Chapter 125. Freshwater And Fuel
"Get down! Under the canvas!" The moment Charles' command sounded, a green canvas of the same hue as the seawater engulfed the entire boat. Under the canvas, they remained motionless.
The bright beam of searchlight swept over them. Unable to detect any anomalies, the ship then steered in another direction.
Charles let out a sigh of relief and lifted the canvas draping over them. His gaze landed on the ship to which the searchlight belonged. It was a warship armed to the teeth. Not only were there a fore deck and aft deck, but even the sides of the ship's hull were lined with gun ports.
Its speed was alarming, and it moved without making a single sound. If they had been discovered earlier, the entire mission would have been a complete failure.
As the propeller rotated once more, the wooden boat was gradually pushed toward the island.
Throughout their journey, they encountered the searchlights of other various ships. But thanks to their prepared canvas and the boat's small size, they were able to remain undetected.
As they drew closer to the landmass, the appearance of Skywater Island slowly came into view.
If one had to describe Skywater Island in geographical terms, it was a hilly terrain with low-lying hills formed by the accumulation of dark rocks. They remained below a hundred meters, and there was no vegetation on the slopes.
Coupled with its crab-like appearance, an aerial view of the island would reveal a crab shouldering several low hills on its back. The multiple waterfalls falling from the sky continuously washed over the crab's back while rivers meandered through the hills.
The group didn't head directly for the port between the island's two pincers. Instead, they moored toward the left of the crab-shaped island.
"Hide the boat well. The port is just ahead. We'll slowly walk over so as not to alert them," Charles instructed upon climbing ashore.
"No problem, you're the boss. What you say goes." As usual, Feuerbach was always the first to offer his enthusiastic response.
Charles and the team slowly moved forward along the boundary between the rocks and the sea. Not long after, a river appeared before them. It was a tributary of a distant waterfall.
Charles squatted down and scooped up a handful of water. He brought it close to his nose and inhaled deeply. It was odorless. He had one of Lily's mice try it and confirmed that it was indeed freshwater. Moreover, it was high-quality freshwater as the river water was crystal clear.
Excited at their discovery, Feuerbach jumped into the water and did a couple of backstrokes. "Captain Charles, this was so easy! We resolved our freshwater problem. It's my first time seeing so much freshwater."
Charles looked up at the waterfall. Despite his keen sight, coupled with night vision, he couldn't discern the source of the water.
"It's either a large lake or underground water. But considering this vast space below, groundwater seems more likely," Richard abruptly chimed in again.
"Scram!"
"Come on, bro, you are still holding a grudge after such a long while? What good does it do to you if I go crazy from being cooped up for too long? Yes, I know, I wanted to get rid of you, but now you're thinking of getting rid of me, too. That being said, aren't we even now?" Richard commented in a nonchalant tone.
Charles didn't want to start an argument at this point. His face was a shade darker as he led the team forward.
After crossing the freshwater river and walking for another hour, they were finally close to the center of Skywater Island.
Contrary to the Coral Archipelago, where the island's heart was literally the central region, the pirates of Skywater mostly crowded around the bustling coastlines, effectively making it the epicenter of the island.
A densely packed hillside town was positioned right opposite two circular water bodies. The flickering lights from the mountain residents illuminated the hillside. From below, it looked like a terraced coastal city.
The dock of the Skywater Island was situated right at the foot of the hillside town. There wasn't anything special about the docks.
Clearly, the pirates of Skywater were adept at utilizing local materials.
Both the hillside town and docks were constructed from various black rocks. In fact, every architecture on the island was built from rocks. The landscape exuded a unique, exotic charm.
However, even the most distinct architectural style couldn't change the fact that the locals were a bunch of ruthless pirates.
On the bustling streets in the harbor area, rows of slaves dressed in tattered rags were tied up with ropes and being led like cattle.
Various goods and firearms, the sale of which was outlawed on other islands, were openly sold on the streets.
"Damn, look at these criminals. I have to give it to them for their urban planning, though. Wow, look at those streetlights—look at how bright they are. Yo, look at these clean streets with not a single madman or beggar in sight.
”Hey! Look at how dedicated these prostitutes are. They showed up for work even when they didn't have time to put clothes on!"
Ignoring Richard's crazy ramblings in his head, Charles led the others and walked along the streets in the harbor area.
Entering the harbor area from the side was evidently less conspicuous. The fierce-looking pirates paid no attention to Charles and his group and only cast a few glances at Lily's swarm of mice.
On most islands, the customs were responsible for the sale of fuel. However, such an organization typically didn't exist in places where pirates gather.
"It's your turn to shine. Find out where they buy their fuel from," Charles instructed the beautiful woman standing next to him. Her name was Lenise.
Lenise flicked her ash-gray hair, and a seductive smile appeared on her visage. "No problem. I can get information out of any man."
She looked around for a target and then swayed her slender waist and approached a pirate reeking of alcohol. Pressing her body against him, she whispered into his ear. Charles had no idea what she said, but soon, the drunk pirate followed Lenise into a nearby alley.
Not long after, Lenise emerged from the alley with a look of triumph.
"Follow me," she said.
They walked through the crowded streets and finally stood beside a three-story black building that towered over its surrounding architecture.
Lensie pretended to admire the harbor scenery while quietly reporting to Charles. "That man said this is it. The sale of fuel is being controlled by ‘King,’ and this is the only place where fuel can be procured."
"Mission success! Easy-peasy, we can go back now!" Feuerbach looked rather delighted.
Charles' gaze turned onto the several gun turrets erected on the distant crab pincers. Shaking his head, he said, "No... Attempting to steal fuel from here is as good as suicide."
Putting those turrets aside, the dozens of warships anchored at the docks were enough to ensnare them on the island.
"Then what should we do?"
"They probably don't deal here. Ritchie, go inside and find out where they store their fuel. Check the security there, too."
With a black hood covering his face, the Divine Light Order disciple silently nodded. He then took out a tuning fork-shaped object and pressed it against the white triangle on his forehead. Before three seconds had elapsed, his body turned transparent, and he vanished.
Charles rhythmically drummed his fingers against the rough wall as he patiently waited for Ritchie's return.
Since there was fuel at the docks, this barren island surely had a fuel production line. With such a large number of ships, there was no way they had been relying on imports alone.
If they couldn't get their hands on the finished product, they could consider the semi-finished products. It would serve the purpose as long as they could be burned.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of gunshots jolted Charles out of his thoughts. The sound hadn't caught only his attention. Everyone on the street simultaneously turned their gaze to the black building.
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