He glanced at the large, pot-sized fist next to him and wisely chose to cooperate.
"I'll tell, I'll tell everything."
Sam's face was filled with bitterness.
He slowly began to recount.
From the Ming Dynasty's maritime prohibition policy, to the corruption and incompetence of the coastal garrisons, and then to the relentless pressure from the Portuguese, the Dutch, and now these English people.
"This sea has long ceased to be ours to command."
Sam's voice carried a sense of desolation.
"The imperial court treats us as bandits, dispatching troops to encircle and suppress us at every turn."
"Those Westerners, with ships stronger than ours and cannons sharper than ours, they not only want trade, they also want ports, they want land!"
"They are the true pirates!"
"I, Sam, wanted to integrate all maritime forces in East Asia and establish our own order!"
"But I… I couldn't fight them."
"Cooperating with Beckett was also a last resort."
"I needed his ships and cannons to deal with other Westerners, and also… you."
After Sam finished speaking, his whole demeanor became dispirited.
Roger said nothing.
He listened quietly, the smile on his face having vanished at some point.
He was not a person of this era.
So when he heard words like "maritime prohibition," "corrupt garrisons," and "Westerners," what came to his mind was not some pirate saga.
But rather, hundreds of years later, in the same sea.
The national gates that were blasted open.
The unequal treaties that were forcibly signed.
That humiliating history, later known as the "Century of National Humiliation."
Sam's words made him feel, for the first time, that he was standing at the beginning of a historical tide.
An inexplicable emotion surged in his chest.
Was it anger? Unwillingness? Or… a sense of mission that he himself couldn't articulate?
Host, what's wrong with you? Your heart rate is a bit unstable.
The System's voice broke the silence.
Do you need a song like 'Tears of the World' to help you calm down? Or, you can also choose our 'Sage Mode' experience card, a one-click clear all worries, empty all four elements.
"Get lost."
Roger cursed in his mind.
He slowly stood up and walked to the ship's rail.
He looked at the vast blue sea, the sea breeze rustling his clothes.
Behind him, there was a deathly silence.
Everyone looked at his back, not daring to breathe.
They had never seen the Captain like this.
After a long time.
Roger turned around.
On his face, that cynical smile reappeared.
Only, behind that smile, something different seemed to have emerged.
"Sam, you just said you wanted to establish a new order?"
"That's right."
Sam looked up; although he was a prisoner, when his ideals were mentioned, there was still a light in his eyes.
"Then your vision is too small."
Roger wagged his finger.
"Very small."
"Establish what new order? You should be making the rules!"
"Let everyone sailing on this sea, whether it's a Ming ship or a Western ship, all have to follow your rules!"
Sam was stunned.
Make the rules?
"And I."
Roger pointed to himself, then to the massive steel beast beneath him.
"Can give you a chance to become a rule-maker."
"From today, I announce that the explorer's business is fully upgraded!"
He spread his arms and, in an impassioned tone like a pyramid scheme leader, announced to everyone on the deck, including the captives.
"We are no longer just a simple maritime security company!"
"We will transform into a multinational group providing 'international dispute resolution solutions' and 'maintenance of civilized order'!"
"Our slogan is: whoever doesn't listen, we will physically send them to the afterlife!"
The pirates were confused.
"Captain, what does that mean?"
Buck, the simpleton, was the first to raise his hand and ask.
"It means that from now on, our robberies will have a more sophisticated reason."
Roger snapped his fingers.
"For example, to maintain regional peace and stability."
------------------------
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