Chapter 155 - 155: Arrival, Female Player?
After a day of sailing, the fleet merged into the shipping lane and gradually began to see other vessels passing by. Led by the New Moon, the fleet formed a reverse V-shaped formation, swiftly advancing with unstoppable momentum. This fleet consisted of a total of nine warships. Each ship had at least three masts with billowing sails, creating a rustling sound. The dense rows of cannons on both sides of the ships sent shivers down people’s spines.
Among them, the New Moon, positioned at the forefront of the V-shape, was an enormous behemoth. In any fleet, a warship of this tonnage and size would serve as the flagship. At present, it was equipped with a full complement of cannons, greatly enhancing its intimidating power.
As the leader of the fleet, the New Moon didn’t slow down or evade any opposing ships that came their way. Instead, it charged forward with an imposing aura, as if daring anyone to stand in its path. The oncoming ships, caught off guard, panicked and changed course to avoid them, keeping a safe distance.
Witnessing this scene, the recently subdued Black Skeleton Pirates burst into laughter, accompanied by some vulgar remarks. They were practically wearing their arrogance on their faces.
The passengers on the ships that had narrowly avoided collision looked at the colossal New Moon, bristling with cannons on its sides, and the eight fully armed large warships in its fleet. They dared not utter a word.
In the ocean, there existed unique and straightforward rules. The larger the ship and the more cannons it carried, the greater the authority it held. Clearly, Ji Chen now possessed such authority.
Observing the ships making way for them on the shipping lane, Ji Chen became emotional. It was true that being physically or metaphorically strong could lead to success or favorable outcomes. Without saying a word, he could make others voluntarily yield.
Some natives and players pondered the identity of this fleet as they watched the New Moon and its eight warships sail away. Could it be the Bauhinia Alliance? The Hanseatic Chamber of Commerce? Or perhaps a fleet from a certain duchy or kingdom?
Some old captains who had been sailing in the Western Mid-Ocean for decades suddenly realized something and their faces changed. They immediately instructed their sailors to steer the ships away, fearing they would be noticed. “Captain, why are we sailing away at full speed? There doesn’t seem to be any danger,” a young sailor asked in confusion.
“You fool!” the captain scolded angrily. “Didn’t you notice that something was off about that fleet?”
“What’s wrong? They were just a bit domineering. It’s probably a fleet from some powerful force…”
“That’s no ordinary Chamber of Commerce, Alliance, or duchy fleet. They might be ruthless pirates!”
The young sailor’s face turned pale. “But they don’t look like pirates…”
“Did you forget about the Black Skeleton Pirates that often haunt these waters? Do they proudly fly their black flag to announce they’re pirates? The Black Skeleton Pirates often disguise their pirate ships as ordinary vessels, mingling among the shipping lanes. But once they find their target, they hoist the black skeleton flag and plunder. If we hadn’t left earlier, what would have happened if the pirates noticed us?”
The young sailor suddenly realized the situation, shivering with lingering fear, grateful that their ship hadn’t become a target for pirates.
Ji Chen sailed innocently, unaware that others had mistakenly labeled him as a pirate. In some ways, their judgment wasn’t entirely unfounded. He commanded a considerable number of pirates, his ships were originally associated with piracy, and he had been involved in piratical endeavors. Considering these factors, it was no wonder that people perceived him as a pirate.
Two days later, Ji Chen stood on the bow of the ship, gazing into the distance. The number of passing ships had increased, ranging from large two-masted and three-masted vessels to smaller fishing boats and other small crafts. It meant that they were getting close to King Kong Island.
After two more hours, a shout came from the lookout tower on the mast. “Land ahead!”
In his line of sight, the outline of King Kong Island gradually emerged. Ji Chen gave the order for the fleet to circle the island and search for the reference point mentioned by I_Love_Black_Stockings.
Along the way, he noticed numerous docks lining the coast, appearing almost every few hundred meters. Each coastal player territory was marked by a dock, representing a player’s domain.
Seeing such a dense distribution of territories, Ji Chen felt somewhat embarrassed. They had encountered dozens of player territories in such a short distance, while the vast New Moon Islands had only him as the lord. The disparity was like night and day.
As they circled around King Kong Island, they eventually reached the territory of I_Love_Black_Stockings. It was a coastal area, with half of it submerged in the sea and the other half situated on elevated ground near the shore. Two stone piers extended outwards, providing mooring space for slightly larger single-masted ships, exceeding the size of typical fishing boats.
At the top of the elevated area stood the Lord’s Manor, and a dirt road connected it with the pier. Residential houses, blacksmith shops, and recruitment camps were built layer by layer along the slope.
Though it appeared somewhat modest, it was full of vitality, indicating that I_Love_Black_Stockings had decent governance skills.
Ji Chen opened the chat channel and privately messaged I_Love_Black_ Stockings.
“I’ve arrived.”
“What?! So fast? i thought it would take you another two days, Big Boss..”