The darkness cloaked the sea, with the tide rising in the Lake Bay. A splash, followed by a desperate and hoarse scream, echoed through the black night.
"Columbus! I curse you... ah!..."
The fleet of Castile rcilessly sailed away. As the slowest flagship, the Holy Maria, sailed out of the narrow Rivermouth and vanished into the vast and dim sky, Sailor Chief Bartolo was only left with the cold and harsh sea in his eyes...
"Damn bastard! Left on the natives' Great Island... I should have killed you long ago! Should have..."
Two quarters later, Sailor Chief Bartolo, exhausted, struggled to swim to the shore. He lay on the beach like a fish about to die from exhaustion, unable even to turn over. Soaked to the skin and faint from hunger, he gazed at the brilliant galaxy above, as if seeing delicacies from Heaven. The frequent bird calls from the woods seed to carry the aroma of roast bird, drawing nearer and nearer...
"Aio! Look, there's a lone Evil Demon! It's not moving, like a dead fish!..."
"Shh! Quiet! He seems to have been thrown off the last Large Ship..."
"Ah! So what do we do? Kill him?… But Kexi's order was to track the Evil Demon's fleet, to see if they headed East or West once they left the Rivermouth..."
"By the Sun Great Chief God's witness! Those ships were too fast, couldn't keep up! But it was clear they went East... Go! Let's cautiously approach this Evil Demon without making a sound, and then..."
Gray clouds drifted over, covering the starlit skies. And two tall figures clad in Leather Armor raised their tribes' Long Spears, enveloping Sailor Chief Bartole. Nervously, they crept closer, step by step. Then, with a shout to bolster their courage, two spear shafts swung rcilessly, striking at the "Evil Demon's" head!
"Chief Divine protect!..."
"Bang! Bang!..."
"Bang! Bang!..."
"Who?..."
"Commander, it's ! Alana..."
"Hmm... co in!..."
In the captain's cabin at the ship's stern, Columbus squinted, shifting his hand from his waist's rapier. After "exiling" Sailor Chief Barto, his authority as the Expedition Commander aboard the ship had notably heightened. Even Alana lowered his head, cautiously respectful in his report, no longer daring to call out "brother-in-law" loudly.
"Commander, I've talked with Barto's forr confidant sailors… they swore allegiance to you and promised to follow all your orders!..."
"Good! Holy Mother protect! What about Chachu?"
"Uh... Chachu also bowed to you! He said as long as you can lead everyone to fortune, he'll follow you!..."
"Haha! Even that foolish 'Dog Blade' isn't that stupid, eh!... Hmm, what about De La Cosa?..."
"The second captain didn't look happy... but said nothing while avoiding huddling his confidant sailors for conspiracies..."
"Hmph! Even in these circumstances, he wouldn't dare! That cautious old tortoise never sticks his head out, which makes it tricky to deal with... What a wasted opportunity..."
Columbus's expression grew somber, his face once again showing fierce murderous intent. However, after contemplating repeatedly, he shook his head.
"Forget it! This guy, too, signed an agreent with the Queen, plus the two Royal Family representatives are here... Alana, keep a close eye on him and try to win over his sailors!... Also, Navigator Pedro is reliable, have him keep an eye on Chachu..."
"Yes! As you command, Commander!..."
Guard Chief Alana respectfully saluted. Then, with excitent on his face, he quietly spoke, sowhat thrilled.
"Brother-in-law... on this ship now, it's your command! All the spoils from this voyage are ours!..."
"Haha! Alana, the bulk is mine! But you have your share... hmm, sixty percent for , ten for you, and thirty to be split among the fools!..."
Columbus grinned, correcting his brother-in-law. Even for a brother-in-law, the accounts must be settled clearly. Narrowing his eyes, he pondered for a mont before asking seriously.
"Holy Mother protect! How long can the supplies on board last?"
"Uh... including this batch of re-caught fish, just another week… not sure about the other two ships. With four dead on the Pinta, they might last an extra two days. The Nina is probably like us..."
"Hmm... not much food left, need to resupply quick..."
Columbus squinted, repeatedly rubbing the hilt of his sword. After a while, he looked at the dark land outside, speaking gloomily.
"Raise all sails tomorrow! Sail East for a day, the further from the Great Tribe, the better!… Then, either the day after or two days later, find a small native village right on the shore and slaughter it!..."
"Ah?! Brother-in-law, are we plundering ashore again? Didn't you say you wanted to trade properly, making money with glass beads..."
"Ha! Alana, when eting native Great Tribes in the thousands, of course, we trade properly! But a small tribe of a hundred or two with only thirty or forty able-bodied n—whether to kill or plunder, isn't it up to our mood? Their wealth and lives belong to the Queen and Kingdom, even more so to ! The commander governor personally appointed by the Queen!..."
Columbus's lips curled in a cruel smile. The long, perilous voyage continuously stoked his inner beast, honing him further. Like a born butcher finally arriving at a bloody butcher shop, he learned to kill with a knife, slaughtering and slicing the at...
"Witness, Almighty! The failed robbery of the natives, losing sailors and exiling the Boatswain lowered the morale on the ship! Though these fools swear outwardly, they still resist us in their hearts... So, we must lead them to kill, plunder, and revel to vent! After slaughtering the native village, the fools can regain morale, turning back into obedient hounds!..."
"...Yes! Commander, I obey your orders!..."
"You may go! Hmm, rember to chat with Goldsmith Carlo and Doctor Sanchez again! After slaughtering the native village and splitting the spoils, I'll need them to conduct the 'Gold Test' and 'Bird Beak' ceremonies to make the fools swear allegiance to !..."
"Understood! Commander!..."
The starlight hid behind the clouds, waves roared gently. On the dim sea, the flickering light of torches seed like the eyes of many fierce wolves, crouched in the dark, watching prey on the island. Under the torchlight, Expedition Commander Columbus, diligently penned his "proper" log, like a wolf in sheep's clothing.
"November 3rd, Saturday... rciful Almighty! On a shore of Lake Bay, we encountered a large native village. The village was beautiful, affluent, and prosperous, densely populated, producing expensive gold, pearls, dyes, and cotton... I intended to obediently trade with the natives, following the divine Queen's decree... Yet, Sailor Chief Bartolo defied my decision, launching a surprise attack on the native tribe, losing several sailors..."
"Witness, Almighty! For Almighty's justice and to uphold the ship's discipline, I had to follow the Queen's laws and painfully exile Sailor Chief Barto... May he find Almighty's salvation on Cuba Island!... Next, I'll continue liaising with the native tribe on Xipangu Island, bringing gold and wealth back to the Kingdom of Castile!..."
"By the way! According to the guides from the Bahamas Islands, the true native townships possessing Large Ships and gold lie further East on the Great Island... That must be a stronghold of the Japan Kingdom!... Glorious Almighty, may you continue guiding our fleet, sheltering us pious ones!..."
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