That bard is such a charmer!

Chapter 72 The Greedy Fisherman

Richard immediately opened the gift bag.

You have gained 1 point of Agility.

[You have learned the 2nd tier spell: Scorching Metal - You can designate a visible metal object within 20 meters, such as a longsword or heavy armor, to become scorching hot and inflict burns on any creature that comes into contact with it. The damage will continue if you remain focused on casting the spell.]

Remarks:

"Sometimes, a heavily armored knight and a grilled meat sizzle are not much different, in every sense." — Hannibal Lecter, a master of interpersonal skills

Although it's only a Tier 2 spell, the description makes it seem surprisingly useful.

If I had used this tactic when dealing with the Killing Order, I wouldn't have been chased and rolled around on the ground like a madman in the early stages...

Richard quickly glanced through it and then shut down the system.

At this moment, everyone had dealt with all the remaining enemies and was about to turn around and head down the mountain to Shell Village.

After all, Bill's verbal curses were insignificant, but the church did know they were in Shell Village and might already be sending more people there, making the threat very real.

They must get out to sea quickly!

A few minutes later, the group entered the village.

Beike Village is small, with fewer than a hundred fishermen in total.

It was midday, and most of them were fishing at sea, leaving only the elderly, women, and children on the shore, either mending nets or drying fish.

Upon seeing a large group of people, fully armed and covered in blood, storm into the village, they immediately retreated into their houses, peeking out cautiously to observe, their eyes filled with vigilance and surprise.

Richard and his companions had no time to explain to them and went straight to the shore to look for boats that had not yet set sail.

Perhaps someone's lucky talent came into play, and they quickly found a suitable ship.

The boat was made entirely of dark brown hardwood, complete with canvas and ropes, and was over eight meters long. It also had a cabin for resting, large enough to accommodate their group of six.

The only problem is whether it leaks... but it doesn't matter, there are three spellcasters in the team, so if it does leak, there's a way to seal it.

With that in mind, the group began to push the boat out to sea, while Richard shouted to the villagers watching from a short distance away:

"Whose boat is this? We urgently need it and are willing to pay a high price to buy it!"

After being called three times, a thin man with a receding hairline came out of the house and said to Richard, "This is my family's boat."

Without saying a word, Richard pulled out a handful of gold coins and handed them over.

The Mediterranean man awkwardly accepted the money, stood there for several seconds, then stroked it carefully for a while, bit it hard twice, and finally looked up abruptly and asked:

"You only need the boat, not the people to operate it?"

good question.

On the way here, Richard asked Levin the same question. The latter said that he had been a sailor, but it had been a long time (about a hundred years), and he was not very familiar with the sea conditions near Phoenix.

So strictly speaking, they need a proper crew member; otherwise, if something goes wrong, they'll have to use their precious magic to deal with it.

But then again...

Their trip was not for tourism, but rather an adventure fraught with threats from the Church of the Goddess of Wealth.

With an uncertain future ahead, forcibly dragging along a boatman who isn't even a professional is akin to leading someone into a fire pit.

If the mission ultimately fails, the church will certainly not let the person go just because he is only a boatman.

With that in mind, Richard shook his head at the Mediterranean man.

The latter, however, had no intention of giving up: "None of you seem like people who make a living at sea. The wind is strong today, and there are many reefs nearby. Without anyone to guide you, you might capsize into the sea in less than an hour."

Richard frowned slightly and bluntly admitted, "Buddy, it's not that we're stingy with money, it's just that our lives are truly in danger if we go."

The Mediterranean man blinked: "Are you going to kill sea monsters in the whirlpool, or go on a date with mermaids? I'll give you a 50% discount if you choose the latter."

Richard shook his head: "No, we're just going to Thumb Island."

"Hey, that's easy!"

"But in the process, we may face persecution from the Church of the Goddess of Wealth."

"..."

Seeing that the other party was silent, Richard assumed that he knew the danger and would not pursue the matter any further, so he turned around to help his companions push the boat.

Unexpectedly, the Mediterranean man suddenly reached out again, grabbed Richard's shoulder, and said with a resolute expression:

"Add more money!"

Give me thirty gold coins, and even if the Goddess of Wealth herself descended to earth, I'd dare sail your ship!

This time, it was Richard's turn to blink.

The Goddess of Wealth herself descended to earth... If she were here, we wouldn't need you; we'd just vote on the spot, okay?

However, since you've put it this way, I don't seem to have any reason to refuse...

Half a minute later.

After Richard and the man finished discussing the details, Richard handed over the gold coins.

The latter took the money into a room, then came out empty-handed. He helped everyone push the boat out to sea, skillfully raised the sails, and set sail with everyone on board.

As the coastline gradually disappeared from view, the surrounding wind and waves grew stronger, causing the fishing boat to rock violently.

Fortunately, the Mediterranean man was indeed a highly skilled boatman, and he was worth the salary he received.

He simply adjusted the sails slightly, which stabilized the ship again and doubled its speed.

Levin exclaimed, "Bringing him along was definitely the right decision."

Richard nodded, then leaned closer curiously and asked, "Speaking of which, why are you willing to risk your life to make money?"

"Our lives aren't worth much anyway."

"..."

"Moreover," the Mediterranean man replied after a moment of silence, "my wife died last year, and my only daughter died a couple of days ago. There's no point in me continuing to live. I just want to pull off a big heist and then go to the city to have some fun for a few months."

That's quite a negative answer.

So, what happens a few months after you've had your fun?

The man didn't say anything, and Richard hesitated, wondering whether he should press him for an answer.

But before he could speak, the man asked, "And you guys don't seem like bad people, so why did you get involved with the Church of the Goddess of Wealth?"

Richard shrugged and said, "Since you're literally on our side of the law, it's not like I can't tell you..."

During a brief lull in the storm, Richard briefly recounted Amy's story.

After listening, the Mediterranean man remained silent for a long time before muttering softly, "My wife and daughter died of stomach worms. If... sigh."

He sighed, ignored Richard, stood up, and devoted himself entirely to the voyage.

Richard watched his retreating figure, feeling as if the ship was moving even faster than before...

at the same time.

Although somewhat disheveled, Bill managed to reunite with a group of mercenaries under the Phoenix family in time.

After confirming that he was safe, he took out the expensive ring with communication magic and contacted his teacher again...