章節 23: HoG - Chapter 23
Chapter 23: Unexpected Progress
Soon, a slender bay-dweller's dragon-headed boat with its head and tail raised high emerged from the fog.
A figure in tattered black robes stood at the bow, holding a whale oil lantern that emitted a bright white light, casually waving at them.
"Sss—!"
The wet and cold, salty sea breeze hit their faces, constantly drilling into the pirates' collars and the gaps in their bones. Everyone was infected by the eerie atmosphere of this Styx ferryman, standing frozen in place, not even daring to breathe loudly.
The dragon-headed boat, however, paid no attention to their thoughts and soon drew an arc on the sea surface, re-entering the fog. From the outside, only a faint white light piercing through the mist could be seen, gradually moving away.
"This is the harbor's guide; let's get moving, we'll follow him."
It wasn't until 'Blood Eye' gave the order that they hurriedly set the Maneater in motion, plunging into the damp, salty fog.
A Navigator of the Lighthouse sequence.
The lantern in his hand burns with special whale oil made from pilot whales.
And one must obtain the corresponding authority from the 'Pirate Code' to freely navigate ships through the fog that shrouds Iron Anchor Bay. Doing the work of a doorman, but with a very high actual status. Serving as the gatekeeper and first line of defense for Iron Anchor Bay, they are the direct descendants left by the former North Sea Pirate King, the 'Whale Hunter.'
For the first-time pirates here, being swallowed by the fog still made them nervous, but Byron only felt a sense of familiarity. His supernatural knowledge also naturally surfaced in his mind.
A thousand years ago, during the heyday of the North Bay people, they established a vast maritime empire—the North Sea Empire.
It unified all the coastal regions of the North Sea, with even the vast North Sea itself serving as the empire's inner sea. At that time, the Strait Islands to the east of the North Sea, Scandinavia to the west, and large areas of the eastern coast were all part of the empire.
Unfortunately, it was fleeting and did not coalesce into a supreme crown. Afterward, the descendants of the bay dwellers split apart once more.
The common ancestors of the Lancaster and York families were part of one group, and those who returned to Iron Anchor Bay to continue the family business were another.
There were even more scattered across the Old Continent, some even establishing several countries.
For Byron, this ancient port, which had been inherited from the era of the North Sea Empire, was also his ancestral land across a thousand years.
It seemed to have a familiarity rooted in his bones.
At this moment, Old Hans, sucking on his beechwood pipe, leaned against the railing next to Byron, exhaling a deep smoke ring, his gaze somewhat distant:
"Nowadays, whether on our east coast or the west coast of the Old Continent, pirates are having a harder and harder time. After we used a private shipyard to secretly convert an armed merchant ship into a pirate ship, we were never able to enter any official port again."
"Waiting for today's need for a dry dock to fully repair the pirate ship, they realized that the only large pirate port with complete facilities left was Iron Anchor Bay. It probably wouldn't be long before it, too, became a thing of the past."
The old man's eyes held a wise understanding of the world.
"As the pace of overseas expansion accelerates, the benefits from the sea are becoming more and more substantial.
In the future, the church and the major maritime kingdoms may no longer tolerate the existence of pirates outside the 'charter system'—submit or die."
Old Hans's sigh about the plight of pirates on the Old Continent caused Byron, who was standing next to him, to shudder slightly.
It was because at the end of the navigation log, the 'Secret: The Shadow of the Red and White Rose War (Historical Influence 31%, Decryption 11%)' suddenly changed.
The decryption rate jumped from 11% to 12%.
"Is the outcome of the Red and White Rose War also related to the situation of the pirates on the Old Continent?"
Byron did not expect that just as the 'Secret: Blood Eye Salman's Unspoken Suffering' was about to bear fruit, the first secret recorded in the log also had an unexpected development.
He immediately racked his brains to recall every clue related to this.
Unfortunately, although he was of high status, he was currently only 17 years old and would not turn 18 for another two months.
Before coming of age, he was not qualified to participate in the specific affairs of the kingdom and had not even mixed into the upper echelons of society. Besides various learning materials, his knowledge of the current situation was pitifully scarce.
He only knew that since the Year 1405 AD, when countries began to embark on the conquest of the sea and the unknown world, the benefits brought by the sea had become increasingly significant.
The era of "land power," represented by knight orders, was rapidly shifting towards the era of "sea power," represented by large ships and cannons.
Pirate ports along the Old Continent's coastline were being eliminated one after another by the navies of various countries.
Both the "North Bay People," who dominated the eastern coast, and the "Barbary Pirates," who roamed the western shores, were compelled to shift their operations to the new trade routes in the south, where official power was less concentrated.
They even founded new pirate cities on the Bantaan Islands and beyond.
The pirate enterprise along the coast of the Old Continent was visibly waning. To be more precise, it was the pure "free pirate" forces, those not affiliated with any nation, that were dwindling.
Only this oldest and most heavily fortified pirate port, Iron Anchor Bay, had managed to survive—temporarily, at least. It had become a flagship for the pirate community and was very likely to be seen as a thorn in the side of the church and various countries, just as Old Hans had said.
Originally, his uncle and father, while in power, had always maintained a stance of non-interference with these relatives. Now that the Yorks were in power, the situation might change.
Indeed, this branch of North Bay People, who clung to their traditions, did not believe in the 'Creator,' stubbornly refusing to even pay lip service.
"At least Iron Anchor Bay is as solid as a rock right now," Byron thought.
An independent large island, impossible to attack on a large scale from the land, with fresh water and arable land, self-sufficient.
To enter here requires strict identity verification, using the 'Ten Pirate Commandments' on one's own ship as a covenant to obtain the guidance of a 'Navigator.'
"If one wanders aimlessly, even an entire fleet could get lost and starve to death," he mused.
The surrounding waters are filled with reefs, and all the safe channels for pirate ships are lined with large-caliber fortress cannons. Add to that the protection of the 'Pirate Code' at the supernatural level.
"In theory, this is an impregnable fortress," Byron concluded.
At least with the information Byron currently had, he couldn't imagine how the navy could possibly breach it.
Without the 'Storm Signet Ring,' there was still a possibility of being divined, and the closer one was, the more accurate the location.
Temporarily hiding in Iron Anchor Bay, which only pirates could enter and exit, should be safe... right?
His constantly tense nerves also relaxed slightly.
Following the Navigator's guidance, the Maneater twisted and turned in the fog, which appeared normal to outsiders, until more than half an hour later.
Suddenly, the pirates' eyes lit up as they saw the sunlight again. A bustling port of considerable size presented itself before them. Ships of all kinds were moored at the island's docks—three-masted, two-masted, single-masted, with square sails and fore-and-aft sails, merchant ships, fishing boats, and even standard warships.
Although they were of various sizes and types, they all shared a common feature—a black pirate flag fluttering in the wind!
In the fog walls in other directions, other pirate ships could be seen coming and going, indicating that there were more than one channel leading to this place.
Adjacent to the port was a bustling city of considerable size. Shipyards, warehouses, markets, taverns, brothels, auction houses, arenas, castles... all the facilities one could think of were available here. It was even more prosperous than many port cities on the continent.
The countless pirate ships that passed through here every day made it the most important source of supply for the underground black market.
Whether it was swords, firearms, or curios, supernatural initiation ceremonies, or forbidden knowledge, anything available on the Old Continent could certainly be bought here. Most of the pirates on the ship, who had not seen much of the world, couldn't help but gawk, their eyes dazzled.
Suddenly, a voice broke the spell.
"Judging by the appearance of this ship, I assume you brave souls must have experienced a great battle at sea. However, did you gentlemen work hard to plunder during this voyage?"
"Recently, the prices in Iron Anchor Bay have skyrocketed. Do you have enough money for repairs? For the sailors' compensation? For the living expenses to send home? Have you saved enough for retirement and property investment?..."
"Why not exchange your loot for shiny, adorable gold coins with us? Our Gold Palm Trading Company will definitely offer you a satisfactory price."
As soon as the Maneater paid the Navigator ten gold pounds in harbor tax and docked, lowering the gangplank, a figure dressed in luxurious silk robes and adorned with gemstone rings rubbed his hands together on the pier, grinning at the pirates, revealing a gleaming gold tooth.
Upon seeing the emblem of this merchant company, even the cold-blooded and vicious Salman couldn't help but show a look of disgust and resignation.
"Greedy and cunning Remites! Bad luck, why did we happen to run into these profiteers?" Salman muttered under his breath.
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