Not long after receiving their money and leaving, the bitter yells of the old shark then echoed out from the dock!

"Heavens! Even a brand new Galley 3-masted s.h.i.+p is only worth 2,500 guineas!"

Hearing such a sad and shrilling scream, Sheyan and Reef glanced at each other as they smirked and vanished into the human crowd. A few seconds later, old Deke came rus.h.i.+ng out as he yelled with exaspe

ration.

"What is wrong with me today, how can I just hand over cash in my confusion? Those d.a.m.ned swindlers. You best pray you don’t get caught by me!"

Following that, Ol’Seadog brought the trio to another dock; one with a fairer valuation and service. Sheyan then raised a request to the dock’s owner, to forsake artillery capabilities of the s.h.i.+p to pursue speed; inquiring if he could increase the current speed of the Hill Maiden by a notch, and that the price was up for negotiation.

The owner of this dock was named Lohan, a 40 year old big beardy with a thick accent and ample charisma. After understand Sheyan’s queries, he personally went to examine the Hill Maiden, before guaranteeing an overall modification could be done by the same time the next day, with a speed increasing by 20%. Of course, it required an exorbitant fee of 5,000 gold guineas.

To another average contestant, 5,000 gold guineas was simply a terrifyingly astonis.h.i.+ng sump. Even two of Sheyan’s Third rate wars.h.i.+ps weren’t able to be sold off for 5,000 guineas. However, to the present Sheyan, this sump was akin to loose change.

With the extravagant reapings of 160,000 gold guineas he gained from selling off the fruits of the enormous sarga.s.sum, he would retain a surplus of over 100,000 gold guineas; that was after factoring the various expenditure, including the booties for his pirate crew, and the meal he supplied Paul previously.

Therefore to Lohan’s request, Sheyan very forthrightly accepted. After paying his fee, he nonchalantly asked Lohan.

"I’m just wondering, might there be a method to build a s.h.i.+p faster than the Black Pearl?"

Lohan was slightly taken aback as he shook his head.

"That would be impossible."

Sheyan was intrigued.

"Why so?"

Aware that Sheyan was a customer that squandered money like dirt, Lohal pondered before chuckling. After pouring a mug of coffee from his patrons, he invited to seat before beginning.

"Speaking of this story, it is indeed a long one. There are many legends and rumours regarding The Black Pearl. Yet its most convincing specialty, not just in name but also in reality, is its undisputable position as the swiftest in the Caribbean Sea; the symbol of freedom! Are there any who doesn’t wonders how the Black Pearl became the fastest s.h.i.+p in the Caribbean Sea? Definitely not! In fact, every new s.h.i.+pbuilder would harbour ambitions to craft a s.h.i.+p that is swifter than the Black Pearl!"

"Back in the day, when I apprenticed under the Royal Artisan, Master Jason Richie, I had a discussion with a friend on this matter. He told me, it was said that when the Black Pearl first set sail, it was merely an ordinary 5-masted merchant s.h.i.+p. If it had any unique compartment then, it must’ve surely been its exceptionally superb keel*!"

(TN:*The keel is the structure of the base of a s.h.i.+p)

"Keel?" The puzzled Reef asked. He didn’t really comprehend terminologies of this maritime field.

Probably because Lohan desired to earn more from these bankrollers, he patiently elaborated.

"During the construction of s.h.i.+ps, the keel is the lengthwise structure along the base supporting the framework from the s.h.i.+p’s bow to its stern; where branching out structure ribs along the keel would reinforce the entire hull of the s.h.i.+p. It is akin to the spine of creatures, having ribs arching out of the spine on both sides. The keel is the backbone nucleus of the s.h.i.+p. Only with it, can a s.h.i.+p have a mainstay."

Observing that his patrons roughly understood, Lohan’s tone turned increasingly serious.

"When the Black Pearl was released into the water, its basic functionality was an armed merchantman s.h.i.+p. You should know this eh, an armed merchantman refers to a hybrid between a merchant s.h.i.+p and a wars.h.i.+p; allowing a merchant s.h.i.+p to fend against navy fleets or pirate s.h.i.+ps.

"According to my conjecture, the ancient captain of the Black Pearl was someone with astute foresight and thriving ambitions. Whenever they pillaged s.h.i.+ps, they not only plundered for riches, they would further seek for precious and rare s.h.i.+p components; before installing them onto the Black Pearl. In this manner, it didn’t matter even if they couldn’t drag along their captured s.h.i.+ps."

As they listened to Lohan, Brother Black and Reef both simultaneously glanced at Sheyan; naturally recalling his acts of seizing the precious components of other s.h.i.+ps. Sheyan himself had the same notion. Lohan then continued.

"What we could confirm then, was the master of the Black Pearl was definitely prejudiced in his adoration for speed! Hence, throughout the long course of the Black Pearl’s journey, they pillaged countless of different s.h.i.+ps; integrating various precious compartments onto their s.h.i.+p, where these compartments were, without an exception, skewed towards enhancing speed. Thus, throughout the many years of pillaging, the s.h.i.+p gradually morphed in quality. Ultimately, it became acclaimed as the Caribbean Sea’s Emperor of Swiftness. The symbol of freedom, The Black Pearl!"

Brother Black interrupted abruptly.

"That doesn’t sound very tough to achieve. Going by such a logic, as long as one possesses wealth, wouldn’t purchasing such speed enhancement components be sufficient to surpa.s.s the Black Pearl?"

Hearing that, Lohan instantly burst into laughters.

"That is the reason why I commenced this story by elaborating on the s.h.i.+p’s keel! A s.h.i.+p is a manifestation of over a thousand different and precise components! It definitely isn’t as simple as piling up precious components."

"Believe me, my friends. Some precious and refined s.h.i.+p components even possessed their own spirits! Can you imagine a choir with only one member? Even if you fancy sweet tastes, would you like the sap of the sugarcanes to be poured onto your steak?"

"The reason why the Black Pearl hails as the unparalleled Emperor of Swiftness, is right from its first sail, it possessed an insurmountable supreme keel!!! Only such a mystical keel, an indomitable backbone supporting the whole s.h.i.+p, can it suppress the rejections and reverse devouring of those precious components. Akin to a commander-in-chief of the navy, a.s.sembling its perfect component generals, it finally created the miracle as the Emperor of Swiftness of the Caribbean Sea! Without its keel, the berserking components infused into the Black Pearl would’ve rebelled in contention."