Chapter 418, Rotary Cannon
"You joined a crew again?" Wu Heng asked curiously.
Philipa replied, "Yes, this time the target is a passing convoy. Someone invited me to join, so I went along."
"Alright, tell me about the strength of these three pirate crews," Wu Heng agreed without hesitation.
An informant providing intel requires active cooperation from his side.
Otherwise, they wouldn't provide useful information next time.
The manuscript he had acquired from Imiro was essentially an advanced Tier 3 contribution.
It still needed to be repaid.
Philipa said nonchalantly, "The one who pulled me in couldn't be any major pirate. The three captains are around level 10. If the Devil's Hand couldn't kill you, these are just small fry."
"A Level 10 fugitive, just right for a Tier 3 contribution."
"Oh, by the way, one of the pirates is a friend of mine—the one I told you about who lost his woman. He introduced me. Don't kill him," Philipa added after a pause. "And if you kill all three captains while I'm the only one who escapes unscathed, it'll be hard to explain. Better to leave him alive."
Among pirates, there's no such thing as true friendship.
On the same ship, betrayal and power struggles are commonplace.
Even the captains often change.
In the pirate mindset, friends are merely accessories outside of profit and power.
But Philipa's point made sense.
If four pirate crews went out to sea and only she returned unscathed, it would definitely arouse suspicion.
Having another person escape with her would divert attention.
"Alright, how will I identify your friend's ship and avoid killing the wrong one?" Wu Heng agreed.
"The pirate flag has a winged flying fish. Easy to recognize. The guy is a burly man with a big beard and a naive look," Philipa explained.
"Got it. Where should I find you?" Wu Heng continued.
"North of Scorpion Claw Island, on the 'Lingaxi Route.' Coming from Gold-Silver Island, it'll take about a day. By noon the day after tomorrow, that cargo ship will pass the route," Philipa said directly.
Wu Heng took a pen and jotted down the route's name.
He then pulled out a map to verify the location.
Within the Emerald Sea, the distance wasn't too far.
"Alright, I'll set out tomorrow morning."
"Mm-hmm. Don't forget to tell your steward that I've fulfilled three intelligence tasks for the Whisperers and should be eligible to join them," Philipa reminded softly.
It seemed Philipa cared deeply about this matter.
For ordinary people, joining the guild meant joining the garrison—a force recognized by kingdoms everywhere.
It came with certain privileges.
Even if something happened, as long as you hid in the guild, local authorities had to negotiate with the guild rather than dealing with you directly.
It provided a strong backer.
"I'll remember. Now, tell me about my bounty," Wu Heng prompted.
Philipa hesitated briefly before saying, "I heard from other pirates that your bounty has increased to 1,200 gold coins. They've also passed along some details about your two skeleton attendants."
Wu Heng pressed, "Were there no details about the skeletons in the previous blank letters?"
Philipa replied, "No, I suspect the people behind this only recently obtained accurate intel on the skeletons and distributed it through this method."
"No mention of ambushes or assassination plans against me?"
"None. If there's any new information, I'll inform you immediately," Philipa said lightly.
"Alright, that works."
With business concluded,
Philipa asked again, "By the way, how's my mom doing?"
Leaning against the table, Wu Heng answered, "She's doing great. The tavern's business is booming. It's probably the most popular one on that street."
"Really? You must've funded it. I don't believe it could reach that level otherwise," Philipa said skeptically, though her tone betrayed delight.
"Funding was part of it. The rest is her own effort."
"Oh, when will you bring her over so I can talk to her?" Philipa murmured.
Wu Heng considered. "After this matter is resolved, I'll have her come over to chat with you."
"Thanks, Dad. See you the day after tomorrow."
"Mm."
...…
The call ended.
Wu Heng hung up the receiver and leaned against the desk, pondering the intel he had just received.
His bounty had increased again.
After previous incidents, hearing it had only risen by 200 felt underwhelming.
Details about his skeleton attendants were now public via the blank letters.
While this gave bounty hunters more information, it wasn't a major issue.
The skeletons served as his protection.
But they weren't his trump card. Their primary role was to respond immediately and stall targets in emergencies.
Giving him time to draw his gun or open a gateway.
Even the strongest enemy couldn't withstand his zombie world's total forces, roughly estimated at five or six hundred thousand.
Even with these scattered across bases, tens of thousands were still concentrated.
Given time to summon reinforcements, the enemy would be overwhelmed.
Yet something felt off.
"Why reveal attendant details now?"
"I'll have Minnie and Andviel stay cautious for now."
After some thought,
he tore the paper noting the route and left the room.
...…
Descending to the first floor,
Minnie was practicing boxing with Bagdong, flames flickering in her hands.
With each strike, bursts of flame exploded like fiery bombs.
"Master!" Minnie waved.
Wu Heng walked over, asking curiously, "You've gotten good at controlling fire, huh?"
"Not really, just practicing casually. It's not very destructive," Minnie said shyly.
"I think it's great. At least it shows you have talent."
"Really? Master, you're so kind. I feel much stronger now," Minnie said, clinging to his arm and swaying gently. Noticing his attire, she added, "Master, are you going out? Sister Andviel might be back soon!"
"I'm heading out for a bit and will return as soon as possible."
"Oh, okay. We'll wait for you to eat dinner."
Wu Heng nodded and left the residence.
Hailing a carriage, he headed to the port.
At the guild's harbor, he boarded his ship.
In the dim cabin, skeletons waited silently, soul flames flickering in their eye sockets.
"Sharktooth," Wu Heng called.
The broad-boned skeleton emerged from the cabin, standing before him.
"Sail the ship to Scorpion Claw Island's harbor tonight. Avoid other ships and people. I'll join in the morning," Wu Heng instructed.
Sharktooth walked directly to the control room.
Wu Heng disembarked, watching the ship set sail.
Once it reached open waters, he hailed a carriage back home.
...…
Back at his residence,
dinner was ready, with the two maids waiting in the living room.
Seeing him return, they served the meal.
"Master, what did the pirate girl want this time?" Minnie asked while eating.
Wu Heng sipped his wine. "She provided intel on some pirates and wants me to capture them."
"Huh, isn't that betraying her crew?" Minnie widened her eyes.
"She's an informant planted among them, so it's not betrayal," Wu Heng explained.
Andviel added, "Pirates are more ruthless and disorganized than bandits. Spending days or months at sea, it's common to kill crewmates or even the captain."
"What? Pirates are that bad? But that's not how they're portrayed in comics," Minnie said.
Wu Heng pondered briefly before explaining, "Those stories are told from a pirate's perspective. If you view it from an ordinary islander's angle, you'll see the navy as the just side. Kind and passionate pirates are rare."
"Oh, okay," Minnie nodded.
Over dinner, Wu Heng reminded, "Be cautious when going out. Pirates might be gathering intel on us."
"Okay!"
After the meal,
Wu Heng took a bath, assisted by the two maids.
Then he went upstairs to rest.
...…
As night fell,
Wu Heng opened his bedroom door and saw Shanaila entering from the rooftop.
"I thought you'd be asleep," Shanaila said, jumping down barefoot.
Entering the bedroom, she casually hung her coat, moving naturally as if it were her own home.
"I knew you'd come," Wu Heng said, closing the door behind her.
Shanaila perched on the bed, lifting one side of her silk dress. The hem slowly rose, revealing flawless legs.
The dress climbed to her thighs, teasingly revealing and concealing as she curled on the bed, her eyes glinting playfully.
Watching her composed yet flushed face, Wu Heng quickly approached, brushing her lips lightly. "You've been drinking."
"Today, the merchants and Gold-Silver Island's guards organized a voyage. We had a banquet, so I drank a bit," Shanaila said softly.
Wu Heng pushed her onto the bed, her dress slipping over her head. He kissed down her neck.
"A joint voyage? For what?" he asked.
"To drive away pirates. The island master organized it. Pirate activity has increased recently, and the merchants support the effort," Shanaila answered, holding his head while sighing softly.
Wu Heng leaned closer, her legs naturally wrapping around his waist.
"Is this island master trustworthy?" he continued.
"Not really, but merchants prioritize profit. As long as it helps the situation, they'll show support," Shanaila replied.
"Makes sense."
Wu Heng nodded, focusing on the moment and ending the conversation.
...…
The next morning,
after breakfast, Wu Heng told the maids to stay safe before leaving.
Finding a secluded spot,
he donned the [Conductor's Hat].
A portal opened, and the ghost train appeared beside him.
Boarding the train, he wrote "Scorpion Claw Island" in the logbook.
The doors closed, and the train vanished.
Half an hour later, the train arrived at Scorpion Claw Island.
Wind howled, and waves crashed against the rocky shore.
Looking toward the harbor,
his ship was already docked.
Skeletons patrolled the deck, scanning the surroundings.
Wu Heng strode over, boarded the ship, and ordered, "Enter the 'Lingaxi Route' and follow the path forward."
...…
The ship sailed swiftly.
Sharktooth's maritime attributes made him highly proficient at navigation.
Without cargo, the ship's speed increased significantly.
Xiaoxiao, acting as the lookout, flew down from above. "Uncle, I see pirate ships ahead. They should be the ones you're looking for."
Wu Heng gazed into the distance. All he could see was the endless sea; there were no ships in sight.
"I don't see anything. Come back; let me take a look."
Xiaoxiao entered his body, and the vision was shared.
Far out on the sea, several pirate ships drifted on the water.
With Xiaoxiao's "Spirit Vision" ability, the levels of those aboard could be seen, each glowing with different intensities.
The highest was level 10. Though the pirate flags weren't yet visible, these were likely the pirate fleet Phillipa had mentioned.
Closer than anticipated, they had not even been sailing for a full day.
Wu Heng let Xiaoxiao back out and ordered the ship to continue forward.
He brought out two double-barreled autocannons and a rotary cannon, assigning skeletons to operate them.
He then distributed heavy machine guns, rifles, rocket launchers, and grenades to the other skeletons.
The primary goal was overwhelming firepower, leaving no chance for the enemy to counterattack.
As they drew nearer,
the positions of the pirate ships became clearer.
There were nine pirate ships in total, surrounding a heavily damaged cargo ship.
On the deck were struggling crew members, barely holding out, while pirates buzzed with manic energy, like adrenaline-fueled predators.
...…
As they closed in,
three medium-sized swift boats sped toward them. Each carried over 20 pirates, armed with various weapons.
They pointed and jeered at the approaching vessel, laughing and cracking jokes.
It was as if they had spotted another haul of cargo, delivered to their doorstep.
Soon, the ships drew close. A pirate with rotting yellow teeth, one foot on the railing, shouted, "We're the Silver Scale Pirate Crew. We're here to borrow some money!"
Another pirate chimed in, "No money? No problem! We'll take your goods. And your women? We'll take good care of them too!"
Hahaha~!
The surrounding pirates erupted in laughter.
It was as if their pillaging of the cargo ship had nothing to do with them, and the approaching ship was just another lamb to slaughter.
The pirates laughed, and the medium boats' two magical ballistae adjusted their aim toward Wu Heng's ship.
The other pirates prepared to board.
Just as the boats drew near, ready to board by force—
Wu Heng leaned out from above.
The pirates froze momentarily, their brows furrowing.
A man, in his twenties, with black hair and eyes.
Were those skeleton attendants beside him?
Why did he look so familiar?
"Deputy Steward of Gold-Silver Island!" someone suddenly shouted.
All the pirates immediately realized who he was, their eyes flashing with doubt, shock, and disbelief.
The yellow-toothed pirate shouted, "Ballistae! Kill him! Quickly!"
But in the next second, the edges of Wu Heng's ship's deck became crowded with skeletons wielding strange-looking weapons.
His cargo ship, already taller than the medium boats, now loomed over them.
The black, pipe-like objects in the skeletons' hands pointed downward.
"Attack! Kill him, quickly!" the pirate yelled desperately.
The ballistae creaked, lifting to their maximum angle. Other pirates drew bows and crossbows, aiming upward.
At that moment, Wu Heng aimed the rotary cannon at the yellow-toothed pirate's boat.
Vroom~!
The rotary cannon whirred into action, spitting out bullets like a fire-breathing dragon.
In the waves raised by the hail of bullets,
the yellow-toothed pirate's ship shattered instantly, reduced to splinters and debris flying in all directions.
Wu Heng stared in astonishment at the scene.
He hadn't expected the firing rate to be so fast.
The pirates were even more horrified, their faces pale with shock as the entire ship vanished before their eyes.
"Damn it, what is that thing?!"