On wednesday morning, Lex, eating his breakfast, was somewhat dazed.
He hadn't slept well last night, tossing and turning, having many dreams, but couldn't remember them upon waking.
"Damn it, I seem to remember that in my dream, a peerless beauty was lying beside my bed, and I still remember the feeling of slapping her perky bottom. I want to keep dreaming! I don't want to look at these three abstract faces."
Opposite Lex, from left to right, sat Danitz, Barrel, and Iron Skin.
"You're not fully awake yet, are you?"
"What does 'abstract' mean?"
"I don't know, but his expression tells me it's definitely not a compliment."
After the three pirates finished speaking, they all cursed Lex in unison: "Bullshit!"
Footsteps sounded.
Jodeson, wearing a white shirt, black vest, and a fancy bow tie, walked over: "Rayleigh, Danitz, come to the Captain's Cabin in a bit."
He glanced at Lex, cleared his throat, and said: "You'd best go wash your face first."
A moment later, the dispirited Lex and the singed-eyebrowed Danitz arrived at the Captain's Cabin. Besides Jodeson, the First Mate and Second Mate were also there.
Edwina stood by the window, turned around, and said: "Everyone's here. So, let's begin, the battle plan against Admiral of Ailment."
This made Lex's sleepiness vanish completely. The Iceberg Admiral was going to deal with Tracy. It seemed his 'Conspiracy' was still in motion, and Edwina hadn't forgotten the chess piece Tracy had left on her ship.
She was going to counterattack!
That afternoon, the Golden Dream arrived at a private port in the Sonia Sea. The golden sailboat had lost its former beauty, with various stains on its hull and 'patches' of haphazardly nailed wood.
The sails hanging from the mast also showed signs of burning and tearing, and one of the masts was askew, looking as if it could topple at any moment.
As for the pirates on deck, they also appeared listless, each with a pale face and bandages wrapped around their bodies. Blood seeped from inside the pristine white bandages, making it seem as though the Golden Dream had suffered heavy Origin energy damage.
The Golden Dream anchored about an hour's waterway from the private port, lowered several small boats, and some pirates disguised as Adventurers boarded the small boats, rowing towards the private port.
Even though these pirates, disguised as Adventurers, had lighter injuries, experienced individuals could still infer from their movements and their somewhat bulging clothes that they were injured and had been bandaged.
After these people went ashore, they extensively purchased food and medicine, especially medicine. They bought a lot of disinfectant solutions and alcohol.
This information was eventually noticed by attentive individuals, compiled, and then sent to those who needed it.
For example, the Black Death.
In the warm Captain's Cabin of the black sailboat anchored in a certain Sea area, Admiral of Ailment Tracy, with long, straight eyebrows and sharp, bright eyes, was holding a slip of paper.
On the slip of paper was a list of items secretly purchased by the Golden Dream's crew in the private port today.
Among them, the numbers regarding the medicine portion were significantly higher than daily usage requirements.
"It seems the Golden Dream has indeed suffered a heavy blow. This is normal; death's treasure isn't that easy to obtain after all."
Tracy shook her hand, and the slip of paper immediately burst into black flames. 'Eloquent Speaker' Mithor King looked fearfully at the dark flames, cleared his throat to get his Captain's attention, and then said.
"We are ready, we can act at any time, Captain."
Admiral of Ailment nodded, revealing a charming and seductive look: "Tonight, you will act according to the plan, but be careful. After all, your opponent is the Iceberg Admiral, so you must be wary of her."
In the Captain's Cabin, several great pirates exchanged glances and nodded.
Tracy then waved her hand, dismissing them.
After these great pirates left, she looked at the blonde maid beside her: "How is Helene? Is she still refusing to eat?"
The blonde maid nodded slightly: "Yes, Captain. Actually, I think you don't need to pay attention to her at all, Captain. That bitch, she's taking advantage of your kindness to her, that's why she dares to put on such airs. Starve her for a few days, and she'll behave."
Tracy laughed, her smile so innocent, like a little girl who hadn't seen the world, making people instantly fall for her, become fascinated by her, and go crazy for her.
The blonde maid's breathing immediately grew heavy, her eyes glazed over, her lips slightly parted, and she suddenly threw herself into Tracy's arms, hugging her tightly, panting: "Kiss me, quickly kiss me, Captain."
Slap!
A crisp slap echoed in the Captain's Cabin.
The blonde maid shrieked, swept to the ground by Tracy. Admiral of Ailment stood up and looked at her coldly: "Don't play tricks in front of me. Don't think I don't know that you're the one not letting Helene eat."
"You're jealous of her."
With that, she walked out of the Captain's Cabin.
The blonde maid covered her face, not crying, but her eyes were full of resentment.
It was already night.
The Golden Dream was moored alone on the Sea, the deck lights dim. The few pirates on night watch leaned listlessly near the ship's rail.
The usual boisterous scene on deck was gone; the entire ship was quiet, and even the pirates who loved to brag seemed to lack the energy to talk now.
Tonight, the moonlight was dim, and the wind was strong. The howling Sea wind carried severe cold, quickly driving the pirates on deck into the ship's cabin entrance to escape the bone-chilling wind.
In such a night, several sailboats appeared from different directions, using the sound of the wind for cover, either against or with the wind, converging on the Golden Dream.
When the golden sailboat entered cannon range, Mithor King licked his lips, cracked by the cold wind, and roared over the wind: "Fire!"
Boom.
The sudden cannon fire shattered the cold, silent night, sending a waterspout exploding by the Golden Dream.
With a whoosh, the Captain's Cabin door burst open, and Edwina emerged, carrying her ornate hunting rifle, shouting: "Prepare for battle!"
Boom, boom, boom.
Cannon fire continuously erupted, sending waterspouts exploding around the Golden Dream. Cold seawater rained down on the deck, drenching the pirates.
But these drenched pirates, each with sharp eyes and a smirk, hardly looked like injured people. Instead, they resembled sharks that had smelled blood.
Under Edwina's command, only a third of the crew poured out of the cabin, firing revolvers, rifles, and the ship's cannons like headless chickens at the dark Sea around them.
Listening to the sporadic gunshots and cannon fire from the Golden Dream, Mithor King sneered: "Everyone, put in more effort! Maybe by tomorrow morning, we'll be counting money in the Iceberg Admiral's Treasure Trove!"
Immediately, the pirates on deck raised their cutlasses and rifles high, shouting excitedly in response to the 'Wormtongue'.