These three months were known as one of the rare peaceful periods in the Caribbean Sea Region. Many islands and factions took advantage of this time to engage in trade, exchange goods, and boost commerce. Merchant fleets during this window were larger than usual, since the absence of pirates made travel significantly safer.
Naturally, no one wanted to miss this golden opportunity. The gains one could make in these three months depended entirely on their own efforts.
"So there's such a tradition among the pirates…"
Gan Ning and Wu Yong exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.Before today, they had never imagined that even pirates upheld such strange customs. It was completely beyond their expectations—and caught them off guard.
"Where exactly is the Pirate League's base located?Young Master Zheng, do you happen to know?If you can share that information, I, Gan Ning, will be deeply grateful."
Gan Ning asked solemnly after taking a deep breath.
"I'm afraid the general will be disappointed,"Zheng Chenggong said with a bitter smile, shaking his head."No one knows where the Pirate League's headquarters is. Not even the pirates themselves.It's one of the most mysterious locations in the entire Caribbean Sea Region."
"Then how do pirates even get there?"Wu Yong quickly followed up, sensing something amiss.
"They don't need to know the location,"Zheng Chenggong replied."Any well-known pirate receives the League's protection.When the time comes, they can perform a sacrifice using a special coin issued by the Pirate League—called a Pirate Gold Coin—and recite a unique incantation to open the gateway.Once opened, they can enter the Pirate League directly."
"As for the actual base, its whereabouts are completely unknown.Even the method of reaching it remains a mystery."
This secrecy was precisely what kept the Pirate League unshakable throughout the years. As long as their foundation remained, pirates would always have a retreat, a backup—a safe haven.
"What's the incantation?"Wu Yong asked, frowning slightly.
"It's simple,"Zheng Chenggong replied seriously."'Long live the Pirate Emperor, Auron Risk!'Then, by sacrificing a Pirate Gold Coin and speaking the incantation, one can open the portal to the Pirate League."
"However, this only works for actual pirates.Once the incantation is spoken, the Pirate Emperor's gaze falls upon the speaker, identifying their identity.If they are not a pirate, nothing happens—even if they recite the incantation.That's why the Pirate League's location remains an enigma, and access to it is steeped in strange, almost supernatural means."
This was one of the reasons the pirates worshipped the Pirate Emperor.
With the League in place, they had an invulnerable sanctuary—a hidden refuge immune to attack.
"So that's how it works…"Gan Ning's frown deepened."Is there any other way to locate the Pirate base?Some way to reach the Pirate Emperor?"
"None that we know of,"Zheng Chenggong said, shaking his head."At least for now, no one knows of any alternative route into the Pirate League.Some even say the base isn't in the Caribbean at all, but in another dimension, or a secret realm.Whether that's true or not, no one has been able to verify it."
Zheng Chenggong spoke freely and fully, sharing everything he knew, leaving nothing out.
In front of Great Yi, he dared not play games.
In fact, he even hoped to foster good relations with them. Compared to Coconut King City, the Great Yi Empire was like an egg vs. a boulder. Even with the Zheng He Treasure Ship, they had no chance of standing against them.
Just the Red Legion's fleet alone—with a hundred powerful warships—was comparable to the legendary pirate ships.
Even if the Zheng He Treasure Ship faced them, it wouldn't last long before being crushed.
Such was the sheer might of Great Yi.
"Young Master Zheng, does Coconut King City have a nautical chart of the surrounding sea region?If so, we'd like to purchase a copy at a fair price,"Wu Yong asked, shaking his feather fan.
Since they couldn't find the pirates now, their best option was to collect maps, laying the groundwork for a future campaign into the Caribbean.
"We do have nautical maps, though only of the nearby waters,"Zheng Chenggong replied, his heart sinking slightly."As for their accuracy, the general will need to verify them personally."
He already had a bad feeling—the Caribbean had officially entered Great Yi's line of sight.
They might be peaceful now, but in the future, a storm was coming.When it arrived, it wouldn't be a small force—it would be a tsunami of overwhelming might.
At that point, those who didn't submit would be crushed.
There was no middle ground.
Still, he couldn't refuse the map request.
Later, through more cordial interactions, the Great Yi soldiers also purchased coconuts in bulk—even a few saplings of the coconut trees. Wu Yong and the others didn't take anything for free; they paid generously in Eternal Coins.
When the civilians saw the massive quantities of Eternal Coins, their eyes were filled with golden light. The impact was overwhelming.
Compared to Pirate Gold Coins, the Eternal Coin was simply in a league of its own—both in design and value.
As the Red Legion fleet departed…
Zheng Chenggong stood silently, clutching an Eternal Coin in his hand.
"So this is the Eternal Coin…No wonder it's the only currency recognized by the world itself.Pirate Coins aren't even in the same class."
He held both coins—an Eternal Coin and a Pirate Gold Coin.
The pirate coin was crude and fearsome. One side bore a skull, symbol of piracy; the other, a pirate ship. Its origins were unmistakable.
Though crude in appearance, the Pirate Coin had a triple amplification effect, and it circulated widely in the Caribbean.
However, rumors said these coins harbored a corrupting influence.Too many of them could alter a person's nature, making them violent, bloodthirsty, and even insane—driving them toward a pirate's life.
This was believed to be the cause of widespread piracy—as countless beings were subtly corrupted by the coins' dark power.
No one could confirm the rumor, but many major forces were suppressing pirate coin circulation, going so far as to mint their own currencies to combat the influence.
Even Coconut King City created its own "Coconut King Coin", though its boost was only double, not triple. It was better than nothing—but still far behind Pirate Coins, and nowhere close to Eternal Coins.
The civilians' love for Eternal Coins was clear—they held them tightly, reluctant to let go.
Pirate Coins were thoroughly defeated in comparison.
"Father went to attend the pirate gathering…I wonder if something will happen this time.The Pirate League… probably won't last much longer."
A solemn light flashed in Zheng Chenggong's eyes.
The Zheng Clan's fleet was a time bomb. Once Great Yi entered the Caribbean, the Zheng Clan would be forced to choose a side:
Pirate, or lawful citizen.
There would be no third option.
That decision could only be made by Zheng Zhilong—his father.
It would determine the fate of the entire Zheng Clan.
Zheng Chenggong had only heard of Great Yi before. But now that he had seen them up close, he finally understood the depth of their strength.
Even the lowest-ranking soldiers on those Sky Warships were at the Dharma Phase Realm.
There were over a million such cultivators—some even stronger.
They could flatten Coconut King Island with ease if they chose to.
As they departed, both Gan Ning and Wu Yong wore grave expressions.
"The Zheng Clan is no simple force,"Gan Ning muttered."Zheng Chenggong himself is already at the Dharma Phase Realm.His father must be even more powerful… I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before."
"Let's not worry about their origins just yet,"Wu Yong replied with a faint smile."Our main objective in coming to the Caribbean can't be completed now—since the pirates are all hidden in the Pirate League.But collecting maps and intelligence is a great gain.At least we won't have to deal with pirates disturbing our operations."
There is always gain and loss—that's the nature of missions.
Though the pirates couldn't be found, drawing detailed maps was also a noteworthy accomplishment.Bringing them back would earn them great merit.
"Still,"Gan Ning added solemnly,"We must continue searching for a way into the Pirate League.I refuse to believe there's only one method to enter.We must find another way.If we don't, we'll never be able to eradicate the pirates completely.Even if we crush some, the rest will go into hiding… only to rise again."
A new pressure had emerged—something they hadn't anticipated before.
They thought the pirates would all be scattered across the seas, easy to eliminate.