Lei Wujie had no idea what that meant. He looked at Manager Tian and asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"
Manager Tian's expression darkened, and he spoke rapidly. "For a thousand miles of sea, the Headsmen rule. Wherever they pass, not a trace is left behind! They're the strongest pirates in these waters. Archers, ready!"
At his command, the archers on the ship hurriedly raised their bows. They stared at the warships ahead in alarm, their hands trembling as they drew their bowstrings.
Xiao Se watched the scene, utterly bewildered. "Master, is this what you meant by turning misfortune into good fortune?"
Wang Yue nodded and replied with a smile, "We just ran into a navy fleet from a prefecture, and now we've run into pirates. Don't you think something's off?"
Xiao Se paused, then asked uncertainly, "You mean the navy deliberately let these pirates run wild?"
For once, Lei Wujie was quick on the uptake. Excited, he said, "Could these pirates be working with Admiral Han Tidu and his men?"
Wang Yue nodded, then shook his head. Seeing everyone's confusion, he explained seriously, "The coastal navy must be deliberately letting these pirates run wild, but they aren't necessarily under Admiral Han's command."
Looking at the size of the pirate fleet, Xiao Se frowned. "They couldn't have built up this many warships in just a few days. It really is possible the government raised them to line its own pockets."
Wang Yue realized Xiao Se had misunderstood and smiled. "Have you considered another possibility? Could the son of King of Langya, the man we're looking for, be aboard one of those pirate ships?"
Xiao Se froze at Wang Yue's words, then immediately understood. His expression grew grave. "That's certainly possible. If he's a pirate, plenty of officials would make