Chapter 364 Catching Miscellaneous Fish
It was only when Gao De started to actually operate it that he realized how expensive it was to go to sea.
A two-masted sailing ship requires about 20 crew members for a cross-ocean voyage.
The most basic configuration is a captain, a first mate, a second mate, a third mate, about ten sailors including the bosun, two lookouts, two to three helmsmen, and a cook.
The captain's monthly salary is usually around 100 gorse coins, the first mate is 70 gorse coins, the second mate is 50 gorse coins, the third mate is 40 gorse coins, the boatswain is 35 gorse coins, the helmsman is 25 gorse coins, the lookout is 25 gorse coins, the cook is 25 gorse coins, and the ordinary sailor is 20 gorse coins.
Added up all these bits and pieces, a ketch sailed for a month, and the crew salary alone would cost at least 500 gorse coins.
This is just the configuration of a two-masted sailing ship.
If it were a large merchant ship, or a fleet of ships, the number of crew members would start in the hundreds, and the salary would increase several times.
In addition to salary, there are also necessary port docking fees and material consumption including food and fresh water, which also cost 100 gorse coins and up per month.
However, if you are accompanied by mage apprentices who master the [Water Making Technique], you only need three, and you can save all the expenses on drinking and cooking water.
In fact, for a large fleet that truly conducts transoceanic trade, a mage with the ability to produce fresh water is considered a standard feature.
After all, fresh water is the lifeline for humans.
As the saying goes, "Three weeks without food and three days without water."
Equipping a mage with the ability to create fresh water is equivalent to buying an insurance for the fleet.
Fortunately, the wood needed in the northern border can be purchased at a discounted price from the raw material supplier of Harland Shipyard, which actually saved Gaode a lot of money.
However, Gaode doesn't feel too worried about the money spent now.
Because he knew that as long as this ship successfully arrived at Varar Bay in the north, it could transport the supplies that Phoenix had prepared in advance back to the Plantagenet Dynasty for resale, and he would be able to earn back his capital and profits in one trip.
Under the moonlight, the calm sea surface glows with a deep and solemn dark green, which seems to have a cold and mysterious beauty.
It’s just the lingering stench in the air that completely destroys this artistic conception.
This is the Makoko District.
Occasionally, the sea breeze blows by, but it cannot dispel the disgusting smell. It can only hit the densely packed shacks here, making a whooshing sound.
The shacks were built crookedly, and their reflections were blurry on the water.
On the sea surface, the water waves spread out, and under the reflection of the moonlight, there were tiny ripples.
In the night, a figure floated above the sea at an extremely unscientific speed, quickly passing through the narrow and unplanned waterway.
Wherever he passed, the water waves continued to swing to both sides.
The human figure, Gothe, has shining eyes. He can see the surrounding environment clearly through the dark night, and then points the direction to Tuanzi through his spiritual connection:
He first freezes a small body of water through the trick [Water Manipulation] to form an ice surface large enough for him to stand. Then he releases Tuanzi, and after letting it enter the water, he pushes the ice forward behind him.
Such a simple operation can achieve an effect similar to floating on water.
"It's been seven days since I killed the demon octopus, and it's time for those people in the shack to come back," Gothe thought in his mind while looking for the path to the shack.
According to what Sharma said, the seven or eight suspicious residents living in the shack would disappear for a few days and then return every once in a while.
Combining the guesses about their origins, it is not difficult to draw an inference: These people are most likely to temporarily leave the Makoko area to avoid the limelight every time the Sea Sentinel Mage accepts the task of expelling water beasts and comes to perform the task.
As for why they can know when the Sea Sentinel Mage is coming, it is actually not a difficult matter.
After all, these tasks are so openly hung in the hall of Haiyuan White Tower.
As long as the task disappears from the board in the lobby, it means it has been picked up. It will be even easier for the mage who picked up the task to arrive in Lagos City.
Gothe came to Makoko District to clear out the water beasts openly and aboveboard. He did not conceal his whereabouts, and even wore the uniform of a sea sentry.
So, as long as you pay a little attention, you should be able to know that he has completed the task of eradicating the water beasts seven days ago.
Even if these people were very cautious and considered the possibility of his sudden return, for the past seven days, no matter what, it was time to relax and return to Makoko District.
The next moment.
The ice stopped at Gothe's signal.
The shack is just ahead.
Tuanzi is already ready to make a move.
Gothe connected with his mind, suppressed the slightly restless Tuanzi, and then silently jumped onto the platform extending from another shed on the side.
He stared at the shack where the mastermind might be hiding, and waited quietly.
As time passed by, the night became darker and darker.
About half an hour later, the sound of the wooden door opening and closing sounded, which was particularly clear in the silent night.
A figure walked out of the shack, his steps dragging a bit, as if he was sleepy.
He came to the edge of the platform outside the shed and stood still.
The next moment, the sound of rushing water came.
This is the moment Gao De was waiting for.
His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.
"Do it!"
After receiving the order, Tuanzi, who had been waiting in the sea for a long time, jumped up and broke out of the water.
With a plop, Tuanzi's sharp teeth directly bit the figure's collar, and with the powerful impact, he directly threw the figure into the water.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye, and the man had no time to react. The dull, dirty and putrid water spray had already covered his face.
He subconsciously wanted to struggle, his hands stretched out of the water and waved wildly, and his feet also pedaled desperately in the water.
But a net made of water has already bound him as tightly as a dead fish.
【Tide Net+】.
Being in the water, unable to speak at all, and the body is restrained, it is really a situation where the heaven and the earth are not working.
As time passed, consciousness and oxygen were lost together, and a large number of bubbles gurgled upward from his mouth and nose. His movements gradually became weak, and his eyes began to become blurry.
Soon, he completely lost consciousness and fainted.
It's just a fainting, and it will take some time before death.
Gothe did not want to kill the opponent, so after discovering that the opponent was in a coma, he released the [Tide Net], used [Water Manipulation] to condense a piece of ice, and asked Tuanzi to push it onto the ice.
At this time, two more figures walked out of the shack, muttering as they walked: "Did this guy slip his foot and fall into the water when turning on the water?"
Obviously, they were attracted by the sound of their companions entering the water.
After the two of them went out, they looked left and right but could not find their companions. Then they came to the edge of the wooden platform and tried to look for their companions who might have fallen into the water. They suddenly noticed the silhouette of their companions lying flat on the ice.
Since the ice surface is not large and it is night, the ice surface is completely covered.
"What's going on?" Both of them were confused when they saw this, and subconsciously shouted to their companion lying on the ice.
Puch!
A vigorous figure leaped out of the water again.
"What?!" The two people exclaimed one after another, their voices full of fear and surprise.
This time it was no longer a bite, the dumpling was like a cannonball, firing twice, directly knocking the two of them into the water.
Plop! thump!
Two loud sounds of water entering in succession immediately attracted everyone remaining in the shack.
Because two tidal nets have bound them, their hands and feet cannot struggle and swing, and their bodies will sink accordingly.
The water quickly covered their faces, and the cold, foul-smelling seawater poured into their mouths and noses, causing them to cough violently. Naturally, they were unable to call for help.
“Rescue!” Others who didn’t quite understand the situation had their subconscious reaction to save their fallen companions. They rushed to the edge of the platform, but before they could reach out, Tuanzi took action again.
It moved as fast as lightning, swooped up, and knocked the remaining people into the water with three strokes and two divisions.
As soon as they fall into the water, what greets them is a tidal net.
There were splashes on the water, but it quickly returned to calm.
There were seven people in total, but they were all captured without making a sound.
It was much smoother than expected.
I don’t know what level of mage these people are.
Gaode's eyes swept over these people and he thought to himself.
In any case, according to his judgment, those who can be sent to this place to do this kind of thing are most likely just mage apprentices, and they will not be more than one level at most.
ifier。
At Gothe's signal, Tuanzi pushed all seven of them onto the wooden platform of the shed.
Afterwards, Gothe walked on the ice, also climbed onto the wooden platform, and dragged the seven people who had fainted into a small shed.
In the room, the light was dim, and a kerosene lamp gave off a faint light.
Although this light is enough for Gothe, who has evolved a high ability to see in the dark through [Adaptive], due to the long-term habit, this dim light still made Gothe frown slightly.
He thought for a moment and lightly snapped his fingers.
Four balls of light emitting soft light poured out from his hand, suspended in the air, emitting a faint light, illuminating the small shed.
【Dancing Lights】.
Hence, he glanced around the room.
The huge bucket that once attracted Gothe's attention is still there.
It's just that compared to the last time, this time the bucket was filled with dirty water.
The water was a disgusting dark green color, with some unknown debris floating on the surface.
·Groups of weird-shaped, slender, dark green larvae are swimming freely among them, causing bursts of stench.
The smell permeated the whole room, making people nauseous.
It is the larvae of the rancid water salamander.
"As expected." Gothe shook his head, and then kicked the seven unconscious people a few times.
But after several steps, none of these people woke up.
Gothe thought for a moment and stepped heavily on the chest of one of them.
His eyes were cold and his actions were ruthless.
The force was so strong that you could almost hear the man's chest and ribs breaking when he kicked it down.
But the effect is indeed significant.
The man immediately opened his mouth, spraying out dark green sewage like a fountain, mixed with disgusting debris, and kept retching.
The sewage splashed everywhere, and the air was filled with a stronger stench.
After spitting out the sewage, he regained his composure and slowly opened his eyes. Gothe's figure looked extraordinarily tall under the light, giving him an indescribable strong sense of oppression
"Who are you?" The man couldn't help but ask, his voice trembling slightly.
He has clearly never seen Gothe's face, so he has no idea why the other party attacked him in the middle of the night.
"Sea Sentinel Trainee Mage, Gaode, was ordered to drive away the water beasts in Makoko District." Gaode looked at him with slightly squinted eyes, and said in a leisurely manner.
Hearing Gothe's words, the man's pupils shrank suddenly.
There was a hint of fear in his eyes.
He finally knew why he and others were attacked.
“Didn’t you finish driving away the water beasts and leave?” His voice was dry and his lips trembled slightly.
"The physical evidence is here, who asked you to do these things? Are you going to give an honest explanation on your own, or am I going to force you to do so?" Gothe gestured towards the wooden barrel in the room, pouting.
The other party glanced at the huge bucket, and then fell into silence.
When Gao De saw this, he shook his head regretfully.
He did not try to persuade her any more, but raised his hand slightly, with his palm upward.
A small green ball appeared in the palm of his hand. The next moment, Gothe flicked his wrist, and the small ball was already shot towards the latter's right leg.
【Acid Splash】!
The small ball exploded the moment it came into contact with the opponent's right leg, and the thick acid spread quickly with strong corrosiveness.
Zizzizi!
The other party's trouser legs were instantly soaked with acid, and the fabric was quickly corroded into wisps of charred black fragments, which fell one after another.
Immediately afterwards, the acid began to erode his skin and flesh. Under the action of the acid, the originally healthy skin revealed the bright red flesh underneath.
"Ah——!" A shrill scream sounded.
His body was shaking violently, and his hands were desperately trying to grab something to support his crumbling body, but everything was in vain.
His right leg's muscles were gradually dissolved under the continuous erosion of the acid, revealing the dense white bones.
The screams gradually became fainter, and the man's body became weak due to severe pain and blood loss.
His eyes were full of fear and despair, tears and sweat were intertwined and flowing down his cheeks, and his body was twitching violently.
At this moment, all the flesh and blood on his right leg below the knee has disappeared. Without the help of a high-level mage or a high-level extraordinary item, he would have been disabled for the rest of his life.
Gothe did not speak, but silently activated the spell model, and another acid ball appeared in his hand.
"No, no, I said, I said, I will tell you everything!" The man looked at the sour ball in Gothe's hand and begged for mercy, trembling all over.
Gaode smiled slightly, not surprised.
Although in common novels, film and television dramas in previous lives, under such circumstances, these "villains" would usually rather die than surrender, or even take the initiative to commit suicide by taking poison, but this is somewhat exaggerated by artistic processing.
The reality is that it takes at least two or three generations of efforts to cultivate such loyal soldiers, through careful cultivation and instillation of loyal thoughts, and the provision of generous treatment and protection.
Hence, only a few big nobles have such people under their command.
Good steel should be used on the blade.
If there were such dead soldiers, how could they be sent to do these "chores"?
"Be honest, I will ask your other companions later," Gothe pointed to the other six people who were still in a coma, and said calmly: "Don't blame me for not warning you in advance. If the confession is not correct, you will lose more than just this calf."