Inside the cabin.
Haider looked at Old Scar, who was still twitching on the floor, then at the few remaining subordinates, their faces ashen. He could not help but let out a long sigh.
"It's not easy being a pirate these days..."
"Boss, are we really taking them to Sea God Island?"
Iron Anchor lowered his voice, his eyes still carrying a trace of reluctance.
"What else can we do?"
Haider shot him an irritated glare. "You want to die? I don't!"
"But..."
"No buts!"
Haider cut him off, his tone carrying a hint of resignation. "It's not like I haven't sailed the route to Sea God Island before. At worst, we'll treat it as a high-paying escort job."
"..."
Iron Anchor opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing. He merely crouched down and helped Old Scar up.
Standing in the middle of the cabin, Haider watched the sky outside the window gradually darken. A thought suddenly came to him.
What would they do if they ran into the leader along the way?
A week later.
The sea was a flawless expanse of blue, and the salty tang of the ocean wind rushed toward them.
"Things should be fine now, right?"
Haider stood before the helm, squinting toward the distance with secret satisfaction.
He had not been idle this past week. He had deliberately chosen remote routes, avoiding the waters where the Purple Pearl Pirates often operated.
"Just hold on for a few more days. Once we get near Sea God Island, those monsters should get off the ship."
Just as he was thinking this—
"Boss! Bad news!"
Iron Anchor slid down from the mast, his face deathly pale. "A speedboat has been spotted off the port bow! It's flying a skull flag!"
"What?!"
Haider's pupils contracted