The next day, at dawn.
When Gibbs and Billy brought over a dozen pirates, yawning, to the abandoned dock, everyone was a little bewildered by the sight before them.
Roger was already busy at work here.
He had people move several tables from the sea serpent, which were covered with various blueprints they couldn't understand.
The blueprints had complex lines and numbers, more precise than any sea chart they had ever seen.
In the open space of the dock, a simple stove had also been built with stones and mud, according to Roger's requirements.
A large iron pot was placed on the stove, and something was gurgling inside, emitting a pungent tung oil smell.
"Brother Roger, what are you... doing?"
Billy scratched his messy hair, asking the question on everyone's mind.
"Preparatory work."
Roger didn't even lift his head, continuing to mark things on the blueprint.
"Starting today, all of you will listen to my command. I will teach you how to repair ships."
"Repair ships?" A pirate couldn't help but laugh.
"Brother Roger, it's not that I don't believe you, but with just a dozen of us, and this pile of rotten wood... can this thing even be called a ship?"
"It's practically a fish's nest."
His words drew a burst of laughter.
These pirates, while admiring Roger's navigation skills,
When it came to ship repair, they only trusted the old shipwrights who had worked in the docks their entire lives.
In their opinion, repairing the sea nymph—no, it should be called the explorer now—was simply a pipe dream.
"Whether it can be repaired or not isn't decided by words."
Roger put down his pen, stood up, and his gaze swept over everyone.
"Billy, come here."
Billy was startled for a moment, then walked over.
Roger pointed to the largest hole on the ship's side and said,
"See that rotten plank?"
"Use your usual method to remove it and show me."
"Alright!" Billy felt this was an opportunity to show off.
He picked up a large axe from the tool pile, took a deep breath, and swung the axe towards the rotten plank.
"Heiya!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Wood chips flew, and Billy exerted all his strength.
The pirates also cheered loudly from the side.
But even though the plank was rotten, it was very tightly connected to the ship's keel and surrounding planks.
Billy hacked for a long time, sweating profusely, but only managed to cut a few notches into it, unable to remove it completely.
"Damn it, this thing is harder than rock!"
Billy spat and threw down the axe.
"Is this your method? Using brute force?"
Roger shook his head, a hint of disappointment on his face.
He walked to the hole, examined it carefully, then said to a pirate nearby, "Go, get me the blueprint I drew yesterday with the number three on it, and also a chisel and a hammer."
The pirate quickly brought the items over.
Roger took the blueprint, and following the markings on it, he gently tapped with the chisel at several points where the rotten plank connected to the hull, which were critical stress points.
His tapping positions and force were very peculiar, looking as if a child was playing.
The surrounding pirates were all confused.
"What's he doing? Scratching the ship's itch?"
"I don't know, I don't understand..."
While everyone was discussing, Roger put down his tools and said to Billy, "Now, you try again."
"Try again?" Billy looked suspicious.
But he still did as he was told.
He inserted the tip of the crowbar into the gap of the plank, and just as he was about to exert force, something strange happened.
With a soft "crack," the rotten plank, which he couldn't even cut with an axe earlier, actually loosened by itself.
Billy didn't even use much force; with just a gentle pry, the entire large rotten plank detached completely and fell to the ground.
The entire dock instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone stared dumbfounded at the fallen plank, then looked at the calm Roger, their minds blank.
What... what happened?
Is it magic?
Billy was even more like he had seen a ghost; he threw away the crowbar in his hand, retreated several steps, and pointed at Roger, unable to speak coherently:
"You... you... what did you do to it?"
"I didn't do anything," Roger said calmly.
"I just found the critical stress points where it connected to the hull, which are the weakest parts of the mortise and tenon structure."
"Once those points were broken, it naturally fell off."
Mortise and tenon structure?
Stress points?
These terms were no different from an alien language to the pirates.
But they understood one thing.
Roger, in just a few minutes, with a few taps, easily accomplished what they couldn't do even with all their strength.
This young man, he not only understood navigation, understood naval warfare... damn it, he really understood shipbuilding!
How could anyone argue with that!
Seeing everyone's thunderstruck expressions, Roger chuckled inwardly.
This was just the beginning.
He clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention.
"Now, does anyone still think this ship can't be repaired?"
This time, no one dared to laugh anymore.
Everyone subconsciously straightened their backs.
Their gazes at Roger also changed from previous suspicion to deep awe.
"Very good."
Roger nodded with satisfaction.
"Now, get to work!"
"Everyone come over, I'll teach you how to process wood!"