Chapter 10, Thoughts on the Future

Mr. Long, your thoughts have truly shocked me. I am sorry, but I need to take some time to think this over! After saying this, Luo Sangu turned and left! Before this, she was merely a pirate, but the suggestion put forth by Long Feiyu has already far exceeded the realm of piracy.

"Boss, what is our loss this time?" Long Yufei did not answer immediately, but instead asked in return

Long Yufei could no longer stay in the cabin after resting for a day. The air inside the cabin was murky, and the smell was very uncomfortable for him. Moreover, his shoulder injury was not serious; it was just that his left hand was temporarily unusable

"The British? Hmph! At most, we can just refrain from taking this warship out to sea for the time being. After all, this haul is sufficient for our use for quite a while!" said Luo Sangu.

In the northern part of the Sulu Sea, a small fleet is sailing eastward, with a standard British naval warship leading the way. However, at this moment, the Union Jack on the warship has been replaced by the pirate's skull and crossbones flag

Luo Sangu looked at the excited Long Yufei, unsure of what to say. Although she was somewhat affected by Long Yufei's enthusiasm, she was more realistic. The current Nanyang essentially belonged to the Westerners, and the Chinese were completely oppressed by them. The thought of resisting Western rule was incredibly daunting. However, deep down, Luo Sangu harbored a glimmer of hope; she wished for the success of what Long Yufei had spoken about.

"The head of the family, I am contemplating the future of Flying Fish Island!" Long Yufei stated candidly.

For the living pirates, they are fortunate; in the face of formidable and adversarial enemies, they not only preserved their lives but also gained substantial rewards. As for those pirates who have already perished, perhaps that was the fate they were destined for! Being a pirate is inherently a high-risk profession, and one could meet their demise at any moment; death may also serve as a form of liberation!

"Boss, I believe that being pirates is not our only way out! Everyone becomes a pirate out of necessity! If there were another way, who would be willing to have their descendants live as pirates?" Long Yufei said

"Boss, the losses this time are too great! Flying Fish Island simply cannot bear it! Moreover, Flying Fish Island is no longer safe! The British have lost a warship, and they will definitely intensify their search. If they find out that we are responsible, then Flying Fish Island is doomed!" Long Yufei said

"Yes, the boss, this idea may seem too ambitious right now, but it has a great chance of success! Once successful, the people on Flying Fish Island will also benefit from it. We will no longer be the pirates that everyone wants to hunt down; we might even be able to establish our own country!" Long Yufei said excitedly

Moreover, although they have now seized the cruiser "Coventry," it will not be possible to use this warship for plundering in the short term. The influence of the British is gradually penetrating eastward, with the South Seas region being the first step of their infiltration. If the "Coventry" is discovered by the British, then Diaoyu Island will be doomed! The current British Navy can easily eliminate this group of pirates on Diaoyu Island as effortlessly as crushing an ant! Just thinking about this makes Long Yufei feel somewhat anxious. The current British Navy can easily eliminate this group of pirates on Diaoyu Island as effortlessly as crushing an ant! Just thinking about this makes Long Yufei feel somewhat anxious.

"Mr. Long, what are you thinking?" At some point, Luo Sangu had arrived in front of Long Yufei. After Long Yufei stepped forward to save Luo Sangu, the relationship between the two had made significant progress

Luo Sangu nodded; the people on Flying Fish Island all took this path because they could no longer endure their circumstances

Long Yufei continued, "Boss, in recent years, hasn't the life of pirates become increasingly difficult?"

Luo Sangu's expression became somewhat unpleasant. Although she was not very familiar with Britain, she had great trust in Long Yufei, knowing that everything he said was true. While the pirates were not weak, they were still far from being comparable to regular troops

Luo Sangu looked at Long Yufei in astonishment, seemingly unable to believe that he harbored such grand ambitions. This was completely unimaginable to her! Her long-held wish had always been for the people on Feiyu Island to lead a good life

"Mr. Long, your idea seems rather arrogant!" said Luo Sangu.

Although the HMS Coventry is merely a Tier 6 warship, its seaworthiness and speed far surpass those of the pirate ships from Flying Fish Island. Moreover, it is equipped with 24 cannons, a formidable firepower that the pirate ships cannot compare to. The victorious pirates are filled with optimistic visions for the future; if such a warship were to join them, their success rate in maritime raids would undoubtedly increase significantly

"But Mr. Long, what else can we do besides being pirates?" Luo Sangu asked, somewhat perplexed. The pirates on Feiyu Island have already made piracy their lifelong profession, and apart from that, they seem to possess no other skills.

The recent operation at Flying Fish Island, although victorious and yielding considerable gains, also incurred significant losses. During the previous attack on the armed merchant ship "Black Pearl," there were dozens of casualties, and the subsequent assault on the cruiser "Coventry" also resulted in certain losses. Such losses are unsustainable for Flying Fish Island, which has only a little over three hundred elite personnel. If there are a few more such incidents, Flying Fish Island may face complete decline. Being a pirate ultimately does not provide a long-term strategy

"The leader said, Britain has become the most powerful country in the world. When they eliminated their rivals in Europe, they reached the peak of their global expansion! Even if we hide this warship, how long can we keep it hidden? Once the British extend their influence to Luzon, we will ultimately be exposed!" Long Yufei said.

Luo Sangu nodded. In recent years, it has indeed become increasingly difficult for pirates to make a living. Merchant ships sailing in the South China Sea are increasingly equipped with weapons; almost all larger merchant vessels are armed with firearms. The cost for pirates to successfully carry out a robbery has risen significantly. Furthermore, the number of warships from various countries patrolling the South Seas has also increased. These warships generally implement a policy of immediate extermination upon discovering pirate ships, which has resulted in substantial losses for the pirates operating in the South Seas. Luo Sangu also received news that the navies of various countries have launched crackdowns on several of the most powerful pirate groups, leading to the disbandment of several major pirate organizations. Although the navies of various countries have not yet taken action against Feiyu Island, it is likely due to the weakness of the pirates there. However, once Feiyu Island catches the attention of the navies, it will be left with no escape.

Luo Sangu took a deep breath to calm her emotions, and then asked, "Mr. Long, do you have any suggestions?"

After chatting with the pirates on the deck, Long Yufei walked to the aft deck, gazing at the azure sea, remaining silent

Long Yufei nodded slightly, saying little. He was acutely aware that persuading Luo Sangu and others would be extremely difficult. Their living environment had predetermined their perspectives. They simply wished to live well. Long Yufei's proposal far exceeded their imagination. The thought of this left him feeling helpless. At present, he was merely a commander without troops, with the only support being the pirates of Flying Fish Island. Now, although the South Seas had fallen into the hands of Westerners, their control over the region was not strong, which represented Long Yufei's last opportunity. In a few years, when the Opium War breaks out and the Western world suddenly realizes that the vast Qing Empire is merely a paper tiger, they will accelerate their invasion of the East. At that point, it would be nearly impossible for Long Yufei to establish a powerful force again. It is now 1835, and there are less than five years until the Opium War erupts. He hoped to at least possess the means of self-defense within these five years

The fleet continues to sail east, and at this point, it is already quite far from Flying Fish Island! It is expected that the fleet will be able to return to Flying Fish Island before evening!

Thirty-two brothers have died, and additionally, one and five brothers are seriously injured! Luo Sangu's mood is somewhat low. Such a heavy loss is almost the greatest she has experienced since becoming the leader of Feiyu Island

"Oh? Does Mr. Long have any suggestions?" Luo Sangu raised her eyebrows slightly and then inquired

After arriving on the deck, under the caress of the sea breeze, Long Yufei felt much better. Li Hu had been following closely by his side, as the leader, Luo Sangu, had tasked him with taking care of the injured Long Yufei. On the deck, they encountered other pirates, who showed even greater respect for Long Yufei. This encounter with the British warship had originally seemed like a matter of life and death, but under Long Yufei's strategy, they managed to turn the tables, which greatly impressed the pirates. The pirates were all rough men; charging in with swords was no problem for them, and they would execute it well. However, coming up with strategies to confront the enemy was a different matter altogether. Therefore, Long Yufei's approach earned the recognition of these pirates. Moreover, at a critical moment, Long Yufei stood up to shield the leader from bullets, which was a display of loyalty that greatly satisfied the pirates. It was from this moment that Long Yufei truly began to integrate into the community of Feiyu Island.

"Boss, we can make it to other places! To the east and south of Flying Fish Island, there are many large islands! These islands have fertile land and a considerable number of Chinese people! These Chinese people live quite hard lives. We have weapons and brave soldiers; we can make it to help them! Once we integrate these Chinese people, we will be able to form a powerful force in the South Seas, and even those foreign devils will no longer dare to underestimate us!" Long Yufei said