Third-in-command Tom was usually tight-lipped, but ever since he'd let loose and become a pirate, he'd unlocked a real gift of gab and always liked to chew the fat with people. But the man across from them was none other than the Empire's famed general, the "Wolf of Dawn"—Major General Jaeger Soubeyk! Loose lips sank ships, and the risk was even greater when dealing with a brilliant strategist like Jaeger Soubeyk.
Captain Planck turned and asked, "Your Majesty, were you discovered when you escaped?"
The Khan replied, "If I'd really been discovered, would the Tirillo and Earthlings have attacked right away? Don't forget, the bounty on my head has already reached—do you think that was just to fish for someone? Someone like you?"
So I'm not a big enough fish, huh? Captain Planck had to admit the other man had a point, but he was still a little hurt. He thought, Don't look down on a poor young man. If nothing goes wrong, I'll be a Thirteen-Face in another two or three years.
"So, what do we do now? Run?" Miss Fangting asked.
"Heh heh heh. Who do you think I am? Bring the ship alongside!" Captain Planck shouted.
"Y-you mean, approach them?" Miss Fangting immediately tensed up. Even the Great Khan beside her looked surprised.
"Running won't do us any good. Even if we manage to get away, our only legal merchant ship will be blacklisted. At a time like this, doing the opposite will make us look like we have nothing to hide! They might not even bother inspecting us."
At that, he grimaced as if it pained him, but still said, "Besides, I prepared for this a long time ago. We've got fifty thousand tons of New Jade Gate spices aboard. In the past, handing over a