The group dispersed at the port, each busy with their own tasks.
Charles first went to the bank to deposit the 100 million Echoes into his account before rushing to the shipyard.
His heart pounded rapidly as he hadn’t felt this way in a long time, reminiscent of the excitement of confessing to a girl for the first time.
Inside the shipyard, bustling with steel, Charles was greeted by an old man accompanied by two attendants. He was the owner of the shipyard.
“Hello, sir. What can I do for you?”
“I need an exploration ship.”
Hearing that Charles wasn’t looking for a cargo ship or a fishing boat, but an exploration ship, the old man’s face showed a surprised expression.
“Sir, are you sure you want an exploration ship? Have you applied to the Explorers’ Association?” he asked hesitantly, seeking confirmation.
“Not yet. Can’t I buy a ship without applying?”
Wood, sensing a hint of displeasure in the customer’s tone, hurried to explain.
“No, no, of course you can. I was just confirming. After all, there are fewer and fewer people with your adventurous spirit these days.”
Exploring and discovering a new island was indeed a highly profitable endeavor, but behind every successful explorer were thousands of failures.
The advent of turbines allowed humans to venture into more unknown seas and search for new homes more efficiently. They once believed they were on the verge of conquering the ocean.
Unfortunately, humans were not the main characters here. There were only a few islands worth exploring, while many more were extremely dangerous, with bizarre natives and deep sea mysteries that dealt them a harsh blow.
More and more exploration ships went missing, and more people lost their husbands and children. Death finally cooled human enthusiasm. Gradually, people no longer viewed explorers as heroes but rather as fools risking their lives.
Wood remembered that the last person to buy an exploration ship was five years ago, and that person, naturally, died at sea.
“Guest, what kind of ship do you need? Please tell me.”
“I don’t want anything too big, no more than 70 meters in length. The engine must be a brilliant turbine, and the forward gun must be a 125mm rifled cannon.” Charles rattled off his requirements.
He had prepared for too long to return home, and the configurations of various exploration ships were etched in his mind.
The transaction proceeded quickly, and an hour later, Charles saw the exterior of his new ship.
The streamlined white hull was neatly lined with rivets, several times thicker than the Rat’s.
The thicker chimney attested to the powerful engine within.
At first glance, it seemed like a larger, refurbished Rat. But the large cannon on the foredeck, with its industrial beauty, immediately set it apart from a second-hand cargo ship.
Length: 65 meters, Width: 10 meters, Draft: 5.5 meters
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“This ship was originally ordered by the governor’s navy, but they aren’t in a hurry. If you need it urgently, I can prioritize it for you.”
“This is the one. When can it be launched?”
“Some of the facilities you need inside the cabin aren’t ready yet. If we rush, it should be ready to launch in about half a month. The total price is 3.5 million Echoes.”
Charles silently calculated the amount. “I have just enough in my account. If I sell the Rat as well, I’ll have enough for the next expedition’s supplies.”
“Alright, get it done as soon as possible. I’ll come to pick up the ship in half a month.”
After leaving the shipyard, Charles headed straight for the Explorers’ Association.
With an exploration ship, he could now join the Explorers’ Association, a loose organization found on every human island. Its members were all captains of exploration ships.
Of course, it wasn’t mandatory to join, but Charles wouldn’t refuse something that was beneficial to him.
By becoming an explorer, Charles would have free access to the vast collection of sea charts within the association, which were otherwise expensive to purchase. Besides the charts, there were other advantages too. He had done his homework on this organization.
However, being an explorer wasn’t all benefits without drawbacks. Explorers were required to explore at least one island every year. Failure to meet this exploration quota would result in the loss of explorer status.
But for Charles, this drawback was practically non-existent since he was here to explore islands anyway.
The Explorers’ Association was not far from the dock area, and its white stone building was quite eye-catching.
Charles glanced at the ship emblem hanging above the building and stepped inside.
The interior was large and spacious, and he could hear the echo of his own footsteps as he walked in.
Apart from a few counters in the distance, there were only a handful of men and women scattered on the sofas to the left. The triangular hats placed on the table identified them as having the same status as Charles.
As Charles observed them, they also curiously eyed the new face at the door.
After quickly identifying the words above the counters, Charles headed towards the one on the far left. As he was filling out the application form with a feather pen, a pale arm wrapped around his neck.
“Click.” Charles’ right hand moved to his waist, and the barrel of his revolver was already pressed against the belly of the person behind him.
A slightly hoarse female voice sounded in his ear, “Relax, newbie. This isn’t the sea, there’s no danger here.”
The person released Charles’ neck and pulled up a chair, sitting down beside him with her feet up.
The newcomer was a sexy woman with bright white hair, straight long legs, and a deliberately exposed enticing curve at her chest.
If not for her imposing height of nearly two meters, any man would want to get close to her.
However, compared to her beauty, Charles was more interested in the wooden staff at her waist, which seemed to be her weapon. There were few women at sea, but those who survived were no ordinary individuals.
“What do you want?” Charles holstered his gun.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a new face. Come and meet me. I’m Elizabeth, captain of the Black Rose. Dear, what’s your name?” the giant beauty asked with a smile.
Charles didn’t answer, focusing on filling out the application form. The harsh environment at sea had robbed him of the interest in socializing with strangers.
But the woman next to him didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving.
A faint fragrance wafted by as Elizabeth leaned her head over, blatantly peeking at Charles’ application form.
“Charles? That’s a nice name. Ah, that section isn’t very important, you can just fill it in casually,” she said.
A burly man on the sofa in the distance laughed loudly, “Elizabeth, you weren’t this enthusiastic when I first came here.”
Elizabeth shot him a disdainful look. “Of course, you’re not the same as him. I don’t want to sleep with you, so why should I help you?”
The burly man wasn’t offended, pounding his thigh and laughing along with his companions.
With a “rip,” Charles punctured a hole in the application form.
He had suspected the woman’s motives were impure, but he hadn’t expected this. Women who made a living at sea were indeed extraordinary.
Ignoring Elizabeth beside him, Charles quickly finished writing and handed it over.
The staff member took the application form and efficiently operated the various gears of the mechanical device.
Elizabeth didn’t seem to care that the man in front of her was ignoring her, continuing to talk.
“Charles, since you’re new here, let me introduce you. The role of the Explorers’ Association is quite simple: to assist us in finding new islands.”
“Of course, it’s not free. Once you join the association, any captain who becomes a governor in the future must also open an Explorers’ branch on their island.”
Charles cut her off, “Thanks for the reminder, but I already know all this. No need to remind me.”
“Hmm? It seems Mr. Charles has done a lot of preparation before coming here. Are you free later? Would you like to come aboard my ship for a visit?” Elizabeth persisted.