“What’s going on?”  

Sven struggled quite a bit to pick the lock. It was one of the toughest locks he had encountered in his career. After all that wasted effort, it would be a huge embarrassment to become a laughingstock.  

Fen entered the treasury, only to find that Li Site and Shadi, those two idiots, were acting up again, messing with them.  

It wasn’t that there was no money in the treasury.  

On a table lay dazzling jewelry treasures, glimmering brightly, along with some silverware and a few gemstones embedded in rings and pendants. Even in the dim light, the polished multi-faceted surfaces reflected a gentle glow.  

Besides these items, the expected coins were all neatly in place.  

“Huh, nothing’s wrong. Nothing’s missing yet.”  

Li Site put on a fake show.  

Morrison: “...”  

“No work? Then light a torch and eat it.”  

Morrison mimicked Li Site’s tone, and Shadi, the thick-browed, big-eyed kid, had even started doing useless tasks.  

“This is just to lighten the mood for everyone. Pop the champagne!”  

Li Site slipped a finely crafted, intricately patterned woman’s ring onto his finger, looking pleased. This round was a blood profit.  

Fen opened all the drawers and roughly estimated. There were fewer gold coins than recorded in the ledger. He continued to rummage through the half-human-height hemp sacks in the corner. The silverware inside, combined with some silver and copper coins, almost matched the ledger, with some surplus. Plus, the unexpected bonus of a small pile of jewels on the table meant the haul was quite substantial.  

Shadi grabbed a necklace, wondering how much these things could be sold for.  

“We need to find a professional jeweler to appraise them.”  

Shadi hadn’t expected the surprise haul; the quality of the jewels didn’t look fake.  

“No need for that. When I was at the Arcane Academy in the Beidan Kingdom, I learned a bit about geology and minerals.”  

A streak of blood-red flame flickered on Fen’s finger, illuminating the treasury much better. He began to examine everything carefully.  

“Three sentences and you mention your broken school. Are you the only one who went to school? Those hemp sacks probably need some strongmen to carry them onto the ship.”  

Li Site didn’t waste words. His face was almost grinning off at the sight of all the money in the room. He led the others to loot the treasury.  

After half a quarter-hour.  

All the goods were packed up.  

Li Site stubbornly dragged eight bundles of hemp sacks onto the ground. The casino was officially closed. Upstairs and downstairs had been turned into a morgue by the five of them. Seeing the scene at the door and the few guards blocking information, no one dared approach.  

Sven went to the building materials market to get some strongmen so they could carry the money-filled sacks back to the ship. These bare-chested, dark-skinned, honest men didn’t care what was inside the sacks; as long as they were paid, they worked hard, especially if paid generously.  

There were still matters to attend to in the city.  

They had to bribe the sheriff. The Secret Port was set up by the lord above to avoid customs duties. If they blocked the ship’s passage, it would only cause trouble.  

The two bundles in Li Site’s hands were the heavyweight ones. If the gold dragons and jewels inside were exposed, street robbery would be an everyday thing.  

The value of these two bundles combined, with a bit more, could buy another two-masted sailing ship.  

It was like carrying a small manor through the streets.  

Li Site had planned to give them to Morrison to take back to the ship, but after thinking carefully, if that guy ran off with the goods, no one could stop him. Better safe than sorry.  

“You and Shadi take these and head back first. I’ll go finish the business.”  

Li Site handed one bundle to Shadi and one to Fen, keeping Morrison by his side.  

Li Site knew Fen wouldn’t mess things up. His case had reached high levels; neighboring countries of Beidan didn’t dare approach. This was his farewell to the mainland—he could only mix it up at sea now.  

Also, Fen was one of the earliest crew members. Although befriending a fugitive was a foolish move, six years together had formed a tacit understanding. Working together was more efficient.  

“Alright, be careful in the city. I don’t have time to bail you out. If the noble lords detain you, I’ll just sail the ship away.”  

Fen joked half-seriously. Although a sorcerer, he still had decent strength and could carry the money sacks without trouble.  

Li Site’s forehead twitched. Everyone on the ship was cursed for their unlucky speech.  

“With Kill-brother backing me, I’d dare go into the Arlan Emperor’s wife’s bedroom, let alone little Linden City. Where wouldn’t I dare go?”  

Although the lords in Linden City had plenty of money, Li Site didn’t care. He just wanted to play it safe. The last time at Blue Bay Port, things had gotten out of hand. Word from acquaintances was that the East Coast’s naval governor was watching him closely. The navy was on high alert. Otherwise, he’d have killed a few local tyrants and spent money to smooth things over.  

Looking at the strongmen who had calluses thicker than bread on their bare feet and rope marks cutting densely into their shoulders, it was clear this was a tough way to earn a living. The Beima Principality hadn’t seen natural disasters these years—a prosperous era—but the East Coast’s strategy was like a hundred-thousand-volt shock to the fishpond. Whether in fire, water, forest, or even inside a girl’s skirt, despite the hardship, the tax had to be collected. The target was the civilian management masters.  

“To be honest, I’m not very good at threesomes. The emperor and empress... that’s got to be repeatedly crushed by a huge truck.”  

Morrison made an explosive remark. Although he didn’t know what the emperor and empress looked like, since she was the wife of the man ruling the Western Continent, her chest must be as big as a papaya.  

Fen squinted his eyes, sensing something else.  

Morrison had joined the ship a little over a year ago. Aside from Li Site, he was the most influential voice onboard, second only to Fen and Ox.  

Fen wasn’t overthinking it. Li Site was smart enough to seek a strong outsider to balance the ship’s battle achievements. That way, when giving orders, he wouldn’t lose face and would have a mouthpiece.  

Fen said no more. It was good that Li Site had that kind of mind. Loyalty and friendship alone wouldn’t keep a pirate ship afloat.  

Stability—that word was the most important for going the distance.  

Black Sails was a tightly bound outlaw group, intertwined by life-and-death warrants and shared interests. Heads would roll, and the navy would hunt them down to the gallows together. All or nothing, like an iron barrel.  

Finally, from Fen’s observation, Morrison was just an ordinary crewman.  

“Let’s go.”  

Fen gave a greeting.  

“See you at the Secret Port.”  

Shadi said, and the two spoke no more. They had to leave quickly; flaunting so much money in public was not a good idea.  

Li Site waved them off, signaling them to scram quickly.  

The captain of the guards at the casino entrance watched the heavily loaded group return, feeling a bit uneasy. Who could blame them? They were experts at killing and looting. The casino had at least twenty or thirty villains, including some who once worked in escort paths. All were wiped out effortlessly. With such an incident, the casino’s business wouldn’t last at least half a year.  

“What the hell are you looking at? Go inside and clean up.”  

Morrison shouted at the guards without courtesy. These guards were mostly city connections, far from the combat skills of trained soldiers—basically just cattle and horses wasting time.  

The guard captain was stunned, not daring to make a move. The casino was protected by powerful people. These desperados acted on the orders of the opposing lord and were also under protection. The sheriff’s side was fully compromised.  

Li Site was speechless. Morrison was great in many ways, but he had a dark, aggressive streak, sometimes like a madman. There needed to be laws and order.  

“The sheriff will be waiting at the usual place?”  

Li Site asked calmly.  

“That’s right. He said he’d be at the theater all day waiting for you.”  

He had no temper with Li Site, who carried a war hammer on his back.  

“I see. The casino and basement are quite a mess. Thanks for your hard work.” Li Site counted over thirty silver coins from his personal pouch. “You guys finish your work, then have a good meal and maybe get a massage or something.”  

“No need to be so polite...”  

Though he said this, he accepted the money without hesitation, smiling naturally. That’s why he was the captain.  

Thirty silver coins’ purchasing power, if saved by an ordinary family, was enough for several months of living expenses.  

After taking the money, the guard captain became more efficient and ordered his men to handle the corpse removal.  

At this moment.  

With some tremors in the ground.  

A member of the Black Sails pirate crew arrived late.  

Wolman was over three meters tall. Except for his abdomen covered in black chitinous scales, he was a half-dragon from the Mongus Great Wetlands in the far south of the Western Continent. Eight sharp horns jutted fiercely from the back of his flattened head. His muscles were explosive, and even his thick tail probably weighed dozens of pounds.  

The oversized double-edged battle axe that ordinary men used was a one-handed axe in his grip. His pants and boots were custom-tailored; no tailor could make things his size.  

The average height of the half-dragon race was only slightly taller than humans. Wolman was a natural prodigy and a formidable figure even back home.  

“Where are the others?”  

Wolman approached the two.  

“It’s already over!”  

Li Site’s forehead twitched.  

“Wasted trip. I’m going back to the ship.”  

Wolman replied casually.  

“Why go back to the ship?”  

Li Site snapped.  

“I’ve been reading ‘The Arcania Travels’ recently.”  

Wolman answered seriously.  

Morrison was deeply respectful. ‘The Arcania Travels’ was a masterpiece by a famous literary figure of the Arlan Empire. It ran for millions of words, vividly portraying the magnificent and turbulent epic of the Western Continent eighty years ago. Some scholars interpreted it in a very obscure way. Li Site said it was pretty abstract and pretentious.  

“You’ve finished your studies? Planning to take the graduate exam?”  

Li Site mocked.  

“To be frank, besides the first mate, I probably have the highest degree on the ship.”  

Wolman smiled arrogantly.  

Li Site clenched his fist. This big lizard had been a cadre of the wetland rebels. After they were suppressed, he fled to the East Coast. Before the rebellion, he had self-studied a moderate history degree in a neighboring country. Not a top student, but still a decent scholar by Western Continent standards. His barbaric appearance was totally mismatched with his education, leaving Li Site speechless.  

“Heh, so only you two went to school? I went to university. Do you know spectroscopy? Do you know electromagnetic wavelength?”  

Li Site started to forcibly act cultured.  

Wolman looked confused. Morrison was also pondering.  

No denying Li Site was smart and quick with quips, sounding cultured, but his literacy was second to last on the ship. The very last was some low-level demon breed of unknown origin. Li Site couldn’t recognize obscure characters at all. The more technical contracts had to be read to him by Fen. He was the biggest illiterate.  

“Spectroscopy... not really sure.” Wolman thought Li Site had started fantasizing about a nonexistent degree. It was a bit pathetic. “I’ll go with you to the theater.”