Klein was curious about the results of the exploration, but decided not to ask further. He passed the captain’s cabin and walked towards the stairs leading down.
After a few steps, his throat itched. He couldn’t help clenching his fist and covering his mouth as he coughed a couple of times.
Klein wasn’t surprised by this turn of events, as it was bound to happen. Last night, he had carried the Biotoxin Bottle for over two hours. It was only when the dead of the night proved that there were no aggressive intentions from the Star Admiral’s side that he finally moved that mystical item into his black leather suitcase. Disaster had duly struck, and he had fallen ill.
Of course, he hadn’t carried the Biotoxin Bottle for too long, and his body wasn’t in a weakened state. His illness was relatively mild, manifesting merely as a simple swelling and soreness in his throat.
Cattleya, who was following slowly behind him, saw this, but didn’t find it particularly surprising. On the contrary, she thought it was perfectly normal.
Every knowledgeable Beyonder knew the rule that mystical items inevitably had negative effects. Furthermore, following the example of the Seven Churches, items with such severe side effects that they could not be frequently carried or used were collectively called Sealed Artifacts.
The reason Cattleya sold or exchanged many low-to-mid-level mystical items was, firstly, because she wanted items that were stronger and bettered her chances of survival. Secondly, the sheer variety of negative effects was a constant headache. Often, she could avoid one only to be ensnared by another, and some negative effects even overlapped, creating a situation where one plus one was greater than two. For a Beyonder, the disadvantages far outweighed the benefits.
When she discovered that Gehrman Sparrow had armed himself to the teeth with mystical items, Beyonder weapons, and spiritual charms, her astonishment and admiration gave way to curiosity about what kind of negative effects he was enduring. Judging from today’s observations, it seemed to be a simple illness for the time being.
Walking steadily onto the deck, Klein spotted Frank Lee at once. He was still in his white shirt and suspenders, his sleeves rolled up high and his arms stained with mud. He didn’t seem bothered by the chilling wind blowing under the clear sky.
“Good morning, Gehrman.” Frank waved enthusiastically. “Come and take a look at my latest creation! It’s definitely going to be the most sought-after thing on the sea!”
As he spoke, he raised his other hand. In it was a thick, fat sea fish of some unknown species.
*No, I don’t want to know what kind of monster you’ve made this time…* Klein stopped in his tracks and looked on with an expressionless face.
Frank Lee, completely oblivious to his change in attitude, took a dagger from his waist and plunged it into the fish, making an incision.
A stream of blood flowed out, landing precisely into a large beer mug on the deck. Strangely, there was no smell of fish at all.
“Do you smell that? The intoxicating aroma of wine!” Frank Lee said, half-closing his eyes with fanatical fervor. “This is a fish that has red wine for blood! The wine is thus infused with all sorts of nutrients!”
…Klein found himself at a loss for words.
Frank excitedly looked around at the sailors nearby, then addressed Gehrman Sparrow again:
“Do you know what our biggest problem is at sea? It’s when we run out of alcohol before making landfall! As long as this fish can reproduce quickly and become the main product of the ocean, we’ll never be short of booze no matter where we are! Right, there will be different varieties—some will produce Lirang, some will produce Niepos, some will produce red wine, and some will produce beer. For beer, we need to use a shark or a whale, otherwise there won’t be enough!”
*Isn’t the biggest problem the lack of fresh water? Of course, you guys mostly use beer instead of water anyway, because it’s less prone to spoilage… Poor fish…* Klein was trying to figure out how to respond when the Star Admiral, Cattleya, also came onto the deck. She walked past him to ask her first mate:
“Is Nina ready?”
“Ready! She’s already downed a bottle of Niepos!” Frank pointed to a shadow cast by the sails.
*So the so-called preparation is drinking a bottle of Feynapotter Niepos? The same Niepos you can strike a match on?* Klein suddenly suspected that the referenced lady Nina must have Feynapotter blood.
“Captain, I’d rather have a bottle of Sônia Blood Wine!” A female figure slowly rose from the shadows and stepped out.
She was over 1.8 meters tall, her golden hair casually tied into a high ponytail. Her features weren’t outstanding but had distinct Feynapotter characteristics: fair skin and light-colored eyes.
This lady named Nina was dressed in a form-fitting black outfit that seemed to be made of fish skin. It looked like a single piece, perfectly outlining her voluptuous figure.
The style itself was quite sexy, and Nina’s chest far exceeded any acceptable limit. It wasn’t hard to guess what the looks from the surrounding pirates meant.
Klein felt a bit embarrassed and wanted to look away, but he remembered that Gehrman Sparrow was definitely not that green. He settled for letting his gaze go slightly vacant, staring straight at Nina's face.
“Gehrman, this is our boatswain, Nina! She’s also the assistant navigator. Haha, her Sequence name is ‘Navigator’!” Frank Lee introduced her without any reservations.
*This Toxin Expert is quite simple-minded outside of his research on hybrid breeds… Oh, I remember now, this lady Nina has a bounty of 3600 pounds. Her alias is the ‘Submarine Killer’. Sigh, I’ve read too many wanted posters; I can’t remember some of them right away…* Klein looked into Nina’s eyes and nodded calmly:
“Good morning, Miss.”
Nina smiled and looked Klein up and down.
“Good morning, Mr. Sparrow.”
“I’m curious, is the Disease Admiral really as charming as the rumors say?”
As a female pirate who had long mingled in the lower and middle echelons, she was always straightforward about relations between men and women, never coy. Initially, she wanted to directly ask Gehrman Sparrow if he didn’t find her attractive or if he was just cold, seeing as he completely ignored her. But considering she was facing a powerful guy, an adventurer who had almost successfully hunted the Disease Admiral, and a madman who might draw his gun at any moment, she prudently swallowed her teasing remarks and asked about the Disease Admiral instead.
*…How am I supposed to answer that?* Klein paused for a silent moment, then replied:
“Her bounty is very charming.”
Nina was stunned for a second, unsure how to continue the conversation. She had no choice but to turn to the Star Admiral:
“Captain, shall we start now?”