As Blake's command was issued, Rami quickly went to the speaking tube leading to the lower deck, took a deep breath, and clearly relayed the order:
"His Highness commands! Full sails! Engine room full speed!"
The command buzzed through the copper pipe, echoing into the depths of the ship.
The head overseer, Bufford, was dozing against a gearbox when he heard the command and instantly sprang up, immediately shouting into the speaking tube:
"Received! Full speed guaranteed!"
Bufford put down the speaking tube, quickly turned, grabbed the whip lying nearby, and cracked it against the gearbox with a grating sound.
"You damn bugs! Listen up!"
His roar echoed in the hot ship's cabin:
"From now on, all three shifts will operate at full capacity simultaneously!"
He strode over to Kyros and tapped the transmission rod he was pedaling with the whip handle:
"You! You're in charge of setting the pace!"
Then he turned to the other side and kicked the newcomer next to Tesoro:
"You! Move to the middle! Don't block the transmission chain!"
Kyros, whose spirit had been worn down by the environment, had no light in his eyes and obediently complied.
Tesoro, who had only recently arrived, glared at Bufford, who instantly flew into a rage and lashed Tesoro with his whip:
"You damn Slave! You dare to glare at me?!"
"Get to work, you bastard!"
"If I wasn't afraid of delaying Saint Blake's business, I'd beat you to death today!"
Tesoro, after all, had spent time in Slave markets and gladiatorial arenas; his outburst was merely a moment of impulse.
Once he calmed down, he immediately dared not argue and hastily began to act according to the overseer's command.
Bufford saw that Tesoro had quieted down, spat fiercely, and turned his gaze to the other Slaves:
"What are you standing around for?! Get to work, you bastards!!!"
The entire lower deck was instantly drowned in the sound of whips, shouts, and the roar of gears.
All the gears meshed and turned simultaneously, and the sanctuary lurched forward.
The bow lifted, and the speed at which it cut through the waves suddenly increased, like an arrow shot from a bow, heading towards Reverse Mountain.
Bufford's identity was not that of a Slave, but a relative of a World Government official.
There were many people like him in Mary Geoise, all sent through connections to work for the Celestial Dragons.
Even if it was somewhat dangerous, once someone caught the eye of a Celestial Dragon and stood out, their entire family could immediately rise to a higher status.
Spandine, who now held a crucial position in the CP, rose this way, and now he can even arrange for his foolish son to work in the CP.
Blake's heart was filled with joy as he felt the ship's current speed.
He wasn't concerned with what was happening on the lower deck; his entire focus was on pure gold.
From his personal perspective, he didn't have an overly urgent need for pure gold.
Even if he waited until the protagonist group encountered the Anglerfish, it would only be a little over ten years, and Blake would still only be forty years old then.
But if you can be a little younger, who wants to wear the face of a middle-aged man?
The Vampire Fruit can indeed grant eternal youth, but to what extent this youth can be maintained is still uncertain.
After all, even after Red Earl ate the Vampire Fruit and regained his youth, he didn't appear to be particularly youthful.
As for the problem that after taking pure gold, the body will stop developing and it will be difficult to improve strength?
Blake stated that he didn't care; he didn't exercise, and the enhancements brought by his ability cards were as solid as a rock.
However, among the maids around him, a few were quite elderly.
If Blake hadn't asked, he wouldn't have even realized that Kozuki Toki was already 41 this year.
Although there were no obvious changes yet, Blake estimated that in a few years, her appearance would begin a cliff-like decline.
The beauties of this world, no matter how stunning they were in their youth, would all become unsightly once they reached their elderly stage.
When Charlotte Linlin's first profile picture came out, many people thought it was fake.
Can you imagine that the bandit Dadan was actually a beauty in her youth?
Not only Kozuki Toki, but Ginny and Olvia were also in their thirties.
What worried Blake the most was actually Stella.
This woman, who had been with him the longest, had always kept his manor in perfect order and even looked after the minors.
It could be said that the reason Blake's maid group grew larger and larger, besides his own collecting habit, was at least one-third due to the worry-free Stella.
Time slowly passed, and what should have been a half-month journey was completed in just three days thanks to the tireless efforts of the Slaves.
Of course, the cost was also heavy; at least half of the Slaves were deemed unusable, and Saint Blake would need to spend money to replace them next time he returned.
Arriving at the foot of Reverse Mountain, Blake held a wine glass in his hand, not even getting up from his lounge chair, merely looking up at the miraculous mountain.
Rami stood beside him, reminding him:
"Your Highness, the entrance has been reached."
"Hmm."
Blake's tone remained unchanged:
"Activate the auxiliary propeller, full power up the mountain."
The command was given through the speaking tube, and from deep within the ship, a low, mechanical hum, distinctly different from the Slave pedals, could be heard.
The sanctuary's massive hull trembled slightly, and the blades extending from beneath the stern began to rotate at high speed, churning out profound power beneath the sea.
Compared to the ships on the mountain struggling in the rapids, relying on sails and oars, its posture was so calm it bordered on arrogant.
Even the Revolutionary Army had the ability to cross Reverse Mountain, so Blake's sanctuary could naturally do it with ease.
"This is how the Celestial Dragons travel..."
Recalling how the protagonist group crossed Reverse Mountain in the original story, even with the current, it was still thrilling, Blake couldn't help but exclaim.
While pirates and merchant ships worldwide considered crossing Reverse Mountain a life's feat, the privileged class could already travel upstream and come and go as they pleased.
The bow smoothly cut into the upstream current, climbing the nearly vertical waterway, the entire process as steady as a stroll in a garden.
After entering the West Blue waterway, the sanctuary officially entered this vast and familiar sea area.
Following the coordinates previously provided by Aramaki, the course was quickly adjusted, heading towards the junction of the West Blue and the Calm Belt.
After several days of sailing, the target point marked on the chart was finally close at hand, but Blake found himself in a predicament.
Even with his hurried pace, it had taken him a week, and the Anglerfish had already disappeared to who knows where.
Just then, the sea surface in front of the ship suddenly arched upwards.
Accompanied by a low energy hum, a streamlined submarine, made entirely of unknown metal, broke through the water.
The submarine's outer shell glowed with a faint blue light, filled with a sense of technology that seemed out of place in this world.
As soon as the submarine stabilized, a curved device on its hull lit up.
A electronically amplified, slightly distorted voice echoed across the sea:
"Attention! This is Dr. Fran's exclusive research waters!"
"Unauthorized vessels, turn around and leave immediately!"
"Repeat, leave this area immediately!"
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