Captives and Interrogations

"Don't move! There's a snake to your right!"

"Damn it! Help me get rid of it quickly!"

"Got it! All done!"

"Gods! I've really had enough! How many snakes are there on this damn island? We've only been here for less than an hour and we've already encountered seventeen or eighteen."

"Stop complaining. You should know this is Captain Bloodhand's order, and no one can disobey."

"Of course, I know it's the captain's order! But the problem is, with our mere two hundred-plus people, can we really find four guys who are deliberately hiding on such a large island?"

"Maybe. I heard that those hobgoblins and ogres have good senses of smell, and half-orc hunters are also skilled trackers."

Three human pirates were talking to each other as they tossed the snakes they had just killed aside.

It was evident that unlike those without combat training.

They generally had at least one or two warrior levels.

And they were very skilled at using cutlasses, a weapon widely favored by pirates.

Especially when striking the venomous snakes, their movements were fast and accurate, without the slightest hesitation.

After confirming that there were no more pirates within a fifty to one hundred meter radius, Zuo Si immediately gestured to the leopard beside him to approach stealthily.

The leopard, understanding the signal, flattened its body in the grass and crept slowly and quietly towards the target from behind.

When it was less than ten meters behind one of the unlucky fellows, Raid finally launched its fatal sneak attack.

It suddenly accelerated, rushed forward, and then leaped up, opening its massive jaws and biting down hard on the target's neck.

Crack!

With a crisp sound of a broken spine, the human pirate fell to the ground with a thud, losing all ability to move, without even seeing who had attacked him.

Blood gushed out from the opening torn by its fangs, clearly indicating that a major artery had been hit.

The big cat, having succeeded in its attack, didn't linger. It turned and leaped into the grass and bushes, disappearing without a trace.

The entire process happened so quickly that by the time the other two pirates turned around, they only saw a blurry yellow shape and their companion twitching in a pool of blood.

"Damn it! What was that?"

The shorter pirate immediately raised his cutlass, warily staring ahead.

The other pirate beside him squatted down, checked his companion's condition and the bite marks on his neck, and replied with a look of horror, "It must be some kind of large, ferocious beast that's skilled at stealthy ambushes and is extremely fast. Rick's neck was broken, and he's dead."

"What? A beast? How is that possible! If it were a wild animal, wouldn't it drag its prey away to eat after killing it? But that thing ran off without even a second's pause after killing Rick. That doesn't make any sense!" The shorter pirate raised a different point.

While the two human pirates were arguing about what had killed their companion, Zuo Si had already taken out a roll of sturdy rope from his satchel and thrown it directly at their feet.

Instantly!

Both ends of the rope seemed to come alive, climbing and wrapping around the pirates' legs at extreme speed.

In less than three to five seconds, the two pirates were bound from head to toe like mummies.

Even their mouths were tightly bound, leaving them only able to struggle and make muffled sounds.

Undoubtedly, this was no ordinary rope, but an Animated Rope with a low-level magical effect.

Although the spell level was not high, and even many apprentices could cast it.

When used properly, it could completely bind and capture enemies much stronger than oneself.

However, unlike spells cast by mages that only lasted for a short period, the Animated Rope Zuo Si took out was a permanent magical item, and the materials used were not the easily snapped hemp or grass ropes that strong creatures could break.

Instead, it was made from processed and reinforced animal sinew, resulting in a rope with extremely high strength and toughness.

Once bound, the more one struggled, the tighter it became.

Let alone two mere human pirates, even an immensely strong ogre would find it difficult to break.

After confirming that the pirates were no longer a threat, Zuo Si slowly emerged from his hiding spot and carefully collected all sharp weapons, including their cutlasses and daggers hidden in their boots.

He then proceeded to remove any accessories they wore, such as earrings, rings, and amulets.

The primary reason for doing this was to prevent any potential magical items from being hidden within their jewelry.

While the possibility of ordinary pirates possessing magical items was infinitesimally close to zero.

These habits were all lessons Zuo Si had learned through blood and tears within the Floating City Tower.

He would never forget the time he was capturing a thieving apprentice, who, despite being bound, suddenly fired a frost ray from his ring, nearly freezing him to death.

From then on, small accessories like rings, earrings, and amulets became objects of intense scrutiny.

Unfortunately, the gold, silver, and gemstones and pearls worn by these pirates were merely decorative.

Perhaps the most valuable item was a rare blue pearl embedded in a necklace.

This small object, formed by the accumulation of magic over many years, was not only a beloved jewel among nobles and wealthy merchants but also a superior material for crafting magical items.

If made into a Mana Regeneration Pearl, it could be sold for at least a thousand gold coins.

Looking at the blue pearl, which emitted a captivating halo under the sunlight, Zuo Si muttered softly in a tone of bewilderment, "For a group of pirates who live by plundering, possessing personal belongings of this value is too outrageous, isn't it?"

"Roar!"

The Leopard had also emerged from the bushes at some point, constantly licking the blood from its mouth and teeth.

The two individuals bound by the Animated Rope saw this and immediately their legs went weak with fear, nearly wetting themselves. Their faces showed expressions of utter panic.

Even if they were foolish, they now understood what was happening.

But Zuo Si paid no mind to the captives' reactions. He maintained an indifferent attitude as he spoke to the two of them, "I believe you understand your situation.

Now, I will announce the rules of the game. All you have to do is follow them one hundred percent, without the slightest deviation.

First, you are not allowed to make any noise, or I will immediately have the Big Cat bite off your throats.

Second, you will answer whatever I ask, without any concealment.

Otherwise, I will cut off your fingers and toes, one by one, and carve off your noses and lips.

Third, I will question you separately.

If the same question receives two completely different answers, you know what the consequences will be.

Finally, between the two of you, I will only allow the one who provides the most information to live, while the other will be killed.

What do you think? Simple and easy to understand, right?"

For a moment, both pirates saw shock and fear in each other's eyes.

They couldn't believe that a human boy, who looked about ten years old, could possess such a malicious and meticulous mind.

Because according to these rules, neither of them would dare to conceal any information.

Not only that!

They would do their utmost to reveal everything they knew, in exchange for the only chance to survive.

But after a brief silence, the two pirates began to scramble like insects, wanting to be the first to be interrogated before the other.

From this moment on, their relationship had shifted from companions to competitors and mortal enemies.

After all, you couldn't expect a group of bandits who lived by plunder to have noble sentiments of self-sacrifice.

Pirates only ever lived for themselves!