Chapter 220: Pirate Trial
Hun Tong watched the dragonman youngster and the others leave, then his smile gradually dwindled into nothing as his gaze became darker.
Next to him, One Eye’s voice contained an implicit hidden bitterness, “My Lord, why not keep the White Bandage? That magic ship could serve as the patrol fleet’s flagship. Although we have a bronze level magic ship, it can’t compare to the White Bandage.”
“That said, we collected the treasures from the sea, we don’t lack money.”
“But it isn’t easy to place an order for a magic ship from Gear Island’s dockyard.”
“Too many people place orders; it will take at least half a year to reach ours.”
When the seafloor treasures were mentioned, Hun Tong’s heart seemed to be stabbed.
He sucked in some cold air and unhurriedly replied, “Although the seafloor had money, too many places need coin.”
“The entire new island needs to be rebuilt.”
“Compensation needs to be provided.”
“Those merchants are troublesome.”
“Another necromancer appeared; the empire will likely dispatch an envoy to begin an investigation. At that time, I will need bribes.”
Most crucially are the light cannon towers and the Golden Flash, we need to spend a large sum to hire an alchemy master to come repair them!”
“Money needs to be spent on those things.”
“The White Bandage is only bronze level, adding a ship like that won’t improve our strength by much.”
“Repairing the Golden Flash is more important.”
“Having a gold level magic ship is incomparable to having more ships like the White Bandage.”
“The White Bandage Mercenary Corps’ performance really disappointed me.”
“That mercenary corps and the Iron Club Mercenary Corps are too close to those merchant alliances. Don’t tell me you still want then to keep it and allow those annoying merchants to add to our troubles?”
“Of course, I also didn’t casually sell it. The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps are not normal, didn’t you see their performance during the battle?
One Eye nodded, stating his acknowledgement.
To him, of the humans besides the gold levels, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps had performed the brightest.
The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps had stabilized the port battlefield, then agreed to Hun Tong’s mission, taking the risk to leave for the subterranean depths to try to destroy the fishmen’s large scale casting. They had acted far more reliably than the Iron Club and Bandage Mercenary Corps!
Both of them had only acted for their own benefits.
By this contrast, Hun Tong as feudal lord, had a very good opinion of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
Hun Tong’s view of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ fleet gradually shrank as he assessed, “Although they recruited Chi Lai and Men Shi, Chi Lai’s bloodline concentration isn’t high, silver level is his limit. Men Shi has stagnated for ten years; his potential is reaching zero.”
“But Long Fu and Shi Qi are different.”
Shi Qi’s battle qi already has a gold luster, and given enough time, he will become a gold level.”
“Their backer has good prospects for Long Fu and appointed him leader, pushing down Shi Qi. His bloodline must be more outstanding. During the battle, he even fought Er Gua Zi directly, only a bit weaker than him.
“In a few years, both of them might become gold levels.”
“Selling them some good things will benefit us.”
One Eye nodded repeatedly, “My Lord, your consideration is correct!”
Hun Tong’s eyes coldly flashed, he looked tranquil, but his heart was fretful.
When One Eye brought up the seafloor treasure matter, although it stung him, it also warned him.
Only a select few knew about the seafloor salvaging matter.
Even One Eye, who knew about it, didn’t know how much Hun Tong had fished up.
“I cannot let anyone else know that the seafloor only had three copper coins!”
Hun Tong made a firm resolution to conceal the truth.
The business world was like a battlefield.
On the battlefield, if morale slumped, no matter how big the force, they would crumble, scatter, and flee.
The business world was the same.
If one’s deficit was too high, others would become bearish, popular sentiment would collapse, inevitably triggering a bank run and other nasty events.
“I must guard this secret and let other mistakenly think that I dredged out much wealth, this will be advantageous for me.”
“If that happens, at least to others, I will still be the winner.”
Hun Tong was filled with vigilance.
After the battle, his situation became very vile.
He didn’t have much capital, even when combining his own capital and gains from the auction.
This included the Devil Gold Coins; he had to keep those to deal with imperial investigation.
After all, he had ruthlessly backstabbed friends during the battle with his optimal bombardment.
Just as he explained to One Eye, he had to spend money on too many places.
“If my weakness is revealed, I fear I will meet a similar end to the Bandage Mercenary Corps.”
Thinking of this, Hun Tong looked at the Bandage mercenaries at the edge of the port, the cold light in his eyes growing stronger.
He then then faintly ordered One Eye, “They don’t understand the situation, how stupid. One Eye, arrest those people.”
One Eye hesitated somewhat, “My Lord, that isn’t a good idea.”
One Eye was feeling a little guilty and diffident.
They not only sold off their flagship, but they also wanted to arrest them, what difference was there between them and pirates?
But a moment later, One Eye saw Hun Tong’s ice cold gaze, and his heart shivered, causing him rush to comply.
One Eye with the help of the city guard dealt with the Bandage mercenaries will little difficulty.
Because Commander Beng Dai was dead.
Hun Tong soared into the sky and flew to the Golden Flash.
He used the Gold Eye to investigate the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ fleet that was still in its range for one final investigation.
The result didn’t go against his expectations.
“The seafloor treasures…are not on them.”
Hun Tong, to probe into what was really going on with the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, had intentionally helped them and deployed many people to go into their holds with supplies.
Now with the Gold Eye’s probing result, Hun Tong’s few suspicions were completely dissipated.
“Therefore, the most likely culprits are the naga priestess and that necromancer disguised as a Wisteria Merchant Alliance elder.
The naga priestess and the remnants of the Blue Green Coral Clan were far from Two Eyes Island, deep in the ocean.
Even if it was them, Hun Tong had no way of finding them.
As for the necromancer, Hun Tong still had hope.
Thinking of that, Hun Tong immediately used an alchemy device to contact the imperial secret spy Shadow.
“When will you head out?”
“How far has the necromance run?”
“Two Eyes Island has had two necromancers appear on it, and the proof is definite, likely prompting the empire to send a person to investigate.”
“When will you attack him? I can personally lend a hand.”
“If the empire investigates Two Eyes Island, me having that necromancer’s head in hand will benefit us both, right?”
Shadow’s voice came through shortly after, “Hehe, Feudal Lord, don’t be so worried.”
“An insignificant silver level necromancer is nothing.”
“Believe me, his backer is more valuable!”
“Truth be told, I have already made arrangements. Since he has been exposed, he can forget about stability.”
“Right, those seabed treasures…strictly speaking, doesn’t that also belong to us secret spies?”
Hun Tong coldly snorted, interrupting Shadow, “Don’t think so! Those treasures are Two Eyes Island’s.”
He couldn’t speak the bitterness in his heart.
Despite only fishing up three copper coins, everyone around him though he made a fortune.
Now he has to pretend he really was rich!
The port was in chaos.
One Eye had charged into the scattering Bandage Mercenary Corps; behind him the city guard was arresting people all over the place.
The mercenaries didn’t have good morale to start with, and when confronted with the city guard arresting them, they didn’t have the courage to resist.
Many people were taken prisoner.
Some of the higher ups escaped.
“Damn Hun Tong, he really is acting against our corps!”
“Don’t be impulsive, hurry and leave.”
“We will seek the Mercenary Guild to redress this injustice!”
“Ask the five great merchant representatives for help!”
“There is also the Iron Club Mercenary Corps, their commander also dead. If they don’t act, their end with definitely be the same as ours!”
The Applaud Pirates.
Hu Li weakly opened his eyes.
“What happened to me?” He was perplexed and knew something was wrong with his body.
As his field of view gradually cleared, he was shocked to discover that he was tied tightly to a wooden chair.
A group of frogmen surrounded him.
The lead frogman spoke, “You finally woke up.”
Hu Li looked at the frogman speaking and immediately exploded in anger, “Bei Xiang, what do you think you’re doing?”
Seeing Hu Li struggle, the second mate Bei Xiang sneered, “Give up, I gave you the famous drug Sighing Water. I gave you quite a lot, I believe even a gold level will feel powerless for a time and will be unable to use any battle qi during that time. To say nothing of you, my captain.”
Hu Li narrowed his eyes, “You want to kill me for my position? Bei Xiang, you are only an iron level!”
“A peak iron level.” Bei Xiang laughed grimly, thumbing his finger at his back, “Look at my back, that is the trait of the Grand Elephant bloodline! I will become a silver level sooner or later.”
Hu Li retorted, “Humph, that is a future matter. If you kill me now, how will you convince the masses?”
The second mate Bei Xiang smiled, “I can’t do it by myself. What awaits you is a pirate trial! The outcome of the trial will be determined by all of the pirates!”
Hu Li stared blankly, soon after, the hope for survival welled up.
His chair was lifted up and carried out of the ship cabin and onto the deck.
It was late into the night, the moon was perfectly round, and its light was bright.
All of the frogmen were concentrated on the flagship’s deck, gazing at Hu Li with complex expressions.
Bei Xiang presided, “Begin the trial.”
Hi Li burst into laughter, “What is my crime?”
“I built this pirate group, I stole the flagship, I led you all in plunders again and again.”
“Xue Dao, if I hadn’t saved you, you would have died three years ago.”
“Liang Pi, back Then I was I who used my body to block that ice breath, otherwise you would have become a frozen frog.”
“You too, Che Li, it was I who freed you from your iron cage. Otherwise, you would have become some magician’s experiment subject and might have died without even a bone remaining.”
Hu Li produced a torrent of words, speaking faster and faster.
Many of the frogmen he named lowered their heads in shame.
As he said his final words, Hu Li passionately gazed up at the moon, “Because of me, there is the Applaud Pirates, because of me, you gave come together.”
“What qualifications do you have to put me on trial?”
“Who can judge my crimes?!”
The frogmen lowered their heads silently.
Only Bei Xiang narrowed his eyes and measured, “The rules of a pirate trial has been set by successive generations of Pirate Gods, you are being judged in God’s name, why do you refuse to accept it?”
“I admit, you have toiled and accomplished much, it was your hands that founded this pirate group, and you have shown many people kindness.”
“But have you done nothing wrong? Have you not treated us unfairly? During each looting, you were always the biggest beneficiary, and we only got the leftovers!”
“You are guilty, your biggest crime is that you haven’t made us rich!”
“Two Eyes Island was a good opportunity, but because of your stupidity, always wanting to steal the Vinegar Jar, we ended up empty handed!!”
“Utter rubbish!” Hu Li coldly snorted, “Short-sighted people, with the Vinegar Jar, we could have robbed more, your vision is too narrow.”
Bei Xiang shook his head, “I haven’t come to dispute you.”
He turned away, ran his eyes across the deck, and raised his arms, “Let everyone be a jury.”
“Starting with you.” He pointed at a frogman next to him.
The frogman shamefully hummed and hawed, “Gul, guilty.”
“Eh?” Hu Li glared.
“Gul, guilty.”
“Guilty.”
“I believe he is guilty.”
As the frogmen spoke, Hu Li’s mentality collapsed.
At first, the frogmen hesitated, but gradually, their judgments grew more powerful and more candid!
Finally, they even became one.
Bei Xiang was the final vote, he looked at Hu Li and exposing a winning smile as he shrugged, “You see, you are quite unpopular! You ignored everyone’s heartfelt wish; you are not fit to be our leader!!”
Ding.
A moment later, Hu Li suddenly struggled out of his ropes.
He summoned his battle qi, catching Bei Xiang off guard and blasting him into the air.
Bei Xiang coughed out a lot of blood as he smashed into a mast and fell to the floor, not rising afterwards.
The frogmen were in an uproar.
Hu Li stood proudly.
Bei Xiang, his stomach on the deck, looked up at Hu Li, “Impossible, I put so much Sighing Water in your soup, you are just a silver level, it is impossible for you to recover so quickly!”
Hu Li sneered, “I should probably tell you I also have the Poison Heart Bloodline.”
“I know you are strong enough to become first mate. You always resented nepotism, that I placed my relative in the position of first mate, a head above you.”
“I originally wanted to help you to the spot of first mate, unfortunately…”
“Traitors will die!”
Hu Li walked to Bei Xiang and was just about to kill him.
But a moment later, his movements stiffened like a stone statue.
A human female garbed in leather and holding a long whip appeared.
“You, you are…Lady Sea Snake?!” Hu Li croaked out with shock, “Because of you…”
Crack.
A moment later, his neck was broken with incorporeal force.
Lady Sea Snake stepped onto the deck with a thud, stood in front of Bei Xiang, and looked down at him, “Didn’t you say you could handle it?”
“There was…an accident.” Bei Xiang looked up to see Lady Sea Snake’s brown leather clothing illuminated by the moonlight, along with her perfectly round thighs and mountain range like chest curves.
“No need to remind you what happens next?” Lady Sea Snake smiled.
“Of course. First contact the Lightning Pirates and the Stench Pirates. Then go kill that necromancer!” Frogman Bei Xiang spat out.