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Lance was pushed into the cage and fell to the ground for a long time without being able to get up. Being beaten was nothing to him, and intimidation was also foreseeable. However, the lynching was different. It was bloody and cruel, more brutal than any punishment he had ever seen.
Moreover, the pirates had chosen only military officers, which meant that they did not care about the ransom and had no intention of letting them go.
It was then that Lance realized his chances of escape were slim.
The man in white from the Changjing Gang was simply deceiving them. Attacking the Qingfeng Gang was not an easy task at all. It was a terrifying dragon's lair that would leave people dead without a burial place.
The problem is that he is now behind bars and there is no point in regretting it.
The blade against his neck made Lance completely understand what he could rely on. This involved a major war between pirates, and as allies of the Long Whale Gang, they still had value.
Anyway, he had told everything that should and should not be said, and he also deliberately exaggerated the strength of the Cisse fleet.
He didn't continue the interrogation and locked himself up again. Perhaps the situation hadn't gotten any worse. Lance panted for a long time, struggled to get up, and sat down against the wall. The translator wasn't locked up with him, and there were guards outside watching him. He had to stay calm and not panic.
Having said that, being alone in a cage, with no one to talk to, no water or food, and people outside watching you closely, is truly unbearable.
He sat there for who knows how long, his eyes were blurry from hunger and his head was starting to feel dizzy, before someone opened the cell door and dragged him out again.
Were they going to continue the interrogation, or were they going to negotiate terms? Lance was brought into a room. However, this time, there was no translator with him, and he wasn't facing two people, only the woman in the red dress who had threatened him personally.
What was going on? Seeing everyone being driven out by that woman, Lance's heartbeat suddenly quickened.
Although he was tied up, he was a soldier after all, and it was not easy for him to subdue a woman.
This woman's relationship with that handsome pirate leader is probably complicated. If I kidnap her, can I buy her freedom?
However, just as the thought came to his mind, the woman in the red dress handed a piece of paper to him. Seeing the contents of the paper clearly, Lance's body trembled violently and he reached out to grab it.
This is a map, a very simple but clearly visible coastline map!
Seeing the red-haired man losing his composure, Cheng Xi knew that he was on the right track.
No matter how the West developed, the terrain would not change much, just as she was already familiar with the South China Sea. So a map of Europe that was roughly accurate could confirm many things.
Without hesitation, she asked, "Where are you from?"
The picture alone had already shocked Lance. When he heard the woman speak, he raised his head and stared at the woman in front of him in amazement.
She could speak Xisai? Even if her pronunciation was odd and her sentences were incomprehensible, he could still understand what she was saying. It would be no big deal if he found a translator. What was the origin of this woman?
Seeing the other person's expression, Cheng Xi knew that his previous question had worked.
She actually couldn't understand the language the other person was speaking. The pronunciation and vocabulary were quite different from the world she knew, but since it was somewhat similar to Latin, there was a certain chance that the other person would understand if she used a language that belonged to the Romance language family.
She had traveled all over the world in her time and had met many French mercenaries. She could speak a few words of French, but it was definitely not enough for a conversation. Fortunately, she didn't want a direct conversation.
Seeing the captain's face full of shock and no movement for a long time, Cheng Xi threw a charcoal stick over and repeated: "Where are you from? Mark it."
No matter how surprised he was, Lance now realized that this woman probably knew a lot about Cisse, and now she was just confirming his identity and nationality.
Gritting his teeth, he picked up the charcoal pencil, quickly drew a circle on the picture, and handed the paper back.
Most of the Iberian Peninsula was circled on the paper, which was equivalent to the territories of Portugal and Spain in later generations. It seemed that the changes in the Western world were no less than those here.
Without hesitation, Cheng Xi clapped his hands twice, and immediately someone walked in from outside, bringing the interpreter with him.
Lance froze, knowing that he had missed the best opportunity because of his shock, and now there was probably no hope of kidnapping the woman.
Ignoring the captive's dejection, Cheng Xi turned to the interpreter and said, "Tell him that if Xisai insists on intervening in the war between us and the Changjing Gang, then if Xisai and the enemy country fight in the future, I will do my utmost to assist their enemies. Make it clear, there is no confusion."
The interpreter did not dare to delay and immediately began to translate carefully. When these words reached Lance's ears, they caused another storm of shock.
Do they have enemies? Of course they do, and they're surrounded by them from all sides. Countless nations are building fleets, and wars of all sizes are constantly underway. Now that they've crossed the oceans and reaped unimaginable profits from the East, it's only a matter of time before those enemies follow.
A pirate who could go against the Long Whale Gang was naturally not a simple character, and she knew the inner workings of Xise, which made things difficult.
After hesitating for a long time, Lance slowly said, "We will only cooperate with the Long Whale Gang if they occupy the strait."
He didn't dare use overly complex sentences. Who knew if the other party would understand him? If the other party misunderstood him, it would be difficult to explain.
This answer was very clear. Cheng Xi immediately said, "It is precisely because the Long Whale Gang occupies the strait that you should not join forces with them. If you deploy a large number of troops deep into the strait, if the Long Whale Gang intends to deplete your forces, how many years will it take to send such a large fleet next time? Will it still be Xisai who occupies the strait by then?"
After listening to the translation, Lance fell silent again.
The fleet commander had considered these matters, which was why he followed the white-clad man's advice and sent him to harass the enemy. Yet, now, all seven warships were destroyed, and all aboard were captured. The enemy was so formidable, yet the Long Whale Gang hadn't given any warning. Did they truly not anticipate this outcome?
"If my lady is willing to let me go, I'm willing to persuade the fleet commander to reconsider our partnership with the Long Whale Gang." Although he looked burly and reckless, Lance was no fool to lead a fleet. The most important thing now wasn't the fate of the fleet, but how he could regain his freedom. Of course, if possible, reclaiming the ship or returning with more officers and crew would be even better.
"How can there be no compensation and ransom after losing the war?" Cheng Xi asked in return.
Hearing this, Lance felt relieved.
He was defeated and captured, so he should pay compensation. Besides, he made a lot of money in the East in the past two years, so he could still afford the ransom of several thousand silver coins.
"As long as my men and I can return safely, I'll pay you 10,000 silver coins in compensation." Lanston paused. "If your gang can show sufficient sincerity, you can gain Xisai's friendship and even avoid a fight."
After the interpreter carefully translated the words, Cheng Xi showed a thoughtful smile on his face: "That's quite generous. It seems that I can't let you go back before the fight is over."
What? Lance was completely stunned by the translator's words. Didn't you say you could accept the ransom and hoped the fleet would change its strategy? How could we negotiate without releasing the hostages?
Seeing the red-haired man's bewildered expression, Cheng Xi said bluntly, "If we let you go now, do you think the commander of Xisai will pay the ransom, or will he strive to win the battle and forgive the debt?"
Lance's expression suddenly changed, and he thought to himself that this was not good. The ransom was too high, and the war was not over yet, which could indeed lead to such an outcome. He really underestimated this pirate lady and accidentally let her secret slip.
Before he could recover, Cheng Xi continued, "If we win this battle, we can naturally exchange prisoners. If we lose, you, from top to bottom, will pay with your lives. When the battle is over, that will determine your fate."
This meant they were being used as bargaining chips. Lance had completely understood what was happening. At this point, the only thing they could do was to persuade the commander to reconsider the alliance with the Long Whale Gang. Only by avoiding the frontal battle could they have a chance of survival. Otherwise, they would die.
Without waiting for his answer, Cheng Xi continued, "You can pick five people. I will send them safely to Qiongzhou and contact Xisai's fleet. The rest depends on your luck."
I don't know how the translator translated the word "fortune", but the expression on Lance's face was undeniable. After a long silence, he nodded in agreement.
This was also within Cheng Xi's expectations. After all, he didn't have many choices left.
According to the original history, in addition to the banners of blood and gold, the next hundred years or so would also see the tulip, iris, and other flags flying across the ocean. The struggle for control of the ocean by several Western European nations would never cease. Now, as long as it was confirmed that the Western Cyprus nation also had an enemy, and that the enemy was quite powerful, the rest would be easy to deal with.
Standing up, Cheng Xi said to the captives in front of him, "The battle between the Red Flag Gang and the Long Whale Gang is your only chance. Once the two sides decide the winner, regardless of whether they win or lose, the Long Whale Gang will immediately take control of the strait. You don't have much time left to seize this golden waterway."
The woman looked down at him condescendingly. Although she had a calm expression, beautiful features, and even the figure of a young girl, she gave him a strange feeling, as if he was facing a pagan goddess statue holding a sword. She was dangerous and mysterious, which made people feel afraid.
Lance involuntarily looked away and lowered his head.
Since he chose to surrender, he didn't want to die in this unfamiliar sea.
Besides, the other party was right on one point. As long as we could occupy the strait, everything else was secondary. I think the fleet captain would agree...
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