Chapter 1 A Good Start

With a resounding "crack," both ships shuddered violently! The ram at the bow of the *Bell and Goblet* must have been a legendary item of some sort, because it flashed with blinding light upon impact, smashing into the massive merchant ship's hull as easily as if it were splitting bamboo. From above, the *Bell and Goblet* looked like a poisoned stiletto, thrust deep into the merchant ship's vulnerable belly!

The prone pirates roared with delight, first hurling weighted ropes to bind the two ships together and create makeshift gangways. Then, ragged and wild, they charged across, brandishing firelocks and cutlasses. Although the merchant ship's crew managed a volley, the scattered shots only felled five or six pirates. This merely fueled the survivors' ferocity. One-Eyed Calonne demonstrated the might that had earned him the position of boatswain, charging to the fore and, soaked in blood, hacking down five or six men with his boarding axe. Inspired, the rest of the pirates swept the deck clear.

In boarding actions, securing the enemy's deck was a major advantage. However, if the defenders were determined, the grueling task of clearing the ship room by room remained. This merchant ship, with a displacement of over a thousand tons, was divided into at least three decks, each containing twenty or thirty rooms. Sailors could hide inside, armed with firelocks and axes, creating localized situations where the few defended against the many, making them tough nuts to crack.

At this point, Armand stepped forward. His face was grim, but his eyes glittered with bloodthirsty excitement. He stood ramrod straight, hand on the hilt of his rapier, and descended the cabin stairs with the grace of a general entering a ballroom. His pirates followed, roaring and brandishing their weapons.

At the bottom of the stairs, a dozen sailors had formed a defensive line. Taking advantage of the narrow passageway, several firelockmen knelt in front, and "bang, bang," pulled the triggers. Armand's bearing marked him as the leader, so the majority of the lead balls flew in his direction! However, Armand grinned cruelly and drew his silver rapier in a flash. He slashed and stabbed with blinding speed, so fast that the human eye could barely follow. All that anyone saw were silver streaks appearing around him. The bullets bounced away and embedded themselves in the wooden walls.

Armand strode onward, never slowing, across the sailors' temporary barricade. Behind him, the dozen sailors wore expressions of horror and disbelief, frozen in place. A moment later, blood spurted from their throats, foreheads, and chests, and they collapsed. The last image burned into their dying eyes was Armand's receding figure—elegant, majestic, and upright!

The pirates following behind were unfazed by this display. They cast reverent glances at their captain before swarming forward. With practiced efficiency, they looted the bodies, sorted the spoils, and then wiped the blood from their hands with the dead men's clothes before tossing the naked corpses into the sea. Fang Senyan wanted to follow, but seeing Armand's overwhelming power and the pirates' smooth routine, he wisely held back.

Even if he could scavenge something, the pirates would despise him. He couldn't forget his side mission: to increase his reputation among the pirates. He wouldn't sacrifice long-term gains for short-term benefits. Cree, however, couldn't resist the chance to kick them while they were down and followed them directly.

The sounds of fighting faded into the depths of the ship. Even Armand couldn't maintain that superhuman state indefinitely, but it was undeniable that the pirates were fighting at their best under his command. Fang Senyan remained on the deck of the *Bell and Goblet*, arms crossed, oblivious to the contemptuous looks from the surrounding pirates. He stared coldly at the row of dark cannon muzzles along the merchant ship's side. He had a feeling that the pirates' attack was going too smoothly.

Most of the pirate ships hadn't arrived yet because of their speed. That meant the pirate alliance was missing at least a third of its forces, yet the Spanish fleet was already showing signs of defeat. It didn't make sense. If the invincible Armada was so easy to deal with, why would the British Navy need pirates? The only explanation was that the Spanish merchant, Fernandez, had more than a few tricks up his sleeve!

As Fang Senyan stood at the bow, watching, the Spanish flagship, which was engaged with the *Black Pearl*, suddenly turned away. It unleashed a furious barrage of cannon fire to drive the *Black Pearl* back, then launched three lifeboats from its side!

By now, the Age of Exploration was a century old, and shipbuilding technology was quite advanced. Specialization was also well-defined. These lifeboats, though called such, each displaced nearly a hundred tons. They were equipped with sails and oars, and it was clear that they carried fully armed Spanish regulars. They sliced through the waves, heading straight for the *Bell and Goblet* like arrows loosed from a bow!

Normally, the men in those three boats would be described as "asking for death." The *Bell and Goblet*'s height gave it a significant advantage. It could easily outrun them, using the three five-pound carronades at its stern to slowly kite them to death! But now, the *Bell and Goblet* was stuck deep in the merchant ship's belly, bound securely by the boarding pirates to prevent it from escaping, effectively immobilized.

To make matters worse, Captain Armand, Boatswain Calonne, and most of the elite pirates were inside the merchant ship! First Mate Scarface Henry was unconscious after taking a blow to the head. That left only the old, weak, injured, or recuperating pirates on board. How could they possibly hold off the ferocious Spanish regulars? Just the sight of them standing in neat ranks, hands on their swords, silent and disciplined, was a stark contrast to the panicked, scurrying, shouting pirates on deck!

The remaining pirates on board were in a daze. Their only thought was, "Captain! Hurry back!"

But Armand was facing the greatest crisis of his piratical career!

After leading the pirates into the ship's hold, they systematically cleared each room. Armand was meticulous because his father had lost a ship when he failed to account for a single crewman. After the pirates celebrated and got drunk, the crewman emerged and set fire to the ship's powder magazine! As a result, his father's life's work of twenty years was destroyed. Only Armand's absence at sea that day saved his life.

However, the price of thoroughness was inefficiency. When Armand noticed that the resistance ahead was unexpectedly weak, a large number of gold coins began to scatter on the floor. These pirates, used to freedom and disorder, were courageous in battle but undisciplined. Their individual qualities were also rather poor. Believing they had the upper hand, they immediately rushed forward to grab the coins. Some even cursed at each other over the distribution of the loot. If it weren't for Armand's high prestige, they might have drawn knives and started fighting.

Driven by greed and disorder, the pirates followed the trail of gold coins to a spacious area resembling a dining hall. One-Eyed Calonne was at the front of every battle and also didn't want to be left behind when it came to looting. He immediately spotted a bag of Pieces of Eight (Spanish currency) by the passageway to the left and pounced on it with greedy eyes. But at that moment, Armand's face suddenly darkened. He smelled an indescribable, rotten stench that assaulted his nostrils!

With a deafening crash, splintered wood flew everywhere! A massive, dark double-handed axe smashed through the ship's bulkhead! The axehead was enormous, at least the size of a round table, and must have weighed over two hundred kilograms! Calonne's eyes widened instantly, filled with blood. He barely managed to raise his boarding axe in defense. The axe was immediately sent flying, and the sweeping axe blade sent him flying five or six meters, rolling across the floor before slamming into a pillar. He bounced back, spraying blood from his mouth! It looked like he'd broken several bones!