"Zhang Yao! I've always thought of you as a friend too! Why don't you give me a gem as a token of our friendship?" When Luo De saw the gem Zhang Yao handed Doreze, his eyes lit up. He even abandoned his meal and scooted his stool closer to Zhang Yao, looking for all the world as though he wanted one too.
"Get lost! You're an insult to the word friendship!" Before Zhang Yao could speak, Doreze cursed him outright.
"Tch, I wasn't talking to you! What are you getting so worked up for?" Luo De gave Doreze the middle finger and spoke disdainfully.
"Ah! You bastard, you're begging for a beating! This time I'll beat you until even your mother won't recognize you!" With a shout, Doreze lunged at him, and Luo De pounced back without giving an inch. Their after-dinner exercise began at once.
This time, they only stopped once both were bruised and swollen, with no strength left in their bodies. Leaning against the wall, Doreze asked, his words leaking through his swollen mouth, "How much longer until we reach Andal Harbor?"
"Reporting, Captain! We're less than half an hour's sailing from Andal Harbor now," a sailor reported, hurrying over.
"Right. Take a few men and put away all those things that stick out. Every one of you had better keep your wits about you. Don't cause me any trouble!" Doreze nodded and gave his orders.
"Understood, Captain!" After hearing Doreze's instructions, the sailor led several men straight out of the dining room.
"Zhang Yao, come sit over here! You bastard, still breathing? If you are, get over here too!" Doreze staggered to his feet, pulled over a stool, and sat down.
"Fuck! I'll still be alive even after you're dead!" Luo De struggled to get up as well and sat beside Doreze.
"Zhang Yao, Sea Wolf is finished! Have you decided what you're going to do from now on?" Doreze asked Zhang Yao once he had sat beside him.
"Well... I haven't figured that out yet."
Zhang Yao wasn't at all surprised that Doreze knew about his identity. Given the relationship between Luo De and Doreze, Luo De was bound to tell him. It would have been strange if Doreze hadn't known.
"If you don't have anywhere to go for now, why not stay aboard my ship? Don't worry, I definitely won't shortchange you. How about I make you my first mate?" After a brief hesitation, Doreze tentatively put the offer to Zhang Yao.
"Fuck! You fat bastard! You can't poach someone like that! I was planning to bring Zhang Yao into the Free Pirates! This is a matter of basic decency!" Before Zhang Yao could answer, Luo De protested loudly.
"Fuck! I wasn't asking you! What are you getting worked up about?" Doreze turned his head to curse at Luo De, then turned back to Zhang Yao. "What do you say, Zhang Yao? Will you stay and be my first mate?"
"Well, Doreze, you know I'm used to being a pirate. I don't want to change professions so soon. If I ever stop wanting to be a pirate, I'll definitely come find you." Zhang Yao considered for a moment, then tactfully declined Doreze's kind offer.
Zhang Yao had already thought this through. As a Chosen One, his first priority after entering Rodos World was to increase his strength so he could survive more easily. Gaining strength and more experience meant fighting and completing quests! Quests were far too unpredictable for Zhang Yao to consider for now, leaving only combat. If he wanted to fight, he would undoubtedly find more opportunities with a pirate crew than aboard a smuggling ship. That was why he declined Doreze's invitation and planned to see what Luo De's Free Pirates were like.
"Hahaha! You fat bastard, your clever little scheme fell flat, didn't it? How could a true man of the sea give up his dream of the ocean for a mere first mate's title? Zhang Yao, you've undoubtedly made the right choice. Once we reach Andal Harbor, I'll take you to our captain and have him approve your joining the Free Pirates!" After Zhang Yao tactfully turned Doreze down, Luo De became thoroughly pleased with himself. Patting Zhang Yao's shoulder, he laughed heartily and made a gesture at Doreze that said he wasn't up to the task.
"Hmph, a petty man gloating over his triumph!" Doreze muttered a curse, then continued speaking to Zhang Yao. "Then it's settled. When you don't want to be a pirate anymore, you must come aboard my ship. I'll keep the first mate's position open for you!"
"Heh, of course, of course!" Zhang Yao smiled and nodded.
The moon climbed higher and higher. When it reached the middle of the sky, the Moonlight slowly sailed into the waters of Andal Harbor.
The Moonlight came ashore at a secluded stretch of shallows.
When Zhang Yao disembarked and found himself facing a beach instead of the docks he had heard about, he was puzzled at first. Why hadn't the ship docked at the pier? Only when he saw Doreze directing the sailors to carry crates of cargo ashore did realization dawn on him. This was a smuggling ship! Docking at the pier would be courting death!
"Hahaha! Zhang Yao, Luo De, this is as far as I can take you! Zhang Yao, when you get the chance, come find me with Luo De, and we'll have a proper drink together! Luo De, you'd better watch yourself. Don't go losing your life!" Standing at the bow of the Nightglow, Doreze waved to Zhang Yao and Luo De on shore and laughed as he said goodbye.
Luo De kept watching the Nightglow until it sailed into the boundless darkness and vanished from sight. Only then did he turn to Zhang Yao and say, "Let's get moving too!"
"Zhang Yao, your Sea Wolf Pirates usually operated around Ilsa Port, so you don't know much about things here in Andal. Stay close to me. If anyone stops us to ask questions, leave that to me too." As they walked, Luo De gave Zhang Yao these instructions.
"Sure, no problem." Afraid of giving himself away, Zhang Yao was only too glad to have someone handle things for him and immediately nodded in agreement.
Luo De led Zhang Yao across the shallows and through a patch of woods. Suddenly, the view opened up before Zhang Yao, and a town dotted with twinkling lights appeared in front of him.
"Heh, I, Luo De, am back again! Stay close, Zhang Yao. We're almost there!" Seeing the town at night, Luo De chuckled and quickened his pace.
Following behind Luo De, Zhang Yao passed through alleys and narrow paths, slipped past one sentry post after another, and avoided patrol after patrol. After winding this way and that, they arrived at the gate of a rundown little courtyard.
Luo De waved for Zhang Yao to wait, then walked up to the courtyard gate himself and raised his hand to knock.
Knock, knock.
The knocks sounded in a pattern of three long and two short.
"Who is it?" a man's voice asked from inside.
"It's me, Luo De!" Luo De answered softly.
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