Chapter 81: Golden Tree

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

In the bustling harbor, Rudy, a member of the hidden Black Skull pirate crew, was secretly observing and scouting for potential targets.

The Silver Islands saw a constant flow of merchant ships, some carrying cheap goods while others held valuable cargo. Some merchants were stingy and hired only a small escort, while others were wealthy and heavily guarded.

Rudy’s task was to identify valuable and cost-effective prey, that worth plundering. He would then notify his fellow pirates roaming the seas to strike when the targets left the Silver Islands.

Having lurked here for many years, he had seamlessly integrated into the community, and none of the locals suspected his true identity as a spy.

He embodied the essence of serving in the darkness while basking in the light.

He was the messenger of shadows.

Rudy quietly smiled, brimming with confidence.

Ahem, let’s get back to business.

Rudy, disguised as a dock inspector, enjoyed significant convenience with his role. He could freely wander the docks without arousing suspicion.

He carefully selected information about potential targets.

That two-masted merchant ship loaded with cotton seemed mediocre in value and not worth attacking.

As for the ship carrying what appeared to be weapons, despite its heavy escort, capturing it would be profitable as weapons were always in demand. Yes, it would be added to the plundering list.

The large ship resting nearby didn’t reveal its cargo, but it had a significant number of guards. If they wanted to seize it, there might be considerable losses… Rudy decided to observe it for a while longer.

Just as Rudy was analyzing the situation with his practiced eye, he unintentionally caught sight of the New Moon anchored at the dock.

His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he froze in surprise.

Even though its appearance had changed, he quickly recognized the identity of the three-masted ship.

Wasn’t this the flagship of their Black Skull pirate crew, the Black Widow?

But why was it here?

He remembered that the Black Widow had set sail for plundering a month ago.

Could it be that they had seized something and come here to sell it?

In such a bold manner?

Rudy’s curiosity was piqued, and he calmly approached for a closer look.

He noticed that the person commanding the ship was a complete stranger, an unfamiliar man who clearly wasn’t the original captain.

The Black Skull pirate crew’s insignia, previously hidden on the ship’s hull, had been erased.

It quickly dawned on him.

The Black Widow had fallen victim to pirates themselves!

It had been stolen!

This discovery ignited anger within him.

“We’ve always been the ones robbing others, and now someone dares to rob us? They’ve got some nerve!”

“No, this won’t do. I must quickly inform our nearby brethren and rally our ships and manpower to retrieve the Black Widow!”

Outside a two- to three-story tavern, Ji Chen casually pushed open the saloon doors and walked in.

Dim lighting, wooden tables, and chairs, a display case filled with bottles, bartenders wiping glasses, and scantily clad women—obscene language filled the air.

Hmm, it really captures the ambiance of a tavern.

Inside, there were many natives and players with their accompanying troops, occupying about half of the available seats.

With a lively atmosphere and clinking of glasses, it was quite a scene.

“People drinking so openly in broad daylight, it’s truly scandalous!” Ji Chen thought to himself as he found an unoccupied table and sat down.

He intended to criticize such scandalous behavior!

After placing several dozen Kels silver coins on the table, a waitress in bunny attire approached with enthusiasm, bringing over more than ten glasses of fine wheat beer.

Her eyes had a hint of allure, and she expressed her willingness to provide any additional services if needed.

Ji Chen dismissed her with disdain.

He already had a breathtakingly beautiful little Siren back at home. Why would he be interested in such artificial charm and excessive makeup?

However, he did notice something.

Even silver coins held significant value in the native market.

In this world, the majority of natives used silver coins as their primary currency, while gold coins were primarily used by merchants, nobles, and lords.

Considering the tens of thousands of Kels silver coins he possessed, when converted to gold coins, he would have a considerable fortune. Now it seemed he had some assets.

After his tavern experience, Ji Chen spent a good portion of the day wandering through the bustling city district, purchasing a batch of supplies. After depleting his silver coins, he returned to the New Moon anchored at the port.

He had no intention of staying overnight in the city district.

Upon returning to the ship, Sparrow approached him with a vigilant expression.

“My lord, there’s something I need to report.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“Shortly after you left, I had a faint feeling that someone was secretly spying on the New Moon.”

Hearing this, Ji Chen furrowed his brow.

It seemed Sparrow’s danger intuition skill had kicked in.

Someone was spying…

Could there be players coveting the New Moon?

It wasn’t impossible since the visible power of the New Moon was merely a group of second-tier pirates.

The rest of the troops, such as the shallow sea murlocs and Naga warriors, were hidden in the cabin.

The entire ship appeared empty, which could potentially ignite greed in some players.

But he was not too worried.

The port was also a place where fights and killings were not allowed on the Silver Islands. At this stage, the players should not dare to risk being hunted down and attack openly.

“We’ll set off for the mystic realm tomorrow. Be careful tonight.”

“Yes, sir!”

The night passed, and nothing happened.

The next morning, Ji Chen woke up with Alice’s soft body in his arms, and outside the cabin, there was a buzz of voices.

The ships docked at the port were leaving one after another, heading in the same direction.

In the shipping lane, the ships formed a continuous line, resembling a fleet of water dragons.

The opening of the secret realm was imminent!

Ji Chen quickly dressed and made his way to the deck.

He instructed Sparrow to command the pirates to raise the sails and follow the other ships into the shipping lane.

After two or three hours, the New Moon arrived in the sea area where the mystic realm gate was located.

From a distance, they saw the mystic realm gate standing tall on the calm sea, spanning several tens of meters, with half above the surface and half beneath it.

The rotating crimson mist resembled a massive grinding disc.

The mystic realm gate was directly formed on the sea surface.

This meant that there was a high probability that the secret realm behind it contained a water region.

For Ji Chen, this was excellent news.

This was because his class and military type could only display their full strength in the water.

More and more ships gathered together, almost forming a fan shape that surrounded the entrance to the secret plane.

The fleet guarding the area did not say anything and quickly made way for them.

The players who had been silent suddenly became excited.

Boats of all sizes rushed towards the entrance of the mystic realm.

“Charge! Whether we eat dirt or feast, it all depends on this wave!”

“Our Survivor Alliance will definitely snatch the biggest piece of meat and become the ruler of the Silver Islands. Brothers, let’s go!”

“I used all my wealth to buy this ship. This time, I must make a big profit inside!”

One by one, the ships passed through the secret realm gate and disappeared from sight.

Seeing this, Ji Chen didn’t hesitate and gestured for Sparrow to move forward.

Soon, the New Moon also plunged into the gate.

In an instant, he found himself in a crimson world.

The sky was shrouded in a thick layer of eerie red mist, and the sea appeared as a deep red hue as if countless dyes had been poured into it.

Within his field of vision, there were islands of various sizes, with remnants of structures scattered about.

Clearly, there were both native inhabitants and signs of civilization here.

But what caught his attention the most was the towering, illusory golden tree at the far center. It emitted a dazzling golden light, resembling the legendary World Tree, with branches reaching in all directions.

It served as the brightest source of light within the mystic realm.

In addition, scattered throughout the sea were smaller golden trees, though much smaller in size.

The entire mystic realm appeared both eerie and imbued with a sense of divinity..

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