"You want to learn swordsmanship?" Owen was a little surprised when he heard Zhang Heng's request. Considering the huge risks they had to face every time they went out to sea, and most of the pirates on the ship were hedonists. They lived their lives day by day, and very few of them would plan for tomorrow. "Swordsmanship isn't something that can be mastered in a short period of time. It'll take at least one or two months to see results, and the process of practicing is very boring. Aren't you good at shooting? Why do you want to learn swordsmanship?"
"Close combat is my weakness. A flintlock can only fire one bullet at a time, and it's very troublesome to reload it. I don't want to stand aside and watch every time I fire a shot. At least I can protect myself by learning swordsmanship."
"Hmm, that's true."
The guns of this era were very different from those of the future. Although flintlocks were a lot better than matchlocks, the reloading process was still very complicated. Not only were the bullets and gunpowder separated, but the gunpowder pool also needed to be filled with gunpowder after every shot was fired. Other than that, the rate of misfiring was extremely high. Hence, during a battle, both sides would shoot at each other first, and then they would start to show off their swords and brawn.
However, most people relied on their momentary courage and strength in battle. In terms of technique, it wasn't worth mentioning. That was why people like Owen, who had undergone formal military training, often had a considerable advantage in battle.
"Hmm, in that case, come to the deck tomorrow morning when the sun rises. I'll teach you some basic movements like slashing," Owen said. Owen said, but then he added, "You can practice your saber, but don't let it affect your daily work."
"Thank you, I won't," Zhang Heng said sincerely. There was a reason why Owen was able to win the support of all the pirates. He was very generous and upright. Even when it came to swordsmanship, he had no intention of hiding it from Zhang Heng. Since Zhang Heng wanted to learn it, Owen readily agreed.
The rest of the crew, however, were not so easy to talk to. Zhang Heng found the boatswain, an old man named Rothko. According to the crew, he had spent more time at sea than on land. Judging the wind, predicting the weather, and controlling the sails were his three greatest strengths.
With these three skills, even if he didn't participate in any battles, he would still be treated with respect by the captain and crew. Correspondingly, he treasured his skills very much. He didn't want others to learn them and lose their jobs. Zhang Heng wasn't the first person to approach him, but just like the others before him, Rothko rejected him without hesitation.
At one point, Zhang Heng raised the remuneration to five hundred silver pesos, to be paid within a year. But in the end, Rothko only agreed to teach Zhang Heng his skills after he retired.
But from the looks of it, Zhang Heng wouldn't be able to see that day come. The old man's body was terrifyingly tough. Though he was old, his appetite was better than most young men's, and he didn't mind meat or vegetables either. Zhang Heng suspected that Rothko would continue eating until he left this dungeon.
After disembarking for the third time, Zhang Heng went to the tavern to look for the old pirate, Frazer.
"How's your close-combat training going? Can you help me collect my debt now? "Frazer asked as he tossed a peanut into his mouth.
"No," Zhang Heng admitted. After drifting at sea for two and a half months, his swordsmanship was still stuck at Lv.0. Just like Owen said, it was a long process that required constant practice. He had to integrate the basic movements into his combat instincts in order to achieve results. For now, he was still a long way from reaching that level. However, Owen had already started practicing with him.
The good news was that after such a long period of rest, his weight had returned to normal. His strength had even surpassed when he first entered the dungeon. Though he couldn't compare to those who were born with godly strength, he was still considered outstanding among the ordinary people.
"Then why are you looking for me?" The old pirate asked curiously.
"The Sea Lion was originally yours. Rothko is one of the oldest crew members on this ship. I'm sure you know him well."
"Oh, that old fox. Although he doesn't have any principles or bottom line, he's really good at controlling the sail. You won't be able to find a better boatswain in Nassau." Fraser sighed. "Ah, I miss those days. Back then, when we encountered pirate hunters, we had no choice but to take the risk and sail into the storm zone. If it were anyone else, the ship would have been destroyed. However, Rothko and I worked together and managed to save the mainsail. Not only that, we even made it back to Nassau safely. I've only admired a few people in my life, but Rothko is one of them. You have to drink to that guy's skills."
The old pirate picked up the beer in front of him.
Zhang Heng did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "What do I have to do to make him teach me his skills?"
"You want to learn how to control the sail? Why?" asked the old pirate with a playful look on his face.
"There's nothing wrong with learning while you're still young, right?"
Frazer grinned. "So, you're going to convince me with this bullsh * t?" He put down the knife and fork in his hand and stared at Zhang Heng for a while. "But you're in luck today. I've run into some trouble recently. If you can help me solve it, I don't mind telling you how to make Rothko submit to me."
"What trouble?"
"There's a bastard named Jacob in the city. He stole a bag of black pearls from me this morning. If you can find him in half a day and get my pearls back, I'll fulfill your request."
"Sounds fair." Zhang Heng stood up.
"Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I've asked another guy to help me. He left an hour earlier than you, so I can only wish you good luck."
… …
Zhang Heng left the tavern, and after a few steps, he saw a group of little ghosts playing on the side of the road. A guy dressed as a hawker passed by them, and a few of the little ghosts pretended to fight with each other to attract the hawker's attention. The smallest one quietly put his hand into the hawker's pocket, and when he succeeded, the rest of them immediately dispersed.
This was Nassau, and burglaries were not uncommon. Ever since Zhang Heng rented the house, he had never left his valuables in it. In fact, every time he went out to sea, he would see a few thieves trying to take over his house. He had no choice but to beat them up and throw them out.
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