CHAPTER 477: CHAPTER 305: THE TREASURE OF BLACK JACK_2

"Collecting a debt?" Lance’s smile grew even wider. "It’s about time to settle this account."

The captain didn’t understand what he meant and thought Lance was after money, promptly agreeing.

"As long as you release us, all the money is yours. We’ll leave right away and never come back."

"Are you an idiot? If I kill you, the money’s mine either way."

With a single sentence, Lance killed the conversation, leaving the captain wanting to cry but having no tears.

"Now, if you answer my questions honestly, you have a chance to live. If you don’t, someone else will talk, but your own life will be forfeit."

"Yes, yes! My Lord, please ask. I’ll tell you everything."

Being the leader, he naturally knew more, and Lance soon learned about the Redbeard Pirates from him.

They had seven ships and close to five hundred men. Even with such power, they were only ranked in the top five in these waters. The strongest Pirate Crew boasted over a dozen warships and a thousand men.

Only upon hearing this did Lance realize such formidable Pirates were right at his doorstep. The top five Pirate groups combined had nearly three thousand men, a force comparable to many small nations.

Fortunately, they were hardly harmonious. On the contrary, they were all wary of each other and normally scattered along the bustling trade routes. Places as barren as Hamlet were usually beneath their notice.

Unfortunately, the casino belonged to Redbeard’s crew. It served not only to make money but also as a contact point and a means to gather intelligence. They had to make the trip when trouble arose, but they never expected to encounter such a situation.

"Do you know who I am?"

"I don’t know! I know nothing! I understand the rules; knowing means death."

The captain wasn’t stupid. He truly understood the rules, given that he was in the ransom business—kidnap victims who knew too much about their captors usually ended up dead.

"Too late." Lance looked down at him coldly. "I am the Lord of Hamlet. You’ve killed my people and stolen my money. It’s time to settle the score."

Saying this, he casually pulled out his musket and loaded it. The very gesture petrified the captain. When the captain saw his own musket in Lance’s hands, he understood everything and hastily explained.

"No! I didn’t kill anyone! I just found the gun and the coat. I didn’t kill that naval officer."

Pressed into a corner, the captain rapidly explained the situation.

Truth be told, he wasn’t the killer. Amid the chaos of the fierce battle, he had hidden in a corner, feigning death. When he finally rose, a dead naval officer happened to be lying right beside him. As for who actually killed the officer, he had no idea.

As one of the few survivors, he had claimed the dead man’s glory, which led to the subsequent events.

But what did that matter to Lance? Whether the captain had killed the man or not, he was doomed.

The moment the gun was pointed at him, the captain, desperate to live, blurted out his secret.

"Don’t kill me! I know a secret, a truly useful secret!"

"Oh? What secret?"

"The treasure of the great Pirate, Black Jack!"

Lance’s curiosity was piqued. Indeed, these Pirates seemed to relish such theatrics.

"Speak."

Seizing this sliver of hope, the captain immediately recounted the legendary exploits of Black Jack.

Over a decade ago, there was only one true great Pirate in these waters—Captain Black Jack. In just a few years, he amassed a vast fleet. Today’s top Pirates, including Redbeard, were once his subordinates.

They gave the Navy a run for its money, even defeating Hamlet’s forces multiple times. Later on, they completely dominated these seas; anyone wishing to pass had to pay a toll to Black Jack.

One day, though, Black Jack and his ship, The Endless Dark, ventured out to sea and vanished. Black Jack’s disappearance caused the fleet to split. Soon after, his legacy was divided among the current major Pirate groups.

"Some say the Navy wiped him out, others claim he was lost to a storm at sea, and some believe he disappeared with his treasures, vanishing into obscurity. Despite the theories, everyone who searched came back empty-handed—Black Jack’s treasure was nowhere to be found."

Hearing this, Lance also found it peculiar. Black Jack was undoubtedly backed by that old rascal, his ancestor.

Like his other puppets, Black Jack’s fleet was merely a tool his ancestor had cultivated to do his bidding.

And just as most gloves are eventually thrown away, Black Jack, who knew too much, actually tried to negotiate terms with the old ancestor. The old ancestor would never accept such blackmail and secretly disposed of him.

It was just that the old geezer had forgotten about the huge fleet, leaving such a scourge for Hamlet.

No, perhaps he didn’t forget. He just didn’t care in the slightest.

Because those threatened were ordinary people, irrelevant to him.

"So, you know where Black Jack’s treasure is?"

"I don’t know, but I do know the clues to the treasure."

"Spit it out!" Lance hated when people played these little games with him.

"Black Jack left behind three sea charts. Our boss, Redbeard, has one of them. We snatched it from one of Black Jack’s confidants when we stormed the island; I was right there."

The captain revealed another secret. While alive, Black Jack had occupied an island and turned it into a Pirate’s paradise. But after his death, his former fleet fought fiercely over the power vacuum, with no one willing to submit to another.

Conquering this island was the best way to showcase one’s strength and seize Black Jack’s legacy.

Pirates from all sides stormed the island, but Redbeard was the most cunning of them all. With only three ships to his name, and knowing his forces were insufficient to take the top spot, he gathered a portion of his loyal elite and began to pillage rampantly.

Black Jack had three children, but they vanished after his own disappearance. It was initially assumed they had disappeared with him. However, during this operation, Redbeard happened to find Black Jack’s eldest son.

And that one-third of the sea chart was taken from him, along with news of Black Jack’s treasure.

"The map isn’t in your possession, and the other two parts are nowhere to be seen. This information is worthless." Lance’s words carried a heavy threat.

"The man isn’t dead! I know where Redbeard is hiding him, and he must know where the remaining two charts are!"

"You’re in luck. Here in Hamlet, we don’t fancy beheadings. Your head can stay on your neck for now."

Lance’s words filled the captain with wild joy. After a long struggle, even betraying a secret he cherished, he had finally traded it for his life.

But Lance’s next sentence plunged him back into Hell.

"Strip him bare and hang him up. Don’t let him die so easily. Let him bake in the sun for seven days before sending him to the infirmary."

The captain didn’t know what this ’infirmary’ was, but he gathered he might survive. Still, baking under such a brutal sun for seven days would surely peel his skin off, if it didn’t kill him first.

Regrettably, Lance didn’t give him a chance to plead and just walked away.

Lance picked up the coat and musket and went to Wilson to verify the events of that time. Seeing these two items, Wilson’s expression turned somewhat melancholic.

"There was only one naval general who died at the hands of Pirates, and that was General Lucas."

"Tell me about this General."

As Wilson narrated, Lance learned of some past events.

Just like his common name, Lucas came from a very ordinary background, the son of a farmer.

His actual rank wasn’t as high as the title suggested. He wasn’t a General, not even high-ranking, but his status in the eyes of the soldiers was unquestionably high; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been referred to as such.

When the Nobility were wiped out in that year’s upheaval, Lucas, by virtue of his commoner status, was unscathed. It was he who stabilized Hamlet’s Navy.

However, the Navy’s rapid decline later on was something he couldn’t influence; after all, he wasn’t the Lord.

Still, he continued to fight the Pirates on the front lines until what could be called the last significant naval battle.

The Pirate Black Jack gathered his fleet for an attack. At that time, the Navy was in decline, but Lucas, knowing they were outmatched, still led the Navy to shield Hamlet.

The battle was exceptionally brutal, with countless casualties. Few made it back alive, and Lucas himself perished in that naval engagement.

But the Pirates, having suffered heavy losses themselves, dared not continue their plunder and retreated to the sea.

"General Lucas protected Hamlet. He fulfilled a naval man’s promise with his life." Wilson was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down his face. "Everything that happened back then... it was truly..."

Hearing this, a muscle in Lance’s jaw twitched as he struggled to contain the rage boiling within him.

That old ancestor had completely disgraced the Hamlet Family.

If I don’t flip your coffin lid, I’ll be unworthy of the title Lord of Hamlet!