Chapter 368 Raiding the Merchant Ships
Somewhere in the eastern part of the kingdom,
The atmosphere had grown increasingly tense as the days passed. In the local marketplace, the morning air was filled with a sense of urgency.
Crowds of people, both buyers and sellers, converged like an anxious sea of humanity.
Their faces were etched with worry and frustration as they gathered around wooden stalls.
The grain prices, marked on chalkboards, seemed to have no upper limit, steadily climbing higher and higher.
Buyers couldn't believe their eyes as they compared the current prices with what they had paid just weeks ago.
"How could you justify selling this grain at the same price when you're offering smaller quantities?" one buyer angrily demanded, pointing to the meagre heap of grain before him. His voice quivered with indignation as he confronted the seller.
The seller, equally exasperated, tried to explain, "Our grain reserves have dwindled significantly. Shipments are arriving in smaller quantities, and we can barely secure half of what we used to."
Frustration radiated through the marketplace, and the tension simmered beneath the surface.
People felt a growing sense of helplessness as they struggled to afford the basic staple of life.
It was a stark reminder that something was terribly wrong, and they yearned for answers and solutions to their mounting concerns.
....
Leavianic Sea,
Boom—
The resounding blast of a cannon echoed across the sea, followed by a thunderous splash as the cannonball landed perilously close to its intended target.
The merchant ship, caught unawares by the sudden attack, rocked violently in the water.
Panic gripped the crew as they realized they were under attack.
"Man the sails! Full speed ahead! We must escape this peril!" shouted the captain of the merchant ships.
Desperation fueled their movements as they scrambled to unfurl sails and steer the ship away from danger. The sea churned around them, but they pushed the vessel to its limits.
Their faces etched with fear.
"Hoist the main sail! We need more speed!" yelled a sailor.
Emerging from out of nowhere, the menacing black-sailed ships closed in on the merchant vessels, swiftly and deadly.
"Ready the cannons! We'll not let these merchants escape!" Jon commanded.
The merchant ships strained against the wind, their crews driven by the fear of impending doom.
They veered and tacked, trying desperately to evade the encroaching menace.
.cοm But the pirates were relentless, their pursuit unyielding, and they began to encircle their prey like a pack of hungry sharks closing in on wounded prey.
As the merchant ship tried desperately to evade capture, the pirates closed in from all sides.
"Prepare to board their ships!" bellowed Jon, his voice carrying over the wind.
The merchant crew, outnumbered, brandished their cutlasses, ready to defend their vessel.
Fear gripped their hearts as the pirates' ships loomed closer, and they could see the cruel smiles on the faces of their assailants.
"Stand fast, lads! We won't go down without a fight!" shouted the merchant ship's captain, trying to rally his crew.
With a resounding crash, grappling hooks flew through the air, latching onto the merchant ship's rails.
The pirates, agile and well-practised, swung across the yawning gap between the vessels, landing on the merchant ship's deck with precision.
"Boarders on deck!" cried a merchant sailor, but his warning was drowned out by the clash of swords.
Swords clashed and cutlasses rang as the merchant crew valiantly defended their ship. However, the pirates were battle-hardened. Their movements are more fluid and calculated than the merchants.
One by one, they disarmed the defenders, forcing them to their knees.
"Yield or you'll taste cold steel!" growled the pirates, pressing a blade against the throat of a merchant sailor.
The merchant crew reluctantly surrendered, their cutlasses falling to the deck with a clatter.
Jon strode forward to meet the defeated merchant captain.
"Your ship and your cargo are now mine," he sneered, his voice dripping with triumph.
The merchant captain met Jon's gaze, "Who are you?! We're not supposed to get attacked!"
He knew all too well that his employers had paid a hefty sum of money to the pirates, a longstanding arrangement that had ensured their safe passage for years.
It had become normal for the merchant fleet to hire minimal security, given the pirates' adherence to their agreement.
An attack was the last thing he had expected.
"Me?" Jon chuckled. "I'm a newcomer in this area."
Jon then instructed his crew to commence the transfer of cargo from the merchant fleet to the pirate ships.
The scene was a chaotic whirlwind of activity, with pirates swarming over the merchant vessels like a swarm of locusts descending upon a field of crops.
Crates, barrels, and sacks of goods were hauled across the treacherous gap between the ships. The pirates worked with impressive efficiency, each man knowing his role in this plundering operation.
One of Jon's crew members couldn't help but ask, "What are we going to do with them, Captain?"
Jon glanced over at the partially bewildered crew member. "Leave some to return home, take the rest with us," he replied, his mind already spinning with possibilities.
The cargo held value and was their primary target. As for the people, the king might have some use of them.
After thoroughly looting the merchant ships of their valuable cargo, the pirates proceeded to sink all but one of the vessels.
The remaining flagship, Jon ordered to be spared.
With a firm grip, he seized the merchant captain and thrust him toward the solitary ship.
"Go and spread the news about us," Jon commanded.
The merchant captain, despite his dire situation, tried to muster his bravery and warned Jon. "You won't get away with this! All of the pirates here are on my employer's payroll. One word from him and you guys are finished!"
Jon's confidence remained unshaken. "We'll see about that."
If the pirates roaming in this area have a rich businessman backing them, they have the entire kingdom's military and resources on their side.
They can keep recovering, again and again.
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