Chapter 186 Pirates
Yanes thought that he and Baron Balin were the only two people invited, but he soon found many familiar faces.
"Tok, didn't you say you would go back to the Kingdom of the Holy Cross to visit relatives during the New Year?" Yanes looked at this familiar old friend, his eyes almost popped out.
"Hey, it's not the Duke's invitation, I changed my schedule temporarily!" Tok replied with a smile.
In fact, how could Derek not prepare two B plans.
If Viscount Yanes didn't come, there would be no New Year next year.
When he saw Tok, he figured it out.
You can't blame old friends for being disloyal. Friendship must take a back seat in the continuation of the family.
Then, he saw some familiar faces again.
Some people are even working for King Bruno.
The next few days were all about various discussions, plans and visits.
I watched the training of the Northland Knights several times, and even His Excellency the Duke personally participated, which was really surprising.
Everyone knows that His Excellency the Duke is a martial artist, but few people have seen it with their own eyes.
Yanes had thought that the rumor was somewhat exaggerated. People also said that Louis II had amazing swordsmanship, but he was still killed by a black slave.
But after witnessing the Duke's killing spree, Yanes was dumbfounded.
In particular, some unbelievers tried it, but they couldn't last five seconds and were kicked to the ground.
While Yanes swallowed his saliva, his confidence in the Duke was unprecedentedly strong.
Although personal force is meaningless in the melee of the legion, everyone still habitually attaches great importance to personal bravery.
After repeated washing... education, a group of nobles became more and more fanatical, ready to overthrow their old master.
...
In winter, on the ocean, more than a dozen ships gradually appeared in sight from far to near.
Behind an isolated island, one ship after another hid on the back.
On the top of the towering isolated mountain on the isolated island, there was a sailor looking out.
The duty of the lookout is very important at sea.
Soon, he found the target, and could even vaguely see the dragon on the flag.
"Here they come, here they come, it's the Leopold family's fleet."
The lookout shouted to the flag bearer below, who began to wave the flag and send a signal.
The ships hiding behind the island saw it, and started the ships amid the chaotic roar.
There were more than a dozen ships of different sizes, with different shapes and sizes, and even the flags hung were a big skull.
They were...pirates.
But unlike ordinary pirates, they were pirates with backgrounds.
They were all working to attack small and medium-sized merchants and nobles, and to serve the great nobles.
Today, I just received a new job.
Captain Jones, the pirate leader, had rich experience. At first, he drove a fishing boat to fish, but later found that it was faster to rob fishermen to make money.
Then he was thrown into prison by the noble master after the incident, and he thought he was dead.
Unexpectedly, he was released again, and he was given a new ship, and he embarked on a pirate career.
After doing this promising job, he regretted why he didn't find this way to make money earlier.
Compared with fishermen who have little money, merchant ships are much fatter. Even if part of the spoils have to be handed over, it is still a huge profit.
Of course, being a dog for someone will inevitably involve doing some dirty work.
Fortunately, the master behind him is particular and always gives some benefits.
Captain Jones woke up from the memories of his first half of life. He is now a little tired of such a life.
A wild dog will never be tamed.
"After this job, rob a ship and run to the New World?"
Others don't know about the New World, but Captain Jones knows it.
That place is sparsely populated, maybe it is a way out.
But before that, rob these northerners first.
And... kill the damn first mate.
"Don't think I don't know that you are the man planted by that old guy."
Staring at the back of the first mate viciously, Captain Jones showed a malicious smile.
As for the prey this time, he is not worried at all. A group of sheep is not as threatening as the first mate.
The pirates were in disarray, jostling and scrambling, and their faces were exposed in a mess.
Fortunately, they knew not to spread out too far, and they also seized the right upwind position.
In the distance, the unfortunate prey should have discovered the hunter, right?
On the Little Duke-class gunboat, the lookout put down the telescope, which was a powerful weapon equipped for the lookout on the ship.
With this weapon, the lookout discovered the enemy early.
When the captain got the news, he climbed up the mast to check it out himself.
Then... he laughed very happily.
"Finally, there was a fight."
The days at sea were really boring, so just treat it as a way to kill time.
Soon, the transport ship slowed down until it stopped completely.
Three gunboats acted alone, two old three-masted sailing ships stayed behind, and two followed the gunboats.
Five ships, just one-third of the pirates.
When Captain Jones saw these fearless guys, he also laughed.
"It seems that the northerners have never encountered a fellow voyage!!!"
If they met a fellow voyage, they would not dare to board the pirates like this.
The sea is different from the land, especially for pirates.
If they are caught, they will be hanged, so surrender is rare. They will either be hacked to death or hanged.
So the number of people is very important. Boarding battles are bloody and cruel.
Although the Northland Knights have a great reputation, this is the sea. Fighting on a ship is different from fighting on land. The heavy knights are definitely not pleasing.
"Speed up, show the northerners a little color, whoever jumps on the deck first will double the spoils."
Captain Jones knows how to encourage his men.
Sure enough, the pirates howled, drove the ship downwind, and rushed towards the prey.
And their opponents were not as panicked as imagined, and were busy from top to bottom.
The three gunboats had already turned their hulls sideways, and the secret door on one side was opened, revealing the black muzzle.
The two guns on the front and back of the deck also changed direction.
"Gunners, get ready."
The first shell was ready early, and every gunner was excited to fire the first actual combat artillery.
The pirates also took up the crossbows and howled happily.
A crossbowman even said with a smile: "I heard that these crossbows were made by the northerners. I wonder if the crossbows will be gentler when they see them."
"One-eyed dragon, aim at their assholes, I will be gentler to you tonight." Someone shouted and cheered.
Everyone laughed happily. For pirates, vulgarity is a daily routine.
The one-eyed crossbowman even turned the crossbow around to scare the guy who was joking.
"Be careful or I'll shoot your ass."
"Something's wrong. What kind of formation is this on the other side? One-eyed man, stop playing around. Are they within the range of the crossbow?"
"How is that possible? They're still far away. Don't worry. I can shoot them with my eyes closed when they're within range."
The one-eyed man turned the crossbow around while muttering. He thought his companions were making a fuss. They were a bunch of northerners who were landlubbers. What did they know about the formation of a sea battle?
Then, he saw the other side's strange behavior and puffs of black smoke rising.
