Chapter 961

Only one red-haired crew member sighed with sorrow, saying, "I agree."

"I agree too."

Another raised a hand to vote.

The rest of the red-haired crew remained silent.

No one agreed,

yet no one opposed.

Clearly.

Deep inside, they desperately wanted to reject this course.

But for the Red-Haired Pirates to escape from danger, they could only make the painful decision.

"Do it then…"

"If the captain blames us, I'll take full responsibility!"

"To let the Red-Haired Pirates escape from danger, I'm willing to bear the scorn."

"But…"

"I'm sorry, villagers of Windmill Village."

Harlan sighed helplessly.

Gazing far off at Windmill Village, he faintly saw the figures of its simple, kind-hearted villagers.

This filled his heart with deep guilt.

But soon,

his guilt transformed into fierce resolve.

No matter what…

the Red-Haired Pirates must escape this sea!

They cannot die here.

They must return to the New World!

Seize the Emperor's throne!

For this,

even at any cost.

Even if they became infamous forever,

they would not hesitate!

"Listen to my order."

Harlan took a deep breath and suppressed all the chaotic thoughts in his mind.

Then,

he walked step by step to the front deck of the Red-Haired Ship, his eyes filled with heaviness as he fixed them on Windmill Village.

Under the gaze of over two hundred red-haired crew members,

Harlan gave a serious order: "Fire immediately! Bombard Windmill Village! Target Windmill Village to force Admiral Kapu to abandon pursuit of our Red-Haired Pirates and turn to protect Windmill Village."

As he finished speaking,

the entire Red-Haired Pirates crew fell silent.

After much hesitation,

for the Red-Haired Pirates to escape from danger…

they had no choice but to betray their own hearts.

Though they were heartbroken…

they still had to bring out the cannons.

Aim the cannons at Windmill Village.

"For the Red-Haired Pirates…"

"What if we bear the scorn?"

One by one, red-haired crew members clenched their fists, their expressions resolute.

After a brief hesitation and inner struggle,

they quickly made their decision.

As pirates,

they should have long been prepared to bear the scorn!

Yet,

now, attacking Windmill Village's simple villagers truly tested their conscience and their limits!

To let the Red-Haired Pirates escape from danger, they shattered their former limits!

Lost their former conscience!

"Load the ammunition!"

Harlan's face was expressionless.

His eyes carried a touch of sorrow.

Once the cannons fired upon Windmill Village…

it would mean,

that the Red-Haired Pirates were now no different from any other pirates on this sea.

Since setting sail,

The Red-Haired Pirates had never laid a hand on ordinary civilians.

But now,

they were about to break this line!

All along,

what they prided themselves on was their refusal to sink to the level of other pirates.

Yet they never imagined.

One day,

they would ultimately walk down that path of no return.

They had become the same as that infamous band of pirates.

They had betrayed the resolve and will they held when they first set sail!

Not long after,

all the cannons were loaded.

The barrels were aimed at Windmill Village.

One by one, the Red-Haired crew members hung their heads, faces grim, eyes filled with reluctance, yet not one spoke to stop it.

They had all accepted what was about to happen.

Though their hearts ached…

for the sake of the Red-Haired Pirates, they had prepared to spare no cost.

"Are we really going to do this?"

Someone asked weakly.

At these words,

none of the Red-Haired crew responded.

Each fell into gloom.

If they could, they would never have chosen this.

But the problem was…

they had no other option.

This was the only lifeline in utter despair!

They had to seize this sliver of hope!

Otherwise,

the Red-Haired Pirates would cease to exist from this day forward.

"Stop hesitating!"