With barely a flicker of effort, Ye Chen dropped more than a dozen pirates in the blink of an eye. Bulu's face changed. He hesitated, then gritted his teeth and charged.
Bluejam closed in and brought his saber down toward Ye Chen's head, but Ye Chen vanished like a gust of wind. While Bluejam stood stunned, a foot slammed into his backside.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa..."
Unable to stop, Bluejam stumbled forward a dozen steps before finding his balance. When he turned around, there was no one behind him. "Where'd he go?"
"Ow..."
Something struck the top of his head, making Bluejam cry out in pain. He had just looked up when a dark figure shot down from above, followed by a blinding flash of steel.
Ye Chen had barely landed when Bluejam fell heavily behind him. Ye Chen had struck so fast that Bluejam died without knowing what had happened.
Ye Chen found a place nearby and slept. At first light, he grabbed a quick bite and decided to leave Foosha Village by sea. After wandering along the shore for a while, he finally came across a small boat.
Ye Chen boarded and tossed the boatman a few gold coins. The man wore a straw hat that hid his face, but Ye Chen paid it no mind.
The boatman had a deep voice. He had not planned to go out to sea, but the generous payment changed his mind.
Ye Chen had no destination in mind. He simply felt there was no reason to stay in Foosha Village. He had no crew yet, not even a battered ship. Once the Small Boat had pulled away from shore and the boatman had rowed for a while, he asked quietly, "Where are you headed, young man?"
"Any island will do. Don't worry,