Chapter 132 - - 132 Duge is Master_1

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Compared to flying a pink flag, adding a suffix to names was a problem so small it could hardly get any smaller.

Which pirate doesn't have their own nickname?

And besides, a nickname with 'fish' in it was perfectly acceptable for a pirate.

"No problem," Barry agreed cheerfully, "From now on, my name will be Barry Sullivan Flying Fish."

"I'll be Wayne Pusec Swordfish," said Wayne, following suit.

"I'll be Piero Crim Turtle," the helmsman Piero declared.

"No, it can't be 'Turtle'; we must all use 'Fish.'" Duge corrected him seriously, "Piero, in the future we will be the renowned Sea Fish Corps."

"Alright, then my name is Piero Crim Octopus," Piero thought for a moment and then changed his name.

"I'm Sanges Bowman Eel," the assaulter Sanges added.

"My name is William Tolans Bimfi Fish..."

Very soon.

Everyone on the ship had acquired a name with a fishy suffix.

Every time someone changed their name, Duge would go over warmly, shake their hand, and offer the most sincere congratulations: "Congratulations, you've got a brand-new name and have become a pioneer of the Sea Fish Corps."

Not a single person on the ship escaped Duge's clutches.

Once everyone had finished changing their names, Duge smiled and continued, "Barry Sullivan Flying Fish, once we go ashore, find me a tailor to change our flag to pink!"

"Paul, didn't you say that if we agreed to change our names you wouldn't change the flag?" Barry looked at Duge with undisguised disgust, "Paul, I'll tell you quite clearly, I hate pink flags. But this time, I'll obey your command since this is, after all, your ship."

It really worked!

Unlike those brainless fish in the sea, these intelligent ones really would follow his orders.

Duge was delighted and looked at the others: "Any objections?"

"It's your ship after all," said Wayne, his voice filled with just as much disgust, but he raised no further objections.

"Barry, go slash Wayne with your knife," Duge looked at Barry and, after a moment's thought, issued a new command.

He had to find out the limits of personal property.

"Do I have to slash him?" Barry drew his cutlass and looked back at Duge, hesitating.

"Captain, what did I do wrong?" Wayne took a step back nervously, "You can't do this to me."

The others, like Piero, looked at their captain with curiosity.

"You must slash him." Duge commanded again.

This time.

Barry didn't hesitate and swung his knife at Wayne.

Wayne dodged and drew his sword to counterattack.

Duge issued another order: "Wayne, don't resist."

"You stupid bastard, why would I listen to you if you want my life?" Wayne exploded in anger, still clashing swords with Barry.

Seeing the two had flared up, Duge waved them off, "Alright, stop it, both of you!"

They stopped, breathing heavily, still glaring at each other, and occasionally casting resentful glances at Duge.

"Don't look at me like that; I was just joking with you. Barry, it's not like you, to get so hotheaded over a mere joke and take it out on Wayne because I wanted to change the flag to pink?" Duge flashed the gentlest of smiles to defuse their anger, "Once we get ashore, I'll treat everyone to a hearty drink."

The smile infected everyone. Hearing the captain was treating, Barry and Wayne put aside their grudges.

And the others, like Piero, no longer thought there was anything wrong with hanging a pink flag on a pirate ship.

...

Through two events, Duge determined the limits of what was considered personal property.

If a command didn't threaten their own lives, they would comply, but as soon as their lives were in danger, they would fight back and even resent the one who issued the command.

To be precise, private property was more akin to a slave.

For the most part, slaves will obey their masters’ commands.

However, if masters treat their slaves excessively harshly, it’s quite likely to provoke resistance or even a revolt against the master—much like chickens you raise, which, though they are your personal property, will still struggle and flee when you try to kill them for meat…

The right to life trumps his right to command.

Private property clearly isn’t as loyal as the previous simulation.

After all.

Those who are loyal to him, while maintaining their own thoughts, would actively take a knife for him in times of danger and meticulously carry out any order he issues.

It’s the kind of loyalty where, if the lord commands his servant to die, the servant has no choice but to obey…

…

But this is already quite good.

At least for now these people won’t leave his ship and won’t disobey any of his insignificant commands.

With ready hands available, who would want to recruit a bunch of novices!

Just as milking cows requires providing them with sufficient fodder, treating one’s own slaves with a degree of respect and freedom should ensure their absolute devotion.

That’s enough.

…

This is a port called Madock, and beyond it lies a small town with a population of about fifty thousand. There are approximately 120 soldiers stationed in the port, responsible for its security.

The Giant Bird made berth.

Leaving two crewmen to watch the ship, Duge and Barry among others went ashore.

Two merchant vessels were docked at the pier, with workers in linen garments loading barrels filled with beer or rum onto the ships, and others unloading goods like cotton, spices, and ivory.

The sailors on the merchant ships were likewise armed with swords, each one looking robust, hardly distinguishable from pirates.

As Duge and others passed by, the sailors cast wary glances at them, some spat on the ground and cursed their mothers to express their contempt.

“That’s a Dufei family cargo ship, they’re in cahoots with Admiral Camilo,” Barry said in a low voice to Duge, obviously not eager to provoke the seamen, “Apart from the four sea kings, no one dares touch their vessels. Sometimes, they’ll even fly a pirate flag to rob other merchant ships…”

What a chaotic world!

Duge murmured in agreement, his eyes sweeping over the merchant ship. When he saw the ship steward, he even offered a friendly smile, but muttered to Barry, “Don’t worry, the moment we become kings of the pirates, all the merchant ships will dutifully pay us tribute.”

Walking along, Barry’s mood seemed much improved, but the image of the pink, smiling skull still lingered in his mind, filling him with dread about the future. Hearing Duge’s words, he snorted, “I look forward to that day.”

At this moment.

There were still over six hundred contestants in the simulation. Duge had been observing the merchant ship to see if there were any players aboard, but with every person on the ship dressed and acting similarly, it wasn’t easy to discern a player at a glance.

Perhaps this is what a normal simulation is like!

Everyone is striving to play their part, strengthening their power, with no one flipping the table. Only a month later, when the top ten rankings are announced, will the real fight commence.

Speaking of which, Duge hasn’t yet seen what it’s like when the rankings are released in the simulation.

The previous simulations had collapsed too quickly.

Of course.

He also hasn’t seen a derived item.

Nan Youlong said that derived items had only appeared once in the simulation, a weapon called the Spear of Slaughter, a derived item from the keyword “slaughter.”

Reportedly, the examinee who had that keyword razed a city with the spear, personally killing eighty thousand adult men, which allowed the spear to evolve into a derived item.

The spear gained Spirit Intelligence and became indestructible, relentlessly pursuing and slaughtering the enemy until their death.

However, after the creator of the Spear of Slaughter killed eighty thousand, the simulation ended, and no one got to witness its true power.

Over time.

Nobody cared about the derived items in the simulations anymore.

But, Nan Youlong did tell Duge that his Gluttony Sword from the first simulation could potentially evolve into a derived item if he persistently and relentlessly stabbed others in their backsides.

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