The Japanese samurai fell one after another.
Once the samurai were gone, the remaining fighters collapsed immediately. Their courage evaporated as if it had never existed. The Shengsi pirates surged forward, blades flashing, cutting them down without discrimination. It was no longer a battle, only a one-sided slaughter.
After the deck was finally cleared, the Shengsi pirates kicked open the cabin doors and poured inside.
Those watching from a distance could no longer see what was happening within, but the sounds carried clearly across the water. Shrill screams, hoarse roars, the clash of steel, all mixing together into a chaotic symphony of violence.
Then, little by little, the noise faded.
The screams weakened. The shouts died out. Even the sound of fighting vanished, leaving behind an eerie, suffocating silence.
Moments later, the Shengsi pirates emerged again, faces flushed with excitement. Their hands were full of loot, weapons, silver, valuables gathered hastily from the cabins.
But the moment they looked up and saw the massive Gao Family Village ship looming nearby, their expressions changed.
As if waking from a dream, they hurriedly dropped their plunder onto the deck. One after another, they knelt and kowtowed toward the towering vessel, bowing so deeply their foreheads struck the wood. Their mouths moved rapidly as they shouted something, though the distance made the words impossible to hear.
Still, their meaning was obvious.
Everything belonged to their new overlord.
Li Daoxuan glanced at the scene and shook his head lightly, offering no response.
Jiang Cheng, however, knew exactly what to do. He raised his voice and shouted, "Send teams aboard. Register all the spoils carefully. We will decide how to handle them afterward."
"Yes!"
Several squads immediately began preparing to board.
It was at that very moment that something unexpectedly amusing occurred.
Farther out at sea, Bai Yang appeared.
This was one of Liu Xiang's subordinates, the man who had just been driven off in humiliation by the Kurushima Pirates. He returned cautiously, commanding four junk ships, stopping well outside the battlefield as if content to simply observe.
From Bai Yang's flagship, flag signals fluttered frantically, sending some kind of urgent message.
Jiang Cheng frowned. "What is he saying?"
Shi Lang squinted at the flags, then shook his head. "I don't understand."
A former pirate who had been sent to Labor Reform hurried forward. "He's requesting a parley."
Jiang Cheng immediately turned to Li Daoxuan.
Li Daoxuan laughed. "What is there to discuss with pirates? Send twenty ships. Bring them back as Labor Reform inmates."
"Understood!"
Twenty Gao Family Village warships surged forward at once, accelerating straight toward Bai Yang's small fleet.
Bai Yang, meanwhile, was still waiting eagerly for a chance to speak.
He had just watched these newcomers annihilate the Japanese pirates, then watched Shengsi pirates board the ships under their command. In his mind, this meant only one thing.
These people were allies.
After all, the Shengsi pirates nominally belonged to Liu Xiang. Since everyone served the same master, surely there was room for discussion.
So he continued sending signals, entirely unprepared for what happened next.
In the blink of an eye, twenty warships charged straight at him.
Bai Yang's face turned pale. "Damn it! They don't want to talk! They're sending ships to wipe us out!"
A subordinate beside him was drenched in cold sweat. "Boss, what do we do?"
"What else can we do?" Bai Yang shouted. "Run!"
A veteran pirate, Bai Yang had long mastered the art of survival. Even while signaling for peace, he had already prepared to flee at a moment's notice. In the pirate world, words meant nothing. Only strength mattered.
What followed was a perfect demonstration of what it meant to be quick on one's feet.
Unfortunately, no amount of experience could overcome reality.
Their junk ships simply could not outrun Gao Family Village's electric-powered vessels. Before they had even gone far, twenty warships closed in from all directions, sealing off every escape route.
The same subordinate swallowed hard. "Boss… what now?"
Bai Yang stared at the encirclement.
He had just watched these ships crush the Kurushima Pirates with overwhelming force. There was nothing left to consider.
"Lower weapons," he said hoarsely. "We surrender."
The crews raised their hands, weapons held above their heads.
The gesture needed no translation.
Without a single drop of blood being spilled, Gao Family Village captured four more junk ships.
Four ships, smoothly added to the collaborator fleet.
Puzhou. Flower World Star Agency.
The film Bloody Battle of Liaoluo Bay, personally produced by Dao Xuan Tianzun, exploded in popularity the moment it premiered. However, Lao Nanfeng understood that relying solely on the occasional release from Dao Xuan Tianzun was not enough.
If he wanted to survive in this industry, he had to keep producing his own films.
Even if they were crude. Even if they were rushed.
In an era starved of entertainment, people would watch anything.
At this moment, Lao Nanfeng sat hunched over a script, brows tightly knitted.
The title read: The Legend of Li Shishi.
Cai Lin stood nearby and spoke thoughtfully. "The script itself is excellent. Stories about famous courtesans are always popular. Playing the adult Li Shishi would suit me perfectly. But the real difficulty lies with young Li Shishi."
Lao Nanfeng nodded slowly. "Yes. Finding the right actress for that role will be extremely difficult."
The script chronicled the legendary life of Li Shishi, the famed Song Dynasty courtesan, her rise to fame, and her tangled relationships with several men.
Everything was ready.
Except for one thing.
They desperately needed a top-tier child actress.
Cai Lin frowned. "She has to be young, breathtakingly beautiful, and proficient in singing, dancing, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting… My goodness. Where are we supposed to find someone like that?"
Lao Nanfeng sighed deeply. "I've been thinking about it until my head hurts."
They worried so much it felt as if their hair might turn white on the spot.
At that moment, a small face peeked timidly through the doorway.
A soft voice asked hesitantly, "Hello… my name is Chen Yuanyuan. I'm twelve this year. I heard you're hiring actresses here. Can… can someone my age be considered?"
Lao Nanfeng and Cai Lin both turned at once.
They froze.
Then, together, they gasped. "Oh?"
Lao Nanfeng leaned forward. "Can you sing, dance, and play instruments?"
Chen Yuanyuan nodded. "Yes."
Cai Lin pressed on quickly. "What about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?"
"Yes," Chen Yuanyuan replied. "I studied at the Suzhou Pear Garden for many years."
Cai Lin's eyes widened. "The Pear Garden?"
Chen Yuanyuan nodded again.
Lao Nanfeng examined the girl carefully. Her features were delicate and refined, like jade carved by heaven. Given a few more years, she would surely grow into a beauty capable of toppling cities.
He and Cai Lin exchanged a glance, then burst out laughing together.
"We've found her!"
"Young Li Shishi!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Chen Yuanyuan blinked in confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Lao Nanfeng laughed loudly. "Little girl, your timing could not be better. Come, come. Take a look at this script. There's a scene for young Li Shishi. Read it, then perform it for us. If you do well, you'll never have to worry about food again."
Chen Yuanyuan felt nervous, as anyone would during an audition.
She accepted the script and read through it quickly.
Her mind was clear and sharp, her memory astonishing. After a single read, she had already grasped most of the content.
She then picked up a zither and played. The melody flowed smoothly, elegant and refined, instantly impressing both Lao Nanfeng and Cai Lin. After that, she danced. Her movements were light and graceful, mesmerizing to watch.
Cai Lin could not help but sigh. "At such a young age, her zither playing is already better than mine. Her dancing is even more exquisite. The Suzhou Pear Garden truly deserves its reputation."
She smiled wryly. "In a few years, the title of this agency's top actress will no longer belong to me."