Chapter 110. Sunken Island
Traces of panic stained the faces of the remaining mutineers as they watched their leader being thrown overboard so easily. Their voices overlapped as they tried to justify their behaviors.
However, Charles remained unmoving to their explanations. Unyielding, he pressed on and demanded the men to jump into the dark waters.
As the captain, he needed to wield absolute control over the ships. It was his privilege, as well as his duty.
The worst of human nature was amplified in a confined space.
He recognized this incident to be the first of many, a test of boundaries. If he failed to nip an event like this in the bud, the rest would be emboldened to join in and eventually push the boundaries even further. Today, they demanded water, but tomorrow's request would not be something that simple.
The lanky man who stood at the edge was driven into frustration by Charles' hard-pressing demand. His features contorted in wrath, and he lifted his gun to aim it at Charles.
Before the man could even pull the trigger, a barrage of gunshots sounded from behind Charles. Several mutineers convulsed and collapsed to the ground.
Shocked by the scene before them, terror painted the faces of the remaining survivors. They hadn't expected Charles' resolve to be that ironclad.
With an indifferent gaze, Charles watched as his crew threw the remaining troublemakers overboard.
"If you can, kill all my men. Otherwise, it's my ship, my rules. Try me again, and I won't hesitate to feed more food to the creatures in the waters," Charles proclaimed like the majestic lion he was.
Suppressed by the weight of his words, the others on board instinctively averted their gaze.
Whether it was Charles' stern words or the increased water rations due to the death of the few troublemakers, the rest of the journey was serene.
No one stirred any more trouble, and the two ships sailed peacefully toward the Coral Archipelago.
February 31st, 9th Year of Crossing Over, Clear Weather
Ah~ Such clear skies without a trace of clouds. It's the perfect day for an energetic quarrel. But Charles and I decided to call it quits today. After being at each others' throats for days, we are both drained. Our mouths and throats are tired, too. We can't get rid of each other anyway, so we reluctantly came to a compromise.
In the future, he will make all crucial decisions. Of course, to compensate for my losses, he had to give me an additional half-hour each day. Also, the rule is to only act when the other is asleep.
Sigh...he can be such a nuisance.
Finding the map should have been a cause for celebration, but he had to sour things. No wonder he has no friends or confidantes in this stupid place. Sharing a body with him is such torture.
Bang!
A sudden jolt caused Richard's pen to scratch a long line across the diary page.
"What the fuck!" Richard cursed as he slammed the diary shut. Picking up the Dark Blade, he dashed out of his quarters.
"Which bastard is causing trouble now? I'll pound him into minced meat!"
Reaching the deck, he saw his crew on the deck stretching their necks outward as they peered into the waters below.
"Captain! There's a small ship below blocking our path," Dipp promptly reported upon seeing "Charles."
"Oh my... Scammers even in this place?" Richard sheathed the Dark Blade back into his boots and moved closer to the ship's railings to gaze into the waters below.
His gaze landed on a dilapidated old ship. Though Dipp called it a small ship, it was not exactly small but rather comparable in size to S.S. Mouse. Its low sides hinted that the boat was only meant for shallow waters.
Squinting his eyes, Richard could see those on board trying to pull their comrades out of the water. Clearly, the impact from hitting the Narwhale must have been hard.
Placing his hands on the edge of the Narwhale, Richard pushed himself off and leaped onto the smaller ship.
He swiftly approached a bald middle-aged man who seemed to be the captain and flicked him on the forehead with his finger.
"What's the matter? Can't you see a ship this large? Sure gutsy of you to man the wheel when you're blind."
The middle-aged captain was humble in the face of Richard’s aggressiveness.
He smiled sheepishly and picked up a crate of fruits next to him.
"Captain, it must have been hard at sea. Look, our black vine fruits are really fresh. It's only 800 Echo per crate. Do you want some?" he asked.
Richard frowned and said, "It would take a day's journey to reach the Coral Archipelago. You sailed all the way out here to peddle goods?"
"Your crew have been out at sea for so long. The water in your water tank must've surely gone stale. Fresh black vine juice tastes much better than that. Buy now and enjoy a refreshing drink. Dear sir, please buy some."
"Do I look like a fool to you? Move your wreck out of the way, or I'll sail right over you."
Richard instantly lost interest upon knowing that the man was just an ordinary goods peddler. He grabbed onto the soft ladder next to him and prepared to leave. He would have to return the body's control to Charles in another thirty minutes, and he didn't want to waste his time here.
However, the balding captain wrapped his arms around Richard's legs and wailed desperately, "Please, sir, please buy some. Our island sank, and I rented this ship. My wife and my children depend on me to live. If I can't make any money, we can only jump into the sea to end our lives."
Richard released his grip on the soft ladder and studied the captain and the three crew members behind him. There was no sign of deformity on their ears. Indeed, they were not locals of the Coral Archipelago.
"Your island sank? Wasn't the last island sinking over a century ago? You could've cooked a better lie," Richard's voice was laced with doubt.
Wiping off the tears and snot on his face, the balding captain hurriedly explained, "It's true, sir. You must be unaware because you've been at sea all this while, but the Shadow Island sank not too long ago."
"Shadow Island..." Richard murmured as a rough map surfaced in his mind. It was an old island that was relatively close to the Coral Archipelago.
As he observed Richard's look of hesitation, the middle-aged captain continued with his desperate plea. "Sir, it was catastrophic. Tens of thousands screamed as the waters dragged them into the deeper depths.
”The creatures from beneath swarmed in to drag those that had barely managed to stay on higher ground. It was like an apocalypse. I have to spend all my savings to get a position on this boat. Please, take pity on me."
Richard rubbed his chin as he sank into his thoughts. With a decisive wave of his hand, he said, "Fine, consider it charity, then. Take five crates to each ship for my crew to quench their thirst."
Hearing Richard's words, the balding man jumped up in excitement and said, "Thank you! Thank you so much! May our Goddess bless you."
"Don't bring up any goddess. I don't know what you are praying to, but if you bring up any god or goddess, you can take your fruits back with you." With that, Richard ascended the soft ladder and returned to the Narwhale.
As the Narwhale neared the Coral Archipelago, they met more and more merchant boats. They competed with each other as they desperately tried to sell their wares to any ship approaching the harbor.
It was a chaotic mess in the shallow waters.
The faces on the boats were tainted with anxiety and desperation. They pleaded continuously for passing ships to stop and purchase their goods.
Their behaviors were actually very dangerous and risky as the larger vessel with looming prows could easily overlook these small boats.
However, these merchants seemed unconcerned and were willing to risk even their lives for a few extra Echo.
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