When Byron entered the operations room, the pirate officers of the *Goddess of Vengeance* and the captains of Red Beard’s Direct Lineage pirate fleet had already assembled.
Evidently, because Bill was not very popular on the ship, the sailor responsible for delivering messages had notified him last.
Someone lifted an eyelid and said sarcastically, "Isn’t Mr. Executioner the one who’s always so particular about rules, constantly invoking the Ten Commandments? How is it that he’s often late?"
Byron, adhering to Bill’s customary style, ignored this captain, identified in the intelligence reports as Hayden.
After tipping his hat to Captain Redbeard Edward, he took the third seat to Redbeard’s right.
Aboard the *Goddess of Vengeance*, the officers’ seating arrangement honored the left side; the closer one was to Red Beard, the higher their status. Centered around the captain’s number one position, the seats on either side followed the sequence... 7, 5, 3, then the captain himself (1), followed by 2, 4, 6.
Executioner Bill’s previous rank placed him roughly seventh in this pirate crew.
He was part of the core circle but not one of Red Beard’s indispensable right-hand men.
At that moment, Red Beard, seated in the main seat, seemed to completely disregard the discord among his subordinates.
Leisurely eating breakfast, he flipped through the *Lighthouse Weekly*, which had been carefully pressed by a servant to prevent ink from smudging his hands.
"The new King of Hightins, Edward IV, has been recognized by the Royal Iron Rule - Magna Carta and the Church. He was crowned at Ganquan Palace and delivered a speech in the House of Nobles..."
"The Banta’an Archipelago has been hit by several strong storms. Consequently, a large number of merchant ships missed their window of opportunity and will be stranded there for the winter, unable to return home. As a result, the prices of spices, sugar, fur, and other goods on the Continent will continue to rise!"
"In the Kingdom of Castilia, which boasts the strongest overseas shipping presence, a colonial settlement suffered a massive attack by Native Transcendents, resulting in heavy casualties. The Governor has urgently requested aid from the nearby garrison."
"The Rhein Alliance has discovered a huge volcanic silver mine in the Sapphire Sea, south of Banta’an. Naturalists estimate its reserves to be astonishing..."
When Red Beard reached the last piece of news, he held up the newspaper towards the assembled officers and remarked, seemingly offhandedly, "TSK, TSK. If only we, aboard the *Goddess of Vengeance*, had discovered that great silver mine. Even if we couldn’t exploit it ourselves, selling it to some major power would net us at least a ten to twenty percent long-term profit. Then, money would never be an issue for us again."
First Mate Harvey, ’the Badger,’ already burdened by financial worries, chimed in, "Indeed, Your Excellency, Captain. After you issued the order to recruit free pirates, last night another two ships, the *Golden Deer* and the *White Sand*, voluntarily joined our ranks. Though they’re little-known pirates, the hundred pounds spent on each was still a direct outlay. We’ve been spending money like water lately; our prepared funds are indeed running dangerously low."
Over the past fortnight, they had made large purchases in Iron Anchor Bay and recruited men to expand their strength. They welcomed all comers, buying the loyalty of various free pirates, and secretly negotiated with members of parliament. The strict order forbidding the Privateering Alliance’s crew from going ashore also heightened the tension on the ship.
Red Beard knew his loyal Executioner, Bill, was serving as a lightning rod for him.
If money were no object, none of these issues would be a problem.
But to accomplish their earth-shattering plan, they had arrived at Iron Anchor Bay a month early, leaving no opportunity to plunder for more funds. Their new patrons, the York Family, had already supplied over a hundred Privateer Ships; it was highly unlikely they would send more money.
"Even if the White Rose promises to send that ’Calamity’ capable of reaping everything, a fleet-level engagement will be unavoidable. Free pirates are a band of villains motivated solely by profit. The Settling-In Fee is just an initial payment; the subsequent war funds must be fully provided before they’ll agree to fight. Must we really seek loans from those Remit People, who are known to skin a man alive and not even spit out the bones?"
Even this great pirate, ruthless in slaughter, paled at the mention of the business the Remit People specialized in.
War has always been one of the most expensive undertakings; otherwise, many kings wouldn’t have had to resort to high-interest loans to fund their campaigns. Many even harbored murderous intent towards their creditors, unwilling to repay their debts.
Red Beard pinched the bridge of his nose, his gaze sweeping from left to right over all the pirate officers present, yet no one dared to meet his eyes.
These old sea dogs could more or less tell that the captain and the first mate were putting on an act, pleading poverty.
But whether they had money or not, they were hardly eager to to the captain’s cause. to pay our own salaries? That’s a hard ask!
Into this silence, which was becoming increasingly awkward for Red Beard, a voice suddenly cut through, "Captain, I happen to have a solution. Please take a look at this."
The speaker was the rather inconspicuous "Executioner Bill" among the group of pirate officers.
Acting on good advice pays off. After receiving a tip from the Omnitrix, Byron had spent the previous night preparing something, and it was now time to present it.
At Red Beard’s signal, he rose, stepped forward, and placed the "treasure map," still smelling of fresh ink, before him.
On it, delineated with a finesse far superior to common work, were rhumb lines, a compass rose, wind roses, and map scales. It was practically a newly hand-drawn Nautical Chart.
Land Dwellers searching for unfamiliar places typically look for prominent landmarks and use them as reference points for directions. But on the vast, featureless sea, such markers don’t exist. Therefore, when an experienced old captain examines a Nautical Chart, they don’t search for conspicuous landmarks on what is often an abstract representation. Instead, they visualize a precise course by interpreting the navigational elements on the chart.
Rhumb lines, used with a compass, help plot a course... A wind rose indicates the frequency, average speed, and maximum speed of winds from various directions, often with different markings for annual, seasonal, or monthly data...
When Red Beard, processing this navigational data, deciphered the final coordinates indicated on the Nautical Chart, he shot to his feet with a WHOOSH.
His hands pressed down on the chart, he stared intently at the destination.
It was the legendary—Silvergold Island!!
In disbelief, he turned his head to look at his... trusted confidant beside him.
Yes, from this moment on, Bill might indeed be worthy of such a title—provided this map wasn’t a fabrication or a mere doodle.
Bill, his face a mask of solemn earnestness, said, "Captain, ever since I came aboard, I’ve been meticulously organizing the Sailing Logbooks and various Nautical Charts from my service in the Kingdom. Lately, seeing you and the First Mate working tirelessly for the future of the *Goddess of Vengeance*, I’ve been deeply concerned. I only wish to do my utmost, to share your concerns and feel your urgency. However, as a mere Squire Level Executioner, my own abilities are limited. Thus, after considerable thought, I consolidated all the valuable charts and documents I had ever come across. And so, I rediscovered this Nautical Chart, one I had once glimpsed in confidential files. I believe it can alleviate the Pirate Group’s current financial straits."
Seeing the captain’s extreme reaction, the first mate, his curiosity piqued, also leaned in for a look and gasped in disbelief, "This is the treasure map leading to the legendary Silvergold Island?"
The other pirate officers could no longer remain seated; they swarmed around, buzzing with discussion:
"The legend of Silvergold Island has long circulated on the seas, ranking as one of the top ten maritime legends. At least six out of ten pirates know its story. It’s Legendary Pirate Flint’s treasure trove, said to be filled with endless gold, silver, and various jewels."
"But Silvergold Island is notoriously elusive, appearing only at specific times and discoverable only through a series of complex navigational calculations. The most astonishing thing is that each time Silvergold Island materializes, its treasures are said to be even more plentiful than the last, as if the gold and silver multiply on their own."
"That’s right! Initially, it was only a legend; no one had ever seen it. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when Flint’s wealthy descendants had their identities exposed and were subsequently exterminated, that the legendary pirate’s treasure maps began to circulate. Although several copies were made later, few ever had the chance to land on the island, and even fewer returned with any treasure."
"I know why. Because Silvergold Island only appears in some corner of the ocean at intervals corresponding to prime numbers: first after 2 years, then 3 years. Then come 5, 7, 11, 13, 17... It’s said the current prime interval is 11 years, meaning Silvergold Island is due to appear next year. At a time , not to mention the island itself, even a single treasure map is enough to make countless Great Pirates fight to the death for it. I heard one was auctioned a couple of months ago at the auction house in Peridot; I didn’t even dare to count the zeroes in the price."
The pirates excitedly pieced together the legend of Silvergold Island from their collective knowledge. The few novices who hadn’t heard the tale before listened with wide-eyed astonishment.
However, not everyone was blinded by the allure of the treasure map. One pirate suddenly interjected, "Impossible, surely? Even if Bill had an incredible stroke of luck and somehow saw the treasure map in the confidential archives of the Kingdom of Hightins, would he be so generous as to hand over wealth that could rival a nation’s to the captain for free? Would any of you?"
This blunt question instantly cast a pall of awkward silence over the room.
Everyone could only answer silently in their hearts: Definitely not!