Chapter 7: The Black Contract, Section 8

Led by Baroka, these sand pirates were all eager to go. Without even giving the black-haired man a glance, they rushed toward the bridge. Their urgency was as if there was a stunningly beautiful naked woman waiting for them ahead. They almost started shouting.
“It’s still their true nature as sand pirates; nothing changes no matter where they go.” Watching their backs, the man with blood-red eyes rolled his eyes helplessly.
But he wasn’t entirely wrong. After all, they were sand pirates—by definition thieves. It was impossible to say they were purer or kinder than the pirates they had just defeated. The only slight advantage was that they wouldn’t kill their prey.
So, as the wealthy merchant Koko waited anxiously, these ferocious men appeared before him.
“Stop!! Intruders! This is the cruise ship of the Creek Merchant Guild. Your actions violate the guild’s interests!! As the captain of the mercenaries responsible for security, I must order you to halt and wait for my inspection!!”
A rough shout suddenly rang out. Before Koko could react, the mercenary who had been hiding in the crowd during the battle stepped forward and blocked Baroka and the others’ path. His fearful expression vanished, replaced by an arrogant one. His chest was puffed out, and he stared straight up, making everyone think that it wasn’t these men who had defeated the pirates but rather him, the mercenary captain.
“You!!”
Koko was furious. What the hell was this guy? He hid faster than anyone when in danger, but stepped forward to show off once safety was assured. Did that mercenary captain really think these burly men were easy targets? Sure, they had saved the ship, but there was no proof they were good people. Without even basic judgment, they rushed to show off. Koko wondered how he hadn’t realized this mercenary captain was such an idiot before.
Unfortunately, the man seemed unconcerned about his employer’s thoughts. Seeing that Baroka and the others showed no sign of stopping, the proud mercenary captain, as if struck by something, suddenly drew a long lightsaber from his waist and pointed it right at fat Baroka’s nose.
“Damn it, didn’t you hear what I said? Don’t think just because you saved this ship you can come and go as you please. If you want to live, put your hands on your head. Those who disobey will be executed on the spot!!”

Raising his chin high, the mercenary captain was extremely self-satisfied. With his years of experience as a mercenary, since the newcomers had defeated the pirates, they were most likely regular troops from Silver Star. No matter how extreme his actions might be, they wouldn’t dare harm anyone casually. This was the perfect opportunity to show off his bravery—he could even sense the intense gazes directed at him growing hotter. Maybe there would even be many beautiful and sexy elf girls among them…

Sure enough, upon hearing his “justified” outburst, the fat man across from him seemed stunned. After glancing at the tip of the sword beneath his nose, he finally stopped in his tracks. Turning his head, he asked in surprise, “Are… are you talking to me?”

“That’s right, I’m talking to you, intruder. Standing before you now is a powerful mercenary captain. I expect you to obey all my orders immediately, or I won’t hesitate to stuff your head in your ass and file a formal complaint with Silver Star’s government!” The mercenary captain replied loudly, satisfied with his “deterrent” effect. But what he never expected was that before he could finish speaking, a massive slap slammed across his face.

“Damn you!!”

The slap sent the mercenary captain flying. Before Baroka could say anything else, the men behind him, unable to stand by, rushed forward in a swarm, pummeling him with fists and feet. The poor mercenary captain, though often boasting of his toughness, had no chance against these sand bandits trained by Baroka since childhood. Look at those young men—their arms were almost as thick as his thighs! In an instant, shrill screams, like those of pigs being slaughtered, filled the air, quickly drowned out by even louder curses.

By the time the sand bandits dispersed, the poor mercenary captain was already beaten beyond recognition—soft and limp like a puddle of mud. A foul yellowish-white liquid flowed from between his legs, filling the cabin with a nauseating stench.

Now, even a fool could tell these newcomers meant no good. All the passengers and crew members in the cabin turned pale, staring in horror at the murderous-looking sand bandits as they trembled violently.

Glancing sharply around the cabin, Baroka was clearly satisfied with the situation. With a wave of his hand, the sand bandits immediately started looting. He himself stepped straight up to Koko.

“It’s obvious you’re the master here, right?” Baroka asked with a vicious grin.

“It’s me.” Koko puffed out her chest, trying hard not to show fear. “Who exactly are you? What do you want?”
“You don’t need to know who I am. But don’t worry—I don’t act carelessly like those pirates. In short, I want money, not lives. Hand it over quickly to avoid trouble for me.” Baroka grinned widely.
Hearing this, Koko’s eyes lit up. Instead of feeling afraid, she was delighted.
Money? That was simple! The Ganluo people might not have other skills, but their ability to make money was second to none. Across the entire universe, few could surpass them. Even the most ordinary citizen among them possessed wealth that would astonish anyone.
But Koko had another plan in mind.
“Money isn’t an issue.” She said this first to calm him down, then cautiously glanced at the fat man. “But can I meet your leader?”
“Hm?” Baroka was stunned and took another close look at the small merchant before him. A strange smile appeared on his fat face.
“Meet our leader? What do you want? Looking for death?”
“No… no…” Koko shook her head frantically. “I just want to discuss a business deal with him.”
“What kind of business?” A cold voice suddenly came from the hatch. Baroka didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. His plump body moved slightly, creating space as black-haired man strode in.
The moment she saw him, Koko felt she had made the right choice. Compared to this man, all the mercenaries she had hired before couldn’t even compare, not even in the slightest. His calm tone, steady steps, scars on his face, and merciless gaze all emphasized his strength. Since the Ganluo people were renowned throughout the universe for their business acumen, their ability to judge people was also exceptional.
Now, the question was how to convince him…
Rubbing his hands together, this thin and gaunt Ganluo man put on a shrewd expression, his speech becoming smoother.
“You must be the leader. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Koko, the owner of this cruise ship and the president of the Creek Merchant Guild. I’m deeply grateful for helping us get rid of those pirates earlier. Also…”

“Get to the point. What kind of deal?” The dark-haired man interrupted Coco with a smile. To be honest, he wasn’t interested in this short, gaunt humanoid in front of him. If it weren’t for the potential deal, he would have preferred to return to the Li Feng and wait for news from Baroka.

“Please be my bodyguard. Oh no!! I mean, please cooperate with me, work together…” Coco said quickly.

“Cooperate?” The dark-haired man was momentarily stunned, then revealed a knowing smile. “Same as being a bodyguard, right?”

“Of course not!” Coco was shocked. Having finally met a true strongman, he didn’t dare establish a master-subordinate relationship through hiring. If he offended this man, his life would be in danger.

“It’s cooperation, a partnership. I provide money, and you provide strength. Nothing more.”

After saying this, Coco seemed to shed a heavy burden and took a deep breath. Yet he wondered why his usual skills in communication didn’t work at all in front of this man. His speech was extremely poor. Even Coco knew these words held no persuasive power.

Surprisingly, the dark-haired man agreed readily. “I’m willing to help. How much compensation?”

What?

Coco couldn’t believe his ears. His head snapped up, his face filled with ecstasy. He was so excited he could hardly speak coherently. “Sir… do you agree? Don’t worry about the compensation; I guarantee it will satisfy you. I guarantee it…” As he spoke, he signaled to the people around him. Seven or eight alluring elf girls immediately walked over with smug smiles, ready to cling to the dark-haired man.

Unfortunately, the dark-haired man seemed uninterested in this. He gave them a cold glance, and his icy stare scared them into staying still. They stood there foolishly, their fair skin exposed to the air, creating a sensual scene.

“Good. I hope you can meet my requirements,” the dark-haired man nodded. Then he said to Baroka beside him, “Tell your men to stop their performance. It seems we’ve encountered a major client. He deserves proper respect.”

“Yes, Captain,” Baroka replied loudly, though his gaze involuntarily drifted to the alluring elf girls beside him.

With a slight smile, the dark-haired man seemed to understand his meaning. As he turned to leave, he threw one last remark over his shoulder.

“If you like it, take it. Don’t waste the master’s kindness. But don’t let Suley see it, or you’ll die a horrible death.”
“Understood, Captain!!” Barroca’s reply was even louder…