Capítulo 36: HoG - Chapter 36
Chapter 36: Captain Byron
"Ahhhhhh..."
Byron, who had stealthily lain in ambush beneath the window and leaped onto the second floor with 'Mountain Goat Steps,' couldn't help but dig his little finger into his ear.
"Too loud."
The scream that 'Magic Mirror' Wester let out when the cow dung entered his mouth was even more piercing than when his thigh was pierced.
For this extreme cleanliness freak, the cow dung might as well have been a high-level mental attack.
Before Wester, who was sprawled on the ground, could recover from wanting to vomit out his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and gallbladder, Eight Fingers, who had volunteered for the cow dung attack, had already charged at him with a boarding axe, along with two sailors, and chopped him into minced meat.
The record of the privateer captain 'Magic Mirror' Wester in the 'Navigation Log' gradually dimmed, signaling the end of his history!
Byron didn't even have the chance to take action from beginning to end.
As Byron completed his promotion, the spying ability of 'Echoes of History' also synchronized with his enhancement. Originally, it could easily see through ordinary objects, but now it could see through supernatural individuals of the same rank.
'Magic Mirror' Wester and 'Blood Eye' Salman were both severely injured, with their spirituality greatly diminished. Naturally, Byron saw everything clearly.
He formulated tactics on the spot, personally taking down the outer guards like Finger Monkey, and effortlessly killed the supernatural individual.
"Collect the spoils, clean up, let's retreat quickly!"
Byron stepped forward and stripped everything from Wester's body, including his valuable head. The young pirates behind him complained that Eight Fingers had chopped the bodies too finely as they used the mill's winnowing basket to sweep the corpses into a waterproof leather bag.
In the end, the entire mill was cleaned spotless, without leaving a single footprint.
Both sides of the battle were outsiders. The mill's owner had no property damage, no casualties, no crime scene—would they report to the law enforcement team just because the mill was too clean? It was too ridiculous.
The bodies of the 'White Crystal' crew were all neatly dumped into the sea. The sharks in the sea, which Byron had fully taken over, would help dispose of the evidence.
According to 'Magic Mirror' Wester, everyone who knew Byron's whereabouts had died there, so there was no need to worry about the remaining crew of the 'White Crystal' coming after them.
It also saved Byron the trouble of going after them.
After returning to the secluded courtyard of the Rosemary Inn, they worked until the early hours of the morning to deal with Salman's and the marines' bodies.
As expected, 'Cognitive Correction' had already imprinted the thought patterns in the small group's brains. No one cared about the sword wounds and bullet holes on Salman's body.
While the others were working, Byron had already sorted through the spoils looted from 'Magic Mirror' Wester.
Unfortunately, the forbidden knowledge 'Mirror Divination,' which could kill through mirrors, was not on his person. Of course, even if it were, Byron wouldn't dare to learn such a power that could be easily defeated by cow dung.
The seemingly unremarkable bullhorn cup, however, gave him a big surprise. It turned out to be an artifact with magical effects!
'Artifact: Warrior's Cup
A bay-style drinking horn made by an ancient craftsman from a yak horn.
Effects:
First, its capacity is much larger than it appears, able to hold a large amount of liquid in separate categories, but only liquids.
Second, it can separate or combine the various components in the liquid.
Inscription: Clear Spring Flows'
In the hands of ancient bay pirates, the 'Warrior's Cup' could replace a distiller, concentrating ordinary beer into high-proof spirits.
In the hands of 'Magic Mirror' Wester, it became a tool for purifying water sources, turning seawater into fresh water.
In the minds of normal sailors, the function of purifying water was indeed much more important than concentrating wine.
"Although this 'Warrior's Cup' is not a combat artifact, it has strategic significance for a ship, greatly extending its long-distance sailing capabilities. Without food, you can catch fish or seaweed, but without fresh water, everyone is doomed.
And for the rituals I'm about to perform, concocting various 'Blood Brews,' it saves me from carrying many bottles and jars."
Apart from this surprise, Byron flipped through everything until the end without finding anything else of value. Only a piece of letter paper, cut in half and soaked in blood from the torn pocket, caught his attention.
It had a very brief sentence written in black ink:
"Enter Iron Anchor Bay as a pirate before the end of October and await further instructions."
Although there was no seal from the sender, Byron didn't activate 'Echoes of History,' but he recognized at a glance that the letter came from the England's Naval Department!
The paper was common, but the carbon black used to make this ink was made from burned leather scraps and sled dog feces. It had a unique smell that ordinary people wouldn't easily notice.
Byron knew this so clearly because that batch of ink was able to enter the Naval Department thanks to his father, Prince of Sorenburg, personally approving the purchase. Well, the ink workshop was actually their family's business.
It had only been half a month since the change of dynasty, and the old stock couldn't be used up. Sure enough, the next moment, a new prompt appeared on the 'Navigation Log':
'You have discovered a new secret: [The Naval Department (York Family) Conspiracy, Historical Influence 20, Decryption 5%]!'
Influence (10-20] indicates coverage from a city or region to an entire area. Here, it refers to the entire Iron Anchor Bay, or even the entire North Sea region.
And this secret did not occupy a separate line but appeared after 'Secret: The Shadow of the Red and White Rose War.' It became a sub-secret of the former, indicating a significant connection or even continuity between them!
This also means that as long as Byron can unravel this sub-secret, he can not only greatly increase the decryption of the former but also immediately receive spiritual rewards and new entries.
"A storm is brewing! It is well known that pirates are not only private armed forces that plunder and kill across the seas but also pawns in the game of power and confrontation between major maritime powers. Behind the rise and fall of pirates, there must be the looming shadow of regional geopolitics!
The changes in the Red and White Rose War and the fate of pirates in Iron Anchor Bay, or even the North Sea region, obviously have some unknown internal connection. I thought I could develop safely in Iron Anchor Bay for a while. Now it seems I must quickly build my own armed forces and decide whether to advance or retreat based on the situation."
For a moment, Byron had considered using 'Cognitive Correction' to take over Wester's ready-made 'White Crystal.' But he didn't have Wester's memories, and he would be exposed in minutes if he tried to infiltrate the privateer captain's crew.
He didn't mind joining the York faction and stabbing them in the back again, but he had to choose his identity carefully.
Suppressing his surging thoughts, he looked up again and was surprised to find that the dozen or so sailors who had finished their work were all in front of him.
Leading them were Carpenter Hans and his son, covered in blood, and Eight Fingers, who had thrust a long spear into 'Magic Mirror' Wester's "vital points".
Behind them were the apprentice navigators Thomas and Parry, and Byron could name every one of them.
They hadn't drunk the 'Transformation Blood' concocted by Salman, like the pirates who were crazy for supernatural power. They were also lucky to have escaped the slaughter by the mirror demon spirit.
As the acting navigator, Byron had naturally become the highest-ranking pirate officer on the 'Man-Eater.'
At that moment, dozens of eager eyes looked at Byron, whose strength, knowledge, prestige, and character were beyond reproach. After the captain Salman was assassinated, they urgently needed to address the most pressing issue...
"Captain! Byron!"
Eight Fingers, with a face full of fervor, suddenly raised his hand and shouted.
Immediately, without any suspense or any lingering attachment to Salman, everyone chanted in unison:
"Captain! Byron!"
"Byron! Byron!"
Led by the number one lackey and echoed by young Hans, everyone elected Byron as the new captain of the 'Man-Eater'!
Old Hans also presented the 'Pirate Ten Commandments' found in Salman's bedroom to him with great solemnity. Symbolizing the complete transfer of the highest authority on the pirate ship.
Thus, Byron finally gained a new title beyond "fugitive" and "the last Lancaster"—Pirate Captain!
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