Getting Married? Taking a Bride!

After passing through a lush, dense forest filled with the salty scent of the sea, a breathtaking view suddenly opened up before us.

Large swathes of wooden houses came into view, scattered in a well-organized manner according to the terrain.

Rather than the heart of a pirate's lair, it resembled more of a large, vibrant seaside village.

The houses are mostly built with locally sourced logs, simple and practical. Surrounded by dense forests, it is clearly a result of careful selection, providing a natural Barrier for the village against typhoons raging at sea.

The entire village was surrounded by no fences or walls, making it appear quite "open." However, beneath this openness, there was a hidden ferocity and wildness characteristic of pirates.

At this moment, what is most eye-catching is that in front of each wooden house, there are two huge lanterns covered with purple silk cloth.

Jixiang paused almost imperceptibly again, her brows furrowed slightly, and she let out that soft "hmm" that puzzled Lin Xia.

"What's going on? Is there some good news? These purple lanterns... they're usually only hung up at the end of the year, during the Lunar New Year, to pray for good fortune."

He looked up at the purple lanterns that seemed somewhat out of place in the sunlight, his eyes filled with confusion and a hint of solemnity.

Lin Xia's gaze swept over the lanterns, their deep purple hue giving them an eerie quality in the sunlight.

He didn't care about any of that; the color of the lanterns and the festival couldn't move him. All he cared about now was the powerful pirate captain and how to get her to agree to help him.

Just as the two were about to step into the village, they bumped into a familiar figure—the same tall, muscular pirate who had appeared in front of the Jixiang wooden house yesterday, carrying his injured younger brother to seek medical treatment.

Upon seeing Jixiang and Lin Xia, especially seeing Lin Xia standing energetically beside Jixiang, his face immediately lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight, and he strode over to greet them.

"Jixiang Physician Ji Xiang! You've finally arrived! Hello!"

His voice was loud and clear, filled with undisguised gratitude, and his gaze was eagerly fixed on Jixiang.

"Is my brother... is he alright? Was he in a lot of pain last night?"

He rubbed his large hands together, looking very nervous.

Jixiang nodded slightly, her tone calm.

"He's doing well. There have been no adverse reactions after taking the medication, the wound has started to heal, and the inflammation is under control. Now he needs rest to recover. In two more days, once the wound has begun to heal, you can carefully carry him home to take care of him."

When the tall pirate heard this, he let out a long, relieved breath, a simple smile spread across his face, and he patted his chest hard.

"That's good! That's good! Thank God! He's my only younger brother. If something had happened to him, I don't know how I would have lived... This time, I'm truly grateful for your miraculous healing skills! I can't thank you enough. Don't worry, I'll bring back those rare medicinal herbs you mentioned last time, even if I have to search every crevice in the seabed!"

He patted his chest to assure them, then noticed that the two seemed to be heading into the village and asked:

"You two are... going to see the commander?"

Jixiang nodded, his gaze sweeping over the purple lanterns again, and asked:

"Exactly. By the way, what's with all these purple lanterns in the village? Is there some big celebration on the island? They weren't there when I left yesterday."

The tall pirate slapped his forehead hard, making a sharp "smack," and laughed in annoyance:

"Oh dear! What a forgetful me! I was so worried about my brother yesterday that I forgot to tell you about this wonderful news! Today is our guild leader's big day! The wedding banquet is tonight! The whole island is celebrating!"

"Is the regimental commander getting married?"

Jixiang's brows furrowed instantly, and for the first time, her face showed extreme astonishment and disbelief. She even blurted out the words unconsciously.

"Who would dare marry her?"

His tone was full of absurdity, as if he were hearing a fairy tale.

The tall pirate was startled by his blunt words, his face changed, and he hurriedly looked around, gesturing for silence, and said in a low voice:

"Oh my god, my divine healer! Keep your voice down! Don't let the commander or her guards hear us! Otherwise, we'll both be in deep trouble!"

He nervously swallowed, and seeing several pirates walking by in the distance, he quickly stepped aside to block Jixiang and Lin Xia, lowering his voice even further, tinged with embarrassment and ambiguity.

"It's not about getting married... it's about taking someone as a bride! Our commander... cough, you know! She's taken a fancy to someone who drifted ashore... uh, anyway, you'll find out when you go in and meet the commander, the bride... uh, the groom is inside!"

He seemed hesitant to speak, speaking vaguely, and finally simply said:

"I have to go see my brother right away, so I won't keep you two any longer!"

After saying that, as if afraid of being questioned or getting into trouble, he hurriedly clasped his hands in a fist salute to Jixiang and Lin Xia, then turned around and strode towards Jixiang's wooden house, leaving behind a hasty figure.

Hearing the conversation between Jixiang and the tall pirate, Lin Xia's heart sank, and her brows furrowed tightly.

Is the leader of the Purple Pearl Pirate Crew going to "get married"?

At this juncture?

If she's immersed in the joy of her "newlywed" marriage or busy with other things, how could she possibly have the mind to pay attention to a stranger's request or mobilize resources to search for any victims?

This undoubtedly made it much more difficult to persuade her.

An ominous premonition, like icy seawater, quietly crept into my heart.

Jixiang's expression also turned somewhat grim; he clearly hadn't expected to encounter such a situation.

He glanced at Lin Xia, Lin Xia gaze remained firm, but now held a touch of composure.

Jixiang took a deep breath and whispered:

"Let's go. What's meant to be will be. Let's see them first."

The two stopped and stepped into the pirate village where eerie purple lanterns hung.

The further you go in, the more different the atmosphere becomes. The air is filled with a mixture of the smell of alcohol, the aroma of roasted meat, the fishy smell of the sea, and an indescribable restlessness.

The roads had been swept, and huge iron pots had been set up in some open spaces, simmering large chunks of meat from unknown sea creatures, filling the air with a fragrant aroma. Rugged pirates, in groups of three or five, chatted and laughed loudly, carrying wine jars and setting up a simple "wedding banquet" venue.

Upon seeing Jixiang and Lin Xia enter, many pirates cast curious or scrutinizing glances. However, upon recognizing Jixiang, most of them softened their fierce demeanor, revealing either respectful or friendly smiles and nodding in greeting.

"The Divine Doctor Ji has arrived!"

"Hello, miracle doctor! Let's go to the wedding banquet together tonight!"

"Miracle Doctor, you've finally arrived! The commander was just talking about you!"

The greetings continued, but Lin Xia keenly Frisk a Frisk tension and... amusement in them.

Clearly, Zi Zhenzhu's "wedding" was no secret on the island; in fact, it was probably the focus of everyone's attention.