"Master... your beautiful power is like a brilliant gem, brimming with dazzling radiance..."
Karen, standing at Leilin's side, immediately began flattering him. As a half-drow, once freed she seemed to have reverted to her true nature — the darkness and bloodlust of the drow were gradually resurfacing.
"Enough! All of you, get up!"
Old One-Eye and the other pirates who had surrendered earliest already knew how things would play out, so they showed little surprise. But the newly recruited pirates — even Ronald and his group — were thoroughly shaken.
"Well? Any objections to me being your boss?"
Leilin swept his gaze across the crowd. Every other pirate now avoided meeting his eyes, their faces filled with awe and dread.
"Good! I like what I see in your eyes — reverence!"
Leilin nodded, and his men immediately dragged out two chests brimming with silver groats and coppers — the proceeds from liquidating most of his remaining cargo.
Madam Tiren had apparently been venting her frustration, because she'd gouged him mercilessly on the price.
Still, with this kind of wealth, the pirate crew could sustain itself for several more months.
As for a few months down the road? With the riches of the entire Outer Seas at his fingertips, he had nothing to worry about when it came to feeding his subordinates.
"The pay I promised before will not be cut by a single coin!" Leilin cracked open the chests, letting the silvery gleam flash outward and blind the eyes of most of the assembled pirates.
"Every sailor aboard the Crimson Tiger will receive a monthly salary, in addition to their share of any plunder!"
Leilin bellowed the announcement, and this policy — so wildly different from what any ordinary pirate crew offered — immediately drew thunderous cheers from the pirates.
Tearing a gaping hole in the finances was no small matter, but what Leilin needed most was to assemble the strongest pirate crew in the shortest time possible. The rest could wait.
To rule an organization, oppression and the threat of death were far from enough — a complete incentive system was essential.
Otherwise, with so many pirate crews scattered across the seas, what reason would anyone have to serve under a temperamental boss like Leilin?
He was certain that once word of this spread, no matter how fearsome Leilin's reputation became, he would never have to worry about a shortage of recruits.
He might even attract a few professionals — and if that happened, Leilin would be grinning from ear to ear.
"These pirates really don't have a shred of loyalty..."
Watching the newly recruited pirates immediately perk up after the money was distributed — their faces completely forgetting the other rebel sailors who had just died — Leilin secretly shook his head.
Still, this was simply the reality of the situation, something that couldn't be changed, and Leilin could only let it be.
Unless he spent a long period of time with them, allowing his authority to sink in completely and building confidence through one victory after another, any pirate captain's control over his crew would be roughly this level.
Otherwise, Leilin would never have been able to directly subdue the former Black Tiger Pirate Crew and use them as the foundation of his forces.
"Incentives... don't seem to be enough..."
Leilin's eyes flashed, and he stepped up onto the platform. "Giant!"
"I'm here, Chief!" The giant's mountain-like body immediately dropped to one knee.
"Last time you followed me and slew ten enemies, and you're the highest-ranked class holder among my men! I want to reward you!"
Leilin waved his hand, and a vest-like piece of studded leather armor flew in front of the Giant, with iron plating reinforcing the vital areas.
"This is... a magic-infused weapon!"
The Giant put on the leather vest, and his expression suddenly changed as a layer of arcane light erupted from the armor. He couldn't help but cry out in delight.
"Magic-infused weapon?!" This immediately drew envious stares from the other pirates.
Even the cheapest mage-grade items required basic alchemical support and were worth at least several hundred gold coins!
Moreover, something that could save your life was priceless — no amount of gold could buy it.
"Yes! Three charges of Fortitude have been permanently inscribed on it — even a heavy hammer would struggle to break through your defenses in a single blow!"
In truth, the raw material for this leather armor had been a spoil of war taken from the captain of the Mermaid Pirate Crew. Leilin himself had no use for it, so after some modifications, he used it to arm his subordinate.
"Heh heh..."
The Giant didn't even know what to say at this point, so he could only scratch his head with a goofy grin, drawing a wave of envious glares.
"And... Ronald!"
Raylin's gaze turned to Ronald.
"Young Master! You called for me!" Ronald knelt on one knee, a strange feeling stirring in his heart.
"Yes! Your previous actions have proven your loyalty to me! I bestow upon you this Ring of Swift Burst!"
This was also a contribution from the unlucky Merfolk pirate, but Raylin felt not the slightest bit of embarrassment.
"Thank you, Master..." Ronald felt as though his chest had been struck by a heavy hammer.
Although he knew he had simply happened to catch Raylin at a time when he needed to set an example among the newly joined pirates, his heart was still filled with immense joy.
This was a magic item! It was valuable enough to serve as a family heirloom for commoners, or even Knights and barons.
"I will be loyal to you forever!" Ronald kissed the ring on his finger and carefully tucked it into his bosom, drawing a wave of envious gazes. Many of the newly joined pirates even flushed red, looking at Raylin as though they were gazing upon their god.