Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

"He's just holding on with incredible will!" the captain said, "If he could stand, he definitely wouldn't be sitting in his cabin! How many times has he stood at the bow of the ship, all day long. If he could move, why would I... anyway, the former captain was a lion, but now he's just a sick cat!"

Bruno was silent for a while, not speaking. He knew the captain must be seriously ill, as the smell of blood couldn't be hidden. After a long time, Bruno finally asked,

"Diego, how many men do you have under your command?"

Sailor Chief Diego "hmmphed", glanced at Brulo, then lifted his head and said,

"Matim, Haroldo, and I together have over twenty battle-ready sailors under our command, all armed with scimitars, daggers, and five matchlock guns! If we include your men and Ivo's, definitely over thirty!"

Bruno thought silently. The flagship's crew would be replenished from other ships, roughly maintaining a number of about fifty. Diego controlled the largest group of deck sailors, usually the main force in boarding combats. The quartermaster needed to watch over the weapons and also controlled some elite sailors. And the Kingdom's soldiers were all left at Elmina Castle... By this calculation, a vast majority of the ship's fighting force was ready to rebel.

"Ah! Dear Captain, it's your persistent drive eastward that has led to this abandonment..."

Thinking this, Bruno heaved a sigh and asked again,

"Sailing Master Reinaldo also has a few men. If we persuade the captain... Have you guys tried sounding him out?"

"Pfft, Reinaldo is a son of nobility. How would he mix with us!"

Quartermaster Matim laughed and shook his head, his face full of confidence.

"Though he has complained before about the captain's tyranny. He fears the demon's land and has long wanted to return. In fact, Haroldo has sounded out the crew when distributing food. On the entire ship, only the captain wants to continue sailing east!"

"Foda-se! I've been dissatisfied with Reinaldo for a while!"

Sailor Chief Diego cursed, his eyes flashing fiercely.

"Just because he's a noble's son and knows some navigation skills, he thinks himself above our brothers! Foda-se! If he dares to interfere, I'll chop off his head and mount it on the mast as a navigational aid!"

Hearing Diego's harsh words, Bruno furrowed his brows. This guy was indeed capable of such a deed, having done the same with a native chieftain's head before. In this brutal era, as the ship's sailing master, one had to be sufficiently fierce to hold sway over sailors from all over the world.

"The sailing master can guide the route, as long as he knows his place, the crew won't harm him."

Matim smiled and diverted the topic. He kept a keen eye on Bruno.

"Everyone's intent on this ship is clear. The only thing I worry about is the two ships behind us. Bunoru, you've been in charge of communicating with the other two ships. How are things going with them?"

Bruno pondered for a moment and shook his head.

"The situation on those two ships isn't much better than ours. Sailors keep dying from disease, morale is very low, and in total, there are just over seventy left now. The two nobility captains, Pero Anes and Pero Dacosta, are neither skilled in comforting people nor free from grievances themselves."

"Good! Good! If that's the case, our only obstacle left is the few guards around the captain!"

Upon hearing this, Matim's eyes brightened.

"The demon's influence spreads day and night; we cannot wait any longer, we must act soon!"

At that moment, the carpenter Ivo seemed to recall something and cautiously asked,

"There's also a noble scholar of high status aboard, from Braganza Palace. I heard his family is quite distinguished and highly valued by the King. Convincing the captain won't be easy without him noticing! If he tells the King anything..."

"Foda-se! He's just a tender-skinned young master from a noble family. Wrapped up so tight on the ship, haha! I've never had my way with a noble young master before. Let the brothers have their fun first, then throw him in the river to feed the crocodiles!"

Diego's eyes gleamed lewdly, making Bunoru feel somewhat sickened. Proper ocean-going ships didn't carry women, and the sailor scum were never particular about gender, so certain practices were prevalent.

"Ah! How can that be done? We mustn't kill, it would cause too much trouble!"

Carpenter Ivo waved his hands vigorously, his face anxious; he had a family back in Lisbon, unlike these free-spirited sailors.

"If we're not going to kill him, just to silence him, I do have a method."

Everyone looked at the source of the sound, which was the usually quiet chief cook, Haroldo. Haroldo's eyes flickered, and a strange smile crossed his chubby face.

"What method?"

"A young noble like him hasn't seen much of the world. Just get some leverage on him, keep it in our hands."

"Haha! With such deep connections, what leverage could possibly pressure him!"

"Ordinary methods indeed won't work, but... what about worshipping demons?"

The cabin suddenly went quiet. Bruno's eyes widened, staring at the normally timid chief cook as if seeing him clearly for the first time. Quartermaster Matim raised his eyebrows, sizing him up, then murmured a prayer.

"May the Holy Mother forgive us!... Haroldo, do tell us in detail..."

The ship continued forward, seeking the distant Holy Light; the water whooshed backward, sinking into the deep river. The dim candlelight flickered back and forth, one moment bright, the next dark. It shone on the conspirators' faces and sank into everyone's hearts, under the protection of the Holy Mother, on the demon's land.