Chapter 2348 Ghost Shipyard <TOC> Chapter 2350 Concocting
Translator: SumTLMan
Wandering through a forest shrouded in mist, Captain Barlow with his grand beard and the slender Birch moved at a brisk pace, the scene before them a blend of deep shadows and blurs.
It was normal for Birch to move quickly; after all, he frequently visited this place to meet with Little Flea. Barlow’s speed was even more remarkable, overtaking Birch, which revealed his familiarity with Dock 1.
This familiarity made even Birch feel somewhat inferior. “Captain, how come you seem to know this place better than I do? Haven’t you given up yet?”
Barlow turned his head, continuing to stride through the forest, “Given up what?”
“The takeover of Dock 1.”
Barlow paused for a second, then proceeded unaffected, “Dock 1 is ideally located, backed by a fertile plain. Those pirates have no clue about farming; it’s a sheer waste of resources.”
“So, the captain is indeed still fixated on it. No wonder you’re so familiar with this place; you must have come here often.”
“Hmph,” Barlow snorted through his nose but didn’t deny it.
He didn’t want to dwell on it, but as long as the mist persisted, there was no hope of leaving the island soon. If they were to survive on this dreary island for an extended period, naturally, he wanted a better living place.
But… it was a reluctant acceptance of the inevitable.
“If it really comes to taking over Dock 1, be careful not to drag Little Flea into it.”
“I’m well aware of that. However…” Barlow paused, “If that day comes, I reckon Little Flea would have already been taken by us. After all, taking Little Flea is something I’m not so adamant about.”
Little Flea was a doctor, and he didn’t board the Broken Blood voluntarily. Given Barlow’s adherence to a knight’s code, it was plausible to take Little Flea.
“Enough talk, we’re nearing their rear cabin. There’s usually someone on guard there. If they hear us, we’ll have to flee.”
They cautiously made their way through the misty forest, and in less than a few meters, they saw a bright light through the mist, with a large arch-shaped silhouette behind it, Dock 1.
Tiptoeing a few more steps, Barlow whispered to Birch, “There’s usually someone guarding the rear cabin door. You wait here behind this tree, and I’ll go check who it is.”
Birch nodded, hiding behind a dark tree, silently waiting.
Soon, Barlow returned quietly, a trace of joy in his eyes: “Today, it’s Half-Ear on guard, and we’re in luck, Scarface is with him.”
Scarface and Half-Ear? Who are they, and why does the captain seem to know them well?
“Scarface was a lascivious man who, after standing guard for a while, would often sneak off to The Pigpen. Half-Ear, on the other hand, was very diligent in his duties, but he was particularly suspicious. I had played a trick on him before, targeting this weakness, and I should have no problem doing it again this time.”
Birch watched silently as Barlow spoke with certainty. He really wanted to ask, “Captain, how many times have you secretly come to Dock 1, to the point where you even know the guards’ nicknames and have a good grasp of their personalities?”
Because Barlow seemed so confident, Birch also felt reassured, thinking that the worst-case scenario would be getting caught and then just running away, which shouldn’t be a problem for him…
Under Barlow’s lead, they hid behind a large rock near the rear cabin.
From there, they could see two people near the hatchway not far away. One had a scar on his face and was lazily sitting on the threshold, staring blankly at the torch above; the other had a notch in his right ear, presumably Half-Ear. Although he was also leaning against the wall, his eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings, and he occasionally listened intently, showing a high level of alertness.
After waiting behind the rock for half an hour, Scarface, just as Barlow had said, became restless. He occasionally knocked on his crotch and his gaze kept drifting towards the door.
A few minutes later, Scarface stood up, said a few words to Half-Ear, and then walked towards the door, presumably heading to the pigpen.
Now, only Half-Ear was left, and his vigilance increased. Previously, he was just looking around, but now he kept turning his head to observe all directions.
“How are we going to get in with him being so vigilant?” Birch whispered softly.
“Don’t worry, I have a plan. Because of Scarface’s departure, Half-Ear is now on high alert, but he won’t be able to maintain it for long. Let’s wait a few more minutes until his vigilance drops slightly, then I’ll make my move.”
“Make your move? Are you going to knock him out? Won’t that cause any trouble?”
“No need to knock him out, just watch me.”
Hearing Barlow speak so confidently, Birch believed in him.
Ten minutes later, Barlow began to move. He quietly went in the opposite direction, into the depths of the dense forest, up to some mischief.
After a while, Birch heard a familiar sound.
“Susususu——”
Birch suddenly looked up. Wasn’t this the secret signal he and Little Flea had used when they met?
“Three long, two short, three rapid… No, it’s not a rapid sound, it should be a short, fine sound. This isn’t the signal for meeting.”
As Birch was puzzled, he saw Half-Ear’s face light up with surprise in the distance, muttering, “That’s the sound, it’s here again, it must be the spy’s signal. I have to see who the spy is. If I catch the spy and tell Manfred, I can… hehe…”
As he spoke, Half-Ear quickly dashed into the dark dense forest.
Not long after Half-Ear disappeared, Barlow emerged from the mist, stood in front of the gate, and waved towards the direction of the large rock.
Birch, though reluctant to proceed, realized that having come this far, he did not want to give up halfway. Gritting his teeth, he charged forward.
“What are you dilly-dallying for? That fool won’t be back anytime soon; we have enough time to make a round trip to the pigpen,” Barlow said, then turned and entered the hatchway ahead of Birch.
Following Barlow, Birch noticed that Barlow was still very familiar with the interior of the dock, as if he were returning to his own home.
This indicated that Barlow had probably entered this place before.
As Birch followed Barlow, he asked doubtfully, “I thought I heard the secret signal used when meeting with Little Flea just now, and then you left halfway through. Captain, what’s going on?”
Barlow candidly replied, “I imitated it.”
“What?”
As they walked, Barlow explained, and Birch gradually understood the situation.
It turned out that Birch and Little Flea met too frequently, occasionally producing regular insect chirping sounds. Although it did not attract widespread attention, Half-Ear, a person of great suspicion, noticed it.
A suspicious person thinks a lot. He always vaguely guessed that there might be an internal spy communicating with the outside, using insect chirping as a secret signal. But since it was just a speculation without concrete evidence, it couldn’t make much of a splash. Therefore, he had long wanted to catch this “imaginary” spy he had concocted.
Barlow, seeing through Half-Ear’s thoughts, had once imitated the secret signal used by Birch and Little Flea during their meetings, fooling Half-Ear.
This time, he naturally took advantage of the opponent’s mindset.
“So, Half-Ear might have noticed my meetings with Little Flea?” Birch asked in surprise and doubt.
“It’s just a suspicion, but Half-Ear hasn’t discovered Little Flea’s identity yet, and I will distract him for you, so you don’t need to worry for now. If you’re really concerned, you can change the secret signal next time you meet with Little Flea.”
Birch naturally believed the captain’s words, but…
“Does that mean, Captain, that you’ve also been following me and Little Flea’s meetings?”
Barlow’s gaze shifted: “Just occasionally, occasionally.”
“Occasionally?”
“Ah, come on, I’m doing this to scout the strength on Manfred’s side, and besides, I’ve also distracted Half-Ear for you guys. Why fuss over such details? Moreover, I didn’t know about the woman’s matter that Little Flea mentioned to you this time, which proves I don’t eavesdrop every time.”
Birch glared at Barlow, holding his breath. He had always thought Captain Barlow was rather upright in his dealings, but he hadn’t expected him to be such a person in secret!
Barlow slapped Birch hard on the head: “Ah, this is for the greater plan, not just for the future capture of Dock 1, but I’m also secretly assessing Little Flea.”
Despite being a member of the Broken Blood crew, Little Flea had not seen Birch for some time. Human hearts are fickle, and while Barlow trusted Birch, he did not necessarily trust Little Flea. Therefore, a significant reason Barlow accompanied Birch was to observe Little Flea.
Barlow had been reluctant to express his concerns in front of Birch, but upon being pressed, he revealed his thoughts.
Birch was not foolish and understood Barlow’s meaning, though it left him feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
“Now, don’t get carried away with your thoughts. We are still in enemy territory. If we are not careful and something goes wrong, I will hang you from the ship’s bow to dry for three to five days before you can come down,” Barlow said, bringing Birch back to reality from his thoughts. They were indeed in the enemy’s lair, where no mistakes could be afforded.
With a heightened sense of danger, Birch became much more vigilant than before.
The pigpen was not far from the rear cabin door, only about a hundred meters away.
Under Barlow’s experienced guidance, they walked on solid ground that made little noise, occasionally hiding in the shadows to avoid any gazes that might be cast their way.
It took them roughly two minutes to reach the pigpen.
The pigpen was an area enclosed by a fence, with several large shed-like partitions inside. From outside the fence, it was clear to see several women inside, lying on straw and large leaf beds in the partitions. These women were dressed in extremely revealing clothes, their hands shackled, and their bodies filthy. The air was filled with a stench of sweat and mold.
Their eyes were dull and lifeless, and they seemed to lack the energy even to shoo away insects crawling on them, like ‘pigs’ devoid of thought.
Indeed, they were treated like pigs by Manfred’s people, which is why the place was called a pigpen.
This was evidently Birch’s first time seeing such a scene, and his eyes were filled with shock. Although he had heard about the pigpen from Little Flea and had an idea of what it entailed, he had assumed it was similar to the situation of the women on the streets of Sidro Island, whose status was only slightly above that of slaves.
This is why Birch had thought that capturing women was a normal act. After all, they were just women who sold their bodies, living the same life in a different place on this cursed island.
However, he had not expected the women in the pigpen to be treated so… inhuman. They were even more debased than the slaves on Sidro Island. At least, Sidro Island had slave laws that acknowledged slaves’ right to choose their burial methods, affirming their humanity.
“They… they…” Birch choked on his words, unable to speak.
Barlow, with his extensive life experience, understood Birch’s feelings at that moment and gently patted his shoulder, saying, “Now you understand the importance of morals.”
“I…” Birch didn’t know what to say and silently followed Barlow.
Barlow had grown accustomed to the peculiarities of pirates, given that the people of the pirate queen’s caliber were a rare breed in these vast seas. Most pirates shared the same lack of virtue as Manfred.
Once, it was his disdain for such pirate behavior that led him to retire and turn to a more honest life.
Of course, a significant reason for his retirement was the disappearance of that queen who had been a pillar of support for him.
Shaking his head, Barlow dismissed these irrelevant thoughts. “The woman Little Flea mentioned that drifted here, do you know where she might be?”
Birch shook his head. “I don’t know, but she’s definitely here… in this place.”
“Alright, let’s look around, but be careful.”
Barlow, with Birch in tow, peered into the enclosure from the fence.
The women inside appeared numb, showing no reaction even when they saw someone outside. Thus, Barlow and Birch weren’t worried about being discovered.
However, they weren’t entirely at ease since some of the curtained-off sections clearly had occupants, and from some, discordant sounds among them were heard, likely from Scarface. They were more cautious around these sections to avoid detection, but generally, those in charge tended to lower their guard, so the threat wasn’t significant.
As they walked past each section, Birch expressed his confusion. “How do Manfred and his crew have so many women? We only have a few on the Moonlight Toucan, and most of them are past their prime…”
“Taken by force,” Barlow said offhandedly.
“Taken by force?” Birch muttered. “Typical pirates.”
Soon, they had made a full round without spotting any “beautiful woman.”
“Could she not be here?” Birch wondered. “But that doesn’t make sense. Little Flea said Manfred brought that woman here, right?”
Despite the pigpen’s size, it was small enough to see everything at a glance, yet they hadn’t spotted any new women.
In their confusion, Barlow’s gaze fell on a section with the curtain drawn. “That section over there with the curtain closed, it seems to have been quiet all along?”
Normally, a closed curtain indicated that “harmonious activities” were happening inside.
To avoid detection, they refrained from checking these curtained sections. But since they hadn’t found anyone after a full search, it was highly likely the person was inside one of them.
“Let’s go check it out,” Barlow suggested.
The woman who had drifted ashore was said to be injured, making it unlikely for anyone to bother her for the time being. Even if someone did, Manfred would have the first right.
If she was indeed placed in one of the sections, given Manfred’s possessiveness, he would likely have the curtain drawn, at least until he had his way with her, ensuring no one else could interfere.
Seconds later, they stood outside the section, about ten meters from the fence, peering through the gap in the curtain, where they could faintly see that indeed, there was only one person inside.
And yet, despite lying down, the figure was fully armed, donning a set of soft armor.
This closely matched the description of Little Flea.
However, the distance was too great, and the curtains obscured most of the view, making it impossible to see her face.
“I’ll jump in for a closer look,” Barlow said.
Birch expressed his concern, “There are people in the next compartment… be careful.”
Barlow also glanced at the adjacent compartment, from which various moans and groans could be heard.
“I understand.”
With a light leap, Barlow landed softly and then tiptoed to the curtain.
With a hint of anticipation, he slowly pulled the curtain aside.
And then, he froze.
From a distance, Birch, puzzled, watched Barlow. Why did he remain motionless after opening the curtain?
One minute, two minutes——
Birch looked around anxiously, utterly baffled by Barlow’s condition.
He also worried that someone might come by and discover the two intruders.
Seeing that Barlow had no intention of moving, Birch steeled himself, climbed over the door rail, and quickly walked up to Barlow.
He dared not speak, fearing he might draw the attention of people in the next compartment. He leaned in to peek behind the curtain.
There, he saw an extremely beautiful woman lying down, her eyes closed. Her brown, wavy hair casually stuck to her cheeks, adding a touch of human charm. Even in soft armor, her impressive figure and curves were unmistakable.
The only regret was the scars on her face and her pale lips.
Most importantly, her right hand seemed to be missing, replaced by several eerie metal wires.
Birch was certain this woman was beautiful, probably the most beautiful he had ever seen in his life so far. But, it seemed unlikely that her beauty alone would render Barlow immobile, right?
Birch took a closer look at her face. With her eyes closed, her pupil color was indiscernible, but that face… the more Birch looked, the more familiar it seemed.
Did it somewhat resemble the woman in the painting hidden deep in Captain Barlow’s drawer?
“Captain, she is…” Birch, looking at Barlow, who was still gazing intently, couldn’t help but whisper into Barlow’s ear.
Barlow seemed not yet to have snapped back to reality, only unconsciously replying, “It’s her, it’s really her.”
Birch asked, “Who is she?”
Barlow answered, “My queen… the uncrowned sovereign of the Blackberry Seas…”
A voice, almost like a murmur, slowly drifted out, “Lady Asbay.”
Just as Barlow uttered her name, the woman lying on the straw bed seemed to twitch her ears slightly.
Birch was about to take a closer look when suddenly a cold breeze swept by.
Before Birch could react, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by his body spinning in the air and then crashing heavily to the ground.
Struggling, he lifted his head to look.
He saw that the fight in the adjacent compartment had ended at some unknown time, and a man had emerged from it. Upon seeing Birch, he immediately kicked him, which was why Birch had been sent flying.
And, as it happened, this man was the patroller… Scarface.
After kicking Birch away, Scarface immediately noticed Barlow. In just that brief second, Scarface recognized Barlow’s identity.
His eyes flashed with astonishment, and without hesitation, he loudly shouted, “Intruders! We have intruders!”
His voice echoed inside the dock, and soon, lights were lit in the dark places.
Numerous figures emerged from all around and quickly surrounded the direction of the pigpen.
Birch and Barlow were in grave danger.