Da Fei steeled himself, deciding to give the gift! If he can't even win over an NPC woman in the game, what's he even doing?
Da Fei pulled out the extra telescope: "For you!"
Though it's only a C-grade, it's still a strategic treasure, worth a good thousand or so Gold Coins when sold, haha! Giving treasures has been discovered by players during the open beta as an ultimate move, like when encountering heroes of enemy camps in the tavern, unable to persuade them by any means, a treasure becomes the key to the door. Of course, it's just that, a key to the door.
Sure enough, the beauty's eyelids fluttered. Is she tempted?
She took the telescope and played with it back and forth, looking as if she was seeing such a thing for the first time, or like a child engrossed in fiddling with a new toy. Da Fei's heart was also in knots, I can only give you this, please don't kick it away like a coconut, haha.
Finally, she revealed a satisfied smile on her lips: "Quite well made."
Da Fei took a long breath of relief. Isn't that a no-brainer? It's an extra one from the Captain's quarters, how could the Captain's belongings be of the same class as the stuff used by you broke-ass pirates?
Da Fei said with satisfaction: "Only such high-quality goods are worthy of a beauty like you."
The female pirate's gaze turned icy: "Kid, do you know the situation you're in?"
Da Fei's brow twitched, oh! Finally getting to the main point. Great, with the whole island full of red names, no one is willing to deal with Brother Bird. If he finds an opening, he can stick it out.
Da Fei sighed: "I feel, very lonely."
The female pirate snorted: "Of course, this place doesn't trust outsiders, you should know what to do."
Da Fei's heart went cold, does that mean I must become a pirate to hire her? Damn it, wouldn't that be throwing away the telescope for nothing? What a loss! No choice now, I can only give up.
Of course, when I say give up, I mean give up on her! I'll never let a female NPC affect my career. A man can find a new woman if he loses one, but if he loses his career, that's real ruin. I'm just that pragmatic.
Da Fei sighed deeply: "I will not become a pirate; it's too small-minded, no future."
The female pirate smiled coldly: "Then just stay here for the rest of your life. If you're not a pirate, you can't board a ship, can't leave the island; you'll be stuck." After saying that, she ignored Da Fei and continued to pour her own drink.
For a moment, Da Fei was speechless. Stranded in this plight, even if he dies, he'd resurrect on the island, truly stuck here unable to leave? Should he curse Blood Sea Wave? But thinking back, if it wasn't for him turning me into a red name, wouldn't I have just been robbed by pirates when encountering them? At least I still have my ship, there's still a glimmer of hope.
But where's the hope?
The melodious sound of a violin echoed through the tavern, and a few mercenary heroes also sat quietly at their seats napping. Da Fei suddenly realized that this tavern was extremely deserted, with no gamblers or drunks, apart from those heroes waiting to be hired, there was virtually no business at all.
This wasn't an ordinary tavern. Was this female hero not ordinary either? If he really couldn't even pass the hurdle of inviting her for a drink, she wouldn't have spoken so much to him. Normally, she would just say "Go away" like other heroes do. Also, her position was different; she was sitting at the bar, not at the tables like other heroes. Realizing this, Da Fei's eyebrows leaped.
Substance! This artsy female pirate must have substance; the door to Brother Bird's future is not yet closed.
Da Fei tried to continue the conversation: "Beautiful miss, it's not good for me to be idle on this island, I'm looking for some temporary work. Can you put in a good word for me..." After all, I did give you a C-grade treasure, it should raise the friendliness a little bit.
Sure enough, the female pirate chuckled: "Alright, then wash dishes and wait tables here. Two Gold Coins per day."
— System Prompt: You have become a waiter at Blood Moon Bar, with a daily salary of 2 Gold Coins.
Da Fei was shocked! Could this female pirate be the boss? Damn it! Is this hitting rock bottom only to be saved at the last moment by big legs! Desperate to be kept by a wealthy lady!!!
Da Fei bowed hurriedly: "Thank you very much."
The female pirate shook her head with a sneer: "Dishwashing Captain... heh..." With that, she flicked her long hair, stood up, and left the tavern without a trace.
Da Fei was startled again! The hero left the tavern? If she's a regular hero, this would mean her time limit has been reached, and the system is about to refresh her away. But could she as a boss-hero be a regular hero? Of course not, she must be an Epic Hero!
For a moment, Da Fei was stunned speechless! If she's an Epic Hero— Damn it! Don't worry about whether I'm good or not! I am invincible and will not succumb, I won't become a pirate!
With the female pirate's departure, the sound of the violin in the tavern abruptly stopped, and the musician put down the violin, picking up the accordion which was most popular among pirates. Then, several scantily clad dancers entered through the back door, starting to warm up on the dance floor of the tavern.
No way, right? This rhythm is surely turning into an ordinary tavern, isn't it? Was the previous artsy vibe just for her alone?
Da Fei came back to his senses and asked the barkeeper in astonishment: "Boss, what was the name of that miss just now?"
The fat barkeeper with a face full of horizontal flesh glared with his eyes: "You're not worthy of knowing! Don't think that because Catherine took it easy on you, you're one of us. We're about to open soon, get to work properly, and if you dare to slack off, I'll throw you on Crocodile Island!"
Catherine! This name... Damn, it seems like there really was a red-haired Pirate Queen Catherine from Spain in history? Could it be her? If the background set for her character in the game is indeed that of a queen, she might well be at a Legendary Level!
If it's a Legendary Hero, then players should not even dream about it. Well, that's good, it quenched my evil thoughts. I'm firmly not going to be a pirate.
Isn't a dragon supposed to soar, not to be confined to a pond? Once the storm comes, while all of you are cowering, I'll Stealth my way onto the ship, and according to the game's Resurrection rules, as long as I leave the Wilderness Desolate Sea's waters, even if my ship sinks in the storm, I'll be resurrected in the Bright Alliance, I don't believe I can't escape!
At that moment, several pirates laughed heartily as they entered the pub: "Boss, give us five bottles of Rum! A big portion of grilled fish steak!"
The barkeeper at the counter immediately said to Da Fei: "Serve the drinks."
Da Fei quickly replied: "Understood."
Then the pirates poured in one after another, filling the air with noisy laughter, turning the artistic tavern completely into a common bar. The tavern missed out on half a day's good business for her taste, her status must indeed be not low. Even if it's impossible to spirit her away, maintaining a good relationship is necessary, at the very least when I run into Desolate Barbarian Pirates while trading in the future, they might let me go for her sake.
In any case, I now have a wage, and I must make up for that drink I owe. Before fleeing, I'll try to max out the friendliness.
Speaking of which, the game time salary of 2 Gold Coins a day is actually not low in the world of ordinary NPCs, 1 Gold Coin = 10 silver coins = 100 copper coins, buying some bread, frying up some small dishes, and having a little drink is totally enough to subsist on. But if you think about buying swords or something like that, it's a bit tight. As for hiring troops and horses, don't even think about it.
In the game, even the cannon fodder Skeleton Soldiers, known as level 1 troops, have a recruitment price of 16 Gold Coins, and the gunners, known as the elite among level 1 troops, have a recruitment cost of 50 Gold Coins. These beings with either 5 hit points or 10 hit points would be wiped out in swathes by a single Fireball on the battlefield or fall in clusters under a barrage of arrows, it's truly not a game that a working-class player can afford. As for ship repairs, that's definitely out of the question as well.
Now the tavern was full of customers, and most of the orders were in, Da Fei finally had a bit of a breather.
As an expert, of course, Da Fei wouldn't idly waste this time. It's hard enough to get close to these pirates, so an opportunity to gather information must not be missed.
Da Fei seized the chance while serving drinks to a table of pirates to probe: "Who among you knows about the Pirate King's secret technique, Mysterious Stealth Navigation?"
For a moment, the whole tavern went quiet, and then everyone's eyes turned to stare at Da Fei.
Da Fei's butt clenched – had he asked something he shouldn't have?
The silence was suddenly broken by loud laughter from all the pirates, as if they had heard the funniest joke in the world.
—"Even you, a little kid who's not weaned yet, knows about the Pirate King's Mysterious Stealth Navigation, feared across the Seven Seas. How could we possibly not know?"
Oh! So it's that famous, eh? Da Fei couldn't help but feel delighted: "So how exactly can one learn this skill?"
The pirates, seemingly too lazy to bother any further, started drinking and eating meat again.
Really? That was it? Well, how could the Pirate King's secret technique be known to any Tom, Dick, or Harry? Moreover, with my current status, even if they knew, they definitely wouldn't tell. What to do? Here I am serving dishes, only able to interact with these nobodies. Do I wait for Catherine to come and ask her? That's a must. But of course, the more information I collect, the better. I still have one more trick.
Da Fei chuckled: "However, as far as I know, the Pirate King's secret technique isn't all that. It was easily cracked by the Sailing Captain Renior."
Instantly, the eyes of every pirate in the tavern turned his way again. Hmph! Provocation works, let's see who objects, I'll argue with you! The truth becomes clearer with argument, they say.
Sure enough, a pirate sitting at the table next to Da Fei spoke in a gloomy tone: "Where did you hear that?"
Haha! Lost your cool, huh? But it's true, after all, Renior died on the way back, and that matter is only recorded in the Sailing Captain's diary. Probably only Makar is left who knows about this. Ordinary people aren't likely to know much. What should I answer?
Just then, the fat barkeeper shouted loudly: "This is a tavern! Eat! Drink!" After which he pointed at Da Fei: "You! Go help out in the kitchen!"
Once again, the tavern erupted into eating, drinking, and fist-bumping, as if nothing had happened.
Seeing the evasive looks on everyone's faces, Da Fei grew even more puzzled. Could it be that for this Pirate King's secret technique, people only need to know of its power, but are not allowed to inquire how to learn it, let alone how to counter it?
In any case, the first day as a server in the game went by in such an awkward manner.