Chapter 377: Mutual Understanding
Snow Bird Harbor Dock.
The magician tower hummed with activity as the colossal Purple Star Lighting Bolt Magic Formation dominated the harbor sky, intimidating the Divine Wind Pirates.
The slaughter and combat on the sea raged on.
Corpses bobbed in the waves, while fragments of ships sank or floated.
The rocket assault boats had all been destroyed.
Yet remnants of the Bayonet Gang remained active.
Most still struggled, while a few had escaped the lightning zone and boarded pirate ships.
The dragonman youngster transmitted urgently to Zi Di: "If we use the Deep Sea Monster Fish to sneak beneath the Divine Wind Pirates and launch a surprise attack, what are our odds of success?"
Zi Di was startled by this and hurriedly advised, “Sir, please don't be so anxious!”
“Although Lan Zao has been taken away, it's still safe for now.”
The dragonman youngster sighed and shook his head slightly, "This is merely Bing Xiao's misunderstanding. He can't conceal the truth for long."
“The battlefield was crowded with onlookers. Lan Zao fought his way through, killing numerous Bayonet Gang members.”
"Moreover, once the post-battle reorganization begins, they will inevitably conduct a thorough review. At that point, Lan Zao will be exposed as an outsider with no ties to any gang members. He will be discovered."
"Even if he pretends to be an ordinary citizen of Snow Bird Harbor who admires the Bayonet Gang, it's a huge flaw. He can't even clearly name the streets of Snow Bird Harbor."
“We must rescue him quickly, or he'll truly be in danger!”
Zi Di took a deep breath.
She had anticipated the dragonman youngster's determination to rescue him.
But his plan was truly foolish.
Right now, they were at Snow Bird Harbor's dock. If the Deep Sea Monster Fish was exposed, what would the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord think?
Right now, they were at Snow Bird Harbor's dock. If the Deepsea Monster Fish was exposed, what would the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord think?
Zi Di was unwilling to take such a risk to rescue Lan Zao.
Yet she also knew she couldn't outright stop the dragonman youngster.
Fortunately, her negotiation skills were sharp. She immediately shifted her approach and reasoned, “Lord, even if we expose the Deep Sea Monster Fish and use it to approach the Divine Wind, can we truly save him?”
“The enemy isn't a silver level magic ship—it's gold level, with formidable defenses!”
"Moreover, the Divine Wind Pirates' crew hasn't engaged in combat and remains fully intact. Most critically, their gold level leader, Feng Lian, is present!"
Zi Di paused briefly before continuing, “Truthfully, I have no concern for your personal safety, my Lord.”
“Your previous heroic duel proved your mettle beyond doubt.”
“You are capable of facing a gold level opponent.”
“But rescuing Lan Zao from the enemy ranks? That difficulty is on an entirely different level from fighting a gold level alone, isn't it?”
“What worries me more is Lan Zao's reaction...”
The dragonman youngster cut her off: “No, I trust Lan Zao!”
Zi Di immediately added: "I trust him too! That's precisely why I'm more concerned."
“My Lord, imagine this: if Lan Zao sees you charging recklessly into danger, how do you think he'll react?”
“He's your most steadfast follower. His heart must be filled with worry for you.”
"He'll believe he's the one dragging you down. If it weren't for saving him, you wouldn't be in this perilous situation."
“So, once you're in mortal peril, what do you think he'll do?”
The dragonman youngster's heart lurched as the most likely outcome flashed through his mind.
His voice heavy, he replied to Zi Di, “By then, even if Lan Zao hasn't revealed himself, he'll throw himself into battle. He'll seek death in combat, so I won't risk my life to rescue him again.”
Inside the Deep Sea Monster Fish, a faint smile curved Zi Di's lips. “Precisely so, my Lord!”
“Damn it.” The dragonman youngster clenched his fists, his heart filled with both urgency and helplessness.
He knew his own limitations.
Although he had slain Teng Dong Lang, the final blow remained unclear.
He understood that even if he created chaos and an opportunity to rescue others, he would inevitably face a siege and find himself in dire straits.
Lan Zao would most likely choose to “sacrifice” himself.
“What should I do?” The dragonman youngster felt utterly at a loss.
He stood rooted to the spot, scanning the battlefield with furrowed brows, his mind racing.
Suddenly, a flash of insight struck him. He spun around sharply; his gaze fixed on the magician tower at the dock.
He contacted Zi Di again, his voice brimming with excitement: "The magician tower hasn't attacked the Bayonet Gang members still lingering at sea. They pose little threat. The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord intends to use them to delay the Divine Wind Pirates!"
The dragonman youngster revealed the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's plan.
Since the Divine Wind Pirates hadn't immediately departed but remained at sea to retrieve more Bayonet Gang members, there was still a chance.
The dragonman youngster continued his analysis: "The city Lord had already reported his achievement in crushing the Bayonet Gang. This unexpected turn of events means that if the gang ringleaders escape, that achievement will be severely diminished."
“Since he hasn't resorted to slaughtering these ordinary gang members in a fit of rage, but is instead stalling for time, he must be devising a plan.”
Zi Di immediately signaled her agreement with the dragonman youngster's assessment.
The dragonman youngster took a deep breath, growing increasingly composed.
He was no longer the person he once was. His experiences in Snow Bird Harbor had forged him into a more capable leader.
He had learned to leverage power and momentum.
He had used the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's influence against the Bayonet Gang before—why couldn't he do the same now?
They were partners, and their collaboration had always been pleasant. More crucially, the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord should be even more desperate than he was!
The dragonman youngster immediately used his communication device to contact the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord. After a moment's deliberation, he spoke in a voice thick with unchecked fury: "City Lord! Are we just going to stand by and watch? Watch these damned pirates whisk away all these gang criminals?"
“They destroyed my flagship. My losses are catastrophic.”
“We can't let them escape!”
Yet the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's response caught the dragonman youngster off guard.
“I'm afraid we have no choice,” the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord said gravely.
“Why?” the dragonman youngster pressed immediately.
The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord admitted frankly, “Because of Feng Lian.”
“This human is no ordinary man. His combat prowess is formidable, far surpassing my own.”
"Pirates active near Ice Sculpture Island have all been battle-hardened. Our nation once dispatched a saint level expert to eliminate the Divine Wind Pirates but failed."
“What?” The dragonman youngster gasped, "Could Feng Lian possibly match a saint level expert?”
The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord chuckled, "Of course not.”
“A gold level who can rival a saint? The difficulty is astronomical—virtually impossible.”
“Back then, our saint finally cornered the Divine Wind Pirates and struck directly, executing a decapitation tactic against Feng Lian.”
“Feng Lian abandoned ship to escape, drawing our saint away from the naval battlefield.”
“In the end, he escaped gravely wounded, and most of the pirates aboard the Divine Wind and other ships also managed to flee.”
"After that battle, our nation elevated the threat level of the Divine Wind Pirates. We won't act unless absolutely necessary."
The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord continued, “As for Feng Lian himself, he is exceptionally cool-headed and cautious.”
“He rarely takes unnecessary risks.”
"He also knows when to be pragmatic, likely a lesson learned from the saint. Since that battle, the Divine Wind Pirates have become far more restrained under his leadership."
“They'll scarcely raid our merchant ships anymore, instead targeting other foreign vessels.”
“Let's be honest—I'd never risk a sea battle against him.”
“Because I'd likely be cut down by him!”
The dragonman youngster fell silent.
The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's candid words shook him to the core.
The dragonman youngster had witnessed the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's battle firsthand.
He weighed the comparison in his mind: based on what he knew, the Snow Bird Harbor Lord's combat prowess was at least on par with Teng Dong Lang's.
If one disregarded any hidden trump cards the Snow Bird Harbor Lord might possess, their fighting abilities were comparable.
Of course, it was highly probable that the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's combat prowess surpassed Teng Dong Lang's.
The reason was simple.
The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord had launched a lightning-swift operation to wipe out the Bayonet Gang, clearly targeting Teng Dong Lang.
Ultimately, since he had the confidence to lead his forces in surrounding the Snow Bird Arena, he must have been confident in suppressing Teng Dong Lang.
Yet this very gold level battle qi cultivator had directly warned the dragonman youngster that facing Feng Lian could cost him his life!
Feng Lian's strength was thus evident.
More and more gang members were being ferried aboard pirate ships like the Divine Wind.
Bayonet Gang members were overcome with gratitude toward the Divine Wind Pirates.
Many gang members instinctively gathered with familiar faces, some even sobbing uncontrollably.
Lan Zao grew increasingly anxious.
As an outsider, he had no gang members he knew personally.
The longer this dragged on, the more isolated he appeared, the greater he stood out.
His only relief was that the dragonman youngster remained stationary, not rashly attacking this location.
“He must be waiting for my reaction.”
“I have to do something to save myself!”
"Even if I die, it'd be a waste to go down like this. At least I'll put up a fight."
With that resolve, Lan Zao sprang into action.
Fueled by rage, he tried to persuade Spring Boxer to fire on Snow Bird Harbor's docks.
Spring Boxer shook his head in refusal: “Rescue our own people first. Firing now would provoke the patrol fleet into launching a massacre against our men—that would be disastrous!”
Bing Xiao soothed him: “Rest assured, one day we will exact our revenge.”
Seeing Lan Zao's face twisted with hatred and his eagerness for vengeance, Bing Xiao felt deeply gratified.
He'd witnessed parts of Lan Zao's earlier battles and recognized his fearless, fierce combat style.
More importantly, the indomitable spirit Lan Zao displayed deeply impressed Bing Xiao.
He surveyed the Bayonet Gang members before him. After being rescued, they'd all lost their nerve—some were even weeping openly. Even several ringleaders had gone quiet.
Only Lan Zao stood alone, vowing to fire back and counterattack.
The contrast was stark.
Bing Xiao turned to Lan Zao and asked with interest, “Kid, what's your name? Which leader do you serve under?”
Lan Zao dared not answer that question. Instead, he pressed, “Former gang leader, now that we've saved these people, can we fire the cannons?”
“We'll evacuate immediately,” the Divine Wind's first mate interjected upon hearing the exchange.
"Why?" Lan Zao's eyes widened.
He'd been hoping for a fight as it would be his chance to slip away.
The first mate sneered at Lan Zao, "Bronze level kid, don't get too cocky.”
“You lot owe your survival to our captain's authority.”
“If the magician tower decides to slaughter you, how many of you think you could swim to our ship?”
"The Snow Bird Harbor City Lord hasn't given the order to attack, so we can't fire. This is the long-standing understanding between our group and the Ice Sculpture Kingdom!"
“Be grateful we saved your lot.”
“Do you really expect us to bombard one of the eight harbors, shatter this understanding, and provoke the Ice Sculpture Kingdom into directing its full fury against our pirate crew?”
Lan Zao was stunned.
Reality often felt ironic and absurd.
Who could have imagined the Ice Sculpture Kingdom and a pirate group reaching such an unspoken understanding?
At least Lan Zao hadn't.
The highest position he'd ever held was merely boatswain on a merchant ship.
His standing was too low.
Yet, upon reflection.
Behind this absurd reality lay a delicate coexistence born of mutual apprehension.
The Divine Wind Pirates' strength couldn't compare to the Ice Sculpture Kingdom's, but the kingdom also avoided direct confrontation.
Surrounded by sea on all sides, the Ice Sculpture Kingdom possessed an excessively long coastline. Should the Divine Wind Pirates ever become desperate and launch a full-scale retaliation, it would cause immense trouble for the kingdom.
Yet after Feng Lian's successful escape from the kingdom's saint, the Divine Wind Pirates gained the standing necessary to forge this tacit understanding with the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.
He proved himself much like how the dragonman youngster killed Teng Dong Lang.
This was the world of transcendents.
This was the world of the strong.