Pirate Kingship.

Chapter 23 Unexpected Developments

After a while, a slender, long-headed boat with its bow and stern raised high came out.

A figure in a tattered black robe stood at the bow, holding a whale oil lantern that emitted a bright white light, and waved to them casually.

"hiss--!"

The wet, cold, and salty sea breeze blew in their faces, constantly penetrating into the pirates' collars and bones.

Everyone was infected by the mysterious atmosphere of the Styx Ferryman and stood there, not daring to make a sound.

The dragon head ship didn't care about their thoughts at all. It quickly drew an arc on the sea and sailed back into the white fog.

Looking from the outside, one could only see a faint white light shining through the fog and gradually moving away.

"This is the guide from the Pirate Port. Start the boat quickly and let's catch up with him."

It was not until Blood Eye gave the order that they hurriedly started the Man-eating Shark and plunged into the wet, fishy and salty fog.

'A [Navigator] of the Lighthouse Order.

The lantern in his hand was burning special whale oil made from pilot whales.

Moreover, one must obtain the corresponding authority of the [Pirate Code] to be qualified to lead the ship freely in the fog covering the Anchor Bay.

He does the job of a doorman, but his actual status is very high.

The gate guards and the first line of defense of Anchor Bay are all the direct descendants of the former North Sea Pirate King [Whale Hunter].

The pirates who came here for the first time were still a little nervous after being swallowed by the fog, but Byron only felt a sense of familiarity.

The extraordinary knowledge in my mind naturally came to my mind.

Thousands of years ago, when the pirate nation Beidiwan was at its peak, they established a vast maritime empire - the North Sea Empire.

All areas along the North Sea coast were unified, and even the vast North Sea became just the empire's inland sea.

At that time, the Channel Islands on the east side of the North Sea, the Eternal Night Peninsula on the west side, and large tracts of land on the east coast were all part of the empire.

It’s a pity that it was only a flash in the pan and did not condense into a supreme crown.

Afterwards, the descendants of the Wan people were divided again.

The common ancestor of the Lancaster and York families was one of these branches, and the branch that continued to gather in Anchor Bay and resume their old business was also one of these branches.

There were many more scattered across the Old World, and even established several countries.

For Byron, this ancient port dating back to the era of the North Sea Empire can be regarded as his ancestral land thousands of years ago.

It seems like there is a sense of familiarity rooted in the bones.

At this time, Old Hans leaned against the bulwark beside Byron, sucking on his beechwood pipe, blowing out a long smoke ring, his eyes looking far away:

"Now in the Old World, whether on our east coast or west coast, pirates are having a harder and harder time.

After we used a private shipyard to secretly transform an armed merchant ship into a pirate ship, we were never able to enter any official port again.

When the dry dock was needed to carry out comprehensive repairs on the pirate ship today, it was discovered that the only large pirate port with complete facilities left was Anchor Bay.

I’m afraid it won’t be long before this place becomes history forever.”

The old man's eyes were filled with wisdom that came from seeing through the world.

"As the pace of overseas development accelerates, the benefits from the sea are becoming more and more lucrative.

In the future, the church and the major maritime kingdoms will no longer tolerate the existence of pirates outside the "charter system". Surrender or die."

Old Hans just sighed about the plight of pirates in the Old World, but it caused Byron next to him to tremble slightly.

However, at the end of the logbook, [Secret: Shadow of the Red and White Rose War (Historical Influence 31%, Decipherability 11%)] suddenly changed.

The solution density jumped from 11% to 12%.

"The outcome of the Red and White Rose War is also related to the situation of pirates in the Old World?"

Byron didn't expect that just when [Secret: The Unspeakable Secret of Blood-Eyed Salman] was about to be harvested.

The first secret recorded in the diary also had unexpected developments.

I immediately racked my brains to recall all the clues related to this.

Unfortunately, although his status is high enough, he is only 17 years old and will not reach adulthood for another two months.

Before adulthood, he was not qualified to participate in the specific affairs of the kingdom, and he could not even get into the upper-class social circles.

Apart from various study materials, I had very little information about the current situation. I only knew that since the Silver Age 1405, when all countries began to conquer the sea and the unknown world, the benefits brought by the sea have become increasingly huge.

The "era of land power" represented by the Knights Templar was also rapidly shifting towards the "era of sea power" represented by giant ships and cannons.

The pirate ports along the Old World were eliminated one after another by the navies of various countries.

Whether it was the "Northern Gulf People" who dominated the east coast or the "Barbary Pirates" who roamed the west coast, they were all forced to move to new routes in the south where official power was weak.

New pirate towns were even established in the Bantaan Islands and further afield.

The pirate business along the coast of the Old World is declining at a speed visible to the naked eye.

To be more precise, it is a pure "free pirate" force that is not affiliated with any country.

Only the oldest and most heavily defended pirate port, Anchor Bay, managed to survive temporarily.

However, it has also become a banner among the pirate group, and it is very likely to be regarded as a thorn in the eyes and flesh of the church and other countries, as Old Hans said.

When my uncle and father were in power, their attitude towards these fellow tribesmen was always to keep out of each other's way.

Now that York is in power, the situation may change.

By the way, this group of Beidiwan people who adhere to their own traditions do not believe in the Creator. They are so stubborn that they refuse to believe in it even verbally.

"At least Anchor Bay is now impregnable.

The large, independent island cannot be attacked on a large scale from land, and it has fresh water and arable land, making it self-sufficient.

Anyone who wants to enter here needs strict identity verification, and only with the [Ten Commandments of Pirates] on their own ship as a secret code can they be guided by the [Navigator].

If they rush in recklessly, even an entire fleet may starve to death after losing its way.

The nearby waters were covered with reefs, and all the correct waterways for pirate ships to safely navigate were filled with large-caliber fortress cannons.

In addition, there is the extraordinary protection provided by the [Pirate Code].

In theory, this is an impenetrable fortress.”

At least based on the information Byron currently has, he has no idea how the navy can break through here.

The failure to retrieve the [Storm Signet Ring] meant that there was still a possibility that he could be predicted by divination. The closer the distance, the more accurate the positioning.

I'm temporarily hiding in Anchor Bay, where only pirates can enter and exit. It should be safe, right?
My tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

The Man-eating Shark followed the guidance of the "Navigator", turning left and right in the fog that was completely invisible to outsiders, until more than half an hour later.

Suddenly, everyone's eyes lit up and they saw the light of the sun again.

A large and prosperous port appeared before them.

There are many sailing ships moored at the island dock, some with three masts, some with two masts, some with single masts, some with square sails, some with fore and aft sails, including merchant ships, fishing boats and even standard warships.

Even though they come in all sizes, they all have a common feature - a black pirate flag fluttering in the wind!
In the fog wall in other directions, other pirate ships came and went from time to time. It was obvious that there was more than one channel to enter and exit here.

Right next to the port is a prosperous city of considerable size.

Docks, warehouses, markets, taverns, happy trading places, auction houses, arenas, castles... all the facilities you can think of are available here.

More prosperous than the port cities of many countries on the continent.

The countless pirate ships that pass through here every day make this the most important source of supply for this underground black market.

Whether it is swords, munitions, or rare items, extraordinary inauguration rituals, or forbidden knowledge, as long as it is available on the Old Continent, it can definitely be bought here.

Most of the pirates on the ship had never seen the world, and they looked around until their eyes were dazzled.

suddenly.

“Looking at the appearance of this ship, I’m sure all of you warriors must have experienced a great battle at sea.

However, did you gentlemen try your best to rob on this voyage?
Prices in Anchor Bay have soared recently. Do you have the money to repair the ship? Do you have money to provide pensions to the crew? Do you have enough money to send to your family? Do you have enough money saved for retirement?
How about exchanging your spoils for lovely golden coins from me?

We at Golden Palm Trading Company will definitely give you a satisfactory price.”

The Man-eating Shark had just paid the pilot ten gold pounds in port dues, sailed into the berth, and lowered the planks.

On the pier, there was a figure wearing a luxurious silk robe and with jewel rings on his hands. He rubbed his hands and grinned at the pirates, revealing a big, shining gold tooth.

When seeing the logo of this chamber of commerce, even Salman, who was cold and cruel by nature, couldn't help but reveal a trace of disgust, rejection and helplessness.

"Greedy and cunning Remit people! What bad luck, how did I happen to run into these profiteers this time?"

(End of this chapter)