Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 260 Friendly Communication

Luscany is known as the City of a Thousand Sails, a testament to the advanced state of its port and shipping industry.

During the short time it took to enter and dock at the pier, numerous ships entered and exited the various berths, and this was only early in the morning.

However, after carefully observing his surroundings, Zhang Yuan noticed something unusual.

A significant portion of the ships passing by had no emblems or coats of arms on their sails and masts to indicate their identity or affiliation.

Even worse, some simply hang the skull and crossbones symbol high up in a blatant display.

Their identities were obvious—pirates.

However, this profession, which symbolizes freedom and romance in the mouths of some bards, is viewed differently by the female first mate.

"These damned sea thugs and scum, these greedy and bloodthirsty hyenas, are not allowed to dock at any other port in the North. They swarm to this stinking place like flies."

Zhang Yuan nodded knowingly. This was also the reason why Luscan, located at the northernmost tip of Sword Coast, with a geographical location that wasn't particularly advantageous, still boasted a port throughput that rivaled that of Waterdeep.

Most of the ports in the North are controlled by the Order faction. Apart from Luskan, the only other place in the vast Sword Coast region that shows some tolerance for pirates is Baldur's Gate due to its own history. Therefore, these pirates have no choice but to gather here.

The complex reasons behind the feud between Luskan and Neverwinter extend beyond mere commercial interests, encompassing numerous geopolitical and factional conflicts.

Speaking of ports alone, Luscan, a coastal city in the Sword Bay, is unfortunately the only one without an ice-free port!
Every winter, the frigid winds and snow cover the land in the far north, and Luskan's poor docks are buried under the snow. Meanwhile, Neverwinter City enjoys a spring-like climate all year round thanks to the abundant geothermal heat provided by the Neverwinter River. Instead of being blocked, maritime shipping has become even more bustling, taking away Luskan's livelihood.

How could those pirate captains swallow this insult? It wasn't long ago that Luscan had been eyeing Neverwinter.

"You bastard, what are you looking at? Go home and check on your old mother, you dog eyes!"

Amafley's shrewish shouts rang in my ears. It was from a ship with black sails that had just sailed out of the harbor in the opposite direction. Several rude men dressed as pirates saw that there were women on the merchant ship and began to whistle lewdly and flirtatiously. Their foul language drifted over on the sea breeze.

Master Zhang is a person of status; it's really pointless for him to set aside his manners and pride to engage in verbal battles with others.

However, he ignored the fact that someone else would step in for him, and Doflamingo, the true leader who saw this, felt that his chance to shine had come.

The silly bird flapped its wings and flew out, skimming across the sea and instantly arriving above the pirate ship.

What followed was a storm of refined and polite language that swept over the astonished pirates.

"Blow, blow, blow! You love to brag so much? If you're so good at bragging, why don't you brag about your bird grandpa? Isn't my bird big enough for you to brag about?"

"You damned beast, you're asking for it!" The pirates, suddenly humiliated by a bird, were not about to swallow their anger.

"Who are you calling a grandson? If I, your grandfather, am a beast, then what are you? But I reckon your barren minds can't understand what ethics are anyway. Considering your pathetic status as incestuous relatives, as your elder, I've decided to generously forgive you."

The thieving bird, known for its fast and sharp tongue, fought against multiple opponents, yet it held its own in this friendly and peaceful exchange, thoroughly hurling insults at the group below.

Enraged, the pirates resorted to using their crossbows and throwing knives to speak, but the thief bird dodged their barrage before it could even reach them, vanishing from their sight. While lacking any lethal magic, the Despair Bird was quite adept at using spells like Obscure, Invisibility, or Fear—tricks designed to protect itself and annoy its opponents.

The pirates below, furious beyond measure, could only stare blankly, unable to find a target to glare at, and could only curse the Moonlight Rose, which was already far away.

He patted the silly bird's head, took out a small dried fish and fed it as a reward. Looking ahead, he saw that the ship had entered the berth. Luskan, we've arrived.

Before Zhang Yuan could even step onto the shore, the hospitable Luskans showed him the local customs and traditions.

"Hey, it's you guys from Winterless again. The parking fee is three hundred gold, no bargaining."

A middle-aged, burly man with a fleshy face and a flowing Mediterranean hairstyle walked up with his arms crossed, wearing a lazy, indifferent expression.

"Oliver, you better not be joking with me. Last month it was only a little over two hundred gold coins, how come it has increased so much now?"

The female first mate was also furious upon hearing this. Wasn't this premium price just child's play?

"Hmph, we Luskans are no match for your Neverwinter City. You can even make a profit in winter, so of course we need to save up some extra money."

The other party was fearless and didn't care about Amarfrey's complaints at all.

In the end, however, three hundred gold coins was a small sum for the entire merchant ship. Although he complained a few times, he could only grit his teeth and pay the money when he saw that the female first mate was not giving in at all.

However, the trouble did not end there. After receiving the money, Oliver shifted his gaze to the Canaan group beside him, his eyes filled with scrutiny and ill intent.

“Ms. Amarfrey, aren’t you going to introduce these people? We can’t just let these people of unknown origin sneak into our city.”

"This is hilarious. You Luskans have the nerve to bring up your identity and background. Get out of my way. I have no interest in playing these tricks with you."

The female first mate sneered repeatedly. Having traveled between the two places many times, she was not going to believe the other party's nonsense. She even had one hand on the hilt of the knife at her waist.

"Luscan does indeed open her doors to all warriors who yearn for freedom, but for certain dubious fellows, heh heh."

Oliver didn't finish his sentence, but the way his gaze swept back and forth between the female first mate and Zhang Yuan said it all.

"I'm sure you don't want to escalate things, after all, this is our Bloodsail Gang's territory."

Now the female first mate could only look at Zhang Yuan apologetically, not expecting that it was her care for the Canaan squad that had attracted the attention of the Luscans.

He made a reassuring gesture to Amafrey, and the mage's face showed no signs of mania or anger; instead, he smiled amiably.

Having been in Faerûn for quite some time, and drawing on his experiences from his previous life, Zhang Yuan knew perfectly well that encountering someone like this—whether described as dutiful or someone who would exploit even the smallest bit of power to stir up trouble—was quite normal.

While it might feel good to stomp on a toad that jumps onto your foot, it not only gets your feet dirty but can also cause trouble.

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(End of this chapter)