69novels Chapter 232 A Short Break
Chapter 232 A Short Break
Chapter 232 A Short Break
The Clown Islands are just ahead.
The sailor said to Leo, "Captain, the Clown Islands are pirate territory; we should avoid them."
However, the know-it-all Daniel Clark said, "Let's go to the Clown Islands."
The sailor spread his hands toward Leo:
"You must be crazy, passenger. Our ship may be big and sturdy, but if you venture alone into a pirate island, it's no different from sailing at full speed through a reef. It's practically suicide."
Daniel smiled and said, "With me here, nothing will happen."
Seeing that the two were arguing, Leo said:
"Are you also adept at handling matters related to pirates?"
Daniel shrugged: "A know-it-all, someone who knows everything."
After much deliberation, Leo finally decided to take Daniel's advice.
Daniel undoubtedly helped him a lot to get to where he is today.
For example, the boat they are on now was purchased by Leo at a low price thanks to Daniel's help.
However, it was originally a warship of the New Gate City, and it might cause trouble for Leo in the future.
But as long as he can successfully open up the spice trade route, he will have no shortage of funds to buy a brand new ship.
Therefore, this hidden danger should not stay with him for too long.
Leo named the ship the Silk Veil.
Silk is a high-end commodity; a successful trade of a single shipment of silk is enough for a merchant to live comfortably for several years.
The spices he wanted to trade were luxury goods, comparable in value to silk, so he felt the name was appropriate.
Another reason is that women who wear silk veils often possess a mysterious charm.
It was as if she possessed a naturally beautiful fragrance that attracted men to her.
The fragrance of spices can absolutely surpass any woman's natural body scent.
Furthermore, Leo was able to connect with the green-eyed man thanks to Daniel.
Daniel even helped devise the entire plan.
Of course, Leo deserves at least half the credit.
Regardless, Leo was very grateful to Daniel.
Although Leo is a businessman who is profit-driven, he is not heartless.
On the contrary, he always remembers the kindness shown to him and repays it.
So when Daniel asked Leo to give him a ride to the New World, Leo agreed without hesitation.
However, Leo still has no idea what Daniel's purpose is in wanting to go to the New World.
At this moment, Daniel proposed going to the Clown Islands, although Leo did not know where Daniel's confidence came from.
But for some reason, Leo wanted to trust Daniel.
However, he was, after all, a businessman, and couldn't act solely on intuition.
"Do we absolutely have to go?"
"Captain Leo, I think you know that there are five routes across the Sea of Despair, known as the Southern Route and the Northern Route. And whichever route you want to take to cross the Sea of Despair, you must find an island in the middle to rest, unless—"
"Unless what?" Leo asked.
“Unless you’re an experienced and exceptionally talented captain who can lead the ship directly to the New World,” Daniel said, “I don’t think you can name another person who can do that besides a navigator.”
Leo couldn't really say, and he was by no means an experienced captain.
He had been persuaded by Daniel; only one last thing needed to be confirmed:
Can you guarantee there will be no danger?
"Of course," the know-it-all smiled calmly.
Leo ordered his second-in-command, "Listen to him, bring the ship closer to the Clown Islands."
Upon hearing the order, the first mate opened his mouth several times, wanting to argue, but ultimately said nothing.
In the end, he chose to bow and obey, and only after glaring at Clark did he carry out the order.
Daniel curled his lip and said, "Mr. Gibson, maritime merchants are not the same as traveling merchants. You need to worry not only about yourself and your business, but also about how to manage your team. That's a lesson you need to learn."
Leo understood, of course. He nodded slightly and then looked ahead.
Soon after, the ship finally sailed into the middle of the archipelago.
Ship wreckage is scattered all over the sea here.
It seems the previous intelligence was correct; a significant naval battle did indeed take place in the Clown Islands.
Leo was a little worried.
After all, this ship had participated in the battle as an invader.
If the silk veil is mistaken for an enemy ship and attacked, he has no idea how to organize a counterattack.
He had no idea how to escape by boat.
Daniel reminded him, "Have your lookout communicate with the pirates and express your friendly intentions."
Leo nodded and immediately complied.
He received a reply very quickly.
He was ordered to anchor at the port of Plum Blossom Island and be interrogated.
It seems the pirates on this island are still wary of this ship.
However, Leo increasingly felt that Daniel's nickname "know-it-all" was not undeserved.
Even at sea, he was still able to give Leo the right advice.
Is he really an expert in ten thousand things?
The ship quickly docked.
In the distance, a huge black ship can be seen stranded on the shore.
There was a child's wound on the ship, and Leo was astonished as to what kind of force could have damaged the ship like that.
Daniel walked over to Leo and said, "That should be the Black Goat."
"The Black Goat?"
"Yes," Daniel nodded, "I asked those pirates, and they said the Black Goat was the navigator's ship, and it was on this ship that he discovered the New World."
Leo nodded: "It seems this process won't be easy."
Daniel chuckled dismissively, "If the Black Goat had already turned out like this when he found the New World, that would be truly unbelievable!"
Leo thought Daniel's idea was wildly imaginative, and everyone knew that the navigator was a genius navigator.
Even so, it's impossible to cross the entire Sea of Despair with a single wrecked ship.
At this moment, several pirates boarded his ship.
One of them was wearing a lot of valuable ornaments, and Leo thought that this person must be the leader of these pirates.
He shouted, "Who owns this boat!"
Leo walked over: "That's me."
He didn't understand the rules of pirates, so he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
The pirate asked, "Why are you approaching the Clown Islands?"
Just as Leo was thinking about how to answer, Daniel interrupted:
"We just wanted to use a friend's island to rest for one night."
.
The pirate was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, before glaring at Daniel.
"Friends? Pirates have no friends!"
Daniel, however, confidently stated, "I have the navigator's permission to use his island."
Upon hearing this, the pirate immediately drew his dagger:
"Damn it! How dare they impersonate someone the leader knows!"
"It wasn't an impersonation," Daniel said calmly. "I helped him, so we became friends. His two gold coin ships shouldn't be in the Clown Islands anymore, right?"
Upon hearing this, the pirate's expression shifted from primarily emotion to confusion:
"Go on."
"Not only the navigator, but also the talkative Benson, they're probably not on the island either. They all left on the Two Gold Coins," Daniel said. "You should understand, outsiders couldn't possibly know this."
The pirate stared at Daniel suspiciously for a long time before finally saying:
"Only one night."
Daniel bowed to him, and the pirate, along with his men, left the Silk Veil.
Leo looked at Daniel: "How could you say such things?"
"As I've already explained, I helped the navigator."
"Are you really friends with the Navigator?"
Daniel smiled slyly: "At least that's how I feel."
Leo understood: "You're lying to that pirate!"
"It's not a lie. Even a one-sided friend is still a friend," Daniel shrugged. "Blame them for not asking all the questions."
Afterwards, the crew was allowed to operate on Plum Blossom Island.
However, Daniel advised the green-eyed people on the ship not to disembark.
Leo was clear about the reasons for this suggestion.
The Clown Islands were also a hub for slave traders.
To pirates and slaves, the green-eyed people walking down the street were no different from ownerless gold, and they were bound to be captured.
Even if Leo finds that chieftain and his men, each one of them is exceptionally powerful, it's hard to say who will suffer if something really happens.
But once a conflict occurs, the tensions could escalate, and no one can predict what those pirates might do.
Therefore, preventing green-eyed people from coming to the island is the safest decision.
Leo sent his first mate to purchase and replenish supplies, while he went to the port, found a ship repair shop, and hired them to carry out some repairs on the Silk Veil.
Leo arrived on the island, with Daniel by his side.
They walked together to the "Black Goat" and saw a sign hanging on the crack.
The signboard is carved with a goat's horn and two wine glasses.
Leo asked, "What is this?"
Daniel shook his head: "It probably means something like a tavern."
Leo laughed, it seemed there were still things Daniel didn't know.
After asking around, I learned that this place was the "Black Goat Restaurant".
It is said that the restaurant owner is not a pirate, but he and the navigator are brothers.
Daniel patted Leo on the shoulder: "How about a few drinks?"
Merchants should abstain from alcohol to avoid doing reckless things while intoxicated.
Leo has heard many cases of people being tricked into signing unfavorable contracts after drinking.
But he wasn't there to discuss business, and he did have some questions for Daniel.
So they nodded and went into the restaurant together.
A scantily clad woman approached Leo, making him blush immediately.
By the time he came to his senses, he had already ordered several large glasses of different kinds of wine.
Daniel laughed heartily: "Looks like we'll be drinking again tonight. But I never expected you to lose your composure like this."
'
"You can't be on guard all the time, can you?"
"That's true."
Daniel picked up a glass of white wine and raised his glass.
"Cheers?"
Leo toasted with him.
He seized the opportunity to ask, "How did you come to know the Navigator?"
"I had spent many years in Bitou Port. The navigators came to the port privately and inquired about some things. I found out quickly and took the initiative to contact them."
"So, it's true that you helped the Navigator?"
Daniel nodded: "Of course."
Leo's understanding of Daniel deepened a little more.
A know-it-all may be able to know everything, but seems to have no principles.
He helps with anything, without asking who the other person is or what their purpose is.
Leo asked again, "But why are you helping me?"
"Because I want to board your ship."
Why?
"I want to go to the New World."
"Where are you going?"
Daniel abandoned his usual slightly frivolous smile, and his expression even looked a bit serious:
"I want to draw the world's first map of the New World."
"Just for this?"
"Everyone inevitably has their own pursuits in life, whether they are mundane or exciting, and this is indeed mine."
"But why my ship of all? There are many ships that go to the New World, such as slave ships. I think with your abilities, it shouldn't be difficult to find such a ship."
“That’s true,” Daniel said, “but the sea is dangerous, and I can’t gamble with my life. If I were to simply board a slave ship, I would be leaving my fate entirely to the uncertainties of luck.”
"Merchant ships are not much better than slave ships."
"Silk Veil is a good girl, after all, she's a woman who's been to the battlefield," Daniel said with a slight smile. "And besides,"
I know you fairly well, and I know you're a reliable person.
"That's all?"
"Of course not," Daniel replied. "I also value my relationship with those green-eyed people. One of them is the chieftain, and with his assistance, my future work will undoubtedly be much smoother."
Hearing this, Leo nodded.
Although it was somewhat difficult to carry out, Leo felt that Daniel was not lying.
If these things are true, then he must have been thinking about it for a long time.
However, Leo discovered a blind spot:
"The order is wrong! The green-eyed people only came to Tongue Harbor by chance, while you seem to have initially been mingling in Nose Harbor. In other words, you may have included the green-eyed people in your plans from the beginning!"
"Hahaha," Daniel laughed a few times, "Businessmen are indeed meticulous! That's right, my initial plan wasn't this... 'So what?'"
“It’s related to the Navigators,” Daniel replied. “I’ve said before that I helped the Navigators, and I never help people for free. My price is that they have to take me to the New World.”
"Mr. Gibson, I think you can understand, you should understand, that there is no safer way to get to the New World than by taking the navigator's ship."
"I see. Why did you change your mind?"
"The Navigator asked me to do something, but an unexpected incident occurred, making me realize that the current situation was not under the Navigator's control."
"And then I learned that a large number of warships were gathered on Shoepad Island, which made me realize that the navigator's situation was also not safe, so I had to find another way out."
Leo nodded; he now had only one question:
"What help did you give the navigator?"
Daniel told Leo how he had helped the Navigator obtain the giant arrow.
Leo exclaimed in surprise, "You can move a hundred giant arrows from the warehouse to the beach in an instant? Do you possess supernatural powers?"
"Hahaha, of course not!" Daniel laughed loudly, tilting his head back.
"How did you do that?"
"I had anticipated the navigator's intentions, so before leading them to the warehouse, I had already moved that batch of giant arrows to the beach!"
Hearing this, Leo finally understood.
The all-knowing expert—how can he know everything?