Chapter 2268: A Contest in the Shadows

The atmosphere of the negotiation wasn't too good. After all, two of the three parties in the negotiation were pirates. Looking at the expressions of the subordinates behind Redbeard, it was clear they were ready to start a firefight at any time. The subordinates of the Black Sea Empress Agati had similar expressions.

"Terror Island again."

Redbeard's brownish-yellow eyes narrowed, and the surrounding temperature began to drop. It looked like he might turn hostile at any moment.

"Redbeard, although that place is special, it's not to the point of..."

Before Agati could finish her sentence, Redbeard turned his head and stared at her intently, making the atmosphere even more tense.

"Recently, many people have been looking for Terror Island. Because of this godforsaken rotten island, I've lost hundreds of men."

Redbeard didn't set any conditions. He was more filled with anger now. After all, because of Terror Island, he had suffered nearly a hundred casualties among his subordinates, and even three trusted aides had betrayed him.

Redbeard could accept the casualties of his subordinates, but he couldn't accept betrayal. He now wanted to drag those three traitors out and crush their heads one by one.

"30,000 Kingdom Gold Coins."

As soon as Su Xiao finished speaking, Bahamut suddenly appeared beside him, and a large cloth bag was tossed onto the ground by Bahamut.

With a clatter, gold coins spilled everywhere, one of which rolled to Redbeard's feet, hitting his boot before rolling over.

The pirates' breathing became rapid. As pirates, they wouldn't hide the greed in their hearts.

Redbeard leaned forward slightly, grabbed a large handful of gold coins from the ground, and examined them for a moment. He exerted force in his hand, and the gold coins were crushed flat, squeezing out from between his fingers like mud.

"I have no interest in these. As for Terror Island, 'that' can be given to you, but..."

As Redbeard spoke, he tossed the lump of gold in his hand to Su Xiao's feet.

"On my ship, three crew members betrayed me. Find them, and then I will give you 'that thing'."

The condition Redbeard set was a bit tricky. He didn't ask for benefits, but instead asked Su Xiao to help him find three people.

Su Xiao felt a bit puzzled; the theme of the negotiation had "shifted."

"Who wouldn't like gold?"

Su Xiao drew the sheathed Checking Zhan Long Shan from his waist, pressed it against the gold coins on the ground, and placed both hands on the end of the hilt.

The atmosphere was tense to the freezing point. Fair trade must be built on the basis of equal strength between both sides.

"Who wouldn't like gold?"

Redbeard repeated Su Xiao's words, then grinned.

"You're right. Deal."

Redbeard hooked his finger at his subordinates behind him, and a one-eyed pirate behind him immediately handed over a bottle of rum.

"This is liquor from my hometown. I only drink with friends."

As he spoke, Redbeard tossed the rum in his hand to Su Xiao. Su Xiao had just given him a way out, so he immediately returned the favor.

Redbeard, who could become a maritime tycoon, certainly hadn't thought Su Xiao would help him find those three traitors. He was just confirming one thing: whether Su Xiao wanted to seize a piece of territory in the Viking Sea. This was what he urgently wanted to know.

Through probing, Redbeard basically confirmed that Su Xiao wasn't here to grab territory. Su Xiao's "Who wouldn't like gold" was clearly giving Redbeard a way out.

Redbeard made a prompt decision to take this way out, and by the way, he also calculated against the Black Sea Empress Agati, because today, the two of them had already discussed beforehand to unite with Su Xiao to deal with Bone Sheep Fan E'xi.

The original negotiation plan was that Redbeard could provide the "sea chart" of Terror Island, provided that Su Xiao helped him and Agati deal with Bone Sheep.

Who knew that just as the negotiation began, Su Xiao summoned the Cursed Ones, which made Redbeard hesitate. Although he didn't know the number of Cursed Ones, he realized that these inhuman monsters were not to be trifled with.

Therefore, Redbeard decisively changed his negotiation method. Recently, other participants in the Strongest Contest had successively come to cause trouble for Redbeard and even incited three of his subordinates to betray him in order to obtain the location of Terror Island.

Redbeard used this matter to conduct a relatively cautious probe, which was to let Su Xiao find those three traitors. In fact, Redbeard's original intention wasn't this; he just wanted to determine whether Su Xiao would join the maritime hegemony.

After confirming these things, Redbeard suddenly changed his stance. After taking the "way out" Su Xiao gave him, he not only maintained his face as a great pirate but also obtained a large sum of gold coins.

Not only that, Redbeard also chose to stand on Su Xiao's side. This maritime tycoon's way of doing things was: if others gave him face, he would immediately return it with rum from his hometown, and add a sentence that this liquor was only for drinking with friends.

"Redbeard."

Agati spoke with a smile. It was impossible to see the slightest anger in her, but in her heart, she already wanted to tear Redbeard's head off and step on it under her feet.

"Black Sea King, do you have any opinions on our negotiation?"

Redbeard looked at Agati sideways.

"Opinions? How could I? I'm just a middleman."

Agati certainly wouldn't have any opinions. If she turned hostile now, Su Xiao and Redbeard would join forces to deal with her. This was no joke.

Whether it was Redbeard or Agati, those who could climb to their current status were shrewd, ruthless characters. In this negotiation, no one lost. Su Xiao obtained the location of Terror Island, Agati obtained the Ancient God's right arm, and Redbeard obtained a large amount of gold coins.

"This is the 'sea chart' pointing to Terror Island. Within 15 years, that is, in this rotation, there is only this one."

Redbeard took out a black scroll from his bosom. The texture of this thing resembled parchment.

"Within 15 years, there is only this one chance. I, Redbeard Ignati, sincerely admire your choice. I... retreated back then."

Redbeard stood up and walked to Su Xiao. It looked like he was prepared to hand the sea chart to Su Xiao himself.

Seeing this, Su Xiao felt a bit puzzled. He reached out and grasped the sea chart, and the Reincarnation Paradise prompt appeared.

【Prompt: The Hunter has obtained the Soul Refining of the Angry Sea.】

【Soul Refining of the Angry Sea】

Origin: Viking Sea, Terror Island (Unique)

Quality: Holy Spirit Level

Category: Scroll/Trial Item

Durability: 1/1

Usage Prerequisite: Willpower 83 points or higher, Soul Strength 100 points or higher.

Equipment Effect 1: After the Hunter arrives at Terror Island, they can use this proof to conduct the "Soul Refining of the Angry Sea."

Rating: 972 points (Holy Spirit level item rating is 700–1000 points)

Introduction: This is a trial for the brave. Within 15 years, there is only one chance.

Sale Price: Soul Coins (Seventh Tier) x35.

Seeing the attributes of 【Soul Refining of the Angry Sea】, the doubt in Su Xiao's heart was resolved: why it was so difficult to find the location of Terror Island.

Now it seemed that the location of Terror Island wasn't too difficult to find; what was truly difficult to obtain was the 【Soul Refining of the Angry Sea】.

As for why this situation occurred, it was entirely because Agati was meddling. She knew that Su Xiao only wanted the coordinates of Terror Island, but she conveyed to Redbeard that Su Xiao wanted the 【Soul Refining of the Angry Sea】.

Agati miscalculated. Just as the negotiation began, Su Xiao vaguely sensed something was wrong and decisively took out 30,000 gold coins. After all, after leaving the Viking Sea, these gold coins would lose their value.

In reality, Su Xiao wasn't here to find any soul refining at all; he only needed the coordinates of Terror Island.

Unfortunately, after this was said, Redbeard didn't quite believe it. In his view, Su Xiao was the kind of strong person who pursued strength, so his goal was naturally the 【Soul Refining of the Angry Sea】. How could he cause such a big commotion just for the coordinates of Terror Island? If it weren't for the secret meeting today, a large-scale maritime melee involving several major factions might have broken out by tomorrow evening. ===== CHAPTER 2269 =====