Chapter 88 – Cat Dad Pirated the Pirates
Operating a frigate and a fishing boat was different. Shepherd and Lucky sweated profusely while they pulled ropes, turning the masts and changing the direction of the ship. Magdalene also had a hard time summoning wind and moving the ship backward, away from the port.
As for the naughty cat, he was in the middle of exploring the cabins. He already found a collection of alcohol in the master cabin and the stash of the armory on the gun deck.
The ship’s condition was terrible as it lacked maintenance. Rotten woods and hull were covered in moss, and its cargo space was inferior to the cannon galleon that Xiaomao commissioned the merchant guild to make. However, it was useful to train Shepherd and Lucky to get accustomed to a bigger ship.
The frigate slowly moved away from the port while the skeletons and mercenaries were still fighting each other, and nobody paid attention to Xiaomao.
10 minutes later, the ship got out of the port and turned away. Shepherd and Lucky got busy pulling and tying ropes again, changing the directions of the sails once again. Magdalene turned the wheel, and the ship steered away from the shore.
While everybody was busy, Xiaomao finally found something that didn’t belong in a medieval warship.
A large black boulder sat on the bottom deck, producing dark gas and miasma. Strangely, the gas seeped into the hull and reinforced it.
As Xiaomao got closer to the black stone, he could see the status of the frigate.
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<strong>Wellerboy (Frigate Class)</strong>
This frigate was the pride of the Great Pirate King Torrent. One day, Torrent salvaged a mysterious black stone and used it as fuel for the newly developed mana engine. Unbeknownst to Torrent, the black stones caused the crew to get sick and died while they were in the middle of the sea. Their souls were cursed by the power of the black stone, and they couldn’t pass on until today.
<strong>Item Type:</strong> Cursed Battleship
<strong>Crews Required to Operate:</strong> 10+
<strong>Durability:</strong> 80,000,000 / 80,000,000
<strong>Food Capacity:</strong> 1,000,000 units
<strong>Cargo & Armory Inventory:</strong> 400 Slots
<strong>Cargo & Armory Weight Limit:</strong> 400 Tons
<strong>Max Speed:</strong> 15 Knots
<strong>Crew Cabins:</strong> 40
<strong>Max Cannon per Side:</strong> 9
<strong>Skills:</strong> Intimidation, Ram, Self-Repair, Undead Curse
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<strong>Intimidation (Passive)</strong>
Skill Effect: Inflict an abnormal status [Fear] to enemies if more than seven cannons fire at the same time.
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<strong>Ram (Active)</strong>
Skill Effect: Charge into a targeted enemy ship. Deal 60,000,000 fixed damage to the enemy’s ship and deal 30,000,000 durability damage to the ship.
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<strong>Self-Repair (Passive)</strong>
Skill Effect: As long as the black stone remains on the bottom deck, the ship automatically repairs the hull and restores its durability by 1% per minute.
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<strong>Undead Curse (Passive)</strong>
Skill Effect: Reduce the ship crew’s HP by 1% per minute. If it kills the crew, turn them into undead skeletons level 100. If their levels are higher, create elite skeletons instead.
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‘Tlaloc’s curse, Nian’s Curse, and now this? This game never gives me a break.’
Xiaomao complained in his mind as he kept running into curses. The cursed claws on his tentacles hadn’t been removed yet, and the game would soon give him the Undead Curse status effect.
Before his HP was reduced to zero, Xiaomao used the same old trick. He touched the black stone and store it in his inventory.
DING
<You have obtained an unidentified black boulder.>
<Warning! Self-Repair and Undead Curse have been removed from the ship’s skill list.>
Xiaomao raised his eyebrows and read the description, checking if his instinct or foresight skill would give him some hints.
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<strong>Unidentified Black Boulder</strong>
This black boulder releases chilly black miasma into the air and contaminates everything it touches. Nobody knows where it came from.
<strong>[?????? Instinct]:</strong> Show it to Magdalene or Cernun.
<strong>[Foresight]:</strong> Cernun needs this. Talk to Magdalene and she will reward you.
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Xiaomao read the hints and slapped his forehead.
‘I should have known. Oh, well.’
Because of stress, Xiaomao brought out a catnip stick that he got from the flower garden and held it in his mouth as if he was smoking.
Xiaomao returned to the upper deck to see how his crews fared. When he got out, he found Shepherd and Lucky laying on the floor, chugging healing potions and mana potions.
The cat checked on them, “Are you tired, munya?”
Lucky sobbed, “Master, we lack manpower. We can’t manage a huge ship like this with just us.”
Magdalene flew toward Xiaomao. She sat on Shepherd’s stomach.
<Magdalene concurs with Lucky. This ship needs more crew.>
Shepherd repeatedly nodded, agreeing with the two women.
“I know, munya. I’ll recruit more crews, but I need to visit the Labor Guild first,” Xiaomao turned to Magdalene next. “By the way, I have something I need to show you, but I have a question. Can you transfer spirit stones and corrupted spirit stones to Cernun right away, munya?”
<Magdalene nods and confirms that she can. In fact, her inventory’s pocket space is connected to Cernun’s storage.>
“Good. Then, how many credits or spirit stones will you give me for this?”
Xiaomao pulled out the black boulder from his inventory and placed it on the deck. Dark gas exuded from the stone, scaring Lucky and Shepherd.
<Magdalene is shocked.>
Ding
<Magdalene has taken the unidentified black boulder in her inventory.>
<Magdalene excuses herself as she needs to consult with Cernun.>
Magdalene vanished with the stone.
Xiaomao, Shepherd, and Lucky looked at each other. They wondered why the fairy was in such a hurry.
“Master?”
“Yeah, munya?”
“What is it that you’re chewing?”
“Catnip, munya!”
“…”
“What? I won’t give it to you. It’s mine, munya!”
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<strong>Bit City</strong>
Comet and the remaining mercenaries stood behind Bit Tupeer. In front of their master, Torrent and his pirate crews clattered their jaws, glaring at the town defenders.
KAKAKA (Where is the regressor!?)
“Stop clattering your jaws. It’s annoying,” Tupeer scoffed and pointed his gun at the pirate captain. He pulled the trigger.
BANG
Torrent tilted his head to the side and dodged the beam. The blue light evaporated seven skulls of his crews, and their skeletons turned to ash.
The pirate didn’t retaliate right away. He glanced at the burning mansion, where a dozen fire pixies slowly approached them.
As an undead, he sensed the threat of the mana flame. Torrent clattered his jaws and turned around.
KAKAKA (Retreat. The regressor isn’t here!)
The undead army turned around and ignored Tupeer’s crews. However, Tupeer took a canteen from Comet’s hand and drank the liquid inside.
After swallowing a mouthful of mana potion, he grabbed the newly reloaded pistol and pointed it at Torrent. He pulled the trigger again.
BANG
Once again, the pirate captain moved his head slightly and dodged the beam. Although Tupeer couldn’t kill Torrent, the former still killed a few pirate crew.
Unfortunately, one man couldn’t kill all pirates. The beam skill’s cooldown was long, and it took a while to reload a flintlock pistol.
“Tsk!” Tupeer turned around, “Faster! Why do you take so long to reload a simple flintlock pistol?!”
Comet and the mercenaries trembled, “Sir, the flame sprites are coming after us. We need to get out of here soon.”
“That’s why I told you not to use precious spirit stones as bombs! You see what happened? It’s your fault for relying too much on spirit stones!”
“But the stones are-“
“Spirit stones are not bombs! They’re an energy source, you idiots!”
Tupeer flipped his pistol and smacked Comet’s face with the handle of the golden gun in his hand. In one hit, Comet’s HP decreased by a third, and he started bleeding. However, Comet bowed his head and accepted the punishment.
The mercenaries shrank back while they kept glancing at the mana flame.
Bit Tupeer turned toward the flame pixies as well. He clicked his tongue and was about to fire another magic shot at the glutton flame sprites.
Suddenly, Tupeer’s heart shook. His vision blurred, and he couldn’t breathe.
Tupeer recognized this syndrome. He bellowed, “DID YOU IDIOTS FEED ME MAZINGER POISON?!”
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Torrent and his gang leisurely walked away from the city. Some of his crews gathered items, swords, and gold coins on the ground that were dropped from the dead mercenaries. Then, they followed Torrent back to their ships.
Upon arrival at the port, Torrent looked around. He could still see the cog ships of his subordinates, but he didn’t see his frigate. On the other hand, the weird fishing boat already sank and was sucked away by the tides.
KAKAKAKA (Where is my ship?!)
The green fireballs in Torrent’s eye sockets expanded, and his green bones got darker. They emitted green gas, which painted the white sand on his feet black.
KAKAKAKA (WHO THE HELL STOLE MY SHIP?! WE’RE SUPPOSED TO STEAL FROM OTHERS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!)