Ranger Engels

Cutlass Harbor, Sea Warrior Bar.

Facing Cutlass Harbor's harbor square directly, with a clear view of ships arriving or setting sail, it had become the largest gathering place for pirates in Cutlass Harbor.

Many unaffiliated pirates ordered a cheap mug of ale every day and gazed expectantly toward the harbor.

They hoped to join a powerful pirate ship, pursue wealth, fame, and power, and write an epic of their own.

As a result, this place had also become the best choice for pirate ships short of sailors to recruit new hands.

At that moment, large numbers of sailors had gathered in several corners of the harbor square. Without a doubt, pirate ships were recruiting.

Suddenly, a shout rang out: "Quick, quick, quick! The [Black Pearl]'s people are here! Come on, lads!"

In an instant, most of the sailors in the square followed the shout and gathered over there.

"[Black Pearl]? Whose ship is that? I don't think I've heard of it. Why's it drawing such a crowd?"

"Damn! You must be new here, kid. You don't even know the [Black Pearl]?"

"The [Black Pearl] has been recruiting crew every day these past two days. They take on dozens of sailors a day, and the pay is top-notch."

"What? Why haven't I heard of this [Black Pearl]?"

"Doesn't matter if you haven't. See the biggest ship in the harbor? That's the [Black Pearl]."

"Right. The [Black Pearl]'s captain has only just made his debut, but he's already a Great Pirate with a bounty of 400 gold coins."

"400 gold coins! There can't be more than a handful of Tier 2 captains in all of Cutlass Harbor with a bounty like that."

"Hey, I'm going."

"Wait for me. I'm coming too..."

Within moments, practically all the sailors in the square had gathered around Lewis, Hans, and the others who had come to recruit sailors for the [Black Pearl].

The recruiters from the other pirate ships looked at the handful of dregs left behind, their faces turning livid.

Inside the bar, Dunn, Annie, and Green sat at a table, watching what was happening outside.

"Aren't we drawing a little too much attention?" Annie asked Dunn with a frown as she looked at the sour faces of the recruiters from the other ships.

"With our circumstances, keeping a low profile isn't really possible, is it?" Dunn said rather helplessly. He wanted to keep a low profile too, but circumstances simply wouldn't allow it.

The moment the [Black Pearl] entered the harbor, it had drawn everyone's attention. Of the dozens of pirate ships docked in Cutlass Harbor, aside from the [Black Swan], which belonged to the Pirate King and was responsible for managing Cutlass Harbor, all the other pirate ships looked like children who had yet to grow up beside the [Black Pearl].

What was more, they had started recruiting sailors in large numbers as soon as they arrived. The whole of Cutlass Harbor might not even see 200 sailors recruited in a month.

Normally, a large pirate ship like the [Black Pearl], left with only twenty-odd crew and barely able to sail, could do little but sit and wait to die.

That was indeed the case. If not for Dunn's career ability, they would probably still have been stuck at Greenleaf Island.

"Besides, we have you with us."

At Dunn's words, Annie immediately looked embarrassed.

Annie was a beauty. There was no doubt about that. Even without seeing her Career Card, Dunn could roughly guess that her charisma attribute was 14.

The limit of charisma for an ordinary human was 15 points. In other words, beauty alone could reach no higher than 15. Those who exceeded 15 generally had the enhancement of a special bloodline.

With 14 points of charisma, Annie fell one point short of a perfect 15, but she could still be considered an outstanding beauty anywhere.

Such beauty would inevitably attract everyone's attention anywhere else, let alone in Cutlass Harbor, which was full of pirates.

Over their few days in Cutlass Harbor, Green had already taught two or three groups of pirates who didn't know better a lesson.

By now, the entire island knew that a stunning beauty who was not to be trifled with had arrived.

It just so happened that the Captain's Council was currently in session, and the island's Tier 3 pirates had all gone to Thune Island, where the Pirate King was, to attend it.

Otherwise, Dunn would never have let Annie set so much as one foot outside her cabin.

"Look, here comes more trouble." Noticing someone walking toward them, Dunn gestured at him with his chin as he spoke to Annie.

"Oh, today truly is my lucky day, to meet such a beautiful lady." The newcomer was a young man carrying a bow on his back. He approached Annie and gave her a gentleman's bow.

Unexpectedly, it was a perfectly proper gentleman's bow. In this pirate-infested place, a man with a touch of refinement had abruptly appeared.

He would undoubtedly leave people with a somewhat favorable impression.

The good manners instilled by her noble upbringing made Annie smile at the man instinctively.

"Beautiful lady, my name is Engels. As you can see, I am a Ranger. Might I have the honor of knowing your name?" Engels said to Annie, lightly patting the bow on his back.

Ranger was a Tier 2 agility-oriented profession advanced from the traditional profession Rogue, proficient in weapons such as blades, swords, bows, and crossbows.

Rangers were also relatively common on the Sea. After all, out on the vast Sea, ranged attacks remained the best option in battles between ships.

Moreover, as a traditional profession, Rangers faced no particular constraints on further advancement.

"Annie Bole." As the saying went, one did not strike a smiling face. Faced with Engels's rather gentlemanly behavior, Annie could only respond with a smile.

"What a beautiful name. Miss Annie, I am currently an unaffiliated pirate. Might I have the honor of serving aboard the same ship as a beauty like you?"

"You'll have to ask my captain about that. I don't have the authority to decide." Annie raised her hand and pointed at Dunn beside her, giving him a smug look that said, See? My beauty does have its advantages.

Only then did Engels, whose gaze had remained firmly fixed on Annie all this time, finally turn toward Dunn.

"Captain Dunn, I've been hearing your name everywhere lately. Might I have the honor of joining you?"

"Well, well, I thought Mr. Engels was going to keep ignoring me." Dunn, who had been watching the show, looked at Engels with a smile.

"You jest. Isn't it only natural for a beauty as dazzling as the sun, like Miss Annie, to hold someone's gaze?" Even as he spoke, Engels's eyes kept drifting toward Annie.

He looked every bit a man beguiled by beauty, willing to accept whatever terms they offered.

Dunn watched Engels for a long while without speaking, as though lost in thought.

Engels also closed his mouth, though his eyes still darted toward Annie from time to time.

After a long silence, Dunn suddenly gave a warm smile and extended a hand toward Engels. "You are most welcome, Mr. Ranger."