No one dared to trouble Chris in the end. Everyone knew his skills were far from ordinary.
Walking up to the shipowner, Chris asked, “How long until we reach Blackridge Strait?”
The shipowner, looking respectful, replied, “About two hours.”
Chris nodded and continued, “I heard there are pirates at Blackridge Strait. Is that true?”
The shipowner nodded. “It’s true! But don’t worry. Usually, as long as we pay the toll, they won’t bother us.”
Hearing this, Chris nodded again. Truth be told, he wasn’t afraid of the pirates. What concerned him was the potential delay they might cause.
Chris had long surpassed the limits of ordinary warriors. Even against a mid-level Solstice cultivator, he could hold his own.
Suddenly, the unexpected happened.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Out of nowhere, over a hundred small boats sped toward them, the vessels packed with pirates whose faces were twisted with ferocity.
“Pirates!”
“It’s the pirates!”
Panic broke out on the ship. Everyone knew how ruthless these pirates were-they didn’t just rob people of their Essence Stones but often killed everyone aboard, leaving no survivors.
The fear in the air was palpable. The shipowner tried to calm the passengers. “Don’t panic! As long as we pay the toll, they’ll leave us alone.”
His words brought a temporary sigh of relief, but Chris frowned. Something felt off.
For mere toll collection, there was no need to send over a hundred boats. These pirates had a different agenda.
“Stop the ship!” a pirate leader barked.
The shipowner, not daring to delay, quickly brought the ship to a halt.
He handed over a bag of Essence Stones, smiling obsequiously. “Good sirs, here is the toll.”
The pirate leader took the bag, ready to leave, when his gaze fell on Lindsay Windson. His eyes gleamed with greed.
Lindsay Windson wasn’t just stunningly beautiful-her fame as a celebrity gave her a unique allure. The pirate leader broke into a sinister smile.
“Not bad,” he sneered. “I want her! Bring her to me!”
At his command, a few pirates moved toward Lindsay.
“Mr. Shelby!” Lindsay cried out in fear, hiding behind Chris.
Chris looked at the pirates with disdain. These fools dared to target Lindsay-they were courting death.
The shipowner stepped forward, attempting to mediate. “Sirs, this lady is one of my passengers. Perhaps you could-”
Bang!
Before he could finish, the pirate leader kicked him to the ground.
“Shut up! When I want something, do you think you have a say?”
The display of force silenced everyone on board.
“Why are you all standing there? Grab her now!” the pirate leader ordered.
“Yes, sir!”
The pirates moved in, but Chris was faster.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
With swift, precise strikes, Chris killed several pirates in an instant.
“You dare kill my men?!” the pirate leader roared in fury.
He waved his hand, and over a hundred pirates surrounded Chris in an instant.
Lindsay clung to Chris’s sleeve, trembling.
Chris stared at the pirate leader. “What do you want?”
The leader smirked coldly. “You have two choices: come with us, or I kill everyone on this ship.”
Chris hesitated for a moment.
Fighting the pirates was no issue for him. But the innocent passengers would suffer if he resisted.
After a moment’s thought, Chris nodded. “Fine, I’ll go with you. But you must let the passengers go.”
The pirate leader grinned. “Don’t worry. I only want you two. The others are safe.”
Chris and Lindsay prepared to board the pirates’ ship.
The pirate leader’s smug grin widened as he watched.
The shipowner, struggling to his feet, shouted, “You-”
Chris turned back, smiling faintly. “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
With that, he and Lindsay boarded the pirates’ ship.
The shipowner sighed deeply. He wasn’t strong enough to fight these pirates and could only watch helplessly.
To him, Chris and Lindsay were marching to their doom.
After about an hour, they arrived at the pirates’ hideout-an island filled with buildings.
Chris and Lindsay were brought to a grand hall where the pirate leader sat on a large chair, radiating authority.
“I am Hudson Smith, the ruler of these waters and the most powerful pirate in Blackridge Strait,” he declared.
Before he could say more, Chris casually sat in a chair, crossing his legs with a look of arrogance.
Hudson’s face darkened. “You insolent fool! Who gave you permission to sit here?”
The surrounding pirates drew their weapons, glaring at Chris.
Chris ignored them completely. He looked at Hudson and said calmly, “Get to the point. Stop wasting my time.”
Hudson sneered. “Fine. I’ll be direct. I’ve taken a liking to the woman next to you. She will be my wife. As for you, you can either swear loyalty to me or die.”
Hudson was used to getting what he wanted. No one had ever escaped his grasp.
Chris laughed coldly. “You want her as your wife? I’m afraid you won’t live long enough to see that day.”
Hudson’s face turned grim.
This was his territory, surrounded by his men, yet Chris dared to mock him.
“Since you’re so eager to die,” Hudson growled, “I’ll grant your wish!”
“Kill him!” he roared.