Barraba stiffly held his knife, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
He looked at the more than thirty black muzzles of guns, at the faces that were once familiar but now utterly strange.
A bone-chilling coldness shot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
He had lost.
Lost completely.
Not to mention he now only had three or four subordinates.
Even if he had brought everyone from the sea serpent, facing these thirty-plus guns, he would only be shot into a sieve on the spot.
And even more, on the brand new the explorer, there were eight 12-pound cannons gleaming with deadly light.
That kid Billy was right; the explorer now probably truly dared to clash with a Royal Navy frigate.
And what did he himself have left, besides a deranged brain and a pile of cold gold coins?
"Captain, calm down."
Roger's voice broke the deathly silence.
He stepped out from Billy's protection, as if completely disregarding Barraba's jewel-encrusted knife.
He walked up to Barraba, standing less than a step away from him.
"Put down the knife."
Roger said.
"We haven't reached the point where we need to resort to arms."
Barraba looked at Roger's calm face, then at the cold muzzles of the guns around him; his hand, gripping the knife, trembled violently from humiliation and unwillingness.
Finally, he dejectedly lowered his arm.
With a clang, the ornate scimitar fell to the ground.
"Roger… you won."
Barraba's voice was hoarse and dry, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
"I wasn't trying to win against you." Roger shook his head.
"I said from the beginning that we have a cooperative relationship."
"Cooperation?" Barraba gave a bitter laugh.
"My men are now your men, my ship is almost empty; is this still called cooperation?"
"Of course, it's cooperation."
A barely perceptible curve played on Roger's lips.
He leaned close to Barraba's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Captain, have you forgotten? You're still cursed."
"You still need me to take you to Isla de Muerta, to find the remaining gold coins, to… lift the curse."
"Without me, even if you guarded a mountain of gold, you would forever be a living dead man who couldn't taste food or feel happiness."
Every word from Roger precisely pricked Barraba's fragile and sensitive nerves.
Barraba's body trembled violently.
Right! The curse!
He almost forgot!
His biggest problem now wasn't losing his crew or his prestige, but this damned curse!
He needed Roger!
He needed Roger now more than ever!
He couldn't fall out with Roger, absolutely not!
Seeing Barraba's face instantly turn pale, Roger knew that he had completely broken through his psychological defenses.
It was time to state his true conditions.
"So, Captain."
Roger said loudly, ensuring everyone present could hear.
"Our cooperation, of course, must continue."
"You have your sea serpent, and I have my the explorer."
"Our two ships can form a fleet and go to Port Royal together, go to Isla de Muerta together."
"Wouldn't our strength be even greater this way?"
Barraba stared blankly at Roger; he didn't quite understand what Roger meant.
Was Roger… giving him a way out?
"Of course," Roger's tone shifted, and the smile on his face became meaningful.
"Since it's a fleet, there must be a Commander-in-Chief, right?"
"Moreover, since my ship is larger, my cannons are more powerful, and I have more men, I naturally contribute more."
"So… our previous agreement regarding the distribution of spoils… might it also need a slight adjustment?"
Barraba's pupils contracted sharply.
He finally understood.
Roger wasn't giving him a way out.
He was going to squeeze out his last bit of value!
He didn't just want his men, he wanted his money.
Now, he also wanted to legitimately seize his command and a larger share of future treasures!
This young man had calculated everything from the very beginning!
He had lured him into a trap step by step, then slowly boiled him like a frog.
By the time he realized it, his hands and feet were already bound, with no room left to resist!
Ruthless!
He was so damn ruthless!
Barraba looked at Roger's young and handsome face, feeling a fear that came from the depths of his soul.
He felt as if he wasn't facing a young man in his twenties at all.
But an old monster who had lived for hundreds of years, calculating human hearts to the extreme!
In front of him, he was like a three-year-old child, manipulated in the palm of his hand.
Completely controlled.
The kind where not even bone fragments were left.
Note:
Hello everyone!
First of all, I want to send my warmest wishes to you and your families. May your Lunar New Year be filled with warmth, reunion, and joy. I hope you all stay healthy and have a wonderful year ahead!
I have a small announcement: I will be taking a Lunar New Year holiday starting on February 15th, 2026, and will return on February 23rd, 2026. During this time, I want to rest, spend time with my family, and enjoy the traditional New Year atmosphere.
Don't worry! During this break, I will prepare new chapters so I can post them regularly when I return. So please be patient and wait, the upcoming story will be even better!
Thank you so much for your support. Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!