Chapter 194 - 182: Disposition

Taking a deep breath, Roland suppressed the turmoil within him and reined in his impulsive thoughts.

This battle’s smooth success was no accident.

Using the Extra Benefit, Observing the Sea, to predict the dense fog was certainly one factor, but the experienced crew of the Sea Sparrow was even more important.

They had worked tirelessly over the past two days, using small boats to conduct continuous reconnaissance and gain a crystal-clear understanding of the three Pirate Ships’ movements.

It was this detailed intelligence that allowed Roland to devise such a meticulous plan and secure their victory.

As for Wailing Gorge...

Teresa and Hobbit had indeed given him a rough description of its internal topography and structure, but Roland was unwilling to make a rash judgment until he saw it with his own eyes or obtained more precise information.

Unlike before, he was no longer a lone wolf, but the captain of a ship carrying over a hundred crewmen.

Any hasty decision would not only endanger him but could also send these diligent crewmen to a watery grave.

It was a sight he never wanted to see.

With that, he descended from the quarterdeck and stepped onto the main deck.

The cleanup was nearly complete.

The crew chattered excitedly as they hauled the spoils of war into position.

Even the crewmen injured in the battle showed no signs of pain. Instead, they proudly displayed their wounds, loudly boasting of their valor.

For these old salts, retired from the front lines of seafaring, nothing boosted morale more than a spectacular victory.

"Captain Roland!"

"Captain!"

When Roland appeared, the once-rowdy deck fell silent in an instant.

The crew looked toward him, their gazes no longer holding the simple admiration they’d felt watching him painstakingly hone his seafaring skills. Now, it was mingled with a measure of heartfelt respect.

They had witnessed every detail of the battle just now.

His calm command, his clear orders.

In their eyes, their new captain’s strategic coordination was already on par with Trevor’s flair back when he first took the helm.

"Good work, everyone!"

Facing the gathered crew, Roland gave a slight bow of thanks and then promised them future rewards.

Amid the ensuing cheers, he walked over to Hobbit.

The Half-Elf was holding a thick stack of parchment, rapidly jotting down notes while issuing concise and efficient orders.

Under his direction, the hundred-odd crewmen worked in perfect sync, cleaning up the aftermath in an orderly fashion.

"Hobbit, how’s the cleanup going?"

"Mr. Roland?"

Hobbit looked up at the sound of his voice, his face immediately lighting up with excitement.

"Everything’s going smoothly! But these Pirates are dirt poor. There’s nothing of value among the spoils we seized."

Roland felt no disappointment at this news.

His purpose for this expedition was to eliminate the Pirates, not to get rich.

"And the prisoners?"

"All locked up on the Blood Claw. Miss Teresa is watching them, so there won’t be any trouble."

Thinking of the silver-haired woman’s deadly Sword Techniques from earlier, an expression of deep admiration appeared on Hobbit’s face.

Although he had been with Roland and his group for some time, this was the first time he had witnessed Teresa in combat.

’If Miss Teresa is this powerful, then what about Mr. Roland...’

From the daily words and actions of Teresa, Avril, and Galvis, the Half-Elf had long sensed that they all followed Roland’s lead.

Roland paid no mind to the probing curiosity in Hobbit’s eyes. He simply gave a few quiet instructions, then turned and walked toward the ship’s rail.

The earlier boarding action had left the two ships firmly lashed together with grappling hooks.

He judged the distance, leaped across the gap, and landed steadily on the deck of the Blood Claw.

The yet-uncleaned blood made his footing feel sticky, and the acrid stench of blood, mixed with the dense fog, was suffocating.

But Roland merely frowned, striding through the gore to stand beside Teresa.

The silver-haired woman held her foil, her icy gaze locked on a group of Pirates squatting on the deck, hands clasped behind their heads.

She hadn’t said a word, but her unapproachable aura and the lethal skill she’d displayed moments ago had terrified the dozens of Pirates into silence.

After a brief nod to Teresa, Roland surveyed the surroundings and asked:

"Where’s the Pirate leader?"

A flicker of disgust crossed Teresa’s eyes. She raised her foil slightly, pointing to a vicious-looking, middle-aged man.

The man had fine cuts on both wrists, from which blood was steadily trickling.

"Ha! To think the one commanding this attack is just a wet-behind-the-ears brat!"

Seeing the crew’s attitude toward Roland, the Pirate leader, Barton, immediately understood his status. He snorted and roared in a gruff voice.

"Listen up! I don’t care who you are, you won’t pry a single word out of me! Unless..."

A cunning glint appeared in his eyes.

"You get a small boat ready for me right now, and let me and..."

He glanced at the other Pirates around him.

"...my brothers leave this place safely!"

As a Pirate who burned, killed, and plundered—a man who had committed every evil imaginable—Barton didn’t give a damn about brotherly loyalty.

For him, saving his own skin was all that mattered.

Of course, if he could also drag these defeated remnants along with him to preserve some strength for a future comeback, all the better.

And since Roland’s people hadn’t killed him on the spot, it meant he still had some use.

Barton had no problem grasping at this last straw, even if it meant betraying the captain he’d followed for decades.

He would do anything for a sliver of a chance at survival.

"Heh... you’re not entirely stupid."

Seeing that the Pirate leader had guessed his intentions before he even spoke, Roland chuckled and turned to the silver-haired woman at his side.

"He’s all yours, Teresa."

"Understood, Mr. Roland."

Teresa gave a slight nod. Her gaze immediately lost focus, as if she were looking right through Barton and into the Void behind him.

A moment later, detailed information about the Pirates within Wailing Gorge began to flow from her lips, clear and cold.

As she spoke, the confident, triumphant look on Barton’s face rapidly crumbled, replaced by irrepressible Fear.

"Captain Harlem’s personality has changed drastically, causing the Pirates in Wailing Gorge to desert in droves. Now..."

Listening to Teresa’s account, Roland lightly tapped the pommel of his sword, lost in thought.

’So, apart from the ones we’ve already wiped out, there are only three ships and... a few dozen Pirates left in Wailing Gorge?’

’I didn’t expect this venture to go so smoothly, but...’

Recalling Teresa’s description of Harlem’s sudden, drastic change in personality, Roland couldn’t help but frown.

This notorious captain, despite his numerous crimes, had always been known for his cunning and resourcefulness.

Otherwise, he never would have been able to run rampant in the waters of the River Domain for so many years and remain unscathed.

’Why would an old fox like him suddenly give up his freewheeling life of Plundering to pledge allegiance to the Wolf King of the Land of Mist? And why hole up in a hellhole like Wailing Gorge, a place even the seabirds shun?’

"Mr. Roland..."

A cool voice pulled Roland from his thoughts.

Teresa elegantly sheathed her foil.

"What should be done with these prisoners?"

"Them?"

Roland snapped back to reality. His gaze swept over the crowd of Pirates, who were trembling in Fear, and the corner of his mouth curled into an icy smirk.

"Bind their hands and feet, and then..."

His clear voice was like the crack of splitting Ice, and for the Pirates, it felt as if they had been plunged into a frozen abyss.

"Throw them into the sea to feed the fish."