fishes, and was about to have a good time, you came along and scared them away. You wasted all my effort,¡± the imposter moaned.


    ¡°If you wanted it so bad, then why didn¡¯t you spend your money at the clubhouse?¡± Zhang Heng chided coolly.


    The imposter became speechless. After about a minute, he snapped out of it and said, ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken. When I said ¡®a good time,¡¯ I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng cut her off. ¡°¡­also, even if I had accidentally ruined your plan, didn¡¯t you already get your revenge back at the mall? We¡¯re already even. So, why are you still coming after me?¡±


    ¡°Even? We¡¯re far from even. You don¡¯t react to being duped like a normal person.¡± Ma Wei¡¯s imposter looked unhappy. ¡°Just thinking about it makes my blood boil.¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Back in the mall, he could sense that the other party didn¡¯t have any malicious intent towards him. Even though she had used the Kumamon costume to steal Hayase Asuka¡¯s wallet and passport, she eventually returned those things and even left a note along with it. There seemed to be no ill intention in the whole affair. There was more of a mischievous vibe to it.


    Of course, if Zhang Heng were to be arrested by the mall cops, she would have been even more pleased. ¡°You sound like you love these pranks but you still care a lot about how it ends,¡± Zhang Heng observed. ¡°Why? Does it have any importance to you?¡±

 Chapter 264 - You Should Wait Here

    When she was posed with the critical question, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter refused to utter a word, adamantly refusing to answer Zhang Heng. At the same time, his body and face were changing as well. Within ten seconds, she transformed from Ma Wei to the girl in the toilet last night. Some physical traits of hers had changed too. The tattoo on her arm was gone, and the purple wig and fake eyelashes were no longer on her. Given a choice, she would have definitely not revealed her true self. There could be only one explanation to her transformation then ¨C a limited time for her disguise.


    Was it some game item? Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t sure. When one received a game item in the quest, the system would typically send the player a notification. Back in the real world, however, a player would not receive any notifications. However, a person could only carry so many things at one time, and Zhang Heng would be able to identify the game item if he carefully checked them one by one.


    A game item that enabled the player morph into a completely different person within a limited time. A piece with such caliber would be at least C-grade, able to be sold for thousands of game points during an auction. Previously, when Zhang Heng got pranked by the Kumamon at the mall, he suddenly felt that the method the mascot had used was awfully familiar. Now, he finally remembered where that feeling came from.


    In between the third and fourth round of the game, Zhang Heng had some free time and attended a year-end auction. Other than getting to know different players and gathering information, he managed to purchase the Paris Arrow and Shadow Key. He even got to witness a dramatic event unfold before him right before the auction ended.


    The mysterious lady with shades who entered the auction center managed to make a fool out of some influential individuals. After that, she went as far as to spend a whopping 100,000 game points to purchase the only B-grade game item auctioned that night ¨C the Dreamland of Death. The method she used to fool the three significant factions was similar to that of the woman standing in front of Zhang Heng


    Even though their looks, age, and sizes differed from each other, there was a strong possibility that the two were actually the same person, considering that their morphing skills were similar. Even if they were separate individuals, there must be a particular connection between them. However, this had nothing much to do with Zhang Heng. Even if he could prove that the person in front of him had something to do with that mysterious woman from the auction, he had no intention to stick his nose into what happened there.


    Zhang Heng had, in fact, grown more cautious about the woman after all that. After she made a scene at the auction, she managed to successfully flee the place unscathed. Zhang Heng was now worried that the woman or her allies were still holding a weapon of mass destruction, one like the Dreamland of Death.


    Things were beginning to get more complicated, and Zhang Heng extended his arms again to search the imposter. Suddenly, he thought of something, and his fingers stopped midair.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Finally remembered that I¡¯m a lady, huh?¡± asked the Ma Wei¡¯s imposter with her eyes blinking.


    Zhang Heng suddenly asked her a random question. ¡°What would have happened if I collided with the bicycle just now?¡±.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter anymore. It didn¡¯t happen anyway. What a shame. I was waiting for a good show.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what evil plans you have in mind, but I believe that it would have activated the moment I collided with the bicycle. In other words, you might have other traps on you, triggered once when I touch your body. That¡¯s why you weren¡¯t nervous even after I captured you. With your morphing abilities, you knew that I would definitely search your body. By that time, the second trap would be triggered, and you¡¯d once again flee without a trace.¡±


    ¡°Must you always be this careful? Your life must be boring as hell.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Now that you realize that there¡¯s no way out, you¡¯re putting on a show to confidently bluff your way out. Perhaps you¡¯re attempting to draw me into thinking that you have an ace up your sleeve. You did this to stop me from searching your body.¡±


    ¡°Which outcome do you think would happen?¡±


    ¡°We shall know soon.¡±


    Zhang Heng glanced at his watch just as Ma Wei¡¯s imposter was trying to swallow what he said. One hour and forty minutes were left before midnight. Once the hands of the clock stacked on each other, Zhang Heng would get to enjoy his extra 24 hours. By that time, he would have enough time to study the fake Ma Wei and the items she possessed.


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to turn yourself into a murderer and kill me, not to mention that you didn¡¯t dare to search me as well, does that mean I can leave now?¡± ¡°If I let you go, will you cause me trouble again?¡±¡°Of course not. It¡¯s pointless anyway. You are such a boring person. Even if you stepped into my snare, you¡¯re not going to react. I should look for others instead.¡±


    ¡°Great. Wait here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng had no intention to let down his guard. However, he did move the screwdriver away from her neck. On the other hand, the imposter was still attempting to figure out how to escape the situation, intently looking at her surroundings to find a way out. Suddenly, she came up with an idea when she saw two people coming out of the study room.


    Just as she was about to call out Zhang Heng as a pervert, she felt an excruciating pain stabbing her stomach. Zhang Heng pulled his arm back and moved away from the woman. ¡°Baby, are you okay? I told you not to overeat the spicy hotpot, didn¡¯t I? Let¡¯s go to the hospital now, eh?¡± said Zhang Heng while squatting down in front of her. When the two boys saw the woman clutching her stomach as she crouched down, they thought something terrible had happened to her and instantly approached to see if they could lend a hand. However, being single guys, they were a little disappointed when they heard overhead the conversation between ¡®the couple.¡¯ Knowing that there was no chance to be knights in shining armor, they had no intention to linger around. After looking at her face, they felt the major predicament of every single man in the world hitting them hard. Why was it always somebody worse always getting the pretty girls? Why did the pretty girls never notice them?


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t close both of her legs. At the same time, she gave Zhang Heng a thumbs up. Zhang Heng noticed that it wasn¡¯t safe for him to keep waiting here. After all, the dorms were just above him. Although few were still in the university right now, students that couldn¡¯t return to their hometowns would sometimes hang around the area. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We need to go somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Shi¡­ how did an asshole like you manage to get a cute Japanese girlfriend?¡±


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter rubbed her stomach vigorously as she talked to him. The fact that he still clutched her hand tightly to make sure that she wouldn¡¯t escape had made her really angry. ¡°Stand up straight if you can walk. And Hayase Asuka is no more than a friend.¡±

 Chapter 265 - Is This Necessary?

    ¡°Just a friend? Based on the assistance I provided you with, that girl didn¡¯t see you as a normal friend.¡±


    After a while, something crossed her mind, and Ma Wei¡¯s imposter started to take pleasure in Zhang Heng¡¯s misfortune. ¡°Oh. Now I know why you won¡¯t fall in love with her. You are worried that it might become a long-distance relationship once she returns to her country, just like the couple from the movie, Raincoat. They both loved each other a lot, but they were forced to watch each other marry someone they didn¡¯t truly love. After going their separate ways, they could only see the raincoats that they gifted to each other to reminisce on the sweet memories buried deep within their hearts¡­¡± Zhang Heng tapped on the woman¡¯s shoulder and pointed at the well-lit building in front of her.


    ¡°Do you know what that place is?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I know what that place is. That¡¯s a 24-hour grocery store.¡± ¡°All I need to do is to spend two RMB to buy some duct tape, and I¡¯ll be able to enjoy silence once again.¡±


    Zhang Heng brought Ma Wei¡¯s imposter to the edge of a large field. Usually, the place would be open at six in the morning until ten at night. However, since the final exams were over, and most students had returned to their hometowns, the field closed earlier than usual. This didn¡¯t stop Zhang Heng from entering it, though. Using his student card, he slipped into the crack of the door of the office and attempted to break in.


    ¡°I never expected you to be this sort of person. It appears you¡¯re not as noble as you make yourself out to be. From what I¡¯m seeing, you must have done a lot of unethical stuff in your university.¡±


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t bother explaining himself to the woman. He had learned these skills with the extra 24 hours that he had every day, and most of the time, he was a law-abiding citizen. It was rare that he would break any rule set by the university as well.


    After fiddling with the card for a while, Zhang Heng managed to enter the office, grabbing the key that opened the fence that guarded the field. Once they walked past the entrance, the woman calmly took a good look at her surroundings. ¡°Is this field new? Looks like a good place to me. Speaking of which, I have a friend who studies at your university as well. Some time ago, she even brought me to taste the cafeteria¡¯s famous braised chicken.¡±


    Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t interested in her babbling and brought her to a wall located on the west side of the field. It appeared that there wasn¡¯t a soul around them right now. Situated opposite the field was the three-story university gym, and at this hour, all its lights were off. A residential area was directly beyond the wall, and its residents could see the field clearly. However, since the two were standing below the tall wall, it was considered a blind spot. Now that Zhang Heng locked the gate leading to the field, it was practically impossible for the woman to pull any tricks on him. ¡°Is this even necessary?¡±


    As a gust of frigid wind blew at Ma Wei¡¯s imposter, she couldn¡¯t help but shudder in the cold. It was hard for her to keep pretending she didn¡¯t have a care in this world now that she was in a semi-enclosed space with Zhang Heng. From what she saw, no one would come to her rescue if something awful were to befall her. Besides, the field was surrounded by darkness, an entirely different environment from where she was earlier. Previously, she wasn¡¯t worried that Zhang Heng would¡¯ve hurt her. Right now, she wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.


    After a short while, the woman attempted to negotiate with Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Oy! Let me go, and I will give you a game item. What say you?¡±


    ¡°So, you are a player as well?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a player, but I used to be one. Due to personal reasons, I¡¯m not allowed to enter the quests anymore.¡± ¡°Huh?¡±


    The woman, however, had no intention to dwell on the topic. Zhang Heng guessed the reason for her banning had something to do with the auction incident some time ago. All the while, Zhang Heng had felt that the mysterious woman¡¯s godlike metamorphosis skills were too overbearing. Not only did she manage to fool the leaders of four factions, but she even managed to cheat the software. It was as if she was a bug in the system. Until now, he still couldn¡¯t figure out how she did it.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a mean person! You¡¯re the one who spoiled my plan first! I admit that I pulled a prank on you when I saw you at the shopping mall. I even went as far as helping you impress your Japanese girlfriend. The way she looked at you when you came after me¡­ it was nothing short of amazing. Hehe! As a girl, I can tell you that you¡¯ve managed to capture her heart. It¡¯s time to move on, bro.¡±


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter gave Zhang Heng¡¯s shoulder a pat as she talked to him. Nevertheless, even after the awkward bout of laughter, she noticed that he showed no reaction at all.¡°I¡¯m really curious. Other than lies, what are you made up of? I know that you had your eyes on me since I was at the pharmacy. You¡¯ve been plotting against me ever since, right?¡± Zhang Heng said.


    ¡°What pharmacy? I rented a Kumamon outfit on that day, and I spent my entire day at the shopping mall. Well¡­ I did go to a couple of shopping malls that day, as a matter of fact. When I saw you and your girlfriend at the Xidan mall, I bought her a rose. After that, some asshole came to mess with me. Oh right, where¡¯s the Kumamon costume? I paid 200 RMB as a deposit. I¡¯ll need it back.¡±


    Even Zhang Heng had to admit that lying was indeed a talent. When the average person told a lie, their bodies would typically make small and subconscious movements that would give them away. However, lying seemed to come naturally as eating and drinking to the woman. Zhang Heng failed to spot any flaws from the way she behaved. She wasn¡¯t that old anyway, so how could she have so quickly mastered the fine art of deception? Could she have practiced it since she was a kid? Was she a pathological liar?


    Just as Zhang Heng was about to say something, the same sensation he had at that pharmacy of someone spying on him surged through his body again. This time, he could sense the evil intent behind it. As for the imposter, she was still staring at him innocently.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng extended his hand, seeming as if he was about to grab her chest. The woman was terrified this time, on the verge of screaming out loud. Seconds later, he rudely grabbed her shirt by the collar and pulled her abruptly toward him. ¡°Brother! I have HIV!!!¡±


    Unable to hold back any longer, she screamed as loud as she could. Right before the two collided into each other, Zhang Heng let her go, and she fell hard on the running track. The skin on her palms was grazed when she used them to support herself. She then took in a deep breath.


    She winced in pain, and there was a tear in her eye. ¡°Fuc¡­ are you sick in the head?! It looks like you¡¯re addicted to torturing people, you sadist!¡±


    It was then when she saw something terrifying. The solid wall that she stood beside earlier began to melt like chocolate under a flame.

 Chapter 266 - Run

    ¡°What the hell?!¡± exclaimed Ma Wei¡¯s imposter in disbelief and horror. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, was already in grave danger.


    Having witnessed how the wall engulfed an old lady before, he instantly noticed it moving and managed to pull the clueless girl away from danger. If that was his first encounter, he wouldn¡¯t have been certain, but now, Zhang Heng confirmed that since it hunted it¡¯s victims so strategically, whatever that thing was, must have some sort of higher intelligence. When the wall began to ripple like boiling water, it caught Zhang Heng¡¯s attention. He swiftly shoved the woman away before the oozing black fluid could reach her. However, the creature was actually feigning an attack, as its real target was actually Zhang Heng. The curious creature seemed to be able to control how fast it melted, where the wall¡¯s corners dissolved more quickly than its body.


    Unbeknownst to Zhang Heng, the black liquid had already wrapped around his feet when he grabbed the collar of the woman. He had seen how efficiently the thing hunted, taking less than ten seconds to completely engulf the old scavenger. He knew he was running out of time.


    Even at this juncture of life and death, Zhang Heng remained as calm as a millpond. He turned away as he threw the woman aside, then quickly tried to pry the creature away from his feet. However, as he suspected, the beast could switch forms freely between solid and liquid. After wrapping itself around Zhang Heng¡¯s ankle, it instantly hardened and became as hard as concrete. Now, Zhang Heng felt as if his left foot was encrusted in plaster, and he was completely stuck in place, unable to move an inch.


    This was also the same reason why Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t save the old lady. Now, it was his turn. He realized that this wasn¡¯t something he could possibly fight against. The black liquid spread like wildfire, running up his ankles, unhindered.


    In a blink of an eye, the tar-like substance had engulfed his calf. If this were to continue, he would soon be dragged into the wall alive, a horrible way to die, to say the least ¨C not something anybody would want to endure. To Zhang Heng¡¯s greatest surprise, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter had a little more loyalty than expected. Although scared to death, she didn¡¯t run even after getting back on her feet. Instead, she shouted at Zhang Heng, ¡°What¡¯s its weakness? What should I do?!¡±


    In response, Zhang Heng simply stared at her, pointed to the direction of the field¡¯s exit, and said, ¡°Run!¡±


    Had this been a Qiong Yao opera, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter would have been deeply moved by Zhang Heng¡¯s oh-so-sacrificial, tough-guy act. She would have been tugging on Zhang Heng¡¯s other thigh, crying and screaming at the top of her lungs, begging, ¡°No, I¡¯m not leaving you! If one must die, then we die together!¡±


    However, this was hard reality, not some stage show. After staring Zhang Heng in the eye, she hesitated for a moment before turning around to run toward the gate as fast as her legs could carry her.


    At a time like this, there was no time for second thoughts. She could only trust his judgment. There could only be two reasons why he told her to run. First, the action of running could be useful against the creature, or second, Zhang Heng knew that he was a lost cause and didn¡¯t want to drag her down with him, the reason why he made her leave while she still could.


    After running for a bit, tears started pouring out of the woman¡¯s eyes. She stopped and, at the same time, cried out to Zhang Heng, ¡°Dude! I don¡¯t have the key!¡±


    Zhang Heng had brought her to the field to prevent her from attempting any more tricks, locking up the gate for good measure, and effectively keeping outsiders from entering. However, that meant that nobody was getting out either. The key to that lock was still with Zhang Heng, and as the woman turned around, what she saw gave her a chill.


    Zhang Heng had disappeared. In his place was what seemed like a stone wall that had appeared out of nowhere, right smack in the middle of the running track.


    It was all like a poorly written piece of dark comedy.


    As hilarious as it might have been, the woman couldn¡¯t laugh at all. Right now, she was in complete shock. Too bad for her, as she didn¡¯t have the time to mourn Zhang Heng¡¯s death. Even though the creature behind her had just swallowed a person whole, it didn¡¯t seem to satisfy its insatiable hunger, appearing to be more raucous than ever.


    After running for a while, she realized that the black substance wasn¡¯t very speedy. It moved only as fast as she could run. The only reason for its success so far was because of its sudden and abrupt attacks, all coming without prior warning. Most people would have a sense of security when they leaned against a sturdy wall, subconsciously believing that they were protected from threats that came from every other direction.In fact, if the victim was prepared, the prospect of an escape was still on the books. Moreover, whatever worried the woman the most did not actually happen.


    That creature didn¡¯t have an Image Splitting Skill, which would allow it to replicate itself, making it omnipresent. That would have allowed it to surround its victim from every angle. It seemed that it could only remain as one entity, and a part of its body had to be connected to the wall no matter how far it ventured.


    However, it could definitely move freely from one wall to another, provided that the wall that it was attached to had returned to its original state. It was during these snatches of time that the woman could take a breather. Unfortunately, she failed to see a way out of the predicament and was, in fact, feeling absolutely awful. Due to specific reasons, she wasn¡¯t supposed to be doing vigorous exercise. She hadn¡¯t run so fervently since her high school fitness test, and now, her lungs felt as if they were about to burst out of her chest.


    Nevertheless, not running would mean the end of her. She even began to wonder if she would die of exhaustion before the creature could get its hands on her if she kept sprinting at such a pace.


    As a matter of fact, shortness of breath and a tightness in her chest was beginning to plague her, and now, her vision was getting blurry. Just as she was about to give up, she suddenly heard a familiar voice saying, ¡°Here, quick!¡±


    Lo and behold, Zhang Heng, of whom she thought was dead, was alive and standing at the gate. He had miraculously, at some point, opened the entrance of the field, and was now shouting at her. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t the only one who saw Zhang Heng. When that creature realized that he was actually alive, the wall behind the woman quickly returned to its original state.


    This was her golden opportunity. By the time the wall was restored to its previous form, that thing would have been part of the gate¡¯s pillars. By then, it would be too late for her.


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter felt as if all the energy in her body had been drained out her as she attempted to move her lead-laden legs toward the gate. Every ounce of strength in her body had fizzled out, but she tried to squeeze whatever little energy she had left within her Just as she began to pick up her pace, the dreaded creature of a wall began to move again. There was a look of hopeless despair in her eyes. But just as she thought that the creature would surely swallow her, a pair of hands wrapped her waist tightly.

 Chapter 267 - I Know About It

    At a moment where life hung in limbo, Zhang Heng carried Ma Wei¡¯s imposter and ran as fast as he could. To his surprise, she was a lot lighter than he thought, weighing less than a hundred pounds. It certainly didn¡¯t match her height. However, this wasn¡¯t the pressing issue right now. Placing her on his shoulders, he started running toward the exit. Though he was carrying someone on him, he was still a lot faster than her when she ran.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s persistent training had given him an edge when it came to stamina, and instead of letting the woman run on her own, he figured they would be a lot quicker if he just carried her. With swift hands, he unlocked the gate within seconds. While they ran, the woman was so terrified that she almost vomited. She then started sobbing like a little child.


    ¡°You tricked me! You used me as bait to attract the creature¡¯s attention. You even planned to get away without me, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was my item¡¯s effect. I technically needed somebody to distract the thing while I was unlocking the gate.¡±


    In desperation, Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t figure out a better way to free himself other than using his Shadow Moment. Once he entered shadow form, he was able to escape his physical boundaries and ditch the concrete that had smothered him. However, it would take some time before returning as a human once he entered the shadow form, and could only watch as the woman was chased by the creature. There really was nothing he could do at that time.


    Zhang Heng could have easily left her behind and move through the gate in his shadow form, the safest way for him to escape the field. However, he remembered that she had actually risked her life in an attempt to rescue him earlier. Thanks to her selfless act, Zhang Heng was willing to risk his own life to save her as well.


    Of course, the woman had to hang on for three minutes until Zhang Heng¡¯s shadow form expired. If she failed to do so, Zhang Heng would have left the place by himself. In other words, the woman had helped herself to survive the monster¡¯s deathly grip.


    After a while, Zhang Heng stopped to rest. His heart thumped so rapidly that a break was necessary if he didn¡¯t want to collapse. The woman, on the other hand, had no intention getting off him. All she did was change positions on his shoulders and clung on tightly like a koala. He knew that virtually all her stamina had been spent trying to run away from the monster. Hence, he did not force her to get down. Suddenly, Zhang Heng felt a sharp pain stabbing his shoulder. ¡°Oy! Can you stay put? We are still trying to get away from that creature!¡±


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter harrumphed and removed her teeth unwillingly from Zhang Heng¡¯s shoulder as she stared at her bite mark in satisfaction.


    ¡°I know that we¡¯re running away from the monster. However, my grudges against you will never be settled if I don¡¯t leave a mark!¡±


    Satisfied after doing whatever she longed to do, the woman moved her attention back to the more pressing matter at hand.


    ¡°So¡­ what the hell is that thing?¡±


    ¡°I have no bloody idea.¡±


    e


    .


    ¡°You have no idea, huh? Whatever the thing was, you were clearly the target.¡±


    Without having to spend any energy running from the monster, the woman think straight. Now that she carefully put some thought into it, she came up with a rather interesting conclusion.


    ¡°I¡¯ve crossed paths with this creature once. I rescued a little kid from being its meal. Maybe, that¡¯s why it¡¯s targeting me.¡±


    Zhang Heng paused for a while before continuing


    ¡°What do you mean when you said ¡®its weakness¡¯ just now?¡±


    ¡°Are you a new player? With your strength and stamina, you don¡¯t seem new to me. Things like these are not secrets and most experienced players should already know. Usually, supernatural beings like these have a weakness. Once we find out what it is, we¡¯ll just need to focus on it. Technically, even a mighty monster could be killed by a child if its weakness is exposed.¡±


    ¡°Weakness? Something like an Achilles Heel?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We need to figure out its origins or lore before we deal with it. Sometimes their weaknesses are hidden in stories passed down from generation to generation.¡±


    ¡°Apart from that?¡±


    After learning his lesson from Tapio, God of Forest, and the Lucky Rabbit Foot, Zhang Heng went online in search for information of a wall that could eat people up. Unfortunately, he found nothing particularly useful. There wasn¡¯t any time for that now, considering they were practically knocking on death¡¯s door.¡°Usually, the most effective method to deal with most monsters is to use brute force. However¡­ I¡¯m not too sure about this one. Perhaps it needs to engulf you before you can start bludgeoning it to death.¡±


    Zhang Heng knew a method like that was most probably useless against it because this creature could freely change its form. In other words, this was going to be an extremely foolhardy monster for them to defeat. While he ran, Zhang Heng tried his best to stay away from all the walls that he passed by. However, the entire city was made out of concrete, making it the best place for the monster to hunt. All it needed to do was to slip from one wall to another. It would be almost impossible to locate and destroy it. As the topic of the creature¡¯s weakness was in discussion, Zhang Heng suddenly thought of something. Before he could say anything, though, he came across someone he knew.


    Zhang Heng chose not to run on the main road because there were too many buildings around it, besides not wanting to endanger its inhabitants. So, he carried the woman and ran past a little garden located northeast of the field. The place was a favorite for pleasant and relaxing strolls, especially true for couples that were in love. Now that most students had returned to their respective hometowns, and considering it was already ten at night, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t expect to meet someone he knew here.


    It was Shen Xixi, the girl who broke up with him not too long ago. It seemed as if something was bothering her tonight, and Zhang Heng was surprised to see that she hadn¡¯t yet returned to her dorm. Shen Xixi stood up from the bench near the lake the moment she heard rapid footsteps approaching. She too was surprised to see Zhang Heng. However, seconds after that, she heard Ma Wei¡¯s imposter shouting at her.


    ¡°Run! Run!¡±


    Naturally, Shen Xixi was baffled by the desperate cries. However, when she saw the black liquid chasing them from behind, she felt excited. At first, Zhang Heng thought that Shen Xixi would ask him a ton of questions about the strange thing behind him because that was what ordinary people would do. Instead, she decided to heed the advice to run.


    Only after Shen Xixi had caught up with them did she bombard Zhang Heng with questions.


    ¡°Where did you guys find that thing? Have you seen its attack? Did it have something to do with the wall?!¡±

 Chapter 268 - This Is Unreal

    Before Zhang Heng could say anything, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter popped her head up and asked the question.¡±You know how to deal with this thing?¡±


    ¡°This is my first time facing this creature. Of late, lots of stray animals and homeless people have been disappearing from the streets. We received news that someone saw the black liquid moving within the walls at the locations of those unexplainable disappearances. My people have been trying to track it down for some time. However, it¡¯s extremely cunning. Judging by the victims¡¯ background information, it basically targets the weakest group of the society. Nobody would notice that they¡¯ve gone missing. I can¡¯t figure why it would come to the university this time, though. This is our best chance to get rid of it.¡±


    As they ran, Shen Xixi took out her cellphone to contact Wang Yu and the rest of the organization to gather at the university. When she returned her phone to her pocket, Zhang Heng asked her a question.


    ¡°Your organization deals with these matters as well?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I lied to you. Usually, people wouldn¡¯t believe us if they didn¡¯t see such creatures with their own eyes. It¡¯s hard to explain these things to the public, which is why we call ourselves a non-profit organization.¡± Ma Wei¡¯s imposter whispered into Zhang Heng¡¯s ear,


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to say that you¡¯re not going to be much help. What¡¯s going on right now? This woman doesn¡¯t know that you are a player. And it seems kind of sadistic too. She likes using her allies as bait.¡±


    ¡°Just stay put.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about you.¡±


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re not talking about me.¡±


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter looked really serious. She then turned around to look at Shen Xixi.


    ¡°Hey, pretty one. When are your men coming?¡±


    ¡°Usually, all of them are home at this hour. They live some distance from this place, and would need at least an hour and a half to get here. That¡¯s if they manage to get a cab right now. As for those living nearby, they can get here within half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Great! At least someone will take care of our bodies.¡±


    Although whatever Ma Wei¡¯s imposter said was unpleasant to the ear, she was trying to tell everyone that the three weren¡¯t in a good state. Until now, Zhang Heng still had his stamina in tip-top condition and didn¡¯t show signs that he would tire anytime soon. However, he was still carrying someone over his back, and it would be impossible for him to keep running at such speeds for a sustained amount of time. As for Shen Xixi, one could easily see the regular workouts she¡¯d been doing, with only the thick winter clothing covering her dazzling figure. As compared to Ma Wei¡¯s imposter that fizzled out after only a minute of running, Shen Xixi was definitely more durable than her. Until now, at least, her breathing was still steady, and it certainly didn¡¯t look as if she was about to collapse anytime soon. However, nobody could predict what would happen in ten minutes.


    Among the three of them, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter was the only one that didn¡¯t use any of her stamina. That said, she still tried to put herself to good use. While the monster was jumping from wall to wall, she had noticed a pattern to it, and the moment she spotted the walls around them changing, she would quickly inform Zhang Heng. ¡°We need to do something about this,¡± said Zhang Heng after running for a while.


    The three ran at the same pace with the monster. However, the path they chose was predictable, where they ran along the tar roads. Besides not always being a straight path, they would sometimes come across buildings in front of them. In such instances, the creature would take advantage of its wall-jumping abilities to move along the buildings, closing in the gap between them or even surpassing them at times. Left with no other option, they could only turn and run back in the direction from where they came.


    IOT


    After a short silence, Shen Xixi finally made up her mind.


    ¡°The typical human isn¡¯t powerful enough to deal with such a creature. I have a way to distract him. I want the two of you to use this opportunity and get away from this place.¡±


    As she spoke, Shen Xixi took out her wallet and drew out a red card. Zhang Heng turned to look and found out that it actually looked familiar to him. He soon recognized that it was a trap card from Yu-Gi-Oh! ¨C Battle Mania


    Card Type: Trap card.


    Number of uses: Unlimited.


    Rarity: Rare (R)


    Effect: Activates only during your opponent¡¯s Standby Phase. All face-up monsters that your opponent controls would be changed to their Attack Position and cannot change their battle positions this turn. If possible, all monsters your opponent currently controls must attack in this turn.


    After seeing the effect of Escape Dagger, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t surprised by Shen Xixi¡¯s item. He could guess what she was trying to do. In Yu-Gi-Oh, this card would force the opponent¡¯s monster to morph into its attack position. In other words, she was trying to taunt the beast. After creating an opportunity for Zhang Heng and Ma Wei¡¯s imposter to escape, she would contact Wang Yu to help her. Acquiring a game item wasn¡¯t her only reason for her insistence on killing this monster. She was mainly tired of seeing people getting killed by it.


    ¡°Wow! Look at her spirit compared to you. When we first met, you completely ignored me even after seeing those thugs about to rape me. What a stark difference!¡±Zhang Heng said nothing in defense. Instead, he stopped running and said, ¡°Come down.¡±


    ¡°No way! Are you angry with me? I was just making a random comment.¡± Ma Wei¡¯s imposter seemed to be unhappy, but she had to come down from Zhang Heng¡¯s back regardless. Both of them were safe for now after Shen Xixi used the trap card. However, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter didn¡¯t think that Shen Xixi could outrun the monster and win the battle. Judging by her looks, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter knew that Shen Xixi wasn¡¯t confident that she could hold up until her people came to her aid. Still, she had used the trap card to get Zhang Heng and the woman to a safe spot. At the same time, she didn¡¯t stop running away from the monster, trying her best to draw it as far as possible from them.


    ¡°We should do something to help her!¡± muttered Shen Xixi when she saw her getting further and further away from them.


    ¡°Great! Go help her then. If she lives, I won¡¯t hold you responsible for what you did to me before this.¡±


    ¡°I have something to do. So, I¡¯ll be away for a while.¡±


    ¡°This is unreal! Come on, brother?! Why do I have to go first every bloody time? You¡¯re exactly like my primary school teacher. He lets his students do the most difficult stuff and only starts to work properly during award month,¡± groaned Ma Wei¡¯s imposter while rolling her eyes at Zhang Heng. ¡°Remember. Hang on until I come back.¡±


    ¡°Wait. What if you don¡¯t come back?¡±


    Zhang Heng had already left when Ma Wei¡¯s imposter asked the question. As a chilly gust of wind blew at her, she pulled her coat together. Just like what she did to Zhang Heng when the monster had attacked him, she chose to run towards Shen Xixi for help.

 Chapter 269 - Fine, I’ll Continue Running Then

    In the darkness, Shen Xixi could hear the steady rhythm of her breathing and heartbeat. It had been five minutes since she used the Battle Mania card, where the D-grade game item took effect, turning the creature¡¯s attention onto her.


    However, what was about to happen next would be her biggest test yet. She knew that if she continued running aimlessly like that, she wouldn¡¯t last more than thirty minutes.


    After a while, Shen Xixi learned the pattern of the creature¡¯s movements, where its behavior was in direct relation to the walls. In other words, the further she stayed away from the walls, the safer she would be. Less than a kilometer outside the school grounds was People¡¯s Park, which was had been opened to the public and was probably the furthest place from the city¡¯s jungle of reinforced concrete.


    Shen Xixi planned to deal with the creature there until Wang Yu and the others arrived. But just as she ran through the eastern gates, she saw that the beast was already waiting for her there. The creature appeared to have guessed her plan and had surpassed her. Shen Xixi did a quick assessment and decided to give up on heading to the south gate because one, it was too far, and there was no way she could outrun the thing, and two, the gate was usually locked at nine at night. Even if she managed to get there, it would be a waste of effort.


    Eventually, she opted to retreat to the small garden where she had been, the furthest place from all the other school buildings. She decided that she could hide around the small artificial lake over there and play hide and seek with the creature.


    After running for so long, though, Shen Xixi¡¯s body was starting to send her brain fatigue signals. She was, after all, a girl, and even though she began to workout regularly to enhance her stamina since becoming a player, she was only slightly more durable than an ordinary person. Moreover, unlike Zhang Heng, who had been playing as a single-player, Shen Xixi was used to playing in a team setting To improve efficiency and cope with various complex situations, each member of the team had their own specialty. As far as possible, the skills and abilities wouldn¡¯t overlap, but rather, complement each other. Each teammate had a predetermined development route as well.


    In her team, Shen Xixi¡¯s played the role of team leader and brains. Battles were the responsibility of the other members. Since her job was to improve her leadership and decision-making abilities, it meant there wasn¡¯t much time for physical exercise. Also, the low visibility in the dark was causing her a lot of trouble.


    Being in the cramped garden would put a distance between her and the buildings, but the setting was also more complicated. Of course, it wasn¡¯t without reason that the garden was hailed as a sacred lovenest for budding couples ¨C there were only two street lamps in the whole area, one of which was broken a long time ago. Exuding a vibe of romantic ambiance, it was perfect for hugs and cuddles. Right now, it wasn¡¯t exactly ideal for Shen Xixi.


    She didn¡¯t know if the creature had eyes or how it was able to see, but one thing for sure, its vision was definitely not affected by the amount of light surrounding it. Her perception, on the other hand, was definitely influenced by the darkness, which was causing her to lose her sense of direction.


    In fact, if it had not been for energy preservation, Shen Xixi wouldn¡¯t have risked it to run to this place and allow the creature the chance to a sneak up on her. As she panted, she stopped by the lakeside to slow her breathing. She stood with her back facing the artificial lake as a precaution, so the other directions were clearly in her sight. Her strategy was straightforward but also very effective.


    Under the glow of the sole streetlamp above her, she could clearly see to her left and right. Behind her was the lake, and since there wasn¡¯t any concrete structures on it, save for a little rock formation, it should be safe. The only problem was the trees that blocked her front view. Thankfully, it was winter, and most of their leaves had fallen off.


    It was in this direction that Shen Xixi focused her attention on. If the creature were to attack her, she would surely be able to see it. Her nerves were still frayed, knowing that no matter what, the enemy was still a supernatural creature. Even in her calm demeanor, she was a little skittish. Suddenly, the phone in her pocket vibrated. It was a text from Wang Yu.


    He wrote: Wait for me! I¡¯m nearby. I¡¯ll be there soon!


    She had to admit that the text calmed her nerves a little. It seemed that the situation was a lot better than she expected. Wang Yu wasn¡¯t the team¡¯s main fighter, but he was second only to Yu Yangzi. The only problem was that he lived the furthest from the school. He was the one that Shen Xixi mentioned would take at least an hour and a half to get there. Nevertheless, he would have to be her best bet, for the time being, at least.


    Shen Xixi shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. Receiving Wang Yu¡¯s text set her thoughts in motion again. She wasn¡¯t merely thinking about passively running for her life but hoped that she would be able to gather more useful information to deal with the creature later on. As she was thinking about her next strategy, the hill on the artificial lake behind her began to melt quietly.


    This wasn¡¯t Shen Xixi¡¯s fault. Because that thing had been traveling through concrete walls, she had deliberately avoided the buildings on campus. It didn¡¯t cross her mind that the creature could also use the mock rock formation.


    By the time Shen Xixi noticed the black liquid moving toward her, it was too late to react. Thank goodness, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter arrived just at the nick of time. As she searched for Shen Xixi, she had stopped to tear off a piece of clay from her pocket and began molding it. It wasn¡¯t until two minutes ago that she succeeded. Sprinting to the artificial lake, she threw it at the creature when she saw it.


    It landed between Shen Xixi and the pool of black liquid, and a wall was instantly erected.


    Shen Xixi was terrified. She thought that Ma Wei¡¯s imposter must have had a grudge against her and was about to use the creature to get rid of her. But a minute later, she saw that the wall was actually blocking the creature from reaching her.


    ¡°What are you still doing there? Run!¡± shouted Ma Wei¡¯s imposter. ¡°My plasticine wall won¡¯t hold for long!¡±


    Shen Xixi didn¡¯t even look back as she started running. She turned to the girl who had just saved her and asked, ¡°You¡¯re a player too?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Ma Wei¡¯s imposter answered as she huffed. She hated working out the most. Without Zhang Heng around, her human mule was gone, and she was forced to buck up and run alongside Shen Xixi. But as soon as she started, she stopped, looking very excited. ¡°Oh, how silly of me! Why am I running? That thing will only attack you, right?¡±


    Shen Xixi¡¯s answer, however, only destroyed her hope. ¡°My game item also has a time limit. Its effect can only last for fifteen minutes. That¡¯s less than two minutes from now.¡±


    When Ma Wei¡¯s imposter heard this, she wanted to cry. ¡°Fine! i¡¯ll continue running then.¡±

 Chapter 270 - It’s Not Me, I Didn’t Do It, Don’t Accuse Me

    The plasticine wall erected by Ma Wei¡¯s imposter wouldn¡¯t stop the creature for too long. Right now, she and Shen Xixi were running for their lives toward the parking lot. Earlier, Wang Yu had sent a message to Shen Xixi and told her to meet up there. Though Shen Xixi placed most of her attention to the monster, that did not mean she had stopped thinking about other stuff. After running for a while, imposter noticed Shen Xixi constantly glancing at her.


    ¡°Just ask what you want to ask. I might not answer you anyway,¡± said the imposter while gasping for breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The incident at the auction center has spread around the entire circle of players. Everyone is on high alert. Still, many players fell into that trap, especially members of the three major factions. The victims reported that they would always find a small pile of plasticine beside them.¡±


    Shen Xixi paused for a while, then continued,


    ¡°As of now, the three major factions have come up with a large amount of money as a reward to whoever that can provide the crook¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not me. I didn¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t simply accuse


    me.¡±


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter quickly denied all the allegations. Now, she was more cautious when she talked.


    ¡°Did you tell others about my ability to use plasticine? I did it to save you, you know?¡± ¡°No. I won¡¯t tell anybody about it, but are you still going to do what you do? The three major factions are mighty, and sooner or later, they will find out about you. I also think that it¡¯s better if you return the Dreamland of Death to them. A B-grade game item will bring you a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°I told you that I¡¯m not the one who did it! That woman is causing all kinds of trouble everywhere. Why am I the one to take the blame?! I have never seen this Dreamland of Death before. There¡¯s nothing for me to return!¡±


    ¡°That woman?¡±


    Ma Wei¡¯s imposter had no intention of explaining any further. ¡°Anyway, all you need to know is that I¡¯ve nothing to do with that woman. Err¡­ wait. She has something to do with me. She was the one who caused me to be banned from the game.¡±


    Shen Xixi always wanted to ask about her relationship with Zhang Heng, but something unexpected happened suddenly. The left part of the wall in front of them started melting.


    ¡°Go to Qinsi Block now. I will lure it there,¡± replied Shen Xixi.


    ¡°Where is Qinsi Block? I¡¯m not from your university, hey?¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry. Follow me. This way!¡±


    Shen Xixi grabbed the imposter¡¯s hand and headed in a different direction. At that moment, the imposter was already showing signs of exhaustion. It seemed that the monster didn¡¯t want them to leave the university. Hence, it paid extra attention to the exit. However, there was still some distance between the parking lot and the exit, and seeing the two running toward Qinsi Block, the monster went after them as well.


    Shen Xixi ran in a big circle and charged toward the parking lot while the monster jumped from one wall to another. It was actually a brilliant plan, and there was nothing wrong with it. However, Shen Xixi hadn¡¯t considered the imposter¡¯s durability. If only she had witnessed how the imposter huffed and puffed as she ran earlier, she would surely have wondered how someone could have such weak stamina.


    Earlier, when the imposter ran towards Qinsi Block, her mind was so jumbled that she couldn¡¯t make out which direction she was supposed to take. She had to rely on Shen Xixi to guide her on the right path. Seeing that they were almost at their destination, the imposter was shocked to discover that the path she just took was just a warm-up run. There was still a very long way to go.


    The imposter¡¯s stamina had almost depleted completely, and she could no longer lift her legs to continue running. She squatted on the ground and clutched her chest with both hands.


    ¡°I can¡¯t run anymore! I can¡¯t run anymore! Just leave me here and go.¡±


    Shen Xixi didn¡¯t know what to do anymore. After all, the imposter was a full-grown woman, impossible to be carried like how Zhang Heng took her on his shoulder. Considering that the imposter had rescued her once, she would definitely not leave her here to die. As they stopped running, the monster had caught up to them. Suddenly, they saw a beam of bright light coming from a car.


    Wang Yu and his black Mercedes were finally here! There were only 30 meters between them. Some time ago, an outsider hit a girl from the university, resulting in a massive fight between the driver and the students. Ever since the accident, the university had prohibited cars from driving inside the university. They even added two metal pillars on the path that connected the parking lot to the university. University teachers and staff were no exception as well. After parking their vehicles in the lot, they had to walk to the office or classes.


    However, these two metal pillars didn¡¯t stop Wang Yu from rescuing Shen Xixi. Once he saw that she was in grave danger, he wasted no time drove his modified Mercedes up on the sidewalk. By doing that, he managed to bypass the metal pillars. At the same time, Shen Xixi quickly dragged the imposter to the side. In the end, the black Mercedes crashed head-on into the pile of black goo.


    To their surprise, the Mercedes was dented severely at its front. The black liquid managed to change form from liquid to solid, which meant that the car had just hit a hard wall. From the powerful impact, a large spiderweb of cracks could be seen on the wall. However, they soon disappeared, and the wall looked as good as new. Before the collision, Wang Yu had bravely jumped out of the car and wasn¡¯t injured.


    He then quickly stood up after he rolling on the ground for a bit. With his precious car destroyed, Wang Yu became really upset.


    ¡°This is ridiculous! How can we kill it?¡±


    ¡°Melee attacks are useless against it. We need to figure out its weakness as soon as possible. We tried our best to look for information about this creature¡¯s background. Unfortunately, it was fruitless. That means this creature isn¡¯t as powerful as we think it is. It has to have some kind of weakness, regardless.¡±


    Seeing that the wall had started melting again, Ma Wei¡¯s imposter put on a bitter smile.


    ¡°The weakness of a concrete wall? It has to be a tractor.¡±


    Previously, all Wang Yu could think was to save the woman in front of him in the coolest way possible. Undeniably, the way he showed up was awe-inspiring. However, he began to regret what he just did. All the while, he wasn¡¯t too happy with Shen Xixi dealing with these supernatural threats. The game quests were already dangerous enough, and now, Shen Xixi wanted to help the real world as well.


    Any ordinary person would pray that they would never have to come across something like this. Even though players like them knew more about the world they lived in and even possessing game items that could help them, they were still human beings. It was extremely risky for them to handle such threats of unearthly origins.


    However, Shen Xixi had a good reputation in the team, and most of her teammates would usually agree with whatever decision she made. Even if Wang Yu wasn¡¯t happy with the arrangement, he could only keep it for himself. Besides, he had always been fond of her. If they wanted to defeat this monster, there were countless pros and cons to be considered.

 Chapter 271 - Missing Its Target

    Zhang Heng ran into the dormitory building and looked at the lifts. Only one of the two available elevators were operating during the holidays, and it was now on the ninth floor. Considering it might stop on other floors on its way down, Zhang Heng decided to take the safer option on the other side, the stairs. Having no idea how much longer Shen Xixi and the imposter could last, every second counted. It took him only 47 seconds to climb to the 11th floor where his room was located.


    When he pushed the door open, a sweat-soaked Ma Wei was sitting at his desk, a blank look plastered on his face as he held onto a wallet. He mumbled, ¡°How could this be? I remember very clearly that I brought it with me when I left. I even bought two buns in the afternoon. How could it have returned before I did?!


    This was the most baffling thing he had ever experienced in his entire life. After his tutoring session ended, and he was about to go home, he realized that his wallet and bicycle were missing. He had frantically searched nearby, and yet, found nothing. Now, he was dizzy and confused.


    Then, when he returned to the dormitory, his old bicycle had magically parked itself downstairs, and his missing wallet was already on his desk. Not only was the money still in there, but there was also even an extra forty yuan in it. Ma Wei felt his emotions heaving like a wild roller-coaster ride. Surprised and thrilled, he was at the same time bemused at the inexplicable happenstance. In his stupor, he didn¡¯t even notice Zhang Heng entering the room. By the time he looked up, Zhang Heng was already rushing out the door. From the corner of his eye, Ma Wei spotted him holding the SF recurve bow. ¡°Are you going to practice archery? But it¡¯s so late¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng picked up his bow, arrow, and telescope from his wardrobe, and instead of greeting his roommate, he hurried into the bathroom next door. With the telescope, he searched for Shen Xixi and the imposter through the tiny ventilation window and saw that they were running from the lake toward the parking lot.


    He chose a small photocopy shop located between the parking lot and the man-made lake. It was also the closest location to the male dormitory. Making his way there as quickly as he could, he climbed up the sycamore tree next to the shop, the perfect spot for an ambush. At this point, Shen Xixi and imposter weren¡¯t too far away from him.


    However, the two girls didn¡¯t notice Zhang Heng. All they cared was to run for their lives, focused on avoiding the black liquid that was quickly advancing on them. Zhang Heng took in a deep breath and pulled out the Paris Arrow from his quiver. The imposter had mentioned before that most supernatural beasts had a so-called Achilles¡¯ heel. As long as they figured what it was, they could kill even the most powerful and invincible of monsters.


    The Paris Arrow was also a legendary item associated with the Achilles Heel. Zhang Heng had returned to the dormitory just to retrieve it. Although it wasn¡¯t his first time using this game item, he had only employed before it as an enhanced arrow with automatic angle correction. This was the first time he was using it against a supernatural creature and had no idea how effective it would be.


    Zhang Heng armed the bow with the Paris Arrow. With his Lv. 2 archery skills, he swiftly locked on to the target without much difficulty. It wasn¡¯t until Shen Xixi, and the imposter ran past him that he released his finger.


    However, something unexpected happened. Not only did the arrow not find the black liquid¡¯s weakness, but it also missed its target entirely.


    Zhang Heng had been practicing archery for the longest time now, and practiced within a ten-meter range, even if it was a moving target, he could at least hit the eighth ring. In fact, there was no chance he would miss such an easy target. On top of that, the black liquid was a lot larger than his regular bullseye targets, and it was technically impossible for him to miss his mark. Judging by his extensive experience, he knew that it was a good shot the moment the arrow left the bow. Ironically, it was as if an invisible force had shifted the arrow¡¯s flight path. Zhang Heng saw with his own eyes as the Paris Arrow deviated, flying past the creature before disappearing into the darkness. Except for Zhang Heng, the shooter, the other two people, and the creature didn¡¯t even notice the existence of the arrow.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s frown deepened as he looked at a fleeing Shen Xixi in the distance. Even if he caught up to them, chances were that he could do nothing against the creature. It appeared that it was immune to physical damage. So, after giving it some thought, Zhang Heng decided to find the Paris Arrow. He remembered that it had deviated in a southwesterly direction. Zhang Heng leaped off the tree and headed there. After around a hundred meters, he found his arrow sticking out of the ground.


    Zhang Heng felt a little flummoxed. That creature¡¯s weak spot couldn¡¯t have been the dirt on the ground. Even if it was, there was a lot of soil under the tree back there; the Paris Arrow had no reason to fly all the way here. There could only be one explanation for this ¡ª before the Paris Arrow could hit the monster¡¯s weak spot, it had already used up all its kinetic energy. However, Zhang Heng was somewhat of an archery veteran, and he could accurately shoot up to two hundred meters. Even if there was wind resistance, there was no way it would only go as far as a hundred. On top of that, the angle the arrow penetrated the ground at a bizarre angle. It was at that moment that something suddenly clicked in his mind, and he looked up at a structure not too far away.


    It was the school library, a seven floored concrete building. If the arrow¡¯s target were the building, then it would all make sense. It had suffered a loss of kinetic energy as it converted into gravitational potential energy. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough to send the arrow to the target, so it fell midway and plunged into the ground.


    Nonetheless, it had completed its mission in a way, pointing Zhang Heng in a particular direction. Although he didn¡¯t know why that creature¡¯s weak spot was in the school library, he knew that the answer to tonight¡¯s crisis could be hidden within it.


    Zhang Heng pulled the arrow out of the ground, replaced it on the bowstring, then carefully treaded to the dark library ahead of him.

 Chapter 272 - Three Arrows

    Zhang Heng was more familiar with the library than the dorm room he had lived in every day. He would either spend his time there or the gym during the extra 23 hours he had. Since a regular of the place, he made a copy of the door¡¯s key, usually entering through its employee-only entrance. He would first head to the basement to turn on the main power before entering the elevator and pressing the button to the seventh floor.


    Unsure if the thing he was looking for in the library of even a living being, he quickly came across an idea. The library was located in the middle of the university, and since it went up to seven floors, it was perfect as an observation point for the entire area. From the top floor, there was a birds-eye view of the whole university campus. If the thing that entered the library was indeed a living being, it meant that whatever he did before entering was no longer a secret.


    If the creature didn¡¯t spot Zhang Heng entering the library, it would have known by now since the electricity had been turned on. By turning on the entire building¡¯s power, he hoped to confuse the creature, where it would have to figure out which floor he was on. Meanwhile, Zhang Heng would use the stairwell to move to the next floor.


    Since the Paris Arrow¡¯s landing spot proved that whatever he was looking for was on the top floor, Zhang Heng decided to start his search there. When he arrived, the entire place was pitch black the moment the door was opened. Utilizing the familiarity of his surroundings, he located the switch for the LED light above without much problem. However, it didn¡¯t turn on after the switch was flipped. Alarm bells started going off in his head, and he immediately became extremely cautious. The Paris Arrow had further confirmed that there was a high possibility that his target was on this floor.


    Immediately, Zhang Heng wound the string of his bow. Right now, his biggest problem wasn¡¯t the thing he was looking for. The Paris Arrow had already helped him locate the whereabouts of the clue before its energy depleted. The problem was that he was now away from the black liquid, and having no idea where it was, in no way could he reshoot it.


    Suddenly, Zhang Heng heard a rustling sound. Although hushed, it sounded extra crisp in the empty library, and he deduced that it came from the back of one of the book racks. Since it wasn¡¯t too far from him, he approached the shelf with the bow in hand. Cautious of booby traps, he decided to take the longer route, moving around the tall rows of books to get to it. Just as he was about to close in on the source of the sound, what seemed like a masked person charged at him all of a sudden!


    Zhang Heng was well prepared to handle attacks from such close proximity, and with the Paris Arrow on his bow, he couldn¡¯t miss the target. After completing a few quests, Zhang Heng¡¯s heightened awareness had allowed him to take aim at his mark in a split second. Right before he could release the arrow, though, the bow unexpectedly twitched a little. In the end, the arrow flew past the person and landed on an English book.


    After that, Zhang Heng quickly turned his body to avoid the attack from the masked person. Before he could check his enemy out, Zhang Heng promptly pulled out another arrow from his quiver and reloaded his bow. He then aimed at the shadow that was heading towards the exit.


    This time, the arrow hit the person¡¯s calf, causing him to lose balance and falling to the ground. Seeming to be severely injured, and judging by the loss of mobility, Zhang Heng took the opportunity and shot a third arrow at the shadow. Without warning, the wall on the person¡¯s left melted.


    Now, Zhang Heng had reencountered the black liquid.


    This time the liquid engulfed the masked person, sucking him into the wall. Zhang Heng chose not to pursue it this time know how perilous it would be. Whether the elevator or the stairwell, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the black liquid in such a confined space. Besides, there wasn¡¯t much time left before the hour hand would strike twelve.


    After looking at his watch, Zhang Heng held his bow and stood guard, ensuring that creature wouldn¡¯t return to the library again. He then turned around and walked towards the masked person and took off the mask. It was actually a girl, and she seemed to be a student at this university. Both her hands were tired, and there was a sock stuffed in her mouth. She seemed to have just encountered something terrifying, and the moment Zhang Heng untied her, she started to cry, running to hide under a table near him. She was clearly panic-stricken and was trembling uncontrollably.


    Zhang Heng picked up her student card that had fallen to the ground and saw that she was called Li Shengyue.


    ¡°You are safe now. The creature is gone.¡±


    Zhang Heng put aside his bow and handed back Li Shengyue¡¯s card.


    It wasn¡¯t until a minute later before she snapped out of her fear. She snatched the card defensively from Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Zhang Heng?!¡±


    Li Shengyue was surprised to see that her rescuer turned out to be Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Wait. You know me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you, but I know that the creature was here for you.¡±The events that had taken place tonight had gone beyond the realms of everything she knew. She began shaking each time the thought of what happened crossed her mind. Despite the stammers and stutters that she couldn¡¯t control, she still tried her best to narrate whatever she knew to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°After the finals were over, they moved up the library¡¯s closing time to six in the evening. In the afternoon, I wanted to come here to read, and I saw a kid around seven to eight years old standing outside. He told me that he wanted to enter the library to read some comics. However, he couldn¡¯t get past the turnstile and seeing the librarian wasn¡¯t around, I unlocked the turnstile and let him in. I saw him heading to the comic area on the second floor. So, I told him to look for me on the seventh before he exited the library. ¡°While I was reading, he came up, walked toward me, and asked me a question. He asked if I knew a certain Zhang Heng. He also told me that this person is a student here. I told him that there were thousands of students, and I couldn¡¯t possibly know every single person here. Immediately, his face darkened the moment he heard what I said.


    ¡°I have never seen such a terrifying face on a kid. He had the look of a killer in his eyes! After that, he didn¡¯t say a word and left me alone. I was struck by fear, and I lost the mood to read. Around ten minutes later, I decided to leave the library, and I descended to the second floor to look for him. However, he wasn¡¯t there anymore.


    ¡°In fact, I searched the entire library, but he was nowhere to be found. I thought he must have followed someone out, and just to be safe, I hung around until the closing of the library. Before I left, I went to the toilet. That¡¯s when I saw something in the mirror. I saw¡­¡±


    Li Shengyue¡¯s voice was trembling.


    ¡°You saw the wall melting into black liquid?¡±


    Li Shengyue nodded vigorously.


    ¡°The black liquid dripped on my shoulder and slithered onto my face. I felt that I was suffocating, and my survival instincts kicked in, telling me to get out of this place. When I tried to move my leg, I found that I was paralyzed. It was an awful feeling! Soon after that, I passed out. When I woke up, I found myself tied up here.¡±

 Chapter 273 - Neutral

    Zhang Heng sent Li Shengyue back to her dormitory. It was at that time that he received a message from Shen Xixi telling him that the black liquid had given up on pursuing her all of a sudden. She also asked about his current whereabouts and situation. Before Zhang Heng could reply to her, he received a friend request.


    The person¡¯s name was, ¡®Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (# 0¡ä)¡¯


    Zhang Heng prompty rejected the friend request. Two seconds later, he received another request from the same person. This time, it came with a side note.


    [No one can reject me twice. No one!()*?w?))]


    Zhang Heng read it, and once again, rejected the friend request.


    Almost instantly, the person sent Zhang Heng another request. This time, the side note was different.


    (Someone smart like me knows that you will reject my friend request again. Am I right? Hehe. (ZV**)]


    This time, Zhang Heng accepted it and sent a reply.


    (Whatever you just did is completely meaningless.)


    (No. It¡¯s not meaningless. Wait! Hold on right there! Don¡¯t block me. I asked for your contact from Shen Xixi. There¡¯s something important that I need to tell you.]


    (Eh?]


    (You¡¯re cold-blooded, and you¡¯re definitely not a real man. However, I¡¯m surprised that you stuck to your promise. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t run away. Have you killed that thing?]


    (That has nothing to do with you.]


    [Hehehe! I¡¯m just showing my concern. Do you know how dangerous the situation was just now? We were so close¡­ so close to meeting our maker tonight. This is the golden opportunity to eliminate that creature. Shen Xixi asked for your whereabouts just now. If I tell her that you¡¯re the one who saved us, I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯ll gain an extra fan.)


    (Your stomach no longer aches?]


    (I feel better now, but there¡¯s still some lingering pain r_1. I¡¯ll go to the clinic for a checkup tomorrow.)


    Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#¡¯O¡¯) sounded serious. Soon after that, she sent another message to Zhang Heng.


    [Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry. I know that you don¡¯t like to show yourself. I told her that I don¡¯t want you to know I¡¯m a player, and I¡¯ve asked her to hide in the park first. She still doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯re a player. Oh right. I told her that we knew each through an online game. Don¡¯t forget that you asked me out for hotpot! (*¡ã v¡ã))]


    After that, Zhang Heng replied Shen Xixi and told her that everything was fine. She then informed Zhang Heng that the creature had fled. As of now, she couldn¡¯t figure what had happened as well and reminded him to be extra cautious of his surroundings. If a similar thing were to happen again, he could contact her immediately, and she would assist him in the shortest time possible.Zhang Heng thanked her for the offer; his gratitude genuine. Until now, Zhang Heng had met several players, where most of them were friendly and courteous ¨C just like Ding Si and the professor who had both given him some useful advice. However, there were limits to their kindness, only imparting information after having ensured that their own interests were protected.


    A player who was willing to risk her life to save others like Shen Xixi was indeed hard to come by. For those who had been oppressed for a long time, they wouldn¡¯t just simply pursue their long-desired justice or rescue someone weaker than them. Instead, they would turn from being the victim to the oppressor. After getting their revenge, they would use their influence to bully the weaker ones. What they had always hated wasn¡¯t how unfairly they had been treated, but rather, hated that they weren¡¯t the ones who had brought that injustice to this world.


    What made Shen Xixi such a unique breed wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t go down the path of darkness, but because she was willing to use her precious game items to rescue ordinary humans. It was no easy path to take. It was a miracle that she was still alive and even gather a group of like-minded players. After all, they were countless players in the system, and some were just as kind and righteous as Shen Xixi. However, the reality of the situation differed from fairytales. In fairytales, the righteous would somehow always defeat evil, and light always overcame darkness. In reality though, a strong sense of righteousness and moral outlook meant that the player¡¯s chances of survival would be lower since more risks would have to be taken.


    Those who had chosen to walk this path were either dead. or had given up due to the unbearable hardships they had to face. The fact that Shen Xixi kept walking on the noble path was enough to prove that she had strong determination, leadership, and charisma. As for Zhang Heng, he was a completely different species altogether. According to D&D¡¯s Alignment System, Zhang Heng was to be considered ¡®neutral.¡¯ He had a mature set of beliefs and would live his life according to his principles. No temptation from this world could shake his solid foundation.


    At times, he would help those who were stuck in a tough situation, but he wouldn¡¯t do it all the time, not like Shen Xixi. She would even risk her life to save strangers. Unless the person was dear to him, he would never risk his life for someone he didn¡¯t know. In other words, Zhang Heng and Shen Xixi were two completely different people. However, that didn¡¯t stop him from admiring her. He was also willing to provide whatever help he could offer if Shen Xixi were to be in trouble. After all, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing to have more people like Shen Xixi in this heartless world. If Wang Yu and the other players who supported Shen Xixi didn¡¯t exist, Zhang Heng wouldn¡¯t mind revealing his true identity to her. After replying Shen Xixi, Zhang Heng put his phone away and glanced at his watch. There was only a minute left before midnight. His private time was about to arrive soon. That said, Zhang Heng had no intention to let go of that creature. Clearly, it was targeting him all the while. Even though it was now injured and its weakness exposed after getting hit by the Paris Arrow, Zhang Heng knew that it would become extremely troublesome to deal with if he didn¡¯t take the opportunity to kill it now.


    Besides, his university was exposed, and he didn¡¯t want to live in fear for the rest of his life. He didn¡¯t want to live with the constant thought at the back of his mind that the walls around him could melt and consume him. Before he went after the creature, he first returned to his dormitory to greet Ma Wei. After that, he grabbed something with him before he left the hostel. It was midnight the moment he entered the elevator to ascend to the first floor.


    Zhang Heng had his bow with him when the doors of the elevator opened. He swiftly ran past the dorm aunty, who was in a sweatshirt and cotton slippers. She waved a U-shaped lock midair and yawned at the same time. Zhang Heng was familiar with a world where time could be paused for him. Although still somewhat curious, he had lost the initial excitement when he first came into this world where time stopped. To him, this world without time was like a wax museum filled with ultra-realistic figures.


    This time, there was something important that he needed to do.

 Chapter 274 - Caught You

    Zhang Heng followed the blood trail from the library to an orphanage. The whole tracking process wasn¡¯t as simple as one thought it would be. Although the shadowy figure¡¯s calf was injured, it did not need to rely on legs to flee Zhang Heng since the black liquid allowed it to travel from wall to wall. However, moving within the confines of walls was no good feeling, and from time to time, it would need to stick out its head for a breath of fresh air.


    Each time the figure emerged from the wall, it would leave a few drops of blood on the ground. The creature¡¯s blood was unique, and it was easily identifiable. Thicker than the blood of an ordinary human, it was darker, almost black, in fact. Not to mention the putrid stench it gave off. Still, it was no easy task to track droplets of blood in such a massive city.


    Zhang Heng strung his recurve bow to his back. With a flashlight in one hand and phone in the other, he opened the Gao De map application and studied it. Discounting what it did at the library, the creature usually avoided showing itself in crowded places. It always targeted the city¡¯s weakest bunch, the lower rungs of society. This meant many people had never seen it before. Now that it was injured, it would be even more cautious of its surroundings. With the electronic map, Zhang Heng eliminated places that had a high volume of people at this hour. For example, the main road and the food street that operated until late at night. Picking a couple of secluded areas, he then singled out spots with the highest possibility where the creature would go. From there, he would follow the order and zone in on the selected areas until he found the special blood on the ground. A search like this would be tedious and time-consuming since he was the only one looking.


    However, all he needed was to look for five spots with blood on the ground, and he could figure out the location of the shadowy figure. After that, everything should become less complicated. Of course, some time would be needed to pinpoint the exact places on the map. After searching the boarding school and nearby hospital, he found no traces of the creature or that it had been there. The last place he would need to search was the orphanage in front of him. Including the day, Zhang Heng hadn¡¯t closed his eyes or rested for more than 30 hours. Hence, he didn¡¯t rush there and instead, headed to a nearby grocery store for some coffee. As usual, he left the money on the cashier¡¯s desk and walked out.


    Zhang Heng felt a lot more alert after the dose of strong coffee. Making sure to leave no trace, he wiped his saliva and fingerprints off the bottle with a piece of tissue, then threw them into a dustbin half a street away. The coffee¡¯s extra boost of energy got him moving again, and he climbed over the gate of the orphanage.At such late hours, most of the orphanage¡¯ staff had gone home, leaving only a few guards, caretakers, one doctor, and four nurses who were on duty. It seemed to be another routine night, with the guards playing cards in their mess like they always did. The doctor was preparing for an evaluation in his office. As for the nurses, one was dozing off, with the other three busy playing Honor of Kings. The first floor housed the emergency, and duty room. There was also an observation room, a children¡¯s restaurant, staff mess, and a multipurpose hall, but these places were completely empty right now. Seeing that the first floor was of no concern, Zhang Heng quickly ascended to the second floor, where most of the dormitories of the orphans were located. After scanning the caretaker¡¯s mess and activity room on this floor, he found nothing. So, he moved his attention to the dormitories. At a corner in the west, Zhang Heng noticed a bed that had been isolated by the orphans. It appeared the orphans were terrified of the person who lay there, and although mere meters from the rest of the beds, a vibe of great segregation could be felt.


    Right now, the other orphans were already asleep in their own bunks, but Zhang Heng saw nobody on the isolated bed. As he lifted the blanket, he saw a used medical bandage stained with blotches of black blood, confirming the creature was now in this orphanage. Stepping back to look at the nameplate hanging in front of the bed, the bed supposedly belonged to a child called Zhang Jinli. The staff of the orphanage hoped that the child would someday grow up to become a polite and well-mannered person, just as his name suggested. Unfortunately, their wish didn¡¯t come true.


    In the picture, Zhang Jinli looked sullen and grumpy, with his eyes giving off a death stare. He gave off the vibe of a crazed murderer, a temperament unfit for someone so young. Considering the terrifying things that he had done, the picture was considered cute. ¡°Gotcha,¡± whispered Zhang Heng in a low voice while taking down the picture. After Zhang Jinli had been wounded by the arrow, he returned to the orphanage and snuck into the emergency room to steal some bandages. He didn¡¯t linger on the bed for too long, knowing that in his haste, he must have left a lot of evidence. Nonetheless, Zhang Heng deduced that it would be highly unlikely that he¡¯d leave the orphanage now. After all, the wound on his leg was quite severe. Although Zhang Jinli was absent from his bed, Zhang Heng remained calm and didn¡¯t panic. He swiftly continued searching, and in the end, he found him in an examination room.


    The boy had hidden himself behind an ultrasound machine with his body curled up.


    Heng walked up towards him, then unwrapped the bandage that was hastily wrapped around his leg. The wound from the arrow was deep, and some kind of black blood oozed from it. In such a state, Zhang Jinli was fragile and vulnerable. Also, with time now paused, he could no longer control the black liquid or kill innocent people. Not even a finger of his could be lifted. Right now, the terrifying creature was nothing more but a motionless, delinquent child.


    Zhang Heng could have opted to kill him right now. This would be the first time Zhang Heng killed someone in a still world. Although the Mannerheim and Black Sail quests bathed him in a baptism of bullets, he was still uneasy whenever he took a life. However, his conscience wouldn¡¯t bother him if it was the right thing to do. Besides, the kid that he was about to kill was probably not human anyway. He swung the knife, about to strike, but stopped short of Zhang Jinli¡¯s throat.


    Zhang Heng frowned, seeing the hatred and insecurity that Zhang Jinli harbored toward this world in his eyes. He was different from Li Shengyue; having no fear whatsoever in his eyes. In other words, he controlled the black liquid willingly. The wound on his leg and black blood was also enough proof that he was the one who attacked Zhang Heng and Sheng Xixi in the school.


    There was still one thing bothering Zhang Heng. According to Li Shengyue, Zhang Jinli was at the university that afternoon which meant he had left the orphanage. That said, with his ability to travel within walls, it wasn¡¯t that hard for him to leave unnoticed. If he had left since the afternoon, it would be impossible that nobody realized the absence. However, when Zhang came across the orphanage¡¯s staff, none of them seemed the least nervous that an orphan had gone missing for a long time now.

 Chapter 275 - Time To Take A Breath

    Zhang Heng lowered his utility knife and sliced through Zhang Jinli¡¯s thumb until flesh and blood were seen. In this unnaturally still world, living beings defied the laws of physics, and no blood flowed out from the small cut on the boy¡¯s thumb. Now, Zhang Heng could finally see the color of his blood.


    Surprisingly, his thumb¡¯s blood was in a different color from the blood on his leg. It was red. To be safe, Zhang Heng scraped away all the dried blood on his leg, and found that only the top layer was black. It was still the regular red blood underneath it. From here, he confirmed that Zhang Jinli wasn¡¯t the creature and was just an ordinary child from the orphanage. That said, he figured that the kid might be connected to the creature somehow, willing to shoulder the blame, conceal the bandages under his blanket, and even take an arrow to his calf. Even an adult would think more than twice before attempting such brazen feats.


    However, the child had no idea the price he would have to pay for helping the creature. If Zhang Heng hadn¡¯t been paying attention to the staff¡¯s reactions, he would have killed Zhang Jinli by now. After that, Zhang Heng kept his utility knife away, remembering that his real target was the monster and not some cynical orphan. If Zhang Jinli was the one that assaulted them, where was the black liquid then?


    Almost 20 hours had passed since he entered the world where time stopped. In two hours, the hour hand in his watch would complete a full cycle, and factoring in the time needed to return to the dormitory, he was only left with an hour and a half to look for the monster. Right now, Zhang Heng had searched the entire orphanage building. Other than Zhang Jinli, he found no one else suspicious.


    If his target left the orphanage after it treated its wound, it would be bad news for Zhang Heng. He simply didn¡¯t have time to search another area. He knew, however, that the creature must have had a purpose for choosing the orphanage. Orphans, like Zhang Jinli, rarely had the chance to interact with outsiders. Mostly, the kids simply didn¡¯t trust them due to personal reasons.


    Since no orphans had left the orphanage, only one possibility could explain the whole situation. Zhang Heng entered the records room beside the B-super room and looked for the adoption records. He then picked the names of the orphans that had been adopted recently. Initially, he thought that he would spend a long time checking out the records, but when he saw an attached picture, he was left in shock. It turned out he recognized the person.


    Zhao Xiaotian was his name, given by this orphanage upon his arrival. The kid in the picture was someone Zhang Heng had met before. It was the one he rescued after witnessing the wall consuming an old woman on the street. During that time, Zhang Heng attempted to save the homeless woman but only managed to save her grandchild in the end.


    After the harrowing incident, he made a police report at the local station. He left the kid there as well, knowing that he was now in safe hands. According to the law of the day, if the police failed to locate the kid¡¯s relatives, they would be immediately sent to an orphanage. Zhao Xiaotian had been sent here about a month ago. Coincidently, Zhang Heng spotted him at the amusement park a few days before Christmas Eve, only to think that he misrecognized someone. Besides, he forgot about him completely when Hayase Asuka and her pursuer exited the horror house.


    In retrospect, Zhao Xiaotian¡¯s true identity was actually shadowed by doubt. Whether it was information that Zhang Heng gave the officer or his assumptions, both of them believed that Zhao Xiaotian was the old lady¡¯s grandson. The boy had presented himself as the victim throughout the entire incident, but yet, there was no solid proof of his relationship with the old lady. Generally, those who lived on the lower strata of society were close-knit, generously helping each other out in hardship. It was perfectly normal considering a stranger as a family member.


    When the black liquid engulfed the old lady, Zhao Xiaotian simply stood there and watched silently. He did not cry or scream. At first, Zhang Heng thought that the boy must be in shock, but now, he looked at it in another way. Perhaps the kid was enjoying the scene of the old woman getting consumed by his masterpiece. Shen Xixi once told Zhang Heng that the creature would only target people of a lower class.To get close, Zhao Xiaotian realized that he had to be accepted as part of their community. With his young age, they would let their guard down without much thought. Most homeless wouldn¡¯t think of Zhao Xiaotian being a threat, considering what little they already had. It was the perfect camouflage, a wolf in sheepskin. Without anyone knowing the boy¡¯s real identity, he could take his time and pick his dinner.


    Now, Zhang Heng had a question in mind. Where could Zhao Xiaotian be? According to the records, the boy had been adopted by a middle-aged couple that couldn¡¯t bear child, and they lived in a humble Sihuan neighborhood. Even though a lead was in hand, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t rush there immediately. Up until this point, Zhao Xiaotian was the most cunning nemesis he had ever encountered. A master at eluding its enemy, Zhang Heng had already made three wrong decisions thanks to him.


    When they first met, he made Zhang Heng believe that he was a victim. Then, during the library incident, he attempted to turn Li Shengyue into a scapegoat. There was too little time for Zhang Heng to deal with him in the library and in a split second, Zhang Heng had to shift his bow to aim at the true target. Now, at the orphanage, Zhang Jinli volunteered to help Zhao Xiaotian confuse Zhang Heng. Even Zhang Heng had to admit that it was a complicated strategy.


    Zhang Heng believed that Zhao Xiaotian¡¯s framing of Zhang Jinli wasn¡¯t the end of the saga, but the beginning of his retaliation. There were surely more evil plans up his sleeve, and if Zhang Heng stepped into his trap, high chance he would be thrown in jail for murdering someone innocent. Though Zhang Heng had some powerful game items on him and a wealth of experience, this place was, after all, not 18th century Nassau. A single person couldn¡¯t go against an entire country. Even if he managed to escape the authorities, he would need to live in the dark for the rest of his life.


    Zhao Xiaotian had an exceptional understanding of human society. All the while, he hunted in extreme caution and managed to stay under the radar of the authorities and the public. He even knew how to take advantage of the law of the day to benefit himself. The only thing he didn¡¯t realize was that Zhang Heng had an extra 24 hours each day. Based on Zhang Heng¡¯s understanding of him, once Zhao Xiaotian marked his target, he would stalk it and control it. It appeared he was somewhat of a sadist, fond of watching his prey struggle and fight for their lives. Unfortunately, he messed with the wrong people this time.


    After that, Zhang Heng studied the orphanage¡¯s blueprints again, and this time, he found something new. The walkway on the second floor was 50cm shorter than the one on the plan. A window which was supposed to be there was also gone. In other words, the wall¡¯s original structure had changed.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to come out and take a breath.¡±


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t wait for an answer and proceeded to the construction site next to the orphanage. Around ten minutes later, he returned with a huge demolition hammer in his hands.

 Chapter 276 - Closure

    A red Volkswagen Polo pulled up to parking lot No.6. The bartender turned off the engine and got out of her car as her khaki-colored martin boots crunched into the snow-laden ground.


    Spanning more than eleven square kilometers, Nanhaizi Park was considered one of the largest wetlands among the suburbs. It was a colossal area equivalent to four Summer Palaces and used to be hunting grounds of royalties who once lived there. Apart from having a wide range of foliage, wild Pere David¡¯s deer also made the wetlands their home. Considering that it was quite a distance from the city, it wasn¡¯t a place frequented by many, not to mention that it was now two in the morning. No one in their right mind would come to such a remote location at this hour.


    Other than the red Polo at the sixth parking lot, not a single living soul could be seen. The bartender, however, wasn¡¯t afraid or anxious about the place. She slipped a cigarette into her mouth from the half-smoked pack of Marlboro¡¯s. She lit it and immediately took two long drags, before placing the fag between her fingers and tapping her phone with her thumb.


    ¡°Come out. There are no cameras here.¡±


    Five minutes later, Zhang Heng dragged a suitcase out of the woods with him.


    ¡°Why do you need 20 game points to deal with a dead body?¡±


    ¡°Please. I had to look for a replacement while I drove all the way out here to help you deal with this. It¡¯s a long drive. Don¡¯t forget that fuel costs money. Besides, you are about to extract game items from the body, right?¡±


    The bartender popped the trunk of her Polo, pulled out a plastic sheet, and laid it on the ground, then signaled Zhang Heng to bring the body over.


    ¡°It¡¯s this guy,¡± she said while opening up the bag. ¡°You know him?¡±


    ¡°When the adults have a party in the house, they would usually attract the kids next door.¡±


    She took two last puffs from the cigarette and tossed the butt aside, then pulled a pair of medical gloves from her pockets.


    ¡°Zavilcha. If I¡¯m not mistaken, he was supposed to be a monster from an old Slavic fairytale. His name is almost forgotten these days, even in Russia. At first, parents used the story to scare their kids into returning home before sunset. They were also forbidden to play with kids they didn¡¯t know or follow them home. That¡¯s because Zavilcha would use his evil abilities to manipulate the walls in his house and consume those children.¡±


    As she spoke, the bartender brought out her toolkit and pulled out a scalpel from it.


    ¡°You are actually quite powerful. This creature was weak, and it didn¡¯t have any combat power as well. However, its evil intention was the key to his skills. In a city filled with tall buildings, it can easily defeat you if you pay all your attention to its intentions and ignore its true form. According to what I know, Zavilcha is very good at hiding himself.¡±


    The bartender lifted Zavilcha¡¯s leg as if she was going to add it to her soup.


    ¡°Oh, right. You want to snap a photo or something? Once I cut him up, his body is no longer¡­ perfect.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. No, thanks. I don¡¯t have weird fetishes.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then,¡± shrugged the bartender.


    With swift and precise moves, she cut off Zavilcha¡¯s second toe and place it into a Tulewood box. Black blood oozed out of the severed limb.


    ¡°As usual, I will give you the identification results in three days. After that, I will deliver the item to you. Don¡¯t worry about the orphanage and his foster parents. I¡¯ll deal with them. This will be the best 20 game points you¡¯ve ever spent.¡±


    The bartender stowed everything in the trunk and took off her gloves.


    ¡°Okay. It¡¯s a wrap. I¡¯m heading back to the bar. Are you coming with me?¡±


    ¡°Sure, if it¡¯s no trouble for you.¡±She started the engine, and Zhang Heng opened the door of the passenger¡¯s side.


    It had been a long night. Hunted by the creature called Zavilcha, they both crossed paths at the library for a short moment. Then, at the stroke of midnight, Zhang Heng started to hunt him down with his extra 24 hours. The entire debacle had lasted for a grueling 20 hours, and it wasn¡¯t until he used the sledgehammer to demolish the wall at the end of the second floor that he finally found his target. After confirming that Zhao Xiaotian was the assailant, Zhang Heng slit his throat without any hesitation. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was enough to kill him. To evade the authorities, Zhang Heng shoved the body into an extra-large suitcase and brought him to the remote wetlands. There were no walls around Nanhaizi Park, which meant Zhao Xiaotian could no longer use his ability to attack Zhang Heng. Considering that his throat had been slit, he could do nothing even if he was still alive. Once the extra 24 hours were up, Zhang Heng contacted the bartender lady to negotiate the fee for taking care of a dead body. The moment the price was right, she drove to the park and did what she was paid to do. And this was the end of the whole thing. With only 20 game points, Zhang Heng could rest his case of getting attacked by someone hiding within the confines of solid walls. As a bonus, he had also solved the case of the missing homeless on the streets. ¡°Do you want to have some tea? My treat.¡±


    The bartender set up her navigation system and took out a bottle of Dongfang tea from the glovebox.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been reserving this tea for yourself, huh?¡±


    ¡°I have a vacuum flask with me.¡±


    A simple statement like that proved that no matter how cool the youngster, how rich an executive manager, how carefree the hipsters, or how powerful the deities were, they would have to start thinking about preserving their lives one day.


    After hearing what the bartender said, Zhang Heng grabbed the tea from her and gulped it down since he was thirsty. A ton of unanswered questions still lay within his heart. Whether it was Zavilcha or Moresby, it seemed like something big was changing in the world he lived in. If these creatures were living among humans for a long time, what made them gather all of a sudden? Was it the game, or was it some other factor? So far, all the creatures that Zhang Heng encountered were weak and hungry. How did they end up like this? Were there new creatures that were stronger, and would eventually replace them?


    Unfortunately, the bartender was in no mood to answer any questions. The moment the red Polo was on the move, she stuck her earbuds into her ears to the tune of Guo Degang¡¯s Xiangsheng

 Chapter 277 - Betty’s Shell and Evil Wall

    Now that Zavilcha was dead, Zhang Heng could finally enjoy his holiday. The bartender sent him back to his dormitory, where he slept until the next afternoon. Upon waking up, he texed Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#¡±O¡¯), telling her to inform Shen Xixi that the monster was dead.


    Almost instantly, Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (# ¡®O¡¯) agreed. Then, the curious girl began asking his whereabouts and how the fight with the monster went. She even asked if he had recorded the whole thing, or if he acquired any game items, or had fun¡­


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t know what to do with Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#¡¯O¡¯). He didn¡¯t even know her name. They first met outside the bar¡¯s toilet, and unintentionally, ruined her plan. Not too long after that, he met her again at the shopping mall in a Kumamon suit, trying to prank him and Hayase Asuka. Even though she tried to convince Zhang Heng that it was merely payback for what he did, he had other ideas. He thought Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#¡¯O¡¯) did it to satisfy a peculiar fetish of hers. Too bad her prank didn¡¯t work in the end.


    After the failed plan, Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#¡¯O¡¯) transformed herself in the image of Ma Wei and asked Zhang Heng to fix his bicycle. It was at that time that she wanted to come up with another prank. Alas, she failed again. If the monster hadn¡¯t appeared then, Zhang Heng planned to use his 24 hours to find out more about her.


    Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#¡¯0¡ä) was surprisingly decent when Zavilcha appeared in front of them. Instead of running away when the wall consumed Zhang Heng, she decided to stay back and help him. After that, she even followed his instructions to protect Shen Xixi. If Zhang Heng¡¯s promise was to be believed, he was supposed to forgive everything that she did.


    One last thing bothered Zhang Heng, though. Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#¡¯O¡¯) knew that he was a player. She shouldn¡¯t bring him too much trouble, for now at least. So far, Zhang Heng had played all the quests in single-player mode, and as far as he knew, he made no enemies so far. Besides, he had no valuable game items on him as well, technically eliminating him as a target even if people knew he was a player. As for Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#`O¡¯, it seemed she was connected to the mysterious woman in shades at the auction. The information she had with her would interest a lot of people.


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t answer Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (#oo¡¯)¡¯s questions, putting his cellphone aside. Now, he would attempt to live a regular life. Other than studying and the everyday workout, he even added a little social activity to his life. For that, he went hiking with members of the photography club that didn¡¯t return home and joined a few activities organized by the rock climbing society. Being a member for a while now, he rarely showed up. At the same time, the results of his final examination were out as well. Things were definitely more convenient now than his senior year, where all he needed to do was go online and check for himself. The best thing was that he could view them privately, thus saving him any potential embarrassment if the results didn¡¯t shine.


    Thanks to the extra 24 hours each day, every compulsory subject that he took ranked among the top five, except for English, that was. Thankfully, and to his surprise, he garnered a perfect score for Advanced mathematics, discounting five marks that had been deducted because he skipped a class. Since many of the elective courses were essays and open papers, their scoring was more subjective. His worst was getting the twelfth place in happiness studies. As for critical thinking, he got a full score, but somehow, Zhang Heng found it to be useless. Even if a perfectly logical reason for an argument was to be found, it was almost always impossible to persuade a person devoid of logic in the first place. It was a reason why netizens could never be convinced during an online argument. In the end, it would simply fizzle out with everyone thinking it as banter and trolling As for his English results, they were directly related to the band-six results, and he had to wait until February. With his current English proficiency, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem reaching a score of 609. Even without the additional points from the assignments, his final exam was enough to gain proper credits.


    The two unidentified items he had left with the bartender were mailed to him earlier. He excitedly opened the package, feeling as if he¡¯d just received a delivery from Taobao. [Name: Betty¡¯s Shell]


    (Grade: E]


    [Effect: Consumes your anger to summon a storm at sea. Lasts for 15 minutes. Storm¡¯s level depends on the user¡¯s anger level.]


    This was an item acquired from the Black Sail quest. When he returned to the real world, he had attempted to contact Betty, the Celtic god, but to no avail. He had a bad feeling about it all, and due to Betty¡¯s weakened state, they communicated only shortly each time. From there, he discovered that Betty, just like all the other characters in the game, didn¡¯t know she was in a game. He received further confirmation when she actually chose him to help her recruit more worshippers.Zhang Heng¡¯s experience in Black Sail told him that all the quests he entered so far were a copy of real-world history. Considering Betty¡¯s state when they met, there was a high chance that she was now dead or had disappeared since a few hundred years had passed. This shell was the only thing she left behind, and the game¡¯s committee placed it in the Black Sail quest. Now, for the other game item, Zhang Heng had freshly gotten it from Zavilcha. Having a ¡®unique¡¯ look, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t sure about carrying it with him all the time.


    n


    [Name: Evil Wall]


    (Grade: D]


    [Effect: Reconstructing a wall¡¯s structure. Form can be swapped from solid to liquid. Remaining uses: 4]


    The first thing Zhang Heng did was test its effect, and to his surprise, it worked better than he initially expected. Having experienced Moresby, Zhang Heng knew that game items extracted from monsters would be weakened, and the Evil Wall was no exception. Although impossible to be used in the same way as Zavilcha, it was surely a handy tool to get through forbidden zones or escape a labyrinth. Of course, as in the manner of all things, it came with its own weakness.


    It could only be used when there were walls around and would work perfectly in a city but was useless in vast open spaces with no concrete walls in sight.


    All in all, Zhang Heng was satisfied with the two game items he acquired.

 Chapter 278 - Apollo Training Camp

    Although Spring Festival was still two weeks away, the bar was already warming up, with New Year decorations strung generously over the windows and walls. On the second floor, the bartender had already plastered the lounge with little red trinkets for the upcoming celebrations.


    Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows, ¡°A fortune dog?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the year of the dog ¨C when in Rome, do as Romans do.¡± The bartender chewed on a piece of gum while tinkering with her new concoction, a New Year¡¯s special.


    Today was the first day of February, and the lounge appeared empty as it always was during the first half of every month. Due to quests being randomly drawn, the players would be like anxious students that were about to sit for their year-end exams, keen for that little bit of extra time for some last-minute revision. Traffic at the bar often surged at the end of the month.


    But Zhang Heng¡¯s winter vacation had already started last month, and it would go on until the beginning of next month. Having booked a ticket home in advance, he was set to leave in a few days. Although he could locate other game checkpoints in his hometown, he wasn¡¯t as familiar with them as he was with Sex and the City. Not to mention that he needed to wipe off any trace of his decade-long life as a rugged pirate.


    For those reasons, Zhang Heng decided to use up the month¡¯s game frequency in advance. However, this meant that his plan to return to the previous quest would have to be delayed. ¡°Happy New Year.¡±


    Zhang Heng sat down at the booth, then set the alarm and placed it in front of him.


    ¡°Happy New Year and have a good trip,¡± replied the bartender. She didn¡¯t look up from her work, but rather, dropped some dry ice into the cocktail glass with a pair of tongs. Soon, white steam filled the rim of the glass and gently poured out like a waterfall. About fifteen minutes later, the alarm rang, and Zhang Heng felt a familiar dizziness. Then, the system prompt played in his ear.


    (Player identity verification]


    [Verification approved. The fifth quest is randomly selected for player 07958.] (Extraction completed ¨C Current Quest: Apollo Training Camp]


    (But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas? We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.]


    It is for these reasons that I regard the decision last year to shift our efforts in space from low to high gear as among the most important decisions that will be our best to organize and measure our abilities and skills. Because we are willing to accept this challenge, we will not want to delay it, and we must win.¡±


    [Mission Objective: Try looking at earth from a different angle]


    (Mode: Single Player; Competitive mode)


    [Time flow rate: 240]


    (One hour in the real world is equivalent to 10 days in this game. Player will be returned to the real world after sixty days) Friendly reminder: The game will begin in five seconds. Please get ready.


    The message for this quest sounded unprecedently rich. It simply couldn¡¯t be helped because the Apollo project was simply too famous. When he heard of Mannerheim Line and New Providence, it had taken him a while to register the information. After all, most weren¡¯t too familiar with the Winter War and Nassau¡¯s pirates. No one, however, hadn¡¯t heard of the Apollo Project.


    Being the first man to land on the moon, Armstrong carved his name along with mankind¡¯s grandiose ambitions in the history books of human space exploration. He was as famous as Gagarin, the first human to journey into outer space. Although the space race had its origins from a bitter and complicated political rivalry, it was undeniable that it played a considerable role in the advancement of engineering, technology, and exploration beyond the confines of planet Earth. Many of these technologies, first tested in space by the military, were gradually converted to civilian use. Satellites, once a top-secret military project, had changed the way humans lived, now indispensable communication tools. More importantly, this period in history demonstrated extraordinary bouts of courage and humankind¡¯s relentless spirit of exploration. It also inspired China, India, and other countries to venture into space. The quest¡¯s background introduction was an excerpt from Kennedy¡¯s distinguished moon-speech in 1962.


    For now, though, Zhang Heng¡¯s focus was on the words ¡®single player with competitive mode¡¯.


    Unlike most players who preferred to play in a team, Zhang Heng had finished all his quests solo. However, in the previous four games, he was always the only player, not to mention that the missions were also always in single-player mode.


    Now, with the addition of the word ¡®competitive,¡¯ did it mean that he would encounter other players? The five seconds given for preparation was brief, to say the least. Before Zhang Heng could speculate the matter further, the game had already begun. The first thing he saw was a beam of blinding white light washing upon him. Zhang Heng pushed the spotlight above his head away and saw that he was standing in a sealed room. Next to him were six other people, dressed in the same blue uniform he was wearing.Zhang Heng looked down and saw a NASA logo on the left of his chest, and on the right was his black identity card with an English name on it ¨C David.


    Unsurprisingly, the organizing committee had always done a good job of protecting players¡¯ privacy. In a quest where more than one player was present, they would ensure that each one received an alias. And if he was right, his appearance would also be altered to a certain degree. Since he didn¡¯t have a mirror on hand, he couldn¡¯t say for sure how he looked right now.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Heng could feel that he was still in his own body, and his strength and agility seemed to be where it was. That was good news.


    For now, he didn¡¯t have the time to observe the other players; his attention drawn to the large, peculiar instrument laid before him.


    ¡°- Aerotrim (multi-axis trainer) is designed to simulate a situation on a three-axis gimbal that can be rotated in any direction. This contraption will help you familiarize yourself with unforeseen situations that you may face in space. Once the pilot is strapped in, it will start to spin. If you still don¡¯t understand it, imagine yourself as a cat getting spun around in a drum of a washing machine. Your task is to stabilize the instrument before you pass out.¡±


    Standing opposite them was an instructor, also in a blue uniform. He looked at the seven trainees before him, then declared, ¡°Our first victim, Anderson.¡±


    All seven candidates lowered their heads and glanced at the identity card on their chests. A slightly overweight man named Anderson looked devastated.


    ¡°Aww, come on! Ain¡¯t this a little too harsh for our first time? What the hell is this thing anyway? Does it come with a manual?¡±

 Chapter 279 - Dinner and the Multi-Axis Trainer

    The portly fellow named Anderson spoke in mandarin. Although speaking in a hushed tone, the players could clearly hear what he was saying. He looked at the people around him with pleading eyes. ¡°Err, you¡­ anyone has an idea how to work this damn thing?¡±


    The only answer he received was silence.


    The Apollo Program was in operation from 1961 to 1972, and it had been around for fifty years. It was an early space project, where at that time, the United States had just completed the first human spaceflight program, the ¡°Mercury¡± project, successfully sending astronaut Alan Shepard into space. Back then, training facilities were very different from the current ones.


    Those interested in astronaut training would have perhaps heard of centrifuges and neutral buoyancy laboratories. Still, a facility with a piece of multi-axis training equipment was rare ¨C it was also Zhang Heng¡¯s first time encountering such a contraption. From the instructor¡¯s description, it seemed that the machine was an uncomfortable experience. Very. Those who paid attention would have noticed that he employed the term ¡®victim.¡¯


    Since Zhang Heng confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his hearing, it could only mean that the training wasn¡¯t going to be easy. Considering that everyone had just entered the quest, they still hadn¡¯t quite made sense of the situation that they were really in.


    Typically, the first person chosen from a line of new recruits would undoubtedly be in the most disadvantageous position. Thanks to the guinea pig of a tubby man, the players were never more eager to gauge how the instrument worked and see first hand how severe the simulation would be. Lab rat Anderson was probably the only one who didn¡¯t think that way. When he saw the instructor, already at the ready, looking a little impatient, he knew he couldn¡¯t put it off any longer. He had no other option. Realizing that no help was coming, and with no other players willing to take his place, he dragged himself to the instrument and sat down.


    An assistant quickly fastened Anderson into the seat, then retreated to the control panel before the nervous trainee could protest.


    Sweat soaked the chubby man¡¯s collar, and he gulped. ¡°I¡­ Can I¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, save it for after the training,¡± the instructor interrupted coolly before signalling the assistant to flip the switch.


    Accompanied by a loud mechanical grinding, multi-axis training device whirred to life and began to rotate. Zhang Heng and others now understood what the instructor meant by ¡®like a cat thrown into a washing machine.¡¯


    The chubby man strapped into the seat looked terrified as the machine began to rotate on its axis, tossing and turning his body in the air. That, however, was only the beginning. Half a minute later, the instructor said, ¡°Speed up.¡±


    Anderson was so dizzy that he lost all orientation, unable to recognize his bearings. It was a hundred times more exhilarating than being tied to the front of a roller coaster, not in a good way, of course. He had already forgotten his reason for being there, and now, his instincts had taken over. All he wanted to do was to get through with the torment as quickly as possible.


    However, things only got worse for the poor sould. The instrument didn¡¯t stop, and instead, the tumbling became more and more intense.


    When Zhang Heng saw this, he took two steps backward. At that moment, everyone¡¯s still had their attention locked on the training device. No one noticed Zhang Heng¡¯s discreet movements, except for a girl in glasses who also retreated with him.


    The man on the multi-axis training device could no longer control himself. The muscles on his greenish face suddenly lost their tension, and a large stream of vomit came spewing out of his mouth.


    Those who were in the front were showered with a rain of gastric juice and half-digested food. The unluckiest person there had his mouth ajar, deep in thought about what he should do when his turn came. He didn¡¯t expect to taste the bile even before he got on.


    The assistant noticed that the chubby trainee had gone completely unconscious. Worried that Anderson would choke on his own vomit, the machine was promptly turned off. Quickly, a team of medics on standby rushed to Anderson, unbuckled him, and ferried him off the seat.


    As the staff was cleaning the instrument, the instructor had already started rolling the call again. ¡°Next, Anthony.¡±


    The player named Anthony didn¡¯t look any better than Anderson, and although a person had already gone before them, the ones waiting got even more anxious when they saw the toll it took on the poor man. Fear and dread began to seep among the freshies.


    Compared to the chubby trainee, this Anthony guy was in excellent shape and obvious gym buff. With arms taut in bulging muscles, he was probably a very good fighter, which gave him plenty of options on the table. Fleeing for one¡¯s dear life didn¡¯t sound so humiliating after all. His eyes swept across the room, falling on the staircase and door above it. Nonetheless, after a moment of hesitation, he conceded to fate and sat down on the training device as an honest man would.This wasn¡¯t his first quest, and he was no rookie either. Since he wasn¡¯t too sure about the situation he was in, the risk of escaping the room was just too significant. What more, their primary mission was to go to space. Space exploration had always been a massive undertaking, and other than the astronauts themselves, the entire venture required teams of scientists, and an enormous budget, to name a few. The Multi-Axis Trainer may be tough on the toughest of bodies, but it surely wasn¡¯t deadly, and the trainees could find no reason to resist getting on the machine.


    Anthony obediently went through the pleasure of subjecting his body to a violent tossing and churning. He performed slightly better than Anthony, persisting for a good half-minute before vomitting only after leaving the machine.


    ¡°Livingston,¡± The instructor soldiered on, indignant of the previous trainee¡¯s condition as he called out the third name.


    Livingston was the oldest among the group, looking to be in his mid-forties. Donning a pair of signature gold-rimmed glasses, he seemed very gentle, unlike Anthony. He gave off the vibe of the textbook nerd, one of those permanantly belonging in the category of intellectuals. He wore a wry smile on his face. After wiping some vomit from his glasses, he handed them to an assistant.


    ¡°Great. At least we¡¯ll soon find out what everyone had for dinner,¡± muttered the girl who retreated with Zhang Heng. Her statement illustrated how helpless the players felt as they understood that nobody was about to escape the ordeal.


    The roll call went by very quickly. Those who went on came knew that they should come down fast, especially after seeing the middle-aged man. When the multi-axis training instrument accelerated, he begged for it to stop. The instructor relented and asked his staff to turn off the instrument.


    When the middle-aged man came down, he could barely stand up, albeit able to control himself until reaching the bathroom, where he hugged the toilet, retching and emptying out the contents of his stomach. When the other trainees saw this, they didn¡¯t try to prove who the tougher man was. The moment they felt queasy, they asked for it to stop. At least, in this way, it could save them some embarrassment. Instead of going easy on the very-sickly looking team, Zhang Heng noticed that the instructor¡¯s frown had only deepened.


    Finally, out of all the seven, Zhang Heng was the only one who hadn¡¯t mounted the multi-axis trainer yet.

 Chapter 280 - Unprepared

    ¡°David, let¡¯s begin if he is ready.¡±


    Zhang Heng witnessed the few before him getting on the machine, and when his turn arrived, it was a completely different feeling from what he expected. He noticed a small monitor in front of him on his right, set in an offset position. There were also two joysticks on his left and right. The machine seemed to be a crude contraption and looked simple enough to operate. However, the moment the Multi-Axis Trainer was turned on, he quickly realized how hard it was to stabilize his seat. Precise maneuvers were needed to control the power and angle, and just as he was starting to familiarize himself with the controls, the Multi-Axis Trainer sped up. Zhang Heng felt as if he was rudely tumbled around in a blender at full speed. As the machine rolled on its axis like a modern-day zorb ball, he started fiddling with the control sticks in an attempt to get upright. To be honest, he had no idea if they even worked. When he looked around him, all he could see was a kaleidoscopic blur of colors. The lights on the ceiling appeared for a moment and somebody¡¯s legs, the next. In milliseconds, the pipes on the walls were in front of him. The scenes flashed and repeated multiple times as the machine mercilessly dragged its helpless victims along with the ride. And the worst part was that the dinner in his stomach also started churning vigorously.


    Apart from the vomiting plump guy who was still in the toilet, a few players who just recovered from their harrowing ordeal had started taking pleasure in Zhang Heng¡¯s misfortune. After all, they obviously didn¡¯t do well, and with dissatisfied hearts, naturally hoped that those who went after them would fail as well. After a while, the man with the gold-rimmed glasses snapped out of his daze.


    ¡°How long has it been?¡±


    Everyone started looking at each other when the question was asked. They had just returned from a nightmare, and although they glanced their surroundings from time to time, their attention was mostly on the instructor.


    Suddenly, a loud announcement could be heard.


    ¡°Two minutes and fifty-two seconds. It passes our average time and beats our worst record by twice.¡±


    The firm sounding lass had short hair and looked to be extremely experienced. Clearly, she was now interested in Zhang Heng, having laid eyes on him since he took a step back from the fatso on the verge of puking. ¡°Thanks for the reminder,¡± the overweight man grumbled. After getting fixed up by the medical staff, he had regained consciousness. However, puking all over his mates wasn¡¯t going to do him well, and before he could even make friends, many already held a grudge towards him. Alienating an earthling in a space program might sound ridiculous, but so was the nature of humanity. Right now, he stood as far away from the crowd as possible, nervously wiping away the beads of sweat on his forehead that just wouldn¡¯t stop flowing.


    ¡°What does that guy do? A pilot? An acrobat?¡± asked Anthony.


    ¡°Who knows? I think he has the look of an assassin,¡± the girl replied gleefully.


    While they were talking, Zhang Heng finally asked to stop the Multi-Axis Trainer. When both of his legs finally touched the ground, he was greatly disorientated, grabbing the rails of the staircase to stop himself from falling over. Living life as a pirate for ten years, he was forced to brave countless storms on Jackdaw. Hence, he could balance himself better than most people, the reason why he lasted longer on the machine. After a while, though, he took to the toilet just like everyone else.When he came out, the six candidates were already gathered together at the same spot. ¡°To prevent any of you from forgetting my name, I¡¯m going to introduce myself again. My name is William Kenhaus. You can call me Kenhaus or captain. It¡¯s entirely up to you. As you know, we¡¯ve just launched Apollo X three days ago. We plan to orbit the Apollo Lunar Module around the moon for some initial testing. The data gathered will help us to better prepare for our first moon landing in the near future. So far, everything is woking as intended, and if all is nominal, the crew should return to Earth in five days. After that, we¡¯re up.¡±


    The captain paused for a moment, cleared his throat, then continued.


    ¡°Apollo XI will send humans to the moon. However, we face one problem right now. A week ago, a few of our astronauts got infected by a new disease, and although our medical team tried their best to contain it, many caught the bug and are severely ill. In their current state, it would be impossible for them to carry out the mission. The main crew, their backup, and even the support teams assigned to fly and operate Apollo XI were infected as well. In other words, we don¡¯t have enough people for the launch.¡±


    Zhang Heng and the other players listened intently to the captain. According to the history of NASA in the real world, no highly infectious disease had ever broken out in the space center. Seemingly, the developers of the quest were trying to insert it into this critical event. It was exciting to see how the whole thing was going to turn out with the addition of a new and unforeseen variable.


    ¡°Anyway, we are in need of personnel to run Apollo XI. The mission director attempted to talk to the president into delaying the whole mission, but his proposal was unfortunately denied. Sputnik, Gagarin, and the Soviet Union are way ahead of us in space technology. Right now, the score is 2:0. We have to win this time, no matter the cost!


    ¡°I personally prefer to recruit very experienced pilots to become astronauts, but the president and mission director personally recommended all of you. I, for the life of me, cannot fathom why they would choose you lot. From what I see, you are worse than my grandma who fought in World War I! Since this is a direct order from the commander in chief, I have no choice but to follow it. So, I will need you to put away your sorry asses and buck the hell up. ¡°From today onwards, I¡¯ll be responsible for your training. If you are lucky, the crew of Apollo X might return on time. If they manage to recuperate from the journey, they will be assigned to fly Apollo XI. If that happens, touch wood, all of you here will only have to be the backup crew for the mission. You¡¯ll be glad that you don¡¯t have to die in space. Okay. Any questions?¡±


    Every player tried to digest the pile of information pouring into their ears as fast as they could. the moment they opened their eyes and saw their uniforms, most already knew what the mission was like. After listening to the captain, they now understood their current circumstance. Most of those present had completed several quests, and technically, experienced all manner of challenges the game would throw at them. However, this was the first time they were asked to fly to the moon since entering the game. Never in their wildest dreams would they expect to be strapped onto a rocket, blasting themselves all the way to the moon.


    As the gravity of the situation dawned on them, grounding their feet ever closer to mother earth, they saw more anxiety in each other¡¯s eyes than when they hopped on the Multi-Axis Trainer.

 Chapter 281 - This Is My Forte

    Twenty minutes after the group completed the gut-wrenching Multi-Axis Trainer, Zhang Heng and the other players were sent to the next training facility by a minibus. Through the windows, he saw a large, white building flying two flags in the middle¡ªthe star-spangled banner on the right and a NASA flag on the left. A humongous replica of a rocket stood majestically beyond the building.


    ¡°Kennedy Space Center is located on Florida¡¯s east coast on an island called Merritt Island. It was built in the year 1962, and named Kennedy in commemoration of President John F. Kennedy!¡± the high school kid chirped excitedly.


    ¡°Judging by our surroundings, I think we were at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station just now. The famous Project Mercury, Gemini, and early Apollo Missions all lifted-off from there. The coast enables rockets to launch toward the ocean without endangering lives. At the same time, the air force station is close to the equator as well. The location would give the launch vehicles an extra speed boost, making it easier to reach the velocities needed for orbit. However, the air force station couldn¡¯t house the massive Saturn V rockets, which was why the Kennedy Space Center was built nearby.


    ¡°Hold on. Is Kennedy dead in this game?¡±


    ¡°Yes, assassinated in Dallas, 1963. Although he gave the famous speech about choosing to go to the moon, he died before he could witness it.¡±


    ¡°Everyone. Do I have to remind you again that this is not a tour bus? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be more concerned about your current situation?¡± said an anxious Anthony.


    ¡°Yes. It seems our main quest is to set foot on the moon or, at least, travel to outer space. Based on what I know, these two matters are just the same to me.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say so?¡± asked the girl.


    She was the only girl on the team, and coincidentally, sat beside Zhang Heng when she got on the vehicle.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± asked the high school kid in surprise, before continuing.


    ¡°According to history, Apollo 10 was launched on 18.5.1969 at 12.49 a.m. The captain told us that Apollo 10 was launched three days ago. That makes today the 21st of May.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    The high school kid leaned back on his seat and smiled at the girl.


    ¡°Well, Apollo 11 was launched on 16.7.1969. Apollo 12 was then launched on 14.12.1969. There were five months between these two launching dates. Considering the time we have for this quest, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell us that America ran this project called Gemini?¡±


    ¡°Project Gemini was conducted between Project Mercury and The Apollo Program. It started in the year 1961, and after ten times of sending astronauts to orbit the Earth, the project ended in 1965. To complete the main quest, we will have to get on Apollo 11.¡± The high school kid wore this gravely serious look in his last sentence. Suddenly, the chirpy atmosphere in the vehicle changed, and all eyes were on the kid.


    ¡°Why? Did something happen? Was Apollo 11 a dangerous mission?¡± asked the plump man.


    ¡°Dangerous?¡±


    The high school kid then pointed at the NASA driver in front of them with a smile.


    ¡°Yes. This is, after all, humanity¡¯s first attempt to land on the moon. Ordinary citizens like them could never imagine what it¡¯s like to go to outer space! Even the scientists, engineers, and Nasa¡¯s own astronauts were extremely nervous about the whole undertaking. The whole nation¡¯s reputation was at stake. Now, since we are from the future, we know that this mission was a huge success. One problem remains¡ªhow do we get on Apollo 11?¡±


    ¡°How many astronauts did the luna mission carry?¡±


    The girl asked the most important question that everyone wanted to ask. Immediately, the school kid put up three fingers.


    ¡°We have all heard of the commander, Neil Armstrong, Lunar module pilot, Buzz Aldrin, and service module pilot, Michael Collins.¡±


    ¡°Only three? There are seven of us here.¡±


    This time, the fat man¡¯s voice had changed.


    ¡°Is this your first time participating in a single-player quest with a competitive mode? Do you know what the word competitive means?¡± Anthony jibed while laughing. ¡°I¡­ I usually play in a group. This is my first time entering a quest alone. The difficulty setting of the solo quests is too high. You know more than half the players here will be eliminated by the end of this quest, right? Since I was young, I have never won any competitive events. When it comes to ranking, I have never breached the middle echelons as well.¡±


    ¡°So, why choose to work alone now?¡± asked the girl.


    ¡°Well¡­ because¡­¡±


    The fat man stuttered but couldn¡¯t seem to produce a reason. In the end, Anthony had to be the one to reveal his weakness.¡°Because you are too weak. You dragged your team¡¯s feet. That¡¯s why they abandoned you. After that, you couldn¡¯t find a team that was willing to take you in. That¡¯s how you ended up alone.¡±


    Though the plump man didn¡¯t admit to it, his pale face was enough to prove that Anthony was somewhat right.


    ¡°Lucky us! That means one less competitor,¡± laughed the high-school kid in satisfaction with both his hands placed at the back of his head.


    ¡°You guys are so optimistic. According to history, Apollo 11 landed on the moon successfully, but don¡¯t forget Armstrong and his team were the ones who completed the mission. Now, we have to do it. What are the odds of us completing the mission successfully?¡± asked the middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses. Immediately, everyone fell silent. Only the continuous hum of the vans¡¯ loud diesel engine droned through the cabin. After a few minutes, Anthony spoke again. ¡°On the bright side, we still have 60 days to train ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Technically, 55, because Apollo 11 launches on the 16th of July. Minus the quarantine period before the launch date, it leaves us with only 48 days. Take note that astronauts usually require two to three years of training. If the astronaut would be assigned to deep space explorations, at least five years of training would be needed. Payload specialists and scientists fare slightly better than an astronaut. They only need half a year of training,¡± the high-school kid listed.


    ¡°How on earth are you so familiar with all these things? Even if you are well-prepared, you wouldn¡¯t just go collect these random cold facts, right? You even know the precise launch date of Apollo 11,¡± said the girl, amused.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m a space enthusiast. This round is my forte.¡±


    The high-school kid beamed with confidence.

 Chapter 282 - Not Fifty

    In the conference room of Kennedy Space Center¡¯s building number 12, the seven trainees each received a thick training manual from NASA. It was met with varying degrees of reactions.


    ¡°This sixty-page stuff is just an index?¡±


    Plump Anderson felt as if he was about to break down. ¡°Learning basic physics of rockets, aerodynamics, orbital mechanics, jet propulsion, astronomy¡­ I get all these, but why in the world are biology, geology, and material science even in here? And I don¡¯t understand the title ¡®electronic engineering.¡¯ How can we cram so much in fifty-five days?¡±


    ¡°A gentle reminder ¨C that¡¯s just the theoretical part of it,¡± the high-school student said.


    ¡°What¡¯s after that?¡± Anderson groaned.


    ¡°Physical training, extravehicular activity, space disorientation training, spacesuit training, familiarity training, flight training, and emergency escape training ¡­ anything and everything is possible. Apollo 11 is a fifty-year-old space project. To be honest, I cannot say for sure that these training regimes exist in this era,¡± repled the student, who wasn¡¯t looking too happy himself either.


    At first, he was the most excited amongst the players. For an aerospace enthusiast, there was nothing cooler than taking to the skies, and getting into space on a spacecraft was the holy grail of it all, not to mention participating in one of the most important events of human history. Although it would be a bit of a fly in the ointment to be planting the American flag on the moon, it was a game and would not affect reality or history. When the young man actually received the manual and saw how much an astronaut had to learn, he had a hard time smiling


    ¡°Battle royale?¡± The hunk named Anthony flashed the other guy a smile filled with sarcasm. ¡°Then, you should go straight to heaven.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s actually no need to be so pessimistic,¡± Livingston the intellectual middle-aged man, pushed his glasses into place. ¡°There are three spots available for Apollo 11, which means that in addition to the skills that each astronaut must master, each of us can forgo some of the training. We can perhaps, choose one particular aspect to focus on, and complement each other¡­¡±


    However, he was interrupted before he finished speaking. The thin and tall young man who looked a little listless said, ¡°Forget it, old man. Every one of us here plays solo except for that fat guy over there. Don¡¯t treat the rest of us like we¡¯re fools.¡± Yawning lazily, he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you didn¡¯t notice captain William Kenhaus holding a little pocketbook in his hand. Every time one of us got off the multi-axis trainer, he would jot something down on it. If I¡¯m right, he¡¯s probably scoring our performance. These scores will probably decide who gets to fly on Apollo 11, and who will become the substitutes. You tell us to forgo some of the training and specialize in certain aspects, but the total of three sixty-points added up is much higher than a single eighty-points.¡±


    The middle-aged man adjusted his glasses again, looking unfazed. ¡°I was just suggesting to increase our chances of survival after launching¡­¡±


    ¡°Only on the premise that we can get into Apollo 11¡¯s command and service module,¡± the student chipped in.


    ¡°Actually¡­ if you think about it, the chances of us getting selected are still very high,¡± Livingston answered calmly.


    ¡°A fifty-fifty chance. That¡¯s standard, apparently,¡± Anthony frowned.


    ¡°Not fifty!¡± The student¡¯s eyes lit up as if he suddenly thought of something.


    The listless young man fiddled with the pen in his hand. After a short silence from the team, he lazily asked, ¡°What?¡±


    The student looked at the only girl among the seven. She raised an eyebrow in defiance, asking, ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately for your kind, you might have entered the wrong quest. If this quest¡¯s level is difficult, then it could very well be hell for


    you.¡±


    ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know much about 1960s America, do you?¡± the middle-aged man laughed. ¡°Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles, Bob Dylan¡­ what else is worth mentioning from this era?¡± the girl retorted.


    ¡°Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had come into effect, discrimination in society was unfortunately still rampant, not only toward people of color but also women. That was why the ¡¯60s and ¡¯70s saw the birth of many feminist movements. Very few women were allowed to join the jury; their bank loan approval rate was only half of that of men, and interest was fifty percent higher.¡±


    The student took over the conversation. ¡°Very few people know that in 1960, NASA implemented a project to determine whether women could become astronauts. Twenty-five female pilots were invited to undergo similar tests and assessment as Project Mercury¡¯s male astronauts. Thirteen of them eventually qualified.¡±


    ¡°What happened to them?¡± ¡°Although the 13 women received the same evaluation and training as the male astronauts, the officials never declared them as astronauts and didn¡¯t arrange for them to enter the spaceflight training. It was said that NASA management believed that female astronauts would waste precious resources and distract the public from the male astronauts. In the event of an injury or death in the middle of a mission, it might give the public a negative perception of the program. So, in 1963, NASA fatefully terminated the training program for female astronauts.¡±


    The student paused. ¡°I must also mention that in that very same year, the Soviets sent Valentina Tereshkova, the first female astronaut into space. It¡¯s all very ironic,¡± he added.


    ¡°So, for me to be selected for Apollo 11, not only do I have to perform a bunch of superhuman feats, but I also have to pray that Captain Kenhaus and NASA¡¯s top-brass are forward-looking men, and have no prejudice toward women?¡±¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just too bloody bad, innit?¡±


    The girl did her best to force a smile. She was sitting near Zhang Heng, but the moment she heard the unsavory prospects of being a woman, she adjusted herself, snuggling up so close to him they were practically touching.


    ¡°Three out of five. Looks like our chances are pretty good,¡± Anthony beamed.


    ¡°This time, since we don¡¯t have much time, I propose we get along with each other. We each have our own specialty; our particular skillets. May whoever with the highest score earn the right to fly on the mission,¡± the middle-aged man declared as he looked at the only person in the room who hadn¡¯t spoken from the start.


    Anthony and the high schooler also turned to look at Zhang Heng. Although the listless young man did not look back, he had stopped playing with the pen in his hand.


    Zhang Heng had been sitting in a corner, quietly flipping through the training manual. When he heard the statement, he looked up, shut the book, and said in a cavalier tone,


    ¡°I refuse.¡±

 Chapter 283 - Past Dismissal Time

    This was Zhang Heng¡¯s first time meeting other players in a quest. Before this, it had always been just him alone. He only had to think about his surroundings and the resources at hand to successfully complete the main mission. There wasn¡¯t much else to consider.


    This time, however, there were six other players in the Apollo Program¡¯s training camp with him. No one knew each other beforehand, which meant everyone¡¯s identity, skill, or game items they carried were a mystery.


    Seven people competing against each other for three spots. Even if they were able to achieve a short-term truce, it wouldn¡¯t make much difference in the end. Those who were falling behind wouldn¡¯t just sit there and do nothing if their career was as stake. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the reason why Zhang Heng refused to go along with Livingston¡¯s proposal.


    Anyone who had played games that involved killing people knew the importance of character design.


    The threats present in this round of the game weren¡¯t just external but also internal ¨C between the players themselves. As the game progressed, players not only needed to study the mission in detail but also excel in their physical training. They would then need to size up their opponents, and figure which ones were the potential friend or foe.


    Although no one mentioned it, it was undeniable that those who ranked at the very bottom would have no choice but to get rid of the player above them if they wanted to board Apollo 11. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the sooner someone outshone the other, revealing their cards too quickly, the easier it would be for them to be targeted by their opponents. That said, the actual situation at hand differed slightly.


    Because only three persons would be selected to fly Apollo 11, it wasn¡¯t necessary for the players to get rid of everyone who performed better than them. In fact, players would need to consider many factors before making those choices. The scores, the opponent¡¯s strength, relationship, and the opponent¡¯s subsequent role in the moon-landing operations all had to be taken into consideration.


    It was also the reason why the high-school student shared information he possessed with the other players and the middle-aged man who had attempted to be the team¡¯s leader.


    Zhang Heng, on the other hand, opted for a different method. Thanks to the Black Sail quest, his temperament and general resolve had turned a tad fiercer and wilder than that of the ordinary person. When he first entered the game, he clearly sensed the other players¡¯ inhibitions toward him. Except for the girl who showed interest since the beginning, he could also sense that even the plump man, somewhat ostracized by the group, didn¡¯t dare stand too close to him.


    It would have been a waste of effort to devote so much energy and time to change everyone¡¯s opinions, and it might not make much of a difference anyway. Zhang Heng would rather stick to the image they had of him and would use it to send a message to potential enemies to consider the risks of going against him carefully. Sure enough, as soon as he said that, Anthony and the high-schooler looked at him differently, and Livingston¡¯s brows furrowed. Through the course of their interaction, they realized that Zhang Heng could be a lot more difficult to deal with than they initially thought. Livingston, the intellectual of the group, actually posed the question to feel Zhang Heng out, sizing up the man¡¯s determination. He didn¡¯t expect him to be this unyielding


    Currently, it appeared that among the seven players, Zhang Heng was the one not to be trifled with. And since he had made clear his intentions to disregard the other players, it was going to be difficult for them to gain any useful information from him. He did this as a kind of barrier, preventing them from properly evaluating the threat he posed and reformulating their strategies on the fly.


    Only the girl didn¡¯t seem surprised. Instead, she appeared thrilled, and her eyes shone with the eagerness of a child.


    At that moment, the captain entered the room. ¡°Alright. I believe you¡¯ve all taken a look at your training manual, and know that you¡¯ll have to master everything in it. The bureau for knowledge has specially arranged for experts to teach you. Classes start at four in the afternoon and break at six. You will continue with the second session from six-thirty to eight-thirty. The third class will start at twelve and end at two.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± the student raised his hand. ¡°The third lesson you mentioned; is that twelve noon to two in the afternoon? Shouldn¡¯t that be the first class, then?¡±


    ¡°No, you will have other types of training during that period. The third lesson I mentioned is from midnight till two in the morning.¡±


    The captain wore an unemotional, hard expression. Looking at the recruits below him with steely eyes, he grumbled, ¡°I believe you all know that we don¡¯t have much time left. We need to make the best use of every minute and every second. I hope that that you won¡¯t waste what little time we have by asking such stupid questions again!¡±


    Plump Anderson, who had the nick of saying the wrong things at the wrong time, opened his big mouth, ¡°We have classes in the wee hours of the morning? Even our college entrance examinations weren¡¯t even this excessive!¡±


    The captain smirked, only to move aside to make way for an elderly man that looked like he could use a shower. With wild, unkempt hair and a greasy collar, he entered the room in a slow but steady stride.


    ¡°Professor Steve from the Manned Spaceflight Engineering Program will be explaining Saturn V¡¯s structure, and basically¡­ basic rocket science.¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡± Livingston looked bewildered. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we visit the space center first, learn about the current space program, get to know the logistics people we¡¯ll be working with? And what food and lodging and such?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have arranged all your meals and accommodation for you. As for the visit, it¡¯s scheduled at 0600 hours tomorrow morning,¡± The captain said as he flipped through the pages of what seemed to be a timetable.


    ¡°Wait. Didn¡¯t you say that the third class of the day will end at two in the morning? Then, we have to wake up by six?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®assemble¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Anthony thought he had trouble hearing the captain.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®assemble¡¯, assemble at six, not wake at six,¡± the captain corrected himself. ¡°Anyway, I wouldn¡¯t want to waste more of your time. What you learn here will determine if you can survive in space. So, do yourself a favor, and work hard. Don¡¯t get distracted.¡±


    When he was done, the captain took no more questions, and simply nodded at Professor Steve. ¡°Go ahead and start the lesson, professor.¡±


    Then, he left the conference room as he closed the door behind him. Right before he exited, the high-school student who had been closest to the door overheard the captain muttering under his breath, ¡°Ugh. These greenhorns¡­¡±


    The old professor handed out six hundred pages worth of materials to the recruits, then picked up a piece of chalk. ¡°Good afternoon to the lady and all of you fine gentlemen. Glad to meet you. Today, we¡¯ll be looking at our first chapter: physics of rocket thrust¡­¡±


    Forty-five minutes later, the bell that everyone had so badly anticipated did not ring.


    Steve might have appeared like a regular old man, a little shaky when he moved and all, but he sure didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d been standing for two hours. He didn¡¯t even seem the least bit tired, not taking any breaks in between, not even until six o¡¯clock. He just kept going on, and on, and on.


    ¡°Who was the one who said that capitalism keeps its student¡¯s past dismissal time?¡± A weary Anderson muttered.

 Chapter 284 - Are You Sure?

    After the class, everyone felt that no different from after completing the Multi-Axis Trainer; their brains spinning nonstop after attending Steve¡¯s Rocket Thrust Physics class. Throughout the lesson, Steve mumbled like a machine gun out of control, seeming as if he wanted to spill everything he knew about the Saturn V rocket within an hour.


    Ten minutes into the class, tubby was on the verge of crying, not even bothered to pick up his pen cap when it dropped on the floor. This time, someone reacted worse than him. And that person was Anthony. Ever since he received the learning material, he kept wiping the sweat off his brow.


    The knowledgeable middle-aged adult passed a piece of paper to Anthony. However, he did not take it from him. Instead, both his eyes were starting the level-three rocket structure in his book. He looked absolutely lost. He wasn¡¯t the only one, though, as the high-school kid was no longer Mr-know-it-all, scratching his head and grabbing his hair in silence during the lesson. As for the girl beside Zhang Heng, she had closed her book and was leaning lazily on her seat. Then, she started complaining about the whole thing.


    ¡°Psst. All these English jargon¡­ and no translations in the book! Who the hell can understand them?!¡±


    Those who were bold enough to venture on single-player mode were usually multi-lingual and had a good foundation in various languages. With English being the most widely used language around the world, it was naturally everyone¡¯s first choice to master. However, each individual had varying language proficiency. Although using English to communicate wasn¡¯t a problem for most of them, a situation like this would undoubtedly put their vocabulary to the test.


    The high-school kid¡¯s English was audibly better than most, and seeing that he was an aerospace enthusiast as well, he could recognize most of the technical terms used during the lesson. However, he still found it hard to absorb everything that Professor Steve was pouring out of his mouth. On the other hand, Anthony was already a state of total confusion. The knowledgeable middle-aged man seemed to be indifferent; the look on his face unchanged since the start.


    Nonetheless, the player that surprised Zhang Heng the most was the listless young man. Among the seven, he was the one who had paid full attention, busily jotting down the professor¡¯s teachings as he went on.


    The girl beside Zhang Heng noticed him staring at the young man. Out of curiosity, she too turned to look at the man sitting in front of her. Professor Steve was talking about the pressure in the J2 engine¡¯s chamber and the consumption speed of oxidizing agents. When the girl leaned forward to get a better look, her breasts accidentally brushed Zhang Heng¡¯s shoulder, her warm breath on his neck, causing a tingle on his skin.


    ¡°Is he serious right now, or is he putting on a show? Perhaps he¡¯s silently cursing on his notebook.¡±


    The listless young man heard what she said. Unexpectedly, he turned around and smiled frivolously at her, leaving her in an abashed shock. She quickly looked back at Zhang Heng. After a while, she whispered into his ears.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like him. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a good person in the real world. And that uncle over there? I have seen people like him at work. These may look gentile and polite on the surface, but I know of the evil intention reeking within them, just waiting to burst out.¡±


    Zhang Heng kept staring at the blackboard, not responding to the girl. ¡°I can see that you are different from them. Though you might look fierce on the outside, I know you¡¯re actually a good person¡­¡± ¡°You sure about that? Unfortunately, I have killed many people. There were young kids, elderly, young soldiers with wives waiting for them to come home, and even hard-working fishermen that toil away on the shores. To be honest, I¡¯ve forgotten how many died in my hands. They are both soaked in blood. I¡¯m now numb, and I don¡¯t really care anymore.¡±


    ¡°All these things happened in the game, right? You only did it to survive, I suppose. In the real world, however¡­¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what I look like and who I am in the real world. Vice versa, I don¡¯t know what kind of person you are in the real world as well. But, I know what you want from me.


    ¡°The only thing I can tell you right now is that you chose the wrong target. If I were you, I would stop wasting time on me. One more thing, can you please keep quiet if you don¡¯t mind. I know that you don¡¯t care about this lesson, but it doesn¡¯t mean that others are not interested.¡±


    Once Zhang Heng finished, Professor Steve turned around and grabbed his messy hair.


    ¡°Erm¡­ so, this is what you need to know for the J2 engine. You can compare it to the F1 engine behind you. Next, we will take a look at the inter-stage rings. It has eight small rocket thrusters. Its function is to separate itself from the second stage of the rocket. It is considered one of the most important sections of the Saturn V launch vehicle¡­¡±


    In that hour, Zhang Heng finally got to enjoy the silence that he longed for. It seemed like his warning worked on the girl, and she no longer whispered to him, nor did she grace him with any subtle touches of her body. He could finally focus on the complicated subject at hand. It was already 6.20 p.m when Professor Steve finished his first lesson, dragging them on for a good 22 minutes before finally releasing the lot.¡°That¡¯s all for today.¡±


    At that point, everyone simply wished that he would just close his book and leave them. Thankfully, the professor said no more, opened the door, and stylishly left the room. Immediately, every player in the room breathed a massive sigh of relief. The grueling ordeal was over for now. Even the young man who had been paying his full attention for two hours found that he reached a saturation point. Sitting through two hours of nonstop physics was tiresome, to say the least.


    Anthony stood up from his seat and stretched in exasperation like an exhausted cat. Suddenly, a short, bald man walked into the room and wiped off the notes of rocket thrust physics from the blackboard. He then picked up the chalk and quickly wrote ¡®aerospace engineering theory¡¯ on the blackboard. ¡°Hello, everyone. I know we are on a tight schedule, so I¡¯ll skip the introductions. Welcome to aerospace engineering class.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. Did you enter the wrong class?¡± asked the listless young man.


    ¡°Oh. There are seven minutes left. There much to cover, and I think we can start covering the basics first.¡±


    ¡°Problem is, we haven¡¯t had dinner,¡± groaned the middle-aged man with a bitter smile.


    The moment he said that, a meal cart was being pushed into the classroom.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You can eat while listening.¡±

 Chapter 285 - Forming a Team

    After enduring two back to back lessons, the meeting room was more of a crematorium¡¯s atmosphere. Each player felt extremely drained and fatigued. Luckily, the bald man did not drag the lesson. At 8.30 p.m. sharp, the captain came to the meeting room and clapped his hands.


    ¡°I know that you are tired of lessons. Next up, physical training might just help you unwind your brains.¡±


    This time, all moaned and wailed at the same time. Earlier, all the players wanted to question the captain when he told them that there was a three and a half-hour gap between the second and third class. When they were told that they needed to attend class at midnight, they realized it didn¡¯t make sense to have such a long gap.


    As expected, the captain ignored their groans.


    ¡°I will see you in seven minutes. The last to arrive will have to do five sets of pull-ups!¡±


    Even before he was done talking, the players scurried out of the classroom to the meet-up point. Shortly after they started running, the girl tripped and fell. The plump man was running in front of her, and turned around to help her up. Suddenly, something crossed his mind, and he quickly retrieved his hand. However, he did stop to show his concern. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I must have tripped over something. You go on ahead first.¡± The girl put on a shallow smile, took off one of her shoes, and leaned on the wall to check her feet. The plump man knew that it was inappropriate for him to keep staring at her legs. So, he gulped, mustered some courage, and asked her, ¡°Do you want me to carry you?¡±


    ¡°You are so nice. I¡¯m fine. You should get to the gym now. Don¡¯t fall behind!¡± the girl replied with concern.


    ¡°Sigh¡­ I don¡¯t think I can outrun them anyway.¡±


    It was rare for the plump guy to get this close to a girl, especially someone as attractive as this one. He was so nervous; he had to wipe off his sweaty palms on his pants.


    ¡°Let me help you over to the gym.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The girl then put her arms over tubby¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Zhen Xiong,¡± said the girl softly. ¡°Ah?!¡±


    The plump man was startled upon hearing the girl speak out her name.


    ¡°That¡¯s my name.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, oh¡­ Sorry¡­ Sorry!¡±


    His face started flushing, his heart fluttering a little. He had no idea why he even apologized to her.


    ¡°My real name is Jia Lai. I¡¯m an employee of JD Corporation in the real world.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the top 500 corporations in the world!¡± exclaimed Zhen Xiong with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°No¡­ no¡­ I¡¯m just an owner of a grocery. It¡¯s now part of JD¡¯s franchise stores. All I did is change the name of my store. I still have to do everything myself. I¡¯ve only seen JD¡¯s CEO on TV before.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I think it¡¯s not that easy to manage the whole place. Can I visit your shop next time if I¡¯m in the mood for some snacks¡­¡± Zhen Xiong did not look down on Jia Lai; every word she uttered was sincere and truthful. Suddenly, she lowered her voice.


    ¡°Bro Jia, do you have a mission failure exemption card?¡±


    ¡°That item costs 800 game points. Nobody would buy something so expensive except for those top-tier factions,¡± Jia Lai replied while shaking his head.


    After he figured out what Zhen Xiong had in mind, he was sad and dejected.


    ¡°It seems like both of us will be eliminated,¡± she said. ¡°I know my limits and how far I can go. This is the end of the road for me. You, however, are different. There¡¯s still hope for you. Don¡¯t give up! Perhaps they were trying to scare you when they told you that women were looked down upon in this era. We always say that foreigners value their freedom a lot. Besides, the Soviets have just sent their first female cosmonaut to outer space! I believe America wouldn¡¯t want to fall behind them.¡±


    ¡°Bro Jia. You are so kind. What did you do to your previous team? Why did they give up on someone like you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use being kind nowadays. In my very first quest, I managed to learn a bit of first aid. My quest also required me to keep delivering items, and soon, I acquired Level 1 in my driving skills. I¡¯m also a good cook, and now, I¡¯m learning Russian. It appears these skills aren¡¯t very useful in this quest.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that they are useless? Bro Jia, can I put my faith in you?¡±


    Zhen Xiong looked at him in the most serious way possible.


    ¡°Of course,¡± replied Jai Lai without hesitation.


    He felt a surge of passion rushing through his spine. ¡°Let¡¯s team up if you don¡¯t mind me dragging your feet. We will move forward together. Either we both get on Apollo 11, or we quit this together.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mind, but¡­ I believe you can find someone better than me, right?¡±


    ¡°You are right about me joining a single-player game with competitive mode for the first time. Usually, it¡¯s tough to trust anyone in this mode, and I¡¯d rather team up with someone kind instead of those who seek to take advantage of me every chance they get. This advice applies to multiplayer mode as well. I stopped playing this mode since my teammates betrayed me. I don¡¯t want to go through something like that again. So, I¡¯m going to ask you one more time. Look me in the eye and tell me, can I trust you?¡±


    Jia Lai nodded vigorously, staring into Zhen Xiong¡¯s eyes to show that he was sincere. At first, he just wanted to let Zhen Xiong know that he wasn¡¯t messing around, but after a few seconds, a different kind of feeling started blooming in his heart. He started to move from staring into Zhen Xiong¡¯s eyes to her nose and lips. They were curved charmingly, and there was a touch of luster to them. Both of their faces started to move closer to each other. Then, right before their lips touched, Zhen Xiong gasped, pushed him away, then quickly took a step back.


    Jia Lai felt lost and quickly explained himself.¡°No¡­ no¡­ I didn¡¯t intend to¡­¡±


    Zhen Xiong bit her lips, lowered her head, and didn¡¯t speak another word. They had arrived at the gym. Jia Lai didn¡¯t know how they even made it there.


    ¡°Bro Jia, please go in first.¡±


    ¡°No. You go first. I¡¯m pretty sure the other players are here now. Besides, your leg is hurt. How are you supposed to do pull-ups?¡±


    ¡°We use our upper body strength and waist muscles to do pull-ups. Those have nothing to do with the leg.¡± ¡°Anyway, you should go in first. After all, we are teammates now; I¡¯m supposed to take care of you. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°Bro Jia. Just let me be the last to go in. I hurt my leg anyway, and I won¡¯t be able to train. I don¡¯t really care about the punishment as well.¡±


    Zhang Heng and the rest took only five minutes to get to the gym located on the second floor. NASA¡¯s gym was no different than the ordinary gym of the sixties. Compared to modern-day fitness franchises, this one wasn¡¯t that big. Other than the equipment, a half-sized basketball court and a rock climbing wall could be seen as well.


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the gym.

 Chapter 286 - Of Elvis’ Poster and Spacesuits

    No more weird equipment was being used for physical training. However, how hard it was made them feel no different from basic rocket physics, and aerospace engineering didn¡¯t seem that dry and dull anymore. This time, Anthony performed best among the players, gaining first place in both bench pressing and weightlifting. As for Zhang Heng and the listless young man, they both placed second and third. Judging by the familiar way Anthony stomped along with the equipment, it seemed he was a regular gym buff.


    The high-school student didn¡¯t fare well in physical training, placed even behind the knowledgeable middle-aged man. Considering that he was about to go through the National College Entrance Examination, it was perfectly reasonable that he would spend every moment he had studying instead of doing rigorous training. He simply didn¡¯t have the time, even if he wanted to. Unfortunately, the person coming in last was still the plump guy. Through his sluggish performance, everyone now saw why he was kicked out of his previous team.


    Where did he find the courage to insist entering the gym when he could only do half a pull-up? Luckily, Zhen Xiong asked to go last. All too soon, she started regretting her decision. Although she was injured and was excused from this session, the captain said she would have to make up for it in the next. While others were busy training, Zhen Xiong simply sat aside and did practically nothing. Since her leg was injured, she focused solely on upper body strength. It was already 11.50 p.m. when the session was over. By that time, all seven candidates were literally dragging their exhausted bodies and minds back to the meeting room upstairs. It was time to learn how to fly a supersonic jet. Since none of them were aviators, the captain was keen for them to familiarize themselves with the T-38 Talon, a supersonic jet trainer. This time, Zhang Heng included, was too fatigued to do anything. Luckily, living conditions provided by NASA weren¡¯t too shabby. Not only did everyone have their own dorm, but it was even equipped with a personal lavatory as well. Their clothes were already neatly arranged in the wardrobe. Usually, Zhang Heng would check his character panel before he slept. However, when he finally entered his room at 2.15 a.m, he was too tired to do anything. All he wanted to do was to lay on the bed and sleep.


    Having only three and a half-hours of sleep, it wasn¡¯t quite enough to rid his body and mind of exhaustion. The alarm woke him up with a jolt, before he was asked to get a quick cold shower. After that, he opened the curtains and took a good look at his room. He still had no idea how the other rooms looked like, though.


    It wasn¡¯t a large room, a studio-like space around 40 square feet, furnished with every piece of essential amenities. It included a single bed, wardrobe, table, couch, television, and a fridge. The only thing worth mentioning here was the sixties-era technicolor television, a groundbreaking invention for its time. Of course, the picture quality could never be compared with a modern and slick UHD television. That said, its design was unique, coming in a square box-like structure with a thick frame around it. It looked more like a microwave or a fish tank.


    Behind the television was a large poster of the movie, Viva Las Vegas, a romance flick featuring Elvis co-starring Anne Margaret. On the poster, both of them were leaning back while looking at the camera.


    As his tired mind began to clear, Zhang Heng took out a clean suit of NASA uniform from the wardrobe. He quickly spotted a note stuck on the bottom of an empty basket placed beside the clean garments. (Put your dirty laundry here.]Zhang Heng followed the instructions, tossing his dirty uniform into the basket. He was famished, but before he could look for any food in the fridge, he heard the captain speaking loudly outside his room.


    ¡°Gather up! You¡¯ll all be visiting the space center today. After that, dinner is served at 1800 hours. You will begin your astronaut training at 1820 hours.¡±


    After the first day of torture, all seven players were prepared to face another day of grueling training. Their faces were stoic when they heard the announcement; not displaying much emotion whatsoever. Either they were numb, or not fully awake yet. The schoolkid was the only one excited when he heard that there would be astronaut training later.


    Now, the spacesuit used in the Apollo missions was an upgraded Project Gemini A7L suits. They would be further upgraded in the future for the Apollo-Soyuz mission and Project Skylab. Sci-fi movies made getting in and out of the suit a breeze, seeming as if the astronaut could slip into them without much effort. In reality, it was a nightmare to deal with. Take the A7L as an example; a suit that weighed around seventy pounds. The specialized piece of equipment had five different layers. The layer that closest to the skin housed an advanced liquid-cooling system. Mated to a nylon spandex to ensure comfort, above this was a pressured airbag, allowing the astronaut to freely move its joints before another layer of nylon topped it off. Lastly, the outer skin was a protective layer against the heat. The suit¡¯s helmet and gloves were connected to it by metal rings.


    That was not the end, for after putting on the hefty suit, Zhang Heng had to carry a portable life-support system as well, allowing him to breathe in outer space. As mentioned earlier, it was connected to the suit¡¯s cooling system, a radiator of sorts. On the left side of the pack was a tall antenna that supported a two-way voice communication. This was the very reason why ultimate fitness was needed for an astronaut. An untrained individual would find it hard to even move in the shackles of the ¡®suit.¡¯


    Nevertheless, the astronauts would undoubtedly feel better after they entered a zero-gravity environment, what the suits were created for in the first place. Usually, each astronaut would be equipped with three spacesuits. One of them would be used during the mission, the second during training, and the last was a spare. With his trainer¡¯s assistance, Zhang Heng put on the famous fish-tank helmet. Suddenly, he felt like he was sucked into a vacuum chamber, isolated from the world outside. However, it wasn¡¯t completely silent inside the helmet. He could hear a soft buzzing and the sound of the cooling fan from the life-support. After that, the trainer instructed him on how to use the urine bag, before reading what was on the control module for the life support system located on his chest to him. From there, he could monitor and adjust the liquid and power of the life support system.


    This was an entirely alien experience for all seven players. Although it was in no way a breeze to learn, it was definitely better than the boring theory lessons and the energy-sapping physical training. Learning to put on the bulky spacesuit was fun, at least. If not for the extreme rigors and constraints that becoming an astronaut required, blasting to the moon strapped to a Saturn V rocket would be nothing less but a mind-blowing experience for 99.9999% of people. In 2001, one of the wealthiest people on Earth actually paid a hefty sum to become a space tourist, a seat that cost him a whopping twenty million dollars. In total, the lucky tycoon got to spend eight days cruising above mother earth on the International Space Station.


    At the same time, Zhen Xiong noticed Zhang Heng always glancing at the clock during the training. It was as if he was waiting for something

 Chapter 287 - Transitional Quest

    Ever since Zhang Heng received the analog watch, his 24 hours had increased to 28. When its hands reached midnight, he would enter a world where time halted no matter where he was. Having tested his theory multiple times throughout the entire month, his extra 24 hours would still apply when he entered the game, thus, accumulated into his total playtime.


    Before the NASA quest, Zhang Heng had always played the game himself. From the desolated island to the 18th century Caribbean, all four games were completed by Zhang Heng alone. It wasn¡¯t until this game that six other players were paired with him. This situation was a first for him, and he had no idea what would happen at twelve. This was excatly why he chose single-player mode all the while, hoping to avoid unnecessary complications like this.


    Usually, Zhang Heng would enter the game at 11.55 p.m. from the real world. There were five minutes until midnight, and according to the game¡¯s time flow, five minutes was equivalent to twenty hours.


    It had been almost twenty hours since Zhang Heng entered this world. Immediately, he told his trainer that he needed to head to the toilet. However, his trainer gently reminded him that he could pee within the provided urinary bag in the spacesuit, considering it as a training exercise for the times he really needed to relieve himself in space.


    Zhang Heng was desperate. He thanked his trainer and insisted that he had to go the toilet by hook or crook. No matter what would happen after this, walking around inside a seventy-pound spacesuit wasn¡¯t part of his plan. In the end, his trainer relented, having to spend fifteen minutes to help him get out of it. The moment Zhang Heng freed his right leg, he retook a look at his watch. Only half a minute was left before the clock¡¯s hands landed on twelve. It was at that time that Zhang Heng spotted Yin Xiong and tubby looking at him suspiciously. Whether he liked it or not, Zhang Heng having no time to interrogate them, anyway.


    The moment the clock¡¯s hands hit twelve, everyone in the training room literally stopped in their tracks, their faces frozen in time as well. The world had completely turned into a giant wax museum.


    Zhang Heng had expected this outcome all along. Earlier, he tested this theory with his computer. In the still world, it was possible to enter a single-player game. The only caveat was that he would be unable to play any games that required an internet connection. Although he was unable to scientifically explain the phenomenon, the mysterious quest that he just joined was still considered a game. Every game that he previously joined was still running when it was midnight in the real world. The only thing that changed was that his gameplay had become longer. Since there were other players present in this quest, it had proved that the world would still come to a stop come midnight.


    However, before Zhang Heng could move a muscle, he heard a notification from the game¡¯s system.


    (Warning!!! Warning!!! Game-time critical error detected.¡±


    (Submitting critical error¡­] (Second level clearance has been initiated. Initial analysis: failure to continue. One player suspected of foul play. Contingency plan activated¡­]


    (Parallel quest activated: Apollo Training Camp¡¯s transitional quest. Number of players: 1. Goals: none; so far. Time: 240 days. Player, please pay attention!)


    Zhang Heng frowned and suddenly heard The Beatles¡¯ ¡®Yesterday¡¯ echoing in his ears. At the same time, his surroundings turned pitch black. It wasn¡¯t the same darkness as when the lights were turned off, but rather, a blackout situation where all light was utterly non-existent. Zhang Heng usually experienced this at the beginning of every new quest, where the complete lack of external stimuli helped him pay full attention to the announcement. This, however, was the very first time it occurred in the middle of the game. It felt as if the game¡¯s online server was being rebooted.


    Luckily, the darkness did not last too long. When Zhang Heng opened his eyes again, Paul McCartney was already at, ¡°Oh, yesterday came suddenly¡­¡± He found out that he was no longer in NASA¡¯s training room. The players around him had disappeared as well. Right now, he was standing on a vast runway. He could hear the deafening roar of jet engines, and suddenly a fighter jet flew over his head with a gust of wind almost knocking him over. From afar, Zhang Heng saw a pretty blond girl waving at him, looking extremely anxious. ¡°Jim doesn¡¯t like the newcomers wandering around the place. Let¡¯s leave immediately when you are done with him. The people from the lab are still waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°Lab?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your school¡¯s students are there now, and you¡¯re the only one left behind. Oh¡­ can you please get off the runway? We¡¯ll be in big trouble if the tower spots us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Immediately, Zhang Heng moved away from the runway. He had no intention of risking his life as well. Getting hit by a speeding aircraft rumbling down the runway at over 200 miles per hour wasn¡¯t his idea of a good death.Nonetheless, this wasn¡¯t his first time hearing a warning from the game¡¯s system. When the second level clearance kicked in, the error wasn¡¯t submitted to the system, subsequently removing it permanently from the game¡¯s sequential decision-making algorithm. Zhang Heng suspected that this all might somehow be connected to the mysterious old man. Since the old man had chosen him to play the game, he must have known that such issues would eventually occur. It was evident that the second level clearance was used to deal with the problem, but apparently, it did not work properly in multiplayer mode. Hence, the system determined that he was technically cheating.


    In the still world, he was the only one who could move, and it was safe to say that he was invincible. Just like the Zavilcha case, Shen Xixi and her team failed to defeat it even after several attempts. In the still world, however, Zhang Heng used only a rudimentary utility knife to defeat the monster. In other words, he could easily eliminate the other six players in the paused world if he wanted to, as well.


    It seemed the system had noticed this anomaly, and to protect the other players, it created a transitional quest for Zhang Heng and placed him in there. Due to the rushed decision, no goal had been set up for the quest at the moment. Zhang Heng was wondering if this quest was as dangerous as the Winter War. ¡°What is the time now?¡±


    ¡°Time? Erm¡­ 10.35.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s today¡¯s date?¡±


    ¡°12th February.¡±


    ¡°Which year?¡±


    ¡°Is this supposed to be a joke? It¡¯s 1955! Hmm. Do all MIT students use weird antics like this to get attention? I should remind you that if you are late again, your internship at Louis Flight Dynamics Lab will be canceled!¡±

 Chapter 288 - At Home In Foreign Lands

    The Apollo Training Camp quest was set in 1969. If the pretty blonde wasn¡¯t lying, it meant there were fourteen years left before the inception of the Apollo Program. If his memory served him right, NASA hadn¡¯t even existed yet back then. However, its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was established in 1915. When Zhang Heng followed the pretty blonde to the lab and saw other interns and the manager, Zhang Heng finally knew what kind of place Louis Flight Propulsion Laboratory (LFPL) was.


    Being NACA¡¯s third lab, it was originally named Aircraft Engine Propulsion Laboratory, set up to help America deal with their aviation gremlins since their engines lagged behind their counterparts. In 1949, World War II broke out. Warplanes equipped with European liquid-cooled engines far outperformed America¡¯s air-cooled engines in speed and altitude, and experts soon realized that America lacked the required research labs to come out with better aircraft engines. Thus, in the year 1940, Congress approved funding for its construction at Ohio¡¯s Cleveland Hopkins Airport.


    And that was how the aircraft research facility started blooming in America. In 1948, it was renamed Louis Flight Propulsion Laboratory (LFPL) in commemoration of the late NACA¡¯S director, George. W. Louis. Then, in the year 1999, it was again renamed to Glenn Research Center. It became one of NASA ¡®s most important facilities for researching and developing rocket engines. Even though this transitional quest was created specifically for Zhang Heng, thanks to the bug detected by the system, it meant he wasn¡¯t completely booted from the Apollo Training Camp quest. The game had granted him the identity of an MIT grad, and placed him at the Louis Flight Propulsion Laboratory fourteen years before the Apollo 11 project. If his suspicions were right, he would only be reinserted in the main quest after fourteen years had passed.


    This outcome was definitely worse than completing the main mission in the still world. Over there, he could easily eliminate all the other players when time stopped, meaning he could complete the quest way earlier than expected. Since the system couldn¡¯t tell if he was cheating or not, it decided to send him to a transitional quest to protect the other players.


    LFPL was an important NACA research facility, its employees handpicked from the best and brightest engineers that America had to offer. After NACA¡¯s dismissal, its top researchers were quickly recruited by NASA, whose focus had now shifted to Aerospace Technology. Although Zhang Heng didn¡¯t carry any future space technology with him, it seemed like a good opportunity to start mastering some physics and aerospace engineering,


    Even though he couldn¡¯t speed up time and peek into his main quest, LFPL was built right beside Ohio¡¯s Cleveland Hopkins Airport and he could at least hop onto an airplane and fly. At that time, the T-38 Talons used in the Apollo Program hadn¡¯t yet been invented. In this era of the fifties, the T-33 Shooting Star was the best of its day. Introduced as a jet trainer, it was the similar aircraft that Zhang Heng encountered on the runway. Before taking to the skies, however, there was a problem he first needed to solve. The system had thrown him the identity of an MIT student and soon, he also discovered why LFPL actively recruited interns. It was all because NACA had embarked on a groundbreaking aerospace project. All that fuss was about the X-15 hypersonic aircraft, an experimental rocket-powered plane that accelerated up to a mind-bending Mach 6.72, six times faster than the speed of sound. The rocket engine enabled the aircraft to climb to an altitude of 107.8 kilometers, effectively passing the Karman Line into outer space. Remained unbroken in the 21st century, it still holds the record for the fastest piloted aircraft ever flown by a crew. In 1955, the X-15 Project officially broke ground, where LFPL played a huge role in its inception. Interns like Zhang Heng were supposed to assist the scientists and engineers working on the project. However, his qualification of a master¡¯s degree was in name only, generously granted by the system. Once it was discovered that Zhang Heng knew nothing about physics and engineering, he would most probably be sent back to the university.


    Even if things did go his way, who would be willing to teach him anything at such a busy time. He would be doomed to spend his days in the lab before he knew it, seeing the enormity of the project and the amount of work at hand. Before Zhang Heng could figure out a solution to this problem, the pretty blonde was already assigning the interns to their respective engineers. If the engineer wished for a particular assistant, they were welcome to choose as well. Zhang Heng saw two engineers picking interns that they had worked with before.


    At the same time, the interns also told the pretty blonde what they wanted and waited for her to assign a task to them. To Zhang Heng¡¯s surprise, he saw an Asian man amid the crowd.


    In nineteen fifties America, it was rare to see Asians working in a top-tier research facility, especially one that ran such classified technology. Judging by his appearance, the person looked to be of Chinese descent. So, Zhang Heng decided to try his luck and greeted the person in Mandarin.


    The person was taken aback when he heard the language. Clearly, he understood what Zhang Heng was saying. However, Zhang Heng had now been transformed by the system, making him look more like a European. That explained why the Chinese engineer was shocked to hear Zhang Heng speaking in perfect Mandarin. ¡°Hello! Can I be your assistant?¡±


    ¡°What is your profession? I¡¯m researching the general theory of three-dimensional flow in turbomachinery. Are you interested?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m studying economics, in my second year right now.¡±


    Zhang Heng was actually embarrassed to tell him the truth. However, he knew that he would not be able to hide it forever, and instead of waiting until tasks were given, he figured that telling the truth now was in his best interest.


    II


    11


    The engineer was taken aback by Zhang Heng¡¯s answer and was speechless for a long time. It seemed like one of those bad American jokes, or a subtle racist sentiment. After all, he had constantly experienced racism after studying there for so many years.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have my own reasons for staying in the lab. If possible, I hope to learn a bit of engineering. If you think it¡¯s too much trouble, I can always look for someone else.


    Since they were conversing in Mandarin, no one around them could understand what they were saying. Hence, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t worried about eavesdroppers. He also knew the engineer would keep his secret indefinitely. Chinese expatriates often chose not to get themselves into trouble, thus keeping to themselves whenever they could. If, however, the engineer refused to take him in, surviving in this research center would become a massive challenge.


    ¡°Sure,¡± said the engineer.


    Instantaneously, that single word uttered from his countryman washed him with the warmth of home. He felt right at home, at home in a foreign land.


    So, with the newfound close-to-heart alliance forged, the engineer walked up to the pretty blonde, telling her he wanted Zhang Heng as his assistant. Apart from him, another MIT girl had also been assigned to the same engineer as well. Everything was soon set in stone, and when they were back at his lab, the engineer shook Zhang Heng¡¯s hand vigorously.


    ¡°I forgot to introduce myself to you. My name is Wu Zhonghua. I¡¯m Chinese.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Zhang Heng.¡± It was one of those rare occasions where Zhang Heng revealed his true name. I¡¯m Chinese as well.¡±


    Note: Wu Zhonghua is the Qian Xuesen of Air China. Graduating from MIT, he worked at Louis Flight Propulsion Laboratory before introducing the general theory of three-dimensional flow in turbomachinery. Later, he gained recognition as a world-class scientist. Just like many other physicists of that era, he gave up his high-paying job abroad and used the excuse of traveling around Europe with his wife to return to his homeland. Both Wu Zhonghua and his wife were the pioneers of Air China.

 Chapter 289 - Having Drinks

    Life in the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory was probably the simplest one Zhang Heng ever led. The lab¡¯s staff, save for the blond HR executive, and Director Jim, who rattled Congress every morning for more funds, were the most decent and passionate researchers Zhang Heng had ever come across. They neither plotted against nor wrangled against each other, and since there was no main mission in the transitional quest, there were no threats to his survival either. Zhang Heng passed his days peacefully and uneventfully.


    Every day, Wei Zhonghua would give him engineering lessons, more like a crash course, actually. Knowing his student was lagging behind actual MIT graduates, the engineer spared no expense, imparting everything he knew, whenever he could. Then, at the end of each day, Zhang Heng would buy drinks for the pilots who frequented the nearby pub with his internship salary. In the second month, he successfully boarded an airplane, and in the fourth, awarded the experience of flying subsonic on the T-33. He wasn¡¯t far from flying a plane on his own.


    However, Wei Zhonghua resigned from NASA not long after that, citing a longing for a school¡¯s environment. The man was to head to Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute to teach as a professor. The whole debacle alarmed Glennan, NASA¡¯s chairman, and despite his best efforts at persuasion, nothing was going to stop Wei Zhonghua from leaving. Thus, the people in the lab ended up giving Wei Zhonghua a little farewell party. Zhang Heng did not join the party but drove Wei Zhonghua and his wife to the train station in a borrowed Chevrolet.


    He was among the few who really knew Wu Zhonghua¡¯s true intentions. Even though staying back in the lab would have been more beneficial, it was really just a game, and no matter where, whatever timeline, or how many times he experienced it, someone somewhere would make the same choice, regardless. Knowing these things, Zhang Heng did not even try to convince Wei Zhonghua to stay.


    In fact, Wei Zhonghua had already helped him a lot. Right now, although still behind an actual MIT engineering graduate, four months had passed, and from a zero, Zhang Heng was now able to perform tasks required for the research and was very familiar with Wei Zhonghua¡¯s research. He had no trouble doing things like collecting data and filling in the finished models. Even if another were to replace Wei Zhonghua, Zhang Heng could continue working in the laboratory by putting on an act, considering he actually knew what he was doing


    Zhang Heng watched on as the train carrying Wu Zhonghua and his wife pulled away. Having heard that Wu Zhonghua¡¯s replacement was currently being transferred from the Langley laboratory, and wouldn¡¯t arrive until tomorrow, he didn¡¯t rush back to the laboratory. Except for waiting, there wasn¡¯t much for him and the female assistant to do. This could only mean a day off work, and seeing how pleasant the day was; Zhang Heng decided to cruise around Cleveland in the borrowed car he was in.


    He bought two vinyl records of Patty Page, a burger, and a corn tortilla, unexpectedly making an achievement worth three points. After that, he fed pigeons in the city park, as he lazily strolled around. It was a beautiful day, not one to be wasted just like that in the confines of concrete and glass. Zhang Heng only returned to the laboratory before sunset He had just gotten out of the car when the blonde girl rushed over and grabbed hold of


    e


    .


    him.


    ¡°Great! We just got ourselves a test pilot. He¡¯s in the corridor on the first floor. But something came up in Congress, and I have to hurry over. I¡¯ll need you to show him around the lab and the runway.¡±


    She sputtered her words, pushing a stack of documents into Zhang Heng¡¯s hands. ¡°While you¡¯re at that, please pass these to Professor Maggie for me¡­¡±


    ¡­the black Jaguar XK120 parked not too far away kept honking.


    The blonde stumbled, blowing a kiss at Zhang Heng. ¡°When I get back tomorrow, I¡¯ll treat you a cup of coffee. It¡¯s a date!¡±


    Before he could answer, she pulled up her skirt and ran to the car in her heels.


    And just like that, Zhang Heng became the receptionist of the laboratory. Shaking his head, he carried the things to the corridor and saw someone indeed waiting there.


    The man looked to be quite young, in his twenties, perhaps. But unlike most youth of this age, he had an inherent brooding quality about him, as if he was always pondering about something. At the same time, his subtle but decisive movements bore the temperament of a seasoned soldier.


    That last part was not unusual ¨C many test pilots in the laboratory came from a military background.


    When he saw Zhang Heng approaching, he politely got up from his seat.


    ¡°How do you do, sir? I¡¯m David, lab intern. You must be the new test pilot. Jane asked me to show you around the place you¡¯ll be working.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the man said, offering a hand. ¡°Neil Armstrong, retired navy pilot.¡±


    His voice was deep and firm.


    Zhang Heng stopped in his tracks as he held Neil¡¯s hand, freezing for a brief second. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing! Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Armstrong,¡± Zhang Heng blurted quickly.


    ¡°The pleasure is mine.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I have to get these documents to Professor Maggie before we start the tour.¡±


    Armstrong nodded.


    Zhang Heng did not expect to meet Neil Armstrong ¨C the first man to land on the moon. Not now, in 1955, at least. In retrospect, Armstrong had indeed worked for NASA as a test pilot for a certain period. At that time, the legendary astronaut looked youthful, and according to Zhang Heng¡¯s calculations, Armstrong should be only about twenty-five. After completing his Navy service, he had returned to finish his university education. He hadn¡¯t yet obtained a master¡¯s degree in aviation engineering. Later in his life, upon making history on a successful moon mission, he kept a low profile, living a quiet life teaching at a university. He almost never accepted interviews, nor did he write a single biography. In fact, few knew that Armstrong never took a picture of himself on the moon. The widely circulated moon landing photo was actually taken by his crewmate, Buzz Aldrin. Armstrong¡¯s shadow could barely be seen from the reflection of Aldrin¡¯s helmet. The other famous photo, the footprint on the moon¡¯s surface, was also the courtesy of Aldrin.


    Unlike his rather rambunctious crewmate, Armstrong was a humble and unostentatious man; only the few who corresponded with him knew what he had to through when he was a young man.


    But Zhang Heng was more interested in Armstrong¡¯s piloting skills, a prodigy who obtained his pilot license when he was merely sixteen years of age. Before getting his driver¡¯s license, or even joining NASA, he had already piloted more than 200 different aircraft types. This was one of the main reasons he was chosen to be an astronaut. Zhang Heng was unsure about on thing, though. Would their meeting in 1955 affect the quest fourteen years later?


    After delivering the documents to Professor Maggie, Zhang Heng hurriedly went back to Armstrong. ¡°So, did you arrive in Cleveland?¡±.


    ¡°Yeah. I submitted an application to the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, but since they are full, I was assigned here for now,¡± Armstrong answered. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we should get drinks after the tour.¡±

 Chapter 290 - Extensive Preparation Time

    It was said that in one second, a cheetah could sprint as far as 28 meters on the grassland, a hummingbird could flap its wings 55 times, 1,620 cubic meters of Greenland¡¯s glaciers would melt, and the earth would orbit the sun 29.8 kilometers.


    Yin Xiong, however, wondered if a person¡¯s character could change so significantly in one second. Blinking, in fact, might have taken even less than that.


    If Zhang Heng had that dangerous quality about him, then it must have dimmed so significantly that it was almost imperceptible now.


    Yin Xiong couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was something wrong with her eyes.


    But things such as a person¡¯s temperament were discerned purely by perception and were difficult to quantify. Things like these mystified her, and she didn¡¯t have an explanation for it.


    Then, later, during training, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t look at the clock again, and with the help of the trainer, he successfully completed his first spacesuit training. Throughout the whole process, he was very calm. No one knew he had just spent 240 days in the 1950¡¯s United States. When Zhang Heng opened his character panel after the training, he could see a number of changes made to his profile.


    Name: Zhang Heng


    Gender: Male


    Age: 19


    Player ID: 07958 Rounds played: 4


    Current game points: 737


    Possessions: Paris Arrow (D), Evil Wall (D),


    Shadow Key (E), Lucky Rabbit¡¯s Foot (E), Betty¡¯s Shell (E), Hunter¡¯s Blessing (F)


    Skills mastered: Sailing (level 3), Saber (level 3), Language Proficiency (level 2; eight languages at a basic level), Archery (level 2), Wilderness Survival (level 2), Driving (level 2), Shooting (level 2), Engineering (level 1), Flying (level 1), Piano (level 1), Car Tuning and Repair (level 2), Ski (level 1), Rock Climbing (level 1).


    Evaluation:


    The player has slightly better luck than most and a higher chance of encountering enemies. Player is protected from shadows, storms, evil intentions, and is an experienced sailor. Skilled with knives, arrows, firearms, can drive and fly a plane. He is capable of surviving in the wild, has a rich reserve of skills, and considerably adept at combat. The player deserves continuous attention.


    ¡®Shadow Moment,¡¯ an item that had been with him for a long time and used up until the Zavilcha battle, had been replaced by ¡®Evil Wall¡¯ and ¡®Betty¡¯s Shell.¡¯ Both of these allowed their user to escape a particular situation but also had their own limits. All in all, it was a good upgrade.


    Skills were where Zhang Heng made the most progress. After being in Black Sail for 3900 days, he finally gained another level 3 skill; in fact, there were two ¨C sailing and swordsmanship, both indispensable for a mighty pirate. With a little more training, Zhang Heng could even consider representing the country for the sailing events in Tokyo¡¯s 2020 Olympics.


    In addition to that, he spent most of his time learning language. Starting with three; English, Chinese, and Japanese, he now spoke eight. Even though it was just a drop in the ocean of human languages, eight was an extensive range, ensuring he would have fewer communication troubles in future games.


    All of the above was everything Zhang Heng gained before entering the Apollo training camp. The level 1 engineering and piloting skills on the character panel had been obtained from the transitional quest he had just completed. On top of that, he picked up aerodynamics and material science, not displayed on the panel since they were still at level 0. He even earned an unexpected 42 game points. Moreover, thanks to his improved theoretical knowledge, his car tuning and repair skills moved up a level, which was a good thing.


    Although the system inhibited him from eliminating other players during Still Time, the extensive 240 day preparation period gained him an upper hand over the rest of them. Thanks to that, no one in the training camp could surpass his score.


    Of course, at the end of the day, the three people with the best result might not even be the ones to board Apollo 11.These players, however, weren¡¯t passive pushovers who just sit by idly. Should the game be not in their favor, they would definitely look for means to change the game¡¯s rules.


    Even Jia Lai, the one appearing to be the weakest of the group, would not sit on his hand and blindly accept his fate. Everyone, including Zhang Heng, knew this. It was only because they had just started the game that the amity was kept among each other. Once the results of the first round were revealed, this temporary peace would be broken. Their first spacesuit training ended precisely at eleven-thirty. While more engaging than physical training, the amount of exercise involved was pretty much the same. Lugging around a weight of nearly 70 pounds, each movement was a chore, requiring plenty of energy for the simplest of bends. When the players took off their spacesuits, they were drenched from head to toe in their own sweat. There was no time to freshen up, though. Given only a short break after lunch, they were quickly shoved to the next lesson: diving practice.


    Space was a completely different environment from the Earth, the most obvious being gravity. Gravity was everywhere on planet Earth, and all creatures living on it could not escape its bond. So, to simulate a zero-gravity environment on earth, it was necessary to find ways to counteract its effects.


    Often, the amazing fantasies of science fiction would tout some sort of covert anti-gravity technology, something that, unfortunately, didn¡¯t exist in reality.


    NASA would use a large aircraft (nicknamed the Vomit Comet) to create over ten seconds of weightlessness through a parabolic flight. This enabled the astronauts to experience an environment that was closest to space on earth. There were its quirks, however, and besides the strain the aircraft had to endure, they would have to land after every session, making the whole affair an extremely troublesome one.


    Water buoyancy, on the other hand, could offset some gravity, creating a sense of weightlessness. Despite a certain degree of realism, it still differed somewhat from an actual space environment. The human body perceived gravity through the otoliths of the inner eardrums. Although one was submerged in water, the otoliths would still be subjected to gravity, meaning that being in the water would not affect a person¡¯s ability to determine direction. In space, however, the otoliths would be affected by the lack of gravity. The astronaut¡¯s sense of direction would be disrupted, and they wouldn¡¯t be unable to distinguish between up and down.


    But that was the best NASA could do to simulate space on terra firma.


    Unlike the other players who did not look too excited, this training played on Zhang Heng¡¯s strengths. Although he had never dived before, he experienced getting stuck on a deserted island in his first game. He had foraged for food on a desolate land and spent half his Black Sail quest at sea. Being in the water felt like his second home.

 Chapter 291 - Dangerous Mechanical Tick

    Being an astronaut was one of the most complicated jobs a human endured. When Project Mercury first started, NASA recruited a total of 100 experienced pilots as astronaut candidates. Only seven were selected in the end. During the early stages of human space exploration, nobody really knew what would happen the moment they left the confines of planet earth. Theoretically, the list of mishaps could be endless, since space was infinite, and all they had were their guts and an overpriced tin can. Ground control was thousands of miles away, and there wasn¡¯t anyone up there they could rely on. As an astronaut, they had to be prepared for every instance of an emergency, fixing problems that weren¡¯t even in their manuals. It was a job that required not only bravery but also ingenuity. That was why the astronauts¡¯ training was essential to them.


    Their entire day during training was filled with a tight training schedule, enough activities each day to drive anybody crazy. Even breathing had become somewhat of a luxury. However, training did get interesting at times. The anti-gravity simulation on the parabolic flights allowed their bodies to float freely in the air. They also got to try astronaut food for the very first time. The dehydrated ready-to-eat meals weren¡¯t nearly as good as the over-the-counter burger, but still decent and palatable.


    The last activity was Zhang Heng¡¯s favorite. He was in his spacesuit when he dived into the swimming pool, seeing the light piercing through from the surface to the bottom. A stream of air bubbles continuously shot out the snorkels of the divers beside him. He could hear the whoosh of air blowing from the vent inside his helmet and the low rumble of the occasional air bubble outside. Once wholly immersed in the water, Zhang Heng felt as if he¡¯d entered a world of complete silence, and although he knew that he hadn¡¯t yet encountered space, he had to admit that he enjoyed the feeling a lot.


    Of course, these were just the highlights. The training was exhausting and a dull affair most of the time. Pushed into a regime fit to recruit a secret agent, the trainees had their limits put on trial, and even some of them were even broken. Not too long after that, the teaching-to-the-test classes and high-intensity physical training started taking a toll on the lot. Even Jia Lai had lost some weight as well. The saddest part was that he knew the lumps of fat would return once he left this quest. However, theory class and physical training weren¡¯t the worst part of the course, for NASA had this machine that was capable of torturing one¡¯s very soul.


    Known as Johnsville Centrifuge, the machine could accelerate from zero to two hundred kilometers per hour in seven seconds. It was everyone¡¯s worst nightmare. During training, the candidates were supposed to keep conscious under the pressure of tremendous G-forces while the machine sped up. Seeing how this machine worked, the Multi-Axis Trainer didn¡¯t look so bad anymore.


    Lastly, the most horrifying machine award had to go to the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle. This must be NASA¡¯s ugliest and most dangerous invention. From its exterior, it looked like a giant mechanical tick and was used to simulate moon landings. NASA themselves admitted later that the Lunar Lander Training Machine couldn¡¯t accurately simulate an actual moon-landing. It did not show what it was like to exit the aircraft. Most of the time, the clunky machine would put its pilot in grave danger too.


    Inside a modern virtual simulator, operators could calmly discuss and analyze the reasons for their spacecraft crashing. The Lunar Landing Training Vehicle was different, however, were only two outcomes were possible once the pilot stepped into the machine that literally took off the ground. They could either successfully land the craft, or if they failed, god forbid, it would explode once it touched the ground. Right before the explosion, the pilot would best be quick to eject, if burning in rocket fuel and oxidizer wasn¡¯t their choice for death.


    According to statistics, NASA once produced four Lunar Landing Training Vehicles as an experiment. Three were destroyed during training sessions. In other words, it had a shocking failure rate of 75%.


    ¡°I wish someone can tie the machine¡¯s inventor to it and let them have a taste of their own medicine,¡± grunted Jia Lai under his breath.


    No matter how much they complained, though, the captain had already summoned the first person to the machine.


    ¡°The first person to go is Anthony.¡±


    Anthony raised his eyebrows, not the least willing to get on the bonkers contraption as well. However, after going through a month of intensive training, he had tried all kinds of weird machines and was able to muster up enough courage. Besides, the captain was still grading them, and Anthony wanted to leave a good and bold impression on him. After all, physical attributes weren¡¯t the only factor that contributed to the assessment; the mental side of things was just as important.


    Although he had a bad feeling in his heart, Anthony relented, deciding to obey the captain¡¯s command as he boarded the aircraft. While fastening his seatbelt, the staff did a quick checkup on him.


    ¡°The wind is acting up today. Be careful,¡± the staff warned.


    ¡°Am I¡­ supposed to say my last words right now?¡±


    ¡°The lever is under your seat. Pull it if you see your life flashing before your eyes. Once you pull it, you will be ejected out of the machine, and your parachute will bring you back to the ground safely.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin if you are ready,¡± the captain¡¯s voice echoed through the intercom.


    The Lunar Landing Training Vehicle started wobbling around dangerously like a drunk man the moment it lifted off the ground. Luckily, it soon stabilized and reached its expected altitude.


    ¡°1100 feet. Exceeding minimum altitude,¡± Anthony could be heard saying.


    ¡°Roger that. You can attempt to land now,¡± replied the captain.


    At the same time, the rest of the players kept their eyes on the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle. From where they stood, it looked like a colossal flying tick, with an unsightly, exposed metal frame and four tiny legs sticking out its bottom. The front part of the aircraft was exposed and they could see Anthony nervously fumbling with the controls. Piloting the vehicle required great reflexes and skill, essentially like trying to balance a unicycle on a tightrope. Without a doubt, this was one of the toughest parts of their training, not to mention that the wind wasn¡¯t on their side today. It would greatly increase the difficulty of landing the sensitive and erratic craft.¡°He¡¯ll kill himself if something goes wrong,¡± the listless young man said all of a sudden.


    The other players glared at him in silence.


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me the thought hadn¡¯t crossed your minds. We knew his day would eventually come, am I right? One less competitor ain¡¯t a bad thing. Note to all; I¡¯m referring to all of you here: I have never seen him as a worthy opponent.¡±


    Although whatever he said wasn¡¯t pleasant to the ear, it was hard to argue with him. He might seem like a useless teenager, but throughout the month he spent at NASA, he had managed to surprise everyone with his excellent airmanship and theoretical knowledge, second only to that of Zhang Heng. Although the results weren¡¯t released yet, he should have no problem getting selected as an astronaut. As for the rest, they started to think about what would happen after the results were released. Maybe the time had come to see the other players as enemies.


    Anthony was still struggling to land the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle slowly. However, the rest of the players no longer paid their attention to him. They were backing off as if avoiding impending doom that was about to strike at any moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming down too fast! Slow down! I repeat. Your landing speed is too fast. You need to slow down. Pull up and try again!¡±


    Anthony was sweating nonstop, flicking switches, and vigorously adjusting the sticks in an attempt to bring the craft under control. Unfortunately, it seemed like the machine had lost its bearings and began wobbling violently in the sky. At the same time, it was coming down really fast. Then suddenly, it seemed to lose all power and dropped from the air like a stone. Within a few seconds, it crashed to the ground in a massive fireball. The players ducked to the ground as flames and heat washed over them with the shockwave.


    The next thing they saw was a cloud of black smoke rising to the sky.

 Chapter 292 - My Favorite Part

    The medical team on standby rushed as quickly as they could to the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle¡¯s crash site, but the sweltering heat and thick veil of smoke kept them from doing their jobs.


    Judging by the dire situation, they were all just doing the best they could. No one thought Anthony would survive the blaze. The fire brigade arrived promptly, taking only five minutes to put out the flames. Sadly, the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle was beyond salvage, and all that remained was a smoldering heap of metal and debris. And in the pilot¡¯s seat, an equally scorched corpse was present as well.


    ¡°The morning¡¯s training is canceled. Everyone, standby in your dormitories,¡± said the captain, an unusual, somber look accompanying his face. ¡°Don¡¯t let this get out to anyone, especially the journalists. Later, at noon, an expert will give each of you a psychological assessment. Also¡­¡± He paused and looked at the players. ¡°¡­whoever wishes to quit can tell me now.¡±


    The players kept mum. It was obvious that quitting was not an option. Even in the face of such a tragedy, even if everybody died, nobody was going to quit as long as the mission wasn¡¯t completed. That was simply who they were.


    Although what that young man said wasn¡¯t exactly pleasant, Anthony¡¯s death was, in actual fact, a good thing for everyone else. Right now, none of them really knew what to feel.


    The players returned to their dorms as the captain instructed. Zhang Heng grabbed a carton of milk from the refrigerator and poured himself a glass. As soon as he picked it up, there was a knock on his door.


    He opened the door and was greeted by Yin Xiong standing outside his room.


    Since the day he warned her, the two had no more private conversations. Yin Xiong naturally teamed up with Jia lai, and the other players were fine with it too since both were the underdogs of the group.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°Can we talk inside?¡± Yin Xiong did not look too good. The smile on her face was forced, and there was an undertone of panic in her voice.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Zhang Heng said. ¡°We can talk here.¡±


    The girl chewed on her lower lip. ¡°I know what you think of me, but what can I do? Since the start, I didn¡¯t have a choice. It chose me, I didn¡¯t choose it. I received an invitation out of nowhere to join the game. I had to work hard to survive, just like when I graduated from college. I just wanted to do my best like everyone else, support my family, and be an ordinary person. But then, my superior stopped me in the pantry one day, telling me that he¡¯d make my life in the company hell unless I became his secret lover¡­ ¡°¡­that is the cruel truth of the world, isn¡¯t it? The weak can never choose,¡± Yin Xiong laughed at herself. ¡°Sometimes I really wish I was a man. Maybe then, I wouldn¡¯t have become what I am today.¡±


    She looked up at Zhang Heng. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I can see that you are different from the others, so I¡¯m not here to take advantage of you. I¡¯m here to tell you to be careful of Jia


    Lai.¡±


    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t he an ally of yours?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived by his appearance. He¡¯s the most secretive among us, a hell lot more than everyone thinks¡­ I¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the door to the room on Zhang Heng¡¯s right suddenly opened. Jia Lai poked his head out. ¡°Oh, there you are. I was just about to look for you. Didn¡¯t you say your refrigerator¡¯s run out of coke? I¡¯ve still got some here. Want any?¡± As he spoke, Jia Lai snuck nervous glances at Zhang Heng.


    Zhang Heng was the most inscrutable player among them. Always on his own, he was an obscure character, rarely interacting with the others. Moreover, he was strong and performed above and beyond in his training. Some people even wondered if he was, in fact, an actual astronaut. Although his menacing aura was not as telling as before, Jia Lai was still instinctively intimidated.


    Yin Xiong did not continue what she was saying. She gave Zhang Heng a good look, then drew a smile on her face for Jia Lai. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m coming!¡± She hadn¡¯t even left for five minutes when there was another knock on Zhang Heng¡¯s door.


    This time, the middle-aged man was standing outside. Livingston pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, saying, ¡°I think we all need to talk about what just happened. I¡¯ve already notified the others and we¡¯ll be gathering in my room in fifteen minutes. Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Very good, see you later.¡±


    This was the first time Zhang Heng entered another player¡¯s residence. Livingston¡¯s place was slightly smaller than his but the layout was the same. The only difference was, in the place of a TV, there was an antique radio. The other players were already there when Zhang Heng arrived.


    The high school student and the listless young man occupied the only two chairs in the room. Jia Lai and Yin Xiong were on the bed, and the couch was still unoccupied. Livingston then gestured Zhang Heng to the sofa.


    Once Zhang Heng was seated, Livingston closed the door and walked to the center of the room.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. I don¡¯t think Anthony¡¯s death was an accident.¡±


    ¡°Why say that?¡± asked the listless man as he noisily cracked a peanut open and popped it into his mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t see it. Anthony followed all the instructions to the dot. When he realized that the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle was out of control, he pulled the lever under the ejection seat. All of these happened a few seconds before the whole thing crashed and blew up.¡±


    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t he ejected then?¡± Jia Lai asked.


    Livingston looked around the room. ¡°Good question. I believe some of you here can answer that for me.¡± ¡°Oh, this is my favorite part!¡± the listless young man clapped.


    ¡°I remembered you saying that one day, he might just kill himself by accident,¡± the student suddenly blurted.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°How did you know that this would happen?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m smarter?¡± shrugged the listless young man. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly believe that. With my scores, I can board Apollo 11 without killing anyone. Out of all the people in the room, save for that cool guy over there, I¡¯m probably the last person you should suspect.¡± ¡°Seems to be that way,¡± Jia Lai muttered. ¡°Excuse me?¡± the listless young man turned around, as his gaze hardened.


    Jia Lai instantly shrunk back, looking away almost instantly. He seemed to have an instinct of a scared animal.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s saying that since the results are not out yet, there are still many uncertainties.¡± Livingston wiped his glasses. ¡°For all we know, you could be lying.¡±

 Chapter 293 - Psychological Evaluation

    ¡°I¡¯m bluffing?¡± The listless young man chuckled in amusement as he reached into his pocket for a pack of Camels. He lit up a stick, then looked squarely at Livingston. ¡°Speaking of which, among us, he is obviously the master of deception. He was so concerned, he gathered everyone together. If I¡¯m not mistaken, your grades are closest to that idiot, Anthony. Then, there¡¯s also that schoolkid over there. The three of you compete against each other for the final spot. Now is the best time to strike, get rid of one, and exponentially increase your chances of entering the top three. No matter how you look at it, that seems to be the case.¡±


    ¡°No, I will definitely be in the top three,¡± The school student argued, but he somehow did not sound too confident.


    ¡°Heh, is that another one of those battle royale theories?¡± the listless young man snorted. ¡°Forget it. Having good aerospace knowledge doesn¡¯t necessarily give you the upper hand in this game. Just look at our lone wolf over there. I¡¯ve already gotten my private pilot¡¯s license in Australia three years ago.¡± The listless young man looked at the middle-aged man standing in the center of the room. ¡°As a research engineer, your theoretical knowledge is inferior to his for sure. In fact, even the dead guy is way ahead of you in physical training. In my humble opinion, you have almost zero advantage in this competition. With Anthony dead, the first to benefit is our friend with glasses, and the second is¡­ you.¡±


    The listless young man blew out a smoke ring, then continued, ¡°And to be honest, I don¡¯t get what¡¯s the point of this little meeting. Each of us here wants the other dead. Isn¡¯t it all common sense?¡±


    Livingston answered calmly, ¡°But the problem is, today, the killer killed Anthony, and tomorrow, he may use the same method to kill the rest of us. You don¡¯t want to be in the Johnsville Centrifuge knowing that it wouldn¡¯t stop spinning. Instead, it just goes faster and faster until your prostate and tonsils are pulled out of your body.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I have something to say,¡± the high school student suddenly spoke up again.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    The high school student pointed to the listless young man. ¡°Last night, I saw him leave his room and sneak out of the space center.¡±


    ¡°Last night?¡± Livingston raised an eyebrow. ¡°By the time we finished our third class, it was already two in the morning.¡± He turned to the listless guy and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use the opportunity for some shut-eye? Why did you go out?¡±


    The listless young man shrugged. ¡°That was my own prerogative. It¡¯s got nothing to do with any of you.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t answer that because you must have rigged the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle. Our schedule for this week had been bumped up, and the last time the captain roll called, he changed the order of the names. Now that I think about it, your name was called last this time.¡±


    Livingston pushed his glasses up his nose. ¡°It¡¯s already a hazardous machine on its own. If the ejection seat fails, it means losing the only of escape in an event of an emergency. Whoever who flew on the machine could have easily died. But this was no targeted murder. You didn¡¯t target Anthony. You just used the vehicle as a means to get rid of one unlucky bastard.¡±


    ¡°That brings us back to the first question ¨C why would I want to do it? I¡¯m not worried about the scores. So why would I need to get rid of a player?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps, you simply wanted to eliminate a threat before anyone else did it. Or maybe you wanted to create chaos. After all, as you said, we weren¡¯t too suspicious of you when we first met. But¡­¡± Livingston turned to look at Yin Xiong and Jia Lai. ¡°¡­a random murder like this would benefit you more. You both come last. It doesn¡¯t matter who dies; you will benefit nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Wow. If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯d have to kill a lot more people,¡± Yin Xiong sneered. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m only one place below Anthony and I¡¯ve never passed a single flight test. How could I have known how to tamper with that machine? If Anthony managed to land the machine successfully, then wouldn¡¯t I be sabotaging myself?¡±


    To protect her ally, Jia Lai, who had avoided causing trouble all the while, she told Livingston, ¡°If I remember correctly¡­ you seem to have paid close attention to the weather in the past two days. The wind played a major part in today¡¯s crash.¡±


    ¡°Great, so other than our lone friend here, the rest of us are all suspects, huh?¡± the listless young man mocked.


    ¡°I think¡­ no one should be ruled out,¡± Jia Lai said. ¡°David has the highest scores among us. Even though he has no reason to kill anyone, he¡¯s also most likely to be the most skilled killer. We cannot rule out the possibility that someone might have bribed him with points or items to kill Anthony off.¡±


    Zhang Heng said nothing in response to the allegation. He had not spoken a word throughout the entire discussion, listening intently to what the other players were saying instead. He could sense that plump Jia Lai seemed to be more aggressive than usual tonight. Concerning what Yin Xiong told him earlier, Anderson behaved really suspiciously too. The listless guy obviously felt a little uneasy after the high school student ratted about him sneaking out of the space center, but he quickly covered it up by acting indifferent.


    Not to be discounted, the schoolkid himself was also questionable. He and now deceased Anthony were direct competitors. In fact, Zhang Heng also noticed another small detail ¨C when the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle crashed, he was the only one who looked unsurprised. As for Yin Xiong, Zhang Heng had always kept her at arm¡¯s length. She was definitely not as weak and vulnerable as she appeared to be, which was also why he did not let her into his room even though she looked awful just now.


    Lastly, there was the middle-age Livingston. He had had working hard to play the role of team leader, meticulously analyzing the cause of Anthony¡¯s death, and subsequently pointing his accusations at the listless young man.


    With emotions peaking, fingers pointing and heads rolling, the meeting this time bore no fruit. No one knew the exact cause of the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle malfunctioning, and NASA¡¯s experts were expected to arrive soon to conduct a psychological evaluation on all six of them, mainly to assess if witnessing the accident caused the trainees to experience negative emotions and whether these would affect the subsequent mission to the moon.


    Soon, the captain received the results of the evaluation, and to his surprise, the emotions of the six trainees did not fluctuate too much.

 Chapter 294 - Huge Shock

    At first, the captain was concerned that Anthony¡¯s death would throw the candidates into irrational fear and post-traumatic stress disorder. After the evaluation results were released, it seemed he might have just overthought the whole thing. Considering that time was of the essence, training resumed that afternoon itself. According to the original schedule, flight training was supposed to be slotted after the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle training. Nonetheless, this part was going to be different from all the other regimes that they were through so far. This time, the instructors would no longer be guiding them.


    After a month of intensive training, this would be the players¡¯ first solo flight. All the while, NASA had been paying a lot of attention to the Space Training Academy. Ordinary pilots and spacecraft commanders had many similarities, both required to continually monitor the aircraft, weather, fuel, flight path, and the all-important mission. With the enormous amount of information at hand, they would have to come up with different decisions in the shortest time possible.


    Once a problem arose, the players were required to diagnose and deal with it accurately. At the same time, Concurrently, they would keep radio contact with ground control at all times, making their workload immense. Great focus and diligence would be required of the candidates, which was why flight training was the most crucial part of the entire course. Most players dedicated all their time and effort to make sure that they would ace their flight training.


    Anthony had just died from an ¡®accident¡¯ not too long ago. Before the authorities hunted his killer down and NASA releasing the investigation results, one could only guess the reason behind his untimely death. The most important thing was that none of them knew how the mysterious killer killed him. Other than the young man accused of leaving his room last night, none of the players left their rooms. It was the same thing during lunch, where they all knew each others¡¯ whereabouts. Technically, the suspect couldn¡¯t have tampered with the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle without anyone noticing


    When Anthony¡¯s turn arrived, the other players were gathered around the captain. Since Zhang Heng knew that he would end up first place, he did not pay attention to the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle but observed the other players instead. He spotted nothing out of the ordinary at that time.


    A supernatural force, perhaps?


    Considering those who entered this quest were players themselves, there was a high chance that they carried powerful game items with them. For now, this was the most plausible explanation for Anthony¡¯s death. This meant several new possibilities in the case. Zhang Heng could understand why the knowledgeable middle-aged man wanted to look for the murderer as soon as possible. As long as the case remained unsolved, everyone would be carrying a Damocles¡¯ Sword on their heads. To complete their main quest, they would have no choice but to weed the killer out.


    The severe accident that had just occurred caused a nervous and ominous atmosphere to hang over Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Everyone tiptoed around with a cautious tone about them, checking all the equipment thrice, just to be sure. For the next stint, the technicians had just done the second round of ground checks for the aircraft, making very sure everything was airworthy. After that, Zhang Heng put on his custom made flight suit, helmet, and oxygen mask. He then hopped into the cockpit. For the other players, this might be their first time flying a jet trainer, but during the transitional quest, Zhang Heng had flown this particular type many times himself. When he took the T-38 out for a spin earlier, the instructor was impressed by his performance, unable to stop complimenting him when he landed.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s Level 1 flying skills may not match up to that of professional pilots, but they were sufficient for him to pass the current quest. This was especially true after he spent a long time horning his airmanship, where all he needed right now was more flying experience. The young man and school kid in front of him had completed their sorties. As for the rest, they no longer seemed to be worried about their safety as well. Zhang Heng was third to get on the plane. Once the seatbelts were fastened, he pulled the safety pin of his ejection seat; for good measure, of course. He then turned on the flight display and flipped a row of switches. Subsequently, the radar and gauges came to life, and he did a radio check. The pre-flight checks were done, and he was ready to start the engines.


    The moment he held the start button, the engine whirred to life, beginning from a low hum and increasing to an almost deafening high-pitched whine. The aircraft was now configured to fly, and after making sure that everything was in check, Zhang Heng signaled ground with his hand indicating that he was ready. Immediately, they ran to the plane, dismantling the ladder and removing the chocks. Once the ground power was disconnected, Zhang Heng released the brakes and gave it a little throttle. The T-38 rolled out of the hanger slowly, taxiing to the runway.It was still a windy afternoon, albeit a lot better than the morning¡¯s gusty weather. More importantly, the skies had cleared, and it was the perfect time to fly. At 13:45 sharp, Zhang Heng requested to take-off from the tower. The moment he was cleared, he pushed the throttle on his left to full, and the airplane screamed and shuddered as the engine spun up. Then, the aircraft started barreling down the runway, pushing Zhang Heng back into his seat with massive force. The moment he reached 220 knots, he pulled the stick back, and the T-38 lifted its nose off the ground. Zhang Heng took a quick look at his instruments, making sure that he was on a steady climb and that the aircraft headed in the designated direction. He was required to fly out to sea and find a corvette named Miller. Once he spotted it, he would turn around and return home. The mission wasn¡¯t all that complicated, really. All he needed to do was to ensure that he didn¡¯t miss the target. All too soon, everything worked as intended, and Zhang Heng could relax a little. He looked outside the glass canopy, enjoying the stunning view earth had to offer from above.


    He had to admit that this game changed him a lot. Half a year ago, he would never have thought that something insane like this would happen to him. Even second-generation rich kids could only imagine drifting like Takumi Fujiwara on a twisty mountain road. Now, Zhang Heng was speeding in a fighter jet over America¡¯s territorial waters.


    At 13.52, he contacted tower again, informing them of his altitude, speed, and heading, at the same time, checking the aircraft¡¯s fuel consumption. All gauges were within their designated parameters, and nothing was out of ordinary so far. The sunlight outside the window was dazzling, bathing the cockpit in bright light. In less than ten minutes, the aspiring astronaut managed to locate the corvette. At 13:59, Zhang Heng communicated with the tower for the third time. He told them that the mission was complete, and he was now turning home.


    Around four and a half minutes later, the jet aircraft suddenly jolted violently. There was, and a loud rattling and grinding, and through the glass canopy, he spotted the left engine in flames. Seconds later, a loud alarm started beeping on the instrument panel. At the same time, air traffic control could be heard over the radio. ¡°David, what is going on?¡±


    ¡°I think it might be a bird strike; hit a seagull or something.¡±


    Immediately, Zhang Heng killed the flaming engine. ¡°David, can you make it back to the base?!¡±


    ¡°Let me try,¡± grunted Zhang Heng while glancing at the altimeter.


    From the beginning, he managed to keep his calm through the frightening anomaly. All those long hours spent flying and training with Armstrong were precisely to prepare for situations like this. He still had one engine left, and if all went well, returning to base should be a textbook maneuver. Just when the jet began to stabilize itself, another loud explosion rocked Zhang Heng to the bone. It was the right engine this time, and now, except for the muffled sound of the wind, the cockpit was silent.

 Chapter 295 - Following Closely

    And that was Zhang Heng¡¯s last contact with the tower before all communications were lost. Base instantly sent out a rescue team to his last known location.


    This was the second major accident on the same day, and even the steady and calm captain started to feel nervous. Undeniably, the risks were astronomical when it came to astronaut training. The Apollo 1 incident was a tragedy that NASA would remember for the rest of their days. During a launch test, the command module of a test article caught fire suddenly with three unfortunate astronauts inside. The hyperbaric oxygen atmo caused the fire to spread a lot faster than expected, and tragically, all three astronauts were charred to oblivion when ground control eventually got to the rocket.


    This catastrophe caused the Apollo Program to be delayed for 20 months. After that, many other accidents continued to plague space exploration. This was, however, the first time they witnessed two people losing their lives while training on the same day. Once communications were dead, the tower had no way to know Zhang Heng¡¯s current situation. For a twin-engine aircraft, an experienced pilot would usually be able to coax the plane back home even if one engine suffered a critical failure. Alternatively, the pilot could land the aircraft as soon as he could. However, if both the engines failed, the aircraft would lose altitude quickly, seeing how the heavy trainer wasn¡¯t a very good glider.


    In such a situation, Zhang Heng¡¯s best chance of survival would be ejecting and parachuting to the ground safely. Ever since Anthony¡¯s ejection seat failure, the players did not have much faith in the aircraft anymore. Not too long ago, Livingston gathered everyone in a meeting, looking for Anthony¡¯s murderer. Logically, that should have pressured the killer into not acting again within such a short period. Nobody expected the murderer to go as far as to kill Zhang Heng within a few hours of Anthony¡¯s death.


    It appeared that this time, the assassin targeted someone they expected least. Until now, Zhang Heng¡¯s scores always came in first for astronaut training. Killing him would indeed empty one of the seats on Apollo 11. However, the other players also believed that the killer wouldn¡¯t benefit much even if Zhang Heng was eliminated. Other than the fact that he looked like a guy who shouldn¡¯t be messed with, killing the person in first and third place made no difference. Seeing that space was the ultimate goal here, everybody hoped that their crewmates were reliable. It wasn¡¯t a solo mission, anyway, and the three had each others¡¯ lives in their hands. Logically, the killer should have targeted the second and third place instead of the best man for the job.


    There was only one person who could have had the motive to kill Zhang Heng.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are all of you staring at me like I¡¯m the killer?¡± the listless young man asked while snorting.


    ¡°You said that you had no reason to kill Anthony because he wasn¡¯t a worthy opponent for you. This time, you must have found your reason,¡± said Yin Xiong. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You realize that you are now in grave danger. Most players hope for your elimination. Now that David is gone, chances are you¡¯ll get first place in astronaut training.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    The listless young man rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    ¡°You and David are the only two pilots with a solid foundation on flying. With us losing David, we¡¯ll have no choice but to choose you as our pilot.¡±


    ¡°I like how you think. If I had a choice, I¡¯d like you to be my moon-landing partner.¡±


    ¡°Dream on.¡±


    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t be so rude to my future commander. If you are unhappy with me, I would like to invite you to my room for an ¡®in-depth¡¯ discussion,¡± the listless young man sneered with an emphasis on the words, ¡®in-depth.¡¯


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve got what you wanted, can you tell us how you did it? You knew the sequence of the people who would get on the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle, which prompted you to mess with the machine a night before it happened. We just need to know how you messed with the plane. How did you cause a twin-engine failure? David is a better flyer than you. How had he not found something wrong with the engines before takeoff? Besides, wasn¡¯t Mark between you and David earlier? What kind of game items do you possess?¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t tell you? Are you going to bite me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that we need someone to fly the ship. However, we shall cross that bridge only when we get on Apollo 11. Before that, we shouldn¡¯t place our lives at the mercy of someone¡¯s whim. Besides, I¡¯m pretty sure that you don¡¯t have it as well.¡±


    Livingston cleaned his glasses before continuing


    ¡°To protect ourselves, you must show us your game items and tell us the way to activate and deactivate them. Otherwise, we¡¯ll have to take it from you by force. By that time, we might take other things as well.¡±¡°Hehe¡­ uncle, you sound a lot tougher than you look. Unfortunately, you asked the wrong guy. I wish I could tell you how I made them crash. I wish I could tell you how I killed that idiot, Anthony. The truth is¡­ this is my last time repeating myself¡­ this is so stupid. Listen, I didn¡¯t kill them. I don¡¯t care how you look at me. I didn¡¯t do it. At the same time, I can¡¯t say that I hate the fact that they both got killed. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re wasting our time. He¡¯s full of lies. We should restrain and search him, ¡± the schoolkid suggested.


    ¡°I agree,¡± seconded Yin Xiong. ¡°I will kill whoever that lays their hands on me. I will make sure of it. I ain¡¯t kidding.¡±


    The listless young man¡¯s face had darkened to a somber facade, and the other players could see the furious rage burning in his eyes.


    ¡°Why? If you didn¡¯t do it, why can¡¯t we search you? Just like what you said, you are the most qualified pilot among us after David. If you can prove that you had nothing to do with their deaths, you can just sit aside and watch the show. Don¡¯t you want to complete the main quest yourself?¡±


    ¡°I will not display my trump cards. Not before the game ends.¡±


    Everything then came to a halt. They thought twice about roughing someone up. Livingston had some concerns as well, considering this was an air-force base after all. Even though they outnumbered the listless young man, it was still hard for them to exert such force in such a high-security area. Suddenly, Jia Lai who had been quiet all the while spoke up as he pointed at the beach.


    ¡°Ah¡­ is there something wrong with my eyes, or is that David on the speedboat?¡±

 Chapter 296 - Miracle

    The rescue team was shocked to find Zhang Heng on a cruise ship. He was bathing in the sun with a man in trunks who seemed a lothario, the few women in bikinis standing close to him a testament to his influence. It appeared the man was the captain of the ship. At that moment, he stared at Zhang Heng as if he was looking at a god.


    Twenty minutes ago, Zhang Heng found both of his engines failing on him. An airplane without its engines was like a bird without wings, and the aircraft started falling out of the sky the moment they flamed out. The numbers on the altimeter were dropping quickly, and he knew there wasn¡¯t much time left. Running out of options in a crippled airplane, Zhang Heng pulled the eject handle.


    And just as expected, nothing happened. During a critical time like this, the life-saving ejection seat suddenly stopped working just like that. This was precisely what happened to Anthony in the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle earlier. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t expect to be the mysterious murderer¡¯s second target. He would have to save the gripes for later. This wasn¡¯t the time to think about these, a time where life was quickly slipping away from his hands.


    Many people assumed that crashing at sea was better than land, thinking that a water landing was safer than the hard ground. The truth was, the impact from the speeding plane on the water surface was no different from ramming head-on into a concrete wall. When that happened, even the most experienced pilots would not survive the crash. If the engines couldn¡¯t be restarted, there wasn¡¯t much the stricken pilots could do to save themselves. Thankfully, Zhang Heng possessed a game item that might just save his life: Betty¡¯s Shell.


    se


    Until today, Zhang Heng had never thought that he could use this game item so unconventionally. In this life-threatening situation, there was nothing else he could rely on except for Betty¡¯s Shell, used to escape his enemies and speed up his ship. Throughout that period, he also realized he could control the storm better. That said, whatever he was about to do to save himself was insane. Not only would he need to invoke a gigantic storm, but he would also need to control it in the most precise way possible.


    When the left engine stopped working, Zhang Heng realized that things weren¡¯t as simple as he thought. While attempting to fly with only one engine, he began to prepare a backup plan. Then, when the right engine failed, a massive storm cloud had already appeared in the sky. It expanded so quickly that he could literally see it changing by the second. The temperature variance increased amid the newly formed clouds, and water vapor molecules rose rapidly. The convection became more and more intense, and in the end, the evaporated vapor hyper-cooled and started to shrink. At the same time, gas molecules under the cloud kept on filling up the empty space. All these things combined were the perfect recipe for a tornado.


    In that split second, the aircraft was violently sucked into the vortex. Zhang Heng felt like he was back into the Johnsville Human Centrifuge, where everything around him began spinning into a blur. Never had he thought the training simulations would be put to use even before he launched to space. Pressure within the tornado was extremely low, and the air was thin, and despite the conditions, the oxygen mask allowed him to breathe normally. With the tornado spinning faster and faster, the suction near the center got more energetic as well. This greatly helped in reducing the descent rate of the malfunctioning plane.


    Zhang Heng paid close attention to the altimeter, calibrating the size of the tornado based on the altitude and descent rate of the airplane. His goal was to do a smooth and soft water landing. However, it was no easy feat to achieve. Any small mistake made, and he might be thrown out of the vortex or sucked higher up. Thankfully, none of that happened, and eventually, he managed to guide the plane out of the tornado. The airplane glided on the water for some distance before coming to a complete stop.


    Once the ordeal was over, Zhang Heng received an achievement.


    (The man who entered a tornado.]This achievement earned him 15 game points. When he exited the plane, he received another achievement.


    (Successfully maneuvering an aircraft on water.]


    Considering how difficult the feat was, the system rewarded Zhang Heng a generous 25 points, although not the highest he had received in one go. He would, however, never attempt such a thing again, even if the system threw him 100 points. 500 meters from where he landed, a cruise ship witnessed Zhang Heng emerging from the twister and landing on the water.


    It was the first time the captain witnessed something so unbelievable, a person surviving two catastrophic events at the same time. This explained why he saw Zhang Heng as a god later on. Those things were undoubtedly miraculous, powerful enough to change someone¡¯s belief. Zhang Heng thanked the captain after receiving a towel and a set of clean clothes. With the assistance of the two bikini-clad ladies, he managed to get out of the hefty flight suit. Feeling literally 20 pounds lighter, he got into his new clothes, slightly oversized since they belonged to the captain. The nice thing was that they were clothes meant for a holiday, and after the ordeal, he actually felt comfortable and snug.


    Bathing in the warm sunlight, Zhang Heng could finally relax again. While waiting for the arrival of the rescue team, he and the captain managed to talk a little. Although his mind was still on the events that had happened earlier, he had to admit that the ¡®accident¡¯ was something completely unexpected. Judging from the killer¡¯s decision to murder Anthony, it seemed the killer wished to eliminate the ones closest to his grade or ranked lower than him. By doing that, he would be able to push up his ranking. If that were to be the case, it meant the murderer¡¯s next target should be Livingston or the schoolkid. The listless young man might be a target as well. If the killer made Zhang Heng the target, no one would benefit from it except the young man. And it also didn¡¯t explain Anthony¡¯s death. Although unpleasant to hear, the listless young mas was not lying. The truth was that he did not have a motive to kill Anthony.


    All too soon, Zhang Heng realized that he had just complicated the whole thing. No matter who the killer was or for what reason, all that was needed was killing the listless young man, and its safety would be guaranteed.


    Both of them were the only experienced pilots of the entire team. Putting the safety and lives of the crew in mind, no matter who the three Apollo 11 astronauts were, they would definitely want Zhang Heng or the listless young man on board. Zhang Heng had no intention to wait for the killer to pick his target, though.


    This time, he wanted to strike first to guarantee his safety.

 Chapter 297 - Note

    Although a fighter jet worth millions had crashed at sea and sank to its bottom, NASA was relieved to see Zhang Heng returning in one piece.


    Two deadly incidents had occurred on the same day, and if another accident were to take place, it would certainly catch the unwanted attention of the public even if had nothing to do with the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle. In fact, ever since Congress approved the Apollo Program, public opposition had been gaining traction by the day.


    Taxpayers started to question the sensibility of the astronomical expense required to fund the program, or whether the so-called ¡®space race¡¯ and moon-landing were simply political dick-measuring among the superpowers. Political significance seemed to far outweigh the project¡¯s practical relevance, where all that money could have been used to improve the livelihood of the common man. Such funds could have been easily used to increase unemployment benefits, decrease interest rates, and even help colored communities in a time where they faced great oppression.


    Then, there was the press. Media would have had a field day, unceasingly pursuing NASA and the players if they caught wind of the accidents. Fortunately, unlike Anthony, Zhang Heng miraculously survived.


    The moment he reached the shore, he did not meet with the other players but was instead, sent directly to the infirmary. Although Zhang Heng appeared to be unscathed on the surface, the medical team still ran full physical tests on him just to be on the safe side. When they confirmed he was in good health, they brought him to a conference room where an inquiry had been set up to investigate the cause of the accident. It was more like a discussion session, where a team of investigators listened as he related his experience. This included reigniting the engine, measures the pilot had taken, and the condition of the fighter at the point of failure. They even questioned him about how he escaped.


    Because he was found on a cruise ship, Zhang Heng made no attempts to hide the truth and told the investigators everything, including the part where his jet was sucked into the tornado. He did, however, leave out the part about using Betty¡¯s Shell to control it. Trying to be as transparent as possible, he told of how the tornado spat him out, subsequently granting him a safe landing on the water.


    The whole story sounded more like a ridiculous myth to the investigators¡¯ ears, and although Zhang Heng¡¯s narrative couldn¡¯t be completely ruled out theoretically, their professional experience told them that the chances of such a remarkable thing happening were just too small. Equally small was the probability of both engines failing in midair at the same time, and the part about the jet being caught inside a tornado was even more far-fetched. Before the investigators called upon him, they had done their homework ¨C at that time, the waterspout was just off the coast and many around the area had seen it. Moreover, the stories of eye-witnesses on the cruise ship matched Zhang Heng¡¯s statements precisely.


    So, as incredulous and impossible as it sounded, the investigators had to accept the only explanation they had at the end of the day.


    Moreover, they also paid particular attention to the faulty ejection device. The fatal incident that morning that cost Anthony his life was directly related to the ejection seat failing to launch on the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle. Less than a few hours after the first incident, the ejection seat on the T-38 malfunctioned as well. Naturally, a suspicious connection hung between the two.


    NASA had already sent divers to recover the jet-trainer, intending to conduct a detailed investigation when it was brought back ashore. On top of that, they even looked into the possibility that Zhang Heng might have intentionally damaged the plane himself.


    was 0


    S


    By the time the interrogation was over, it was already dark. Zhang Heng was informed that until the final report was out, he was grounded and wouldn¡¯t be allowed to fly. He didn¡¯t object the decision, knowing that it was somehow a blessing in disguise. Staying on the ground would ensure his safety, and before the culprit was caught, he did not wish to endure the same ordeal again.


    After a hearty dinner, Zhang Heng returned to aerodynamics class.


    He only just sat down when he received a note. On it was a simple sentence ¨C You suspect Bruno too, right? Meet me in the corridor tonight at three.


    Bruno was the alias of that listless young man. Yin Xiong passed Zhang Heng the note, but Livingston had actually written it. As Zhang Heng received it, Livingston nodded at him covertly. Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t surprised. Two consecutive ¡®accidents¡¯ had taken place on the same day ¨C one successful and the other a failure. The other players would surely worry about their lives, desperate to find out who was behind all this.


    For the moment, it appeared that everyone had reached a consensus that Bruno was the most likely suspect, and that they weren¡¯t about to let him decide their fate. So they decided to take action.


    That basically meant that Bruno would be prematurely kicked out of the game. Even if he wasn¡¯t the culprit, the players wouldn¡¯t want a potential threat staying on either, not especially after that argument. Never mind the fact that many were vying for his spot in the first place. Since Zhang Heng managed to survive, they did not really need Bruno around.


    The four players joined forces and planned to ambush Bruno. That meant he had almost no chance at winning. Livingston had also invited Zhang Heng to join the cause. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because he valued Zhang Heng¡¯s strengths but to keep him from ratting to NASA about the ambush.It was, undoubtedly, a very wise decision.


    With two serious accidents happening in one day, and from the manner of questions being asked, it seemed that the investigators too, suspected the accidents could have been premeditated.


    They couldn¡¯t risk such things happening again, not even if it looked like a genuine accident. Lives and reputation were at stake here, and with the recent public backlash, it couldn¡¯t have come at a worse time. Only through complicity could the secret be kept under wraps.


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t take too long to decide, agreeing to go along with Livingston¡¯s suggestion.


    Regardless of whether Bruno was the murderer or not, getting rid of him would definitely benefit Zhang Heng. Even if the other four players restrained themselves, he would still have to find a way to kick Bruno out to protect himself. Since they were all on the same side, Zhang Heng had no reason to disagree, something that Livingston had previously expected. In the subsequent physical training session, Livingston got up close to Zhang Heng quietly, explaining briefly about the plans tonight. To avoid alarming Bruno, the pair quickly separated after the message got across. Livingston even made it a point to gather everyone, informing them that the discussion would continue tomorrow at noon.


    Bruno, on the other hand, seemed displeased with the suggestion. Even so, he approached Zhang Heng after training ended. He tried to explain that he had nothing to do with the jet trainer¡¯s accident and, at the same time, wished to be an ally of his. Bruno clearly knew that he had fallen out with the other players and sorely needed support.


    According to him, he and Zhang Heng were the ones with the highest scores, and working together would exponentially increase the success rate of qualifying for the moon-landing mission.


    Zhang Heng only said that he¡¯d consider it. When the hour hand on the clock struck three, he opened the door as promised.

 Chapter 298 - Elimination

    Zhen Xiong (changed from Yin Xiong), Jia Lai, Livingstone, and the schoolkid were all waiting in the hallway, remaining as silent as possible and even making sure the doors were closed gently. Once Livingston saw that everyone was present, he produced a lighter from his pocket. He lit it up and placed it near the copper lock on Bruno¡¯s door. A few seconds later, something magical happened before their eyes. The lock which was supposed to be made out of solid copper melted in the lighter¡¯s flames!


    It was typically impossible to melt copper in such a matter of seconds, what more with a mere lighter. That left only one explanation for this magic trick. The lighter had to be a game item. However, Livingston seemed to have no intention of explaining how it worked. The moment the lock melted down, he quickly kept away the lighter. The schoolkid opened the door next and entered the room with the others. Once everyone was in the room, Zhen Xiong swiftly shut the door. At the same time, she stuffed a towel she was holding into the keyhole to prevent any sound from escaping out.


    Soon, they realized that all that stealthiness was pointless. Although they made little noise while melting the lock, light sleepers would still be awoken by the shuffling of footsteps, especially with that many entering the room at the same time. To their amusement, Bruno was still fast asleep despite the less-than-graceful entrance. Livingstone hurried to his bedside and tapped his face a few times. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t respond. All he did was grunt, turn himself around, and continued sleeping. After that, Livingston turned on the lamp beside the bed, picked up a bottle from the ground, and examined it under the light.


    ¡°What are these? Sleeping pills?¡± asked the schoolkid curiously.


    Livingstone didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he pulled a pill from the bottle, opened the capsule, and poured its contents out on his palm. However, after attempting to smell it, he still failed to determine what the substance was.


    ¡°Can I take a look?¡± asked Zhen Xiong while extending her hand.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Livingston handed the bottle to her. Shen then examined it carefully, sniffing it, then dipping her thumb into the powder to taste it. ¡°It tastes like LSD.¡±


    ¡°LSD is a hallucinogenic substance. Its scientific name is lysergic acid diethylamide. Once consumed, the user would experience powerful hallucinations. It¡¯s really difficult to describe the effects. Some say you can hear strange sounds and see kaleidoscopic colors moving around you. Your perception of your surroundings distorts and deforms; all these happening in your mind, of course. I was once tricked into tripping on LSD when I was at a club. According to what I know, it should be highly addictive.¡±


    ¡°Huh? So, what are you trying to say?¡± asked a confused Jia Lai.


    ¡°He¡¯s saying this stuff right here is a drug,¡± said Livingston.


    At the same time, the schoolkid took the initiative to tie Bruno up. It was at that time, they realized that Bruno was actually not asleep. His eyes were actually open all the time, albeit so small that no one realized it. At the same time, there was a smile on his face, as if he was completely oblivious to his surroundings.


    ¡°This man is an addict. No wonder he always looks so weak,¡± Jia Lai scoffed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put that aside first. We need to focus on something more important. Search and see if he¡¯s carrying any game items with him,¡± instructed Livingston.


    To prevent anybody from secretly taking possession of the items, they agreed to pair up and keep an eye on each other. 15 minutes later, they were done with searching Bruno and his room. They even went as far as to look in the water tank of his toilet. In the end, they found two game items in his room. One looked like a fork, and the other one looked like the fang of an animal that probably belonged to a big cat. As of now, these two were considered as unidentified items. They would have to wait until Bruno regained consciousness before they could question him.


    Unfortunately, the effect of the LSD lasted quite a long time. Bruno came around at five, quickly realizing that he wasn¡¯t in the best state. Rage overwhelmed him right away, and he swore that he would kill Livingston. However, when Livingston placed the bottle in front of him, Bruno swiftly calmed himself down.


    ¡°You refused to let us search you because of this thing, right? You knew all too well that NASA would never allow an addict to travel to space, huh?¡±


    ¡°I have told you time and again that I¡¯m not the darn killer. You are looking at an innocent person. Oh, wait¡­¡±


    Bruno then stared at Livingston.


    ¡°Maybe, you are actually the one behind all this! You are trying to divert everyone¡¯s attention to me. By doing that, you¡¯ll get away with whatever you¡¯ve done!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little too late to divide us? We will have to solve this problem first, no matter what. I will now ask you some questions and I hope you can answer me truthfully.¡±


    ¡°So what if I answer you truthfully? Does that mean you won¡¯t tell NASA that I have been on LSD?¡±


    Bruno stared and shook his head in disbelief at the other four players before going on.


    ¡°Sooner or later, you will regret what you have done to me! Hasn¡¯t it occurred to you that it doesn¡¯t matter who the killer really is? The real killer is using this opportunity to eliminate players that threaten him the most. It seems I¡¯m the first one.¡±


    After that, Bruno turned his gaze to the school kid and warned him gravely.¡°You. You will be second.¡±


    His statement managed to make the student rethink the whole thing. A hesitant look now appeared on his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t allow his words to sway your emotions and thoughts. If you want to get to a higher rank, you have to get past him first. With him out of the game, it¡¯s nothing but good news for you. That¡¯s something that will never change, I¡¯m afraid. Right now, we need to focus on finding the real killer. Anything else on your mind; we can discuss that later. Agree?¡±


    Nobody disagreed with Livingston¡¯s decision.


    Seeing how he had everyone¡¯s support, Livingston pulled a chair and placed it in front of Bruno.


    ¡°I know that you must hate me a lot right now. I have to admit, I was the one who planned the whole thing tonight. However, it¡¯s only because you are the most suspicious among us. But¡­ I must also admit that your deduction made perfect sense. If I were to be the murderer, I would kill the player that threatened me the most. I¡¯m fair, and so I¡¯ll give you a chance to prove you¡¯re not the killer. By doing that, your point will automatically be validated. Even though you will still be kicked from the game, you won¡¯t be the most suspicious person anymore after you leave. Isn¡¯t that what you wanted to see?¡±


    ¡°Heh. Save it. I¡¯m no three-year-old kid. I know exactly what you want. Rest assured, I¡¯ll make sure not to give you what you want. You¡¯ll never know who the real killer is. Therefore, you better pray you¡¯re not the next target.¡±


    Bruno was strangely calm at a time when his resolve was put on trial before his teammates. He knew that once the other players found out that he had been consuming contraband, it was the end of him. He also made it clear that he was not about to work with Livingston¡¯s investigation.

 Chapter 299 - Result Is Released

    Without cooperation from Bruno, it was hard for them to continue with the investigation. According to the plan, Livingston was supposed to threaten Bruno by killing him to force him to cooperate with them. Now that the LSD incident was exposed, Bruno knew that he would not be able to complete the main quest. It was no different for him to live for a few days less or a few days more. That was why he had no intention to cooperate with the investigation. At a time like this, even violence would be ineffective against him. Besides, it was now unnecessary to kill him and make it look like an accident since they caught him red-handed consuming LSD. However, if they handed him to NASA right now, they would no longer be able to question him.


    After an entire night of messing around, Livingston still did not get the answer he wanted. In frustration, he stood up from the chair, went to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and started splashing water on his face.


    ¡°What now? Does that mean we have found the killer?¡± asked Jai Lai.


    Jia Lai was waiting for Livingston to come out from the bathroom. Both his legs were getting tired after standing for so long.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Livingston replied while using a towel to dry his face.


    ¡°Uh¡­ What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Just like what you see. He could be our killer or not. We can never get him to confess. It will be a waste of our time if we carry on with the investigation.¡±


    Livingston was exhausted after staying up for the entire night.


    ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s it?¡± asked Jia Lai with both of his eyes wide open.


    ¡°Unless you have a better idea, that is.¡±


    Livingston took a look at his watch.


    ¡°We only have half an hour before morning training. We need to figure out a way to put an end to this.¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ What should we do now?¡±


    ¡°Clean up the room and hand him over to NASA. There should be some traces of LSD traces left in his blood. It¡¯s enough to eliminate him from this round of the game.¡±


    ¡°What should we do with his two game items?¡± asked the schoolkid.


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know their function, and we will not be able to identify them before this round ends. In other words, we can¡¯t use them. So, let¡¯s look for somebody to hold the items for us. We can discuss talk about the allocation right before the game ends.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s gonna take care of them? You?¡± asked Zhen Xiong


    ¡°Do you guys have any better suggestions?¡±


    ¡°The least suspicious person among us is David. I think he would be the best candidate to keep them for us.¡±


    Initially, the schoolkid wanted to volunteer as the keeper, but when he heard Zhen Xiong suggesting Zhang Heng, he had to admit that it was still the best option for them right now. It was also the only solution that everyone could accept.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any opinions.¡±Livingston then handed the two items to Zhang Heng. ¡°Be careful. These two are still unidentified. There could be side effects. You shouldn¡¯t carry them on you all the time,¡± reminded Livingston.


    Zhang Heng nodded and used a towel to wrap the two game items carefully. All of them then waited until 6 a.m. for the captain to show up. They then handed him Bruno with his bottle of LSD. At that time, the captain was numb when he heard that a NASA astronaut was involved in drugs. For the past 24 hours, two fatal accidents had happened, and now, he was presented with a drug scandal. Such mishaps and misgivings were unprecedented throughout NASA¡¯s entire history, and only half a month was left before they needed to launch Apollo 11.


    It was too late to stop the project. The government had invested 20 billion dollars accounting for 0.57% of the American GDP at that time. 20,000 organizations, 200 universities, 80 research facilities, and 300,000 people were involved in this project as well. Anything short of a meteor crashing down on the United States, nothing would stop the project from soldering on, considering the fierce competition with the Soviet Union. So, despite the challenges, the morning¡¯s training carried on as usual. During the break, the captain announced the results.


    Without a doubt, Zhang Heng ranked first place. The worst he received was a B-. Other than that, he received A¡¯s for another three subjects. As for this Multi-Axis Trainer and Psychological Evaluation, he received A+ for both as well. NASA commended Zhang Heng, adding that he was born to be an astronaut. He was equipped with an extraordinary mental state and relentless spirit. In terms of physical attributes, there was still space for growth. All he needed was time. For now, he was definitely getting on Apollo 11. Jia Lai¡¯s results contrasted drastically in comparison to Zhang Heng¡¯s. He got the last place for all training completed so far. The comment that the evaluation team gave him was pretty straightforward. Whether it was his physical or mental state, he was not ready for space. If he did not want a horrible accident broadcasted across the screens of the entire world, it was best for him not to take on any space jobs.


    The others¡¯ rankings were very much expected by everyone. Bruno was placed second, and the schoolkid came after him. Following those two was Zhen Xiong. Her mental state was excellent, but unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t in a good physical state. Her gender was undesirable, as well.


    Now that the results were released, competition between the players became even more apparent now. The team of seven was now reduced to five. In other words, chances for them to fly on Apollo 11 had significantly increased. Among them, the schoolkid was the happiest. Supposedly, his result was ranked behind Anthony and Bruno. Since the two of them were now out of the game, he had managed to enter the top three places. If he can live until the takeoff of Apollo 11, he would be able to complete the main quest.


    There were only ten days left until the official launch. The schoolkid realized that he had to keep an eye on Jia Lai and Zhen Xiong since the two of them had partnered up. Under this one-versus-two situation, he wasn¡¯t confident that he would win the fight. So, he decided that he wanted to partner up with someone as well. He could forget about Zhang Heng because no one would target him. Other than the fact that he scored well in all the subjects, he could help to increase the success rate of landing on the moon. Besides, he managed to survive the assassination and return to the base unharmed. No one knew how he did it.


    Under such circumstances, he would not attack anyone as long as no one messed with him. That would mean the schoolkid was left with one final option. Whatever that Bruno said earlier had affected him a lot. He suspected that Livingston was actually the real killer, but after analyzing his current situation, he realized that Jia Lai and Zhen Xiong needed two slots but not one. That would mean they would target him and Livingston. As he stood on the same spot, the schoolkid felt that it wouldn¡¯t be too bad a thing if Livingston was indeed the killer.

 Chapter 300 - Only The Living Have The Right To Worry About Tomorrow

    After the results were released, the players started to grow more cautious of each other. It resulted in an awkward happening during lunch hour. The remaining players were so worried that their food was poisoned that none dared take the first bite. At the same time, the players were clearly divided. Zhang Heng was still alone, whereas Livingston and the high-school kid decided to partner up telling themselves that they would both pull through. Although not the best partnership, these two were definitely more robust than the Jia Lai-Zhen Xiong duo. Still, despite everything, nobody could figure out the identity of the real killer. Suspicions among the players were rife, and the matter had turned into a hugely destabilizing factor.


    Since there were now fewer people in a team, it meant everyone was a step closer to victory. At the same time, the players would also have to bear greater risks. The opportunists would surely strike first in a time like this.


    ¡­.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the rush?¡±


    The schoolkid hesitated a little after hearing Livingston¡¯s plan.


    ¡°I know that your mind is constantly bugged about whether I killed those two players or not. Since we are now partners, I can tell you confidently that it wasn¡¯t me. If you are not lying, then we better pray that Bruno is the killer. Otherwise, the culprit must be either of those two in our opponent¡¯s team.¡±


    ¡°The worst part is, we don¡¯t know how it was done. Judging by the two accidents, we know that their items must have an ability that could affect an aircraft. We will have zero-gravity training tomorrow morning, and we have to get on a plane for the parabolic flight. If you don¡¯t want any ¡®accidents¡¯ happening to us, I think we should deal with the threat as soon as possible. By the way, how many times have you joined a single-player game with competitive mode? Still have those wild imaginations in your head?¡±


    ¡°This is my second time. The first time, I was in a far more dangerous situation than what we are in. Many players were killed in an earthquake in my previous game. In the end, the survivors were even fewer than the minimum amount of players required to complete the game.¡±


    ¡°You are really lucky then. In my previous game, two of my real childhood buddies had to fight each other to grab the last spot. Since they used fake names and their looks had been modified, they didn¡¯t recognize each other until the final moment.¡±


    ¡°Did they work together to eliminate other players?¡±


    ¡°It was too late for that. There wasn¡¯t enough time to work out a plan. Besides, the others weren¡¯t that weak as well. Even if they worked together, they weren¡¯t confident enough that the plan could be executed successfully. When one of them hesitated, his friend struck and killed him, grabbing the last slot for himself.¡±


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    The schoolkid was shocked by the dramatic ending. To conceal his surprised face, he quickly moved on with the conversation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t sympathize with them, you know. I¡¯m just worried about NASA¡¯s employees. After all, one too many accidents happened on the same day. I¡¯m pretty sure the authorities are starting to suspect that it¡¯s all a deliberate act. Oh, and the public isn¡¯t painting NASA in the best light at the moment. The media has also been focusing a lot on NASA¡¯s accidents recently, doubting they can safely get our people on the moon. If we act on your plan right now, you think it might affect the Apollo Program¡­¡±


    ¡°Only the living have the right to worry about tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry about Apollo. In such times, NASA has no option but to carry on with the project. They will try their best to prove the world wrong, and all. What we need to do now is to eliminate the rest of them and get ourselves on Apollo 11.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I couldn¡¯t agree more. We¡¯ll go according to your plan during the fire drill,¡± the schoolkid nodded.


    After a month training and studying, the players were already familiar with Kennedy Space Center¡¯s surroundings. Hence, the schoolkid managed to make his way to one of the storerooms during his break. The small-ish room located on the seventh floor stored the base¡¯ daily rations, and security there wasn¡¯t too tight. Usually, a single administrative officer would watch over the place. It wasn¡¯t too difficult to sneak in without alerting anyone. After the accidents, NASA increased the security of the entire facility. Although the store wasn¡¯t of great importance, they placed a guard there anyway to ensure nothing untoward would happen again. However, that didn¡¯t stop the schoolkid from breaking in. He took out a small piece of glass, and after a few tries, he managed to turn the sunlight¡¯s reflection to the guard¡¯s face. He then placed it outside the wall and waited for him to pick it up. The startled guard immediately got up, approaching the curious shiny object with caution.


    It was at that time that something magical took place. Right after the guard picked up the glass, his mind went completely blank, and he plopped to the ground with a gaping mouth, stunned and oblivious. Relieved, the schoolkid emerged from the back of the wall, took a quick look at his surroundings, and hurried into the storeroom. After a while, he walked out hiding something under his shirt. Once he picked the glass from the ground, the guard returned to his normal state.


    ¡°Great. I have been looking for this thing. I¡¯m glad you found it. Thank you so much!¡± the schoolkid exclaimed, with an ear-to-ear smile beaming over his face. The guard was still in a daze, unable to remember what happened after he picked up the glass. As a NASA employee, he quickly recognized the schoolkid as one of the astronaut candidates. So, he nodded at him and returned to his post. After getting the items he wanted, the schoolkid quickly ran back to the training center. He arrived at the training center right before the fire drill started, ending up beside Livingston and gasping for air. Many people were looking at him.


    ¡°Are you trying to tell everyone you¡¯ve just done something behind their backs?¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say. Try running from the canteen to the storeroom to the training center in such a short time! I¡¯m nowhere on time. I think I did a good job, though. Managed to figure out how to make the captain team us up without raising our opponents¡¯ suspicion?


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to say anything. They are weaker than us. Logically, they should be the ones worried, not us.¡±


    Before Livingston could finish, Zhen Xiong pointed at Jia Lai and asked the captain a question.


    ¡°Kenhaus, can you put us in the same team?¡±


    ¡°Reason?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve teamed up with the others during our previous sessions. Anderson is the only person I haven¡¯t teamed up with. I would like to team up with different people so I can familiarize myself with the way others do things.¡±


    ¡°Very reasonable. Request granted.¡±


    Zhang Heng had no intention to get involved in their fight. Hence, he asked to team with the trainer. Thus, everyone now had their partner with them. Everyone also knew that this part of the training wasn¡¯t going to be as simple as they thought it would be.

 Chapter 301 - Fire

    Having a fire in space was one of the last things any astronaut would want to encounter.


    After the Apollo 1 accident, NASA took a number of drastic measures to improve fire safety. They reoptimized and refitted the spacecraft¡¯s interior by replacing all flammable materials with self-extinguishing ones, insulating the piping and wires, correcting wiring problems, and changing the atmospheric pressure in the cabin-the gas in the cabin was converted from pure oxygen to an oxygen-nitrogen mix. The combustible nylon spacesuit was also exchanged for a safer fiberglass model. To top it all off, NASA fortified the astronauts with intensive firefighting training.


    Fires in the spacecraft were very different from the ones on earth. Without gravity, the hot air generated by the burning flames wouldn¡¯t rise, but instead, wrap itself around the fire, forming a low oxygen, high-temperature layer.


    Because of the lack of oxygen, the flames would spread very slowly, forming a ball as it went along. The temperature of the fire would be lower than it would be back on earth.


    Generally, many alarms would start sounding the instant a fire was detected in the spacecraft. The astronaut would then need to put on an oxygen mask, determine the source of the fire as quickly as possible, and cut off any nearby power supply. Meanwhile, the other crew would put out the flames using a fire extinguisher. In a case where the fire was uncontrollable, they would isolate the burning compartment and retreat to another part of the ship. Then, they would have to turn off the air circulation fan.


    All that was followed by the infamous explosion on Apollo 13 on the second day after its launch. Fortunately, the seven astronauts on board remained extraordinarily calm and reacted expediently as they moved to the lunar module. Amid the tireless support from mission control, the moon landing plan was aborted. The crew orbited it instead, managing to ¡®slingshot¡¯ themselves back to earth safely. It was the greatest miracle in the history of human spaceflight.


    Of course, that was something to talk about in the future.


    NASA¡¯s firefighting simulations were carried out in the closed environment of a mock spacecraft, a simulator of sorts. Of course, no actual fires were lit. Instead, it was replaced by a red warning light. Participants in the training were required to follow a set of procedures, and in theory, the trainees shouldn¡¯t face any real danger.


    Based on the order on the list, it was Livingston¡¯s turn to take the lead. He glanced at the highschool student standing next to him, and both of them entered the spacecraft.


    There were two parts to the simulator, each corresponding to the service module and the lunar module, respectively. The two moved to the innermost cabin, ready to begin the first part of the training.


    When the alarm sounded, however, they did not retrieve the oxygen mask as required by the manual. Instead, the student quickly took off his clothes to reveal a row of bags tied to his body.


    The bags did not contain water, but a pale, yellow liquid ¨C gasoline he had stolen from the storeroom.


    He quickly tore them up and poured the fuel on the cotton bag that was used to simulate combustibles. ¡°Perhaps you can tell us now how we are supposed to hide the smell of this thing. Do we lock the door, then complete the remote detonation?¡±


    Livingston did not answer until the student finished emptying out the gasoline. Instead, he retreated quietly to the side of the door, took out a match, and said, ¡°I told you about my two childhood friends who were also players in my last single-player quest. To compete for the final spot, one had to kill the other. It was a tough choice¡­ very, very tough¡­¡± Livingston paused for a moment. ¡°What I didn¡¯t tell you is, I was the one who did it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Sensing something wasn¡¯t right, the student turned around and saw Livingston standing at the junction between the service module and the lunar module.


    Then, he threw the match he was holding to the ground. It landed on a gasoline-soaked cotton bag. With a mighty cackle, a raging fire quickly broke out. The high schooler reacted instinctively and ran for the door, but Livingston had already shut the entrance to the service module. The schoolkid was now trapped in a raging inferno.


    The fire alarms in the service module began blaring wildly, but in the backdrop of a growing fire, it sounded more like an insult. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the student frantically pushed the door as hard as he could. It budged slightly, but just as there was a glimmer of hope, Livingston drowned it out again. Through the gap, the student saw him taking out a lighter, aiming it at the lower half of the hatch.


    The lock on the hatch melted quickly when the flames of Livingston¡¯s lighter touched it. In a few seconds, he turned it off, and once the temperature cooled, the melted hatch and floor, creating a hardened seal.


    Confident that his victim was now welded in, Livingston stopped what he was doing. This time, there was no way the student could muscle the hatch open, no matter how hard he tried.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t tell you the truth. I don¡¯t know how to mask the smell of the gasoline, then complete the detonation remotely. I just don¡¯t have that kind of tech on me.¡±


    ¡°Have you gone insane?! How would killing me benefit you in any way? You plan to compete with those two?¡± yelled the student, beads of sweat dripping down his face. With the assistance of the bags of gasoline, the flames were growing fast, already licking his back and scalding his suit. The fear on his face intensified as his face scrunched in agony. He even cried and begged for Livingston to open the hatch up.


    The latter was, however, unmoved. ¡°Who says I¡¯m fighting two people?¡± Livingston cocked an eyebrow. ¡°I have allies, but too bad it ain¡¯t you. Oh, by the way, you can scream all you want, but these two simulation chambers are sealed tight. Those people outside won¡¯t hear a thing.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to explain my death to NASA? Are you only thinking about going to the moon, or are you doing this to help someone? You¡¯re not that kind of person, are you?¡± the high schooler cried, his eyes wet and nose dripping with snot.


    Livingston took a few steps away from the spreading flames. He could feel the heat from the other side of the hatch. ¡°You brought the gasoline into the simulator yourself. From the moment I got out of bed until now, I haven¡¯t been out of sight. You are the only one who disappeared for some time after lunch, so they¡¯d all think that you set off the fire on your own accord. As for a reason, I don¡¯t know. Perhaps the recent training was too intensive, stressed you out and all. Those accidents finally pushed you to your limit, and perhaps¡­ you just snapped? I simply proceeded to the lunar module for the second part of evacuation training as required. By the time I found out, it was too late; you¡¯d already shut the middle hatch.¡±


    ¡°Do you think NASA won¡¯t suspect you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. As long as there¡¯s no clear evidence, they¡¯ll still need us to the moon for them.¡± Livingston covered his mouth and nose with his hand to keep himself from inhaling the thick, noxious fumes. Looking at the watch on his wrist, he calculated how much time the schoolkid had left. The smoke in the lunar module was getting thicker, now too thick for him to stay any longer.


    Livingston cleared his throat, straightened his face, and ran to the exit as he put on a panicked expression.


    ¡°Help! Fire!!!¡±

 Chapter 302 - True Ally

    ¡°Is it necessary for the fire drills to be so damn realistic?¡± asked a confused Jia Lai.


    All too soon, they saw thick smoke from behind Livingston. Immediately, the captain¡¯s face changed, puzzled how a training routine could start a real fire. He rushed to the lunar module but discovered that the fire had already consumed the service module whole. Five seconds later, he exited the simulator and contacted fire and rescue. This was never supposed to happen, not to the point where a trainee burned in the cabin, at least. It took five minutes for the fire and rescue team to arrive at the training center.


    Livingston told everything he knew to the captain. Despite his legitimate sounding story, the captain still found it hard to trust him. However, it wasn¡¯t his job to investigate the case, and he would have to leave the matter for the investigation team to deal with. Whatever Livingston told him didn¡¯t make any sense. Why would the student set the service module on fire? Why the iron hatch to the module was unable to be opened during the critical moment? No matter how he looked at it, the captain couldn¡¯t see any foul play involved.


    Hence, he didn¡¯t pursue the matter further. Livingston underwent a similar procedure as Zhang Heng after he survived the plane crash. The medical team first gave him a thorough check-up. If his health checked out, they would send him off to the investigation team. As of now, the entire NASA was in a crazed frenzy after having to deal with all the ¡®accidents.¡¯ Never did they have to deal with such a predicament since the first day they established, and now, the entire program lay in limbo. Nervousness and panic lingered in the air. Those stubborn old politicians against the space program were nothing compared to whoever that caused these ¡®mishaps.¡¯


    On the other hand, Jia Lai was overjoyed seeing Livingston¡¯s fallout with the student. He was initially worried that they would hatch a brutal plan to eliminate him but he never expected them to turn against each other in the end. Their newly formed partnership was now dissolved. Hence, the rescue team quickly confirmed the death of a young man in his teens. Now, only four people were left in the race to get on Apollo 11. Livingston was currently under NASA investigation. They clearly suspected that he had something to do with the death of the schoolkid. Although Zhen Xiong¡¯s scores were ahead of him, NASA might just remove her from the project due to her gender.


    In other words, there was a high chance Livingston would get to complete the main quest. Meanwhile, Jia Lai did nothing to conceal the look of happiness on his face. Now that a teammate had just burned to death, he was supposed to be sad, or at least attempt a solemn face. However, the happy surprise flooded him with excitement, and he was unable to contain it. The smile on his face caught the captain¡¯s attention, who then glared in disdain.


    Zhang Heng knew that Jia Lai¡¯s behavior left a bad impression on the captain. Social skills were one of the hidden tests in the astronaut selection program, and after all, nobody wanted to squeeze into a cramped space with an unpopular figure. Considering Jia Lia¡¯s current situation and test results, he was apparently happy with the outcome. Compared to Jia Lai, Zhen Xiong managed to hold back her emotions well enough. Although pleased that her chances to board Apollo 11 had increased significantly, she showed none of her joy through her expressions. She even attempted to put on a sullen face when the student¡¯s body was wheeled out for an autopsy. As a bystander, Zhang Heng was shocked by the outcome. Judging by how the situation unfolded, it was clear that the student¡¯s killer was his ally, Livingston. Even he had to admit that Livingston just committed the perfect crime. It was, however, perilous to murder a fellow astronaut at a time like this. Livingston had an advantage, though. Zhang Heng knew the investigators would be unable to extract any substantial evidence from Livingston. He knew how calm and meticulous he always was, and after the death of the schoolkid, Livingston wasn¡¯t about to place himself in a tight spot where he had to deal with two opponents alone. These circumstances made Zhang Heng believe that someone must have been helping him all


    along.There was a high chance that Zhen Xiong was his secret ally. Zhang Heng observed that the two somehow didn¡¯t interact much with each other. During the fire drill, Livingston had never targeted Zhen Xiong and Jia Lai. He had always been aiming for the schoolkid. Apart from tricking him into breaking into the storeroom, he also needed to guarantee that they would both end up on the same team. Zhen Xiong had made it possible for him to pair up with his target. From the surface, it looked as if Zhen Xiong teamed with Jia Lai so they could be safe from Livingston and the schoolkid. Since Zhang Heng made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with their fight, her suggestion would automatically put Livingston and the schoolkid on the same team.


    In other words, Livingston¡¯s covert ally had to be Zhen Xiong and not Jia Lai. This explained why Livingston targeted the schoolkid. Between the two, he must have evaluated that Zhen Xiong was the harder one to deal with. Since he appeared to be able to see the bigger picture, he would definitely partner up with his greatest threat to ensure his interests were secure. Partnering up with Zhen Xiong to eliminate the two weaker players also seemed a less risky option.


    Jia Lai was destined to fail, somehow still dreaming that he would be chosen for Apollo 11. Following the schoolkid¡¯s death, his sad ending was soon set in stone, and eventually, the three players selected to fly the mission were Zhang Heng, Livingston, and Zhen Xiong.


    Zhang Heng felt that the outcome was an acceptable one. In terms of results, Livingston ranked third among the other players, besides being an engineer who worked for a research facility before. In some basic subjects, he was actually better than Zhang Heng. As for Zhen Xiong, she scored nothing remarkable for her physical and theory tests. Also, NASA was gender-biased toward males. That said, she performed considerably well in the space disorientation simulation. Her results should be good enough for her to qualify as an assistant on Apollo 11.


    However, one question still boggled Zhang Heng¡¯s mind. Who attacked him before Anthony¡¯s death? He had suspected Zhen Xiong and Livingston, but with their less than stellar flying skills and spacecraft simulator results, it was unwise to make him their first target. Zhang Heng felt he was missing something, something crucial.


    After the last class ended, Zhang Heng returned to his room. He stopped in his tracks when he saw light coming out of the open door. Sensing something wrong, he crept up slowly as the sound of water running from the faucet could be heard from the bathroom. Pulling out the butter knife in his pocket, he gingerly pushed the door open. A man with a towel wrapped around his waist was standing in front of the mirror, humming and shaving his beard.


    Suddenly, goosebumps sprouted all over Zhang Heng¡¯s body. ¡°No need to be so nervous. I¡¯m just here to greet my commander. Are you going to kill your fellow astronaut before completing the main quest?¡± asked Bruno with a smile while raising both hands.


    To be honest, Bruno never looked better. Only around 20 hours ago, he was caught red-handed consuming LSD. Now, he seemed calm; the anger and panic that was in him were all but gone.

 Chapter 303 - Final List

    ¡°I can understand how surprised you must be right now. Just give me some time, and I¡¯ll explain everything,¡± Bruno continued while staring at the butter knife that was touching the skin of his throat. ¡°If you wish to explain anything at all¡­ I suggest you start with the plane crash.¡± Zhang Heng pulled the knife back.


    ¡°When did you find out about it?¡± said Bruno, who seemed shocked at the revelation.


    ¡°It¡¯s a question that¡¯s been bothering me for a long time. After that ¡®accident,¡¯ everyone looked suspicious to me. Other than you, not one else had the right motives to kill me. Let¡¯s face it. Only three players can complete the main quest. Logically, even if there were secret partnerships, they wouldn¡¯t have made me their first target. You¡¯re the only one who could gain the most from my death. I have to say¡­ you had us all fooled with your LSD. Not only did it give you a good alibi for leaving the space center at midnight, but you also managed to distance yourself out from that shit storm brewing within our team.¡±


    Bruno grinned. ¡°I made a mistake there. Nancy warned me that you¡¯re most probably the hardest to deal with in the entire team. Because of your existence, my situation became even riskier. The only way for me to feel safe again is to eliminate you. That¡¯s enough of a reason for me to kill you. After Anthony¡¯s death, you couldn¡¯t have expected to be next to die, not so soon anyway. Then, to my surprise, you somehow managed to escape. It was at that time; I realized that I had to come up with an alibi. Hence the LSD incident.¡±


    ¡°The drugs were fake?¡±


    ¡°No. That was real LSD. Couldn¡¯t afford the risk. One of you might just identify it. Besides, it wasn¡¯t easy acting like I was high. About the drugs, yeah, you¡¯re right about me. I¡¯m an addict. Two hours ago, I popped an LSD pill. Right now, I¡¯m feeling a hell lot better. Before I joined this great game, I couldn¡¯t have imagined how I would live in this boring world without the help of LSD. It¡¯s the 60s and 70s, man! LSD swept through America. Even members of Queen, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones were users. Since I¡¯m in this timeline, there was no way in hell I would give up the chance to taste LSD! However, the question was, how did I pass my blood and urine tests?¡± ¡°Game items?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot about that. You guys took away two of my game items. However, you made a common mistake. You really think those are the only items that could grant you supernatural powers?¡± Bruno grinned.


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s interest was aroused. Speaking of game items¡¯ supernatural powers, Zhang Heng had something like that with him right now; the extra 24 hours he had every day. It was a gift from the old man he had encountered in the real world. It happened anyway, without relying on any game items. The conditions triggering and ending it seemed to be fixed.


    After completing a few games, Zhang Heng had become more curious about the old man¡¯s identity. They both had a conversation in a coffee shop where time stopped. The old man claimed that he gave him the extra 24 hours because he wanted him to play on his behalf as an agent. If he was an agent, then there must be other agents around the world as well. They too, would have had different supernatural powers being granted to them.


    Bruno was in a good mood tonight. Perhaps the LSD¡¯s effects hadn¡¯t completely worn off. Instead of stopping, he continued blurting out everything he knew to Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I met her before at a foreign student party. I saw her walking toward me. I was pretty sure she was there for me specifically because nobody else in the room could see her.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe you were just high and you were seeing things?¡±


    ¡°Nah. She was real. As real as us. No. Hold on¡­ she¡¯s more real than the boring world I live in. I¡¯ve got to admit, although I hit up quite a bit of drugs that night, I never doubted her existence. What happened after that¡­ was proof I didn¡¯t lose my mind.


    ¡°Among my many friends, some call themselves brothers. There was one guy who called himself my brother, but I knew he secretly hated me. I knew exactly who he was, and after all, I just snatched his girlfriend from him. I got sick of her a week later. So, to make me pay for what I did to him, he called the cops on me. At a party one night, a dozen police officers raided my room. We tried out best to destroy all the drugs we had, but we were still forced to get tested at the hospital.¡°I studied in an extremely famous school in Australia. If something like that got exposed, they¡¯d surely kick me out. After being in Australia for so long, I was supposed to graduate the year after that. My family, you know, being conservative folk, won¡¯t be too happy if they knew I got expelled. They might just stop giving me money if they knew I¡¯ve been on drugs. Guess what the test results were? I was the only one at the party who was clean.


    was


    ¡°The funniest part was, I was so high I couldn¡¯t stand up on my own when the police arrived. From that day on, I knew that no matter how many drugs I took, no medical equipment could trace it. Not in my blood, urine, or saliva. It was and still is a miracle! A true miracle!¡±


    Zhang Heng was speechless. Bruno¡¯s encounter was very similar to his. However, the way he acquired his supernatural power was rather¡­ well, he looked charming, thankfully. This was probably the dream every addict wished for. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t want to dwell on the topic, and again, pushed the butter knife a few centimeters into Bruno¡¯s throat.


    ¡°You messed with my plane and tried to kill me. Now, here you stand before me. What makes you think I can¡¯t just kill you right here?¡±


    ¡°No. I believe you have all the means to kill me, but I don¡¯t think you will do it,¡± said Bruno, still smiling even though his neck had started bleeding. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to lose a good astronaut on your team, right? Losing me will cause Apollo 11 to be delayed. By the time they get back on track, none of us will complete the main quest. Since I¡¯m here, it means the final three astronauts have been decided¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, they both heard someone knocking at the door.

 Chapter 304 - Enjoying The Process

    ¡°It seems that Nancy has eliminated that fatso. Don¡¯t worry about Livingston. I left him a big gift. With me right now is solid evidence, proving his connection to the schoolkid¡¯s death. He thought he was just going to answer some simple questions from the investigators. He¡¯ll be surprised to see the FBI waiting for him. In other words, he¡¯s been eliminated from this round of the game. Only three of us are left now. I suggest we improve our relationship before we set to the moon. All in the name of ensuring the mission is completed without hiccups, of course. You can start by returning my items to me.¡±


    ¡°Is that right? I don¡¯t think so. Thanks to you, I now remember some things that happened not too long ago. I missed something important and interesting. Want me to enlighten you?¡±


    ¡°Why not? We have lots of time, anyway.¡±


    Bruno plopped on the couch in his bathrobe and touched his throat with his hands. Although Zhang Heng did not voice his intention, Bruno knew that he wasn¡¯t about to be killed when he saw Zhang Heng put down the butter knife. At that, Bruno seemed to be pleased, and he relaxed a little.


    ¡°What day is today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea. We have only two weeks left before Apollo 11 launches.¡±


    Bruno shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the time we have left for this quest. I¡¯m asking about the date in the real world.¡±


    ¡°Why ask?¡±


    ¡°Hey, have you ever thought of this? After the useless fatso¡¯s team abandoned him, why didn¡¯t he look for a new one willing to accept him? Why choose to embark on such a high-risk quest instead?¡±.


    ¡°Well, you did say that his previous team abandoned him. It clearly shows that there must be something wrong with him. He couldn¡¯t find¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Bruno paused mid-sentence. He noticed that something didn¡¯t quite fit. If Jia Lai¡¯s team had really abandoned him, he still had an entire month to find a new one. It made no sense that he would give up looking for a reliable team before starting a new round of the game. Bruno began dreading that something terrible would happen to them soon. At the same time, Zhang Heng opened the door and saw Jia Lai standing outside his room; the plump man still looking sluggish and cowardly. After Zhang Heng opened the door, Jia Lai poked his head in like an ostrich, scanning around with his eyes wide open.


    ¡°You¡¯re here! That¡¯s nice.¡±


    Then, he turned around to look at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°You first or me first?¡±


    Zhang Heng moved aside and allowed Jia Lai into the room, who then thanked him again.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Nancy?¡±


    Seeing that the conversation had moved toward Nancy, Bruno didn¡¯t feel too good.


    ¡°Are you referring to Zhen Xiong? She¡¯s with her little pet now,¡± Jia Lai replied with a smile.


    When Bruno saw the strange smile on Jia Lai¡¯s face, his heart sank. Jia Lai, however, simply ignored him and turned his attention to Zhang Heng. ¡°Do you know how your engines died?¡± ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Nancy has a C-grade game item that allows her to communicate with small animals within a certain area. She has the ability to give them some simple commands. With that, she commanded a flock of birds to fly along your flight path. Unfortunately for her, she used up her last usage for the item attacking me tonight,¡± said Jia Lai.


    After that, he walked toward the table and pulled out two pieces of tissue, wiping the blood off his hand.


    ¡°Did you kill her?¡± Bruno asked as he gulped.


    ¡°No. No. No¡­ but I¡¯ve got to admit that I was tempted. However, I didn¡¯t want to get into any trouble. NASA has enough on its plate. I don¡¯t want to add to their problems.¡±


    Although Jia Lai appeared to be extra considerate, it did nothing to alleviate Bruno¡¯s anxiety and fear.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill your partner, but you don¡¯t seem too happy about it.¡± Bruno curved his lips and tried to put on a smile.


    ¡°I realized something when I felt like killing her. Right now, there are only four of us left. If I were to kill her, it means I¡¯ll have to let you live. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s the right decision. I also know she¡¯s been lying and taking advantage of me the whole time. She was trying to hide your turbulent relationship with Livingstone. But that¡¯s is the true nature of women, isn¡¯t it? Forever in a state of fickle-mindedness. Can¡¯t really blame her for that.¡±


    Jia Lai moved a chair and placed it in front of Bruno.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I still can¡¯t figure out. She flirted around with almost everyone here. Even the high-school kid had a taste of her. Being her partner, however, she didn¡¯t even allow me to touch her hand. The more she did that sort of thing to me, the more excited I felt. I¡¯ve dreamt for a day like this time and again. When she exposed herself in front of me, I saw the fear on her face, and she knelt and begged me for forgiveness. She even said she was willing to do anything as long as I forgave her. Unfortunately, when that day arrived, I had lost all interest in her¡­¡±Jia Lai paused for a while.


    ¡°¡­But soon, I realized that my interest wasn¡¯t lost after all. I was subconsciously enjoying the whole process.¡±


    As he talked, he extended his arm to tap Bruno¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I know people nowadays care about the results more than anything else. Of course, I¡¯m not against it. After all, I want to be among the three to complete this quest. But then again, at times, I feel that people care about the results so much that they forget to enjoy the process of getting there. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a waste?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. After all, Zhen Xiong and I are good friends. Even though she didn¡¯t invest too much in our friendship, I¡¯m still willing to give her a chance.¡±


    Jia Lai took out a ballpoint pen and a bloody piece of paper from his pocket.


    ¡°So, this is the situation. There is still one available seat on Apollo 11, and I have to choose between the two of you. I¡¯m trying to be as fair as possible, so I gave her 15 minutes to come up with a plan that can help me kill you without raising NASA¡¯s suspicion. Now, I¡¯m going to give you five minutes to come up with a plan to kill her. After that, my independent friend right there will choose one for me to execute. He¡¯ll be the one who decides who will live on for this round. Any more questions?¡±


    Immediately, Bruno ran and grabbed the pen in front of him.

 Chapter 305 - The Final Drills

    Four days had passed since the last tragedy. Because the incidents involving the five astronaut candidates were so bizarre and complicated-four were eliminated, in which three of them were killed, the investigation team was stretched a little too thin. NASA had meant to keep the happenings under covers until they could come up with an answer to deal with them. But the very next day, it was already all over the media. And the more the news spread, the more nefarious the stories became. A group of people even named the series of accidents as ¡®the moon landing curse¡¯, claiming what NASA was doing triggered the anger of God, ultimately leading to all these disasters.


    During the past few days, massive crowds had marched in protest outside the Kennedy Space Center and Congress.


    NASA was forced to hold a press conference to explain the situation. The remaining three astronauts who attended the conference were bombarded with questions for forty-five minutes. The reporters present kept throwing out elaborate questions, some of which were trick questions with hidden traps.


    However, the three candidates were prepared for this situation like this, and their answers were all airtight. Once the interview was over, Public Relations immediately led the three men to the lounge at the back of the building.


    When the door was shut and all noise outside was isolated, they were finally alone. Only the three of them were in the room, and Bruno immediately served Zhang Heng and Jia Lai with a glass of water. He said in a somewhat subservient manner, ¡°Brother, have a drink.¡±


    Jia Lai laughed. ¡°A fat guy like me prefers coke.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get one for you right away!¡± Bruno smacked his chest.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. We¡¯re going to the moon soon. It¡¯s better for us to lay low until then.¡± Jia Lai¡¯s voice had a hint of concern. ¡°Have you had LSD recently? We¡¯ll need you to pilot the Lunar Module. You should be able to do that, right?¡±


    ¡°No problem. It¡¯s won¡¯t be a problem at all. I haven¡¯t touched that stuff for a long time now, and I¡¯ve never been soberer,¡± Bruno said.


    In the end, Jia Lai¡¯s so-called ¡®opportunity¡¯ and ¡®choice¡¯ did not exist at all. He had already decided earlier on to keep Bruno and kill Zhen Xiong¡­ not because she lied to him but because she was more difficult to deal with than Bruno. So, Jia Lai had killed his opponent early in the game in the highest respect, leaving the not-very-threatening Bruno to be the final member of the moon landing trio.


    They were less than ten days away from the launch of Apollo 11. Considering that there was still a one-week quarantine period before the launch, the team had two days to do whatever they liked. As for training, there were only the final survival drills left.


    This was to ensure that in case the spacecraft landed in a hostile environment, the astronauts would be able to survive until rescue arrived. During the Gemini Project, the astronauts were required to go through rescue training and intensive five-day survival course in three harsh environments ¨C the tropics, desert, and water. NASA even sent the team of astronauts to Iceland and the Amazon for secret training.


    However, due to time constraints this time, the survival training courses had been pared down. In fact, water survival training was completed in the swimming pool, and training in the tropics was simply omitted. Desert survival, however, was carried out as planned, though pushed to the back of the schedule in case the team hadn¡¯t completed the others. Moreover, only two days were allocated for that.


    Compared to the previous training sessions, the three remaining candidates were not burdened by the need to outperform the other. That was because no matter what their results were, the astronauts for the mission had already been confirmed. So, in the eyes of Jia Lai and Bruno, training was no different from a vacation.


    Just then, someone walked into the lounge. It was the captain, and he was accompanied by a person.


    Jia Lai and Bruno did not pay much attention to the second person because they figured that he must be an employee in charge of the survival training. Zhang Heng, on the other hand, appeared startled.


    The captain did not introduce his companion. Instead, he went straight to the point. ¡°You have received forty-five days of training, and you have mastered the various skills required of an astronaut. Throughout this journey, you¡¯ve experienced many things, and fortunately, you¡¯ve all persisted till the end. I am proud of your hard work and your efforts, and now, relish the opportunity to put your mark on history!¡±Jia Lai and Bruno shared a look, grinning with excitement seeping out of each other¡¯s eyes. Being the final winners of the game finally sank in, and knowing they would successfully board Apollo 11 to set foot on the moon, the both couldn¡¯t hide their delight. Especially considering everything that had happened before, and how Jia Lai went from being last on the least to be among the final three. Now that the dust had settled, he no longer needed to pretend and hide his innermost thoughts.


    Among the three, only Zhang Heng remained unmoved. He looked at the man standing quietly next to the captain, and it evoked some memories.


    Then, Jia Lai and Bruno heard the captain continue his announcement. ¡°This afternoon, we will begin our final training. I hope that every one of you will take it seriously. These results will contribute significantly to determine who the final candidates are.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. Final candidates¡­ What do you mean?¡± Jia Lai looked worried.


    ¡°We¡¯re already the final candidates, aren¡¯t we? The three final astronauts piloting Apollo 11-that¡¯s the three of us, no?¡± Bruno¡¯s eyes had become wide and wild. ¡°You once told us a new infectious disease caused you to lose a significant number of astronauts, and the returning Apollo 10 crew have strangely been unable to recover. So, we should be the only three ones left, right?¡±


    The captain kept a straight face as he answered, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. We¡¯ve tragically lost many astronauts because of that mysterious infectious disease; to be precise, nearly all of them. That said, some of them managed to recover.¡± The captain looked to the man standing next to him. ¡°Neil Alden Armstrong, former Apollo 10 commander, has passed the observation period a week ago and is now undergoing therapy to the road of recovery. He¡¯s in good condition and is confirmed to be fit for Apollo 11.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Bruno looked horrified as the shocking truth dawned on him. ¡°That means only two spots left for us?¡±


    ¡°More accurately, there¡¯s only one. We¡¯re very fortunate that Captain Michael Collins, Service Module pilot, has been recovering well,¡± said the captain. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Those who are not selected can join mission control and be part of the support team. You¡¯ll still be able to participate in this great voyage.¡±

 Chapter 306 - Cruel Elimination Rate

    The moment Jia Lai heard it, his face fell into a darkened heap. Who would have thought that such a cruel twist of fate would strike them so suddenly? They had worked so hard in eliminating the other four players, almost losing their lives, at one point. After barely making it out alive, they managed to shove their way into the top three places. Nobody expected that Armstrong and Collins would recover in time to rejoin the mission. Naturally, it came as great news for NASA who had been under increasing public scrutiny.


    These two were a very different breed from Zhang Heng and the team. Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins were considered as some of NASA¡¯s most experienced astronauts. They underwent years of intensive training and were the brightest and most qualified the United States had to offer. Before being assigned to take charge of Apollo 11, Armstrong flew Gemini 8 in 1965 to orbit the earth. As for Collins, he was an important part of Gemini 10, having performed a couple of spacewalks while on it. Their return gave NASA a much-needed adrenaline shot. To the three players, however, it was nothing but awful news.


    In retrospect, the system never mentioned how many of them got to complete the quest. The person who had told them that about the details was actually the schoolkid, and since the information was based on NASA¡¯s history, all the players accepted his statements without much question. At the beginning of this quest, the captain mentioned that no available NASA astronauts were fit enough to go to space at the moment. All they needed to do was to pay attention to the three astronauts who returned from the Apollo 10 mission. As it turned out, their speedy recovery had directly affected the progress of the quest. Despite the cruel twists of fate, the system had actually been rather generous towards them.


    Just like the other astronauts infected with the mysterious ailment, the three crucial astronauts from Apollo 10 didn¡¯t seem like they were about to recover anytime soon. This further confirmed that only three players were allowed to board Apollo 11. Because of that, Jia Lai decided that he wouldn¡¯t kill Bruno, worried that they would lack the personnel needed to fly the mission. Unfortunately, fate pulled the cruelest joke it could on them, leaving some thinking that it would have made no difference even if it was revealed earlier. The difficulty of choosing three players out of seven had just increased to picking one out of three.Earlier, Zhang Heng had been living in total oblivion of his competition. Of course, if he knew that only one would be allowed on Apollo 11, he would have definitely not chased down the first place in class. Not right now, at least. Bruno, on the other hand, had to be the saddest among the three. He never thought Jia Lai would be chosen to carry on instead of Zhen Xiong. At that time, he was so happy he could complete the quest that all his sorrows seemed to have disappeared altogether.


    Woefully, the good tidings didn¡¯t last long. After going through all that trouble of eliminating the rest, they would now have to fight each other to clinch the last and only spot on Apollo 11. Considering that his game items were all lost, Bruno had now ended up in the last spot even before the mission began. After hesitating a bit, though, he quickly drew ties with Jia Lai. Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised at the unholy alliance. He was unsure if Armstrong still remembered what had happened fourteen years ago, but even if he did not, he somehow knew he had what it took to be the last one standing. His results were the best among the three anyway, not to mention that he never once allowed emotions to get in his way. Professionalism had always been his first priority when he carried out a mission, and Zhang Heng was confident that Armstrong would eventually select him as a member of his crew. Whether it be Jia Lia or Bruno, they would still have to find a way to kick him out if they wanted a chance at completing the quest.


    To achieve that, Bruno teamed up with Jia Lai. The best outcome for him would be Zhang Heng and Jia Lai dying while fighting each other. If Jia Lai won the fight, however, NASA would surely turn away from him when compared to Bruno¡¯s caliber.


    As for Jia Lai, he quickly got back on his feet after shaking off his anger and disappointment. A one in seven passing rate was the most stringent he¡¯d ever encountered, not to mention it was his first time playing this ¡®single-player with competitive mode¡¯ round. This was was lower than the average passing rate. However, complaining about it now was useless. Compared to Bruno, he could see the bigger picture. He saw two paths he could take, either kill Zhang Heng and Bruno to become the only player left or kill Armstrong and Collins to free up two spots for Zhang Heng and Bruno.


    Both options had their pros and cons. When it came to the success rate, of course, Armstrong and Collins were clearly the better options in helping him complete the main quest. However, Armstrong and Collins were also easier to kill since they wouldn¡¯t expect to be targeted by anybody. Then, there was another major concern. Would the other astronauts return to NASA after Armstrong and Collins were killed? Would Zhang Heng and Bruno work with him to assassinate them? To Zhang Heng, killing Armstrong and Collins would bring him no benefit.


    Whichever way it would go, Jia Lai didn¡¯t have much time to think, having only ten days left before the launch of Apollo 11. The challenge he faced next was to survive the wilderness. Ultimately, he decided not to wait until the training was over or to keep guessing if the other astronauts would return to NASA. He would simply leave his fate in his own hands. In such times, the most reliable person would be himself.


    Jia Lai believed the two other players shared the same idea as well, which was why he didn¡¯t bother discussing how to eliminate Armstrong and Collins with Zhang Heng. He knew Zhang Heng would most likely not fall for his trap. During all the previous training sessions, he had deliberately made himself appear as weak as possible so the other players would let down their guard. This time, he had no intention to hold back anymore.


    The three didn¡¯t say a word to each other on the plane. On the other hand, the captain just wouldn¡¯t stop going on about the various survival skills needed for the wild, wild, wilderness. So, a few hours later, they arrived at their landing spot in the scorching Nevada desert. A few employees were already waiting for them.

 Chapter 307 - Area 51’s Einstein

    Spanning a total area of more than 500,000 square kilometers, The Great Basin Desert is North America¡¯s largest desert. It occupies Nevada, more than half of Utah, a small part of Idaho, Oregon, California, and Wyoming.


    Speaking of the desert, the first name that crosses the mind has to be Las Vegas.


    In 1888, the place was a tiny town. It wasn¡¯t until 1905 that a large number of gold miners flooded into the area when gold was discovered. However, like the other gold-rush towns, the gold mines became empty after a brief period of excitement. Las Vegas soon returned to its previous rural state. Its actual rise was during the Great Depression, where the state legislature passed a bill to legalize gambling. It turned the sleepy desert town into a dazzling city filled with hotels, nightclubs, and casinos. Unfortunately, Zhang Heng and the other two players were not here to tour Las Vegas, landing instead at the Area 51 Air Force Base. Constructed more than a decade ago, it was located on a lake bed in Nevada, only 130 kilometers from bustling Las Vegas. In the decades since its establishment, the United States had always infamously denied its existence. At the same time, to prevent curious eyes from prying into the covert test site, the Air Force bought another 9,000 acres of land around it and slapped it with a no-fly zone.


    Area 51 was initially used to develop Lockheed¡¯s U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance spy plane. After its completion, other top-secret projects also kick-started from this base, and it wasn¡¯t until 2013 that the United States officially recognized the existence of Area 51.


    This also shrouded Area 51 with a layer of mystery. Many believed that the so-called ¡®Green Man,¡¯ a frozen corpse of an alien, was stored among the base¡¯ confines. Every newly elected president would come to visit this place after their inauguration. There was a growing community of extraterrestrial and UFO enthusiasts, swearing that they had caught sight of a short, gray creature with a large head moving nearby.


    However, Zhang Heng and the other two players obviously didn¡¯t have such luck to catch a glimpse of UFOs and extraterrestrials. The person who greeted them was no green alien, but an ordinary-looking man in charge of the air force base. After exchanging handshakes with the team, he informed them that the simulation environment had been set up, and training could be carried out at any time.


    It was rare for the commander to show his humane side. When he saw that it was already sunset, he decided that he would move the training forward to tomorrow morning. So, after dinner, the three were given the opportunity to move around freely. However, they were only allowed to move around very few designated areas, and no matter where they went, there was always someone watching. The person in charge of hospitality apologized for the uncomfortable restrictions, reiterating that nothing was deliberately done to go against them. They were simply following the most basic security protocol.


    Zhang Heng and the team nodded, indicating that they understood the situation. But seeing how tight security was, it would be almost impossible for them to do anything secretly while on the base. At least they would be safe until tomorrow morning. It was a rather pleasant outcome, where it might also be the last peaceful night they would get to enjoy. After dinner, Jia Lai looked at Zhang Heng and nodded politely.


    ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±


    When Jia Lai was done, he was in no mood to do any walking under the supervision of security personnel. So, he returned to his room. When Bruno saw him leaving, he too got up quickly and followed him until they reached his place. In the end, though, he watched as Jia Lai slammed the door in his face, almost hitting his nose.


    Bruno felt awkward. Jia Lai had made it clear that he didn¡¯t trust him, having no intention to discuss tomorrow¡¯s plans with him. He felt like a tool, being used for someone¡¯s own gain. His judgment was sadly accurate. Bruno was interested to know Jia Lai¡¯s plan in advance, just to see if there were any parts of it he could take advantage of. It would be better if he killed Zhang Heng and Jia Lai at the same time. Now that the door was closed before him, Bruno had no choice but to return to his room.


    So, Zhang Heng was the only one left in the cafeteria. He quietly finished his last spoonful of baked beans. The sky outside the window had darkened a lot, and with dry, gusty winds kicking up the yellow sands, the crimson sun soon fell below the horizon of the dunes. Even in the presence of an existential threat, at the impending life or death battle, it was hard to ignore such a magnificent sight. ¡°Such magnificent desolation, isn¡¯t it?¡± a strange voice came from behind.


    ¡°Sorry?¡± Zhang Heng turned around and saw a middle-aged man dressed as an engineer. He seemed to be an Area 51 researcher. Seeing that he had caught Zhang Heng by surprise, he smiled. Instead of continuing the previous topic, he asked, ¡°You are an astronaut from NASA, aren¡¯t you? I heard that you are going to the moon.¡±


    ¡°My name is David.¡±


    Zhang Heng introduced himself, then put down the knife and fork he was holding as he extended a hand.


    ¡°We are the crew of Apollo 11. Well, technically, only candidates¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Einstein.¡±


    The middle-aged man shook hands with Zhang Heng, who immediately raised his eyebrows. Zhang Heng had never seen how Einstein looked when he was young, but when the middle aged-man mentioned his name, Zhang Heng realized that they actually bore some resemblance.The middle-aged man released his hand and smiled.


    ¡°Just kidding, you know the nature of our work. We signed a non-disclosure agreement before we came here. We can¡¯t reveal our real names. Let¡¯s talk about you instead, Mr. David. Are you satisfied with the place?¡±


    ¡°You seem to be doing very well.¡± ¡°You too. As recently as sixty years ago, no one thought that humans could fly the skies in a big iron bird. Ten years ago, no one believed that humans could leave earth and go to outer space. Even today, many still don¡¯t think that humans have the ability to set foot on another celestial object¡­¡± Einstein paused. ¡°¡­but all this happened, with the help of mathematical formulas, great engineering advancements, and repeated experiments. Humans have completed those seemingly impossible things, time, and again. Isn¡¯t this a modern miracle? No disrespect to the one who led the Jews to their promised land, but I have to say, technology is the greatest power in this world.¡±


    It was a typical remark of an engineering student. In a way, though, it was difficult to argue with him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have interrupted your meal. When I heard that NASA¡¯s astronauts are here, I had to come and meet you folk,¡± said the middle-aged man as he shrugged. ¡°No one comes to this place usually. Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Mr. David.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also glad to have made your acquaintance, Mr. Einstein.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I shall not interrupt your siesta. I wish for you to succeed in your training and get on Apollo 11. I will listen to the broadcast when they talk about you landing on the moon.¡±


    The middle-aged man ended the brief conversation. With mug in hand, he turned and walked out. It was now completely dark outside.


    However, as Einstein was almost at the exit, he stopped again. Turning around, he said, ¡°Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I have a small gift for you. Consider it as a token of our first meeting. I left it in your room. I hope you like it.¡±

 Chapter 308 - Venomous Snake

    Zhang Heng kept thinking about the man he met earlier named Einstein, and wondered if it was merely a coincidence that he mentioned the words ¡®magnificent desolation¡¯. Those were the words of Buzz Aldrin, describing how he felt when he first set his eyes on the moon¡¯s surface as he exited the Lunar Module.


    But he couldn¡¯t find the man again. The name ¡®Einstein¡¯ was obviously fake, and for now, all Zhang Heng knew was that he was a researcher in Area 51. However, no thanks to the extremely secretive nature of Area 51, unless Einstein sought Zhang Heng out, they would never meet again.


    Einstein appeared and disappeared in a jiffy, very much like the evening sandstorms.


    Early the next morning, Zhang Heng paid close attention to Jia Lai¡¯s and Bruno¡¯s expressions. From the look on their faces, he concluded that nothing special must have happened the night before. The man who called himself Einstein was nowhere to be seen, but whoever the man may have been, Zhang Heng set the matter aside first since survival training was coming up.


    The results of the training would eventually decide which of them would be the final candidate to board Apollo 11. Things, however, didn¡¯t turn out the way NASA expected


    After breakfast, Zhang Heng and the two crewmates changed into their spacesuits. Area 51 sent military trucks to ferry them to the training location. When they reached the training range, a mock-up Lunar Module awaited them on the yellow sands to replicate the command and service module separation sequence as they returned to earth.


    The Lunar and the Command Module simulators were built on a one-to-one ratio, and every last screw on them was configured precisely like the actual vehicle. Equipped within it were all the items the astronauts needed to survive the wilderness.


    The truck pulled over in front of the simulation module and dropped off the three trainees. It was only after they entered the simulator that the truck left.


    Two kilometers away from the range, the captain and NASA personnel were observing the situation with telescopes. NASA had learned their lesson from all the previous accidents, and they placed an emergency rescue team on standby in the vicinity. Helicopters and off-road vehicles were also on the ready, not to mention that Area 51 Air Force Base wasn¡¯t far away, and they agreed to send assistance when necessary.


    Fingers crossed, with the beefed-up precautions and preparations, there shouldn¡¯t be any more accidents.


    To say that the modules were cramped would be an understatement, and comfort was probably a concept as far as the moon itself. In fact, the entire spacecraft had been so carefully designed that every gram it weighed was into careful consideration. Take modern rockets, for example. Every additional 1kg of weight would require an additional 50kg of fuel. To ensure the spacecraft would have sufficient escape velocity, the launch vehicle needed to have adequate thrust, and the spacecraft¡¯s weight was usually kept as low as safely possible.


    Once its functionality and safety were verified in the best way, it was deemed necessary to sacrifice a part of the piloting experience. Nonetheless, three men waiting to rip each others¡¯ throats apart while squeezed and squashed together into the tiny module sounded a little ironic.


    This was especially true for Bruno, whose breathing had turned rapid; his mind seeming drifted and preoccupied. Jia Lai and Zhang Heng, on the other hand, appeared to be much calmer. Especially the latter, whose breathing rhythm had hardly changed.


    The thick bulky spacesuits that were on them smothered out of whatever little room they had left, and even if they wanted to, nobody was going to carry out whatsoever plans they had been brewing. After waiting for god-knows-how-long, during which the three trainees remained in solemn silence, the captain announced through the radio that they could begin the training.


    Jia Lai, closest to the hatch, climbed out first, followed by Bruno. Zhang Heng was the last to leave the module. When his feet touched the soft, sandy ground, he unlocked his helmet and removed it. Immediately, the surrounding sounds and air flooded his senses, and he felt as if he had returned to the outside world. When he looked up, he saw nothing but desolation all around them. Except for some sparse bushes, only one monotonous hue colored his vision.


    Right away, they were faced with an awkward problem-how were they getting out of their spacesuits? Since the suits were explicitly designed to be used in space, they became a cumbersome problem upon landing. Lugging such heavy equipment around would severely restrict their movement and consume considerable energy.


    Hence, after the command module landed, the first thing the astronauts were asked to do was to remove the suits they wore.


    Even after all that training, it would take a good while if you relied on yourself to remove the suit. If you had a companion to help you, however, it would greatly hasten the entire process. The problem right now was that the three of them were competing against each other, and none were about to lend any assistance, even when it came to such minor favors.


    Eventually, Zhang Heng was first to speak up, telling Jia Lai, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    A look of surprise flashed across the latter¡¯s face. He nodded, feeling grateful. For a split second, Bruno regretted his inaction. He and Jia Lai were nominal allies and he should have been the one to step up and offer help. Zhang Heng, however, beat him to it. Too bad that NASA was watching them with hawks eyes, and it wasn¡¯t the best idea to get rid of an opponent right now.


    So after Jia Lai got out of his suit, he helped Zhang Heng to do the same. In the end, Bruno, too managed to get rid of the shackle of a suit and put on an ordinary NASA ordinary.In the meantime, Zhang Heng returned to the simulation module, getting some food and water from the cargo trunk along with other useful instruments that he may have any use for. The three requested for help as they were trained, and reported their approximate location to the control center. After that, they began constructing a makeshift shelter.


    Zhang Heng had already done this countless times in his first game. The difference this time was, he didn¡¯t have to go around scavenging for materials since NASA had kindly taken into account the various environments the astronauts faced upon landing, preparing everything they could think of in advance. All they had to do now was to carry out all the materials from the Lunar Module and assemble the shelter accordingly.


    Even Jia Lai had to admit that Zhang Heng had the disposition of the most ideal crewmate, a calm, reliable, all-rounder. But for an opponent, that surely couldn¡¯t be a good thing. It would mean that he was going to be significantly more challenging to kill. It was essential that an opponent of such caliber would have to be killed with a single blow, or he would certainly come back for him. Such an opponent would give him no second chances.


    Fortunately, Jia Lai had always been a patient one, or he wouldn¡¯t have pretended to be the harmless puppy at the beginning of the game. He waited until Zhen Xiang and Bruno teamed up before getting rid of the rest of the players. Only then did he show his true colors.


    He was exactly like a venomous snake, always on the lookout for the best time to strike.


    So, at the beginning of field survival training, Jia Lai seemed to be very cooperative. After the other two requested for help, he actively joined the construction of the bunk. It took the three about fifteen minutes to complete it. As a finisher, they installed a canopy to shelter them from the blazing sun above their heads.


    As a requirement for the training, none of them had breakfast. Zhang Heng distributed the food he had retrieved from storage to the other two. Although starving, Jia Lai didn¡¯t rush to finish his meal, giving Bruno a cold, hard look instead.


    The latter understood what Jia Lai meant and, with a bitter expression, opened the bag of dehydrated food, mixed it with water from a sealed bag, and ate a spoonful.

 Chapter 309 - Desert Survival Training

    Breakfast was bacon pieces and cinnamon bun paired with a drink of Tang. There was also pea soup and tuna salad, standard Apollo-era space meals.


    These were mainly dehydrated and semi-moist foods, some of which required heating and some in their natural state (mostly nuts). There was no problem with them nutritionally, but tasted barely passable.


    The space food of later generations was greatly improved, having benefited from the advancement of food preservation technology. In Zhang Heng¡¯s era, NASA would provide astronauts with an option of more than 180 types of food and beverages. You could even have chocolate ice cream on the International Space Station (of course, a very extravagant thing even for now), which helped a lot in keeping the astronauts¡¯ morale high throughout their months-long stay and lonely tours above our planet.


    For now, however, Zhang Heng and the other two candidates wouldn¡¯t get to enjoy this privilege. The storage hold in the service module contained enough food for three astronauts for eleven days. If all went well with the mission, excluding the moon landing and returning to earth, the remaining food should last them six to seven days, just enough for the astronauts as they awaited the arrival of the NASA rescue team.


    However, considering possible communications equipment damage and other unforeseen emergencies, Zhang Heng and crew weren¡¯t allowed to stay where they ¡®landed¡¯ as they waited for help to come.


    So, after breakfast, the three performed simple some navigation, divided the food and water among themselves, and continued the training session. They packed the supplies into backpacks and moved to the next target location ¨C also the toughest part of the survival course.


    The target location was 80 kilometers away. Even if they walked without taking a break, it would take them at least 20 hours. What more, summer was coming, and the desert temperatures far exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in the day.


    Under the scorching sun, the body would lose water very quickly, and if not replenished in time, it could easily become dehydrated. Fortunately, even though forced to traverse the hellish landscape, Jia Lai, the more overweight one of the group, didn¡¯t lag behind. For Zhang Heng, a man who had experienced worse situations than this, it was all another day¡¯s worth of work. He was the most physically fit among the three, and with Level 2 wilderness survival skills, the current situation was not much of a challenge for him.


    The truth was, the NASA provided emergency backpacks and supplies in the service module had saved the trainees a lot of trouble. After all, NASA wasn¡¯t training them to be survival experts. Under normal circumstances, astronauts were only trained to follow the manual¡¯s emergency procedures, make good use of the resources at hand, conserve strength as much as possible, and finally, complete the task within the specified time.


    The most the astronauts had to go through was a more than a strenuous stretch of workouts, pretty much like basic military service.


    However, after walking in the desert for an extended period, moods began to fluctuate.


    Not only did the dry and arid environment test the body to its very limits, but also inflated everyone¡¯s emotions in the worst way possible, especially when the three of them were hiding something. On the surface, they were all facing the same situation ¨C all aiming for the final spot. But the fact was, even if Zhang Heng did nothing, he could have simply survived on his own, relying on his outstanding performance to become the final candidate for Apollo 11.


    In contrast, Bruno and Jia Lai were more passive, especially so for Jia Lai. Thanks to the strategy he adopted at the beginning of the game, he ranked at the bottom of the three. He would really have to use this final training session to get rid of his two opponents.


    Jia Lai, however, didn¡¯t know what Zhang Heng was thinking ¨C whether Zhang Heng planned to ace survival training and get on Apollo 11 on his own merits, or risk it and eliminate his threats which were Jia Lai and Bruno.


    After all, only one week was left until the end of the quarantine period, and there was no way one¡¯s safety could be guaranteed for sure.


    The main problem was that Jia Lai didn¡¯t know what kind of person Zhang Heng was. In the past month, Jia Lai didn¡¯t just pretend to be weak to lower the guard of those around him, but also so that he could covertly observe everyone.


    The time and energy he spent on each person were different. For example, Jia Lai didn¡¯t bother studying the brawny man and the high-school student, while Zhang Heng was one of the few he paid most attention to.


    Until today, though, he still severely lacked understanding about Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng, the lone wolf, was the most mysterious player among all the others, and Jia Lai couldn¡¯t tell what he did for a living in the real world or what his past was. In fact, Jia Lai wasn¡¯t even sure how old Zhang Heng was, not to mention that he had a poker of a face to read.


    This was the most difficult part for Jia Lai. Since he had no idea what kind of person his opponent was, it was challenging to devise a strategy. When there were still three spots available on the Apollo 11 mission, Jia Lai maintained an amicable relationship with Zhang Heng. Now, he had no other choice but to effectively get rid of his competitor.Upon the edgeless desert, three lonely figures moved slowly across the sand dunes. Bruno pulled at his collar. Having drank countless times from his water canteen, he still couldn¡¯t shake off the anxiety building in his heart. He looked up at Zhang Heng, who was walking in front and noticed that up until now, he had been striding at the same pace all along, seemingly oblivious to the environment.


    On top of that, Jia Lai, who was walking behind him, had been very quiet. This made Bruno very uncomfortable, and he was feeling the pressure. Since breakfast, there had been this ominous feeling in the air, as if something awful was bound to take place. But then, nothing happened throughout the entire journey, and the unsettling feeling was now more suffocating than the scorching weather.


    At noon, they came across a rock face where they could hide from the cold of the night, and decided to rest up there for a while to make lunch. Per how he¡¯d been trained, Zhang Heng gathered stones from the ground and formed an arrow with them, pointing the rescue team in the direction they were traveling in.


    It wasn¡¯t after a thirty-minute break that they got on the road again.


    At dusk, Jia Lai and Bruno¡¯s breathing had grown heavy, their clothes now soaked in sweat. The parts of their skin that had been exposed to the sun were red and raw. Despite the many protective measures, a lot of sand still managed to get into their clothing, and like an abrasive, it constantly rubbed against their skin as they walked, making every step a painful and uncomfortable challenge.


    The ten-hour long journey drained them of whatever strength they had. Zhang Heng, the team¡¯s leader, decided to take a break when he noticed that the other two couldn¡¯t go any further. So, he found a suitable place to set up for the night.


    He collected some dry leaves and branches, then set up a bonfire to heat up the food. At least, the three exhausted men would be able to enjoy a warm dinner.


    All these caused Jia Lai to be uncertain. So far, Zhang Heng had done everything by the book, abided by the training regime, and accorded every request of the captain. Was he really planning to win the last spot with only his scores?

 Chapter 310 - Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

    Sand and stones dissipated heat quickly, and desert temperatures between day and night were at different extremes. In fact, the temperature difference between the noon and early morning could be in excess 30 degrees Celcius. One could either roast under the scorching sun or freeze at the drastically falling temperature at night. Also, to avoid the many venomous snakes and insects that made the desert their home, Zhang Heng chose a relatively high terrain to start a fire. Besides, fire also prevented larger and more dangerous predators from approaching them.


    However, danger didn¡¯t always originate from the surroundings. Zhang Heng, Jia Lai, and Bruno were all sitting around the bonfire. This should be the best time for them to make up for the lost stamina during the day, but none of the three dared close an eyelid. This was, without a doubt, the best opportunity for them if they wanted to get rid of each other. During the day, NASA kept a hawk¡¯s eye on them from a few kilometers away, and it was difficult to carry out any dangerous maneuvers without being noticed. Although unknown if any NASA personnel stayed awake after nightfall, one thing was for sure. Visibility was significantly reduced in the dark. Even if the observers put in their best efforts, it was difficult to see everything from that distance.


    The flames of the bonfire danced in the night, accompanied by crackling wood and flying embers. Nothing else moved apart from that, and it wasn¡¯t after a long time before somebody spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°Do not go gentle into that good night,


    Old age should burn and rave at close of day;


    Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right,


    Because their words had forked no lightning they


    Do not go gentle into that good night.¡±


    ¡°Dylan Thomas¡­ it¡¯s a poem he wrote to his critically ill father,¡± Zhang Heng said. ¡°I always thought it was from the movie ¡®Interstellar,¡¯ replied Bruno as he yawned and rubbed his eyes that could barely keep open. Throughout the day, he used up most of his energy, and after dinner, he could feel the fatigue kicking in. However, he didn¡¯t dare close his eyes even for a minute.


    ¡°I liked that movie a lot, and this poem as well. It¡¯s relatable to our current situation, eh?¡± Jia Lai added. ¡°Each time we participate in a new round of the game, we face the risk of elimination and loss. Let¡¯s not talk about what happens after we lose. Everyone knows one thing, though. We mustn¡¯t give up until the very last moment. After all, we don¡¯t want to be forgotten by the world.¡±


    ¡°Uhh, to be honest, I don¡¯t care if anyone remembers me or not,¡± Bruno shrugged. ¡°When I thought that I would never be able to host a future party in my Australian mansion or driving my Porsche 911 to pick up hot college chicks, or my younger brother taking my share of my inheritance¡­. hell, of course, I don¡¯t want to lose. After all, who knows if I would have such good luck in my next incarnation


    ¡°So what about you? What is the driving factor that gets you through these rounds?¡± asked Jia Lai as he shifted his gaze to Zhang Heng. ¡°Since everyone isn¡¯t resting, let¡¯s talk to each other. There¡¯s not much time left for us anyway.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. For now, I¡¯m just trying to figure out why these games were created in the first place,¡± Zhang Heng nonchalantly commented as he poked the bonfire before him with a twig.


    ¡°Yes, we all want to know who hosted this game, what its purpose is, and when it will stop and how to beat it eventually¡­ but then again, we don¡¯t always get answers to all our questions, right?¡±


    Jia Lai¡¯s eyes flickered in the fire as he stared blankly, and no one knew what went on in his mind. For a moment, Zhang Heng even thought that Jia Lai was about to strike.


    Suddenly, Bruno¡¯s nervous voice broke the awkward silence. ¡°Yo, guys, look! What is that?!¡±


    He just had just gotten up and was about to visit the nearby bushes to empty his bowels. Right after he unzipped his pants, something flashed before his eyes in the nearby darkness. Unsurprisingly, Bruno was freaked out. His fight or flight instincts kicked in, and he instantly panicked. He didn¡¯t even bother clearing out the rest of the by-products in his stomach, running and stumbling while trying to pull his pants up.


    Zhang Heng and Jia Lai stood up immediately when they heard the strange rustling, looking at each other in surprise. Clearly, this unexpected situation had nothing to do with any of them. Zhang Heng picked up a burning wood from the bonfire and pointed it in the direction where Bruno was running from. It was then that he saw mysterious silhouettes above the dunes not far away from them.


    ¡°What the heck is that?¡±


    Bruno squinted.


    ¡°It should be a mountain coyote.¡±Zhang Heng observed quietly for a while. In the novice quest, he learned many techniques to identify animals from Bell. It happened to come in handy now, where Zhang Heng¡¯s mind automatically fell on information about mountain coyotes.


    A coyote subspecies native to the North American continent, the mountain coyote, could be found across the United States. The species could be seen in Washington State, the Cascade Mountains in eastern Oregon to the south through the Great Basin, the Sierra Nevada Highlands, and all the way to northern Mexico.


    Most of the time, however, these coyotes thrived in forests, swamps, and grasslands; places that were abundant with food and water. It was rare running into a pack in a desert, and to make matters worse, they looked to be starving as well. The creatures appeared to have not hunted for a few days. Otherwise, the three players who had stayed close to the bonfire all the while would have never been targeted.


    Zhang Heng was unsure if the NASA observers had noticed their predicament, but even if they did come to the rescue, it would take a good amount of time. The mountain coyotes were already on the prowl, stalking and surrounding their victims. It was one of those creatures that feared no man, and as humans continued to encroach into wild territory, there were often sightings in the suburbs. That said, although these creatures were usually solo hunters, they had now unexpectedly appeared in a pack.


    Even Zhang Heng wouldn¡¯t want to deal with five coyotes alone. Of course, he could turn around and run. Although most likely unable to outrun the coyotes, he should have no problem running faster than Bruno or Jia Lai. Then, something suddenly crossed his mind. Instead of leaving the campfire, he kicked two pieces of burning wood as thick as a forearm to Jia Lai and Bruno.


    Jia Lai hesitated for a while, but eventually picked up the burning wood on the ground. He instinctively turned around and ran, but in his haste and anxiety, he tripped and fell, eating a mouthful of sand on the way down. When he raised his head, a coyote was already above him, growling and baring its massive fangs.


    Bruno was nearly scared to death, but he also knew that he could count on no one in a time like this. That said, he should have been grateful that Zhang Heng and Jia Lai didn¡¯t choose to eliminate him now. Fortunately, Bruno was also an experienced player who had completed several rounds, and though his game items were gone, the skills he mastered hadn¡¯t left him. So, in a split second, he wrapped his elbows around the coyote¡¯s neck so that it couldn¡¯t bite him. Quickly, he got up and pinned the coyote to the ground.


    On the other hand, Jia Lai was a lot calmer under the attack of the coyotes. He stood there and watched them with an icy stare. And just as the canine¡¯s hind legs slammed the ground, preparing to pounce, Jia Lai jumped, strangling the unexpecting coyote with lighting speed.

 Chapter 311 - Jia Lai’s Answer

    Without a second thought, Jia Lai stabbed the burning piece of wood into the coyote¡¯s gaping mouth. Shocked and confused, the creature yelped, screaming and howling in pain thereafter. The plump man grunted, and with a frown, he flung the severely wounded animal aside.


    After the threat on his side had been neutralized, Jia Lai turned to look at Zhang Heng, only to discover that he had gone up against two coyotes and that the battle had already ended. The thing Jia Lai regretted was that he allowed Zhang Heng to act too quickly. When he turned around, the only thing he saw was two coyotes with their fur burning fleeing into the darkness. Unable to witness how Zhang Heng won the battle, Jia Lai¡¯s wish to learn more about his opponent was diminished.


    It was at that time that the familiar chop of a helicopter rotor pierced the silence. After a series of accidents, NASA¡¯s significantly improved their crisis response, including increasing their potential astronauts¡¯ level of protection.


    Within five minutes, the helicopter was already hovering above them. Right before it touched the ground, the captain jumped off and shouted, ¡°Are you all okay?¡± The trio nodded over the dust clouds kicked up by the rotor wash. Even Bruno, having faced the most dangerous battle, was unscathed. At most, he was just a little shaken. The worst thing that happened to him was the coyote drooling all over his face. It smelled terrible. The captain continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to encounter coyotes here. There have been no coyotes around here for a long time. Remind me to report to the higher-ups and see if they can throw in some coyote repellant to your emergency backpacks. Don¡¯t expect too much, though. By the time they approve, you guys would have been to the moon twice. So¡­ I¡¯ll ask you again. Do you still want to continue with the training?¡±


    Jia Lai and Bruno nodded without hesitation. Although they had just experienced a frightening incident, the trio hadn¡¯t yet figured who the winner of this round would be. Hence, they didn¡¯t want the training to end just like that. So, the captain turned to look at Zhang Heng. ¡°I respect your team¡¯s decision,¡± he said. The reply came beyond Jia Lai and Bruno¡¯s expectations. Logically, Zhang Heng should have chosen to stop the training right now. Based on his previous results, he could get the final spot easily. Only one possibility remained on why he made such a decision When the opportunity arose, he would eliminate all his threats in one go. This was to prevent unnecessary trouble during the isolation period.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see you at the end, then. Oh, and safety is paramount!¡±


    Since all three agreed, the captain said nothing more. He got back on the helicopter and flew off the campsite in another dramatic cloud of dust. Nonetheless, despite the deep animosity between the three, the atmosphere improved a little after fighting off the coyotes together. That said, all three knew in their hearts that this was just a one-time thing.


    as


    When the number of players allowed to complete the quest was reduced to one, there would be no more compromise between them. Perhaps it was due to the coyote incident that caused Jia Lai to abandon his plan. Eventually, when the sun started rising from the east, and the air began to warm up, nothing had happened between them. The three spent the night safely by the fire.


    It was in the early hours of the morning. The remnants of the smoldering bonfire were still toasty, which allowed them the minor luxury of a warm breakfast. This should be their last meal in this desert, where they were now less than 30 kilometers away from their destination. If everything went well, the group should arrive in about seven hours. Jia Lai had still not approached Bruno to discuss their plan, and thanks to that, Bruno ultimately gave up on him. He knew this meant Jia Lai never valued their partnership in the first place, deeming him useless from the start.


    The thing that baffled Bruno was why Jia Lai didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry, especially in a time like this. He even tidied up his emergency backpack before setting off despite knowing that time was of the essence, and that the destination wasn¡¯t too far away.


    If Bruno didn¡¯t do something about it in these last seven hours, he might never get another chance to strike at them. Among them, Bruno was now the most anxious one. There wasn¡¯t much point for that anyway. He had lost his game items, and Jia Lai had abandoned him. Right now, he didn¡¯t know how he could kill the other two under NASA surveillance. To execute his plan, he would have to wait for the precise moment.


    Just like the day before, the three were on the road again once done with breakfast.They chose to start their journey at the break of dawn. The sun barely peeked out of the horizon, and the desert¡¯s temperature wasn¡¯t too high at this time. The cool atmosphere significantly sped their pace up, enabling them to conserve stamina and energy. At the same time, they also received a notification from the system. As a reminder, the system informed them that they had just gained a ¡°Desert Camping¡± achievement, earning them 2 points each.


    Up until this point, game points had been the paramount goal of each player, where powerful guilds had always focused their research on its acquisition. The research results varied, but it was discovered that no matter the technique, the efficiency of earning game points could only be increased to a certain extent. Since every quest was a unique experience and was non-repeatable, it was theoretically impossible to apply one point-maximizing technique to the other.


    For example, Zhang Heng once obtained 30 food achievements in the quest, Tokyo Drift. After that, the achievements didn¡¯t occur again in another quest. No matter how many American signature foods from the 60s he ate, he could get any more points from it. But in the previous transitional quest, he did get a ¡°Fast Food & Amp Music¡± achievement by eating a burger and a chicken burrito after listening to a vinyl record.


    He was fascinated by the combinations as well, where certain hidden rules guided this randomness. For example, Zhang Heng discovered that the probability of getting game points after successfully surviving a mortal threat was very high. This rule, however, wasn¡¯t very useful, for no sane players would risk their lives just to earn more game points. After all, it didn¡¯t make much sense if the player died in the game.


    That was exactly how Bruno felt right now. His anxiety completely diluted the joy of gaining prospective game points. He then wiped the sweat off his face. Three hours had passed since breakfast, and as the temperature of the desert steadily increased, they were now faced with the return of the tormenting heat. What made Bruno even more nervous, though, was Jia Lai¡¯s inaction, unable to fathom why he gave up last night¡¯s rare opportunity.


    What better opportunity could present itself than striking hard under the cover of complete darkness? Just as those thoughts crossed Bruno¡¯s mind, he felt the hot air around him whipping up strangely. So he raised his head to look at the distant skyline. Finally, he got his long-awaited answer.


    The captain¡¯s voice could be heard blaring over the radio.


    ¡°Attention!!! There is a sandstorm inbound! Training has been canceled. Stay where you are, and don¡¯t go anywhere. A vehicle will be there to pick you in the shortest time possible!¡±

 Chapter 312 - Duel In The Sandstorm

    Over the horizon, a yellow sandstorm swept forward at an alarming speed. Zhang Heng made a quick glance. The sandstorm was seven to eight kilometers wide and at least two to three kilometers high, impossible to run from on foot. Even NASA¡¯S helicopters with the best maneuverability couldn¡¯t risk taking off and flying into such violent natural phenomena. And with the rather unimpressive speed of the jeep, it wasn¡¯t possible to pick the three before the sandstorm arrived. This was why the captain wanted them to stay where they were.


    It was the first order of his that wouldn¡¯t be heeded. The three knew the sandstorm was the clarion call for the final battle. The thick dust surrounding them would reduce vision to a bare minimum, and under such conditions, NASA¡¯s observers would completely lose control of them. No matter what they did, it would literally stay between the three of them. In other words, there was no longer the need to hide their strength. Zhang Heng glanced at Jia Lai from a distance, who also happened to look the same way. Their gazes intersected. At this moment, Jia Lai finally decided to expose the intense murderous rage in his eyes.


    ¡°Sorry. I will win this game and survive. If there can only be one winner in this game, then only I can be that person,¡± growled Jia Lai.


    The sandstorm was now less than a few hundred meters away, and Zhang Heng quickly took off the innermost vest of his uniform and tied it across his face to cover his mouth and nose. The biggest threat brought by sandstorms were suffocation and blindness, and without protective measures, the large amount of sand carried by the wind would quickly enter and block the respiratory tract, causing the person to choke. As for blindness, they had goggles with them, fortunately. After Zhang Heng completed all the necessary steps to protect himself, he took out a stolen steak knife from dinner at Area 51 the night before.


    Moments later, the sandstorm finally made landfall.


    Jia Lai was right. From the beginning, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t plan to advance solely by relying on his excellent grades. Because there would be a week-long quarantine period afterward, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t interested in testing if NASA provided adequate protection for the mission team. What more, there was a high probability that Jia Lai and Bruno would become part of the support team at the space center. They might get the opportunity to get rid of Zhang Heng at that time. Thus, Jia Lai wasn¡¯t the only one using the survival course as a means to get the last seat on Apollo 11. Zhang Heng, too, also planned to use this opportunity to deal with the threats before the quarantine commenced.


    However, Zhang Heng completely didn¡¯t expect the arrival of the sandstorm. Compared to the waterspout he summoned from the sea, Zhang Heng leaned more towards the fact that Jia Lai wasn¡¯t the creator of the sandstorm. If he were, he wouldn¡¯t have waited until the end of the training to summon it. And as strange as it sounded, this wasn¡¯t the best environment for the sandstorm to deal maximum damage.


    Although they were on relatively flat terrain, there were large boulders and rock formations nearby, which could be used to shelter the winds and sand. It didn¡¯t offer the best protection from the storm, but it was sure better than the flat dunes they passed an hour ago. Zhang Heng speculated that Jia Lai should be in possession of an item that could accurately predict the weather. He foresaw the arrival of the sandstorm ahead of time, the reason why he gave up last night¡¯s opportunity to strike and ultimately delaying the final battle.Of course, it didn¡¯t rule out the fact that his item might have needed a long time to create the sandstorm. It explained why it only started brewing at the end of the training. Be that as it may, since the sandstorm was here, it was time for Zhang Heng to strike his enemies down as well. As he moved, he turned his back against the storm and tried crouching as low as possible.


    Bell once told him that the sand particles would get finer at the upper layers of the storm, thus increasing the probability of suffocating. On the contrary, sand particles in the lower parts of the storm would be relatively large, and by just using a cloth filter, it could prevent sand from entering the nostrils or the mouth. At the same time, he had to watch out for flying debris.


    The best way to survive a sandstorm would be to find a reliable shelter and hide within its confines until it passed. Visibility would be reduced to almost blindness, where one could only see up to a meter ahead. Naturally, it was easy to lose one¡¯s direction. Zhang Heng, however, was unaffected by these problems. Before the winds became too strong, he had scanned the nearby terrain and located Jia Lai and Bruno¡¯s positions. Just as expected, Jia Lai was no longer at his initial position.


    Zhang Heng quickly drew a map in his mind. There was a stone about the height of a person less than thirty steps away. It would make for a good sandstorm shelter, and Jia Lai might have moved there. Of course, that also meant the possibility of traps waiting for him. Also, about fifty steps to his right was an unsecured car hood laying on the ground. If used properly, it could help shield most of the wind and sand, and even block incoming attacks when necessary. Zhang Heng hesitated for a while and decided to head in the direction of the car hood. He was afraid that the longer he waited, it would soon be completely submerged under the piling sand. With the power of memory, Zhang Heng began to move to his right. He silently calculated the steps he took in his mind. However, after fifty-five steps, he failed to find the hood. There were two possibilities for this situation. It could have been taken away by someone, or he had moved in the wrong direction.


    If it were the latter, it would be more troublesome since he didn¡¯t know which direction he was currently facing or how far he had deviated. If he were unsure of his current location, then the map in his mind would be useless to him. If that were to be the case, he would need to give up on looking for Jia Lai and seek shelter immediately.


    Getting lost in a sandstorm was no joke. Even if Zhang Heng covered his face with his clothes, prolonged exposure to the sand would still cause indefinite suffocation. By a stroke of luck, Zhang Heng suddenly spotted the silhouette of the hood he was looking for after turning a few steps southwest. At the same time, a shadowy figure appeared behind him.


    The sand and roaring wind not only reduced visibility to near-zero but also made hearing ineffective. To prevent sand from entering his ears, Zhang Heng had to wrap it up, further plugging out the sound. In such harsh environments, it was almost impossible to hear footsteps on the sand that came from behind.


    Zhang Heng knelt on one knee on the sand, preparing to dig out the half-buried hood. The shadowy figure, on the other hand, had also lifted a large rock, preparing to smash it on Zhang Heng¡¯s head.

 Chapter 313 - Life And Death Situation

    During the critical moment, Zhang Heng turned to his side, barely avoiding contact with the rock. He did not see the black shadow behind him, nor did he hear the other person¡¯s footsteps. He did, however, notice someone coming from behind. Speaking of which, the sandstorm turned to be a blessing in disguise.


    To avoid inhaling in too much dust, Zhang Heng kept his back faced into the wind, It meant the wind blew directly at the assailant as well. The assailant¡¯s body would block a part of the wind and sand as he approached, allowing Zhang Heng to sense the changes in the wind. This was how he dodged the lethal attack from his enemy.


    On the other hand, the attacker was too slow to react, not expecting Zhang Heng to survive the surprise attack. While he was still stunned, Zhang Heng elbowed him, and he fell to the ground with a thud. Although his face was covered, Zhang Heng easily recognized the attacker as Bruno judging by his size.


    This was by no means good news. Bruno¡¯s game items were now with Zhang Heng, and it was impossible that he would choose such a radical strategy when he had nothing with him. He even hid nearby to wait for Zhang Heng to get close before attacking. In this instance, Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t see his surroundings clearly, and Bruno should be experiencing the same problem as well. So, how did he know that Zhang Heng was coming to get the car hood?


    These thoughts flashed through Zhang Heng¡¯s mind, and just as he realized that a threat was nearby, a sturdy arm silently wrapped around his neck. Jia Lai had discovered a way to maintain good vision, and when the sandstorm arrived, the first thing he did was to find Bruno.


    Bruno knew very well that from the start, Jia Lai¡¯s only intention was to use him as bait. What he didn¡¯t expect was that Jia Lai kept silent about what he wanted him to do until the very last minute, knowing that it would be difficult for Bruno to say no. He knew that Bruno too, wished that Zhang Heng would die here.


    Jia Lai, who had an unhindered and unobstructed vision through the sandstorm made him a terrifying enemy to deal with. There were one too many ways to kill another in the blindness of the sandstorm, and it wouldn¡¯t take much effort either. Jia Lai hadn¡¯t done anything until now simply because Bruno was still valuable as an effective bait.


    According to Bruno, since Jia Lai could clearly see without being affected by the sand, he didn¡¯t need to come looking for him, seeing how he could just kill everyone by himself. They wouldn¡¯t even know what hit them. Everything that happened after that was proof that Jia Lai¡¯s obsessions over Zhang Heng weren¡¯t that unreasonable after all.


    He failed to attack Zhang Heng, pinned to the ground by his opponent. The hot sand burned his forehead, and the fear in his heart caused it to thump wildly. Bruno thought that he was really going to die this time, until Jia Lai shouted his name, asking him to let him deal with Zhang Heng instead. He finally snapped back to his senses. However, Bruno only glanced at two of them. He then struggled and got up from the ground. Instead of joining the fight, he chose a random direction and ran, disappearing into the sandstorm.


    Bruno certainly hoped that this time, Zhang Heng really would die here. If that happened, he would become the only candidate left. He also knew that if he helped Jia Lai kill Zhang Heng, he would be next to die. Jia Lai had the advantage in this sandstorm since he could navigate easily with his superior vision. If left alone, there was no way he could outrun Jia Lai.


    Thus, when Jia Lai and Zhang Heng were fighting, Bruno took another route. He decided to escape the area and hide where Jia Lai couldn¡¯t find him. Even if Jia Lai successfully killed Zhang Heng and lived till the sandstorm was over, Bruno would automatically be chosen as the final astronaut to board Apollo 11 since he fared better results.


    In theory, there was nothing wrong with his choice. Whether a success or failure, it all depended on Jia Lai killing Zhang Heng. However, there were no shelters along the way in the direction he chose to escape. He would likely suffocate to death before the sandstorm blew over.


    Jia Lai knew that Bruno was unreliable, and his last-minute escape didn¡¯t surprise him the slightest. He knew exactly what he was up to. Jia Lai sighed. Right now, though, there was no time to pay attention to Bruno. To him, Zhang Heng was his biggest threat, and now, he wasn¡¯t about to let the opportunity slip. He continued increasing pressure around Zhang Heng¡¯s neck. NASA had conducted arm strength tests before, and at that time, Jia Lai¡¯s performance was as bad as his other tests. The truth was, his strength was the most superior amongst all the players. Not even Zhang Heng could match up to him. When dealing with the coyote, he easily strangled the beast to death with one hand. It tried it¡¯s hardest, but no matter how much it tried to break free, it failed to free itself. Jia Lai was confident that he could suppress Zhang Heng in the same way. Seconds later, Jia Lai¡¯s pupils contracted suddenly, and he quickly turned his head around. At the same time, something flashed past his chin.


    If he was half a second slower, the steak knife would have penetrated his throat. Jia Lai didn¡¯t even manage to see how Zhang Heng did it; his back now drenched in a cold sweat. Nevertheless, he did not loosen his lock around Zhang Heng¡¯s neck. With a grunt, he attempted to use his other hand to block Zhang Heng¡¯s knife.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s counterattack came ahead of time. He first clamped Jia Lai¡¯s neck with both legs, and at the same time, exerted a burst of strength to his waist. The two then rolled on the sand, and when they finally came to a stop, their positions were reversed. This time Zhang Heng was on top, and the knife in his hand was less than two centimeters away from Jia Lai¡¯s right eye.


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t practice wrestling too much, but Anne had once taught him this trick to get rid of an opponent¡¯s control during close-quarters combat. The two sparred with this maneuver many times. During the Black Sail quest, he did not get it to use it many times, and when he left Nassau, he was already the famous pirate king of the Seven Seas. It was rare anybody wanted to have a duel with him.


    This was technically the first time the trick came in handy, and now, it was Jia Lai¡¯s turn to hang on for dear life. With clenched teeth, he blocked Zhang Heng¡¯s wrist with everything that he had, desperately trying to keep the knife away from his eyeball. It was that time when Jia Lai realized he wasn¡¯t the only one who had concealed his strength during the physical test.


    Although Zhang Heng had been working out in the gym frequently, and even with NASA putting him through all kinds of physical training, he was still at a disadvantage to Jia Lai when it came to brute strength. Just like his earlier analysis, this wasn¡¯t the best time for Jia Lai to attack him.


    Nevertheless, although strength wasn¡¯t Zhang Heng¡¯s forte, his endurance had always been outstanding.


    The three had been walking across the desert the entire day and even failed to get proper rest that night as well. To make matters worse, more than three hours had passed since breakfast, and it was safe to say that they weren¡¯t in the best physical condition. Due to the difference in endurance, Zhang Heng was the least affected. Slowly but surely, Zhang Heng surpassed Jia Lai in strength.

 Chapter 314 - To Me, This Is Long Enough

    The steak knife moved slowly but steadily towards Jia Lai¡¯s eyes; its tip just about to touch his iris. But the next second, Zhang Heng suddenly pulled back the knife and dropped it on the ground beside his feet.


    Instead of feeling happy that he¡¯d just escaping death, Jia Lai felt very afraid. Zhang Heng could finally see what was hidden under the sand. It was a rattlesnake, of the most poisonous reptiles that roamed the desert. Unlike other serpents, its venom could produce a special kind of enzyme after it entered the human body, causing necrosis, damage to the nerve fibers, and eventually, brain death once it entered the nervous system.


    If the rattlesnake injected enough venom into its victim, and anti-venom wasn¡¯t administered in time, the probability of death was very certain. Judging by its tail, the rattlesnake that Zhang Heng pinned to the ground by Zhang Heng should have just matured not too long ago. About a meter in length, its yellow and brown skin camouflaged it perfectly against the sand, causing it to be extremely difficult to spot.


    However, under normal circumstances, rattlesnakes weren¡¯t supposed to be very aggressive, and they rarely attacked humans. Unless threatened, the first thing they usually did was to flee. Besides, there was a sandstorm now, and it was impossible for the rattlesnake to hunt, lest it might get swept away by the winds. There could only be one possibility for the appearance of a rattlesnake here.


    ¡°Did you really think I¡¯d completely believe what you told me? The item you took from Nancy that allowed communication with animals hasn¡¯t reached its maximum usage, right?¡± asked Zhang Heng.


    ¡°So, its been on your mind all the while?¡± Jia Lai was surprised, but then remembered something. ¡°We encountered a coyote last night, and you didn¡¯t just leave us there and flee. Was it because you suspected it had something to do with me?¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded.


    ¡°Pfft, what a troublesome opponent.¡±


    As he talked, Jia Lai was stalling time, hoping to recover his strength. He took in a few deep breaths of air, only to cough violently at the sand getting into his lungs.


    ¡°Ahem, okay, this round is a tie, and for the next round¡­ I¡¯ll find a way to kill you in the next round.¡±


    ¡°There will be no next round,¡± Zhang Heng said calmly. ¡°This is your end. I was waiting for you to use your last trump card. Did you really think you could beat me with your pathetic skills?¡±


    Zhang Heng grabbed the rattlesnake¡¯s tail and cut off its head with the sharp knife in his hand before throwing its lifeless corpse to the side. Then, he pulled out the knife from the sand and started to walk toward Jia Lai. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t look the least tired, a testament to his enduring stamina.


    ¡°What kind of monster are you?¡± the latter bitterly clenched his teeth. ¡°This is my eleventh game and my fifth time playing solo-mode. I¡¯ve met all kinds of players, including some very compelling people, but this is my first time meeting someone who¡¯s this versatile and doesn¡¯t seem to have any weakness. How is this possible? How many games have you completed?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t count this round, I completed a total of four games. But for me, these four are long enough for me.¡±


    Jia Lai raised his eyebrows with a look of surprise in his eyes as if he still had something to say. When Zhang Heng walked towards him, he quickly rose from the sand, and at the same time, tossed a stone size of a grapefruit at Zhang Heng¡¯s head while laughing hysterically.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He calmly dodged the stone. As Jia Lai threw the rock in frustration, he took two steps forward, before stumbling to his knees on the sand. Seconds later, Jia Lai discovered something that horrified him. The cloth he wrapped around his face to block out the dust was gone.


    Almost at the same time, he swallowed a mouthful of sand, and started to cough more violently. Jia Lai knew how dangerous it was to expose his mouth and nose to the fine sand particles and didn¡¯t care how funny he looked right now. Immediately, he tried to take off his pants to use it as a mask, but Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t about to let him do that.


    He used the method that Jia Lai used on him previously. With a swift move, Zhang Heng strangled Jia Lai from his back. At the same time, Jia Lai desperately opened his mouth and gulped for air, but the more he struggled to breathe, the more sand he inhaled. Jia Lai began to panic, getting more and more frightened of what was about to happen to him.


    He wanted to break Zhang Heng¡¯s arm, but the lack of oxygen caused his muscles to lose all strength. His mind turned blurry as well, and all he heard was the faint rumble of an engine before he lost consciousness. That was an indication that NASA wasn¡¯t far away, not to mention the captain who was shouting their names at the top of his voice. That said, his calls were soon drowned out by the sound of the howling wind.


    Jia Lai never expected to be so desperate to be found by NASA. He exhausted his last bit of strength by opening his mouth and desperately trying to coax out a sound. But Zhang Heng had also heard the vehicle approaching then, and with no mercy, he grabbed a handful of sand and stuffed in Jia Lai¡¯s mouth to make sure he stayed silent.


    Zhang Heng patiently waited for two and a half minutes until Jia Lai gradually stopped struggling. When he felt no more resistance, Zhang Heng finally let go of him. Jia Lai¡¯s expression in his last moments was frozen in time. His panic, unwillingness, and despair had all fallen into silence. Zhang Heng, too, had been in the sandstorm for almost half an hour and was beginning to feel discomfort in his throat and on his skin.


    The sand in the wind penetrated his collars, the seams of his shoes, and through the clothing that covered his face. Like getting hit by millions of tiny bullets, he felt as if the sand was shooting at him. Currently, the wind had also reached a speed of more than 100 kilometers per hour.


    Zhang Heng then frisked Jia Lai¡¯s body as quickly as he could, taking away whatever game items he had on him. After that, he grabbed the emergency backpack that he threw aside earlier, walked back to where he stood and tried to listen in to the sound of the engine. The Jeep had probably missed them and was now moving away. Knowing that if they left him now, he might just not survive the storm. Hence, he pulled out a flare gun from the emergency backpack and fired a shot at the sky. The red flare pierced through the sandstorm, leaving a long trail of dust on its way up. In addition to that, the loud noise it made when it was fired managed to spread to a good distance as well.


    After a while, the Jeep¡¯s engine got louder again, and Zhang Heng could see the beam from its headlights through all that dust. Half a minute later, it stopped in front of him. Due to the low visibility, the driver was shocked when he suddenly saw Zhang Heng appearing in front of him. Fortunately, he stepped on the brakes in time. The captain then opened the door to let him in.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the rest?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see them. The sandstorm was so severe we got separated.¡±


    The captain nodded and tapped the driver¡¯s seat in front of him.


    ¡°Gibson, let¡¯s go around this area and see if we can find them.¡±

 Chapter 315 - Return To The Space Center

    The Jeep came to a halt, stalling after circling the area halfway. It wasn¡¯t because they had managed to find the other two, but the sandstorm was so severe that the dust and debris soon overwhelmed the intake, clogging it up. At first, the engine seemed underpowered, and the vehicle struggled to move. Not too long after, the engine sputtered before dying completely. In this case, it was impossible to start the engine again. Things didn¡¯t go well for the second Jeep too. It was just the matter of which one would stop functioning first. Left with no other option, NASA had to give up on searching for the other players and hunkered down in the vehicle until the storm passed. It was then that a small accident occurred. A flying stone hit the right passenger window and shattered a hole through it. Everyone scurried to block the crack with layers of clothes to prevent sand from flying into the car.


    However, nobody expected the sandstorm to last an entire day and night. Hours upon hours passed, and when the wind started to die down, they could finally exit the car. Seeing how it was buried halfway in the sand, those in the car wouldn¡¯t survive if the sandstorm lasted any longer, let alone those completely exposed to the elements. Under such an unforgiving environment, it would be almost impossible for missing people to survive.


    Even so, the captain chose to contact Area 51 immediately the moment the winds died down a little. He also requested a second rescue party to be sent out to search for the two trainees that NASA lost in the sandstorm.


    Before they moved on, the captain sent Zhang Heng back to Kennedy Space Center as he was due for a one-week quarantine before he could get on the rocket. It was essential that he stayed away from his family and colleagues to avoid catching any viruses, colds, or any common diseases.


    During this time, and unless absolutely necessary, only staff screened by the medical team could get close to the quarantined astronaut. Considering the odd virus and floating particles in the air, the astronaut wasn¡¯t allowed to leave the isolation chamber either. If their spouse or child came for a visit, they had to first undergo a stringent medical examination. NASA even restricted the duration of their stay.


    This would ensure the wellness of the astronauts¡¯ health could be monitored to the greatest extent. Of course, all the trouble they went through wasn¡¯t for nothing. NASA couldn¡¯t afford to have the astronauts miss the launch window or postponing the mission because of a runny nose. Thankfully, this problem didn¡¯t exist the moment the spacecraft entered orbit. No bacteria or any infectious viruses were in the vacuum of space, and it was rare that astronauts got sick while they were there.


    Due to the mysterious infectious disease that ravaged the base, NASA paid particular attention to the quarantine process. Thanks to the unexpected sandstorm, Zhang Heng was quarantined a day less than initially planned. After the medical team conducted a comprehensive physical examination, confirming him in perfect health, NASA¡¯s executives couldn¡¯t be more relieved.


    No one had expected things to move in this direction. Armstrong and Collins¡¯ surprising return gave NASA a much-needed boost and even restored Congress¡¯ confidence in the moon landing. NASA was in complete shock after seeing how accidents strangely kept happening to this batch of urgently recruited candidates. In the end, only one of the seven survived.


    Fortunately, NASA eventually pulled together enough astronauts for the mission. That said, Zhang Heng, who survived, had the best training performance out of the seven, and although not the outcome that NASA had hoped for, they were content with who they got in the end. The selection process had unexpectedly turned into an elimination round. Thus, the final candidate was now set in stone.


    Zhang Heng had to spend the next four days in the isolation room.


    After entering the quarantine period, the astronauts would no longer be assigned any tasks or training. Of course, a good amount of everyday exercise was mandatory to ensure the astronaut was in the best of health. The astronauts could also use this time to adjust their sleeping patterns to adapt to the work schedule in space. In terms of diet, NASA no longer set any restrictions. In theory, astronauts could request whatever they wanted from the dietician. They were even allowed relatively high-calorie ¡®junk food¡¯ because space food could never be compared to the delicacies on earth. Whatever they could eat on earth now was considered as compensation for whatever the astronauts would miss out while in space.


    Of course, this should be in no way compared to the infamous ¡®last meal¡¯ of death row inmates.


    After all, it was only eight years since Gagarin entered space for the first time, and now, humankind once again challenged themselves to land on another celestial object. For the Apollo 11 mission team, it was an opportunity to create history. A venture of such great heights, though, didn¡¯t come without an equal cost, one that was marred by extremely high risks.


    Let alone returning the crew successfully, the entire undertaking was more of a shot in the dark, pun not intended. Despite all the years and hours of ridiculously complicated calculations done by teams of brilliant astrophysicists, no one really knew what would happen the moment the rocket took-off or if the spacecraft could even enter lunar orbit. They also had no idea if the lunar module would land safely on the moon, or if it would even land at all.Although the process had been simulated thousands of times in the laboratory, nobody could predict what could happen hundreds of thousands of miles away on an alien world. After all, even insurance companies were unwilling to draft up policies for astronauts. Despite the glamorous title, the guarantee that their families would be compensated in the event of their death was now further away from earth than they could imagine.


    For this reason, Armstrong and a few came up with a unique way of insuring themselves. They left hundreds of envelopes with their autographs and souvenirs related to the mission and gave them to their wives, relatives, and friends before they set off. If an accident did, god forbid, happen, these signatures would become their last gift to humanity. In other words, their autographs would hold considerable value, and the money from selling the envelope alone should help secure the future of their respective families.


    Armstrong also suggested Zhang Heng do the same, to which he declined. After all, there was nobody for him to miss in the 1960¡¯s United States. All his kin lived outside the game. Nonetheless, Zhang Heng still helped up Armstrong and Collins by signing a couple of envelopes, even taking a photo with them as well. These items could probably sell for good money when they were no longer alive.


    Zhang Heng never thought that doing all these before the mission even began was pessimistic or somewhat of a bad omen. It was all standard practice to plan ahead in the event of failure. After all, even the White House would have already prepared a eulogy for them. Once the moon landing failed, newly elected President Nixon would broadcast it to all Americans.


    While expressing his condolences, he would commend them for their courage and fearlessness. It would undoubtedly help with damage control, minimizing the moon landing failure¡¯s fallout amongst the public.


    But none of these things concerned Zhang Heng, and instead, he used the rare peace and quiet before the departure to check his recent yield. After killing Jia Lai, he received a reward of 20 game points. He got three game items in total: a wooden whistle, a lens, and a marble. Zhang Heng guessed that the lens should be related to Jia Lai¡¯s ability to maintain his vision in the sandstorm.


    As for the whistle and the marble, it was difficult to identify their functions, judging by their appearance. Coupled with the fork and teeth he got from Bruno, it was safe to say that Zhang Heng got five items in this round of the game. Game items were his high return behind the high risks he faced.


    However, he cared more about the little gift from the Area 51 engineer called Einstein. Even though he knew that it was no game item, Zhang Heng could no longer look away from it the moment he opened the box. In it was a truly wireless Bluetooth headset; a pair of Apple AirPods.

 Chapter 316 - 16th of July, The Day Finally Arrives

    If Zhang Heng remembered correctly, Apple¡¯s Bluetooth Wireless AirPods were released in 2016.


    The Apollo quest was set in 1969. Seven years later, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded Apple Computer together. As for Bluetooth technology, it was created in 1994 by the famous telecommunications company, Ericsson. In other words, these AirPods were definitely not a product from this era. So, who in the world was the man calling himself Einstein?


    Einstein didn¡¯t come to see Zhang Heng because life in Area 51 was boring. He had his own agenda when he came to meet the astronauts preparing to set off for the moon. Other than Zhang Heng, he didn¡¯t look for Jia Lai and Bruno. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t even know if he was really one of the engineers in Area 51, let alone figuring out why he gave him the headset that way ahead of this time.


    An important thing to note was that Einstein only gave him one earbud, the one for the left ear. Even so, Zhang Heng put it together with the other game items that he collected. The entire mission to the moon would last only eight days, and there would be little remaining time for Zhang Heng¡¯s quest. This meant that when the quest ended, there was a good chance that he would still be at the moon. That could only mean that he had to pack in advance.


    Fortunately, NASA allowed their astronauts to bring a small number of personal belongings to space, provided they were meticulously listed down. During the quarantine period, Zhang Heng had visitors. Four days after the sandstorm, the captain returned to the space center and brought back the results of the initial search and rescue. A joint effort between Area 51 and NASA saw them pull together their search assets, and after three days and three nights, Jia Lai¡¯s body was found. He was confirmed to have died from suffocation. Bruno, on the other hand, was still missing.


    The sudden sandstorm had blown millions of tons of sand hundreds of kilometers away, enough to bury all traces of anything living. Coupled with the high temperature and dryness of the desert, it was a dire task for the search to continue. However, the captain insisted that he would carry on until Bruno¡¯s body was found.


    In fact, no one thought that Bruno would survive. Public Relations also notified the media of the unfortunate news as soon as possible. Even President Nixon himself expressed his condolence for those who lost their lives during training. At the same time, the president had a brief conversation with the only survivor, Zhang Heng.


    Due to the accident, Zhang Heng failed to attend the pre-launch press conference. However, this wasn¡¯t bad news for him, and although it wasn¡¯t his first time dealing with the media, he hated being bombarded by questions since he couldn¡¯t provide information about his family and background. Moreover, unlike Armstrong and Collins, he was just a visitor that was passing by this world. All he cared about was whether he could complete the main quest or not. He didn¡¯t need to become famous in this world.


    After a six-day quarantine, Zhang Heng put on the right mental attitude and made the final preparations for the moon landing. He had done everything he could, for now, having already eliminated all threats and obstacles along his way. Even so, the mission was set to be a perilous voyage from the get-go, filled with unknowns and uncertainties.


    It was July the 16th in no time.


    Eight years of preparation (from the implementation of the Apollo Program), the effort of 400,000 individuals, tens of billions of dollars spent, and the nation¡¯s top scientists and engineers working day and night to practically create a miracle. It had all led to this, a project that showcased a country¡¯s ultimate capability during their most peaceful time with all the investment they could get on hand. All that blood and sweat, all that unimaginable risk, was to welcome the arrival of this day.


    Today, the whole world had its attention focused on the Kennedy Space Center, waiting to witness humans¡¯ historic voyage; leaving their home planet to explore another celestial object for the first time.Armstrong, Collins, and Zhang Heng woke up at four in the morning. They dressed neatly, packed their personal belongings, and bid a final farewell to the crowd that had gathered outside the building. Then, with a wave, the three men entered a black Lincoln to Launchpad 39A at Cape Canaveral spaceport. There, they ate their last breakfast on planet Earth. The staff helped them into their A7L spacesuits, and when all the leak checks were complete, they put on their space helmets. Everyone in the area was dressed in their best outfits, and during this process, two photographers followed them around busy clicking away their cameras for whatever it was worth.


    To be honest, Zhang Heng did not fancy this feeling at all, especially the annoying shutter clicks. It looked like some kind of weird ritual to him, the three of them being the sacrificial offerings. At the same time, more than half of NASA¡¯s senior officers and representatives from the White House shook hands and hugged each one of the astronauts. The expressions on everyone¡¯s faces grew solemn. It would indeed be a miracle when the three astronauts of Apollo 11 finally returned to Earth with the star-spangled banner wrapped around them.


    Fortunately, the entire media snafu didn¡¯t take too long. As everything was ready, ground control issued instructions to the spacecraft soon after.


    Armstrong took the lead and pushed the door to the equipment room.


    At this time, the spaceport¡¯s engineers stood spontaneously in the corridor, applauding and nodding to the three, wishing them a smooth journey. Journalists were already crowding outside the gate with their cameras, and the moment the three astronauts showed up, the cameras immediately came to life. With flashes going off everywhere, it was as if supermodels had just lined up for a catwalk. Everyone was trying their hardest to capture this historic moment.


    However, the three didn¡¯t linger for too long as Hollywood stars on the red carpet did. They simply waved at the reporters who had been waiting for hours and got into the bus prepared by NASA. They then adjourned to the spaceport. Before this, Zhang Heng was lucky enough to see the assembled Saturn V launch vehicle, a behemoth that cost of 185 million (more than 1 billion US dollars today). Designed by rocket prodigy Werner von Braun, it maintained the record for over 50 years as the most powerful rocket ever launched my man.


    It stood at a whopping 110.6 meters, a height surpassing the Statue of Liberty in New York. After being fueled up, the entire launch vehicle weighed an astonishing 2,883,900 kg. The building to assemble the launch vehicle and the Apollo module was completed in 1966. It remained as the building with the largest ground area in the world. The four gates that lead to each area were 139 meters high, each taking 45 minutes to open.


    The Saturn V rocket moved to the spaceport a few days ago from the assembly building on a purpose-built Crawler-Transporter. At night, the Saturn V looked like a giant sword made by the gods as it stood majestically over the Cape. Looking up at the massive machine from below, it was hard not to be bewildered by this absolute marvel of human technology.

 Chapter 317 - To Space

    The elevator continued to rise on Launch Umbilical Tower, and the three astronauts got further and further away from the ground. Zhang Heng raised his head and looked toward the distant sky, where the crimson sun rose over the coastline. Light and dark perfectly intertwined at this moment, as if captured in time and frozen on film.


    ¡°I hope we¡¯ll get to enjoy such a beautiful sight again,¡± Collins whispered from the side. Although the astonishing height of Saturn V gave an illusion that the elevator would never reach the top, it eventually stopped in front of the bridge. The NASA technician opened the elevator door for them and nodded. At the same time, engineers had also completed the final inspections before the launch. The three of them walked across the bridge linking rocket and tower and ingressed into the narrow command module.


    Zhang Heng tried his best to keep his spacesuit away from the complicated instruments and cables around him. At the same time, he found his seat, and the door of the command module slowly closed behind him. Only the three of them were left in the spacecraft, where Armstrong and Collins were both weathered and experienced NASA astronauts. They had completed space missions before; hence the two were very calm. But compared to Armstrong¡¯s unchanged looks, there was a slight hint of nervousness on Collins¡¯ face.


    After all, a series of unfortunate events had just happened at NASA. The mysterious infectious diseases, and the crazy attrition of the training camp¡­ all these seemed to only confirm the widely spread rumor of God didn¡¯t want humans landing on the moon.¡¯ Even with Collins¡¯ steady-as-a-rock mental state, it was difficult for him to completely ignore these external interferences. But when the mission started, he quickly devoted himself to it.


    Like the original Apollo 11 mission recorded in history, NASA still arranged for Armstrong to be the commander and Collins as the command and service module pilot. As for Zhang Heng, he replaced Buzz Aldrin as the lunar module pilot. Collins was also the only person who did not set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission because one crew needed to be in the command module when the lunar module separated. If Armstrong and Zhang Heng could not return to Earth, Collins would then fly the command module back to Earth alone.


    His situation was the best amongst the three, almost having guaranteed that he would come home, provided the machinery did not fail. But he had to pay a price for that safety, and that was him not getting on the moon for the first time. In terms of mission priority, he had a higher position than Zhang Heng, the lunar module pilot. After talking a little more during the quarantine period, Zhang Heng had become more familiar with Armstrong and Collins. Because the experienced duo returned to the team relatively late, the three did not get the opportunity to train together. This once made NASA¡¯s executives worried about the chemistry between the three. Unfortunately, they had no better solutions, and could only create an environment that coaxed them to familiarize themselves with each other during the quarantine period. Thanks to that, Zhang Heng got to confirm something that he was unsure of before.


    Whatever happened in the parallel quest wasn¡¯t co-related with the normal quest, and Armstrong had no memory of his time working with Zhang Heng at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory 14 years ago. This could be seen from Armstrong¡¯s expressions when the two met again later. Armstrong seemed as if he was looking at a stranger.


    Zhang Heng was sad as he thought about it, knowing that this would happen when he returned to the main quest. Fourteen years had passed, and Zhang Heng¡¯s appearance hadn¡¯t changed one bit. He hadn¡¯t aged too. Nobody would have thought this possible to happen to anybody, and besides, how would one coin up a convincing explanation to explain this phenomenon? Regarding what happened after the two were separated, Zhang Heng had more or less read up about it on the internet and books.Armstrong married college sweetheart Janet Elizabeth Shearon in 1956, and the couple had three children together. Karen, his daughter, was diagnosed with a malignant tumor and lost the ability to speak and walk. Not too long after that, Karen tragically passed away on Armstrong and Janet¡¯s wedding anniversary. The incident greatly affected Armstrong, which was why Zhang Heng was quieter when he saw him for the second time. Armstrong was one tough cookie. Through his tribulations, he never once grieved in front of anyone.


    He later applied to NASA to be an astronaut. In addition to his passion for flying, he wanted to escape reality, and perhaps only through high-intensity training and work could he temporarily forget the pain of losing his daughter. Subsequently, his marriage did not end well too.


    In 1989, Janet left a note for Armstrong at the dinner table, requesting an end to their 38-year marriage. In Armstrong¡¯s words:


    ¡°Our marriage is like a failed flight. It collapses silently¡­ If possible, I still want to say, I love my wife, I am sorry¡­¡± But at this moment, as Armstrong sat in the cabin, he did not think about all these things. He focussed all his thoughts and energy on this mission, a reason why NASA identified him as a stable and reliable leader. In a sense, although Armstrong and Zhang Heng lived at different times, they had many similarities and could see each others¡¯ shadows from the other.


    There was a tacit understanding between the two at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory, and they returned to the Apollo training camp 14 years later. Although this version of Armstrong didn¡¯t remember what happened before, the subtle sense of understanding between the two hadn¡¯t completely disappeared. Armstrong could feel it as well. He and Zhang Heng were seeing each other for the first time, but it felt like a reunion between old friends, and Zhang Heng seemed to know his family situation and his background information very well.


    ¡­..


    Mission control in Houston initialized a two-minute countdown before the launch of the Saturn V. Everyone within the radius had all evacuated to safety. Today, over a million people had come from all over the country just to witness the historic launch. Other than that, dozens of TV cameras were rolling, broadcasting the whole process to the entire world. Zhang Heng tugged on his seatbelts for the last time to make sure that he was secure.


    The countdown was now down to the last 15 seconds, and internal guidance was activated¡­ Then with 9 seconds left, the ground trembled as five F1 engines of the first stage ignited with a thunderous roar. They were soon at full thrust. Approximately 12,000 kg of rocket-grade kerosene was injected into the engines and burned every second, enough fuel to fill up 15 fighter jets. The fiery inferno at the bottom of the rocket ejected with a cloud of smoke that could be seen from miles away. Then, the ungodly thrust they generated lifted the behemoth Saturn V slowly off the ground.

 Chapter 318 - Mission Accomplished

    Zhang Heng felt like he was experiencing a giant earthquake. Everything around him shook violently, and despite how sturdy the whole vehicle was built, the way each screw clanged and vibrated made them seem like they would fall apart at any minute.


    As the rocket lifted off the ground, the powerful acceleration threw its passengers in the command module back into their aluminum alloy seats. It felt as if a gorilla sat on their chests, and even the simple movement of raising an arm became an arduous task. Fortunately, Zhang Heng trained for this very situation in the space center and was no stranger to the massive g-forces their bodies were subjected to while on the ascent.


    The numbers on the display board kept jumping at a frantic pace!


    135 seconds after liftoff, the central engine shut down. At 150 seconds, the other four F-1 engines around the periphery were cut off. When the first stage was exhausted of fuel, the Saturn V rocket had already reached an altitude of more than sixty-eight thousand meters.


    Explosive charges separated the first stage from the interstage ring, and along with the Launch Escape System, they both separated from the vehicle and subsequently fell into the ocean.


    The second stage could begin its job. The J-2 engines were ignited, and the entire vehicle increased its velocity from a ¡®modest¡¯ 9,200 kilometers per hour to a terrifying 24,600 kilometers per hour, sling-shooting it into the upper atmosphere in one fell swoop. The entire process lasted for a full six minutes until the second stage ran out of fuel. It was quickly discarded as well. Now that the entire launch vehicle was about a tenth of its original weight, it was the third-stage¡¯ turn to engage and keep the vehicle¡¯s trajectory. Apollo 11 continued to accelerate, and compared to liftoff, the awful vibrations in the cabin had calmed considerably.


    The third stage shut down automatically after burning for precisely 2.75 minutes. The Saturn V launch vehicle carrying the Lunar Module had reached its escape velocity of 28,000 kilometers per hour, successfully entering Earth¡¯s orbit.


    The moment the announcement of successful orbit was made, mission control in Houston erupted into roars of cheers and applause. It meant that the launch phase was a success and was now over. When the engines were shut down, thrust levels dropped to 0% in just half a second. With a slight jolt, the pressure on Zhang Heng¡¯s chest magically dissipated, and suddenly, he found himself floating above his seat. Thankfully, the seat belts kept him firmly strapped, and he wasn¡¯t about to fly off anywhere.


    He had read many books and watched countless movies about space, even witnessing the launch of Shenzhou 5, and fully comprehended every step of the moon landing. Now that it was actually happening, and that he was physically in the thick of it, it was an entirely different feeling altogether.


    Right now, they were orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 166 kilometers. When their helmets were removed, they floated from their hands like feathers. The view of mother Earth finally came into sight through the porthole of the spacecraft.


    Words failed to describe the otherworldly sight presented before them. An azure planet all alone in the deep, dark velvety sky. An arc-shaped horizon looming from the mists of the atmosphere, where thousands of tiny clouds drifted silently over the blue ocean. The ground was like a vast palette with a bright amalgamation of colors. They transitioned from yellow deserts to undulating mountains to dark green rainforests. The scene invoked indescribable awe and a landslide of emotions flooding through the hearts of the astronauts. It was a moment where everyone became speechless and dumbfounded.


    Even Zhang Heng, who had been calm and composed all the while, found himself a little dazed, as he gazed at his homeworld from high, high above.


    Just then, a series of system prompts echoed in his ear.


    (Admire Earth from space ¨C Mission complete¡­]


    [Returning in four days¡­) [Successfully boarded the Saturn V launch vehicle ¨C 10 game points. Please view the character panel for more details¡­] (Successfully entered Earth¡¯s orbit ¨C 20 game points. Please view the character panel for more details¡­]


    [Successfully maintained continuous weightlessness for more than 500 seconds ¨C 10 game points. Please view the character panel for more details¡­]


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± Collins unbuckled his seatbelt and pushed himself with his legs to Zhang Heng¡¯s position. ¡°Once you¡¯ve seen this view, you will never be able to forget it for the rest of your life. Congratulations, David. You are now a real astronaut. But you¡¯ll only be able to get your golden brooch when you return to earth.¡±


    On the other side of the spacecraft, a rare smile crept onto Armstrong¡¯s lips. No matter how many times he had been to space, it was hard not to be completely immersed in earth¡¯s beauty from miles above.


    Right now, though, there was other important work to be done. Apollo 11 would stay in earth¡¯s orbit for a period of time, and the spacecraft would use that time to conduct final inspections. Then, Apollo 11 Saturn would once again reignite its engines and officially begin the journey to the moon.


    This step was also known as the trans-lunar injection.


    At this point, although Zhang Heng had already completed the primary mission and gained 50 game points, he was still four days away from the return date. So, he had no other option but to remain in space and complete the moon landing mission with Armstrong and Collins.


    Soon, it was confirmed that all systems were in order and that there were no problems with navigation. The spacecraft was pointing in the right direction. The third stage¡¯ J-2 engines ignited again after 148 minutes, and with its last remaining bit of fuel, the spacecraft officially left earth¡¯s orbit.


    The Saturn V launch vehicle had now completed its duty.


    Next, the skills of the three men on board would be put to the test.It was a hairy maneuver that involved seperating the Apollo Command and Service Module (CSM) from its adapter, turning the CSM around, and docking its nose to the Lunar Module before pulling the combined spacecraft away from the third stage. It meant the pilot in charge would have to pitch up the CSM 180 degrees, make a U-turn and fly the front of the rocket before docking with it. Then, they would have to extract the Lunar Module and discard the third stage, no longer useful at this point.


    While a good portion of these perilous in-flight operations would be assisted by mission control on the ground, the entire docking process required manual operation, and even the slightest error could bring catastrophic consequences.


    ¡°The next part is all you,¡± Armstrong told Collins.


    The latter nodded and took a deep breath.


    Collins separated the CSM from the rocket and gave the thrusters a little power. After he was 300 meters away, he completed the rotation. Then, at a velocity of 2 meters per second, the entire assembly reconnected with the Lunar module.


    To avoid distracting Collins throughout the entire process, neither Zhang Heng nor Armstrong said a single word, merely observing quietly through the portholes above their heads.


    Collins used the gas thrusters and gingerly adjusted the orientation and position of the spacecraft as if picking up a diamond with tweezers. His hands that gripped the joysticks were firm and consistent. In the end, with the slightest tremor on the bulkhead, he successfully connected the claws of the command and service module into the docking ring on the rocket, flawless and without a single error.


    Three hours had passed since liftoff. Apollo 11 officially bid farewell to planet Earth and was on its way to the moon that was 300,000 kilometers away.

 Chapter 319 - Moon Landing

    ¡°Err, have any of you seen my gloves?¡± Collins asked. He was hugging a bowl of pork and dehydrated baked potatoes when he popped out of nowhere like a specter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I think it floated past my head a minute ago,¡± Zhang Heng replied.


    ¡°And you just watched it fly away like that?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°You can go look in the Lunar Module. It probably went in that direction.¡±


    ¡°Collins, did you take the wrong toothbrush?¡± Armstrong poked his head out from the door, his expression grim.


    ¡°Did I? I remember putting my name on it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you put it on my toothbrush,¡± Armstrong grunted. ¡°Also, remember to clean the fuel cell. Whose turn is it?¡±


    Zhang Heng raised his hand, ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Collins cut in. ¡°Don¡¯t the two of you have something really big to do today?¡± he chuckled and patted Zhang Heng on the shoulder. ¡°You must return safely.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Neil will return safely,¡± said Zhang Heng. Collins¡¯ brows furrowed, unable to understand what Zhang Heng meant.


    Right at that moment, mission control came over the radio, ¡°Apollo 11, this is Houston. You will enter the moon¡¯s orbit in fifteen minutes. Over.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Houston. We¡¯ll be ready. Over,¡± Armstrong answered. He turned to Zhang Heng, ¡°You haven¡¯t had breakfast, right. Eat more. We have lots of work waiting for us once we land on the moon. We won¡¯t have much time then.¡±


    Zhang Heng nodded, knowing anyhow that he wouldn¡¯t be staying long on the moon. He looked at his Tissot watch and saw that only one minute was left before 5:55. According to his calculations based on the game¡¯s time flow, he only had four hours left in this quest.


    It was also why he told Collins that Neil would return safely. He himself, on the other hand, would leave the scene and never set foot inside the Command and Service Module again.


    Twenty minutes later, the three stopped what they were doing and stood in front of the porthole. The view outside was much clearer, and they saw the surface of the moon in great detail. Right now, Apollo 11 was only a hundred kilometers away from the moon.


    The moon itself didn¡¯t emit its own light, but it could reflect approximately 7% of visible light. Through the porthole, they could see craters and ravines that pockmarked the surface of the moon-much like a honeycomb. Zhang Heng knew that it was plagioclase, a type of volcanic rock that resulted from the cooling and crystallization of magma which formed the lunar crust. The lunar mantle was of stronger basalt, containing more iron than the crust. As for the innermost core, molten iron with a small amount of sulfur and nickel made up most of it.


    ¡°Alright, looks like we¡¯re at our destination,¡± said Collins. ¡°We¡¯ll have to separate soon. I hope you won¡¯t miss me too much.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Michael. When I¡¯m not around, you can eat all the chicken salad you want,¡± said Zhang Heng.


    ¡°I won¡¯t take that as a joke,¡± Collins pretended to look serious. Then two seconds later, he continued, ¡°Take care, the both of you. I will be waiting here. Let¡¯s return to earth together.¡±


    Armstrong merely nodded, saying nothing.


    Zhang Heng spent the remainder of his time preparing for the landing, omitting all the daily necessities, only carrying his game items. He put on his EVA spacesuit and entered the lunar module ¡°Eagle¡± with Armstrong. Armstrong then closed the hatch behind them.


    ¡°Houston, this is Eagle. David and I have entered the Lunar Module. Landing legs are deployed. Everything¡¯s in position. Over.¡±


    ¡°Eagle, this is Houston. Please confirm that you are using ethylene glycol line 1.¡± ¡°This is Eagle. We are using line 1. Over.¡± Zhang Heng answered.


    Then Collins¡¯s voice came over the radio. ¡°This is CSM Columbia. All twelve latches are fastened. Switching to manual mode. Eagle will separate at an estimated time of twenty minutes.¡±


    ¡°Roger that.¡±


    ¡°Wish you guys good luck.¡±


    To reduce as much weight as possible, no seats were installed in the lunar module. Instead, Zhang Heng and Armstrong had to stand in front of the control panel. As the lunar module¡¯s pilot, Zhang Heng would take on the task of flying it. He would need to gingerly maneuver the Eagle and land it at the designated coordinates.


    This would be a massive challenge for him, but it was at times like this that Zhang Heng was at his calmest.


    At first, Armstrong was worried that Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t trained enough, but when he saw the look in his eyes, he knew that he was ready.


    ¡°OK, we are about to begin.¡± After counting down, Collins pushed the button to separate the CSM from the Lunar Module.


    ¡°This is Houston. Please remain in flight mode. Eagle, keep an eye on your fuel. Your maximum continuous ignition time is 910 seconds.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Houston.¡± Zhang Heng became extra focussed, as he prepped the Lunar Module for landing.


    However, it did not take long for them to run into trouble. The warning light on controls suddenly flashed.


    ¡°Executive overflow. We lost radar,¡± said Zhang Heng as he glanced at the warning indicator.


    ¡°Roger that, Eagle. Land at your discretion.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Houston,¡± Armstrong answered.


    But before the two of them could even breathe, the warning light started flashing again. ¡°Program alarm,¡± Zhang Heng frowned, ¡°Error code 1202. What is this, Houston?¡±


    ¡°Houston to Eagle, 1202, received. Please hold. We are checking.¡±


    Zhang Heng turned off the alarm manually. Lo and behold, less than a minute later, the program alarm rang yet again. Then, one of the worst things that could happen, actually happened. The altimeter suddenly froze at 4000 feet. It meant Zhang Heng would have to land relying on his bare judgment and the naked eye. He was practically flying blind.


    The situation was not looking optimistic, but the two had no other options. When they descended to about 2500 feet, Zhang Heng and Armstrong realized that they had overshot the predicted landing zone.


    Now, as if to mock them in the face, the fuel gauge failed a short while later. Zhang Heng last confirmed that with the fuel left in the propulsion system, the engines could still ignite for about 30 seconds. A large, deep valley appeared in front of the Eagle. With the radar out of service, there was no way for Zhang Heng to gauge how deep or wide the valley was.


    He had to make a split-second decision whether to risk a high-speed crash landing in the deep valley or find a way to fly past it.


    At this critical juncture, the wireless AirPods that Zhang Heng put alongside the game items suddenly came on by itself. Then a familiar voice said, ¡°Friendly reminder, you have only 23 seconds of fuel left!¡±

 Chapter 320 - Enjoy The Victory

    Zhang Heng glanced at Armstrong and found him staring at the valley in front of him. It seemed he didn¡¯t notice the voice coming from the communication channel. As for mission control in Houston, every line seemed secure, and there wasn¡¯t any sign of interference there. Zhang Heng quickly came to realize that he was the only one that could hear the voice.


    ¡°You need to make a choice. You have only 19 seconds of fuel left,¡± the voice reminded him.


    Zhang Heng looked down again and found that the location was too rough for landing. The valley on the opposite side seemed no less dangerous as well. He also was oblivious to what lay beyond the valley. The surface might be just as rough on the terrain he was flying above right now. If he knew the exact amount of remaining fuel, he was more inclined to bet on this spot, but now, with the hint from the mysterious voice, Zhang Heng finally made up his mind and pointed the spacecraft to the valley. ¡°Very brave choice, you still have 13 seconds of fuel left, 640 feet above the ground.¡±


    The voice in the communication channel continued, and it gave Zhang Heng the figures he needed the most. It allowed him to regain control of Eagle¡¯s current status after losing the instruments. As the seconds passed, the lunar module got closer and closer to the valley. If the commander were to be someone else, he might question Zhang Heng¡¯s decision at a time like this. Commander Armstrong, however, remained silent, deciding to trust Zhang Heng¡¯s judgment.


    The warning alarm beeped again, and a red light flashed. Since it was noisy and loud, Armstrong instantly disablem them to prevent Zhang Heng from being distracted. The Lunar Module gradually descended, and they were quickly soaring above the valley. Looking down from above, however, they only saw darkness ¨C like a huge mouth, waiting to eat the spacecraft alive.


    ¡°¡­7 seconds of fuel remaining, 315 feet above ground.¡±


    Because of the quickly depleting fuel, Zhang Heng decided to shut down the thrusters. He would only reignite them after gliding for some distance. The moon¡¯s gravity was only a sixth of Earth¡¯s, and even if fuel did run out, Eagle wouldn¡¯t just fall to the surface immediately.


    The valley beneath them was approaching fast. Fortunately, with the last 5 seconds of fuel left, Zhang Heng finally saw the other side of the valley. It was a very flat terrain, an excellent place to land the spacecraft. So the only question that remained was if they had enough fuel to get there.


    After the initial observation, Zhang Heng estimated they still needed to travel for about 1.7 kilometers, and it would take a minute and a half to get there at their current speed. They were now less than 50 feet from the ground and almost touched the cliffs that lined the valley. Zhang Heng had to spend another two seconds of precious fuel to boost the altitude of the Lunar Module.


    Now, he needed to adjust the Lunar Module¡¯s position and decelerate it during his landing. In other words, he had to make good use of the remaining fuel on board.


    Like a shadowy specter, the lunar module glided silently over the valley.


    ¡°32 feet¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng¡¯s hand got colder and colder as he grabbed the joysticks. The Lunar Module was headed in the right direction, but they were at a shallow angle of descent, which meant the vehicle could hit the rock wall before it could land. As he flew closer and closer to his landing point, the Lunar Module missed the rock wall by less than 15 feet. Zhang Heng remained extremely focussed, not bothering to celebrate after escaping the close-call. He coasted the spacecraft forward for a short distance before he entered the landing procedure.


    Then, he triggered the thrusters, and running on vapors at this point, they lit up, bringing the spacecraft to a stop. The thrusters fizzed out their last breaths, and once all the fuel had been used up, the four landing legs of the Eagle were already on the surface of the moon.


    ¡°Houston, this is Jinghai Base. The Eagle has landed,¡± Armstrong reported. Despite crossing a massive hurdle, his tone remained stoic and hadn¡¯t changed a bit.


    In a jiffy, massive roars and cheers erupted through Mission Control Center in Houston, and everyone ran around in excitement with everything they could grab in their hands. They had good reason to get this elated because, for the very first time in history, a human had landed on the moon!NASA threw in everything they had just for this day to happen. The doubts and immense pressure they faced from the public meant that they had to put in the double effort and prove themselves worthy. When their dream finally became a reality, the teams couldn¡¯t help but tear up. Zhang Heng was pleased, and although he knew that this was just a game, he still felt as if he was part of history now.


    ¡°Congratulations, ten out of ten for the perfect landing,¡± the voice on the communicator said. ¡°You will soon enter my favorite session. The Neil Armstrong beside you is about to utter my favorite sentence. This is my favorite scene in our entire human history.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable, isn¡¯t it? Five hundred years ago, most people believed that the Earth was flat. Now, you are standing here on the moon 300,000 kilometers away from Earth. There is no oxygen here, but your spacesuits allow you to breathe. Science and technology forever changed lifestyles and cognition. Despite that, some people still believe that the Earth is flat¡­ they held a party in North Carolina not too long ago. But this is not important now. Our brain is a good thing, but you can¡¯t expect everyone to have a good brain¡­ well.. the point is, technology is great, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhang Heng frowned. ¡°Our encounter in Area 51 wasn¡¯t a coincidence, right? Why did you infiltrate our quest? Are you a player? What is your purpose of looking for me?¡±


    The moment he spoke, Zhang Heng realized that the voice belonged to the man calling himself Einstein. It explained why the Bluetooth headset suddenly turned on by itself. Zhang Heng didn¡¯t know the origins and identity of Einstein, but judging by the circumstances of their first meeting, he was sure Einstein harbored no malicious intent towards him. Also, Einstein had been an immense help with the landing.


    Einstein smiled when he heard Zhang Heng¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Times have changed. Four hundred years ago, it was alright burning Giordano Bruno to death to prevent him from spreading the heliocentric theory. Our time has come; the older generation is getting weaker. They, however, are not willing to be forgotten by time, wishing to use this game to redeem their past glory. Of course, we all know it¡¯s just a lie that they fool themselves with.


    ¡°They¡¯ve lost a long time ago and have been completely defeated. As far as I know, some of them live worse than dogs. This is truly saddening. They should have just killed themselves hundreds of years ago, and perhaps, they could at least die with a bit of decency. Natural selection and survival of the fittest. These are the wise words of Darwin. Victory will always belong to the newer generation. So my advice for you is to choose your side carefully. You don¡¯t want to board a sinking ship like the Titanic. Beneath the gorgeous robe could lay a lice infestation . I like you. We will meet again. Finally, enjoy the victory. Not everyone can stand beside Neil Armstrong on the moon.¡±

 Chapter 322 - The Journey Back Home

    There was no one outside the bar in the early morning. Only a few cleaners were cleaning the mess on the floor.


    After returning to the earth, Zhang Heng needed some time to get used to gravity again. Fortunately, unlike a real astronaut, his physical body remained in the same state as before he entered the quest. His bone mass and blood volume were still the same, and he did not feel thirsty. He also suffered no vision problems (usually hyperopia). Hence it was more of a psychological adjustment for him.


    After all, all he did was wander in space for four days. Even with the moon having only a sixth of earth¡¯s gravity, these minor problems could be resolved in a matter of an hour or two, unlike the Black Sail quest.


    Zhang Heng walked to a small housing estate. Upon seeing a roadside stall that served breakfast, he ordered a bowl of hot soy milk, with two Youtiao and a boiled tea egg. When he was done eating, the road was already lively again, and white-collar workers who lived nearby could be seen leaving their houses. Commuting in big cities had always been a serious problem. Most of the workforce lived so far away from their workplaces that it was worse than the distance between the Cowherd and Weaver Girl. Left with no other options, they had to get up very early in the morning and to fill their stomachs as fast as they could before joining the mad rush to work. Many even developed the skill of eating while walking.


    Zhang Heng had visited a number of cities when he was still a kid, where he would follow his parents to attend academic conferences or his grandfather to meet friends who came from elsewhere. It was at that time when he got into the habit of labeling every city he visited in his mind. For this particular city, he had studying here for a year and a half, but still found it hard to find the right words to summarize and describe it. It was like a bowl of thick soup thrown in with all sorts of ingredients, its strange and weird flavors brutally clashing and mixing with each other.


    No matter how picky the diners were, you could always find the parts that you liked. At the same time, you had to endure the parts you didn¡¯t like. Perhaps then, complexity was its label.


    After finishing up the last sip of soy milk, Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t about to join in with the crowded mess of white that boarded the city¡¯s various public transports. Instead, he unlocked a shared bicycle by the roadside using a QR code. He then rode all the way back to school. As he approached a few stores, he stopped his bicycle to buy some local produce. It would be used to deal with the little brats that frequented his house every Chinese New Year. As for the robot vacuum cleaner that he wanted to buy for his grandfather, an order had already been placed on Xiaomi¡¯s official website.


    Nothing else happened in the next two days. Zhang Heng put his Paris Arrow into the locker of the archery hall and took with him for the other game items that had no problems passing security checks. After that, he bid Ma Wei goodbye before embarking on the journey back to his birthplace to celebrate the Chinese New Year.


    Whenever Chinese New Year was near, millions of people would rush to board the trains. Zhang Heng had to squeeze through the gargantuan crowd just to get to the ticketing counter. After rummaging through the entire human mess, he managed to board the train. He put down his carry-on luggage and started to look for his seat according to the number printed on the ticket. There was already someone at his designated seat, and it looked like a young couple occupied it. Seeing that the original passenger had arrived, the boy got up with a smile and told Zhang Heng that they couldn¡¯t get double seats and asked if he was willing to change seats with him. At the same time, he showed his ticket to Zhang Heng.


    Zhang Heng took a look at it. Fortunately, the seat wasn¡¯t too far away, located at the end of the carriage. So, Zhang Heng agreed to change seats. The boy¡¯s face instantly lit up with joy, and he repeatedly thanked Zhang Heng. There was a high chance there was no extra space over there, so Zhang Heng did not take down his small suitcase that had found a spot on the luggage rack. He could only carry his backpack, which had a drinking cup and other valuables such as a camera and the game items.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s new seat was close to the aisle. Seated next to him was a middle-aged man in a jacket. He had not stopped talking on his mobile phone since he got on the train, appearing as if he was explaining some work issues or discussing after-sales problems with his customers. He sounded like some kind of sales director of a particular manufacturer.


    Opposite Zhang Heng was a girl who should be a student like him. She held a book called ¨C ¡°TOEFL Vocabulary, Root + Associative Memory¡± in her hand. She wasn¡¯t the most attractive, having tiny slits for eyes and a flat nose, and a scrawny body as well. At least she was still young and seemed to have a lot of potential till maturity.


    wa


    Sitting next to her was a slightly older woman. She had a pair of headphones on and was watching a drama on a tablet. All three looked ordinary, and Zhang Heng did not know if this was a sequel for completing the single-player game with competitive mode. He could not help but subconsciously observe the people around him. There were still other players in the real world, and there were a lot of them. Hence, it was perfectly reasonable that he kept looking over his shoulder.Speaking of the battle with Jia Lai in the Apollo Training Camp, it was his first time single-handedly killing other players. Zhang Heng thought he would feel bad about it, but that didn¡¯t turn out to be the case. Maybe it was because he had endured too many battles and his hands were soaked with blood anyway. The people he killed were from the quest or monsters in the real world. That said, he was surprised his heart remained the same even after killing other players. When he stuffed Jia Lai¡¯s mouth with sand and watched him suffocate to death, he was calm and unmoved throughout the whole process. Perhaps he was a little too calm. Jia Lai was the first real person he killed. For a moment, even Zhang Heng could not recognize him.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if his current situation could be considered normal since he had such a bountiful experience. Hence, it was hard for anyone to tell him what he should do right now.


    When the girl with the TOEFL book noticed somebody coming towards her, she quickly emptied the seat opposite her by removing a bag of potato chips and an apple. Zhang Heng thanked her as he sat down. As soon as he put his backpack down, his phone vibrated.


    A small ¡®1¡¯ appeared on the cute version of Aqua¡¯s avatar in his WeChat contact list. It meant he just received a new message. Zhang Heng tapped on it. [I¡¯m sitting opposite you. Did you see me?] Zhang Heng frowned and looked up at the TOEFL girl. She had her head lowered and was memorizing words from the book. She could feel Zhang Heng looking at her face and observing her thoroughly. At that time, she was in a panic. Instead of looking up, she only lowered her head further. Her ears were slowly turning red as well. Zhang Heng replied. (I will block you if you keep on doing this to me.]


    [Hehe¡­ I¡¯m bored. What are you doing? Do you want to go to the haunted house with me? I heard the alley is very, very, haunted. Let¡¯s catch some ghosts tonight. (¡®-W-)]


    (I¡¯m on a train back to my hometown for Chinese New Year. You can go there yourself.]


    (Huh. Does that mean you¡¯ll come to the haunted house with me if you are still here?]


    (No.]

 Chapter 323 - Deep Sleep Aboard the Train

    After dealing with the prankster¡¯s harassment, Zhang Heng took out a ¡®Finnish Grammar¡¯ book from his bag and continued from where he stopped. Surprise flashed in the eyes of the TOEFL girl sitting opposite of Zhang Heng


    Finnish was a very niche language, where only one university in China, namely the Beijing Foreign Studies University, offered any related major. The enrollment each year was tiny as well. In fact, less than 100 people managed to master Finnish in the whole country. Besides, Zhang Heng¡¯s poise was very much that of a student¡¯s. The TOEFL girl hesitated and whispered, ¡°Classmate?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you from Beijing Foreign Studies University?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am not,¡± said Zhang Heng. Realizing what had caused the misunderstanding, he waved the book and explained, ¡°Just for my own pleasure.¡± The TOEFL girl¡¯s face turned red. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she muttered.


    Zhang Heng smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I like Finland very much, and I hope to go there someday.¡±


    ¡°May your dreams be granted soon.¡±


    After that, the TOEFL girl quickly buried her head in the red book again. The train continued to move forward, and the carriage was alight with sounds. Some chatted and ate sunflower seeds. Children were crying and playing music, and the middle-aged man beside Zhang Heng was still talking on the phone. Suddenly, Zhang Heng missed the moon¡¯s eternal silence.


    The man had got up from his seat, and when he came back, he finally put away his phone as he muttered a few words. Then, he leaned his head on the curtains and fell asleep after that. Zhang Heng continued to flip through the ¡®Finnish Grammar¡¯ in his hand until an attendant who was pushing a cart reminded the passengers to keep their legs off the aisle.


    The TOEFL girl took out an apple from her bag. After a few moments, she took out another one, and in a soft voice, she asked Zhang Heng, ¡°Hey there, do you want an apple? It¡¯s washed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Zhang Heng did not refuse her kindness to avoid embarrassing her. The TOEFL girl breathed a sigh of relief. The gesture had eased the previous awkward introduction, and she seemed to have forgotten about it. She appeared less bashful and started to talk while taking a bite off the apple.


    After chatting for a while, the TOEFL girl winked at Zhang Heng, whispering, ¡°Look at the uncle next to you. He¡¯s drooling.¡±


    Zhang Heng looked at him and frowned. Many people drooled while sleeping, but it was rare seeing a middle-aged man drooling so much that the curtain was wet. In fact, he seemed completely unable to control his salivary glands. Immediately, Zhang Heng tried to pat the middle-aged man on the shoulder, but there wasn¡¯t any response. So, he tried harder, nudging the man this time. Still, the middle-aged man did not wake up.


    The TOEFL girl, too, noticed that something wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him, is he sick?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s call the attendants first,¡± Zhang Heng replied in a low voice.


    After that, he placed his fingers under the middle-aged man¡¯s nostrils. Seeing that the man was still breathing, he proceeded to open his eyelids and saw that his pupils were not dilated, and they responded instantly when exposed to light. Apart from the abnormal amount of saliva, his current state wasn¡¯t medically abnormal. He was in a deep sleep, but it was strange that he couldn¡¯t be awakened by any means.


    After a while, the TOEFL girl came back with a train attendant. Zhang Heng did not move the middle-aged man, placing him flat on the seat instead to stop him from choking on his own saliva.


    Nonetheless, there was only so much the train attendant could do. They had received a good amount of first aid training, but they certainly did not possess any professional medical knowledge. Unable to make a better diagnosis, the only thing the train attendant could do was to keep shaking him, hoping he would come to.


    ¡°Sir, wake up. Please wake up!¡±


    After confirming that the middle-aged man was breathing properly and his heartbeat was also normal, the attendant began to suspect that the man was actually pretending to be asleep. Just then, a rough part of the track caused the whole car to shake, and the man¡¯s body fell towards the table, his head hitting the corner hard. Although he wasn¡¯t bleeding, the loud, sickening thud from skull colliding with metal couldn¡¯t be faked.


    Even so, the middle-aged man still didn¡¯t wake up.


    It was then that the attendant started to panic a little. Soon, an emergency broadcast came over the intercom. They were looking for any doctors on board. After a few tense moments, a doctor showed up, but he could only make simple diagnoses since he had no medical equipment with him. Unfortunately, he, too, failed to find the root cause.


    The middle-aged man had been traveling alone, and his phone was locked. Hence, train attendants couldn¡¯t contact his family to enquire about his medical history. In the end, they could only reach the hospital at the nearest station. When they arrived at the next stop, medical staff quickly rushed into the train and carried the man into the ambulance.


    Finally, the unexpected incident had come to an end.


    As the crowd slowly returned to their seats, the TOEFL girl and Zhang Heng returned to their respective places as well. She still seemed a little shocked and gasped a little when she saw the drool on the curtains. ¡°What happened just now?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Zhang Heng lied. After seeing the condition of the middle-aged man, he came up with a few guesses. When the train attendants and the kind doctor were busy ¡®rescuing¡¯ the middle-aged man, he turned on his mobile phone. He then opened up WeChat and touched Why Do You Always Look Unhappy with Aqua¡¯s profile picture (#¡¯O¡¯).(Hey, I want to ask a question.] (What¡¯s up? Finally decided to visit the haunted house with me? Looking forward to¡­)


    (Stop talking about the haunted house first. I told you I¡¯m on the train.)


    Zhang Heng typed, paused, then typed again.


    [Dreamland of Death. Who¡¯s holding it now?]


    [??? Play stupid.jpg]


    (Will a person targeted by Dreamland of Death never wake up? And all that drooling is abnormal as well, right?] This time she kept quiet for a long time, struggling to answer Zhang Heng. It took her half a minute before she replied.


    [Did you see it happening to someone?] [Yes. It happened just now, right in front of me. The person has been carried off the train, but I suspect the user is still here.]


    [¡­big brother, I really don¡¯t know who has it right now. I know the Dreamland of Death¡¯s previous owner, but as far as I know, she sold it right away after she got her hands on it. It hasn¡¯t been used at all. Besides, the Dreamland of Death doesn¡¯t require its user to be in the vicinity.)

 Chapter 324 - Spring Cleaning

    The incident of the unconscious man on the train was no more but a small episode that quickly passed. After discussing the matter for a while, the passengers quickly shifted their attention back to what they were doing. Before contacting Why Do You Always Look Unhappy (# 0¡ä), Zhang Heng checked out the train, using the excuse of filling up water. However, he saw nobody behaving abnormally. The person who had attacked the middle-aged man was most likely not on the train.


    After returning to her seat, the TOEFL girl still chatted enthusiastically with Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng¡¯s thoughts, however, were still on what happened earlier. Obviously, the matter wasn¡¯t so simple. This wasn¡¯t the end, since the three major guilds had been offering handsome rewards to capture the mysterious woman that appeared suddenly at that night¡¯s auction.


    Everyone present at the auction got played by her, and the three major guilds wanted her to pay for what she did to them. More important for them was to retrieve the Grade B-game item, Dreamland of Death from her. Since they still couldn¡¯t locate this weapon of mass destruction, nobody from the guilds felt safe. After all, nobody knew if they would end up like Silver Wing¡¯s former guild leader.


    Zhang Heng had been playing solo for some time, and when the participated in his only single-player-with-competitive-mode quest, no one else ended up alive. Thus, he should be relatively safe for now. Under normal circumstances, he shouldn¡¯t be a prime target. It was simply a coincidence that the killer chose the man next to him since he changed seats with the boy earlier.


    Nothing extraordinary happened until the train arrived at the next station.


    The TOEFL girl wanted to get Zhang Heng¡¯s contact, but she was too shy to ask. As she watched him disappear into the crowd with a backpack and suitcase, she could not help but feel a sense of loss. She knew that they would never see each other again.


    Zhang Heng did not bother his granddad to pick him up from the train station. However, his grandpa came anyway with his old Volkswagen. As they met, he hugged his grandfather outside the exit before placing his luggage in the trunk before entering the passenger¡¯s side. This reminded him of another incident. He was an apprentice of Takeda in the Tokyo Drift quest, managing to learn some rather impressive drifting techniques from him. And he even won a death race. Yet, he still couldn¡¯t drive in the real world.


    It was because he did not have a driver¡¯s license yet. Perhaps it was time to get his licence once and for all.


    ¡°How is school life?¡± Grandpa asked while driving


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad. Same old.¡±


    Even without warnings from the weird man in the Tang costume, Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t possibly tell his granddad about what happened to him recently. Let alone making anybody understand and accept such things, there was nothing the old man could do but worry if he knew about it.


    However, after the Zavilcha incident, Zhang Heng wondered if he should remind his grandpa to look over his shoulders for any threats. After contemplating for a while, though, he knew how difficult a normal person would react even if they knew about in advance. And as a part of the older generation of intellectuals, grandpa held a firm belief in Marxism. He wasn¡¯t one to get involved in such matters.


    ¡°You seem to have matured a lot recently,¡± smiled grandpa as he looked at Zhang Heng through the rearview mirror. ¡°Very well, don¡¯t be as frivolous like your father. A man should look like a man. Speak less, and do more.¡±


    ¡°Why then, did you let him marry my mother in the first place?¡± Zhang Heng asked while opening a box of CDs. He took one out called ¡°Qi Li Xiang¡±, an album about the same age as this car, and inserted it into the player.


    After a while, the catchy tunes of Jay Chou started to play over the stereo.


    Grandpa harrumphed, ¡°Your mother¡¯s always had a bad taste since she was a child. Inherited it from your grandma¡­¡±


    Zhang Heng smiled and said nothing.


    Half an hour later, the car arrived at his grandpa¡¯s residence. This area was made up of old apartments, and due to the fact that it was built decades ago, underground parking wasn¡¯t on the minds of the builders at that time. Later, the government added more parking spaces on the roadsides.


    After grandpa parked his car, Zhang Heng got off and took his suitcase with him. While walking toward the apartment unit, he ran into a few residents of the same building. A long time ago, everyone worked the same job. Hence, Zhang Heng¡¯s granddad was very close to them. Besides, he used to run around the courtyard when he was a little kid and had visited most of the units.


    At a time like this, Zhang Heng was obligated to chat with them for a while. When they finally returned home, grandpa warmed up a pre-prepared meal for him. As they ate, the conversation moved to Zhang Heng¡¯s parents. During Christmas, Zhang Heng received a call from them, saying that they would be back this year for Chinese New Year. They did not tell him the specific date back then and he got to know that they hadn¡¯t bought their flight tickets until a few days ago.


    The two would take a flight to meet Zhang Heng in four days, after a stopover in Shanghai. Although Grandpa was still dissatisfied with their reluctance in returning to China, he still valued the family reunion a lot. Weeks ago, he had started preparing a variety of ingredients, even bringing out his precious Maotai which he kept away for a long time.


    It always felt good to be home, especially for Zhang Heng. For the past six months, he had endured a complicated and arduous journey. After taking a shower, he took his backpack and walked into his bedroom. The switch on the wall was flicked, and the lights immediately came on. After glancing around, Zhang Heng realized that nothing much had changed since he left.


    Except for the new bedsheets and quilt, everything else remained the same as before. Above the shelf beside his bed, two superhero figures of Hulk and Spiderman he bought while in junior high were in their Bruce Lee and Altland poses. The PSP stuffed at the bottom of the drawer was now an antique. He even found several posters of S.H.E and Jay Chou in his drawer.


    Zhang Heng threw his backpack in front of the desk and collapsed on the bed.


    Finally, at a time like this, there was no need to think about the previous quest. He did not need to guess the thoughts of those around him as well. This was probably the true meaning of returning home.


    Zhang Heng got up at ten, had breakfast, and started helping his grandfather clean up the house before the Chinese New Year. They started decluttering the study room, taking out the trinkets and boxes that were stuffed all over the place. After wiping them clean, they were sorted out.


    As the cleaning proceeded, Zhang Heng found an unopened pager under the bookcase and was thinking about how he should deal with it when he saw Grandpa standing on the other side. It appeared the elderly man was deep in thought as he held a photo album in his hands.


    Zhang Heng put down the pager and walked over to him.


    The album must be quite old, seeing how yellowed the photos were. However, one could still make out the faces of the people on them. It was a girl with a sweet smile and a young guy with a serious look.


    ¡°She looks beautiful,¡± Zhang Heng said.


    ¡°Yeah, which is why I always said she had bad taste. Back then, many young men pursued her, but she chose me instead.¡± Grandpa wiped his glasses and continued, ¡°I was a very ordinary boy back in school. It¡¯s safe to say that I¡¯m a nerd that doesn¡¯t understand what love is. I can still remember how I got so nervous while taking the picture. The people in the photo studio asked me to relax, but I just couldn¡¯t smile anyway. Hence, my face on the picture. After that, she always said I looked arrogant in this picture.¡± As grandpa spoke, a photo slipped out of the album.

 Chapter 325 - Old Photo

    Zhang Heng bent and picked the photo from the floor. Unlike the other pictures which were fixed in their slots, this one was clipped instead, hence the reason it fell out. Thus, it should be a more recent addition to the album. There were more than 20 people in the picture, and they looked to be from the same organization. Everyone was in winterproof clothes, hats, and snow boots. At that time, they were standing on a glacier with a dozen sled dogs beside them.


    In a single glance, Zhang Heng instantly spotted his parents in the crowd. They looked to be very young at that time. Standing on the left of the first row, his father had made a V gesture at the camera. His mom, on the other hand, was busy stuffing snow into his collar. They were both smiling and seemed really happy.


    However, Zhang Heng¡¯s gaze stopped at the rightmost person in the second row. His pupils contracted instantly the moment he saw the Tang costumed man who had given him the extra 24 hours. Zhang Heng quickly noticed that his appearance almost hadn¡¯t changed at all. In the photo, he wasn¡¯t in that Tang suit but had on ordinary clothes that every westerner wore. It appeared he was attempting to look as inconspicuous as possible, seeing how he was behind the others. He wasn¡¯t that tall too, which was why half of his face was blocked. In the photo, his eyes were trained on the others while he smiled.


    Zhang Heng looked to the timestamp printed at the bottom right of the photo. It was taken 17 years ago. At that time, he should be more than a year old.


    ¡°Oh,¡± grandpa replied as he put on his reading glasses. ¡°This was taken on the last research project they participated in before returning home. It was in Greenland. They said the temperature could get down to minus 70 degrees. Someone apparently found some ancient ruins, and a large part of it related to ancient myths. When your parents were invited, they didn¡¯t waste a second.¡±


    ¡°What were the results?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have never cared for these sorts of nonsense. In fact, I disagreed with your mother when she chose this course as her major. She¡¯d always been interested in weird stories and legends since young. At that time, your grandma took her side. Convincing two women were way more difficult than convincing one. Fortunately, they took you back to China after the project ended. I though they¡¯d finally settle down here, but they left after two years. When you become a parent one day, you¡¯ll know how eager your kids can be when it comes to venturing the world.¡±


    ¡°Can I take this photo with me?¡± Zhang Heng asked.


    ¡°Of course, but remember to inform your parents when they are back. Anyway, I have lots of other photos of them.¡±


    Grandpa glanced at the sweet-smiling woman in the photo before finally closing the album in his hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put these memories aside and finish the work at hand. There are too many places to clean. Thank goodness you got home early. I knew I couldn¡¯t count on your parents.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Zhang Heng put away the photo and pointed at the pager, asking, ¡°Do you still want this thing?¡± ¡°Hmm, this was given to me by your grandmother. I have a special box for the things she gave me. I¡¯ll look for it later.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    The two cleaned the house from morning to night. Now, the study, master bedroom, and bathroom were finally done. There were two more bedrooms, and then, it was the kitchen, the most troublesome spot in the house.


    The next morning, Zhang Heng turned over a small plot of land in the backyard, intending to grow some produce when the weather became warmer. Grandpa seemed a little surprised as he saw how Zhang Heng turned over the ground.


    ¡°The educated youth from the universities are taught to work like this?¡±.


    Grandpa passed him a cup of warm water. Zhang Heng simply shrugged and took a sip from it.


    As he looked at the land he plowed, he remembered how it previously took at least an hour and a half to dig through a small area. Now, it was only half an hour, not to mention workmanship was definitely better than before. Zhang Heng was no expert, nor did he deliberately venture into agriculture. It was just one of his hobbies. That said, sustenance had always been the eternal pursuit of mankind, no matter time or place. Out of the need to survive, he gained farming experience on the deserted island and later, in the Black Sail quest. Although the skills were probably at LV o, it was good enough for him.


    ¡°We are progressing a lot faster than I thought. If this is the case, we should finish cleaning everything by tomorrow morning.¡±


    Suddenly, the doorbell rang.


    Zhang Heng was wearing his old clothes when he dug the ground, and his shoes were all muddy, so grandpa went for the door. A young woman was standing outside. She was the resident of the unit opposite theirs, and there was a worried look across her face. After listening to her, grandpa became serious as well. He then nodded.


    The young woman thanked grandpa profusely. After a while, she brought a little girl over.


    ¡°Old Chen hurt his leg while shopping for vegetables. No one else is in the house except for his daughter-in-law and his granddaughter. The daughter-in-law requested us to watch over her daughter for half a day. She needs to go to the hospital to look after Old Chen. Chen. Still remember Tian Tian? She kept following you around during your summer holidays.¡±


    Grandpa started with a brief introduction.


    ¡°Tian Tian, do you remember brother Zhang Heng?¡±


    The little girl seemed a bit shy, instantly hiding behind her mother after hearing what grandpa said.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll leave her in your good hands. Please take care of her,¡± the young woman said gratefully. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I watched her grow all the way up. She can make herself at home. By the way, is Old Chen okay?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad fall, but he¡¯s been suffering from osteoporosis, and they estimate it¡¯ll take a while before he recovers. Anyway, the hospital has been calling us, and I¡¯ve to rush there now. Tian Tian has brought her homework with her. She¡¯ll be preoccupied with it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Grandpa nodded and said nothing after that. After he sent the young woman off, he led Tian Tian to a coffee table and moved her to a small stool to do her homework. At the same time, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t leave the backyard, deworming the laurel tree instead. When he put the canister down, he received a message from Ding Si.


    The two had met at the auction and exchanged contacts. Although Zhang Heng rarely interacted with other players, he wasn¡¯t against keeping good ties with commerce chambers like Fulou. They could prove handy with exchanging game points and selling game items. With their help, he wouldn¡¯t need to wait until the auction to sell his game items. Moreover, Fulou had often sold him useful game items and provided valuable information.

 Chapter 326 - Simple Drawings

    Ding Si¡¯s text this time was partly an advertisement. It was about a newly established forum led by the three major guilds. They had rented overseas servers to facilitate and promote communication between players, and each player could register for an account for free.


    Zhang Heng briefly glanced at the picture Ding Si attached. The name of the website was Immersive Simulations Fan Forum.


    There were also rules and regulations written in fine-print below, done in a way that if a regular person accidentally clicked it by mistake, they would think that it was just another gaming fan forum.


    Currently, three main sections of the website were open- a message board, a trading section, and a teammate recruitment section. Some other functions were still under construction. The website¡¯s developers claimed they would do their utmost to protect members¡¯ privacy, encrypt their identities, and would not require users to be bound by email or mobile phone registrations. In fact, a comment could even be left as an unregistered user. But of course, registration with an ID was still encouraged.


    In principle, website administrators were not responsible for the authenticity of the information posted on the forum, and new members were reminded to stay vigilant at all times and to never disclose their personal information.


    The idea of such a site was actually conceived a long time ago. Reportedly, it started off with a group of players who created QQ groups and invited their friends to actively share their experiences. However, after a series of vicious incidents, the QQ groups were dissolved. The current website was considered to be an upgraded version of the QQ group. The initial intention of the forum was to reunite the players, hoping to solve the problem of poor communication and to eliminate the ¡®every man for himself¡¯ mentality. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean the three major guilds didn¡¯t have their own selfish intentions. Through the forum, they hoped to establish a position of leadership gradually. For now, the creation of the webpage was obviously a huge advantage, especially for single players like Zhang Heng. It provided him with a platform to understand the outside world.


    However, Zhang Heng did not sign up immediately. Although the three major guilds claimed that the site was safe and that they would not disclose their members¡¯ IDs, Zhang Heng didn¡¯t log in using his mobile phone or computer. Instead, he planned on visiting an Internet cafe when he was free.


    After tidying the yard, Zhang Heng got out of his muddy shoes and entered the house. He was about to take a shower but stopped as he walked past Tian Tian.


    The girl was sprawled over the coffee table, pencil in her hand. At first, Zhang Heng thought she was doing her homework, but when he came closer, he realized that she was actually scribbling on the back of the workbook.


    She had drawn a picture of a woman sitting on a bed, where an old man lay there with a leg in an elevated position. There was a frightened look on his face because the light from the ceiling was falling down on him.


    It was a simple child¡¯s drawing, but within the innocent brushstrokes lay an ominous and frightening image.


    ¡°Can I have a look?¡± Zhang Heng asked warmly, reaching out.


    Tian Tian was startled, so focused on her drawing that she did not see him coming. Despite the scare, she handed the workbook to Zhang Heng.


    Zhang Heng flipped through the book and saw a few other drawings, including one of an old man who had fallen off his bicycle, a little puppy falling into a pond, and another of a woman cutting her finger amid a meal preparation.


    Zhang Heng¡¯s eyes widened as he thought about the band-aid on that woman¡¯s index fingers. He looked down at the girl and saw her looking up at him, her eyes trembling in fear.


    They had last met about a year and a half ago, and back then, Tian Tian was a cheerful and bubbly young girl. Now, she seemed a lot quieter than before.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty good,¡± Zhang Heng smiled as he handed the book back to her. He noticed how relieved she looked when the book was in her hands. Admittedly, it was difficult for children this age to hide their true feelings.


    Zhang Heng abandoned the idea of a shower and changed into fresh clothes instead. Then he went to his grandfather and asked, ¡°Which hospital is Uncle Chen in?¡±


    ¡°Why? Feel like visiting him? That¡¯s good. When you were a little kid, you were always at his place, eating a fair share of meat. He¡¯s in The Second People¡¯s Hospital. I was planning to see him, but since you¡¯re going, then you can go in my place. Do you have money?¡± Zhang Heng waved his wallet. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Once he was outside, Zhang Heng dropped by a local fruit shop to purchase a fruit basket. Then, instead of taking the bus, he hired a DiDi* and arrived a lot faster at Shenzhen¡¯s Second People¡¯s Hospital more than three kilometers away.


    No matter what time it was, the place was always crowded. Patients, visiting families, relatives, and friends¡­ it was so packed that human scents and odors overpowered the corridor. There were sounds of people coughing, and a pungent scent of disinfectant lingered in the air.


    It was nothing but a depressing scene.


    Instead of approaching customer service to get the patient¡¯s information, he remembered the bed number on Tian Tian¡¯s drawing and found the ward without trouble. Through the viewing window, he then saw Grandpa Chen and the young woman inside.


    Zhang Heng knocked on the door twice before entering the ward. The woman was surprised, but immediately stood up and greeted him. She accepted the basket of fruits, and she asked about his university life.Grandpa Chen looked pretty good. Even though he had just fallen and injured his leg, he was still in high spirits. He even laughed aloud when he saw Zhang Heng, noting how they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a while and that Zhang Heng looked even better than before.


    Zhang Heng peeled an apple for the old man using a fruit knife that happened to be on the bedside table. The setup of the ward was pretty decent, considering it was a three-patient ward. The other two beds were occupied, and Grandpa Chen was in the middle. Above his head hung an old-fashioned double-ended fluorescent lamp.


    It was a scene that was eerily similar to the drawing.


    Zhang Heng didn¡¯t leave immediately even after the apple was peeled. He stayed by Grandpa Chen¡¯s bed and chatted with him, something the woman thought was rather odd. Grandpa Chen reminisced about the old times, relating how Zhang Heng would never tell anyone if he had peed his pants when he was still a kid, and how he tried to hide the embarrassment by standing in front of the heater to dry himself off. The memory was so funny to Grandpa Chen that he seemed to have forgotten the pain in his leg.


    Suddenly, without warning, the fluorescent lamp on the ceiling detached from its housing and took a dive toward the old man! Just as the tube was about to hit Grandpa Chen¡¯s head, a hand reached out and caught it. Zhang Heng could even block a falling butcher knife ¨C a lightbulb was nothing to him. Also, he had been secretly keeping an eye out for any movement from above. Still, he was somewhat flabbergasted that the light actually fell. Predicting the future? But all the simple sketches only seemed to portray bad things. It was more like some kind of a curse.


    The woman gasped, and although clearly in shock, she thanked Zhang Heng profusely. The nurse tending to the patient next to them stared at Zhang Heng with curious eyes. She had frozen in place and seemed startled as well. Unfortunately, Zhang Heng decided not to stay in the hospital any longer. Now that his suspicions were confirmed, he needed to figure out a way to solve the problem.


    Footnote:


    Didi: A ride-sharing platform

 Chapter 327 - Recurring Slaughter

    Even though the old man in the Tang suit had already alluded it all, Zhang Heng did not expect to encounter another supernatural event so quickly after the train incident. Those things had been operating in the dark in the real world even before the game existed.


    But one thing was for sure. Even if supernatural events did happen then, they weren¡¯t as frequent as now. Also, since the players were taking out a large number of game items, more ¡°unexpected¡± situations would take place. Zhang Heng frowned. This was not the first game, so it was implausible that the organizing committee were oblivious about the consequences of doing so, or perhaps it was what they intended?


    Zhang Heng stopped himself from overthinking. There was no point as of now, seeing how he couldn¡¯t confirm anything anyway. So, he decided to focus on the matter at hand.


    Old Chen and Zhang Heng¡¯s grandfather shared a pretty amicable friendship. They were both colleagues, then neighbors for many years after their retirement. During the school holidays, Tian Tian used to follow Old Chen around like a puppy. Had Zhang Heng not known her, he would have just disregarded it, but since he knew her, it was very difficult not to care.


    To solve the problem, he would need to first get to its roots, and the best place to start was obviously Tian Tian. Zhang Heng had to find a way to understand what he was really dealing with before he could decide what to do next.


    Before that, though, Zhang Heng made a detour and stopped at an internet caf¨¦. He visited the new website using the URL Ding Si had provided. Zhang Heng was surprised to find that the forum had many visitors, though most of the traffic was on the message board. This was only the launching day of the forum, yet many were already flaunting their prowess, tirelessly posting tawdry comments like ¡®bump, sofa, floor, ceiling¡¯ under every post


    Some even took the opportunity to post long but pointless comments. In one post, a person yelled, ¡°I¡¯m about to ascend to heaven, and I would like to ask all my fellow comrades to lend me a helping hand!¡±


    Some people had queued under a certain post with a tacit understanding, playing the role of a broken record ¨C repeating and regurgitating everything that others said.


    There was also an infinite idiom solitaire post.


    Birds of the same feather flocked together, apparently, and it was human nature to naturally bond with those who had the same aspirations.


    The total number of players wasn¡¯t small, but in comparison to the throngs of ordinary folk, they were the minority. Those who were outside the player circle would probably find it difficult to understand the harsh challenges they had to face each day. Players had to keep finding ways to employ their talents, abilities, game items, and skills to complete one quest after another. On the one hand, these players got to enjoy the rich experiences that nobody else could get. On the other, they constantly faced all kinds of danger, some even life-threatening.


    Whatever the players witnessed and experienced couldn¡¯t be shared with non-players as well, and therefore, in one way or another, they were actually very lonely. Those who had a team had it better. If a single player like Zhang Heng were to be psychologically unstable, he would have lost his mind a long time ago in the quests. But come what may, it was always good to have a place that served as a reminder that they were not alone.


    Other than the mess of useless posts, Zhang Heng did find some useful things on the website. One of the top posts was an announcement by the three major guilds, stating that they were looking for information relating to ¡®Dreamland of Death¡¯ and the mysterious woman who appeared at the auction.


    The article also mentioned the incident on the train. In fact, Zhang Heng would later find similar reports in the newspapers. After the petrified middle-aged sales executive was sent to the hospital for a thorough examination, he was found to be perfectly healthy. An hour later, however, his blood pressure suddenly soared, causing the capillaries in the brain to rupture. It increased pressure on his brain tissue, which eventually caused cerebral edema to develop. The hospital performed an emergency surgery but alas, they were unable to save his life.


    For this reason, the newspapers interviewed several medical experts to discuss the matter and investigate the cause. This was one of the most searched topics on the internet, and experts appealed for the public to be vigilant of the risk of a cerebral hemorrhage, which could also be the result of overworking. However, Zhang Heng was alarmed, discovering that this wasn¡¯t the only incident that had taken place within the same period.


    In fact, just last week, a similar thing had happened to six or seven people. When it took place, the victims all asleep in bed, and families only found out about their deaths the next morning. The circumstance in which the incidents occurred wasn¡¯t too compelling and were treated as sudden death due to cerebral hemorrhage.As a matter of fact, the episode on the train should be an exception. The perpetrator obviously did not want to attract public attention. Zhang Heng was now certain that that one of the conditions of triggering Dreamland of Death was that the target had to be sleeping. From the sales rep¡¯s phone conversation, Zhang Heng could deduce that the man¡¯s trip on the train was unplanned. It was apparently due to a work issue that he had to speak to the customer in person. Much to his annoyance, however, the customer canceled the order and didn¡¯t show up.


    The middle-aged man was devastated at that time, and after hanging up the call, he had nothing to do and fell asleep on the train. In order words, him boarding the train and falling asleep were probably unanticipated. Under normal circumstances, he should have returned home before falling asleep. That way, he would have been like the other seven, dying on his own bed, quietly and peacefully before being diagnosed with cerebral hemorrhage. Now, instead, the incident had ended up all over the news.


    It was obvious that the three major guilds took this matter extremely seriously. This was about two months since the reappearance of Dreamland of Death, and unlike before, the erratic killing pattern began as soon as it appeared.


    Because the person in possession of the Dreamland of Death had already gone through a round of killings before, most players believed that although it was a Grade-B item, it probably had only a few uses left in it. But now, it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. This time around, the pool of victims was rather peculiar.


    All seven victims were from all over China, from Yunnan to Shanghai, and there was even a case where two people who were more than a thousand miles apart died the same way on the same day. The comments that followed the posts were discussions about the phenomenal trajectory of the new owner of the game item.


    What was it? A killing expedition?


    This time, however, because there were no prominent victims like Silver Wing¡¯s guild leader, the panic wasn¡¯t as widespread or as intense. Even so, the three major guilds, all up against a common enemy, had already dispatched personnel to investigate the connection between the victims.


    At the same time, they also urged the players to actively provide information, should they have any, and promised a reward of game points based on the value of the intelligence they received