Chapter 36: Into the Pirate's Lair, Special Products of the Eastern Continent

"Ding ~ The battle has ended. The enemy has surrendered. You have won a glorious victory."

"You have leveled up (4→5). Your current EXP is 5[54%/100%]."

At the dark staircase, pirates walked out with their hands clasped on their heads. Seeing this scene, Ji Chen's mouth curved into a smile.

The effect of his verbal therapy was good.

At the same time, he didn't forget to open the territory panel to check if these pirates had really surrendered.

Under the military category, there was a new entry - "Elite Pirates", followed by the number "80".

The talent tree for elite pirates also appeared on the military talent tree. After reading it, he felt completely relieved. 

He waved his hand, signaling for the Murlocs and Naga warriors to approach.

The pirates looked fearfully at Alice, who was standing beside them with a cold face.

They would never forget the strange singing they had heard during the battle just now, which almost made them lose themselves in endless illusions.

Only the legendary siren could make such a song.

The pirates carefully approached Ji Chen and spoke respectfully.

"My Lord, we are willing to submit to you."

"You will be glad for the decision you made today."

"So, we don't have to go mining?"

One of the pirates asked cautiously.

"Of course not, I have other uses for you," Ji Chen said with a smile as he patted the pirate's shoulder.

Then, Ji Chen suddenly had a confused expression and asked, "Where's your previous captain?"

"The previous captain?" The pirates pointed to a body on the deck, which was dressed in gaudy clothes but was not entirely visible. "He died in the first wave of the Lord's sneak attack."

Ji Chen thought, "How unlucky for him."

But then he had a realization, "Well, I'll take over your ship now. Don't worry, I'll take good care of it."

A refreshing sea breeze blew on his face, causing Ji Chen to shiver slightly before taking a deep breath. It was as if all the pressure had been released from his body. He felt relieved, knowing that he finally had a ship of his own, one that could sail across the ocean and no longer keep him trapped on this island!

As soon as he realized that he was stranded on an isolated island, the mental pressure started to mount day by day. 

He was worried that he might be trapped on the island forever, cut off from the rest of the world. After all, a real man should live under the open sky and not be confined to an "island" for an extended period of time.

The resources of an island would never suffice to support the development of his territory. 

Sooner or later, he would have to venture out, conquer new lands, plunder resources, and explore forbidden territories. 

This pirate ship would be the starting point of everything!

It was because of this foresight that he spent so much effort to persuade the remaining pirates to surrender and submit.

These pirates roamed the seas, and to be able to track Raymond and the others into the stormy waters meant that they must have some skill in navigation, which was worth his persuasion.

In addition, a three-masted pirate ship required a team of skilled personnel to operate it, unlike a small fishing boat that could be navigated by a single person. 

The ship needed a helmsman to control the steering wheel, a sail hand to control the ropes, an observer, a navigator, a sailor, a craftsman, and several other specialists. 

If they planned to equip the ship with cannons in the future, they would also require cannoneers and individuals to carry the shells. 

Without a crew of at least a hundred people, it would be extremely challenging to operate this vessel effectively. 

Thus, these pirates who had remained on board were the essential crew members of this ship.

As for the Murlocs and Naga Warriors, they could fight and kill, but they could not do things like sailing.

Ji Chen was in an unprecedentedly good mood. He even wanted to laugh out loud.

However, for the sake of the lord's dignity, he had to endure it.

"What's the extent of the damage on this ship? And how long will it take to repair?" Ji Chen inquired.

"When we were passing through the storm outside the Stormy Sea, the hull and mast were damaged. It will take about six to seven days to repair it before it can meet the conditions for long-distance sailing."

Ji Chen stroked his chin, lost in thought. 

It dawned on him that there were only six or seven days left before the start of the next week. 

Time was running out. 

He needed to hasten the exploration of the main island and the other smaller islands and deal with the native tribes and Kobolds before it was too late. 

There was a lot on his plate, and he realized that life was going to be difficult.

Ji Chen sighed and shook his head. He looked up at the moon.

It was already late at night. He had to go back to rest since he had to meet Raymond and the others tomorrow.

After instructing the pirates to repair the ship as soon as possible, he brought a small group of pirates back to the territory.

The next morning, Ji Chen brought food and water to the camp.

That fatty, Raymond, had been waiting here for a long time. When he saw Ji Chen, his eyes immediately lit up and he welcomed Ji Chen warmly.

"Your Excellency, you're finally here. I've been waiting... Pirates?"

Just as Raymond was about to say something nice, he noticed more than ten subdued pirates from the previous night following behind Ji Chen. 

Confused, his eyes gradually showed fear as he realized he had unknowingly entered a den of thieves. 

Ji Chen noticed the fatty's expression and understood his misunderstanding. He spoke indifferently, " Do you know that you've lured the pirates in? If I hadn't intervened in time, that pirate ship would have sunk your vessel here." 

Raymond reacted immediately, thanking him for his intervention.

But he still asked with some doubt.

"What about these pirates?"

Ji Chen said lightly, "They felt my wisdom and strength, so they voluntarily surrendered to me."

Voluntarily?

Did these ruthless pirates surrender and submit to Ji Chen?

Perhaps he won them over with some convincing or persuasive reason?

Raymond secretly scoffed, but his face showed a look of admiration.

Ji Chen looked at the merchant ship anchored on the sea and asked curiously, "What kind of goods are you carrying on this ship? It seems to be quite heavily loaded."

"They are all specialties from the Eastern Continent," answered Raymond nonchalantly, but his eyes sparkled when he noticed Ji Chen's curious expression. "Would you like to take a look and see what they are?"

"Alright, lead the way."

Upon realizing that there might be a business opportunity, Raymond promptly summoned a few sailors to fetch a small boat. 

Since they had merchandise to sell, who else could they sell it to but him? Selling it there could also help save space and weight. 

The sailor rowed the small boat quickly to the shore and ferried Ji Chen and Raymond to the merchant ship without delay. 

Raymond eagerly led him to the stairs on the second deck, promising, "Your Excellency, I have high-quality goods here. You will surely be pleased when you see them." 

He then asked the guard to open the door as he spoke.

The sunlight shone into the slightly dark interior of the room along the stairs.

On both sides of this deck, there were wooden prisons.

Inside the wooden prison were female slaves in ragged clothes. Their eyes were filled with fear and helplessness as they shivered in the corner.

Ji Chen frowned.

"Is this the specialty of the East Continent that you mentioned?"

Raymond chuckled. "Yes, I bought these female slaves from slave owners in the Eastern Continent. Don't you think they look quite unique?" 

Ji Chen looked over and nodded in agreement. 

These women were indeed different. 

Their fair skin and exotic features were eye-catching. 

If one of them were to wear a thin veil, they could easily pass as a woman from a desert tribe. 

It seemed that Raymond's business ventures were quite extensive, including the buying and selling of slaves. 

As he looked at the frightened slaves, a thought crossed Ji Chen's mind.