Chapter 50: The Envoy Visiting Garo
The Stepstones, Cutthroat Isle Archipelago
"Caw, caw, caw…"
Amid the intermittent cries of seagulls, the blazing sunlight poured down from the sky. Yet even hotter than the sun was the bustling port on Cutthroat Isle's main island.
At this moment, the dock was a chaotic sea of voices as merchants gathered in droves. All kinds of goods were continuously unloaded from merchant ships, piling up like small mountains in a dizzying spectacle.
The rich aroma of exotic spices mixed with the briny scent of sea salt, intoxicating many warriors of the Chainbreakers. If they had not known they were currently in the Stepstones, they might have believed themselves to be standing in the harbor of some great city.
At the once rather dilapidated dock of Cutthroat Isle, ships from both Essos and Westeros moved back and forth, sails raised high as their hulls rocked gently upon the deep blue sea.
Most of these vessels came from the Summer Isles and Westeros. Distinguishing between them was quite easy—crews from the Summer Isles were mostly dark-skinned, while ships from Westeros flew the banners of their respective noble houses.
Sailors on every ship were busy hauling cargo, dressed in short-sleeved shirts and loose trousers, wide-brimmed straw hats shielding them from the scorching sun.
The dockworkers under the Chainbreakers' banner were soaked in sweat as they unloaded cargo, their sturdy muscles darkened by long exposure to the sun. Though the work was exhausting, their faces were filled with genuine smiles.
Using thick ropes, they hoisted heavy crates and sacks from the ships, carefully stacking them in orderly rows upon the dock.
The goods on display were a feast for the eyes: spices and vividly colored silks from the Summer Isles, furs and wooden furniture from the North, and wine and preserved foods from Dorne.
The only street in the Dock Market was now packed to the brim with merchandise. Local specialties and seafood unique to Cutthroat Isle were being sold by the elderly and children of the Chainbreakers.
It was worth noting that most of the stalls and small shops in the Dock Market were run by the elderly, the infirm, women, and children who had once been rescued from slavery. They were under the Chainbreakers' protection, and their daily earnings were split on a "thirty–seventy" basis with the organization.
The reason this once-small and broken dock on Cutthroat Isle had become so lively was entirely due to Jon's large-scale orders placed with merchant organizations in King's Landing, the Summer Isles, and Dorne.
After defeating "Skullcap" Bill and Blackfox Lena, Jon's reputation had begun to spread throughout the vital sea lanes of the Stepstones.
Following the successful trade conducted by merchants from King's Landing—when Rodrik Cassel and the others disguised themselves as traders to deliver supplies—many smaller merchant groups with pirate backgrounds chose to anchor here or resupply.
Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys still openly practiced slavery, and it was common for their regular troops or slaver bands to moonlight as slave hunters.
As a result, many merchants would rather take a long detour than risk stopping in the Stepstones. However, with Jon's sudden rise as a destabilizing force, the prevailing winds of the Stepstones had begun to change.
Though spies from various factions were likely hidden among these merchant ships, their presence only gave Jon more ideas.
Jon believed that if he wanted to develop a territory on a large scale, the first priority was infrastructure.
This was easy to define: Cutthroat Isle had to be built up. Expanding the docks and harbor, enlarging the Dock Market, and even constructing a new castle.
Although the Chainbreakers included many craftsmen, most of their skills were still only at an apprentice level. For large-scale construction projects, there were very few people who truly knew what they were doing.
There was also another serious issue—Cutthroat Isle lacked building materials. Docks, markets, and castles all required vast quantities of stone and binding agents.
Though Jon had a small workshop producing crude cement, creating standardized infrastructure across an archipelago required immense resources and manpower.
Thus, the first solution that came to Jon's mind was the merchant guilds of the surrounding regions. This world differed from the rigid class systems of ancient civilizations on Blue Star.
Many great houses in Westeros possessed their own merchant fleets, or relied on minor houses that specialized in trade to accumulate wealth for them.
Over time, in large ports such as King's Landing, merchant guilds and trade organizations naturally formed.
These organizations enforced monopolies, maintained internal rules, and some even forbade the outward flow of member assets.
Therefore, to accelerate development, Jon outsourced these major projects. On the Dornish side, Garo contacted his old connections; on the King's Landing side, Rodrik and the others took responsibility.
As for the merchants of the Summer Isles—famous for their boldness—Jon simply had a passing ship deliver a message.
To his surprise, the first to arrive were those daring traders from the Summer Isles.
The Summer Isles were much like a certain continent on Blue Star. Dark-skinned Summer Islanders had long been favored targets in Essos, as they were considered the easiest to enslave and exploit.
During the height of the Valyrian Freehold, people from the Summer Isles were captured and sold almost daily. Only after the Doom of Valyria did conditions gradually improve.
With constant wars among the islands, many were forced to seek livelihoods abroad. Over time, Summer Islanders could be found across much of the known world.
It was precisely the arrival of these Summer Isles merchant guilds that marked Cutthroat Isle's first truly large-scale trade boom. After several negotiations, Jon entrusted the construction of docks, markets, and the castle to them.
For others, the expense might have been worrying. For Jon—after two dungeon expeditions—the gold and silver he possessed were more than sufficient.
"Yo, yo, yo… this little place is truly something else! If I didn't know better, I'd swear I was back in Tyrosh!"
As a grand merchant ship docked, a middle-aged man dressed in blue silk robes exclaimed loudly.
He appeared to be around forty years old, wearing a blue silk cap set with a ruby. His features were refined, and a neatly groomed mustache framed his lips.
"It's hard to imagine that just a few months ago, this was nothing but a pirate nest. Now it's practically being built into a great city."
Escorted by slaves and servants, the richly dressed merchant stepped into the Dock Market.
"Those people must be from Dorne's Firewine Merchant Guild, right? I can't believe they're taking on dock construction work. Am I seeing things?"
Construction on Cutthroat Isle had been divided into two parts: the docks themselves and the warehouse complexes. The Dornish had extensive experience in such work.
Though the warehouses bore a strong Dornish aesthetic after their involvement, their structural quality was undeniably excellent.
"And that—by the Three-Headed God—isn't that the Rhino Horn Merchant Guild from the Summer Isles? They came as well? This lord is actually using goldenheart timber to build houses. He's obscenely wealthy!"
Amid his constant amazement, the group slowly passed through the crowded Dock Market.
At present, the main island of Cutthroat Isle was one enormous construction site. All old buildings were repurposed, and nearly every available structure had become lodging for merchant guild members.
Some craftsmen and workers were even forced to sleep in tents outside due to the shortage of housing. Their arrival had, however, greatly stimulated Cutthroat Isle's economy.
To keep the elderly, women, and children occupied, Jon introduced many ideas from Blue Star. Though food processing and handicrafts generated profits slowly…
They allowed the Chainbreakers to accumulate experience and build foundations for future industries—such as glassmaking and ceramics.
Yi Ti in this world was much like ancient civilizations on Blue Star; silk, spices, and tea were practically equivalent to gold.
Jon, who understood this well, would never miss such an opportunity. Though many techniques were still immature, laying the groundwork early would save tremendous time later.
From the moment this group appeared, they had already drawn the Chainbreakers' attention. Thus, when they left the Dock Market and headed toward the Pirate Fortress—
A squad of Chainbreakers suddenly blocked their path. Under the command of Frodo, leader of the Ring Guard Squad, they formed a solid human wall.
"Forgive me, noble sir, but this area is restricted. Except for workers, entry is not permitted."
Frodo's tone was calm and steady, revealing no emotion.
"Oh! My apologies," the merchant replied quickly. "We are an official diplomatic delegation from Tyrosh. We wish to pay our respects to Lord Jon Snow."
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