Chapter 398: Silver Claw Osprey

Kelin had some ambition.

Having lived in a remote mountain village far from towns since childhood, even though he hadn't received much education, he still had the idea of walking out of this small world and going out to work hard.

Perhaps there were reasons for the immature development of the teenager's mind, green and immature, only seeing the bright future depicted in the bard's mouth, while ignoring the dangers that might be hidden in the outside world.

But no matter what, he still took the first brave step.

Taking advantage of the opportunity of the adventurer named "Xia Nan" passing through the village, he came to "Suoyu Wan", the largest city in the surrounding area, and went to rely on his uncle Padi whom he hadn't seen for many years.

This uncle Padi of his treated him very well.

Having worked hard in Suoyu Wan for many years without starting a family, almost after confirming Kelin's identity, he treated him like his own son, buying new clothes and arranging work, taking great care of him.

Kelin even heard Padi say personally that after following the other party to familiarize himself with the channels in the town for a few years and running through the relationships, in the future when the other party retired, he would hand over the "Salmon Roe" grocery store to him.

Perhaps for those masters in the White Cliff District, or professional adventurers like Xia Nan, such small shops in the corners were not worth mentioning.

But for outsiders like Kelin who had a poor background, a fixed property located inside Suoyu Wan that could continuously generate income was, to some extent, the upper limit they could reach through hard work, and it was something that countless ordinary people working hard on the port, in the laundry, and by the stable had long dreamed of.

Kelin was very grateful that his uncle could treat him like this, but to some extent, in his view, farming in the village and guarding the grocery store in Suoyu Wan seemed to be no different.

It was just changing to a more exquisite cage.

He naturally knew that his thoughts were too immature, and would even seem ridiculous in the eyes of many people.

But he was only a teenager after all, and in the depths of his heart, he still longed to become a powerful adventurer like Mr. Xia Nan, even if he knew his talent was limited and feared death and battle... having finally come to Suoyu Wan, he had to go to the sea at least once.

To this, his uncle Padi showed exceptional openness.

Knowing that every young person who had just arrived in Suoyu Wan had some unrealistic fantasies about their future.

Only real setbacks could make them return to reality.

So, taking advantage of the relationships he had managed in the town for many years, he stuffed Kelin into a cargo ship that was about to set sail as an apprentice sailor.

The voyage was short, and the route was relatively safe, basically not encountering any danger.

And the boredom and dryness on the sea, and the crew members who were fish and dragons mixed in the closed space, as if forming a small society, were enough to make him recognize reality.

Kelin naturally didn't know what he might face, and was currently carrying the expectation of the sailing life that was about to begin, panting, happily moving cargo on the gangway.

Until a familiar voice came from behind.

"Mr. Xia Nan?" The teenager looked at the adventurer walking towards him with a surprised expression, obviously not expecting to see the other party in this place.

Soon, as if realizing something, he blinked and said happily:

"So the new adventurer who came on board to help escort goods that the captain mentioned a few days ago is you?"

From the village to Suoyu Wan, having traveled such a long distance, he naturally knew the strength of this black-haired adventurer, and had long regarded the other party as his goal to work hard for.

Now that he didn't expect to have a chance to get along, he was naturally even more delighted, and looked forward to this voyage even more.

Xia Nan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the coarse hemp clothes already soaked with sweat on his body, and the heavy cargo at his feet, and asked with some confusion:

"Why did you come to the pier to work, what about that uncle Padi of yours?"

"Hehe, I begged him to help me find a job as an apprentice sailor." Kelin scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, as if shy to mention his willfulness in front of Xia Nan, "I plan to work on the sea for a while to see."

On the way to Suoyu Wan before, Xia Nan had heard the other party mention his yearning for life on the sea, and now seeing that the other party really started the profession of a sailor, he didn't feel much surprise in his heart.

It was just that it felt quite coincidental that he actually ran into him again, so he chatted for a few words.

Just as he was about to ask the other party about the location of the "captain" he mentioned, a rough and hoarse male voice came down from the gangway.

"I suppose the two of you must be Mr. Xia Nan and Mr. Alton, right?"

Walking down from the gangway quickly was a middle-aged man about forty years old, with dark skin.

He had a capable flat top, and the wind and sun of sailing all year round made his appearance more weathered than ordinary people, and his thick palms were covered with calluses, which were traces left by years of wrestling with cables and ship rudders.

Although as a captain, his income was much higher than that of ordinary sailors, at this moment, the other party didn't wear any gorgeous clothes that reflected his status, but just put on a slightly loose short-sleeved shirt, which looked quite simple, but also made his temperament more stable.

"I am the captain of the 'Black Gull', 'Gregori'." The middle-aged man took the initiative to reach out to the two to show his respect for Xia Nan and them, "I hope for a happy cooperation in the future."

Pulling Alton, who was squatting by the wooden railing by the pier and seriously observing the waves splashing on the wooden piles, back to his side, Xia Nan also reached out politely and nodded as a response.

"Should be setting off soon, right? Introduce this Black Gull to us?"

"Of course!" Captain Gregori gave way, leaned down slightly, and reached out to make a "please" gesture.

Then he took Xia Nan and Alton onto the gangway and introduced them to this cargo ship that was about to set sail.

As a standard specification, the most common medium-sized cargo ship on the pier, just like its simple and unadorned appearance, the internal space of the Black Gull was equally simple and focused on efficiency.

It was mainly divided into the bottom cabin, main cargo cabin, deck, and stern building.

Among them, the bottom cabin was located at the very bottom of the whole ship, paved with heavy ballast stones to stabilize the ship's center of gravity, ensuring sailing stability; it was also the place where the heaviest and most moisture-proof goods were stored.

The main cargo cabin, as the name suggested, stored the main goods on the ship, and was also the place where the vast majority of sailors rested—in the narrow area between the goods or near the ship's side, using straw mats or hammocks as "beds", with almost no personal belongings.

The deck covered the main cargo cabin, was the place where the crew worked daily, and was the busiest place on the whole ship, where daily maintenance, repairing canvas, and processing fish were all carried out here.

As for the last stern building, it was the commanding height of the whole ship. ===== CHAPTER 399 =====