Chapter 578: Chapter 578 - 346: Plunder and Growth

The hull swayed slightly as the mast and iron cable occasionally clanged.A few pirates squatted on the deck, repairing cracks, their tools clanging against the planks, carrying the scent of damp and salt.The Mad King's latest order was to take a detour to the southern route, intercept a merchant fleet from the Green Tide Guild, seize the designated cargo and people, and then deliver them to his flagship deep at sea.Bag was the captain of this small team, but he had no idea what the cargo was. It was sealed so tightly that even they hadn't caught a glimpse.Some crew members said it was an alchemical product that could ignite the entire sea. Others claimed it was an offering the Mad King intended to present to some god of the old religion.No one cared about the truth; it was merely seasoning for their dull days at sea.The fact was that they had hijacked a Green Tide Guild ship, yet received no loot.Moreover, a third of their fleet was lost in the attack, with even the first mate falling in that wave.Now, thirty bodies of their brothers lay in the waters of Breaker Bay, traded for a pile of bottles, jars, and a few captives.Bag sat in the cabin, picking fish bones from his teeth while slowly chewing:"Thirty brothers traded for a bunch of ghostly trinkets in iron boxes and a few men - not even half a woman.