Chapter 26: Sailing the North Sea

  Half an hour later, Hobodi, who had successfully changed his outfit, appeared at the port with a completely different appearance. He had a messy head of hair, wore a sniper's windproof glasses, and had some fake freckles stuck to his face with glue. He was dressed in a black and white checkered hoodie, black trousers, and brown leather boots. On his back, he carried a long, black case that would make any normal person suspect it contained a sniper rifle.

  Nirin De was a middle-aged man dressed in casual attire, with a dark green jacket on top and jeans below, sporting a brown goatee and wearing a beret, with a Sherlock Holmes-style pipe clenched between his teeth, typical of the dress of the pre-World Earth 20th century 80s.

  As Hobodi walked up to Niran De, the other party spoke first: "Are you Jiao Bojie, the one mentioned by the naval brother? Some time ago, we were also responsible for finding your niece, but unfortunately, it seems that she is not on the Jaco Islands."

  "Ah, thank you." Hobbiti said in a low voice: "I've already received intelligence about her in the North Sea. I'm also preparing to take your merchant ship to the North Sea."

  "That matter shouldn't be delayed, shall we board the Raphael together?" Nielan De opened his arms and warmly wrapped them around Hobodi's shoulders.

  It's rare for someone to offer 100,000 Berries to ride on their merchant ship. Although 100,000 Berries is just a drop in the bucket for Nylan Drei, it's worth noting that previously, residents who wanted to ride his ship to other seas would pay at most 10,000 Berries. This person is paying ten times that amount, so how could he not be treated warmly? Moreover, looking at Jobo Gibo's attire, he appears to be a bounty hunter passing through, and seems to be an exceptional sniper.

  "Exactly what I meant!" Is it a brigantine?

  The two boarded the ship together up the gangway. At this time, Niran De thought that he had gained both wealth and talent, but soon after, he began to regret it.

  Three days later, near the East China Sea Twins Strait, on the way to enter the North Sea navigation channel rapid ocean currents, the East China Sea's usual fine weather also suddenly started a tantrum.

  At this time, the sky was densely covered with dark clouds, and thunder rumbled from time to time. The sea surface was blown by strong winds, causing the sailcloth to shake back and forth, making the ship sway repeatedly.

  On the Raphael, seasick passengers clutched whatever they could on deck and vomited profusely. All hands were busy with their tasks: the first mate controlled the helm, sailors pulled on ropes, shouting "Heave ho!" as they scrambled to take in sail.

  The only exception is one person!

  The sailors stared at the man on the deck, who was doing push-ups with one hand and wasn't wearing a single piece of clothing on his upper body.

  “1299、1300、1301、1302……”

  "Hey, first mate! Look at that bastard. He eats so much every day and doesn't even help out. Is he looking down on us?!" A young sailor saw the man's actions and suddenly felt unbalanced. Why should they work themselves to death maintaining the ship's normal navigation while this bastard has time to exercise?!

  The first mate, a man in his fifties, looked at him with surprise on his face, then burst out laughing and said to the young sailor, "Let's consider him trustworthy! A normal person would be panicked at this time, you see, like them..." The first mate pointed to the passengers on the deck who had fear and confusion about the unknown on their faces.

  "They apparently think this phenomenon has exceeded their expectations, and some may have already started praying or worrying about their own relatives after death... And this Joe Bo, he is not worried at all now, obviously, this is a symbol of our trust—"

  "Is it really trust?" The young sailor was perplexed.

  The first mate smiled wryly, staring at the disheveled-haired man with a complex gaze. He didn't say to the young sailor that people who ignore their surroundings before a storm either aren't afraid of death or have their own way of surviving.

  Is doing push-ups a symbol of trust for them? Only a moron would use this method to show trust to sailors!

  "Have you guys taken in the sail?"

  "Retracted successfully!"

  "Hold on to something nearby and stand firm, I'm going to ride this rapid current! The boat may shake violently for a while, don't fall into the sea!" The first mate stood at the bow, skillfully turning the rudder several times.

  In an instant, the hull shook violently, the entire ship tilted, as if it was about to sink into the sea. People standing on the deck were at a 90-degree angle, clinging tightly to whatever they could grab onto, some screaming loudly, others with their lower bodies lifted off the ground.

  This sudden movement, even the agile Hobbit who was exercising on the deck did not anticipate it. His entire body crashed into the mast of the deck. The Hobbit let out a muffled groan and instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around the mast, then looked up at the first mate steering the ship with an unpleasant expression.

  It's obvious that this old man is deliberately giving him a warning!

  The first mate turned back to Hobodi with a smile all over his face, and said with a mischievous tone: "Don't be too provocative, kid. Since there's danger, you should stay in the cabin. This ship is under my command!"

  "Old fart!"

  At this time, it took about a few minutes to stop after Raphael successfully entered the rapid ocean current leading to the North Sea. The sailors on the ship then hurriedly raised their sails and sailed with the wind until... an hour later, Raphael sailed into the North Sea.

  The sky above the North Sea, at this moment dark clouds are rolling in, from under the dark clouds, white snowflakes are falling, a gentle cold wind is blowing, and the sailors on deck wearing thin clothes all feel a bit chilly.

  "Hey guys, the weather in Beihai is different from Donghai. Before the bad weather arrives, hurry up and add some clothes and drink some hot water in the cabin!"

  "Oh oh!!" The young sailors rushed into the narrow cabin entrance.

  The first mate stared at the sky in front of him for a long time, came down from the bow, and walked to Hobodi, who was still doing push-ups: "Kid, aren't you afraid of the cold?"

  Hobbit didn't answer his question, but instead looked towards the bow: "Don't you mind not being in control?"

  "It's calm now, we're near the doldrums and there won't be any strange weather phenomena for at least half an hour. I'm not needed anyway." The first mate slightly curled his lip and then stared at Hobody's body for a long time: "That's right, look at you all sweaty, it would be weird if you didn't feel cold. Bounty hunter, what a tough job..."

  "It's all the same."

  "You continue to practice, and by the way, help me keep an eye on the rudder so it doesn't deviate from its course. The food in the kitchen should be ready soon, I'll come call you after I finish eating. Oh right, about that strange gust of wind at the end of the East Sea..."

  "Good!" Hobodi responded with a single word, avoiding the topic.

  The second-in-command smiled and left with a loss of interest.

  Half an hour later, the agreed time between the first mate and Hobodi arrived, but there was still no one on the deck of Rafael, only the laughter and shouts of the sailors from below the cabin made Hobodi frown.

  He had temporarily stopped training, his light breathing sound, white air was constantly being emitted from Hobody's mouth.

  From the deck to the bow, Hobodi picked up the telescope hanging on the rudder and looked forward. At a distance of about 2 or 3 nautical miles away, Hobodi saw a tiny black dot.

  "Of all times, is it an island? Or... a pirate ship?"

  Hobbit immediately put down the telescope in his hand and turned to run towards the cabin.

  As soon as I entered the galley, a strong smell of wine hit me in the face. Several large tables had been put together, and more than ten sailors, including the first mate, sat around them, loudly discussing some interesting sea stories.

  Hobbit walked up to the deputy: "Hey——"

  "Eh, you are......" The second-in-command had a mouthful of wine breath and his face was flushed red, clearly having drunk quite a bit.

  "There's something going on at sea." Hobodi lowered his voice, as there were still many ordinary travelers and merchants in the kitchen.

  As soon as Hobodi's words were heard, the deputy captain's drunken expression disappeared instantly, and his solemn face immediately got up and walked out.

  The first mate walked to the bow of the ship on the deck, picked up the binoculars and observed the situation at sea, his body frozen in place.

  Hobbit was just behind him and asked: "How's that? What is it?"

  "It's not an island, it's a ship! It's heading straight for us, this is the worst possible situation." The first mate's face was gloomy.

  "Pirate ship?"

  The first mate hesitated and responded, "It's possible. At this distance, they've already locked onto us. Now it's impossible to shake them off even if we try to change course. Kid, you continue to help me observe here, I'll go call Nielan De."

  The first mate took down the telescope and handed it to Hobodi, then turned around and ran into the cabin.

  Soon, the deck was crowded with people, a dozen sailors had already prepared swords and guns in their hands, countless merchant ship passengers, faces full of worry.

  As the owner of this Raphael, Niran took a telescope and looked at the pirate flag that was gradually clear, his face sank for a moment, then immediately changed his expression, walked to the bow and began to comfort the sailors on the ship.

  "Everyone, don't worry," said Niran Drang. "I've already grasped the situation in the North Sea, just like I told you all when we first boarded the ship. The pirate forces in the North Sea have been unified, and the ruler is a noble-born pirate. This pirate ship might be under his command. I'll pay some tolls to them, and we'll all be safe. So now everyone can do whatever they want, there's no need to worry about the safety of this ship at all. We still have two days before we reach our destination, Rubek Island."

  "What he said is true or false." Hobodi and the first mate stood together at the bow of the ship, saying in a low voice.

  "Bullshit," the first mate snorted. "If it were true, why would I have the sailors prepare their weapons? Niran De's intelligence did indeed have the power to unify, but not the entire North Sea. And even if they had unified, the owner of this pirate ship's Jolly Roger flag...I think he wouldn't give face to that so-called noble pirate..."

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