"Captain, just how big is this ship now?"
Billy, holding a cable as thick as his waist, stood on the deck, staring blankly at the completely revamped the explorer.
Roger leaned against the ship's rail, gnawing on a golden-brown roasted lamb leg, and replied indistinctly.
"Estimated length forty meters, width twelve meters."
"Three-masted full-rigged ship, sixteen cannon positions, full displacement nine hundred tons."
"If by this era's standards, it's a Fifth-Rate ship."
"Similar to the light cruiser HMS Hermione."
After Roger finished speaking, he took another big bite of meat, the long-lost aroma making him squint his eyes in happiness.
"What's a frigate?"
Hanson, wiping a cannon barrel nearby, his eyes wide.
"Isn't this something only the Royal Navy is supposed to have?"
"Now we have one too."
Roger patted the ship's rail beneath him, producing a dull thud.
"And it's even more formidable than theirs."
He stood up and roared at the pirates on deck who were still experimenting with their immortality.
"Stop messing with yourselves! Gather!"
The pirates immediately stopped their experiments and stood in a crooked line on the deck.
Roger walked up to the bound Hector Barbossa, looking down at him.
"Captain Big Fool Chun, I'm giving you two choices now."
Roger extended two fingers, wiggling them in front of him.
"First, I'll package you and your men and sell you to the Royal Navy."
"Guess how much Commodore Norrington would pay for your head?"
Hector's face instantly turned pale.
He, of course, knew the bounty on his head from the Navy.
Five thousand gold coins!
This was one of the highest bounties in the entire Caribbean Sea!
"You wouldn't dare!"
Hector yelled, his neck stiff, but his voice clearly carried a hint of fear.
"What wouldn't I dare do?"
Roger smiled.
"We are all pirates, what is the virtue of a pirate?"
"It is never to give up any possible wealth!"
"If I sell you, I can get five thousand gold coins."
"This deal, no matter how you calculate it, isn't a loss."
As Roger spoke, he actually turned around and shouted at Gibbs.
"Gibbs, go get our nautical chart and mark where the nearest Royal Navy base is."
"Yes, Captain!"
Gibbs responded cooperatively and turned to get it.
"Wait! Wait!"
Hector completely panicked.
"You said there was a second option!"
"Oh, right."
Roger turned around, a benevolent, capitalist-like smile on his face.
"Almost forgot."
"The second option, stay and work for me."
"Work?" Hector was stunned.
"That's right." Roger nodded.
"You see, my ship is bigger now, and I'm short-handed."
"It just so happens that you and your men are all experienced old pirates."
"Stay and work for me, and not only will I not sell you, but I'll also pay you a salary."
"How about it, Captain Big Fool Chun, consider it?"
Hector's expression changed repeatedly.
He certainly didn't want to work for this madman.
However, compared to being sold to the Navy and hanged on the gallows...
Working for Roger didn't seem so hard to accept.
"I... I agree."
Hector gritted his teeth, squeezing out these few words.
"Excellent!" Roger patted his shoulder with satisfaction.
"Welcome to the explorer Fleet!"
"Gibbs, untie them."
"Also, go to the warehouse and get ten barrels of rum to welcome our new employees!"
The pirates immediately burst into cheers.
After Hector and his men were untied, they all stretched their stiff limbs, their expressions extremely complex.
Working for Roger truly felt like the worst luck they could have.
Just then, a sharp monkey screech suddenly rang out.
"Chirp!"
The monkey that Roger had slapped unconscious and hung on Hector's shoulder had woken up at some point.
Seeing Roger, it immediately shrieked as if it had seen a ghost, jumping off Hector's shoulder and frantically running into the Captain's Cabin.
"Damn, has this monkey become a spirit?"
Billy said in surprise, watching the monkey run faster than a rabbit.
"It knows fear now."
Hanson chuckled gleefully nearby.
"Being slapped by the Captain, it's probably traumatized for life."
Roger looked at the fleeing monkey, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
"Alright, quite clever."
"Running away whenever it sees me from now on, that's good awareness."
Hector looked at his disgraceful monkey, his expression becoming even uglier.
Just then, the Captain's Cabin door was pushed open.
Elizabeth Swann, wearing the loose sailor's uniform, walked out carrying a tray.
On the tray were a glass of rum and several peeled tangerines.
She had a sweet smile on her face as she walked up to Roger and said softly.
"Captain, you've worked hard, please take a rest."
On the deck, everyone was stunned.
Billy's cable dropped to the ground.
Hanson's cannon-wiping motion froze in mid-air.
Even Hector and his men looked at Elizabeth Swann with a ghost-seeing expression.
Was this still the Governor's Daughter, so arrogant she wished her nostrils would turn skyward?
Had she been possessed by the Sea God?
Roger was also momentarily stunned.
He looked at Elizabeth Swann, who was smiling like a flower in front of him.
Then, he opened his system panel.
[Elizabeth Swann: Loyalty -101/100 (Status: Traitor, being taught)]
Roger's mouth twitched.
Well, well.
Loyalty was still negative one hundred and one.
This woman was playing a honey trap.
"Miss Swann, what is this?"
Roger looked at her with a half-smile.
"I just thought, since I can't leave this ship temporarily, I might as well properly learn your navigation knowledge, Captain."
Elizabeth Swann's smile grew sweeter.
"After all, you said you would teach me to become a true navigator, didn't you?"
As she spoke, she leaned closer to Roger.
A subtle hint flashed in her blue eyes.
Roger looked at her delicate face, but his heart was blooming with joy.
This woman really thought she could charm him with her beauty?
Naive!
Roger took the rum and drank it in one gulp.
Then, he wrapped an arm around Elizabeth Swann's waist, pulling her into his embrace.
"Miss Swann is right."
Roger leaned into her ear, his voice extremely low.
"Since we're learning, we should learn thoroughly."
"Starting tonight, you'll move into my room."
"I'll teach you well."
Elizabeth Swann's body stiffened.
Her face instantly flushed crimson, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes.
She hadn't expected Roger to be so direct!
"Captain, this... this isn't quite right..."
Elizabeth Swann's voice trembled slightly.
"What's not right?"
Roger released her, a devilish smile on his face.
"Don't you want to learn?"
"In my room, there are the most complete sea charts, the most precise instruments, and the most comfortable bed."
"Studying there, efficiency is highest."
"Wouldn't you agree, my dear student?"
Elizabeth Swann opened her mouth, unable to utter a single word.
She felt like she had shot herself in the foot.
On the deck, the pirates watched the scene, stifling their laughter, their shoulders shaking more violently than the monkey Jack.
Billy even let out a pig-like snort of laughter.
Roger looked at Elizabeth Swann's predicament with satisfaction, his mood excellent.
He turned around and announced loudly to everyone.
"Alright! From now on, the explorer officially sets sail!"
"Destination, Tortuga Port!"
"We're going there to recruit more crew and procure more supplies!"
"Then, we will make the entire Caribbean Sea know the name of the explorer!"
"Depart!"
At Roger's command, the explorer slowly sailed out of Isla de Muerta's bay.
The black hull shimmered with a dark glow in the moonlight, like a giant beast awakened from the abyss.
And in the Captain's Cabin, Elizabeth Swann looked at the large bed, which Roger had specially made with new sheets, and felt completely numb.
She finally realized that this time, she had truly overplayed her hand.
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