Roger's hand, holding the wine glass, stopped mid-air.
He looked at Billy, who was lying in a pool of blood and already starting to convulse.
Then he looked at One-Eyed Buck, who was utterly bewildered, still clutching the hilt of the knife.
Only two words remained in Roger's mind.
Damn it!
[Warning! Crew member Billy has left the effective range of the cortez's heart. The special blessing for immortal crew members has expired!]
The system's alert tone sounded so harsh at this moment.
Roger's CPU was almost burning out.
Range?
You, a goddamn SSR-level cheat, actually have a distance limit?
My Wi-Fi signal is stronger than this, isn't it?!
Why didn't you write it clearly in the user agreement!
"Pfft…"
Someone, no one knew who, was the first to burst out laughing.
Immediately after, the entire tavern erupted in earth-shattering laughter.
"Hahahaha! Immortal? I think it's suicidal!"
"I'm dying of laughter! This is a miracle?"
"A little brat who gets stabbed once and kicks the bucket?"
"Kid! Your magic trick isn't very good!"
One-Eyed Buck also reacted.
He stepped on Billy, pulled out the knife, and raised it high.
"Brothers! This kid tricked us!"
"He's a liar!"
The pirates' jeers, taunts, and curses almost tore off the tavern roof.
Gibbs and Hanson had already rushed over, frantically trying to lift Billy, and the scene was chaotic.
Hector and Jack stood far away.
One was gloating, the other was shaking his head vigorously.
Muttering 'amateur.'
Public humiliation.
A massive public humiliation scene.
Roger felt his face burning with pain.
Since his debut, everything had gone smoothly for him; when had he ever suffered such a grievance?
However, the same calm smile remained on his face.
As if this scene, enough to make anyone so embarrassed they could dig a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment with their toes, had nothing to do with him.
As long as I'm not embarrassed, others will be.
"Quiet."
Roger put down his wine glass.
The noise in the tavern quieted a little.
Everyone was watching to see what Roger had to say.
"Hanson."
Roger didn't even look at Billy on the floor.
"Take Billy back to the ship."
"He drank too much rum today and needs to go back and sleep it off."
Hanson was stunned for a moment, then understood the captain's meaning.
"Yes, Captain!"
He immediately called a few brothers, and they clumsily lifted Billy, who was still spitting blood, and stumbled out of the tavern.
Any later and Billy might really be gone!
"You think you can just leave?" One-Eyed Buck was displeased.
"You tricked us, and you think that's it?"
"Of course not."
Roger stood up and walked over to One-Eyed Buck.
He was half a head shorter than Buck.
But his imposing aura made the other man instinctively take a step back.
"That was just an appetizer."
Roger's smile became meaningful.
"A little humor to liven up the atmosphere."
"The real party starts now."
He spread his arms, turned around, and snapped his fingers at the tavern proprietress.
"Madam!"
"Bring out all the liquor you have here! All of it!"
"Tonight! We drink until we drop!"
Roger's generosity stunned the pirates.
"Kid, what else do you want to do?" Buck asked warily.
"What do I want to do?" Roger smiled.
"Of course, to continue treating everyone to drinks."
"My subordinate made everyone laugh just now."
"To apologize, I'll pay double for all the drinks tonight!"
"Plus, an additional ten gold coins per person for emotional distress!"
Ten gold coins!
This amount made all the pirates' breathing become heavy.
They worked hard at sea for a month, risking their lives, and might not even get ten gold coins.
Now, they could get it just by having a drink?
"Is… is this true?"
A pirate asked uncertainly.
Roger said nothing, directly pulled a handful of gold coins from his embrace and scattered them into the air, making the pirates shriek and shout.
"Money, I have plenty of it."
"Me, I have nothing else, I just like making friends!"
"Drink!"
"If you don't drink until you're all down, you're not giving me face!"
The pirates looked at each other.
Finally, all doubts were replaced by the temptation of money and alcohol.
"Drink!"
"Bring on the drinks!"
The entire tavern once again plunged into revelry.
This time, it was even more enthusiastic, even more frenzied than before.
The pirates clinked glasses, slung arms over shoulders.
These brainless fellows quickly forgot all the unpleasantness from earlier.
Only Roger and his few subordinates remained sober.
Roger held a glass of plain water, coldly watching the group of drunkards before him.
Very good.
Drink up, all of you.
The more you drink, the better.
You refuse a toast, so you'll have to drink a forfeit.
I originally wanted you to be decent people.
But you refused.
Alright, then don't blame me.
He gestured to Gibbs.
A gesture meaning "tie them all up."
Gibbs understood, revealing a cruel and perverted, eerie smile.
Midnight.
On the docks of Tortuga Port, an extremely strange scene appeared.
The crew of the explorer were lining up.
They were carrying pirates, one by one, who were completely drunk and unconscious, like sacks of grain onto their ship.
Under the moonlight, Roger stood at the bow of the ship, looking at his growing number of "new employees," and nodded in satisfaction.
Recruitment, after all, always encounters some difficulties.
As long as one's mindset doesn't falter, there are always more solutions than problems.
Being an HR this year is tough.
But as long as you change your thinking, performance is still very easy to achieve.
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