Navigator: I have a double six-story house

Su Qing did not leave the ship's side, her gaze fixed on the black dot where the sea met the sky.

"Selena, Wang Yao, come up here."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough to penetrate the corridor below the deck.

Less than half a minute later, the two of them walked onto the deck one after the other.

Wang Yao was still clutching a shovel in his hand, clearly having just come from the plantation.

Selena was faster than him, and as soon as she reached the ship's side, she followed Su Qing's gaze and took out her binoculars to look over.

Her expression remained unchanged, and there was no sign of tension on her face.

"Not any other captain."

Su Qing turned her head to look at her.

"They're pirates, the kind that refresh their own routes." Selena tucked a strand of hair that had been blown by the wind behind her ear.

Wang Yao shoveled onto the deck, his face full of confusion.

"Didn't they say there were no pirates on the beginner's route? I know that even though I never went to school, um... what was it again?"

He frowned and thought for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out a word.

"common sense."

Selena smiled slightly.

"Senior, we're no longer on the beginner's route."

She pointed to the moon overhead, which was much larger than normal.

"The rules for dedicated air routes are different from those for public air routes."

"There is no newbie protection here. Pirates and sea monsters will spawn, which is a continuous test for the captain."

Wang Yao said "Oh," and then asked, "Can we fight these pirates?"

Su Qing didn't reply, but looked at Selena.

"What about the strength?"

Selena tilted her head, revealing a rare expression of uncertainty.

To be honest, I'm not too sure either.

Su Qing raised an eyebrow.

Selena spread her hands.

"I've only ever seen records of 'exclusive shipping routes' in the merchant guild's documents. The documents don't specify the strength of the pirates they spawn on, but..."

She paused.

"To my knowledge, I have never heard of a captain dying in a pirate raid on his exclusive route."

Su Qing nodded, just about to speak.

A sharp whistling sound pierced the night sky, and the three people looked up at the same time.

A metal ball, trailing sparks, fell in a parabolic arc from a distance and struck the starboard side of the Sunny with pinpoint accuracy.

boom!

The ship shuddered violently, the sound of planks cracking exploded, and the sound of seawater rushing in came from below the deck.

A hole the size of a washbasin appeared on the starboard side of the ship, with splinters of wood floating on the sea.

Wang Yao stumbled and almost fell, the shovel slipping from his hand and flying away.

"Oh shit!"

Selena steadied herself, quickly glanced back at the damaged area, and her expression changed slightly.

"We've been hit, above the waterline on the starboard side. It won't affect navigation, but if we take a few more hits, it's hard to say what will happen."

Su Qing steadied herself by holding onto the gunwale, her gaze turning cold.

That black spot is no longer a black spot.

A two-masted sailing ship, twice the size of the Sunshine, was approaching at full speed. Its sails were dark red, and a tattered pirate flag hung on its mast.

Two gun barrels extended from either side of the bow, their dark muzzles aimed directly at the Sunny.

Su Qing glanced at the two cannons, then looked at the empty gun emplacements on his own deck.

The Sunny hasn't been fitted with guns yet, not because it doesn't want to, but because it simply can't get them.

Normally, in the early stages, there is protection from the beginner's route, so there is not much need to use cannons.

"I need to figure out how to get a few cannons." He made this note in his mind.

Then put it out of your mind for now; this isn't the time to think about it.

"Switch sides." Su Qing only said two words.

Wang Yao grinned and stretched his wrists. The shield was already in his hand.

"Alright."

Selena turned and strode quickly to the stern, placing her hands on the helm.

"I'll steer the boat; you prepare to board it."

The moment she turned the steering wheel, something lit up in her eyes—not fear, but excitement.

The Sunny began to accelerate.

The sails billowed in the sea breeze, the indigo sea was cleaved by the bow, and white waves surged to both sides.

Instead of creating distance, the Sunny charged straight into the gunfire.

The pirate ship on the other side reacted quickly.

Two more shells were fired, one in front of the other, one at a higher altitude and one at a lower altitude.

Selena swung her hand sharply at the steering wheel.

The Sunny, like a nimble fish, traced an arc on the sea surface.

The first shell grazed the bow of the ship and crashed into the sea, creating a spray of water. The second shell passed by the mast, so close that the whirring sound of the iron ball cutting through the air could be heard.

Wang Yao squatted on the deck, watching the shells flying overhead, and shrank his neck.

"Damn, you can even dodge that?"

Selena didn't turn around, but the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

"Don't panic, senior. It's nothing serious."

The Sunny continued to accelerate, and the distance between the two ships was rapidly decreasing.

The pirate ship's cannons fired again, this time at such close range that it was almost a direct hit.

Selena turned the helm again, the Sunshine listed, and shells flew over the tilting deck.

Then she turned the helm back, and the Sunshine snapped to its right, its bow pointing directly at the side of the pirate ship.

"Hit the corner!" Su Qing shouted.

Below the bow, the long-silent giant wave rammed out.

The metal ram gleamed coldly in the moonlight, carrying the momentum of the Sunshine's full-speed charge, and plunged heavily into the side of the pirate ship.

The sound of the wood breaking was deafening.

The pirate ship rocked violently, and a huge gash was punched in its starboard side, allowing seawater to rush in.

The two ships were locked in a tight grip, with less than two meters between their decks.

Su Qing had already leaped onto the ship's side, musket in hand.

A group of pirates emerged from the opposite deck; their appearance was different from the NPCs Su Qing had seen in the dungeon.

Withered skin, eerie green flames burning in empty eye sockets, holding a scimitar and a short axe, and roaring.

"Hungry!"

Without hesitation, Su Qing jumped over the ship's railing, and a gunshot rang out as she landed.

[Precision shooting!]

The first pirate to charge forward had its head explode, sending green flames scattering everywhere.

Before the body even fell, Su Qing began loading the reloading equipment.

The other pirates couldn't just sit idly by and wait to die, so they all rushed in.

Wang Yao, holding a shield, stood in front of Su Qing.

He stood like a wall in front of Su Qing, his shield bearing the force of the three curved blades striking down simultaneously with a muffled clang.

"Su-zai, you just keep shooting! I'll handle the ones in front!"

Without wasting words, Su Qing took a half step back and continued to attack.

The two worked together in a simple and direct manner: Wang Yao stood in front, taking on all the close-combat pressure, while Su Qing called out names from behind him.

Combining short-term and long-term strategies maximizes efficiency.

The pirates were not individually strong, but they knew no fear, no pain. Even with their arms cut off, they would continue to charge forward, shouting that they were hungry, and pounce on each other one after another.

The green phosphorescence and blood mingled on the deck, making it increasingly slippery underfoot.

Just then, Su Qing heard footsteps behind her.

Lightweight and fast.

Selena had somehow left the wheel and landed on the deck like a nimble cat.

Then, the familiar serrated long blade unfolded, sweeping across the scene with a single stroke, leaving only a few corpses behind.

Su Qing glanced at her but didn't say anything.

The three people each performed their duties and cooperated effectively.

Just a few minutes later, the last pirate was shot in the head by Su Qing. The green flames went out, and the body turned to ashes and disappeared.

The deck of the pirate ship fell silent.

Su Qing put away his musket and looked around; the entire pirate ship began to glow.

From the keel to the mast, from the deck to the cabin, all the wooden surfaces are covered with golden patterns, like some kind of ancient runes being activated.

Then, a system panel popped up in front of Su Qing.

[Exclusive Route - Pirate Raid Event Completed]

[Rating: S]

[Rewards are being processed...]