Chapter 7 1982 Lafite
It was another morning, and today Daquus woke up earlier than usual because the entire ship was in turmoil and the air was filled with the smell of blood.
On deck, Dastan Coldeyes remained at the helm, while Edmund continued training with his soldiers. Darkus observed the Duruchi on board and felt they were working and training even harder today, seemingly eager for time to pass.
Darkus leaned against the deck railing, smiled as if he understood something, and called Dastan Coldeye and Edmund over.
"Good morning, my lord, Master."
"Ann, are the statistical results out?"
Dastan said coldly and cruelly, "Master, a total of 363 Asur have been captured, and the spoils are still being counted."
"Wow, good job. Did we meet the target this time? How many soldiers died in the battle?"
As he spoke, Daqian clapped his hands exaggeratedly.
Dacus had to complete the Haxie Trial, which was a tradition of the Druzy. When a noble reached adulthood at the age of sixteen, they were required to go on a plundering voyage, plundering along the coastline and gaining family status and position based on the amount of wealth looted.
Only living Asur are valuable, being worth their weight in Druki society. Druki nobles will pay high prices for them to be used in obscure ways, but most are sacrificed to Cain or made into fur goods that Druki crave, such as boots, carpets, kaitans, sofas, and sails.
Dastan Coldeye began to compliment him. "Yes, congratulations, young master. No one would try to plunder Ulthuan in the Haxie Trial."
Dacreus smiled, looked at Edmund and asked, "Loss?"
Edmund also complimented him: "Congratulations, sir. Thirty-nine soldiers were killed in the battle last night, eight were seriously injured, and many were slightly injured."
"Calm down the soldiers and crew, and distribute the spoils after we weigh them. Don't kill them, they're all golden sovereigns. How long do we have to drift?"
Dastan Cold Eyes organized his words and said, "My lord, there are still nearly five months left."
When he heard that there were still five months left, Daquus looked miserable, because he really didn't like floating on the sea.
"Then let's go to Bretonnia."
Two months later, one midnight, Dacus was awakened by Dastan Coldeye. The Winter encountered a Bretonnian merchant ship, and the other party turned around and ran away when they saw them.
After putting on his armor, Dacus stood on the deck, looked at the fleeing ship in the distance and asked, "Where is it?"
"Master, we are almost at Bordreau."
"It wasn't long since Brione was plundered by Lakas?"
"Yes, sir, only thirty-five years."
"Catch up and sink it! And drink some '82 wine."
Dastan Coldeye, bewildered, began to order a pursuit. Alarm bells rang, and soldiers and crew members began to take up positions. The canvas-wrapped Reaper Ballista was unveiled. This weapon, a heavy hammer and crossbow cable, could unleash a hail of bullets or a single bolt powerful enough to pierce a dragon's hide. Each arrow was barbed, making it difficult to extract once it had penetrated. Victims who survived the wound would invariably suffer excruciating pain during extraction, and those who survived would be rendered useless, less than slaves.
The opposing ship was merely a merchant ship resembling a carrack. The three-masted, square-rigged plunderer quickly overtook it, its deck-mounted Reaper ballistae firing at the merchant ship's waterline. The vessel splintered and splintered, sending wood chips flying. After three rounds of fire, the two ships began to move alongside each other, the Reaper ballistae switching to sniper fire, targeting the sailors on deck. The Bretonnian sailors on the other side cried out in despair. Ballistae and repeating crossbows unleashed, and the merchant ship's crew collapsed like leeks, leaving corpses strewn across the ground. The wailing sound pierced Daquus's heart.
Dacus shook his head and thought, "Why would he be such a good farmer instead of a good farmer? He has to work on a ship." He laughed heartily and pointed at the merchant ship with his index and middle fingers, saying, "I am a kind-hearted person, and I cannot bear to hear such noise. I will spare no one!"
The soldiers and crew members were excited when they heard the order, and began to throw hooks and ropes over. The Black Ark pirates and crew members who couldn't wait swung over directly.
The boarding battle began, and unsurprisingly, it was another one-sided massacre. Dastan Cold Eyes and Ryan also jumped over. Dastan Cold Eyes stayed behind, having not exercised in a long time. Alyssa, holding the Golden Snake Staff, stood where Darkius's sword would strike. She stared at Darkius's profile, showing no interest in the battle, not even bothering to cast a spell.
Dacus sensed that Alyssa had been looking at him, so he lay on the fence and stared at the merchant ship opposite.
As the sound of killing rang out, Alyssa mustered up the courage and slowly approached. Darkus had no choice but to turn around and look at her calmly.
Alyssa stopped and looked at Dacus, wanting to say something but unable to. Dacus vaguely saw her flushed face in the firelight, and quickly said something else: "Don't you want to go play across the street?"
Alyssa shook her head and said, “My lord, it’s boring.”
Daxus stood up, shrugged and said, "Then I'll go over and see what good stuff there is on the ship." Then he jumped over.
Alyssa walked back to the cabin dejectedly. Franais was lying on the bed looking at her and sighed, "He rejected you? That's good." Alyssa angrily yelled at her brother, "Brother!" and turned around and walked back to her cabin.
The battle was almost over, except for the poor guy who was trapped in the lower cabin and still fighting.
Darkus hacked a struggling crewman to death, stepped over him, and sighed, "Oh, my dear, may Lilith bless you. No, sorry, may Mannarn bless you."
When the cloth was lifted, the warehouse was filled with oak barrels, and the rich aroma overflowed from the barrels, intoxicating.
Dacius took a deep breath and praised, "The fire of Asuryan! What's that saying? Wine isn't necessarily better with age, nor is it necessarily better with price. The best wine is the one that suits you best."
Bang!
A lead bullet shattered the deck near Dacius's feet and lodged itself in the oak barrel nearby, making him jump. From the lower cabin came a woman's shrill roar and the clash of weapons.
"What the hell?"
Daquus was still in shock, cursing and swearing as he quickly walked down to the lower cabin with a knife in his hand.
"Who the hell fired the gun?!"
Dastan Coldeye, holding a double-edged sword, confronted a woman holding a duel sword. The smoking flintlock pistol had fallen beside her. The Black Ark pirates took out their crossbows and formed a circle around her.
Daxus leaned over and looked at the woman. She was just so-so in appearance, wearing a court dress with big wavy hair, but he always had an indescribable feeling about her.
"My dear Captain, I bet you that this woman is older than you. The stake is 10% of the spoils after weighing."
Dastan Lengyan took two steps back, turned around and looked at Daquus in shock, with an expression that said, "You're not kidding."
Darkus looked at Dastan Coldeye with a provocative smile.
Dastan Lengyan gritted his teeth and said, "It's a bet, a treasure map."
What does it mean to be a bad person but still have a strong addiction?