MPWATMBC Chapter 111

As the sun began to set, and the sky was painted with blood-red clouds, the day inside the walls of Savage Star truly began… The pirates emerged from their tents, their previously lethargic mood now ignited. Some took their medicines, others drank alcohol. As the stars filled the sky, the sounds of passionate moans could be heard from many tents. Under the influence of alcohol and drugs, many began their wild, life-affirming revelry.

Inside the walls, however, there were hardly any children to be seen, revealing that after the rhythm of life had run its course, it seldom bore fruit—or rather, the fruit that did grow rarely ripened. The pirates did not replenish their numbers through natural reproduction; instead, they scoured the entire empire for potential recruits to “cultivate.” As they followed their guide through the tents, Ryan saw many boys and girls around thirteen or fourteen years old, drinking, boasting, and speaking crude jokes even more boldly than the adults. The exaggerated, raucous laughter assaulted the eardrums.

Some had succumbed to physical pleasure, while others were fixated on bloodshed and violence. Any open space could become a battlefield, with fists flying, hitting flesh, and blood spurting in all directions, igniting the adrenaline of the onlookers. The fighters were battling for their lives, and the spectators were gambling theirs. Bottles of beer, peanuts, and even a severed arm were used as stakes in these brutal games, betting on who would remain standing. Whether those who fell were dead or injured, it didn’t matter to the winners, who were more concerned with finding the next fight. No one bothered to check if the fallen needed medical care.

Ryan stepped over a body, its face so swollen and battered that he couldn’t tell if it was alive or dead. As he was about to take another step, a weak hand gripped his leg. A faint voice reached his ears, “Come back, come back…” Ryan easily shook off the grip and continued on his path, unwavering and without hesitation.

“You look more like a pirate than I do. You show no expression at all,” the guide said, giving Ryan a thumbs-up in genuine admiration. “You shouldn’t be hanging around with that useless bunch from the ‘East.’ You should join us instead. You’ll get ahead in no time. Maybe even become a squad leader soon.”

There was a hint of envy in the pirate’s tone, as not everyone could remain so calm in every situation. With Ryan’s psychological fortitude, it was clear he was a natural fit for the pirate life.

Ryan: “…” It was both amusing and exasperating to be admired by a pirate like this.

Ryan shot a cold glance at the guiding pirate. He had to give a sarcastic thanks for the compliment, but the chaos inside the walls didn’t faze him in the slightest. It wasn’t even a blip on his radar compared to other more absurd, bloody, and brutal things he had witnessed. As a battle-hardened soldier who had lived through the wars, he wasn’t afraid of any of it.

The guiding pirate recoiled slightly, feeling as though Ryan’s gaze was a cold, merciless blade slicing across his neck. For a moment, he even felt as though he had just died… What a terrifying man. How had he never realized this before?

Not everyone had the courage to share space with the flower spider. The rose-faced spider, whose venom glands hadn’t been removed and fangs hadn’t been pulled, was notoriously difficult to deal with. It was common for it to crawl up to someone’s bed in the middle of the night. By the next day, the person could have already turned into a lifeless husk, their body drained of blood, consumed by the spider. In the presence of the flower spider, everyone was treated equally—whether a high-ranking pirate or a common one—if the spider was satisfied, anyone could become its meal. The pirates had protested to the leader many times, but the leader, obsessed with petting the spider, turned a deaf ear. Unable to control the spider, the higher-ranking pirates had no choice but to relocate, leaving the comfortable oasis behind and mixing with the common pirates. From the outside, the tents looked identical, and even those familiar with the inner workings could hardly tell where the pirate leader resided.

The strategist’s quarters were just like that.

The actions of the pirate leader had unexpectedly fostered harmony within the pirate group, strengthening the sense of unity. It was a classic example of how living together equally and sharing both hardships and privileges could foster cohesion. The pirates had stumbled upon this truth without realizing it. In stark contrast, back in the heart of the empire’s political culture, in the capital city of Eve, the separation between the civilian districts and the quarters of the nobles remained unchanged…

“This is the place.” The guiding pirate stopped next to an unremarkable tent and gestured inside. “The strategist is waiting for you inside. Hurry up. If you anger the strategist, your entire ‘East Side’ will be in trouble. As for your ‘Audie,’ she offended the leader, so she’s locked up and cut off from food and water. If you cross the strategist…”

The pirate made a cutting motion across his neck. “A swift death is the best outcome.”

Having witnessed Ryan’s unwavering calmness and unflinching demeanor throughout their journey, the guiding pirate was more than willing to share everything he knew. He spoke freely, filling Ryan in on the inner workings of the walls and the Red Spider Pirates. Ryan learned that the leader, who was detached from any real governance, would frequently replace his wives. When one was replaced, she would disappear from sight, her whereabouts well-known but unsaid. The growing strength of the flower spider made it clear where the wives had gone.

The true power of the Red Spider Pirates lay with the strategist. A ruthless and cold-hearted figure, her health issues seemed to have only intensified her cruelty. She had once ordered the massacre of an entire merchant convoy, leaving their severed heads piled together to create an ancient-style “king’s seat” as a chilling message to both the empire and its military. That was over twenty years ago, but the memory remained sharp in the minds of many.

The strategist did not use the bloodshed to promote her name, instead, she kept a low profile, hiding behind the series of gruesome events.

From the words of the guiding pirate, Ryan learned that the strategist was not only cruel to outsiders, but also to her fellow pirates. The infamous pirate infighting that had shocked the entire empire had been orchestrated by her. Quietly, she had led her own crew into a deadly trap, leaving the military to discover the ghost ships drifting in space. When they boarded, they found nothing but dismembered body parts, with almost no intact corpses. The only living creature was a pet cat, crouching in the bloodied remains, still alive but rendered senseless from fear.

This incident became known as the “Killer Cat Demon” event, with many pirate factions falsely claiming responsibility for it, thereby covering up the real culprit.

Now, Ryan knew the truth.

He also learned something else from the guide. They had indeed discovered a new star system, a place where an entirely new human civilization could be built. However, only the leader, the strategist, and a few other high-ranking pirates knew the coordinates to this region. The lower-ranked pirates speculated that the upper echelons were planning to establish a new nation there when the time was right. The issue, however, was the lack of people—there simply weren’t enough to make a thriving society. That was why they had been promoting the discovery of the new star system, hoping to attract more individuals who yearned for freedom to join them.

The strategist’s tent stood right in front of him. After offering a few last words of advice, the pirate guide stepped back and walked away. As he walked, his mind became clearer and his unease grew. What had he said along the way? Why had he carelessly spilled so many secrets? What was it about “Rennie” that made him talk so freely?

Ryan, feeling innocent, could only think that he was just an ordinary person without any magical ability to charm pirates into spilling their secrets. It must have been his personal charisma?

Not needing to prepare himself mentally, Ryan directly lifted the tent flap. Inside, he saw the strategist, who was deeply focused on something. Upon noticing Ryan’s arrival, she quickly shut off the page on her screen. The screensaver was rather pleasing at first—vast grasslands under a blue sky with two small birds flying back and forth, forever trapped within the confines of the screen, their cries sounding desperate as they struggled, unable to escape. But now it seemed less charming, revealing the strategist’s unsettling fondness for watching others suffer.

Ryan’s gaze briefly swept across the screen before settling on the strategist. She was more bundled up than before, draped in layers that made her appear like a hibernating bear when viewed from behind. From the front, only her pale face was visible. The tent lacked proper lighting and windows, so the only illumination came from the faint, dim glow of the screen, casting an eerie light on her ghostly face, making her seem even more like a ghost. The place where she sat was surrounded by soft, square pillows, creating a makeshift fortress of comfort.

Due to the low light, Ryan couldn’t make out the full details of the tent. He stood still, not moving.

The strategist gazed at “Rennie” with a greedy expression, patting the spot beside her and saying, “Rennie, come here.”

Ryan moved without hesitation, walking over and obediently sitting down beside the strategist.

She seemed utterly fascinated by “Rennie’s” hands—not his face, not his body, just his hands. She paid no attention to the rough texture of his skin or the coarse, prominent knuckles, looking at them as if they were the delicate hands of a fair maiden or the elegant, powerful hands of a refined gentleman.

Ryan remained calm, showing no emotion, though he found the situation rather strange.

The strategist said with an almost ravenous eagerness, “Rennie, do something for me, will you? Just like what you did during the day.” Thinking of “Rennie’s” decisiveness when wielding a blade, of the blood-soaked scene of severed limbs… the strategist pulled her coat tightly around herself, closed her eyes, tilted her head back slightly, and revealed an expression that mingled both agony and pleasure.

‘Rennie’: “…”

The strategist urged impatiently, “Hurry up, hurry! It’s all prepared for you in the corner of the tent.”

Ryan didn’t move. He quickly became aware of a hard, rod-like object pressing against his back. No need for wild guesses—judging by its size and rigidity, Ryan could tell it was a firearm.

The strategist barked sharply, “Go now!”

Rennie stood and walked in the direction indicated. A sensor-activated light flickered on, its peculiar orange-red hue casting an ambiguous and dreamy glow over the scene. Lowering his gaze, Ryan locked eyes with Fan Lanting, who was disguised as Carrie.

Bound tightly like a trussed-up parcel, Fan Lanting averted his eyes in shame. An excellent scout, someone who had infiltrated the Zerg and earned numerous honors… Yet here he was, all those achievements rendered pale and powerless in the face of reality. He had slipped up—badly.

It was his own complacency, thinking pirates were nothing more than a ragtag bunch, unworthy of concern. He had believed the cover of night would provide better protection… and then he got caught. So thoroughly.

Next to Fan Lanting lay a machete, casually placed on the ground. Ryan immediately recognized it—it was the same blade he had used earlier to hack down the large brute. The strategist’s intentions were painfully clear: she wanted him to kill and create another gruesome spectacle.

Ryan’s face darkened as he locked eyes with Fan Lanting. In silence, he bent down, picked up the machete still stained with dried blood, and stood upright. Behind him, the strategist held the firearm steadily, her voice rapid and urgent, “Hurry up! If you don’t do it, I’ll order them to kill everyone from the ‘East Side’!”

By the wall, the pirates were already in position, ready to eliminate all the people from “East Side” at the strategist’s command.

Ryan’s lips curled slightly into a faint, unreadable smirk. His gaze met Fan Lanting’s in midair, a silent exchange passing between them. Slowly, Ryan raised the machete high above his head. With a sudden, powerful swing, the blade came down, accompanied by a woman’s blood-curdling scream.

And then, silence.

Ryan lowered the weapon and turned to Fan Lanting, his tone calm and casual. “There. Problem solved. I just killed the leader of the pirates.”

Fan Lanting: “…” T^T