Chapter 50 - 50: My Crazy Show
The next day.
Ji Chen woke up in high spirits.
However, he heard a piece of news.
Raymond was leaving.
Ji Chen hurriedly rushed to the east side of the main island.
The moment he arrived, he found that they were using small boats to move all kinds of supplies and sundries back to the merchant ship.
They looked as if they were leaving today.
Raymond, who was commanding his subordinates, soon saw Ji Chen and ran over with a smile on his face. The fat on his body shook.
“You guys are leaving so soon? Aren’t you going to stay for a few more days?” Ji Chen looked at the campsite that was almost completely cleaned up.
“The merchant ship has been repaired, and food and water have been replenished. There is no reason to stay and burden you.”
Raymond shook his head and sighed. “If 1 hadn’t made up my mind to enter the Stormy Sea Area, 1 might have died in the hands of the pirates, and 1 wouldn’t have met you.”
“I’ve subdued the pirates now. You don’t have to worry about being chased anymore,” Ji Chen teased.
“Haha, that’s true! 1 will definitely bring back those specialties you gave me. Other members of the merchant guild will surely be interested in these items.”
“When the time comes, we may make bulk purchases, and Your Excellency will surely profit handsomely!”
A few days ago, Ji Chen sent over the three specialties discovered on the island: precious jungle wood, premium coffee beans, and golden sea bass.
Raymond, with his sharp eye for business, quickly recognized their significant commercial value and was naturally delighted.
He immediately proposed taking some samples back to estimate their worth.
Ji Chen readily agreed.
Merchants always pursue money and profits.
By leveraging these specialties, they could establish a mutually beneficial relationship, ensuring that Raymond wouldn’t disappear after leaving.
“I don’t want coins. If you want these specialties, you need to bring resources and people. We can exchange resources for specialties.”
“Naturally! As long as we have sufficient goods, the Hanseatic Chamber of Commerce will not disappoint you.” Raymond smiled and glanced at the preparations of the merchant ship. He then bid farewell, “Your Excellency, it’s getting late, and 1 should depart.”
“If everything goes well, I’ll send you a big ship of what you need in a month or half a month.”
Ji Chen nodded. Half a month and a month sounded like a long time.
However, for ocean transportation that could take months, it was already considered very fast.
Raymond bowed and was about to leave.
As if he had thought of something, he said in a slightly deep tone.
“There is one more thing, Your Excellency. The pirates you have subdued, if I’m not mistaken, belong to a well-known pirate group in the Western Seas called the Black Skull Pirates. Their naval strength is not inferior to some small duchies’ fleets.”
“Moreover, the Black Skull Pirates are active in several areas surrounding the Stormy Seas, so you should be extra cautious.”
Ji Chen’s gaze slightly hardened.
So, these pirates are organized.
The Black Skull Pirates…sounds quite fierce.
“Thank you for the reminder. 1 will be more vigilant… There is one more thing, do you know how far the nearest port is from the Stormy Seas?”
“A port?” Raymond pondered for a moment. “If it’s a mainland port, with the speed of a two-masted merchant ship, it would take at least ten days.”
Ten days?
Ji Chen furrowed his brow.
That’s too long. Raymond may be able to afford such a journey, but he couldn’t wait that long.
The stout man paused for a moment, his expression hesitant as he continued, “But if we include island ports, there is one that is much closer. With the speed of the three-masted pirate ship you confiscated, it would only take three days to reach.”
“That would be the Silver Archipelago, located northwest of the Stormy Seas, but… it is somewhat unusual.”
“Unusual?” Ji Chen became interested.
Raymond nodded, “The Silver Archipelago is composed of hundreds, if not thousands, of small and large islands. It does not belong to any kingdom or duchy but is controlled by a loose alliance. As a result, it is a melting pot of various factions. There are ruthless pirates seeking retirement, powerful merchants, and proponents of different ideologies…”
“On the largest island, there is a deep-water port called Silver Harbor, capable of accommodating various medium and large-sized vessels.”
“However, besides the inability to guarantee absolute safety, the Silver Archipelago is known as one of the most famous and prosperous island groups in the Middle Ocean, being in proximity to several bustling trade routes.”
“If Your Excellency wishes to go to the Silver Archipelago, you must make thorough preparations, especially in terms of armed forces, as there is a risk of being victimized by rival factions… Ah, I mean, being robbed and plundered.”
Raymond explained with a solemn expression.
However, there was one thing he didn’t mention.
The Stormy Seas were also not far from those busy trade routes, but most ships took detours due to the treacherous sea conditions.
If this problem can be resolved, then this archipelago will become as prosperous as the Silver Archipelago.
After listening, Ji Chen nodded lightly, feeling more assured.
“I understand. 1 wish you a safe journey.”
“Very well. 1 won’t disturb you any longer. May the Sea God bless you and bring you smooth sailing.”
Raymond nodded and bid farewell once again.
He boarded the last small boat and returned to the merchant ship.
Standing at the ship’s railing, he waved goodbye to Raymond.
Watching the merchant ship slowly unfurl its sails and sail away into the distance, disappearing on the horizon.
Ji Chen suddenly felt a strange emptiness.
The departure of the merchant ship seemed to take away the little vitality remaining on the island.
Until the next ship arrived, there were only a few of them left on the island.
The pirate ship still needed several days to be repaired.
During this time, he would thoroughly explore the entire archipelago.
With determination, Ji Chen returned to his territory.
The new residential buildings that had been under construction for the past few days were now completed.
Rows of white-walled, red-tiled houses were neatly arranged on the right side of the territory, with exquisite arched windows and beautiful small gardens in front of each door. Paired with the nearby azure sea, it resembled a vacation resort.
Seeing this scene, Ji Chen couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.
He opened the forum’s photo feature, chose a good angle, took a picture of the new residential buildings, and posted it on the forum.
To his surprise, within half a minute of posting, several players appeared in the comments.
It seemed that they had set a special alert after the last post.
Whenever he made a post, it would notify players to view it.
“Let me see what the big shot has posted… Whoa! Garden villas, with a path leading to the beach and the sea behind it. The scenery is so beautiful, where is this heavenly place?”
“To step out and see such a stunning sea view, I’m so jealous! I’m stuck with an endless desert as soon as I step out, it’s making me sick.”
“It seems like our previous guesses were right. Your territory, big shot, is indeed by the seaside…”
“But it doesn’t seem to be the typical size and style of a lord’s mansion, right? @LonelyIslander..”