Black Sail
Chapter 223: CCXXIII. Heaven Port Boss

Chapter 223: CCXXIII. Heaven Port Boss

The next day, the 28th, at nine in the morning.

Taylor, as a person of power in Heaven Port, had to be acutely aware of all situations.

He had many subordinates, and even during the year-end, had already sent people to investigate the situation in the New Continent. Although it was hard on those people, a problem that could be solved with money was not a problem at all.

After news from the New Continent spread, Boss didn’t call a meeting with the three big shots to discuss it but directly opened Heaven Port for any trade or gold mining companies to come as they pleased.

The Iron Soul Pirate Group even became the favorite of Boss, directly invited to stay in the castle.

That land, or rather, that large island.

Its current name was tentatively set as.

Iron Soul Island.

Now, Boss, Doringger, had elusive thoughts and was indecisive, having no time to worry about what the small fries below him were thinking.

It seemed he was betting everything on the New Continent, which was why he hadn’t discussed anything with the three moguls, but he still sent their New Year’s gifts as usual by carriage, aiming to appease them for the time being.

Doringger’s displays were always grandiose, often with all his horses of the same color, nearly indistinguishable in hue; this was already the grandeur of nobility.

All income of the three moguls came from fencing stolen goods, with fleets of sail battleships, escort ships, and patrol ships under their command, occasionally helping some small countries in the Southern Continent and the Far East Islands suppress armed rebellions for a bit of commission.

But the former was the main source of their stable income—just taking care of transportation and resale brought them a continuous and exorbitant income of Golden Dragons.

The island was ruled by Doringger’s word. If he wanted to transform, then it was a done deal.

Though Doringger was scheming, he was not some delicate merchant.

The rumors about him were even somewhat exaggerated.

More than two hundred years ago, with the maturation of shipbuilding technology, the emerging profession of piracy became a popular career choice for countless students.

Because of information and transportation limitations, it was already a problem to manage within a country, let alone over the seas where there was no notion of a structured navy.

Suddenly, pirates stepped out of the bounds of the three realms, not confined in the five elements—you strike at me in the vast sea without a trace, I strike at you with divine weapons against which you can’t defend.

Until a hundred and ten years ago, when it reached its peak and entered the grand era.

The despicable sea routes were officially opened.

You want my treasure?

Heh, I won’t give it.

It’s better to teach a man to fish than to give a man a fish, so the elder ancestor of the Narrow Sea pirates decided to establish a school that would bring blessings to descendants for generations to come.

The "Pirate Bill" was also promulgated at this time by Old Cannon and is still the gold standard to this day.

Whoever changes the ancestral rules will lose their head.

In the Western Continent’s famous "Acania Travelogue," this act was also mentioned, with an Emerich-style ideology of freedom and democracy already in place.

These scattered forces now had an organization, a core ideology, and an action program—it truly was like stepping into the realm of Land Immortals, as if an old lady had changed her ways, unable to catch up anymore.

The destructive and aggressive nature of pirates grew ever more significant, even reaching the point where the will of the sea was endlessly renewing itself. The coastal areas were already enjoying the good times, the flavor of the sea, I know it.

Society is the balance of yin and yang, counterbalancing each other, sometimes being extremely dark and barbaric, sometimes overly idealistic, like sawing wood, moving forward at times, backward at others, but ultimately, it’s developing in depth.

Balance will be reached eventually; it only requires enough patience.

This was not just any desperado; a heavy punch needed to be thrown.

The navy, the Ministry of Sea Affairs, the Cross Alliance—these organizations emerged to fight the calamity.

From then on, began a frenzy of confrontations, which continues to this day. Pirates are still active along the coastlines, engaging in burning, killing, and looting, but they have been somewhat restrained compared to the past, focusing their attention on merchant ships and occasionally being conscripted into the military as armed forces.

In short, a large group of socially idle individuals gathered together to wreak havoc without the terror of terrorists, only dealing with reality.

And it is said.

Doringger’s ancestor, his great-great-great-grandfather or some unknown generation, was one of the original drafters of the "Pirate Bill."

He had the advantage of bloodline.

Many years ago.

After the Emperor’s eastern campaign ended and Heaven Port fell outside of his reach, it transformed into a commercial city, later overtaken by lawless madmen, completely entering a chaotic battlefield of Gu Refining.

With a minor slaughter every ten days and a major slaughter every hundred—it was a perfect distribution center as an island guarding the key nautical routes, remote yet strategic.

A land brimming with talent and considered prime real estate, where second-hand madmen could be found, and where middlemen made a profit.

Whoever occupied it.

"Who is the East Sea’s Little Emperor? The Emperor even had a castle built, how could moving in not be a great fortune?"

Under the endless battles,

It was said that Doringger was once an unknown naval officer who was swallowed whole by a sea monster hundreds of meters long.

Then... Doringger killed the sea monster.

He fought it, not with weapons.

At least, that’s what the outrageous legend claimed.

Anyway, the ship was gone, so upon his return, it was a total write-off, just bullshitting around.

Heard that Heaven Port is a nice place.

So, a manly hero descended from the skies.

Having ended the great melee, Doringger moved into the castle built by the Emperor. At that time, he was only twenty-nine, full of vigor, directing the affairs of the East Sea Domain.

The reason Heaven Port made a name for itself worldwide,

Doringger’s antics were indispensable, raising initial funds by directly extorting some small government entities, "Give me money or I’ll come in. I’m quite big, you might have to endure it a bit, overflowing with wealth."

After that, riding on fame, he grew in power, and even hired lots of authors to write novels that romanticized pirates,

Cunning and adept both in letters and martial arts.

He became the supreme ruler of the underworld, and although he could not infest the capillaries of the national system like some other criminal forces, the strategic location made Heaven Port as impregnable as a fortress.

"You can defeat me, but you can’t destroy me."

To this day, Doringger had become a figure in the Beima Duchy on the East Shore of the Southern Continent and the West Shore of the Far East Islands, whose mere mention could hush a crying child.

If you’re disobedient, Doringger will invite you to experience ’the good times.’

Inside Taylor’s office,

He was filled with endless thoughts. Last night, Tani had gone to meet Liszt and hadn’t brought back any news. This kid was putting on airs, aiming for an equal footing with him, and not just that - he strutted around with the old timers as well.

Liszt wanted to be the Boss.

Taylor’s income came from handling stolen goods. By the look of Doringger’s intent, if the New Continent was a treasure, then a split with his three compatriots might be imminent.

To go to the New Continent, to be a whitewashed admiral, or even a king.

Truth be told, it was an opportunity. If there ever was a time to take down Doringger, it could only be now.

The real test of Doringger’s capacity had arrived; if he succeeded in what he was doing, cutting off all pirate revenue, he would become a figure of renown in the history of the East Sea Domain.

But if he failed,

his end would be unspeakably miserable.

Assuming the New Continent was abundant in resources.

Now, Taylor needed to prepare for both possibilities. If Doringger didn’t split, and was willing to bleed out profits and give the big three a piece of the pie, that would be one thing.

But if not,

Taylor could only rely on his swift son-in-law-to-be.

Money, it has many uses.

Using it oneself is merely for amusement.

Giving it to others,

That becomes strength.

Liszt was probably already the fifth greatest power in Heaven Port.

At that moment, a subordinate entered the office, reporting a visitor’s arrival.

Taylor’s brows lifted in delight. Could it be his good son-in-law?

However, the outcome greatly disappointed him.

It was people from the Twin Group and the Skull Club.

Taylor was somewhat speechless. These people quarreled over minor gains, not the type to handle big affairs. They were probably here to bribe him, to have him press down and regain the right to collect protection fees.

But it was no longer just minor gains.

Having become a forward base, the protection fee stakes were much larger than before, incomparable to the past. Could Liszt withstand it?