The lightning rolling in the clouds is like a frenzied giant dragon. While they illuminate the sky, they also illuminate the sea. Not far from them, countless jagged reefs looked like countless hideous ghosts emerging from the bottom of the sea in the white light of thunder and lightning, and there were still many wrecks of ships between the reefs.
"Gods, what is that!"
The lookout cried out.
In the flash of lightning, shark-like shadows quickly swam out of those reefs, and came towards the caravan that had just left Zarago Port not long ago like arrows.
"Pirates! Pirates!"
The shouts swept through the entire fleet in an instant, and the crew immediately jumped up. The combatants of the armed merchant ships usually rest in the towering bow and stern of the ship. With this sharp shout, they rushed out like ants encountering boiling water.
Pirates, this is definitely the most hated enemy of all sea merchants.
Like the notorious sea sharks, they usually hide in the shadows of reefs and islands, using complex terrain to hide themselves. When the merchant ships returned with a full load passed the route, they smelled the smell of blood from a long distance away and followed them. When the merchant ships sailed through the most complicated and dangerous sea areas, they broke through the waves and showed their ferocious fangs.
"Which pirate group is it?"
The captain hurriedly drew out the musket stuck in his waist, and asked the trembling lookout.
Trembling, the lookout pointed to the sea not far from them: "They...they..."
The captain grabbed the railing, looked in the direction he was pointing, and instantly understood why his old buddy showed such fear and astonishment.
In the light of lightning, one pirate ship after another approached them quickly. They came from all directions, and the flags on the ships fluttered in the sea wind: skull flags on a black background, crossed swords, inverted crosses, half-decayed skulls of whales …different flags marked different pirate regiments.
At this moment, there are so many flags gathered on the sea, each flag embodies a powerful reputation.
"Gods are above!"
said the captain almost groaning.
If he hadn't been gripping the railing tightly with his hands, he would have been kneeling on the deck at this moment. If only any of the pirate groups came, with the merchant ship's own armed forces, the captain would have full confidence to put the noose around the necks of these daring pirates and make them pay for their greed.
But, but!
At this time, what gathered around was not a pirate group, but countless pirate groups!
The lightning illuminated the deep blue and near-black water, and the pirates stood on the deck with their weapons in their hands. Their excited faces were as sharp as the pale teeth of sharks under the reflection of the lightning.
The sharks gathered together, as if all Roland's pirates gathered here.
The guns roared in vain, and the gun muzzles of the ship's side flanks emitted red flames. The pirates steered the nimble fast boats to avoid the flames. The tusks of the sharks bite down on their prey.
"Measure our territory and take a look at our homeland!
This is all our empire, power over all... ”[1]
In the sound of the storm, someone sang loudly.
A flash of fire passed by, hitting the heavy and tall forecastle of the merchant ship, the fragile planks splashed, and the forecastle ignited a fire. A cold light was thrown across the air, and circled twice around the mast, the iron hook like eagle claws was deeply nailed into the solid oak. The next moment, the singing man pulled the rope, swept up from the fast boat on the sea like a goshawk, turned over in mid-air, and stepped firmly on the crossbar.
Shouting, the captain who ordered the sailors to shoot and organize a counterattack held the musket, turned around without hesitation, and raised his hand to shoot at the person standing high on the mast.
"Our banner is the king's scepter, and no one dares not to obey." [2]
Amidst the harsh gunshots, the man pulled the mainsail and swiped down from the mast. The white sail was torn off by the man, and spread like a dandelion behind.
The captain was hit on the head and face by the ropes and heavy canvas falling from the sky, and staggered and fell to his knees on the deck. When he finally rolled out of the ball of canvas, he saw a slender and thin figure walking towards him through the sea water and flames in the raging fire of the big ship.
The man's red hair fluttered in the wind, his heroic facial features, and a pair of unruly amber eyes under the sharp eyebrows. The fire was imprinted in those amber eyes, igniting them completely. Dark black clothes, brown trousers were tightly tucked into boots stretching out the calf line from below the knees.
"A woman..."
The captain yelled in astonishment and disgust, and reached out to grab the gun that had just fallen on the deck.
"Good evening, sir."
The female pirate's boots stepped heavily on the back of the captain's hand, and when the spikes on the soles of the boots got off the ship, he heard the sound of his own bones cracking and shattering, and he howled like a pig.
The red-haired pirate lady snatched the gun from him, knelt down and looked down at him, patting his distorted cheek with the barrel.
"Yes, a woman."
She shoved the muzzle of the gun into the captain's open mouth.
"A woman who makes you pee your pants!"
boom!
The captain's brains, mixed with blood, bloomed like flowers from the back of his head in the damp and cold sea.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! It is the king's stick! No one dares not to obey!" [3]
"Our savage life! Stretched in the noise!"[4]
…………………
Abigail Brest stands on the prow of a sinking merchant ship.
She wiped clean a serpentine knife, a not-so-famous but deadly Mashto knife with a dark blue glow and a rough surface with a delicately welded patterned edge. Kinds of knives must go through as many as five hundred times of hammering to forge sharp odd-numbered curved blades.
The naval battle is over.
The sea is littered with the wreckage of merchant ships from the free commercial city. These three-masted ships with tall and beautiful forecastles are slowly sinking. The corpses of the crew are floating on the undulating sea. The flames were dyed red.
The pirates shuttled among the slow and silent ships in light boats, carrying the most valuable treasures from the merchant ships and loading them on their own ships. Slightly different from the usual cruel and bloody style of pirates, the sailors who fell into the water and survived were picked up by them, tied up with ropes and stuffed in the cabin.
This fleet carried precious relics of saints, portraits and ancient manuscripts, as well as some religious colored tapestries, and valuable prayer offerings... The free commercial city was afraid of the new regulations of the Roland Empire, and did not dare to carry the more common goods, but did choose something embarrassingly dedicated to the Papal States.
Not without pirates greedy for these precious treasures.
On the one hand, it was the first time for them to cooperate with the royal family of the empire. If they wanted to obtain the long-awaited materials and franchises from the royal family, they had to show their attitude. If anyone robs the treasure and escapes this time, he will be hunted down by all the other pirates who participated in this operation and formed an alliance, as well as revenge from the empire.
However, the more direct reason is another reason——
Among all the pirates present, the pirate ships flying the vertically crossed swords flag did not participate in the looting—it belonged to Abigail Brest's Iron Cross Pirates, and the pirate ships flying the Jackdaw flag did not participate in the looting either.
They were scattered around the periphery of the pirate circle, moving slowly, serving as both a vigilant and a supervisor. If anyone wants to snatch the treasure and leave the team, they will be attacked by the two pirate groups first.
If the Jackdaw Pirates were the uncrowned kings of the port of Cohemia, the northern seas of the Roland Empire, then the Iron Cross Pirates were the uncrowned kings of the seas near the Strait of Roses.
The Iron Cross Pirates and the Jackdaw Pirates joined forces to gather so many wandering pirates.
The original captain of the Iron Cross Pirates was not Abigail.
Six years ago, Abigail, unwilling to be sold to a merchant like cattle by his father, hung him from the clock tower. Taking advantage of the opportunity of pirates harassing the port, she escaped from trial. At first she was just a prisoner of pirates. But soon the first officer who wanted to enjoy the spoils paid for his indiscretion when she slit his throat.
With her knowledge of the Rose Strait and the trade routes, as well as her swords and guns, Abigail joined the Iron Cross pirate ship and became the uncompromising captain of the pirate group three years ago.
"captain."
The first officer drove the clipper and came to Abigail's side.
"Are we really going to give up all the spoils?"
The unlucky captain whose head was shot by Abigail was right. Pirates are sharks in the sea. It is impossible for them to gather without blood, and it is even more against the law to prevent them from biting their prey. nature. The Iron Cross Pirates convinced this group of guys that apart from deterring by force, there is something more important—
The Iron Cross Pirates promised to persuade Her Majesty the Queen to give them 40% of the goods in return, and the Iron Cross will give up their own part and give it to others.
The new Chief Mate of the Iron Cross Pirates was a dull guy, not interested in women, not in giving orders, and his only hobby was counting white silver and golden coins every night. At this moment, he watched the other pirates carrying those gorgeous holy objects, and his heart was almost bleeding.
With a twist of Abigail's wrist, the Mashto knife flipped beautifully in mid-air.
The first officer closed his mouth.
Abigail looked around the sea that had experienced fighting, her long dark red hair was blown by the sea breeze.
Come, Her Majesty, let us form an alliance!
The red-haired pirate who was almost sold by his father like livestock turned his dangerous blade and jumped on his own pirate ship.
Here is the torch she offers, inviting the Queen to come and burn with her the fire of ancient pride, where women and women are true allies in this world—in this invisible realm of prejudice! Her bet has been cast, she has reached out her hand.
Come, Your Majesty, let me see if you are my ally!
"If you're not," Abigail murmured, "I'll kill you!"
The author has something to say: [1][2][3][4] Quoted from Byron's "Pirates"