Chapter 267: Daniz's Bad Luck

"Fine, but I can't produce that many gold pounds right now; can I exchange with equivalent magical items instead?"

Bu Lu·Wo Er Si, a mechanical expert, spoke first.

"No problem."

Lei Ke Dun gave a slight nod, his gaze turning to the other crew members still watching around.

"I have many mid‑low‑tier demonic potion formulas from various sources; if you need any, you can come to me—of course, bring enough money!"

His voice carried a hint of spirituality, very subtle, stirring people's emotions; aside from Ice Mountain General Ai De Wen Na, no one present noticed this.

The surrounding crew members glanced at each other, finding the demonic potion formulas highly tempting.

Although not every crew member on the Golden Dream had a savings mindset like Daniz, they had just discovered a treasure and hadn't had time to spend it ashore, so now each of them had some savings, more or less.

Led by Dan Ni Si, they left the captain's quarters one after another, intending to return to their cabins to fetch money for the formulas.

Yue De Sen, who didn't feel a strong craving for the demonic potion formulas, looked at Lei Ke Dun with suspicion; he sensed something off, but after a moment's thought found no issue.

"What's up with these guys? They're never that eager to improve their strength, yet suddenly they all seem to have figured it out?"

"Wait, wouldn't this make me look unambitious in front of the captain?"

A thought suddenly sprang to mind for Yue De Sen, growing stronger; he didn't bother pondering details and sprinted to catch up with the crew members who had left.

Seeing that all the crew gathered around the captain's quarters had left, Ai De Wen Na glanced at them, let out a slight sigh, and immediately turned her gaze back to Lei Ke Dun:

"You sent them all away—what do you want to discuss with me?"

"Don't worry about them; this excitement won't last long. Once they're back in the cabin, they'll have come around."

Lei Ke Dun saw Ai De Wen Na's concern for his crew and quickly offered an explanation.

He then raised his right hand slightly, extended two fingers, and said with a smile:

"There are two matters: the Golden Dream's operational range will be noticeably broader for a while. If possible, spread some word that your recent haul was abundant, and try to lure the Blood General over."

"Also, do you have a channel for smuggling food? I'm the buyer; I need you to transport a batch of provisions to an uninhabited island every so often."

Ai De Wen Na looked at Lei Ke Dun with some doubt, furrowed her brows in thought, and after a moment spoke in a slightly stern tone:

"The food you need is no problem; I have a steady channel in Fenebote to purchase it."

"However, the Blood General Sai Ni Ao Er is a vengeful spirit of an alien path, a spirit‑form vengeful ghost with strong divination abilities; such obvious baiting is unlikely to fool him."

Lei Ke Dun nodded slightly and let out a light laugh:

"The simplest method is the most effective; he knows we have an ambush and won't give up, but will fully prepare to come and strike down."

"The Rose School is my true target."

"No problem," Ai De Wen Na said, looking deeply at Lei Ke Dun, with no further doubts.

In the Golden Dream's cabin, Bu Lu·Wo Er Si, who had just reached his own door, stopped and looked puzzled toward Dan Ni Si a short distance away:

"I recall you said last time that every penny earned should be used for enjoyment; why are you suddenly so eager about the Wind‑affiliated's demonic potion formula today?"

"Also, Yue De Sen, why did you run back with us? Don't you have the demonic potion formula known as the Dream‑Thief's?"

Yue De Sen froze there, furrowed his brows for a while, then spat out:

"Damn! That kid tricked us; he wields some bizarre technique that can warp our thoughts and emotions."

"I wondered why I suddenly wanted to buy his demonic potion formula, and he tried to swindle the savings I just amassed!"

Dan Ni Si gradually came to his senses.

Yue De Sen glanced at Dan Ni Si, thinking Lei Ke Dun wasn't trying to cheat them; after all, he also provided a demonic potion formula—at worst it's a forced buy‑sell.

"No! How did Dan Ni Si lead me astray? That guy was clearly trying to distract us and be alone with the captain. No, I have to go back!"

With that thought, Yue De Sen swiftly turned and ran back.

Bu Lu·Wo Er Si ignored Yue De Sen and Dan Ni Si's exchange, reminding Yue De Sen of their duties as first mate of the Golden Dream, yet he indeed needed the astronomer's demonic potion formula.

This channel, due to the craftsman's particularity, is almost monopolized by the Steam Church; demonic potion formulas flowing to the outside world are extremely scarce.

On the White Agate, Tu Ba Ge followed behind Ke Lai En, carefully evading the gazes of nearby pedestrians, disguising himself as an ordinary rabbit.

Only after entering a first‑class cabin marked 312 did he relax, hopping onto a sofa and babbling:

"What an exhausting rabbit this is; the people on this ship are so clueless—it's just a rabbit that can walk upright and talk!"

"You don't have to be so cautious; I can use illusion to conceal you."

Assuming the guise of Ge Er Man·Si Pa Luo, Ke Lai En maintained his persona, speaking coldly.

"Then why did you say yesterday that I was easy to expose and not take me ashore?"

"During combat I can't split my focus to maintain the illusion on you."

"Those weak humans, I can take them down one paw at a time."

Tu Ba Ge felt slighted, waved his paw and emphasized:

"Who did you bring in?"

The bathroom door swung open, and a man in his thirties with yellowed eyebrows and deep‑blue eyes stepped out.

Daniz's gaze swept the room; aside from Ge Er Man, he saw no other person, only a rabbit sitting on the sofa, dressed in a full suit, looking like a gentleman rabbit.

Tu Ba Ge also saw Daniz emerging from the bathroom, his fluffy rabbit face showing a human‑like shock.

It turned to Ke Lai En and said:

"You even keep a person as a pet?"

"He's a pirate, my hostage."

Ke Lai En strained to keep his cold expression, his voice icy and concise as he said:

Daniz wore a horrified expression, his eyes darting between Ge Er Man and the rabbit on the sofa:

"The rabbit spoke!"

Ke Lai En gave Daniz a cold glance, saying nothing.

It's just a strange creature; as the fourth mate of the Golden Dream, why am I so surprised? Does he think that what should appear beside me is rabbit meat?

Daniz wanted to speak, but Klein's stare shut him up, and he resentfully closed his mouth.

The Tu Ba Ge on the sofa felt that Klein's hostage looked somewhat familiar; it extended a paw, imitating Leckton's chin‑rubbing gesture when thinking, and searched its memory for where it had seen this unlucky pirate.

When Klein caught sight of Tu Ba Ge's movement on the sofa, his cold expression froze for a moment. How could I see solemnity, seriousness, vexation, and contemplation all at once on a rabbit's face!

After pondering on the sofa for a while, Tu Ba Ge finally remembered where it had seen Daniz, and excitedly pointed at Daniz and shouted:

"You are 'Lieyan' Daniz, the fourth mate of the Golden Dream, apparently a pirate worth 3000 pounds."

When he first heard the rabbit recognize him, Daniz still felt a bit smug, but when the last line about being worth 3000 pounds came, his expression instantly collapsed.

Damn it, why is this guy's rabbit just as hateful as he is? What does 'worth 3000 pounds' mean? Am I some commodity you guys can buy and sell at will?

Having truly inherited Al's teachings, this rabbit made Klein inwardly sigh; to keep up his persona, he casually grabbed a hard wooden chair and sat down.

Leaning back against the chair, hands naturally clasped, he said to Daniz:

"Tell me about the famous pirates you know."

"Doesn't your rabbit know all that already?"

Daniz said resentfully, feeling that this was Gehrman Sparrow deliberately making things difficult for him.

"This is an insult! I, 'Lieyan' Daniz, fourth mate of the Iceberg Major General, a famous pirate with a bounty of 3000 pounds—my dignity, my reputation, do not allow me to endure such an insult!"

Immediately he saw Gehrman give him an icy stare, and his body involuntarily trembled.

He drew a breath and spoke with a grin uglier than a cry:

"Okay."

"Huh, he's a pirate who can yield and stand firm!"

Tu Ba Ge spoke up at just the right moment, its tone impossible to tell whether it was mocking or simply stating an opinion.

Daniz's expression froze for a moment, then flushed red; if it weren't for his wariness of Gehrman Sparrow nearby, he would have already set fire to the suit‑wearing, bow‑tied rabbit and turned it into roast rabbit.

"Once I'm back on the Golden Dream, I'll eat rabbit meat for a week—no, a month! Braised, roasted—Daniz shouted wildly in his heart."

Al taught this rabbit all sorts of nonsense, and Klein struggled to keep his cold expression, lest he burst out laughing.

He suddenly felt that this rabbit would be the biggest obstacle on his path to playing the Faceless Man.

(End of chapter)