Captain – Chapter 171 – Claiming the Flag

“Captain, the twin-masted civilian ship has been destroyed!”

With hurried footsteps, Laurent came up behind Rex, reporting breathlessly in a grave tone.

This newly promoted mate of the one-eyed captain, a fierce pirate who dared to sleep among corpses, now had a deathly pale face full of tragic determination, like a cornered beast.

The cause of this state, besides the bandaged wound on his right shoulder that continued to bleed despite being tightly bound, was likely related to the horrific scene he had just witnessed.

It must be said that Roy’s assessment of the situation was very accurate.

After the battle at Frans Island, Rex had lost most of his elite crew. Though he had tried to recruit new members upon returning to the Southern Islands, skilled fighters with strength and combat experience weren’t so easily found. Thus, the Orca now severely lacked combat personnel.

Earlier, though they had caught the Constantine off guard with a surprise advantage and even managed to approach within boarding distance, their manpower shortage made it impossible to break through the dense barrage of the Black Emperor’s musket squad.

Of course, Rex wasn’t foolish enough to stake everything on a battle that was bound to fail. After all, the Orca’s mission was simply to delay the enemy, buying time for Roy and her crew.

Therefore, taking advantage of the moment when the Constantine was knocked off course by the ram attack, reducing its cannon accuracy, the Orca struck once and immediately pulled away, reopening the distance, but not before delivering a heavy bombardment to the massive ship’s broadside.

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Even so, under the Constantine’s fierce counterattack, the Orca suffered severe damage. The fortunate part was that fatalities were few; most crew members, like Laurent, had sustained non-lethal injuries.

Rex’s battle strategy was clear: after letting the Osprey pass, follow the Mermaid’s course and eventually draw the Constantine into a two-against-one situation.

Although he had previous conflicts with the Golden-Eyed Devil and had once hated that arrogant, vicious character intensely, even with Roy now a woman, Rex had absolute confidence in her monstrous combat abilities.

Moreover, on that ship was another person whose principles differed from his own, yet who made him deeply proud. He firmly believed that in the most urgent situations, that person would make his own choice.

So from beginning to end, the one-eyed captain had never worried about the Mermaid’s situation—until Laurent brought him this news.

Turning around to look at Laurent with his remaining right eye, seeing his grim expression that suggested no joke, Rex forcefully threw his punctured rum bottle into the sea and strode toward the bow.

Arriving at the bow, Rex gripped the railing tightly, watching the fiercely burning Osprey and the bodies floating among countless broken planks. His right eye narrowed involuntarily.

“Captain, if Captain Roy truly lost, we must turn away immediately. Otherwise, we’re seeking our own deaths.”

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Laurent, closely following his captain, anxiously proposed as he gazed at the Mermaid gradually changing course, pointing its black cannon muzzles toward them.

The Orca’s current condition was far from optimistic. Even dealing with the Constantine’s pursuit was already stretching them thin, let alone adding another legendary-class warship.

“Run? Where could we run to?”

Rex snorted, his words still lacking much gravity: “Even an undamaged Orca couldn’t outrun the Mermaid in a storm, let alone now with our fore topmast broken and our speed greatly reduced.”

“You’re right. What should we do then? Please give your orders, Captain!”

Sensing the one-eyed captain’s still fierce demeanor, showing no dejection despite their dire situation, Laurent’s spirits suddenly lifted. He grinned and loudly requested instructions.

The Orca’s crew never feared danger. Even if faced with a bottomless black abyss, he believed Rex could lead them through to daylight.

“Don’t rush, First Mate. Wait patiently a bit longer. Roy isn’t so easily killed. If this is all her deliberate deception, she’ll find a way to notify us. And if…”

Rex fell silent for a moment, his single eye lighting up with a bloodthirsty gleam: “If she truly lost, then we’ll charge straight at them—either die at Richi’s hands or take the Mermaid and use it to counterattack that tyrant!”

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At the same time, on the Constantine.

“Who do you think won, Captain?”

Despite being at sea, Arnold, still in his immaculate formal attire, adjusted his crystal monocle and extended his hand toward the burning, broken keel, smiling as he asked.

“The most common and practical form of deception. This game is getting more and more interesting. I really wonder what Rex is thinking right now.”

Solomon smiled and shook his head, his gaze shadowy as he said: “I certainly hope our little captain emerged victorious, but his opponent is Golden-Eyed Roy after all, so I can’t be sure who won. However, there’s a simple way to reveal the answer.”

The Black Emperor’s smile gradually faded: “Have the lookouts watch carefully—see if that motley bird is still alive. If we don’t see any trace of it, and the Mermaid opens fire without any communication, then the situation remains in our control.”

“If not, we’ll need to turn around and leave. The Orca’s maneuverability is now greatly reduced. As long as we distance ourselves from the battlefield, it won’t be able to participate.”

“I don’t believe that in a one-on-one situation, the internally depleted Mermaid could pose any threat to us.”

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Hearing Solomon’s conclusion, Arnold smiled and said: “Indeed, we could easily sail away. After all, in terms of supplies and ammunition, the Mermaid, having been at sea for so long, can’t possibly compare with us. But that’s the worst-case scenario. Have you considered, Captain, what we should do if the Mermaid does open fire?”

“I know what you’re thinking, Arnold. But I believe it’s best to deal with the Orca first before showing our hand. Once the little captain and Rex have both suffered heavy losses, that will be our best time to strike.” The Black Emperor answered softly.

Arnold was about to add a few words of agreement when he was suddenly interrupted by a faint gunshot. He immediately turned to look, quickly finding where the shot was directed.

Its target was all too obvious.

Though the lead bullet’s trajectory through wind and rain was difficult to trace, its destination was crystal clear. With a sound of fabric tearing, a glaringly obvious hole suddenly appeared in the skull flag hanging at the top of the Orca’s main mast.

The hole precisely penetrated the connection between the flag and the pole, directly breaking most of the flag ropes. That skull flag, which had struck terror into merchants and pirates throughout the Eastern Seas, suddenly lost its majesty, drooping sickly and fluttering wildly in the sea wind.

This could be considered claiming the flag—the most serious warning and threat among pirates. Or perhaps…

It symbolized a long-overdue reunion between father and son after many years.