Roger felt his blood pressure soaring at the speed of a steam engine.
"System! Get out here!"
[Coming, coming! Boss! Do you need 'one-on-one elite tutoring' service? Gold-medal instructor online guidance, original price 998, today we're giving you a huge discount...]
"Speak human!"
[Add money, unlock new profession.]
The system's voice was concise and clear.
['Steam Engineer' profession template, unlock fee: five thousand copper coins per crew member. Instant employment, no training required, comes with complete theoretical knowledge and practical experience, guaranteed to be more reliable than the boiler manual you just bought.]
"Unlock! Give me ten first!"
Roger just wanted to solve the problem now; money was irrelevant.
Anyway, it was all just salvaged.
[Received! Providing you with 'Lanxiang Vocational School Accelerated Training Class' service! Copper coins - 50000!]
Ten golden lights flashed.
Ten ordinary pirates who had just been watching on deck all shivered.
Their hollow eye sockets were instantly filled with wisdom.
They said nothing, walking with synchronized steps into the chaotic engine room.
"Everyone move aside."
The leading engineer pirate said in an emotionless tone.
He pushed aside Buck, who was still trying to figure out which valve was the self-destruct button, skillfully closed several incorrect valves, and opened several correct ones.
The others had clear divisions of labor: some checked pressure gauges, some added lubricant, and some, with the most elegant parabolic trajectory, precisely fed coal into the boiler.
The entire process was smooth and fluid.
The chaotic roar in the engine room gradually became rhythmic.
"Report to Captain, boiler pressure is normal."
"Report to Captain, engine status is good."
"Report to Captain, power system has been taken over, ready to depart at any time."
Hector watched all this, dumbfounded, feeling like an old relic abandoned by the times.
"Depart."
Roger squeezed out two words through gritted teeth.
"Yes!"
Accompanied by a loud, prolonged whistle.
the explorer, this steel behemoth combining magic and industry, had its stern propeller suddenly accelerate!
The hull dipped slightly, then tore through the water in a manner that seemed to rip everything apart!
There was no flapping of sails, no chants from the crew.
Only the thunderous roar of that steel heart!
The speed grew faster and faster!
Ten knots!
Twenty knots!
Thirty knots!
A huge white scar was carved across the bay's surface, and the scenery on both banks rapidly receded!
On the deck, the pirates were thrown off balance by this unprecedented terrifying speed, each clinging desperately to anything they could grab.
"Holy shit, Buck! We're flying! We're going to fly!"
Billy shrieked.
Gibbs hugged a chest of gold coins, tears streaming down his face with excitement.
"This is speed! This is power!"
Roger stood at the bow, letting the strong wind whip his trench coat.
He spread his arms, feeling the power of this new era.
This feeling was better than a hundred Elizabeths combined!
"Sam!"
"I'm coming!"
He now only wanted to rush to Hirado Port, and with his Gatling gun and Armstrong cannon, send a warm greeting of the Industrial Revolution to the King of East Asian Pirates who had stood him up!
Just then.
From the mast, Jack Sparrow's terrified scream carried down with the wind.
"Ship!!"
"A... a huge fleet!!"
Roger raised an eyebrow and picked up his telescope.
On the distant horizon, a massive fleet was poised.
Leading it was a giant treasure ship, no smaller than the explorer.
Its hull was ornately carved and painted, flying Sam's "net-sea king" banner.
But around it, more than a dozen strangely shaped Western warships clustered.
Three masts, double gun decks.
On the hull, an emblem Roger was incredibly familiar with was clearly printed.
A crown, with crossed torch and longsword below it.
The East India Trading Company.
------------------------
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