The Ultimate Evolution
chapter-515

Obviously, merchants existed for the sake of profit; nonetheless, these unscrupulous profiteers were truly too cunning.

A single-masted sailboat may not be remarkable, but it could easily be modified as a fishing boat. Moreover, constructing a new fishing boat, according to Ol’Seadog, would probably require several hundred of guineas. Furthermore, even if procured off stolen ones, it would still be worth a fair value of 200 guineas.

Brazenly issuing a 20 guineas procurement valuation....these unscrupulous merchants were truly as absurd as the chinese fiasco of melamine in milk powder. They truly reached the apex of their kind.

When Ol’Seadog heard the assistant’s words, a nameless fire was set ablaze within him as he slapped the counter strongly.

"Which eye of yers witnessed that we be sellin’ single-masted boats?"

Ol’Seadog was brimming with confidence, as he rebuked imposingly. The assistant didn’t dare to be negligent and hastily inquired.

"Then what do our patrons require?"

Ol’Seadog rebuked aloud.

"Go inquire of yer boss. Two British Royal Navy galley ships o’ the third rate, along wit’ me 23 Krupp cannons o’ the 1 pounder or 3 pounder grade. How much will ye be willin’ to offer?"

The assistant’s eyes widened greatly as he listened, then he charged towards the old assistant and yelled.

"Deke, you jolly fool! It doesn’t matter if you let those insignificant dealers wait. Once this deal is settled, I’ll give you half the share!"

Sheyan and Reef were both amazed; So this black bandana is actually the boss, while the old man the assistant....

After his boss ordered, the old Deke immediately offered absolving expressions as he squeezed out from the crowd. Then, he fawned towards the trio and invited them for a seat.

Meanwhile, those contestants started cursing in succession. There were currently about 10 plus of them, and three parties could be distinguished amongst them. They were already annoyed at having to queue previously, and never expected a sudden roadblock when it was their turn. Of course, they would obviously be agitated.

Instead, Sheyan ignored them as he continued chatting with Mogensha and Reef, utterly treating them as empty air.

In spite of that, the contestants ultimately couldn’t mobilize against them, because to them, Tortuga was analogous to Hell’s Gate of the Avatar world; both being ‘safe’ zones. Hence, they could only grit their teeth and leave.

Sheyan then dispatched out Jinkuang, prompting him for an intensive battering with the old Deke.

As the saying goes; once Jinkuang steps furth, he thrives against all. Jinkuang blatantly placed a stool beside old Deke, before hopping onto it and affectionately massaged against old Deke’s shoulders.

"My dear friend. The quality of our ships are first-rate, well maintained and smoothly gorgeous. Your valuation is simply unjustified. Twenty-one 3-pounder cannons are already 300 guineas each, and that is already 9,000 guineas...."

After Jinkuang bombarded him with excessive information, he fished out an abacus and started calculating noisily. Finally, he reported out a figure.

"How about this, the original sum should be 4,135 guineas and 17 shillings. But we will accept at a lowered price of 4,500 guineas."

Old Deke could sense something was fishy, but dazed by all the information, he dealt with Jinkuang successfully.

*******************************

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 ship 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 rushing out as he yelled with exasperation.

"What is wrong with me today, how can I just hand over cash in my confusion? Those damned 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 ship 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 astonishing sump. Even two of Sheyan’s Third rate warships 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 sargassum, 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 ship 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 ship in the Caribbean Sea? Definitely not! In fact, every new shipbuilder would harbour ambitions to craft a ship 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 ship. 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 ship)

"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 ships, the keel is the lengthwise structure along the base supporting the framework from the ship’s bow to its stern; where branching out structure ribs along the keel would reinforce the entire hull of the ship. 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 ship. Only with it, can a ship 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 ship. You should know this eh, an armed merchantman refers to a hybrid between a merchant ship and a warship; allowing a merchant ship to fend against navy fleets or pirate ships.

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

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 ships. 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 ships; integrating various precious compartments onto their ship, where these compartments were, without an exception, skewed towards enhancing speed. Thus, throughout the many years of pillaging, the ship 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 surpass the Black Pearl?"

Hearing that, Lohan instantly burst into laughters.

"That is the reason why I commenced this story by elaborating on the ship’s keel! A ship 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 ship 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 ship, can it suppress the rejections and reverse devouring of those precious components. Akin to a commander-in-chief of the navy, assembling 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."