The Witcher: Son of the Planes.

"Damn it, fire, fire!" Barto shouted angrily.

"Boom, boom, boom."

There was constant gunfire from both sides, and the waves stirred up surged onto the deck, but none of the shots hit the target.

"Bang, bang!" Some nervous sailors had already started firing their guns.

"Idiot, can you hit him from such a distance?" Barto was so angry that he whipped the sailor's hat with the whip in his hand.

These sailors usually look strong, but when it comes to critical situations, the difference is obvious: some are calm and hold their guns without saying a word, some are panicky, and some even fire their guns in vain.

Looking at the performance of these sailors, Colin's heart kept sinking. "Damn Barto, you make so much money, don't you know how to hire some good people?"

Barto walked past the sailors one by one, cracking his whip as he walked, and said, "Hit them when they are close, and hit them when you are aiming."

After that, he still promised, "Everyone, be more alert. If we win, I'll give everyone 200 Themisces. When we return to Auckland Port, I'll treat everyone to good rum and the sexiest girls."

As he said this, Barto felt a little painful. If he didn't give the money to Jack, he would have to give it to the sailor. He couldn't avoid this wave. Is it easy for me, Barto, to earn some hard-earned money?

"Roar, roar."

Regardless of what Barto was thinking, from the roars of the sailors, it was clear that the effect was achieved.

This wave of promises finally boosted morale. These sailors were not given away for free. They were the typical type of people who would not give up until they saw the rabbit. They usually just waited for the wages. A round trip only took a few months, and they could get 100 Semisis.

Who would have thought that if they encountered pirates, they would have to fight for their lives, not to mention for their own money. Otherwise, why would they go on board? Wouldn't it be nice to farm at home? (Oh, it depends on where I am. In Colin's hometown, I met a stupid lord. Farming was not peaceful, and there was a death quota.)

Colin observed through the bottom hatch. The ship was not particularly large and had limited capacity. He could not see exactly how many sailors there were. Although a full complement might require 100 people, he counted them on the deck a few days ago and estimated that there would be no more than 60. Thinking of this, Colin cursed in his heart again, "Damn old thief Barto, a miser, saving money on everything..."

I just didn't know how many people were on the other side, and they came down before I could see clearly. Thinking of this, Colin's nervousness could not be relieved.

"John, do you think this ship can withstand pirates?" Colin asked.

"It's hard to say. The pirate ship looks bigger than ours, and there must be more people on board. Besides, the entire ship on the other side is full of combat power, while this ship only has sailors. We slaves are useless."

"It's a pity that I haven't learned to swim. But even if I could swim, I wouldn't be able to go far in the sea and would eventually have to feed the fish," Colin thought.

"Hey, John, do you think the ship will release us slaves and let us join the battle?" Colin asked again.

"Well... maybe, but by then, it will be very dangerous. It would be best if we can avoid a boarding battle."

……

"Haven't you eaten yet? You didn't hit a single target?" Jack was a little unhappy when he saw that there was no result for a long time.

First mate Armand stepped forward to explain, "It's mainly because the distance is not enough. The gunner is not a novice anymore. He was constantly adjusting the pitch and azimuth just now. I believe if we get closer, there will be no problem."

"Yeah, boss. Let's not talk about a few shells. We have more people than them. If we get close, we won't be able to beat those wimps." Second mate Jimmy continued.

"Forward, forward!" Jack shouted.

As the Black Skull approached, the distance was less than 3 nautical miles, and the landing point of the shells was getting closer and closer to Barto's hull.

……

"boom"

The mainmast was broken, and the mainsail hanging from it slid down like a rag.

Barto's heart tightened, thinking, "This is the end. It's fine if we can't defeat them, but we can't even run away. On the other hand, our own cannon only grazed the tail of the Black Skull. The difference is too big. We shouldn't use these green hands just to save money. Things have been going smoothly for the past few years, and I have saved a lot of money. I thought that after working for a few more years, I would go to the countryside to buy a title, purchase a manor, and enjoy life. Now, it's all over."

The Black Skull was still getting closer and closer, and the distance was less than 2 nautical miles. There was no way to run away now, and a boarding battle was about to begin. Barto had no time to think. He gritted his teeth and decided that it was not time yet, so he had to fight them!

"Hurry, hurry, they are coming. Bob, take a few people down and untie the ropes of the slaves. Bring them to the deck one by one and prepare for boarding battle. If you win, each of you will be rewarded with 50 Themisces." Barto arranged hurriedly.

Even at this time, Barto was still thinking: "No matter who you are, don't think of taking my money easily. No matter if you are a sailor or a slave, you will only get the money if you win the fight. If you lose, I don't even know where I am, so what reward is there?"

Led by Bob, several sailors went down to the bottom cabin and began to untie the ropes for the slaves.

"That's what I told you. We are still needed. Did Master Barto say anything? Will you let us go if you win?" a voice in the cabin asked.

"Hey, what good things are you thinking about? This is asking us to fight to the death. Being a slave does not guarantee death, but fighting to the death is not guaranteed." Another voice replied.

The women's cries rang out again. They felt that death was getting closer and closer, and they didn't know if they could live to see the day when they could reach land.

"Shut up! Stop making noise. Master Barto said that every man who goes on deck to fight will be rewarded 50 Themisces. When you get to the Emerald Territory, maybe you can save enough money to redeem yourself." Bob said.

After hearing this, the slaves fell silent. If they didn't fight, they would die. If they fought, they could earn money and possibly be freed from slavery. So they fought! Who would live and who would die was still uncertain.

"In a moment, you follow me closely and hold this wooden gun. Remember: don't learn from them. Once instigated, you will rush forward recklessly when your head gets hot. That will lead to your death the fastest. Do you understand?" (John has transformed two mops into wooden guns.) John ordered.

"Okay," Colin replied.

At the same time, he turned around and told Noila, “Be careful for a while, don’t go out, we are leaving.”

"Uncle John, Brother Colin, you must come back." Nora said with tears in her eyes.

John looked back at Nora, thinking that Nora was a good girl, and if there was a chance in the future, she could be a wife for his brother Peter. He wanted to say something, but he finally shook his head and said nothing. If there was no future, what was the point of finding a wife for his brother?

"Oh!"

With a loud bang, the ship shook, and then there was a shout from the deck...