Water Pirates, Rolling Dragon

"Did you finish fishing so early today?"

When Fan You saw Zhang Yang appear, he thought the dripping time was wrong.

The vitality of our lord is rarely seen in the world.

She couldn't sit still, couldn't stand still, and was always restless; just looking at her gave one the illusion of exhaustion. On her first day on the ship, she explored the entire vessel, even catching the cunning rat that had escaped the clutches of a family of five cats.

She even tied all the mouse tails to the stick to tease the cat.

Fan You was worried that she would get sick from holding it in.

Fortunately, the lord also enjoys fishing.

Fan You glanced at the fish and then worried that the five cats, Zhang Da Gu and Zhang Da Ji, might overeat because their appetites were too small. This was because their master's fishing rods always caught fish, resulting in a huge catch. His worries weren't unfounded; even the two birds, Da Gu and Da Ji, couldn't eat anymore. Once the bucket was full of large fish, the next step was to serve them.

Fan You didn't like eating river fish.

Zhang Yang said, "The boatman rescued a fisherwoman from the water."

"So they spoiled the master's mood?" Fan You felt the boatmen were too careless and didn't care about their employer's safety. "There are no other boats nearby, and they're not docked on either side. The rescued fisherwoman is really suspicious. Why don't we have the boatmen send a small boat down so she can leave?"

He could see that.

Do these boatmen, who make a living on the water, not understand?

Zhang Yang: "Is Uncle Yan worried that these boatmen might also have problems?"

Fan You shook his head: "Without evidence or proof, it's impossible to make a judgment."

However, these boatmen were not very vigilant.

"What, a female fisherwoman boatman?"

Guan Si, who hadn't been seen for two days, finally emerged from his room. Ever since boarding the ship, Guan Si's complexion had looked rather unwell. Zhang Yang glanced at him and thought Guan Si had been staying up for two or three consecutive nights, as there was a faint bluish tinge under his eyes.

Looking at Guan Si's health bar again, the case is solved.

There is a "seasickness" debuff in the status list.

Zhang Yang: "Why didn't you say you were seasick earlier?"

Guan Si pursed his lips and gave Zhang Yang a rare stern look.

He said, "That's not true."

"You can swim, right? You miscalculated. We should have sent Wild Man this time." The appearance of the fisherwoman meant that their boat was being targeted by water pirates. Zhang Yang was worried that if a fight broke out, Guan Si would drown.

Dongxian is adjacent to Fangjiang. Given Wang Qi's restless and adventurous nature, his opponent is definitely a better swimmer than Guan Si and knows some naval combat skills. Guan Si comes from the mountains, so wading through water is not a problem for him, but asking him to fight in a naval battle is asking too much.

Guan Si replied irritably, "I can swim."

Despite seasickness, I can still swim.

Zhang Yang wouldn't listen: "I'll have Zhang Dagu follow you."

Guan Si was already suffering from a headache, and Zhang Yang's words only fueled his anger, making him want to kill. He wished the river pirates would come right now so he could have a good slaughter. What river pirates or water ghosts? What could they possibly do to him? Bo Yuan even mentioned that scoundrel Wang Gongsun.

It really made him unhappy!

Zhang Yang instructed Ge Zhou to notify the others.

Before long, the boatman requested an audience.

The boatman was the foreman who managed these boatmen; he was an older man with gray hair. He took jobs at the dock and managed anywhere from a dozen to several dozen boatmen.

Upon hearing that the boatmen on deck had rescued a fisherwoman, the boatman's alarm bells went off, and he hurriedly inquired about the details. He breathed a sigh of relief when he learned that the rescue had been carried out with the employer's permission, but when he heard that the employer hadn't specified how to settle the fisherwoman, the boatman's brow furrowed deeply.

He had no choice but to come in person to see Zhang Yang.

They inquired whether the passengers should be released at the next ferry crossing.

Fan You asked the boatman, "Why don't we dock now?"

The boatman said with a bitter face, "To be honest, if this fisherwoman really has a problem, then going ashore now would be falling into the trap of thieves. The thieves will surely have set up an ambush in the shallows, punctured the bottom of the large boat, causing it to take on water and run aground, so they can rob the goods..."

It's also possible that someone is lying in ambush on the shore.

In short, one should not risk one's life for a fisherwoman.

He cursed the young boatmen inwardly for their inexperience; a fisherwoman drowned, and that was it, regardless of whether she was innocent or not. What was the life of the entire boatload of people more important than the life of a fisherwoman? To make a living on the water, the first thing to do was abandon such kindness.

They have a kind heart, but the river pirates do not.

Fan You stared at the boatman and asked, "If we stop at the next ferry crossing, will we have to pay another 'ferry fee'?"

Is it true that female fisherwomen and boatmen are untrustworthy, but boatmen are trustworthy?

Unless they own the boat and employ their own boatmen, they're all untrustworthy. These boatmen aren't all honest laborers earning a living by their physical labor; they might be colluding with the ferry authorities or river pirates. Murdering, robbing, and disposing of the body is much easier than on land. These days, who living by the water hasn't seen a corpse floating in the water? It's all too common.

The boatman said awkwardly, "This is one copy I need to pay."

It's impossible for the boatman and crew to pay this money.

The employer has to pay for it themselves.

Seeing that Zhang Yang and the others showed no intention of stopping at the next ferry crossing, the boatman said, "If you're worried, you can take the fisherwoman with you—"

The boatman made a gesture of cutting off a head.

Even if they don't save her, the fisherwoman will still die.

The young master indeed showed reluctance: "Forget it, these are just speculations. She may not really have a problem. Let her stay on the ship, but don't let her run around, especially away from the cargo holds."

The boatman bowed and said, "Young master, you are kind."

As long as the responsibility wasn't on his shoulders, Zhang Yang could choose whatever he wanted. He turned and told the news to a few young boatmen, then carefully instructed the nervous and reserved fisherwoman: "The esteemed person has agreed to let you stay, but our boat can't just dock easily. You'll have to stay on the boat for now to avoid trouble. You can go ashore on the return trip."

Upon hearing this, the fisherwoman burst into tears of joy.

The boatman, seeing the beautiful fisherwoman's face streaked with tears, felt a pang of emotion. He swallowed hard and said, "If you want to thank someone, thank our benefactor this time. The boat is well-stocked; we won't shortchange you. If you don't mind, you can work on the boat for a while, and we'll pay you like a regular boatman. What do you say?"

The fisherwoman could only thank her happily.

Taking advantage of the moment, the boatman helped her up, his rough fingers secretly pinching the fisherwoman's palm, and then casting her an ambiguous gaze. The fisherwoman, held captive by his gaze, had nowhere to hide, and could only turn her face left and right in embarrassment and annoyance, but she didn't forcefully pull her hand away. This timidity, observed by the boatman, made him think to himself—this was truly just an ordinary fisherwoman.

The boatman was amused by the fisherwoman's reaction.

He gave a few perfunctory warnings, then swiftly reached out and grabbed the fisherwoman's breasts before leaving, turning and running away before she could react. He thought to himself that this trip was quite long, and with his abilities, seducing the fisherwoman wouldn't be a problem.

He was lost in his own thoughts, completely unaware that the fisherwoman behind him had her arms crossed in front of her, her expression momentarily terrifying.

The fact that the boatman was harassing the fisherwoman could not be kept secret from others.

With people coming and going on the boat, naturally some people saw this scene.

However, most of the boatmen knew the boatman's temperament well. This old man was experienced in making a living on the water, but he wasn't exactly honest and often harassed the younger boatmen. These younger boatmen had families to support and couldn't find work on their own, so they had to rely on the boatman to find jobs and could only swallow their anger. However, some secretly went to complain.

The boatman's daughter also worked on the boat. The strong woman who heard this just rolled her eyes in disgust, feeling ashamed: "When doesn't that old man do this? He pinches men's butts and grabs women's breasts. Anyway, his manhood can't get up, so just ignore him."

Why can't I get up?

Naturally, he was interrupted by the boatman who couldn't stand it.

"Let's call it a day, lest the important person sees us and thinks we're slacking off." The matter was thus glossed over, at most providing the boatmen with some lighthearted gossip to pass the time. Only the shameless boatman would say some vulgar things to his old buddies.

The fisherwoman's appearance was insignificant in the eyes of the wealthy, but to these laborers who toiled under the sun and wind, she was a celestial being.

The boatman was still smacking his lips, savoring the feel of the water.

The old man listened with a chuckle, chatting about this family and that family, pressing the boatman to tell him which fisherwoman was better than so-and-so. As they talked, the topic shifted from the fisherwoman to other things, discussing which ferry crossing had the best value for money in terms of male and female prostitutes.

This conversation led to the topic of the moon reaching its zenith.

While the other boatmen inspected various parts for problems, these lazy, seasoned veterans, relying on their seniority and seniority, chatted idly. They weren't worried about their loud voices disturbing the important guests. Most of the boatmen lived on the bottom two decks of the large ship, alongside the cargo, while the important guests lived higher up, with lake views right outside their windows.

The fisherwoman was also placed here.

The boatmen all slept in a large communal room, without any distinction between men and women. At most, the women slept on one side and the men on the other, with a curtain hanging between them. The fisherwoman was new and was assigned to the farthest corner by the female boatmen, the furthest away from the male boatmen.

While nothing would actually happen in full view of everyone—and the male and female boatmen might indeed go to the warehouse to do errands—the fisherwoman was just a tempting target, so it was best to stay away from those burly, smelly guys for safety.

The fisherwoman was immediately overwhelmed by the strong stench of sweat upon entering.

Dozens of quilts were spread on the ground, and all sorts of dirty, smelly clothes were piled up everywhere. The boatmen who had finished their shift earlier were already fast asleep, their snores as loud as thunder. The fisherwoman huddled in a corner; no one recognized her, and no one spoke to her.

Knowing her background, the boatmen, upon hearing that the old lecherous boatman had his eye on the fisherwoman, didn't want to get involved and deliberately avoided her. Until a series of bells rang outside the door, signaling that it was time to eat.

The boatmen were noticeably more excited.

They'd been in this line of work for quite some time, and rarely had they encountered such a generous employer. The food was plentiful; they could eat as much as they wanted without being scolded. The fisherwoman was looking around when a female boatman nudged her: "What are you looking at? It's your turn."

The fisherwoman explained, "I didn't see my benefactor."

The female boatwoman laughed and said, "You mean that employer? He's a distinguished person; why would he eat with people like us?"

You won't see anyone here.

The fisherwoman nodded timidly, looking somewhat disappointed.

"Don't overthink it. How could we possibly be worthy of those kinds of people?" the female boatman sighed, assuming the fisherwoman was trying to climb the social ladder. She'd seen plenty of people like that. Many thought they could somehow connect with someone important on the boat, and they all fawned over them. The important people found it novel and used it as entertainment, but most of the time they'd forget about them once they got off the boat. "You're young too. Don't have any good ideas about these rich people. They're just like us, especially those who travel around doing business. They look respectable, but they know exactly which brothels have the best prostitutes at each ferry crossing, and who knows what diseases they might have."

Seeing that the fisherwoman didn't believe him, the boatman continued to tell her the news.

"See that guy up ahead? That slut with the perkiest ass. Stay away from him. Don't let his good looks fool you, he's actually..." As she spoke, the female boatwoman gave a knowing, knowing smile and pinched him while waiting in line.

The man wasn't angry.

The female boatman turned to the fisherwoman and gave her a knowing smile.

Fisherwoman: "..."

With the moon high in the sky, the ship's speed slowed considerably.

It's not good to sail when it's dark.

Guan Si's seasickness worsened.

He slumped listlessly on the table, his hands clasped against his forehead. Of the entire ship, only their own crew were green-named; the boatmen and steersmen were yellow-named, making the red-named fisherwoman, hiding among them, extremely conspicuous. The fisherwoman's health bar wasn't short; what if she managed to kill Guan Si, who was already seasick and in poor condition? So, she ordered everyone to gather on the deck.

"Take some medicine."

Zhang Yang watched as Guan Si's debuff continued to stack.

He rummaged through his game inventory and pulled out a pill.

This game pill greatly increases the time a person can hold their breath underwater, making them an instant swimmer. Guan Si won't drown even if he falls into the water, but unfortunately, it can't dispel seasickness.

Guan Si glanced at it but didn't eat it.

Zhang Yang: "This medicine works well, take it, be good."

Guan Si: "..."

Zhang Yang: "If I don't eat soon, my condition will be stacked up 99 times."

Guan Si couldn't understand what state or level meant; he only slightly opened his mouth, but his attitude was very resistant. Zhang Yang reacted quickly, precisely placing the pill into his mouth. Guan Si swallowed it without warning.

After taking the medicine, her complexion did not improve; in fact, it got worse.

Guan Si's favorability towards you has decreased by one.

Zhang Yang was confused: "What's wrong with you now?"

Fan You glanced at the two men from the side, then turned his face away, his expression more somber than usual. Ge Zhou stood guard outside the door, vigilantly scanning both sides of the corridor, fearing a thug might suddenly appear. Once he was sure nothing was amiss, he looked at the people inside and remarked on the harmonious atmosphere between the ruler and his subjects.

Puyang Kui: "...Are you serious?"

Ge Zhou: "...Isn't that right?"

The governor of Puyang could not bear to bully honest people.

Inside, the water clock dripped steadily, and there was no unusual movement on the boat. Puyang Kui peered out the window but saw no unusual vessels on the river, and the men he had sent to keep an eye on the fisherwoman had not returned. Could it be that the fisherwoman was truly alright?

Did we overreact?

Suddenly, Zhang Yang stared at the wooden plank beneath his feet: "It's here."

Puyang Kui and his men immediately became alert and assumed a fighting stance.

The river remained still, save for the soft ripples on the water. Guan Si, severely affected by seasickness, was far less alert than before. He focused his mind and probed intently, but found nothing amiss, and couldn't help but doubt himself: "What's coming?"

Zhang Yang looked at the gray-named figure in his line of sight.

"Someone's health bar is empty."

The system log also displayed a battle prompt.

The "fisherwoman" killed the "boatman".

This red-named fisherwoman was clearly with a group of yellow-named boatmen. The boatman, as the leader of the boatmen, had his own small cabin.

When the name turns gray, there is no red name next to the boatman.

? ?|??w?`)

I have a feeling I might not be able to get tickets this year either; I'm already feeling the pinch.