"I plan to challenge Orff the next time we set sail. By then, many people will support me. In fact, I've already won more than half of the votes. Victory is in sight," said Goodwin sincerely, extending his hand. "I don't want to say this before the final result is out. I don't want to sound arrogant, but Orff's era is over. Join us. The future is ours." Goodwin reached out his hand and said sincerely.
The farmer's son's blood was boiling when he heard Zhang Heng's words. He could not wait to shake the gunner's hand. However, Zhang Heng did not budge.
Goodwin's hand hung in the air for a few seconds, and the look on his face gradually changed.
"I'm quite satisfied with the current situation. I don't have any plans to change for now." Zhang Heng tried his best to be polite.
"I can understand. As newcomers who have just joined the ship for half a year, you don't want to offend the veterans on the ship. You are afraid that they will take revenge on you. But you have to know that when the war starts, no one likes to be on the fence."
Although the gunner's words were tactful, the threat in his words was obvious. He was warning the two not to think that Orff was the only one who would take revenge on those on the other side.
Marvin's heart was in his throat. He wanted to shake the gunner's hand on Zhang Heng's behalf.
The latter was silent for a moment, and he finally reached out his hand. Seeing that he had achieved his goal, the corners of Goodwin's mouth curled up. However, he heard Zhang Heng say, "I'm sorry. I still stand by my previous position. I don't want to get involved in this matter."
The smile on the gunner's face froze. "You will regret your choice," he said, and looked at Marvin. "What about you?"
The farmer's son was a little scared. However, he had been with Zhang Heng for a long time. A threat like this was not enough to make him change his mind. Still, he could not understand why Zhang Heng would reject such a good opportunity.
If Goodwin was not lying, then he had a good chance of winning this time.
The gunner's face was cold, and he no longer had the enthusiasm he used to have. In his previous plan, Zhang Heng and Marvin's votes should be easy to get. Whether it was the friendly relationship between the two parties, or the promise he made, they were all sincere. He could not think of any reason for the two to reject him.
This was something he did not expect before he came. Since they did not get along, Goodwin did not want to sit anymore. He got up and left without even making an excuse.
Marvin had a worried look on his face as he watched the black gunner leave. Annie, on the other hand, was quite happy. She seemed to have heard something. She poked her head down and said, "If you guys can't survive on the Sea Lion, you can team up with me!"
"…"
"Apply your medicine properly. Don't let the wound get infected," Zhang Heng said.
The farmer's son seemed to realize something and asked, "You … don't think he can win?"
"What are you afraid of? Just do what you have to do. No matter who wins or loses, can this ship still leave Chef?"
Marvin pursed his lips. "I'm feeling sorry for you. If Goodwin could replace Mr. Orff, you would be able to become the boatswain. But now, no matter who wins or loses, you won't be the boatswain anymore."
He wouldn't stay on the Sea Lion forever, and he didn't care about his position either. All he wanted was to learn something. Even without Frazer's reminder, he wouldn't stand on Goodwin's side. Compared to the newbies, he cared more about maintaining a good relationship with the experienced veterans. Zhang Heng didn't think much of it.
However, he would not tell anyone about this.
This time, the pirates did not have much time to rest. In less than three days, the Sea Lion set sail again. Not only did Goodwin not panic, but he also felt very confident.
There was only one possibility for this to happen. Orff must have panicked and did not want to give him any more time to lobby. However, the cannoneer did not care anymore. Even if something unexpected happened to Zhang Heng and Marvin, he had already gotten enough votes to be the helmsman of the Sea Lion. He would become the second-in-command of the Sea Lion.
On the night they set sail, Goodwin gathered everyone on the deck and began his speech confidently. "My brothers, I don't know if you have noticed, but although we are still fighting bravely, and we are still as agile as ever, our profits have been declining recently. Aren't you curious about why this is happening?"
The bookkeeper, Griffin, rushed into the storeroom in a panic. Orff was checking the supplies and fresh water reserves for this voyage.
"Bad news, Mr. Orff. Goodwin is trying to incite the crew to dismiss you!"
"So?" Orff ticked all the boxes in his notebook without looking up.
"So … shouldn't you do something? If this goes on, you will lose your position as helmsman," the bookkeeper stuttered.
"Why do you say that?"
"I have reason to believe that Orff came prepared this time. I heard that he has visited a lot of people before this. His main target is the newcomers. If the time limit is five years, the ratio of newcomers to veterans on the Sea Lion is 2: 1. In other words, he can get two-thirds of the votes," Griffin said quickly.
Orff finally closed the notebook in his hand and put it in the bookkeeper's arms. "Good job. There are no problems with the accounts. Keep it up."
The latter was stunned.
"Alright, let's get back to work. It's time for me to end the farce outside."
When Orff walked out of the cabin, the cannoneer's speech was coming to an end. "… Based on the above reasons, we have reason to suspect that Mr. Orff can no longer perform his duties as the helmsman and protect the interests of the crew."
As soon as he finished speaking, he realized that there were no cheers around him.
When the crowd saw Orff, they automatically made way for him due to his many years of experience.
Although they were rivals now, the cannoneer did not want to lose his composure. He cleared his throat and greeted politely, "Mr. Orff."
However, Orff did not seem to see him. Instead, he glanced at the sailors on the ship. He looked a little surprised because the person he thought would be here was not there. However, that did not affect what he was going to do next.
He retracted his gaze and said, "I have to admit that I haven't been paying enough attention to you guys recently. I've heard some private complaints about the recent decrease in spoils of war. Some people suspect that I've colluded with the captain and harmed the interests of the crew. I can understand that. It's human nature."
He paused for a while and then continued, "Some people think that I am too old and not as brave as Mr. Goodwin. I don't deny that. As for the conflicts between the newcomers and the veterans, it happens on every ship. No matter how we deal with it, there will always be one party who feels that they have been treated badly. I saw it, but I didn't take it seriously. So, this is also my fault."
The crowd gradually became restless. Everyone thought that Orff would refute Goodwin's accusations one by one. They did not expect him to admit everything.
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