Black Sail
Chapter 260: CCLX. Rich Enough to Rival a Nation

Chapter 260: CCLX. Rich Enough to Rival a Nation

Before, Liszt had pulled Hened out of the big prison, what was he after?

Combat strength and financial power weren’t important; what he needed was reputation.

But what’s the use of just having a reputation if you can’t produce a penny? Who would give a damn about you?

My money, plus Hened’s fame, tell me that isn’t a recipe for success! Whether it’s Heaven Port or the Western Continent, my control is the same.

"Inviting Boss of Heaven Port to court death!"

Hened hadn’t been staying at the Black Sail Inn these days, not even showing up for the annual dinner.

Liszt had made him a representative for Black Sail abroad; inviting Hened was no different from inviting Liszt.

Once a formidable figure in the Narrow Sea Golden Waters, pirates from that era had a spirit of brotherhood, compelling influence, and unmatched charisma. Although the Pirate World has since become disorderly, filled with despicable people, it wasn’t like that in that era.

Hened’s connections spanned across the globe; who knows which Captain on the island had once been a greenhorn sailor under him, or perhaps that sailor’s son, his reputation reaching across the Four Seas.

But then...

Hened had aged, and what good was an old-timer like him to you? Could his presence alone provide you with a bite of meat?

The nutrition he lacked, Liszt was there to replenish.

Now, I’m not trying to grab channels, I’m straight-up giving you cash, hiring you to explore the New Continent!

Fifty thousand Golden Dragons, fifty thousand Golden Dragons in the cellar!

I’m pushing Doringger to the brink of death.

Some of those present were afraid, others scoffed.

What kind of clout does Liszt have? Heaven Port hasn’t become its own nation because it’s a distribution center, a damn platform. Who respects whom? They’re all backstabbers. If Liszt were that great at uniting people, he wouldn’t be a pirate. He’d be living in a castle.

But it was just as they had thought.

Liszt truly wanted to live in a castle, in the grandest houses, feasting at the Imperial Castle, where devouring a hundred courses in one of the castle’s rooms would be nothing extraordinary.

At this moment, a soldier from the city gate rushed in, frantically speaking a few words to Doringger.

Finally.

His true nature revealed.

Even if it was just for an instant, his gaze, ruthless to the extreme, capable of directly or indirectly slaughtering more than ten thousand people, spanning over a decade of darkness across the East Sea; that sudden release of lethal intent.

In the grand banquet hall, the light from countless Fluorite Crystals on the chandeliers dimmed slightly.

And then recovered.

Nevertheless, everyone present was shaken, and Liszt was also full of killing intent. Doringger didn’t dare to kill him!

"Since Lord Dor says it’s a free market, I know a friend who also wants to try his luck here. He’s got the capital, and though he lacks an invitation, I hope Lord Dor can give him some support. Everyone’s already here, waiting for Lord Dor to arrange things. February 2nd is too far away; let’s do it today. You’re the Boss, what you say goes. It’s cold outside, and waiting too long could chill them."

At this point.

It had become an art form.

The crowd was stunned to the core, truly able to invite him?

Liszt had effectively put Doringger on a spit over the fire. Eating jelly on a cold day is a delight indeed. Today, one is one, two is two; let’s see, Doringger, how many bowls’ worth of noodles can you afford?

You’ve got to offer more than fifty thousand! More than what the brothers got from Joshua, who robbed the Emperor’s trusted large enterprises!

If so, I admit defeat.

But if you can’t come through with the money, your spoken word is like water thrown away. The Boss eats noodles and doesn’t pay; then his word is as good as that of a singer!

Tani was dazzled, holding on even tighter.

Liszt was speechless. Little sister, now’s not the time for fraternal heroics; if Doringger turns against us, I may not be able to withstand it.

Doringger had already made grand statements beforehand, promising to clear everyone’s records, to officially recognize everyone. How could he possibly shut them out?

"Let them in; the storm is fierce, they truly can’t suffer in the cold."

Doringger, with a slight change in expression, displayed a mix of kindness and a hint of deadly seriousness.

Over ten years, he had never harbored such intense murderous intent toward a person.

"Although we’re all family here, to prevent any loose tongues after a few drinks from offending our guests, I’d like you to handle it, General Horace."

He spoke calmly.

Liszt was extremely shocked. You can still hold it together and stay rational?

Horace, clad in Heavy Armor from head to toe and standing two and a half meters tall, guarded all the guests with his soldiers, instantly filling the room with a sense of security.

Even the people on Doringger’s side were a bit scared now; they’d played too big tonight. Did Liszt know he was a man who could tear giants apart with his hands and kill sea monsters hundreds of meters long with his fists?

Fen was willing to follow Liszt because he had deeply witnessed his methods, knowing that he was like a Dragon swimming in the abyss, leaping up and soaring through the universe.

Numbed, now everyone was numb, Taylor, Qi Li, and others as well.

Before long,

Hened and seventy or eighty Captains arrived; Hened’s summons couldn’t be ignored, and Liszt had promised a hefty reward and alliance with multiple powerful forces.

Among them were Captains who had sided with Liszt in the frozen meat warehouse, and of course, there were even more mixed groups, but the mixed groups were also a force to be reckoned with.

As long as they were desperadoes unafraid of death, they were a fighting force.

Above Heaven Port, not a cloud in the sky, Brother Dao had fallen into a crowd of black powder fans.

The house was full of murderers; who was the beast, who was the treasure.

Hened was different from Doringger; he had commanded fleets of sail battleships, yet he lived a humble life, not indulging in any dominator-like behaviors.

Liszt could never have imagined that Hened’s respect would bring an unexpected joy.

"Wow, now you see me, and you don’t even recognize me."

Hened looked at a peak-season championship Captain standing next to Doringger with interest, also sighing at the unpredictability of life.

"Uncle..."

This Captain greeted him with great reluctance and an unwilling shout.

For a moment, the faces of Doringger’s people grew ugly.

All the representatives were also paying attention; the meat of Heaven Port couldn’t be let go, they would take risks to snatch it, and now it seemed to be their turn to place their bets—Hened... having been locked in the Northern Prison and then escaping, a legendary figure of the Narrow Sea, wasn’t he a person whose name shook the Four Seas?

"You must be Doringger; your great name is thunderous. Come to think of it, we’re contemporaries, but I made my way a bit earlier than you. The brothers in the East Sea, when they grabbed the spoils, you monopolized them all, taking almost half for yourself. Isn’t that a bit too much?"

Hened had been holding this grudge; as they say, "The leader sets the example, the ranks follow." The reason why the ecosystem of East Sea Pirates was so twisted and malformed, giving birth to many sinister and crafty people, was all because of Doringger.

This place had a geographical advantage, a sanctuary for refugees, where pirates rolled in the dirt of deception, every man for himself, without any true substance. If you become too big and officials come, how will you fight? Scattered like sand, you won’t amount to anything.

Old-time pirates often had a bit of a regal spirit, robbing the rich to help the poor, satisfied as long as they had enough money to spend.

"The East Sea can’t compare to the Inner Sea; sparse food, scarce housing, a place in a depression, naturally requires different strategies. I’ve heard Captain Liszt say that you, Hened, are also getting into business. We’re all brothers in the trade; naturally, I must look out for you. If the Captains here invest now, my promise stands. The Cross Alliance, I’m a man of my word. Transformed into legitimate merchants, consider it my gratitude to my fellow colleagues."

Though he spoke so,

what money could these poor pirates come up with? A mixed group? At best, a few Gold Dragons; you don’t qualify to play in this game!

Immediately, the difference in standing was clear.

Doringger asked them to bring money; Liszt not only didn’t take any but also offered it, and these Captains were all cunning monkeys, or they wouldn’t have gotten to where they were.

At least for now, it seemed Liszt had much more robust financial power and was willing to spend more.

Liszt began to play dumb, patting his head like a madman.

The ultimate move.

He had held back long enough; now it was time for a full release.

"I’ll explain, Lord Dor; I’ve recently started a company and plan to employ all the brothers on the island to help me explore the New Continent. I’m not here to invest; just wondering if there’s anything we can help each other with, to agree on territories to prevent any misunderstandings or conflicts later on, ruining the harmony."

Liszt spoke evenly.

Once he finished, the whole room was astonished.

Liszt was truly off his rocker—he was going to make a new! Heaven Port!