Roger felt his temples throbbing.
No money.
Not a single copper coin.
How could they fight this battle?
Time passed day by day in this awkward waiting.
A week later.
Another seabird, looking drunk, crashed into the explorer's Gatling turret and died.
It brought Jack Sparrow's second handwritten letter.
"Dearest Lin, my Boss, my Captain!"
"Reporting good news!"
"Due to my constructive suggestions on the topic of 'How to Efficiently Smuggle Using Ocean Currents'."
"That big oaf Kikkawa Motoharu has officially appointed me as his Chief Military Advisor!"
"He now has to bow to me and call me 'Teacher Jack' when he sees me!"
"Yesterday, we even discussed how to improve the waterproof performance of matchlock guns. I think we can coat the barrel with a layer of shark oil, what do you think?"
"Also, the funds I applied for last time haven't arrived yet, and finance is pressing hard."
"The entertainment expenses this time are quite high. Given how pleasant our cooperation has been, please approve five hundred silver coins for me."
Roger expressionlessly burned the second letter.
He felt like he wasn't waiting for undercover intelligence; he was watching an Another world (another world) promotion story.
If this continued, Jack might just trick the entire Mōri Clan into crippling themselves.
The atmosphere on the deck also became increasingly bizarre.
The pirates were no longer satisfied with using their own bones as stakes.
They started playing some more abstract performance art.
For example, Billy and Buck, along with a dozen other pirates, were trying to build a habitable pyramid with their own bodies.
They called it: "As long as the mindset doesn't slip, bones can also build architecture."
Roger felt that if he didn't find something for them to do, these madmen could build a Forbidden City on the deck with their own bones.
Another five days passed.
The third bird arrived as scheduled.
This time, the letter was written on a very valuable-looking piece of silk.
"Lin! My friend! Something big has happened!"
"That old fox Mōri Motonari, having heard of my talent, personally met me yesterday!"
"I explained to him the corporate culture and KPI assessment theories you taught me last time, and he listened with such fascination! He immediately wanted to become my disciple!"
"He has now decided to appoint me as 'Chief Magistrate of the Western Provinces' and even gave me a castle and a hundred beautiful maidservants!"
"I'm very troubled now, do you think I should accept, or accept?"
"Oh, by the way, the castle's renovation needs some startup capital. Please transfer one thousand gold coins to me first to tide me over; I'll pay you back double once I take office!"
"Soon to be a man above men, Jack."
"Rip!"
The silk letter in Roger's hand was torn to shreds by him.
The Captain's Cabin was deathly silent.
Hector and Gibbs didn't dare to breathe.
They saw that their Captain's face was adorned with a smile so brilliant it sent shivers down their spines.
"Chief Magistrate?"
"Castle?"
"A hundred maidservants?"
Roger repeated each word distinctly.
With each word, the smile on his face grew brighter.
"Damn it..."
"If I don't act now, I'll become his subordinate!"
Roger suddenly stood up, kicked open the Captain's Cabin door, and rushed onto the deck.
"All hands, assemble!"
A roar echoed through the sky.
The pirates who were still playing Jenga with their pyramids jolted, their bones clattering to the ground, and instantly lined up.
"Brothers!"
Roger jumped onto the command platform, surveying his group of spirited but bone-poor employees.
"I announce unfortunate news!"
"Our intern, Comrade Jack Sparrow, he... he's going to defect!"
The pirates erupted in an uproar.
"He's about to be corrupted by the enemy's sugar-coated bullets! He wants to set up his own domain, be a boss, sleep in, and even snatch our business!"
"Can we tolerate this?!"
"No!" Buck was the first to shout at the top of his lungs.
"Then what should we do?!"
"Let's kick their ass!"
Billy waved his arm bone, howling.
"Well said!" Roger's face showed a relieved smile.
"But!" He changed his tone. "We now face a very serious problem."
"We have no money."
"Without copper coins, we can't upgrade; without upgrading, when we go ashore, we'll just be walking skeletons that shatter at a touch!"
The pirates' newly ignited fighting spirit was instantly doused with cold water.
"So!"
Roger suddenly waved his hand, pointing to an inconspicuous small island on the sea chart, located between Japan and the mainland.
"Before we get to the main business, we need to secure an angel round of funding!"
"This place is called Tsushima Island."
"It's occupied by a group of Wokou pirates who specialize in robbing passing merchant ships, not many of them, just three to five hundred."
"According to the intelligence provided by Boss Wang, these guys have accumulated quite a fortune over the years, and they especially like to hoard copper coins."
"They are our first stepping stone on the path to financial freedom!"
Roger's voice was full of incitement.
"Our plan is simple!"
"Hector!"
"Here!"
"Sail the ship over, and with the Armstrong cannons, blast their stronghold for three rounds!"
"Then, Number One and Number Two!"
Roger shouted at the two Great Octopuses outside the ship's side, who were yawning.
"You two, go ashore! Flatten their stockade for me!"
"Remember, don't hurt anyone, just scare them witless!"
"Everyone else!" Roger's gaze swept over all the pirates.
"Once they clear the way, you all charge in!"
"Remember what our goal is?"
"Get money!" The pirates roared in unison.
"We must uphold the noble spirit of 'as long as I have no morals, no one can morally kidnap me'!"
"Dig out every single copper coin they've hidden!"
"Depart!" Roger's command sword pointed forward.
"Target, Tsushima Island!"
"Let those ignorant Wokou experience what the hell primitive accumulation of capital is!"
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