Hawkins was not actually in a hurry to leave. He rather enjoyed talking with the two Marines.
He had not communicated with any living creature for a hundred billion years. The last time had been when he discovered a living planet amid the vast universe. On that planet, he had played the role of a god, guiding intelligent life to forge its own civilization, while also witnessing with his own eyes as that planet, like Earth, marched toward destruction.
"Are you wondering whether I am worthy of your trust? How about this? I can pay first, and then you can find a way to let me leave."
Hawkins saw the hesitation in the two Marines. He rose and walked to the cage, fished Gold Coins out of his hair, and extended them beyond the bars.
His hair was long, tangled, and filthy, yet it was braided into many small plaits. The Gold Coins had been hidden within those braids, a small trump card his predecessor had kept for himself.
Though money was not omnipotent, it often had enormous uses—for example, bribery.
This method had not been invented by Hawkins, but by his father, Huo Blackblade. Huo Blackblade had once been arrested by the guards of Blackwood Island for causing trouble while drunk. He had hidden gold in his hair and bribed the guards, thus escaping a disaster of imprisonment.
The two Marines looked at the gleaming Gold Coins and subconsciously swallowed. At last, they exchanged glances, nodded faintly upon reaching an agreement, and each accepted the coins.
"Captain Hawkins, we will find an opportunity to let you leave, but it cannot be now." After taking the Gold Coins, Tom's tone immediately softened as he spoke to Hawkins in a low voice.
The pockmarked Marine objected, "No, this is merely compensation for killing my father. Unless you can produce another twenty Gold Coins, we will not help you!"
"What a pity. I have no extra Gold Coins left." Hawkins sighed.
The pockmarked Marine sneered. "Then wait to be hanged!"
"Do you know? Life never truly dies, but every choice it makes produces a different outcome. Our meeting was a twist of fate, but unfortunately, that fate ends here. You chose wrongly." Hawkins looked regretfully at the pockmarked Marine and spoke without haste or agitation.
The pockmarked Marine scoffed. "Is this your final threat?"
"No. I merely regret that you cannot become my friends. That is all."
Hawkins neither showed fury at their going back on their word nor any intention of raising the stakes in further negotiations. After saying that, he turned back to look at the hull.
There were no windows in the cell, but there were in fact tiny gaps between the wooden planks.
"A storm is coming."
Hawkins's nose twitched as he muttered to himself. Then he closed his eyes and simply lay down to sleep.
About two hours later, the pockmarked Marine went to relieve himself. Tom turned around and whispered, "Captain Hawkins, you owe me nothing. If there is an opportunity, I will find a way to let you leave. Please wait patiently."
Tom shook his head. "James will not report it. He took your Gold Coins too, and reporting it would do him no good."
"Very good. Then I shall await good news!" Hawkins said with a smile.
Tom turned away with a faint sinister smile. He had no intention of letting Hawkins out, but he knew it was necessary to keep Hawkins steady. Otherwise, who knew what Hawkins might do in his despair?
Important people had the wisdom of important people; little people had the cunning of little people.
Compared with the straightforward pockmarked Marine, Tom often frequented taverns and markets. He was far more slick and slippery. Even if he took the money and did nothing, he would not easily reveal it. In truth, he had never intended from beginning to end to let Hawkins leave. After all, he had a whole family to support. He could not possibly follow Hawkins into piracy.
"What a world, declining with every passing day..."
Lying in the cell, Hawkins glanced at Tom and sighed inwardly.
Everyone had countless possible fates, but not every fate allowed them to meet the same people and obtain the same outcome.
He was willing to give anyone a chance, but unfortunately, not everyone knew how to seize one.
At that moment, thunder rumbled. The Vidalya Glory began to sway from side to side, the rocking growing increasingly violent.
Tom hurriedly blew out the oil lamps on both sides, lest an accident start a fire.
The cabin became pitch-black. Tom nervously glanced toward Hawkins's cell, wondering why James had not returned yet.
"Are you wondering why James still has not come back?"
Suddenly, Hawkins's voice came from the darkness. Though there was no change in his voice, for some reason Tom began to tremble with fear.
Hawkins closed his eyes and sighed. "Do you know? The human body is actually terribly primitive. If my consciousness is a computer operating system, then your consciousness is, at best, a calculator. Sorry, you probably cannot understand what I am saying. As for James... naturally, he has gone to carry out what we agreed upon."
"No, no, no! How could James possibly help you? Do not think you can fool me!" Realizing the severity of the situation, Tom loudly denied it.
Yet his instincts told him that Hawkins was speaking the truth.
No!
James absolutely could not be allowed to do something foolish!
He turned to leave, only to crash into a ship's pillar in the darkness. With a pained expression, he crouched down and covered his nose with both hands.
Many times, people did not know what they needed, nor did they know what they had accepted.
If the human body was like a computer, then consciousness was its operating system.
Without question, Hawkins's consciousness was like that of the finest hacker, while Tom and James's consciousnesses were like unguarded home computers.
When Tom and James took the Gold Coins, Hawkins had used physical contact to implant Mind Viruses into their bodies.
If the two of them had released him as agreed, then after leaving, he would have removed the Mind Viruses lurking within them. Unfortunately, both had gone back on their word and had no intention of honoring their agreement, so he had no choice but to activate the Mind Viruses.
Different people had different resistance to Mind Viruses. Clearly, James's resistance was weaker than Tom's.
In truth, James had not gone to relieve himself. His consciousness had already been occupied by the Thought Virus, and he had completely become Hawkins's puppet. He had successfully stolen the cell key from the boatswain and was now hurrying toward the cell.
Hawkins still lay in the cell, smiling. "Terror, unease, bewilderment—these negative emotions will only bring you closer to death. Mr. Tom, it was a pleasure meeting you. Then... if fate allows, we shall meet again!"
The moment he finished speaking, Tom, crouching on the ground, shuddered all over. His thoughts were completely occupied by the Thought Virus.
Just then, James returned. He quickly stepped forward and opened the cell door, saying respectfully, "Captain Hawkins, because of the storm, all the Marines have returned to their rooms. There are only a few sailors outside. Now is the best time to escape. Let us go quickly."
"Mm, and release all my dear subordinates while you are at it." Hawkins nodded gently.
He did not believe he had killed anyone, because no consciousness ever truly died. Whether Tom or James, their consciousnesses still existed in parallel universes and would continue to exist until one day they became consciousness entities like him.
Because there were infinite possibilities, perhaps one day in the future, they might truly have the chance to meet again. But he believed that would be a very long time from now.
James swiftly opened the other cells. The first mate, second mate, and boatswain emerged one after another. Their eyes glimmered with a ghostly light, and each of them greeted Hawkins upon seeing him.
"All right, let us go." Hawkins smiled.
The Vidalya Glory was rocking violently, but it did not greatly affect pirates who had lived at sea year-round.
Just as James had said, because of the storm, all the Marines had returned to their rooms. The passageway was completely deserted. Hawkins and the others crossed the dark corridor and climbed onto the deck.
Amid the wind and rain, several sailors were desperately hauling ropes. The gale carried enormous waves that continuously battered the hull, and due to the Black Knife's chains pulling at it, the entire ship was tilted sharply.
"Pirates! The Son of Pirates has escaped!!"
A sharp-eyed sailor spotted Hawkins and the others stepping onto the deck and shouted in terror, but his voice was quickly swallowed by the wind, rain, thunder, and crashing waves.
Hawkins noticed him and smiled faintly amid the storm. He gave the adorable young sailor a gentle wave, then turned and headed toward the stern.