Upon obtaining the rare black-grade quest item, "The Still-Beating Heart," Fang Senyan felt a distinct confusion. Two quest branches had clearly opened up here, both pointing toward significant story characters aboard the two legendary warships: the First Mate Old Barry and the Captain Blackbeard. Handing the item to one of them would immediately sever the other branch. Under normal circumstances, although Old Barry, the First Mate on the Flying Dutchman, held an important position, he surely couldn't compare to the immense wealth and status of Blackbeard, the Captain of the Queen Anne's Revenge. Therefore, the reward offered by the latter should be superior.

Yet, Fang Senyan suddenly recalled the plot of Pirates of the Caribbean 4. It clearly depicted Blackbeard as a cold-blooded man so selfish that he would even use his daughter's life as a bargaining chip! To expect generosity from him would likely backfire; there was a real chance that if the price demanded was too high, he might forcibly seize the quest item. Even Jack Sparrow, the protagonist, had been toyed with by Blackbeard using a voodoo doll, let alone himself, a mere temporary Boatswain?

The sea breeze blew gently. Distant plumes of black smoke continued to rise, making the azure ocean appear even more vivid. The setting sun in the distance was a deep crimson, like the dying embers in a furnace that has not yet gone out. Beneath his feet, the massive merchant vessel was slowly sinking into the bottomless, dark abyss, seemingly foreshadowing the final outcome of this regional naval battle. Fang Senyan took a deep breath, returned to the Bell and Glass, quickly bandaged his wounds, felt his strength gradually returning, and then steadily walked into the Captain's cabin.

Several people had already gathered in the cabin. Core figures like Captain Armand and Navigator Charles were naturally present. The temporary Second Mate, Robben, stood nervously in a corner, while the First Mate, Scar Henry, was prominently listed. Despite a white cloth wrapped around his head, his voice boomed like a great bell, and he was clearly engaged in lively conversation, his inherent boldness in no way diminished. However, Fang Senyan noticed the suppressed pain in Scar Henry's occasional frown. Whether it was his imagination or not, Fang Senyan also detected a faint silver light occasionally flickering around Scar Henry, finally condensing and holding steady. Including Fang Senyan, the Boatswain, these individuals constituted the entire decision-making stratum of the Bell and Glass.

Armand first surveyed the room with his usual grim expression, then stated flatly: "Before we proceed, two personnel appointments must be announced. Blind Matt!"

As Armand spoke, the cloth curtain in the inner room was suddenly thrown open, and a man emerged. He had very small, narrow eyes that seemed perpetually squinted. This man had messy flaxen hair covering his forehead and wore a patched, ochre-colored vest, but at his waist hung a Damascus scimitar. Only occasionally, when looking around, did a sharp glint appear, signaling that he was far from an easy opponent.

"From this moment, you are the Bell and Glass's Second Boatswain."

Upon hearing this, Blind Matt tilted his head slightly, seemingly trying to "pierce" Fang Senyan with his gaze. But Fang Senyan was intently focused on his toes, as if countless treasures lay beneath the floorboards, appearing completely unconcerned with this highly pointed appointment.

"Robben!" When Armand uttered these two words, it sounded as if they were squeezed through his teeth, laced with an added layer of coldness. Robben couldn't help but shrink back, stealthily moving closer to Fang Senyan. Armand continued, word by deliberate word: "You have performed adequately as Second Mate; continue in that role. Remember to consult Henry often on matters of duty. If you make a mistake, no one will be able to shield you!"

"As for Sailor Yan, I am deeply disappointed in you! You have betrayed my trust!" Armand finally vented his fury with a roar: "What did you do! Why did the attack on that mere Corpse-Soul result in the loss of three of my elite men! Sea Wolf Shall, Hermit Crab Zel, and Lamar were all veterans who fought alongside me for years, why did they all meet their demise, not a single one surviving? I demand an explanation!"

Fang Senyan bowed slightly, neither subservient nor arrogant, and then replied calmly: "My Lord, if my memory serves me correctly, that 'mere' Corpse-Soul had previously slaughtered no fewer than seventeen elite sailors! That number even included my predecessor, Karon, a warrior of considerable strength. While I am honored by the Captain's trust and regard, I must be entirely honest: eliminating that hell-chewed monster without losing any men whatsoever was a fantastic notion—but it was beyond my current capabilities—especially while simultaneously ensuring we plundered every valuable item from that merchant vessel."

Fang Senyan adopted a humble posture, but his counter-attack was razor-sharp, subtly implying that Armand had set him up first. Although Armand was highly wary and cautious of Fang Senyan, he could not deny that this Sailor Yan from the East was a rare talent. He harbored thoughts of winning him over to his side. Therefore, after delivering a verbal reprimand, and despite knowing there was foul play involved in the deaths of the three confidantes, he merely snorted, crossed his arms, and fell silent. Scar Henry, reading the situation, deftly steered the conversation toward business: "Although we currently hold a significant advantage, having sunk one enemy warship and two large trade vessels, those damned Spanish have dispatched a relief fleet, so we had to abandon the pursuit. It is estimated that this naval battle will conclude soon, after which all pirates will convene for an assembly to tally and distribute the spoils. Since we were the first among all pirate factions to engage in boarding and close-quarters combat, our manpower losses this time were heavy, but we have earned immense honor, secured considerable gains, and truly established the reputation of our Bell and Glass!"

At this, Scar Henry let out a hearty laugh, his expression buoyant, yet carrying a hint of regret that he couldn't explicitly show—clearly vexed at missing the chance to fight personally. However, if he had been present, Fang Senyan might not have been able to demonstrate his organizational and command advantages, and the Bell and Glass might well have lost the engagement. "The Captain and I have estimated that our ship accounts for a full forty percent of the total salvage from the entire battlefield. This means that, before the assembly, even the three great legendary pirate ships will have to consider our standing! Therefore, we must devise a strategy to ensure the fame of the 'Sons of the Black Sea' resonates throughout the Caribbean!"

Upon hearing these words, everyone present naturally felt energized. The greater Captain Armand's fame, the higher the pirate status of their own ship would rise, much like how executive search firms offer higher compensation packages when poaching employees from Fortune 500 companies in the real world. Nevertheless, although Fang Senyan was no less skilled than anyone else in political maneuvering, he knew he was largely ignorant of the customs and rules governing the pirates in the Caribbean at this time. Speaking rashly might lead to making a fool of himself, so he wisely stood aside and remained silent, yet this left others with the impression that he knew when to advance and when to retreat based on the situation.

While the group was deep in earnest discussion, seven cannon blasts suddenly echoed from the distance across the sea. These shots were fired with remarkable regularity, like the beat of a drum. Immediately following, similar cannon sounds were heard sequentially. Soon after, the Bell and Glass responded with seven warning shots, which reverberated long across the vast and beautiful Caribbean Sea. Seeing the relief in the faces of everyone in the Captain's cabin, Fang Senyan simultaneously received a prompt from the Nightmare Mark:

"Contractor No. 1018 has successfully exited the historical scenario battlefield: The Fall of the Spanish Armada (Prologue)."

"Participating Vessel Count: British Allied Faction (2 British Warships + 13 Pirate Ships), Spanish Armada Faction (7 Spanish Armada Warships + 3 Merchant Ships). The Spanish received three warship reinforcements sequentially."

"Total of eight teams, thirty-nine Contractors participated in this battlefield."

"Entering Battlefield Statistics."

"Analyzing..."

"You directly killed three Spanish Armada sailors, indirectly killed eighty-four Spanish Armada sailors."

"You inflicted 38 points of direct damage and 698 points of indirect damage upon the Corpse-Soul's chewing ear." (Damage inflicted using abilities inherent to yourself, or weapons equipped on body parts, is recognized as direct damage. If the fire that burned the Corpse-Soul was one of Fang Senyan's abilities, then it would be included in direct damage.)

"Your battlefield contribution score is: 1139 points."

"Your individual battlefield contribution ranking is: First."

"Your overall battlefield contribution ranking is: Sixth." ................... Recommending a friend's book: Fist is Lonely, an online game novel in the 'Master is Lonely' genre. Friends who are interested should not miss it. (To be continued, please visit for the latest chapters:.)