Seeing the slavers drop their weapons and surrender, Lister said to Rocky at his side, "Tie them up and line them to one side."
"Aye!" Rocky led Second Division to herd the surrendering traffickers aside.
"Go harvest my spoils," Lister told Johnson.
"Aye!"
Johnson took First Division and charged into the cabins for a thorough sweep.
Nami came over, eyes bright. "I wonder how much money a slaver ship carries?"
"Should be plenty. Traffickers are usually rich," Lister said with a smile.
"I'm going in to look too!" It made her hands itch; she wanted to enjoy the hunt herself.
"Go on. But any Beli you find comes to me," Lister said offhandedly.
"Got it." Knowing how Lister operated, Nami didn't push back. She answered and headed into the ship.
Lister had a chair brought and sat on the deck to wait for the tally.
Before long, crate after crate was hauled out. It took nearly twenty minutes to finish.
"Captain, we found eight million Beli and twenty jin of gold. Besides that, there's…" Johnson stood before Lister and made his report.
"Not quite what I hoped for, but not bad," Lister nodded.
"Send all the Beli to my cabin. The gold goes to Nami. Where is she?"
Not seeing Nami anywhere, Lister asked.
"Big Sis Nami's below. Bottom deck of the black ship had thirty-two slaves locked up. Twelve of them are women. She's talking with them. I don't know the details," Johnson said.
"Twelve women? No one touched them before, right?" Lister shot Johnson a look.
"No, no! Two of the boys tried, but Big Sis Nami arrived in time, so nothing happened," Johnson said quickly.
"Good. Take a few men and ferry the loot back to the Money. Then take another group below and bring the slaves up to the deck," Lister ordered.
"Aye!" Johnson led a team back into the ship. The others rigged lines and slid the crates across to the Money, then carried them to their places.
Lister didn't wait long. Johnson and Nami brought all thirty-two slaves onto the black ship's deck, the twelve women at the front with Nami.
With so many people standing together, the deck felt crowded.
Lister stood on the raised foredeck, looking them over—especially the twelve women. Each was quite good-looking. If they hadn't been, the slavers might have cut them down the moment they met. Being taken meant they had some beauty the slavers coveted.
Soon his eyes picked out a pair of twins among the girls, about fifteen or sixteen, fresh and lovely.
Ahem.
Lister pulled his gaze back, cleared his throat, and smiled lightly. "Anyone here have a home to return to?"
At his words, several eyes lit up. A man in his early thirties pushed out of the group at once, dropped to his knees before Lister, and begged loudly, "Captain, I want to go home. I haven't seen my family for half a year."
"Name, trade, and how you were caught?" Lister asked.
"My name is Charles, a musician. I was touring with an ensemble. I went out alone once and someone threw a sack over my head," the man said sadly.
"A sad tale indeed," Lister said, genuinely moved.
"All right. I'll give you a small boat, fifty jin of rations, and a barrel of water. I hope you make it back to your hometown and reunite with your family," Lister said with a smile.
"Uh?" Charles' expression froze. Something felt off. Wasn't a good man supposed to see him safely home? Row himself back on a dinghy?
"Kind Captain… did I mishear?" Charles looked up at Lister, aggrieved.
"You heard right. I can give you a skiff, fifty jin of meat, and a barrel of water so you can return. Isn't that generous?" Lister smiled.
"No! Captain, shouldn't you send me back yourself?" Charles protested.
"When did I say I'd escort you home?" Lister asked.
"Captain, if you're kind enough to set me free, finish the kindness and take me home. Alone on the vast sea, how can I find my way? Please," Charles pleaded again and again.
"Should a 'good man' have a gun shoved in his face?" Lister laughed in anger and pointed to the flag flying on the Money. "Look closely—that's a Jolly Roger. I'm a pirate, through and through. I'm letting you go out of goodwill; you should count yourself lucky. And you dare ask me to deliver you? Aren't you afraid I'll follow you back and loot your hometown after?"