When the captain pushed the delivery papers back in front of Bai Jin, the harbor's ship-blocking chain had just been lowered, and the third merchant ship preparing to sail had also lowered its sails.
"I can make this run. My crew won't go."
He pointed toward the outer side of the harbor. Heaven Dou's patrol boat lay behind the eastern buoy, while the flag of Star Luo Coastal Defense flew farther out. Both sides were inspecting and impounding ordinary merchant ships coming ashore for supplies. The Spirit Hall Empire's harbor vessels had yet to cross the boundary markers, but the people on deck could already see grappling lines being readied opposite them.
The departure scheduled four days earlier was due today. Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan had escorted the medicine chest all the way to the harbor. Its seals were exactly as they had been when it left the warehouse in Spirit City. Qian Renxue had come too, her right palm still wrapped in a medicated bandage. She held the coastal chart only in her left hand.
Bai Jin did not reach for the pen the captain had pushed back. "Where can't we get through?"
"The original route runs along Heaven Dou's supply ports. With a favorable wind, we can arrive in thirty-four days. Now, entering means opening our hold for inspection. They've already detained two ships carrying salt." The captain pointed to the outer edge of the chart. "If we switch to the Deepwater Route we've sailed before, it'll take around thirty-six days. We skip the coastal supply ports, but the offshore waypoints and the approach to the island stay the same. We'll need two extra rounds of water and medicinal paper. If the empire sends warships to escort us, the other side will have even more reason