On a nearby high ground, “Mudfish” Gaden stood, watching the fiery blaze engulfing the fishing village with a smug expression.
At that moment, a subordinate ran over from the village to report to him:
“Boss, we’ve nearly finished looting.”
Gaden nodded and said, “Gather everyone; it’s time to retreat. We don’t want to attract those nosy blue-striped dogs.”
“Yes, Boss!” The subordinate responded and ran back towards the village.
The establishment of the navy had been a major headache for pirates, especially those operating near the waters of Alda. They had to be extremely cautious every time they went ashore.
After Lord Paul Grayman of Alda had avenged his father’s death by killing the notorious pirate Shark, other pirates thought this lord would stop there, adhering to the treaty signed between the northwest lords and the pirates, turning a blind eye to their occasional raids.
However, Shark’s blunder had stirred up a hornet’s nest. The young and vigorous lord seemed to have developed a hatred for all pirates. Following the public trial, a message slowly spread throughout the region: Count Grayman was determined to eliminate all pirates in the Northwestern Bay.
This was no idle threat. Count Grayman had specifically established a navy to combat them.
Initially, due to limited resources, the navy did not actively pursue the pirates, but the pirates still felt the pressure.
Their operations along the Alda coast began to face obstacles. Previously, pirates could rest for a couple of days in the places they raided, but not anymore. They had to flee immediately, or the Alda Navy would swiftly descend upon them and strike hard.
The pirates had considered a direct confrontation, but the navy was equipped with powerful weapons. Often, before the pirates could even engage, they would hear a strange crackling sound and then watch many of their comrades fall.
Subsequently, the pirates would scatter in disarray, finally understanding how Shark had met his end.
They had to change their strategy, opting for hit-and-run tactics instead of lingering in the raided areas.
But gradually, even this approach became ineffective. The Alda Navy stationed officers in coastal villages to organize, train, and command the local militia.
Originally, the self-organized militias in these villages were no match for the pirates, but after training by the navy, they gradually gained the courage and capability to contend with them.
Considering the long coastline and the navy’s need to avoid overextension, Austin, upon taking office, oversaw the construction of a series of coastal defense projects.
He gathered representatives from coastal villages at Port Fran and proposed his plan:
Each village was to build a simple fortress large enough to shelter all local residents. Smaller villages would encircle themselves with wooden walls. These didn’t need to be overly sturdy, but their defensive structures had to withstand at least a day and night.
Each village was also to construct a beacon tower on their coastline, manned by local militia who would patrol the shores.
Upon spotting suspicious vessels, they would light the beacon. The villagers would then take refuge in the fortress, and the militia would prepare defenses.
They would then await the arrival of the navy’s main forces, resisting the urge to engage in reckless combat.
By September, the coastal defense projects were gradually completed and proved to be highly effective. The rightful source is N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
Although some valuables that couldn’t be evacuated in time were still looted by pirates, the incidents of kidnapping significantly decreased.
Moreover, the navy, alerted by the beacons, launched prompt interventions, trapping several pirate groups before they could retreat and engaging in several decisive battles.
As the training level of the militia gradually improved, they learned how to assess enemy and friendly combat strength, enabling them to effectively deal with smaller pirate groups at the right moments.
Alda’s territory gradually became a no-go zone for pirates in the Northwestern Bay, forcing many pirate groups to shift their focus to other regions.
However, fishing and merchant ships were still threatened by pirates. After effectively neutralizing the terrestrial threat, Austin began to focus on maritime security.
Six fully-trained galleons started patrolling the seas, providing escort to civilian ships. Although the sailors were mostly inexperienced, the presence of firearms and hand grenades made them a formidable force against pirates, who were mostly capable of close combat only. Lacking long-range weapons such as bows and ship crossbows, these pirates were completely overpowered by firearms.
Thus, the Alda Navy became a dreaded force among pirates, with their reputation and operational range expanding. Sometimes, they even “crossed borders” to discipline pirates raiding neighboring territories.
However, one pirate group was somewhat an exception, causing headaches for Austin: Gaden’s “Mudfish” gang.
The “blue-striped dogs” that Gaden referred to were indeed the Alda Navy, so named because of their distinctive blue and white sailor uniforms, which had become a hallmark of the Alda Navy.
The four pirate groups that had been ranked above Mudfish’s gang, including Shark’s and Quik’s, had been annihilated by Grayman leading his troops, after bringing disaster upon themselves. The other two groups were severely weakened after being intercepted by the Alda Navy during their shore raids.
Only the Mudfish gang, with Gaden’s caution and cunning, grew stronger after suffering some setbacks.
Unlike other pirates who mindlessly raided, Gaden deployed many informants on land. These spies were either small traders moving through various towns or local residents coerced or bribed to provide him with valuable information through special channels, such as the defensive strength of a location, the quality and number of militia, and nearby naval activities.
Leveraging this information, Mudfish’s gang boldly executed several operations that caused some embarrassment to the Alda Navy.
Out of respect for the navy’s reputation, Mudfish’s gang limited their activities to looting and refrained from harming the lives of the territory’s residents. There was a belief among pirates that the Lord of Alda would be lenient towards pirates who did not commit murder. Whether true or not, it was better not to antagonize him too much. However, they were not so merciful in other territories, where they continued to pillage and kill as before.
Gaden dared to act this way in Alda, now a pirate landing prohibition zone, to declare to other pirates that there was still a pirate group in the Northwestern Bay that could defy Grayman. He sought to build his prestige among the pirates.
Gradually, Gaden harbored a dream or rather an ambition that had never crossed his mind before: to unite the pirate forces of the Northwestern Bay and become the second Edward.
Initially, this was just a fleeting thought, and he would scoff at himself, considering it a daydream.
But as his strength grew, he found it increasingly difficult to suppress this idea, which eventually evolved into an ambition.
A recent encounter with a mysterious figure further reinforced his determination to pursue this ambition.