Chapter 42

Da Fei picked himself up from the ground with a face full of dust.

What the heck! What’s going on? Anyways, I’m safe for now. The ship is secured as well. Seems like the game is just a game, after all. It won’t easily take away your virtual property. I will check out the shipyard first. Seems like my ship has been towed there. I’ll think about escaping after my ship is fixed. Of course, that won’t be easy.

Da Fei looked around as he walked toward the shipyard. The residents of this town were all Red Names. Da Fei felt a little worried as he saw their malicious gazes.

Da Fei soon reached the shipyard and saw a few tattooed workers freely drinking and playing cards.

Da Fei approached someone who looked like the leader. “How much to fix my ship?”

Everyone laughed. “Your ship? Who the hell are you? Piss off!”

What the heck! Da Fei had a bad feeling about this.

He tried to communicate with the NPCs manning the shops on this island, but everyone was unfriendly! They did not sell him things, neither did they give him quests. Furthermore, they stared at him with ill intentions.

The worst possible scenario had happened. Will they only acknowledge me after I change my occupation? There’s nowhere I can go unless I join them. Will I be stuck on this island forever? Is that why Rock was so confident that I will go back to find him?

Impossible! That’s like the System forcing players to transfer occupations. There must be a way to clear this obstacle. I won’t succumb to this! I’ll think of something.

Just then, Da Fei’s Stamina turned red as he entered the Hungry State. F**k! Food is an issue too! The taverns might not be willing to sell food to me. Even if they are, I don’t have any money!

A deserted island was a desperate situation, but would an inhabited and prosperous island also be a desperate situation? I don’t believe it. I’m an expert who has survived all kinds of challenges. There’s no way I’ll be defeated here, right?

I’ll start with the taverns. There are all kinds of different people there.

Taverns were very important to pirates. They were the only source of entertainment. Hence, there were plenty of them in this town. Da Fei entered the one closest to him.

He was instantly surrounded by loud noises. Dancers, gamblers, drunks, diners. It was a normal tavern. Da Fei’s entrance did not draw too much attention. However, those diners sitting and drinking alone attracted Da Fei’s attention. They were neutral Yellow Names or ordinary heroes waiting for players to recruit them. Heroes were easily identifiable by the faint halos beneath their feet. The human Templar heroes had golden halos. Undead heroes had green, smoky halos. Elf heroes had halos with golden butterflies flying around them, and Pirates had blood-red halos, etc.

There was a rule on the Hero Continent: There were always heroes waiting to be hired at taverns. The same rule applied to this Pirates’ Island. Even if a player was in enemy territory and was surrounded by Red Name enemies, the hero would still show as a Yellow Name in taverns.

These heroes would be refreshed by the System every once in a while. Hence, players would fight to recruit heroes with excellent abilities or talents. Of course, if the hero was from a different faction or race from the player, he would be more difficult to recruit.

Da Fei approached the first table. He saw a pirate hero showing off his pecs and standing on blood-red halo. Of course, the entire room was filled with pirate heroes.

Da Fei greeted him. “Hello!”

The hero glanced at Da Fei before saying coldly, “I’m not interested in playing with kindergarten kids. Go away.”

He’s looking down on me as a rookie yet to change my occupation. Next.

—”Where the hell did you jump out from? Piss off.”

He’s looking down on my lack of Reputation. Next.

—”I don’t have spare change for beggars.”

He can tell that I’m dirt poor. Next.

—”Isn’t it the rule here to buy me a drink first?”

I don’t even have any money, how can I buy you a drink? What the heck! What am I doing here? I’m not here to recruit heroes? I’ve reserved an Epic Hero for myself. I don’t care about any of you random people wasting my EXP. My top priority is just to get some food.

Da Fei approached the bar. “Boss, do you need any workers here?”

The boss glanced at him coldly. “I don’t hire people with unknown backgrounds.”

F**k! He wants to force me into their dirty business! No way! I won’t give in. I’ll just change taverns. Da Fei hopped from one tavern to the next. He felt some strange sadness. This felt too similar to when he just graduated and was looking for a job.

Must I fish for prawns in the ocean and eat them raw? Da Fei sighed as he looked at the final two coconuts he was carrying. Continue! I won’t give in until the end.

This time, Da Fei approached another tavern. This tavern was way less noisy compared to the other ones. Furthermore, the soothing sounds of a violin could be heard. What the heck? Artistic pirates?

When Da Fei walked through the door, he was so shocked that he instantly froze as if he was electrified!

Beauty! There was a beautiful long-haired redhead sitting on the bar counter! She wore a black leather bra, black leather short skirt, and black leather boots. She was not a normal dancer! The blood-red, glowing halo under her voluminous and healthy, bronze-tan thighs indicated that she was a hero. A sexy and beautiful female pirate hero!

What the heck! Beautiful female hero! Female heroes were already rare. Beautiful female heroes were even rarer. Such a sexy, wild, beautiful female hero would make all the players go insane! Once they encountered a beautiful female hero, talent, special ability, level, race, and occupation were no longer important. Love had no requirements!

As a solo Captain, Da Fei desperately needed a Deputy Captain or a Chief Officer. An excellent Chief Officer was highly important.

As for whether he would succeed? That… was a huge problem. It was much more difficult to recruit female heroes as compared to male ones. Females generally required a higher sense of security and better conditions from their employers as compared to males. However, the more difficult something was to obtain, the better they usually were. Hence, during the open beta period, players were much more enthusiastic about female heroes as compared to legendary weapons. If a female hero appeared in a tavern, it would instantly be overcrowded.

I’m in a very disadvantaged position. Even normal heroes look down on me. How can I make her interested in me? Just then, Da Fei remembered that Liu Dawei. How did he get my sister? Damn! It must be because my sister is too kind. She couldn’t bear to reject that pauper!

No! I must be confident. I’m a man with a huge ship! Furthermore, judging from the music played here, she is an artistic female pirate. Then, I should be artistic too.

Da Fei immediately changed out of his Broken Sailor Armor and into the black, well-ironed, formal Captain’s Ceremonial Uniform. He instantly had the image of a mature, heroic, and extraordinary young Captain! No wonder this is a set of clothes with 90 Formalness and 60 Disguise! This gives you a complete makeover!

What next. I can’t look frail and weak. Can a hungry man pick up any girls? Da Fei took off his Captain’s hat and broke open his treasured coconut with his head. Then, he finished it in one gulp. Oh yeah! Stamina +100. I’m full!

Then, he took out the Captain’s Sword from his bag. Previously, he was worried about being robbed when the pirates boarded his ship, so he kept his Captain’s Sword away.

Da Fei walked in confidently after preparing everything that he could.

Things were indeed different after he wore the ceremonial uniform. All the customers in the tavern, even that beautiful woman on the bar counter, could not help but turn their heads toward the door. This was a completely different scenario from just now when he was ignored by everyone in the other taverns like a stray dog.

Wahahaha, do you see this? Only high-class Captains with huge ships can wear this kind of clothes. The Captain of a small ship is just a fisherman! This is a symbol of my status! I didn’t expect clothes without any battle attributes to have this effect.

Just then, Da Fei made eye contact with the female pirate! Her sexy, blue eyeshadow, her fiery red lips, her long hair down to her shoulders that covered half her face, her beautiful, slim face, her smooth shoulders! Beauty! Beauty! Soon, Da Fei could not help but let his gaze travel down her body, onto the exploding curves in front of her chest that could not be contained by that leather bar! No wonder she’s a female pirate. She’s probably always bathed in sunlight. Her healthy, bronze-tanned skin, her sexy belly button, her half-revealed abs, that short leather skirt, and the half-hidden blood rose tattoo near her groin region peeking out from the bottom of her skirt…

Da Fei instantly decided that he would not be leaving without this female pirate!

As the female pirate stared at him in shock, Da Fei walked confidently next to her. He smiled and said, “May I sit here?”

The female pirate turned her head lazily. “Perhaps you should buy me something to drink first?”

—Boom!!! Da Fei experienced a heavy blow in his heart! I can’t even buy a drink! This is known as “money can kill all heroes!”

Da Fei took out his final coconut and forced himself to smile. “Alcohol isn’t good for your beautiful skin and your health. Coconut water is all-natural.”

The female pirate glanced at him and extended her hand. “Give it!”

This works?! Da Fei was overjoyed and immediately handed the coconut over. “Let me help you open it.”

“No need!” The female pirate took it and stood up. Then, as Da Fei stared at her in shock, she kicked it like a soccer goalie would. Boom! The coconut flew out of the window and disappeared into the night sky…

“Exercise is good for my health!” The female pirate clapped her hands together and sat back to drink as if nothing had happened. Da Fei was completely stunned. That was my last bit of food! How can you do that?

Oh no. I knew that this was going to be difficult. My first plan failed. However, I won’t give in so easily, unless you tell me in my face to piss off!

Plan B. Go the artistic route! Da Fei pulled out a book of poems from seafarer Juan’s old bag. Eh, uncle, sorry.

Da Fei put the book of poems on her table and smiled. “This poetry book is for you, a woman as beautiful as poems!” Hehe, this is my artistic flirting method.

The female pirate flicked the book back with one finger and said coldly, “I can’t read!”

—Sputter! Da Fei was so shocked he blew a wad of mucus! If you can’t read, why are you pretending to be an artistic pirate? Why are you listening to the violin?!

How? Must I use my ultimate move and give her a treasure?