https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-18-Unpaid-Wages-and-Empty-Promises/12608062/
Chapter 17: I'm Also a Pirate
Chapter 17: I'm Also a Pirate
"What's wrong, Zanzi?"
The faces of the commoners turned deathly pale.
The battered ship entered the port unhindered, and some civilians even rushed to dive into the water, swimming toward the town.
"Sag, are we still looting?" Lily looked at Sag.
The whole town had been destroyed. What was left to loot?
They had come to plunder, not to scavenge for scraps.
Sag's face was as gloomy as could be.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
All he wanted to do was rob a town, and yet his luck had turned so sour?
"Get down!" Sag grit his teeth. "A pirate never returns empty-handed! Half of this town is still intact. Let's see if there's anything left to take!"
But as soon as he finished speaking, he swept his eyes across the devastated buildings that were barely standing, and added, "At the very least, let's grab some supplies!"
"Yes, Captain Sag!"
Ajin took the lead, leaping off the ship's edge, followed by a dozen or so pirates who made their way onto the dock. The rest of the crew remained on board to guard against any surprise attacks.
It was rare for all pirates to go looting together.
Sag didn't have a hideout, but if he did, he would have allowed the pirates to move about freely.
He also stepped off the ship with Lily, making their way from the dock toward the town.
The town's main thoroughfare had been plowed with a massive gap, and the buildings on either side bore the marks of cannonball strikes. However, deeper within, the structures looked more like they had been smashed by some colossal creature, caving in deeply.
"No, it's gone!"
As soon as they reached the town square, they heard wailing ahead, and then they saw a crowd gathered in the center.
In addition to the group of civilians from the ship, there were even more people huddled together, their faces covered in dirt and their bodies in disarray.
However, Sag didn't spot any corpses on the ground, indicating that everyone in the town was still alive.
"What's gone?" Sag asked subconsciously.
One of the civilians from the ship turned and wailed, "Our solar sailcloth has been stolen!"
"Solar sailcloth?" Sag looked at Ajin with a puzzled expression.
"It seems to be Kampas' most famous product. I've only heard about it," Ajin replied.
"That's the finest sailcloth there is!"
An elderly man with a cane among the civilians spoke up. "It's our treasure!"
"And who might you be?" Sag looked at him inquiringly.
"I'm the mayor of Kampas Town. I've heard about what you did, and I want to thank you for saving the people of our town," the mayor said, nodding at him.
"We are a town that specializes in making sailcloth. We produce the finest sailcloth in the East Sea," the mayor continued. "Aside from our expertly crafted sailcloth, once every twenty years, we also create the strongest batch of sailcloth. All the sailcloth artisans in the East Sea gather here, employing their best skills and the finest materials to create this extraordinary sailcloth!"
Every twenty years, due to either the unique characteristics of the island or its climate, the people of Kampas Town would harvest an exceptionally superior batch of plants used for making the sailcloth. During this time, sailcloth makers from all across the East Sea would converge upon this town, joining forces to craft this ultimate sailcloth.
Furthermore, the quantity of this special sailcloth was very limited—only enough to outfit a single ship. Each time they successfully crafted it, they would display it in the town for all to admire.
"This kind of sailcloth is impervious to cannonballs and even the strongest gales cannot tear it apart. It boasts remarkable resilience and elasticity, along with the most optimal wind-catching capability. Not even flames can easily incinerate it. As it is crafted during the most intense heat of the sun, we call it the Solar Sailcloth!"
The old man spoke with immense pride as he explained its attributes, but his enthusiasm soon deflated as he added, "And now, it's gone."
Sag raised an eyebrow. "The work of pirates?"
"It was the work of pirates!"
The mayor's face twisted with rage as he cried, "A few days ago, a pirate ship arrived. They were exceptionally powerful and easily defeated our guard team. Even our warship was no match for them! They came and wreaked havoc, and among them was a particularly tall and robed figure who took away our solar sailcloth!"
He slammed his cane onto the ground and shouted, "That was our best product! Those pirates won't know how to appreciate it!"
"Are you upset about that?"
A civilian from the ship gritted his teeth and said, "Damn those pirates! Oh, wait, Captain, I didn't mean you..."
"So, this was a robbery?"
Sag clicked his tongue. "This is blatant destruction! How cruel!"
"Captain..." The civilian looked at him with gratitude.
"Putting this town in such a state, how can we come back and spend our money next time?" Sag's eyes narrowed with anger. "It will take a lot of time to rebuild, and that means less time for future robberies and less opportunity for sustained development!"
"..." Lily didn't know what to make of this.
"What's the value of your solar sailcloth?" Lily asked, turning to the mayor.
Sag gave Lily an approving glance.
She had cut straight to the heart of the matter.
The mayor shook his head. "It's not a matter of worth. This sailcloth is priceless. It's meant to catch the wind and sail the seas. Of course, only the finest ships would be worthy of it. If a ship isn't one of the best, we won't sell it to them!"
"So, what was the price of the previous batch?" Sag inquired.
"I don't know. That was twenty years ago, and it was stolen as well," the mayor replied.
"So, every time you make a new batch, it gets stolen?"
"What a shame! This latest batch of sailcloth would have fetched a pretty penny if it had been sold," Sag sighed.
The mayor nodded in agreement and added, "Indeed, Captain. And I must say, if you had come to purchase goods, I would have to disappoint you given the state of our town as you can see. We have nothing left to offer now."
Common sailcloth, once crafted, would be placed in the market near the docks. The pirates had burned down the remaining inventory after their attack, so there was no sailcloth to sell now.
"I didn't come to buy anything."
"Then, what brings you here?"
Sag drew the flintlock pistol from his waist and smiled faintly.
Bang!
As the gun fired, the other pirates onboard revealed fierce and menacing expressions.
"I'm also a pirate!" Sag declared solemnly.
Though their numbers were few, it was more than enough to intimidate the defenseless civilians.
"Pirates!!!"
The civilians in the square finally realized what was happening, and their eyes widened with terror as they looked at the group of pirates.
"Pirates again! I knew it! Every time our solar sailcloth is crafted, pirates are drawn to it like a moth to a flame!"
The mayor heaved a sigh and then lifted his head high with pride. "But this is our glory! Even if it's taken by pirates, we will continue to make it with pride!"
"Mayor!!!" The civilians cried out, their eyes glistening with emotion.
"That's none of my concern, old man," Sag said. "Hand over some supplies, and I won't take anything else. Looking at how miserable you all are, I doubt there's anything else worth taking anyway."
The town was in such a state that Sag had lost interest in plundering it further. He sought bustling places to raid, not ruined towns.
However, having come all this way, he couldn't very well leave empty-handed.
What would the other pirates think?
Nothing left to take?
There had to be something.
Water, at the very least!
Spices, surely!
Food, definitely!
No matter what, he had to take something, or else they wouldn't be able to continue sailing.
(End of Chapter)
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