Chapter 870: Sun
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Specter Ship! Blackbeard!”
Rear Admiral Jackson’s pupils shrank in fear.
He was prepared for Fang Yuan, but Specter Ship and Blackbeard made him exclaim in fear.
Despite hearing many tales about Specter Ship, the rear admiral still thought them mere rumors.
He had thought that Specter Ship merely had some extraordinary power that allowed it to control some specters, frightening most average sailors.
However, now that he saw the netherworldly Specter Ship in person and felt the chill that pierced his soul, he knew that the bloody legends were no old wives’ tale.
In addition, Blackbeard, who was accompanying Fang Yuan, was the pirate governor of the Nightmare Ocean. Even after losing his forces, his prestige was still there.
He could not figure out how the Purgatory Pirates had managed to recruit a pirate governor given their current capabilities.
“My daughter!” Viscount Quaid was almost on the verge of tears. “I agree to all your terms. Return my daughter to me quickly!”
He signaled his sailors to bring a plain crate over.
“Jeeps!” Fang Yuan nodded and had Jeeps step forward. Jeeps opened the wooden crate to reveal layers upon layers of thick leather.
The moment the crate opened, Fang Yuan seemed to hear the sound of waves. He knew then that the viscount had given him the genuine goods.
At this time, Viscount Quaid was nothing more than a panicking father in his eyes.
All right… I’ve overestimated the Ettoman nobles.
Fang Yuan chuckled to himself before focusing his attention on Mr. Jeeps.
The old man was caressing the leather as though he were caressing the skin of his lover. His eyes glowed with love and seemed unable to put it down.
After putting down the material in his hands with great reluctance, Mr. Jeeps said confidently, “I can guarantee… this is authentic Sea God’s skin!”
Back then, the majority of the materials were used to craft Sea God. It’s a surprise that so much remained. Could the real body of the Sea God be a sea giant? Fang Yuan wondered leisurely.
Viscount Quaid thought that the kidnappers were unsatisfied with the ransom, so he clapped his hands. His servants presented a couple of heavy crates.
Upon opening them, Fang Yuan could see that they were full of treasures.
“Hehe… great governor, you’re too kind!” Fang Yuan could not help laughing. However, he was not one to reject a gift, so he ordered his men to accept the treasures. “Actually… besides the Sea God’s skin, we have a humble request… we want to pass through the Solomon Strait…”
“No problem!” Viscount Quaid nodded hurriedly.
“A pleasant answer. She’s yours!” Fang Yuan pushed Elizabeth gently, and she stumbled into Viscount Quaid’s embrace.
“Father…” The female prisoner could finally no longer endure and began sobbing.
“Protect the governor!” Jackson issued a signal, and a platoon of marines rushed forward to put the governor and his daughter at the back to protect them.
Jackson then walked toward Roche. “Captain Roche of the Purgatory Pirates, are you planning to head east after passing through the Solomon Strait?”
“This seems unrelated to you?”
“As the highest commander of Solomon Strait, it actually is related to me.” Jackson smiled coldly. “As long as I order the cannons to fire, even Specter Ship wouldn’t survive!”
“Great governor, what’s your take on this?” Fang Yuan looked at Viscount Quaid.
“Although I’ve agreed to let you through, Jackson does have a point… I can’t possibly issue a direct order to each and every soldier!” Viscount Quaid was back to his sly old fox ways.
“Is that so? That’s a pity!” Fang Yuan shrugged. “Looks like we’ll have to meet again during Lady Elizabeth’s funeral!”
“What do you mean?”
Viscount Quaid and Rear Admiral Jackson took a few steps back in caution.
In the faraway darkness, a few columns of fire appeared. They looked exceptionally bright against the pitch back night sky.
They were the flames of steam chimneys!
The rear admiral had long set up an encirclement!
“We have no intention of waging war against the royal navy… Great viscount, why don’t you take a look at the neck of that adorable daughter of yours? Well… how should I put it? Before she left, my men added a small insurance on her neck!” Fang Yuan said softly.
“What?” Viscount Quaid immediately pulled open Elizabeth’s collar in panic. He saw a ring of green around her neck, like that of a plant’s root. The color extended along her blood vessels and formed a ring-like necklace.
“What… is this?”
Jackson’s face grew dark.
“Allow me to introduce. This is a magic poison that my subordinate, Miss Cassenia, personally made. She is a witch… The poison can kill an elephant in ten seconds with a dose as big as a fingernail… Let me add that the recipes of a witch’s magic poisons are known only by the witch that made them. Even if you find another witch, you won’t be able to make the antidote! ”
Fang Yuan shrugged.
“Very well! Rear Admiral Jackson, order your men to retreat!”
Viscount Quaid suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Jackson’s shoulder.
“Understood!”
It was not until this moment that Rear Admiral Jackson realized that he might have underestimated this governor.
He had another face hidden behind that of the caring father and qualified official.
“I understand… I will give you all of the rights to pass through the Solomon Strait. I swear in the name of the Queen!”
Viscount Quaid said coldly, “However… it’s only this time!”
“Deal!” Fang Yuan nodded. “We will pass through tomorrow. You can send ships to follow us. We’ll hand the antidote over before we leave. Let’s have a pleasant cooperation!”
“Hmph!” Viscount Quaid snorted coldly. He took off his coat and put it on Elizabeth. Then they left, surrounded by a bunch of marines.
“Sir?!” Witch Cassenia stepped forward. “At my level, I’m not skilled enough to brew unique potions…”
“That’s why the green color on Elizabeth’s neck was just some stubborn paint!” Fang Yuan shrugged. “It’s good enough as long as Viscount Quaid doesn’t know about it… Besides, we investigated earlier that there weren’t any witches in Solomon. They won’t be able to figure out that it’s only a bluff in just a single night.”
“You really are a sly bastard!” Blackbeard concluded after witnessing the entire thing.
“I will take that as a compliment, Mr. Blackbeard!”
…
Noon the next day.
All the citizens of the Solomon colony saw a curious sight.
Ten ironclads and even more sailing battleships were ‘escorting’ two pirate ships to pass through the Solomon Strait.
Many exclaimed at this sight.
Even the Pirate Prince had to disguise his ships as ordinary merchant ships before passing through, and he had to pay every single cent of tax.
Otherwise, the only way through was by force.
If that happened, the layers of cannon towers and solid defensive structures were sure to knock off the front teeth of any pirate who tried.
The last option was to circle around and take a longer route.
However, that was very uneconomical and filled with danger.
Uncharted sea routes were filled with natural disasters and sea monsters. Less than a tenth of merchant ships survived. As such, even merchant ships backed by pirate governors had to pass through the Solomon Strait.
Luckily, Ettoman did not go to extremes when checking for contraband. As long as the items were not too dangerous, the ships would be allowed through.
They did not even dare to go overboard when collecting taxes.
First, they understood the value of long-term corporation. Second, the pirates were not a bunch that anyone would want to upset. Not only was it possible that they could attack if pressed into a corner, but they also controlled many key transit hubs along the Golden Sea Route, including Pirate King City. If Ettoman was too strict in the Solomon Strait, the pirates could do the same in other parts of the route. In that case, no one would be the winner.
However, today, two pirate ships passed through the strait blatantly. Furthermore, they were doing this right after Ettoman’s victory in the Nightmare Ocean.
Suddenly, countless pirates in disguise sounded their horns. The Purgatory Pirates were now officially known in the Golden Ocean.
…
“That’s it, that current!”
Fang Yuan stared at the treasure map while standing on the deck.
As an extraordinary item, the route on the map was also extremely strange and changed constantly.
Blackbeard approached him from behind and asked, “The navy left?”
“Yeah. I passed them a piece of candy as the antidote. What can they do about it?”
Although they had released the hostage, poor Lady Elizabeth was still a weapon of Fang Yuan.
Blackbeard looked at the sea. With a hint of unease in his voice, he said, “After passing through Solomon Strait, Ettoman’s forces will reduce dramatically… We should be able to reach Pirate King City safely…”
“After fulfilling your promise, I will let you go. However… are you really not interested in the Soro Pirates’ treasures at all?” Fang Yuan wore a mischievous expression. “After all, the legendary ship Sun is among those treasures!”
There were three different ranks of extraordinary ships.
Even the flagship Monster was not in the legendary class.
However, Sun, along with Sea God, Throne, and Specter Ship were all real legendary ships!
According to legend, it had technologies from an unknown civilization on board. This technology was said to produce an inexhaustible energy source, and things like producing freshwater was a piece of cake. Most terrifying of all was the attack that used its fusion reactor to fire!
This was the most powerful single-target attack among the legendary ships!