Shadow Trails in Azeroth

The next few days of sailing were uneventful.

Until the early morning of the fourth day, when it was about to approach the waters where the Kul Tiras fleet was cruising, the Nagfar began to break away from the vultures' caravan and sailed forward alone at a faster speed.

The Elemental Blessing of the Hydrasian Legion allows the ghost ship to avoid detection by the Tide Sage, but continuing to stay with the merchant ship will only increase the target.

What's more, Blake still needs to complete some preparatory work before officially going to Drustvar to attend the wedding.

Okay, guests, we are approaching the cordon of the Kul Tiras fleet. Therefore, we will spend the next three days and two nights at the bottom of the sea and will not come up to give you fresh air.

At sunset, on the deck of the Nagfar, Blake played with the hypnotic pocket watch in his hand and shouted to a group of dwarf engineers wandering around the deck wearing loose clothes:

In the last twenty minutes of rest, I should keep today's sunset in my mind, so as not to cause problems if I stay underwater for too long. Although I have a 'psychiatrist' on board.

But trust me, you won't like the way she treats you.

Black, are you so afraid of the Kul Tirans?

Wearing beach shorts, a loose top, and weird-looking dwarf sunglasses, dwarf agent Kelsey Steelshine was lying on the stern platform of the ship basking in the sun, lying on the railing and shouting down:

Your ship is so powerful, it can attack them silently from under the sea! What are you afraid of?

I'm glad you complimented my boat. I'd like to say thank you on her behalf.

Blake said without raising his head:

But trying to show fearless courage on someone else's turf and end the action before it even begins is not something to boast about.

I don't know how you secret agents of Gnomeregan do your job, but we Uncrowned Ones have never been so high-profile.

I suggest you seize the opportunity to relax, Kelsey.

Staying under the sea for a long time is not a pleasant thing, especially for you very nervous dwarfs. I don't want to lock you up with a chain.

Hey! There's something at the end of the sea, Blake!

Kelsey didn't answer the stinky pirate's teasing. She put on her mechanical goggles. As the gears turned, she quickly noticed something rising on the sea level under the setting sun in front of her.

She pointed there and screamed:

It looks like several ships! They are on our way.

Huh? Is there a boat? At this time, in this sea area?

Blake raised his eyebrows and blew a sharp, trembling whistle.

Soon, an agile and dexterous trade wind crow flew out of the bird's nest behind the stern of the ship, circled overhead several times, and flew quickly toward the sea ahead according to Blake's waving finger.

Blake stood in front of the helm of the ship. He activated the Beast Covenant. Soon, the view of the sea from a high altitude was shared by the Trade Wind Crow.

Because Miss Hisari flew very high, she had a very wide field of vision. After a few minutes, Blake could vaguely see the postures of the three ships ahead.

Well, judging from the size, they all look like ordinary merchant ships. There are some close-range anti-aircraft guns on the two strings. The sailors on the deck are walking lazily around with bare feet, and some people are fishing.

The flag they were flying was the flag of a certain chamber of commerce in Kul Tiras, and it looked like an ordinary commercial voyage. This place is close to the sea of ​​Kul Tiras, so it is not surprising that such a small caravan appears.

But Blake's brows furrowed tightly.

As the trade wind crows neighed closer, the pirates noticed something was wrong.

The draft of these three ships is too shallow.

Either they carried very little cargo, or the three ships deliberately lightened their ballast in order to increase their speed.

However, in order to pursue profits when sailing back and forth, merchant ships always fill the ship as full as possible. As for those who dare to remove the ballast while sailing on this endless sea, it is simply risking their lives.

Given the size of these three ships, a slight amount of wind and waves would be enough to capsize them.

unless

The three empty ships in front of them were sure that they would soon harvest a batch of ballast on the vast sea.

So, is this the Kurdish Navy 'fishing'? Or are my colleagues preparing to play a big game?

Blake put his hands on the steering wheel, narrowed the magic eyes on his shoulders, and gave instructions to the parasaurus beside him to keep her eyes on her, and then turned around and walked into the cabin.

He casually opened a hatch, then took out the elemental emblem and rubbed it gently in his hand.

Wow

A light breeze blew in this enclosed place, and Al Abbas, an elemental merchant dressed as Asan, responded to the call as before.

Blake was not polite and asked directly:

Are you on the three ships opposite? What are their identities?

Well, my dear good customer Blake, you know my rules.

The djinn shook his marshmallow-like body and said in a gentle tone:

I cannot reveal the identities of my other clients and I only answer questions that are within the rules.

But yes, I was on the opposite boat and they paid good money to buy your location from me.

They are ambitious.

They're going to do something really bad to you and your boat.

Okay, let's follow the same pattern as last time. I guess, you respond. If I'm wrong, you tell me. If I'm right, you stay silent.

Blake glanced at the pocket watch in his hand.

He took the dwarf's pipe in his mouth, lowered his head and lit the fire, and said:

I guess those three ships came from the South China Sea. They should be those 'pirate hunters' who want to get rich overnight?

The djinn swayed his body silently.

Blake nodded and asked again:

I guess they may have some relationship with Hela, so they dare to risk being sunk by the Kurdish navy and ambush me in this area near Kul Tiras?

The djinn shrugged and replied:

Wrong, not all of them are related to Hela.

Um.

The pirate nodded again.

He took full advantage of the privilege of being a “premium customer,” saying:

“My final guess is that their plan is to block the Nagfar here and take advantage of the ghost ship’s lack of artillery to defeat us at medium and long distances.

In order to prevent me from diving and escaping, these guys should have brought mines or something like that? Or maybe they purchased the service of ‘confining ocean currents’ from you?

Their plan is to kill me here to please Hela, and then send my body and my ship to the Kul Tiran Admiralty in exchange for a reward and to eliminate any bounty they may have on their backs?

Cool, kill three birds with one stone!

Not a bad plan.

If it weren't me who they were targeting, I would also be moved.

The djinn spread its hands, a terrifying smile appeared on its blurry face, and said:

My dear Blake, do you need to purchase some 'services' from me to offset their advantages?

Good guy, you are eating both sides!

Blake pouted and said:

First sell them services, and then blackmail me into buying services. The only beneficiary of the 'arms competition' between the two sides is you. I said, is this the 'trading priesthood' you seek?

I feel like your clerical field is a bit weird, so you might as well change your name to 'Death Merchant'.

No, this name is too violent. As we all know, the Djinn is a pacifist.

The Elemental Merchant laughed like the wind blowing through the woods.

It swayed its body and said to Blake:

I never engage in head-on combat, I just provide my customers with loyal services to the best of my ability. If you don't need my services, then get ready for a fight.

Another group of my clients are going to speed things up.

Friendly reminder, you should treat it with care.

The one facing him was a true 'Hela God's Chosen'. Although he had not yet reached the 'finals' of the Underworld Queen, his cruelty and madness were already well-known in the South China Sea.

Yeah?

Blake nodded.

Before the djinn disappeared, he asked one last question and said:

How much is the total bounty on the Kul Tiras Admiralty for their group?

It seems to be just the same as your bounty.

The genie asked suspiciously:

Why do you ask?

Nothing, just asking casually.

Black sent the djinn away, turned around and opened the hatch. On the bulkhead outside the door, it seemed that Windrunner's mother, who had just woken up, was leaning there, adjusting the dark war bow in her hand.

she asked:

So, one hundred thousand gold coins came over on their own initiative with legs?

Well, the fat sheep is coming.

Blake grinned and whistled:

Today is really a harvest day, let me see

The stinky pirate looked down at his pocket watch and said:

There are still ten minutes left before the scheduled dive time. Instructor, are you interested in stretching your muscles? Go hunting or something, and we will earn 70% of the money.

Shall I get 70%?

General Lilesa lowered her head, put a black iron mask on her face, and asked.

Blake's face suddenly turned ugly and he said:

In this case, you can stay on the boat and hold the battle for me. Your appearance fee is getting higher and higher. Poor me who is about to go bankrupt can no longer afford it.

After saying that, he turned around and walked out of the cabin, standing in front of the steering wheel.

Looking at the three ships in the distance, supported by the tailwind, they rushed towards the ghost ship like three arrows, and they had already turned on the sea, preparing to enter the bombardment position.

They didn't have many guns on board.

But for the Nagfar, which does not have a single cannon, once it enters an artillery battle, the ghost ship will still be restricted in every way.

During Miss Hisali Black Crow's diligent investigation, Blake could still see the bastards on the three ships throwing large groups of mines tied together into the sea.

Judging from the style, it should be an improved goblin mine.

I'm really willing to spend the money.

Click

The dwarf agent Kelsey, who had quickly changed into combat uniforms, grabbed a gun that was very large for a dwarf and rushed out, making a shooting motion on the stern platform above.

She screamed down and asked:

Do you need my help? Blake, once they get within a few hundred meters, I can help you snipe their captain.

Thanks, but my baby ship doesn't like people coming near her.

Black took off his dwarf pipe and blew out a puff of smoke. A pair of blue bat wings opened behind him, pushing him into the sky with just one beat.

A few seconds later, amid the screams of the dwarf engineer who was taking pictures ahead, a group of purple Black hands slid down from the sunset sky like a meteor, hitting three ships in the distance that were changing direction.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, there was a demon with two wings on its back, flying toward the sea below with billowing smoke.

Well

The little dwarf Kelsey, who was chewing raspberry gum, drew out her voice and dubbed the purple meteor falling from the sky.

When she saw the meteor hitting a ship on the edge and causing fire to burn, she curled her lips, put away the spear in her hand, shrugged, and said in a relaxed tone:

It seems that my help is no longer needed. What a pity. I also wanted to take the opportunity to test the latest mechanical squirrel bomb.

——

Listen to me, don't be afraid of that 'Two-Face' Blake! Anyone who hangs out on the sea doesn't know that the North Sea pirates will brag! They dare to say that he drove a ship without artillery and defeated Dai Dai head-on. Lin?

Who would believe this nonsense?

Why didn't he brag that he destroyed the entire Kul Tiras fleet with one man and one ship?

On the three ships opposite, a blind pirate with a strange-looking sheep skull on his head and a black skull mark on his face was blown by the sea breeze, grabbed the cable and shouted:

That's a young boy! I admit that his ghost ship looks very scary, but he shouldn't be so stupid as to go out and play without his own fleet.

It's just a big fat sheep that makes people drool!

There are a lot of bad guys in this sea of ​​plunder who will bully children, hahaha.

captain.

Shut up, idiot! Don't interrupt my pre-war declaration! Guys, I have bought power for our ship from the 'djinn'! The surrounding water has been trapped, and that ghost ship is nowhere to be found. Want to go!”

The old pirate with a strange cold light in his eyes scolded the sailor beside him who wanted to speak. He spat rudely to the side and shouted:

“We dropped mines and it didn’t dare to dive!

The sea breeze in this battle is blowing in our direction, so we have an absolute speed advantage!

As long as we keep the distance, that ghost ship without artillery can't even think of touching us. It will be sunk by cannonballs at a medium distance. Brothers, we will win this battle!

You all heard how Gaboa described that ship!

It is filled with the treasures of the ancient pirate king Zemlan. As long as Black is killed, everyone will get rich!

Captain! Look at that

The sailor looked at the purple meteors falling from the sky behind the captain, and once again tried to persuade his proud captain, but was scolded by the latter again.

The old pirate was obviously in an abnormally excited state.

There seemed to be a force interfering with his will, causing him to almost ignore everything around him, with only Black and his ghost ship in his eyes. The old pirate waved his sailor's knife and shouted:

Send Black's head to Kul Tiras, and our past will be wiped out, and everyone can return home with a large sum of treasures!

Isn't this what you want?

Isn’t this what it is?”

Ah, we're done! Run.

A scream interrupted the old pirate's enthusiastic pre-war declaration.

The panicked pirates ran on the deck below. These scumbags shouted and rushed towards the side of the ship on the other side. Some were so impatient that they jumped directly into the sea from a boat that was turning at high speed. As a result, they were swept into the current under the boat and their heads were smashed by the rudder.

Why are you running away! Come back here, you bastards, the artillery still needs to be controlled by someone else!

The old pirate was roused from his strange frenzy by this sight.

He looked at his fleeing men and turned around with emotion, just in time to see the purple-black shadow meteor falling from the sky.

Like a sharp arrow streaking across the sky, it smashed into the deck of the ship on the edge with a whoosh, blasted into the cabin, and set the mast and sail on fire.

While the scorching flames were burning, a portal from the twisted void opened. A large number of imps and hellhounds howled and rushed out, biting and hunting on the burning ship.

The fire was swirling, and a demon with folded wings strode out of the fire. It was holding a bloody pirate's neck in its claws, lifting him like a little lamb.

Hello.

Under the stunned gaze of the old pirate, the demon rubbed his chin with his sharp claws, looked up and down at him and the skull decoration on his head against the burning background, and commented with disdain:

Are you the newcomer chosen by Hela? This level of aesthetics is really a mess! Hela's taste is still as bad as ever.

But the first reaction of the satirized old pirate was not anger, nor fear.

On the contrary, he looked at the devil opposite with strange eyes.

It's really uncomfortable to have a mouthful that I can't spit out, and it's stuck in my neck and won't go up or down.

You, a devil with two skulls as accessories on your body, still have the nerve to accuse me of poor aesthetics? I only have one skull in my hand, okay! Hey, you devil with a bad brain, you are humiliating yourself. OK?