Chapter 2949 - 982: In a Naval Battle, I’m Outmatched; In a Fight, You’re Outmatched (Serious Face) (2)

Chapter 2949: Chapter 982: In a Naval Battle, I’m Outmatched; In a Fight, You’re Outmatched (Serious Face) (2)

My good reputation is completely screwed now."

"Uh, well, it’s not exactly a losing deal, right?"

On this point, Deputy Claire clearly had a different opinion.

She glanced back at the sterncastle. In this region shrouded in ominous sea fog, a very peculiar faint glow clung around the black hull of the Plunderer. You’d barely notice it if you didn’t look closely, but it was definitely there.

It was precisely thanks to this layer of light wrapping and shielding them that Babro dared to lead a fleet across seas that had become lethally dangerous.

"That protective crystal Lady Triss gave us is actually pretty handy."

The Bloody First Mate muttered:

"It’s been four days since we left Blood Plunder Bay. We even deliberately looped around the outer sea a few times, and we still haven’t run into any attacks from the World Burning Demon Warriors. That’s enough to prove that the protection Murphy and Triss pulled out of the creation energy really can keep us from being tracked through subspace.

I released the Storm Crows to scour this stretch of ocean, and just in the days we’ve been sailing forward, at least two ships have already been burned to cinders on the open sea by those Subspace Vanguards.

That proves the World Burning Demon Warriors haven’t stopped hunting the Blood Fear Clan, but we no longer have to worry about getting ’surprise’ boxed in and wiped out."

"Hmph, exactly!"

Babro reached out and pulled Claire into his arms, then took a hard bite at her charming face and said:

"If this thing weren’t genuinely useful, I’d have to be out of my damn mind to play scout dog for Murphy, yeah?

Sigh, just look at how this crushing excuse for a life has bent the backs of us once-free pirates. Just to keep our miserable little lives, we’re forced to bow and scrape to a top dog like Murphy. There’s nothing joyful about that.

And look at the state we’ve been dragged down to—what a sorry sight...

But to loop back, now that it’s confirmed Archduke Charlemagne left something behind in the Star Realm, we absolutely have to cling tight to Murphy’s thigh and hope that someday we can recover the Blood Fear Clan’s lost treasures.

I’ve got a feeling about this, Claire."

The Bloody Captain narrowed his eyes, gazing up at the dim firmament, and said:

"Whatever’s hidden in that observation lab somewhere in the Star Realm, it can help the members of the Blood Fear Clan get out of this current mess where we’re being hunted and can barely hit back.

Mm, in the way the Transia People and those Foreign Spirit Heroes like to phrase things, this is our Blood Fear Clan’s ’main quest’.

Anyway, how are those landlubbers on the ships behind us doing?"

"Uh, I think you’d better not ask, or you’ll just ruin your appetite."

The stunningly seductive Deputy Claire’s expression instantly collapsed as she said:

"Wolf People are born at odds with the water. I even carefully picked some seasoned old sea dogs with good tempers to teach them the tricks of handling ships and sailing, but after all this time, they still can’t manage on their own. They can hardly even keep up with the fleet.

If we really let them run things themselves, I’m guessing you’d lose at least two ships within a few hours."

"Damn!"

Babro’s face screwed up like he had a toothache, and he grumbled:

"So we should hurry up and ship those landlubbers off to Charldo Harbor. Wise Wolf may be dead set on the Kingdom of Jackal people having its own merchant fleet, but I’m guessing that dream isn’t happening for at least a few years."

"But Hog promised us a very generous payment. It’s too late to back out now."

Claire sighed and said:

"If we can monopolize the Kingdom of Jackal people’s ocean trade routes with other powers... Babro, we can finally clean up our act—not just some half-assed whitewashing, but a full-on transition from pirate crew to merchant conglomerate. And if we can hitch a ride on Transylvania’s current rise...

I know you’re a free man. You hate playing someone else’s dog and begging for scraps.

But the problem is, under the relentless terror of being hunted by World Burning Demon Warriors, our Blood Fear Fleet has already effectively split. Right now, everyone’s just putting on a façade of strength to intimidate the other factions on the Misty Sea, but that illusion is going to get torn down sooner or later.

Once people realize how weak and fractured the Blood Fear Pirates really are, that’s our doomsday.

Just the petty Sea Elves in the Armastasha Fleet will be first in line to gut us. Babro, we’ve roamed free on these seas for two hundred years. It’s time to think about a fallback plan.

Throwing in with Murphy is our best option.

At least Transylvania is a country ruled by vampires, so we don’t have to worry about discrimination there.

And besides..."

Claire stretched out her left hand, stroking Babro’s rugged jaw and beard, while her other hand drifted down from his chest. She whispered in his ear:

"Compared to the nickname ’Bloody Captain’ you’ve been saddled with for two centuries, ’Bloody Admiral’ sounds way more badass, doesn’t it? Murphy’s realm doesn’t have a seaport right now, but I’m sure he’ll find one. When that happens, whether out of commercial interest or state policy, Transylvania will have to build a navy.

It’s a fine deal, Babro. We need to bundle ourselves up and sell at the highest price we can—before we lose our value."

"Mm..."

Babro half-closed his eyes, enjoying the First Mate’s nimble fingers at work. After a moment, he said softly:

"Actually, back when we left Moss Valley, Count Bai of White Mountain once had a secret talk with me on behalf of Nordtof’s Queen. Lupa gave us a very generous offer. The Nord are gearing up for a continental showdown with the Goldenrod People, but their navy is no match whatsoever for King Louis’s Greeney Fleet."