The quickest updates and most complete collection of novels can be found on the novel website. Just as I am guessing your plan, you should also be guessing mine—and you should be guessing it almost perfectly based on the carefully leaked clues. Throughout this night, the scenarios you desire are continuously unfolding: Charles and Blind Matt leading their teams, followed by the elite reinforcement I command, Scar Henry. The defensive forces aboard both the Bell and Goblet and the Sea Serpent have been almost entirely drawn away. The only remaining threat, the largest and most intense one, is Armand! The moment he leaves his cabin by a hundred meters—no, even fifty meters—you could clear his room out as cleanly as if a dog had licked it, and leave this cursed world unscathed.

The entire focus hinges on when Armand will leave this ship. The only plausible moment is when we return from our raid on shore, whether laden with success or crushed by defeat. As the captain of a pirate vessel, one cannot merely charge into the vanguard and then justify remaining on the ship, acting like a privileged spectator while the heroes return bloodied. But for the victorious, war-worn heroes to return and find you casually enjoying yourself aboard—that is indefensible by any logic. Clearly, Armand understands this basic principle of winning loyalty; otherwise, he wouldn't hold the position of one of the Seven Pirate Kings—this must be the singular opportunity you have been desperately hoping for!

Seeing this, Kerry’s plump face cycled from green to pale, and back again! Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, thoroughly soaking his hair. He didn't even bother to wipe it away; his heart felt as if it had plunged into an ice cellar! He never imagined that the person he was trying to outmaneuver was such a fiend, a devil who could read minds! He gasped audibly a few times, frantically continuing to read on.

……. Here I must regretfully inform you, the chance you await will never come.

I have deliberately revealed numerous pieces of information indicating that "my current position was hard-won," leading you to believe that acquiring the position of Boatswain was arduous, that I value it highly, and that I intend to climb higher using it. I trust this impression is firmly set in your mind.

However, what I truly intend to convey is this: to gain something, you must be willing to sacrifice something. If I were unwilling to relinquish the position of Boatswain and the prestige I have painstakingly built aboard the Bell and Goblet, how could I have so cleverly positioned you as my most crucial piece?

I am destined to betray Armand.

During this very expedition.

Therefore, Armand will never receive news of our successful return. The only message he will ever receive, in his eager anticipation, will be the devastating news of my treachery—regardless of how well my plan executes, whether the outcome is success or failure, survival or death—I will betray him, utterly and completely.

So, for you, Mr. Kerry, who remains aboard as a hostage under the pretext of being a "blood-brother" and "life-debtor," I trust your rich imagination can conjure the horrific methods of torture the enraged Armand will use to vent his fury upon your flesh.

For the sake of his father’s soul's peace and a ten-pound reward, Long-Legged Robben has at least an 88.4% chance of faithfully executing my command: delivering this letter to you precisely two hours after departure. By now, I may be dead, or perhaps alive somewhere else in this world, but that is irrelevant to you. What matters is that I have undeniably moved to betray Armand, and it is highly likely that the great Son of the Black Sea has already received this unfortunate news—so for your safety, Mr. Kerry, please strain your ears carefully for footsteps outside the cabin; they are likely those of the men Armand has sent to apprehend you.

For the sake of those two gold sovereigns, here is my final piece of advice to you:

Detonate the bombs aboard immediately, create massive chaos, and then jump into the sea!

The greater the explosion, the more thoroughly the Bell and Goblet is destroyed, the weaker the pursuit force will be, and the higher your chances of survival. Of course, if you are obstinate and refuse to detonate the charges, choosing instead to flee directly, I can assure you the sharp-witted pirates will drag you out of the water within a minute—and that is assuming Armand isn't personally involved.

Believe me, while soaking in this icy water in this weather is certainly no pleasure, it is infinitely preferable to experiencing the pirates' various cruel tortures firsthand. As long as a man lives, there is hope, wouldn't you agree?

Your loyal friend/cousin/savior/creditor, The Sailor Yan from the East Respectfully

Ten seconds after Kerry finished reading the letter, footsteps sounded outside his cabin.

These footsteps were neither hurried nor loud. Yet, Kerry’s pupils immediately constricted. This reaction was not just panic; it was laced with profound terror!

Fang Senyan’s letter had not only shattered his confidence but had turned the man into a jumpy bird. His fragile nerves, stimulated by disappointment, alarm, frustration, and other negative emotions, were reaching a critical point just shy of complete breakdown!

Even though the source of the footsteps was merely a pirate heading to the lower deck to fetch some clothes and passing by.

What happened next was utterly straightforward. Kerry triggered a small-scale explosion, blasting open the side of his cabin facing the sea, and then leaped into the frigid water. Since he had a full seven days beforehand to contemplate an escape via the water, he naturally had prepared gear and supplies for underwater acceleration and breathing.

Twenty seconds later—the frantic pirates guarding the door were still running to report to the Captain’s quarters. Kerry, having swum nearly a hundred meters, gritted his teeth and detonated all the psychic bombs he had placed aboard the Bell and Goblet! Though he desperately didn't want to follow Fang Senyan’s instructions, he had no choice; he had to. Kerry sensed Armand’s terror—even though the man had never truly revealed his full strength!

And thus came the scene witnessed firsthand by Fang Senyan and Scar Henry aboard the ship.

…………………………..

Raging fire burned fiercely upon the sea surface. The combustion was so intense and torrential that ashes and residual debris were violently thrown upward by the rising hot air, appearing exceptionally tragic and mournful. Such a grand spectacle stunned the three remaining pirates into dumbfounded silence; even the perpetrator, Fang Senyan, felt a degree of surprise he hadn't entirely anticipated.

The all-consuming fire undoubtedly stoked the flames of Fang Senyan’s ambition, yet it utterly incinerated the hopes of certain others. Scar Henry stared blankly at the distant sea, the color rapidly draining from his face. In that instant, he lost all motivation to move forward!

A person, so long as they have something to protect in their heart, can unleash every potential within their life to push forward against adversity. Scar Henry, already heavily wounded, had only managed to sustain his fierce and arrogant rampage through sheer willpower fueled by this belief. But upon witnessing such a colossal destruction, all the pain and injuries he had forcefully suppressed erupted simultaneously! Everything he sought to guard, everything he fought for, had instantly turned to nothingness, completely annihilated! (At this time, the emotional bond between a captain and seasoned sailors toward their ship is unimaginable; some view their vessel as a wife or children. In Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Captain Jack Sparrow said: a captain should go down with his ship.)

This final blow orchestrated by Fang Senyan was aimed at the spirit rather than the body; it utterly crushed Scar Henry’s will to fight. His old comrade, who had weathered tens of thousands of miles of storms with him, was destroyed on the spot. The fate of the one he swore allegiance to was life-or-death unknown, leaving more than half of his life shattered! Furthermore, he was already suffering from massive injuries that should have caused any ordinary man to collapse long ago. Scar Henry clenched his fists tightly, stood firm at the bow, letting the Caribbean wind sweep across his cheek, and slowly closed his eyes.

This was the source of Fang Senyan’s confidence! Once Armand let him ashore, the destruction of the Bell and Goblet was virtually a certainty. He would be the eternal winner—at worst, he would be ostracized and hunted by all the Bell and Goblet crew members who made it to shore! But don't forget, a previous mission noted: the pirates of the Caribbean are a people who revere strength. Whether you show them kindness or malice—anything that leaves a deep impression on them will boost your reputation among them!

Undoubtedly, orchestrating the explosion of the Bell and Goblet would elevate his standing among the pirates to a new height!

Therefore, even if the worst scenario occurred, Fang Senyan would still reap substantial rewards! And the probability of such an event was slim!

Fang Senyan stood five meters away from Scar Henry. Although all his conditions had returned to their optimal state, consuming that unrefined Blood Orchid Extract carried a significant side effect: ten minutes after ingestion, all attributes would drop by 33%. Fang Senyan always calculated based on the worst possible outcome for his opponents. If Scar Henry maintained that berserk state, he genuinely wasn't confident of finishing the fight within ten minutes. So, if even the ultimate gambit—destroying the Bell and Goblet—failed to break Scar Henry, then Fang Senyan would truly have to consider escape.

The sea breeze blew softly. Scar Henry’s eyes dimmed. His heart struggled and spasmed one last time, then finally gave way under the burden and stopped beating.

………. Oceanic Era Year 233, May 11:17:03 PM

First Mate of the Bell and Goblet Scar Henry Died Aged Forty-Seven

……….

Although Scar Henry had stopped breathing, he remained standing at the bow, eyes wide open, looking as if he could lash out violently at any moment. Even in death, he appeared ferocious and untamed, possessing an unnerving charisma. From his person dropped a conch shell shining with silver light, which rolled to Fang Senyan’s feet. Fang Senyan casually picked it up, sensing an indescribable power contained within! Besides this, the silver rapier belonging to Armand, which Scar Henry had carried, also fell to the ground, but it was dull and lifeless.

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