Chapter Thirty-Five The First Worshipper

  Tang Jie followed Old Bar as he made his way through the crowded Xixi Dock.

  Old Bai laughed and said to him, "These kids can basically be seen on any dock. They are the local spirits and snakes. Don't underestimate them just because they're young. Some of these kids may be very young in age, but their sea age is longer than that of ordinary sailors. Especially since they're familiar with everything here, if you're really a newcomer, finding a kid to be your guide would be a great help."

  "But you must be extremely careful, they are all like cunning foxes, with quick and long claws, if you are not vigilant enough, it's easy to become their prey and get slaughtered."

  Old Ba Er walked and talked with Tang Jie about the customs of Xixi, and Tang Jie listened with relish. Just as he was getting into it, Tang Jie's eyes caught sight of a figure not far nor near following behind him.

  He turned around and saw a boy with a height of only about 1.3 or 1.4 meters following behind him, looking at him with some timidity.

  "What are you following me for?" Tang Jie looked at him strangely.

  Lao Ba'er smiled and pulled out two copper coins: "Didn't you just fail to grab the copper coins?"

  The boy had a messy mop of reddish-brown hair, his skin wasn't very dark, and he had big bright eyes. Through the tattered holes in his clothes, you could see his rugged ribs.

  Contrary to the expectations of Old Bar and Tong Jie, the boy shook his head when he saw the copper coin handed over to him, and asked Tong Jie in a timid tone: "Excuse me, are you Master Tong Jie?"

  This fright truly frightened Tang Jie so much that all the hairs on his body stood up!

  How did he know my name?!

  Lao Ba'er was startled when he heard the boy shout out Tang Jie's name, and immediately looked around vigilantly as if a large number of guards would emerge from the alleys and streets of the harbor and surround them at any moment.

  Tang Jie's whole body was full of vigor, waiting to be unleashed, and he looked like a male lion that would burst out at any moment. His eyes were fixed tightly on the boy in front of him, and he asked in a low voice: "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

  The boy was frightened by Tang Jie's gaze, he trembled with fear, turned around and wanted to run, but suddenly heard Tang Jie's voice come over, cold and piercing: "As long as you dare to move, I guarantee that you will die at my hands within three steps!"

  The boy's voice was trembling with a sob, and he stammered: "I, I heard someone say..."

  "Who are you listening to?" Tang Jie took a step forward, his aura overwhelming, pressing down on the boy until he almost curled up into a ball.

  The boy stammered, "I heard from some people from Dam Harbor that a few days ago, there was a very powerful pirate who rescued his captain from the Jail of Gelalun and escaped under heavy siege. He even left his name behind. These days, the news has been circulating everywhere in the harbor. If you don't believe me, go to the dock and ask around!"

  Tang Jie was taken aback for a moment, turned his head and looked at Bal, saying in a low voice: "How did this spread so quickly?!"

  Old Ba nodded: "This is possible. News at sea sometimes spreads faster than the wind! Moreover, our route is twice as far from the normal route, and Damu Port has a sea ship that rushed ahead of us to spread this news, which is also possible..."

  Tang Jie forced a smile: "Then let's go back, if even this kid can recognize me, what about the guards here? I don't want to play another game of big escape, I'll be short-lived!"

  Old Barl used his iron hook to block Tang Jie's path, and with a deep, calculating smile said: "Don't be in a hurry, this is the Mata Kingdom, not the York Kingdom. Even if we blew up the Jerlun Prison and turned Dam City into ruins, the Mata Kingdom wouldn't care about us, unless the King of York applied to the King of Mata for assistance in capturing and extraditing us, only then would the Mata Kingdom send troops to catch us."

  "And besides, the Kingdom of Mata and the Kingdom of York have had their fair share of border disputes over the years, making their relationship quite tense! Moreover, even if the King of York were to propose diplomatic intervention to the King of Mata, it would take at least a month or two for the whole process." Old Barl winked at Tong Jie with a sly glint in his eye "Do you think we need two months to buy a ship?"

  Tang Jie calmed down and smiled: "Actually, I'm worried about Bi Sai Liu..."

  Lao Baal Zan glanced at Tang Jie: "What you said is right, I'm worried about this old fox too, don't know if he dares to chase here, after all, he has a grudge against the garrison commander of this city!"

  Tang Jie smiled and said, "So, it seems we're still safe for now?"

  Old Ba Er nodded: "It can be said for the time being. However, when Bi Sai Liu comes, everything will be hard to say!"

  Tang Jie was puzzled: "Didn't you just say that Bisai Liu and the city defense commander have a grudge, so he might not dare to chase after us?"

  Lao Ba Er laughed and said: "You should never underestimate a gambler's greed!"

  Tang Jie was stunned!

  The treasure of Pirate King Atos, a fortune that would tempt anyone to take risks!

  How could Bisai let the fat meat that was almost in his mouth slip away?

  Tang Jie and Old Bar were whispering to each other when the boy beside them saw Old Bar's iron hook prosthesis. His eyes lit up instantly, he looked up at Bar with his head raised, and exclaimed in surprise: "You must be Captain Bar, right? You're the captain who was rescued by Tang Jie from the Jerulan prison, aren't you?"

  Lao Baer turned his head and smiled warmly at him: "Child, tell me what your name is? How did you recognize him?"

  The boy saw old Barl acknowledge him, the tears in his eyes hadn't dried yet, but he jumped up excitedly: "I'm Lin Ke, Captain Barl, is it really you?"

  Old Ba laughed: "As genuine as can be!"

  The boy jumped up and down excitedly for a while, but suddenly calmed down and solemnly gave an adult-like greeting: "Nice to meet you!"

  His bow was very standard, just like a noble young man, grasping the proportions perfectly, making Tang Jie and Ba Er both surprised.

  Kailin had just finished the action, he turned his head and looked at Tang Jie with a worshiping gaze, transforming back into an enthusiastic star-chasing teenager: "Are you really Tang Jie? Are you really that Tang Jie who killed a third-level magic swordsman with bare fists?"

  Tang Jie was looked at with this kind of gaze by a child for the first time, and he nodded somewhat unnaturally.

  "Wow!" Link's eyes shone brightly "Please take me in and let me be your sailor, okay?"

  "Ah?" Tang Jie was startled. "How old are you? Your parents will kill me! No way, absolutely not!"

  Lin Ke grasped Tang Jie's sleeve, pleading bitterly: "My parents died early, and now I'm living with my uncle. He scorns me every day, saying I'm just a waste of food, that all I know how to do is eat. He looks down on me, beats me every day... I couldn't take it anymore, so I ran to the dock, waiting for a captain who can take me away from here..."

  Tang Jie was taken aback, looking at the slender young man in front of him with a sympathetic heart. However, he firmly told Lin Ke: "Lin Ke, since you've recognized me, you should know that I'm a pirate, a pirate who kills without batting an eye! Have you ever thought about what it would be like if your second half of life became one of piracy, living on the edge every day? Your life wouldn't be in your own hands, but in the hands of the sea god Tira and your enemies. Do you want that kind of life? Or have you thought about what kind of life you want to lead in the future?"

  Lin Ke's eyes were somewhat dazed, and it was clear that he couldn't fully understand what Tang Jie was saying. He just wanted to leave this place, board that ocean liner, and fulfill his own big sea dream.

  He opened his mouth and said urgently, "Are you looking down on me because I'm young and useless? I'm proficient in all the work on the ship, my hands and feet are quick, and I don't have any thieving habits. Lord Tang Jie, take a look at me, although I'm thin, I can carry a 100-jin package without changing color or skipping a beat! Moreover, I'm very good at swimming, I once swam over 20 nautical miles alone in the sea!"

  "More than twenty nautical miles?" Old Bar's eyes sparkled with amusement as he looked at Link.

  Lin Ke's face turned red as he loudly defended himself, "Alright, I admit I exaggerated! But ten li is absolutely within my swimming ability, I'm the best swimmer in all of Xixi! If you don't believe me, just ask around at the dock and they'll know Lin Ke's name!"

  Tang Jie silently looked at Link, still shaking his head firmly: "I sympathize with you, but I won't let you on the boat, nor will I take you as my sailor! Because, you're too young, and the decisions you make can't be responsible for your future life!"

  "Are you going to take responsibility for my life?"

  Tang Jie looked at Lin Ke and burst out laughing. He patted Lin Ke's messy hair with his hand: "Don't say anything else, let's go. I won't take you in."

  A glimmer of inexpressible disappointment flashed across Lin Ke's eyes, he looked at Tang Jie with extreme dejection, unwillingly turned around and left, looking back three times.

  "Ah, right..." Tang Jie suddenly remembered something and spoke up.

  Tang Jie's voice suddenly came, Lin Ke quickly turned his head, but saw Tang Jie throw over a glittering gold thing with his hand, he caught it with his hand, and it was a gold coin.

  "How did you know I was that Tang Jie?"

  Lin Ke's expectations fell through, his face filled with disappointment and despair, but he still forced a smile and pointed to his hair: "The color of the hair, Lord Tang Jie! Throughout the entire Xixi and Pond continent, except for you, probably no one has purely black hair."

  Tang Jie suddenly realized and scratched his head, smiling at Old Bar: "Is there anything that can dye hair?"

  Old Barhahahaha laughed loudly. He looked at Link leaving and sighed: "He's a good seed, what a pity..."

  Tang Jie smiled slightly, not saying a word, but in his heart, he whispered: Captain Barlow, it's not worth it at all. Have you forgotten about Wells? Do you want him to become the next Nia, the next Wells?

  ……

  Two updates are done, I'm so sleepy after dinner, going to bed...

  Kids, it doesn't matter if there are few flowers; if there are many, sending a bouquet is also okay!