If it’s just an expedition, then it’s a matter of luck.
There are many fleets like this.
When Sules played games before, she occasionally liked to take a chance—what if she stumbled upon a secret realm?
A secret realm is a dungeon in the game, also a general term for mysterious sea opportunities.
It could be a sunken ship, an underwater cave, or even a submerged city.
When the man heard Sules say this, he immediately knew she was knowledgeable.
His eyes flicked as he replied, “That’s classified information. I can’t say. Once you’re on the ship, you’ll naturally find out.”
His words were ambiguous, definitely enough to make one uneasy.
But who was Sules?
She was the best at discerning this kind of talk.
Many who wanted to invest with her liked to deliberately blur their company’s actual strength.
If she didn’t know how to judge, who knows how much trouble she’d get into.
Sules smiled slightly.
“Take me to your ship for a test.”
She fixed her gaze on the recruiter’s sun-tanned face, missing not a single expression.
The man was momentarily stunned, then nodded. “Alright, come with me.”
Sules nodded with satisfaction and followed him.
She had been watching his expression carefully. If, after hearing her say she wanted to be tested, the man had shown a smug smile, it would have meant they had no real target and were trying to trap her.
In that case, she would have refused to leave with them under the pretense of joking.
But the man only showed a hint of surprise, no smugness.
This indicated they likely did have a goal but didn’t want to reveal it outright due to the crowd watching.
That’s why Sules really went with him.
Although Sules claimed to be a Level 3 Captain, such matters still needed testing to be sure, since no certificates were issued below Level 5.
They arrived at a relatively empty sea area where a Level 4 ship was anchored.
The recruiter led Sules aboard and opened the cockpit.
“Here, give it a try.”
With her system, Suleswas genuinely a Level 4 Captain, so she was unafraid and quickly passed the test. The recruiter then took her to meet the owner.
The owner was on a nearby Level 6 ship.
It was large, with three decks on the superstructure and three masts.
The hull was pale yellow with matching sails, and a flag printed with strange patterns fluttered atop.
Captains above Level 5 could have their own flags.
On the deck, several sailors boredly played cards.
Seeing the recruiter bring Sulesback, they immediately gathered around.
“Old Jack, this is the mercenary captain you’re recommending? Isn’t she a bit too young?”
Jack, the recruiter, laughed and scolded, “You guys have no eye for talent! She’s a Level 4 Captain! Have you ever seen such a young Level 4 Captain before?”
“Level 4!”
A wave of exclamations broke out, and everyone quickly stopped their mischief and started flattering Sules, “So young and promising, she’ll definitely soar in the future.”
After speaking, Jack kept an eye on Sules discreetly.
Though he had already concluded that because her captain’s talent wasn’t strong, it would be difficult for her to reach above Level 6.
But Level 6 was already formidable, so she still had great potential.
What he really watched for was her temperament.
On the sea, people who were gullible or weak-willed didn’t last long.
Though the girl’s face was somewhat sallow, her bright emerald eyes were captivating.
Amid the praise around her, those green eyes showed no joy, calm and still like a spring pool.
Old Jack nodded quietly, waved away the crowd, and said, “Disperse, disperse. I still need to take her to meet the Captain!”
Then, he cleared a path and led Sulesinto the cabin.
The Level 6 ship felt somewhat like a modern cruise liner, resembling a small hotel inside. Jack took Sules up the stairs to the third floor, then knocked on a door.
“Captain James, I’ve brought someone over.”
A somewhat coarse voice answered, “Come in.”
Jack pushed open the door, and they stepped inside.
Sules took in the surroundings first.
The room was decorated mainly in gold tones, exuding luxury.
It was as big as her entire cabin, adorned with several murals and ornaments.
There was a long table that looked like a conference table.
Sitting at the far end was a man around forty years old with a burly build.
A thin beard ringed his chin, and a prominent scar ran across his face, giving his otherwise unassuming features a fierce edge.
Jack introduced him to Sules: “This is the owner of the ship, Hebrew James. You can call him Captain James.”
Sules nodded respectfully.
“Captain James, I’m Su.”
She didn’t intend to use her real name, choosing an alias instead.
After all, she had her own ship. If she ran into someone from before, it wouldn’t be good.
Besides, in the world of traveling and adventuring, using one’s real name is the dumbest thing.
Since the contract was signed under the guidance of the Sea God, as long as both parties were who they claimed to be, real names weren’t necessary.
“Su” was obviously a fabricated name, but no one cared.
Jack continued introducing, “Su is a Level 4 Captain, passed the test, and her piloting skills are perfect. She’s an orphan, here looking for work this rainy season.”
Hearing Jack’s report, Captain James nodded, his expression unreadable.
With an authoritative tone, he asked, “Su, this voyage will last at least over a month. Are you sure you’re up for it?”
Sules nodded.
“I am.”
Clearly trusting Jack’s judgment, Captain James said no more and summoned the contract to hand to Sules.
“Take a look. If you have any objections, speak now. Otherwise, sign it.”
The contract mainly covered wages and obligations: a weekly pay of one silver shell, with meals and lodging included.
The obligation was that as the hired captain, Sules would pilot Captain James’s Level 4 ship on the voyage, obeying the owner’s orders.
Any gains at sea could not be kept personally but had to be handed over.
This was essentially a contract.
The Sea God’s witness simply ensured that once the contract took effect, the contracted party could not harm the owner.
However, the Sea God did not concern itself with the contract’s specific terms.
In other words, though the contract said Sules couldn’t keep any treasures found at sea, if she snuck some away, no one would care.
After careful examination, the contract didn’t try any tricks, so Sules signed it without hesitation.
Captain James took back the contract, nodded at Sules, then ordered Jack, “Take her to see the Level 4 ship she’ll be assigned to, and introduce her to the crew. Make sure she understands the rules.”
Jack nodded and left the captain’s cabin with Sules.
“Our captain’s personality is like that. It’s not that he dislikes you,” he explained, fearing Sules might misunderstand.
Sules shook her head.
“No worries. He’s a great captain, it’s normal.” She remained calm. The attitude was just cold; no harm done.
Seeing Sules wasn’t bothered, Jack relaxed and led her toward the ship.
“We set sail the day after tomorrow, so you have two days to prepare. You must be on board at six in the morning on departure day. I suggest you finish packing today and move aboard tomorrow.”
As they spoke, they reached the ship.
Sules’s own ship was Level 2, but she’d seen a Level 4 before—that was the one owned by Mark, the free laborer who tried to extort her at sea.
This ship looked no different from that one: a Caravel sailing ship, meant for adventure and combat.
But compared to the previous one, this one was clearly better equipped, with two cannons mounted on the hull.
Jack called out on the deck, summoning the crew: “Everyone out here, the new captain is here!”
Though Jack was in his forties or fifties, he was robust and had a loud voice.
At his call, many people came running out.
A Level 4 ship could hold about thirty crew members.
Though this ship had fewer crew before due to no captain, it still had twenty-four.
As Sules observed the men, a leisurely voice came from the cabin, “So what if the captain’s here? Why shout so loud? Old Jack, you’re getting louder and more annoying every day.”
A tall, skinny figure emerged from the cabin.
Hollowed eyes, sunken cheeks, and a toothpick dangling from his mouth gave him a pointed, careless look.
Simply put, his appearance reflected a harsh personality.
Sules’s heart sank—not because of his looks, but because his casual attitude toward the new captain and disrespect toward Old Jack marked him as a troublemaker.
Sure enough, Jack whispered in her ear, “This is the first mate, Fornis Taylor. He’s also the captain’s brother-in-law. A connected guy, so bear with him.”
Well, that was trouble right from the start.
Sules understood Captain James’s reasoning—placing a relative aboard to consolidate power and supervise the crew was a smart move.
The problem wasn’t the idea, but Jack’s tone and the man’s behavior made it clear Fornis wasn’t easy to deal with.
Having this kind of guy as a supervisor was nepotism gone too far.
It was bound to cause problems.
But now wasn’t the time to worry about Captain James.
Having a difficult crew member was what truly mattered.
She hoped Fornis was just lazy rather than the type who liked to boss people around; otherwise, the coming month would be unbearable.
Together with the first mate, the ship had twenty-five crew members. Since it was for adventure, there was no fisherman.
The crew consisted of one first mate, one second mate, one boatswain, sixteen sailors, one cannoneer, four martial artists, and one cook.
The second mate appeared to be the real deputy in charge: in his thirties, about 1.78 meters tall, with a mustache and glasses, looking like a steward.
After meeting the crew, Sules returned to her inn to pack.
She planned to follow Old Jack’s advice: finish today and move aboard tomorrow.