Evening.
Damir Port.
Not far from the port, a fishing boat was returning. Today, the fishing boat was full, and the fishermen on board all had smiles on their faces. Several old fishermen had already taken out their home-brewed cheap wine and started celebrating.
"You'll all die from alcohol sooner or later," the fishing boat's captain, a fierce-looking man with two thick eyebrows raised upwards, warned his old crewmates with venomous words.
Suddenly, the youngest fisherman on board cried out, "Captain, look! There's someone on the Sea!"
The captain quickly walked to the side of the deck and looked in the direction the young fisherman was pointing. Indeed, a figure was floating on the Sea, seemingly a woman.
"Captain, should we go and rescue her?" the young fisherman said nervously.
The fierce-looking captain walked back without turning his head: "Don't meddle, Roy, if you still want to go back and see your mother."
The young fisherman couldn't understand. He looked at the captain, shook his head, and was about to jump into the Sea to save her.
A hand gripped his arm tightly, with great force.
He looked back and saw it was the most experienced old fisherman on the boat.
This old man, almost sixty, had skin tanned dark by the sun and only a few strands of hair left, but his teeth were still white: "What are you doing?"
"Saving her, of course!" Roy said angrily. "The captain doesn't want to meddle, but I will!"
The old fisherman chuckled: "The captain has his reasons for not wanting to meddle. Look closely, Roy, at the way that 'person' is floating. Don't you think it's strange?"
Roy paused, looked out at the Sea, and observed the 'person' in the water. Vaguely, he saw her fair skin and proudly rising breasts; she seemed to be a naked woman.
This woman was lying face up, flat on the Sea, with only her hands and feet slightly submerged. Other parts of her body, including her flat stomach, were mostly floating on the water, rising and falling with the waves.
Roy instantly understood: "She's not in distress, she's swimming?"
"Whether she's swimming or not, I don't know, but who would normally float on the Sea naked and in that position?"
The old fisherman released his hand and shook his stained wine bottle: "In short, there are many strange things on the Sea. When you encounter strange, unexplainable phenomena, don't pay attention to them. That's our Path of survival."
At this moment, a wave rolled in and carried the woman floating on the water far away.
Roy finally gave up the idea of going into the water. Then the captain assigned him the task of washing the deck, so amidst the old fishermen singing ear-splitting folk songs, he took out a bucket and brush and began to wash the deck.
When Damir Port was already visible, the young fisherman glanced at the Sea and saw a ship with an owl-patterned flag stopped on the Sea. He saw that someone seemed to have rescued the woman floating on the Sea and brought her onto the ship.
5 PM.
Still wearing a light grey striped hooded cloak, carrying a discreet leather suitcase, and holding the 'staff of resentment', Lex was waiting at the dock to board the ship.
The Green Emerald was moored at the dock. It was massive, seemingly capable of carrying hundreds of passengers. This dock was not its first stop; it had set sail from another port, and this was just one node on its route.
As a hybrid power ship, it not only had a chimney but also sails. The cabins on both sides had cannons, indicating it had the power to retaliate even if it encountered pirates.
Lex looked up and could see burly Sailors and crew members lined up on both sides at the gangway entrance. They possessed legal rifles, revolvers, and cutlasses, which were a strong guarantee for the passengers, increasing people's sense of security.
But Lex knew that this was only for ordinary pirates. Not to mention Grand Pirates of the 'Four Emperors' Rank, even if a single Admiral appeared, this ship would have little power to resist.
Finally, it was Lex's turn to board the gangway. As he stepped onto the deck, he heard someone behind him impatiently urging, "Hurry up, don't block the Path."
A figure rudely brushed past him. It was a strong, slightly plump man. His long flaxen hair was tied into a braid on top of his head, and a long scar, stitched countless times, was visible on his left shoulder beneath his loose collar.
He had a revolver tucked into his waist and didn't mind the disapproving glances from others. He continuously pushed past passengers, eager to rush into the cabin.
"There are so many rude men, especially on the Sea."
As he walked, Lex heard a complaint from beside him. It was a young woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a proper black long dress, with long, slightly curly auburn hair. A pearl necklace adorned her slender neck, and her tall figure was cinched at the waist with a bow tied from a silk ribbon similar to her hair color.
She looked like a well-to-do lady, but strangely, she had no attendants. She carried a light handbag herself, passing by Lex with a waft of fragrance.
As he entered the cabin, Lex's spiritual intuition was stirred, causing him to gently avoid a boy who was about to crash into him from behind. Seeing that the boy was about to collide with someone else, Lex hooked his collar with his staff, stopping him.
The boy had thin eyebrows, large eyes, and messy yellow hair from not being combed. He wore a shirt and shorts, but the material was very ordinary, likely cheap clothing.
"I told you not to run around on the ship, Paul. If you don't want a beating, you'd better listen to me!"
A bronze-skinned, very muscular man walked over. He wore a shirt and trousers but not formal wear, not even a vest. He had black hair and brown eyes, and a burn mark on his forehead, which made him look somewhat fierce. As he walked over, he carried a scent of alcohol. He roughly grabbed the boy named Paul and pushed him to a woman in her thirties behind him.
"Watch your kid, Maggie, and don't you dare cause me any trouble. If he doesn't listen, I swear I'll throw him overboard."
The man didn't apologize to Lex. Instead, he glared at Lex and then walked into the cabin without stopping.
"I'm so sorry, Paul didn't mean it."
The woman, presumably the boy's mother, said to Lex with an apologetic expression. She must have been a beautiful woman in her youth, and even now, her features still showed charm. She had tied a light yellow scarf in her dark green hair. There were tiny cuts and inconspicuous bruises on her face and hands. Recalling the rude man earlier, Lex guessed that this was likely a lady who frequently suffered from domestic violence.
"It's alright. When I was his age, I often climbed trees and scaled walls," Lex winked at little Paul.
The little boy excitedly said: "Really? I'm great at climbing trees. Let's have a competition sometime."
"Paul." Maggie shook her head, smiled apologetically at Lex, and then took the boy to catch up with the man ahead.
A moment later, Lex arrived at his room. Just as the ticket Miss had described, it wasn't spacious, but its advantage was having a window.
At this moment, golden sunlight streamed through the window, leaving pure golden patches on the table and by the bed.
"Not bad."
Lex shrugged, put down his suitcase. Since he had to stay on the ship for four days, he took out some daily necessities and placed them on the table.
After tidying up, he heard a long whistle from outside the window, a sound carrying the power of steam and machinery.
The Green Emerald, set sail!