Da Fei climbed up from the ground with a dust-covered face.
Fuck! What kind of play is this now? Anyway, I'm safe for the moment, and the boat is temporarily secure. Seems like the game is still a game after all; it won't easily meddle with the player's virtual properties. Better head to the shipyard to take a look. Seems like they towed my boat there; if I can get it fixed, I'll find a way to slip away. Of course, that certainly won't be easy.
Da Fei looked around as he headed toward the shipyard. The residents of this small town appeared as hostile red names to Da Fei, scanning him with malicious eyes like cats eyeing a mouse, causing Da Fei's heart to feel hairy.
When Da Fei reached the shipyard, a dozen shipbuilders with tattoos and scars were idly drinking and playing cards.
So Da Fei approached one that seemed to be the leader and asked, "How much to fix my boat?"
The crowd burst into laughter: "Your boat? Who do you think you are? Go cool off somewhere else and play!"
Fuck! Da Fei had a bad feeling.
Da Fei tried talking to the NPCs in the shops on the island. Everyone was extremely unfriendly to Da Fei! They wouldn't sell anything, didn't offer quests, and their glances were malicious.
The worst-case scenario had arrived. Could it be that I must change my profession and become a pirate before they'll treat me as one of their own? If I don't join them, will I be unable to take a single step, trapped on this island for life? So that's why Rock is so confident that I'll go back to him?
Impossible! This would mean the system is forcing players to change their profession. There must be a way to get through this. I refuse to submit. I'll find a way out.
Just then, Da Fei's stamina began to plummet into the red, hunger status. Crap! Eating is a big problem too! Never mind if the tavern owner is willing to sell me food, even if he is, I'm completely broke!
An uninhabited desert island can be considered a desperate situation. A populated and thriving small island is also a desperate situation? I don't believe it. As a master player who has weathered great storms, am I going to die in a toilet?
First thing's first, hit the tavern where there's a variety of people.
For pirates, the tavern is very important, even the only place for entertainment, so there are many taverns in the small town. Da Fei first entered the one by the roadside.
The noise hit him as he walked in: dancers, gamblers, drunkards, diners, a typical tavern. Da Fei's entry did not attract any special attention. But the diners who sat alone at their tables, silently drinking, caught Da Fei's eye because they had neutral yellow names, indicating they were ordinary heroes waiting for players to hire. Heroes are easy to recognize; they have a faint halo beneath them. Human Race heroes of the Holy Hall have a golden halo, Undead heroes have a green smoky halo, Elf heroes are surrounded by a halo of sparking gold butterflies, and pirates have a bloody red halo, and so on.
There's a truth in the Hero Continent: Where there is a tavern, there are heroes waiting to be hired. Pirate Island is no exception. Even if a player ends up in enemy territory, where the whole world consists of red-name enemies, the heroes in the taverns remain neutral yellow names.
These heroes are refreshed by the system at intervals, so if a player encounters a hero with superior skills or exceptional talents, they must rush to hire them in a race against time. Of course, it's even more difficult to hire heroes who are neither of the same race nor the same faction as the player.
Da Fei approached the first table, which had a Pirate Hero who was boastfully bare-chested, standing on a blood-red halo. Of course, the whole place was filled with Pirate Heroes.
Da Fei greeted, "Hello!"
The hero glanced at Da Fei and snorted coldly, "I'm not interested in playing with kindergarteners. Go away."
He thinks I'm a greenhorn because I haven't changed my profession. Let's try another one.
— "Where did you pop up from? Go away."
He thinks I'm not famous enough. Next.
— "I'm not here to give money to beggars."
He can see I'm broke and can't even afford food. Next.
— "The rule here is to buy a drink first, right?"
How can I invite you for a drink when I don't have a penny? Fuck! What exactly am I doing? Am I here to hire heroes? I'm the one who's reserved for an Epic Hero; I wouldn't even bother with these worthless heroes wasting my Experience. The current priority is to solve the food and shelter problem.
Da Fei then approached the bar: "Boss, need someone to work?"
The bartender glanced coldly: "I don't hire people with unclear backgrounds."
Crap! Want to force a good man to become a thief, dream on! I will not surrender. I'll just change to another tavern. Da Fei rushed through all the taverns on the street in succession, suddenly feeling an inexplicable sadness in his heart, reminiscent of the days when he was fresh out of graduation, seeking a job.
Is it really going to push me to the point where I have to catch and eat raw shrimp from the sea? Looking at the last two coconut juices on him, Da Fei sighed deeply. Keep going! Never give up until the last moment.
This time, Da Fei approached another tavern, a tavern that was far less noisy than the others, and to his surprise, it even emanated the melodious sound of a violin. What the heck, artistic pirates?
The moment Da Fei entered, he stood frozen as if struck by lightning!
Beauty! Sitting atop the bar counter was a red-haired beauty clad in a black leather bra, black leather mini skirt, and black leather thigh-high boots! Not a barmaid! The radiant glow beneath her voluptuous yet athletic bronze thighs hinted that she was a hero—a sexy and beautiful female pirate hero!
Holy crap! A beautiful female hero, and female heroes were already rare, let alone a beautiful one. Such a sexy and wild female hero was precisely the kind that could drive male players mad to the point of exhaustion! When encountering a beautiful female hero, things like potential, special skills, level, race, and profession all became insignificant—love has no standards!
As a captain without a ship, Da Fei was in urgent need of a deputy captain, namely a first officer. Recruiting an outstanding first officer was imperative.
As for whether it could be successful? This... this was a big question. Recruiting female heroes was much more difficult than recruiting males. Due to women's inherent need for security and belonging, they tended to be very picky about their employers. And the harder to get, the more beautiful the prize, so during the public beta, players were far more enthusiastic about female heroes than the so-called divine artifacts; just one appearing in a tavern would draw a crowd.
Current circumstances were not favorable for Brother Chu. Even ordinary heroes looked down on him, so how could he make her interested in Brother Chu? In that instant, Da Fei suddenly thought of Liu Dawei—how did he manage to hook up with my sister? It must be because my sister is too kind-hearted to reject a poor bloke like him!
No way! Brother Chu needs to have confidence—I'm a man with a big ship! And judging from the tavern's music, she's an artistic female pirate. So, Brother Chu should also play the artistic card.
Da Fei immediately stripped off his tattered sailor's leather armor at the door and changed into a dignified and solemn black captain's dress uniform, transforming into the image of a mature, mighty, and extraordinary young captain! Truly deserving of a garment with 90 Formality and 60 Disguise Level—this man's spirit and demeanor were different indeed.
And then, of course, you can't look famished. A man who can't even feed himself thinks he can woo a woman? Da Fei removed his captain's hat, crushed a treasured coconut fruit with his head, and downed it in one go. Oh yeah! Stamina +100, I'm full!
Next was, of course, to take out the Captain's Sword from the pack and equip it. Da Fei had stowed the Captain's Sword in his pack when pirates boarded earlier, fearing trouble.
With all preparations complete, Da Fei confidently walked in.
Wearing the dress uniform really made a big difference. All the other patrons in the tavern, including the beauty at the bar, couldn't help but turn their gaze to the entrance. Unlike the times he entered other taverns, where he was treated like a dog and ignored, this was a day-and-night contrast.
Hahaha! See that? Only captains of big ships who move up in class have these clothes; other small-time captains are nothing but fishermen! This is a symbol of status! Who would've thought that clothes with no combat attributes could serve such a wonderful purpose?
Now, Da Fei and the female pirate locked eyes! Those sexy blue eyeshadows, those hot red lips, those shoulder-length flowing locks partially veiling her face, that bubbly melon-seed shaped beauty, those smooth shoulders! Beauty! What a beauty! Soon enough, Da Fei's gaze involuntarily moved downward to the surging waves that her leather bra barely contained! A true female pirate, often sunbathing, I presume, with that healthy bronze skin, that sexy belly button, those abs peeking out, that low slung mini leather skirt, and the partial visibility of the blood rose tattoo above the groin of her skirt...
In that instant, Da Fei made up his mind, if he couldn't take this female pirate with him, he wasn't leaving!
While the female pirate looked at him in astonishment, Da Fei gracefully moved to the bar next to her and smiled, "May I sit here?"
The female pirate turned her head lazily and said, "Perhaps, you should offer me something to drink first?"
—Boom!!! A heavy hammer struck in Da Fei's heart! Brother Chu can't even afford a drink! This is what they call 'a penny to bury a hero'!
Da Fei took out his last coconut fruit and managed a forced smile, "Drinking alcohol is bad for your beautiful skin and health, coconut juice is purely natural."
The female pirate gave a sideways glance and reached out a hand, "Give it here!"
That worked? Da Fei was overjoyed and quickly handed over the coconut fruit, "Let me open it for you."
"No need!" The female pirate took it with both hands and, getting up from her seat—then, to Da Fei's astonishment, she made a goalkeeper's kick motion and with a thud, the coconut fruit whizzed out the window, disappearing into the sky...
"Exercise is good for health!" The female pirate clapped her hands and nonchalantly returned to her drink at the bar. Da Fei stood there petrified. That was Brother Chu's last bit of food! How could you do that?
It's over, I knew it wouldn't be easy. Can't get past the first hurdle, no chance. But Brother Chu won't give up easily unless you tell me to get lost to my face!
Second move—play the artistic card! Da Fei then dug out a book of poetry from the belongings of Sailing Captain Juan, sorry uncle, my apologies.
Da Fei placed the book of poetry in front of her and smiled, "This book of poems is for you, as stunning as poetry itself!" Hmph, this is Brother Chu's artistic seduction method.
The female pirate flicked the book of poetry back with a finger and said coldly, "I can't read!"
—Pfft! Da Fei spat out a snot rocket! Can't read and still posing as an artsy pirate, listening to what violin!
What to do? Is it finally time to pull out the ultimate move and offer a treasure?