Chapter 259: Section 47: One Vote Short
The forecastle was stiflingly hot.
The main source of the heat was the Big guy.
He lay unconscious on the bed, his breathing becoming more and more labored.
The Dragon-man youth sat cross-legged in front of him, occasionally pouring a dose of Healing Potion into him.
The Grade of the Healing Potion had already been raised to the Golden Level!
“Captain Long Fu,” Cang Xu’s voice came from outside the door at this moment.
“Come in,” said the Dragon-man youth.
Then, Cang Xu, Fat Tongue, Bai Ya, Lan Zao, and others filed into the cabin.
Their eyes were involuntarily drawn to the Big guy first; Bai Ya let out a low exclamation, as the Big guy’s body had swelled to nearly double its size. His entire body was bloody and battered, his skin cracking and his blood flowing freely, his life hanging by a thread thanks to the Healing Potion.
“Are you here to persuade me?” the Dragon-man youth spoke lightly.
“Captain, you are still as wise and benevolent as ever,” Cang Xu sighed. “We indeed came to persuade you. But more precisely, to help you.”
“Not only is the Big guy in crisis, but you are too, our leader.”
“At this moment, you, too, are in a kind of predicament.”
The Dragon-man youth turned slightly, “What do you mean?”
Cang Xu earnestly said, “You are our leader, excellent and truly deserving. You treat people fairly from the depths of your heart, without a shred of pretense.”
“You want to care for each one of us and bravely shoulder the leader’s responsibilities.”
“However, everyone’s strength has limits.”
“And so do you, sir.”
“The Big guy is in dire straits, and you want to save him. Haven’t you noticed that you’re also being dragged into dire straits?”
“Appealing to Divine Arts is so risky it’s nearly a trap, but your noble nature makes you disregard these dangers.”
“Nobility is the epitaph of the noble; despicability is the passport of the despicable.”
“Before we came, we secretly gathered all our own people. We held a vote, consulting everyone’s opinions,” Cang Xu continued, looking towards Zong Ge.
Zong Ge spoke seriously, revealing the results of the vote: “No one supports your plan, Captain.”
“Is that so…” The Dragon-man youth hung his head, his expression one of disappointment and helplessness.
“Master!” Lan Zao spoke up, “If you want to take risks and insist on going to the temple, then I will certainly follow you, even death. But please, do not do this! Your life is more precious than mine, more than the Big guy’s, more than everyone’s!”
With that, Lan Zao fell to his knees on the floor, his face full of pleading.
The Dragon-man youth’s heart stirred.
Fat Tongue also urged, “Sir, everyone knows the Chairman’s feelings toward you. Have you not noticed at all?”
“If you insist on risking it all and die here, what will Zi Di do? She’s still waiting for you to rescue her.”
“Even if in the future, Zi Di by chance wakes up and hears that you were executed by the gods, how heartbroken she will be.”
“Please consider the feelings of others.”
“The Big guy is no relation to you; he’s only a half-breed with quite limited Intelligence.”
The Dragon-man youth remained silent.
Finally, Zong Ge said, “You are a leader. A leader can be compassionate, but must also consider the bigger picture.”
“You formed the Justice Pirate Group, and we all act around you. If we lose you, do you know what will happen to us?”
“Who will follow the orders of me—a Half-Beast?”
“Who will truly trust Cang Xu—a Undead Mage?”
“You are much more important than you think! The Justice Pirate Group can do without the rest of us, but we cannot do without you.”
“If you, for one Big guy, disregard everyone else, is that what a leader should do?”
The Dragon-man youth shook his head slightly, his tone low, “My friends, I am not as great as you say.”
“I just don’t want to watch the Big guy die like this.”
“I am a Beastification Person, even to say, a Magic Beast shaped by a War Merchant. And all his life, he, too, has been a monster not accepted by those around him, suffering exclusion and suspicion whether aboard the Pig Kiss or on Mysterious Monster Island.”
“So, when I look at him, in some ways, it’s like looking at myself.”
“In fact, my friends, I don’t want you to give up on him, especially I don’t want to see this happen.”
“If you were the Big guy, would you long for your comrades to abandon you, or to help you?”
“Should we abandon him? According to your analysis, it seems so. But I have a different thought.”
“We have Half-Beasts among us, goblins, Undead Mages, giants, and hybrids of the Human Race, and people like me who have undergone Beastification. How can we trust each other and rely on one another for support?”
Cang Xu and Zong Ge couldn’t help but show a slight change in their expressions.
“What does the Justice Pirate Group need the most? Is it Pearl Bubble? Is it time?”
“No.”
“It’s our mutual trust.”
“How are we different from the Big guy? We all have our unique characteristics, and we are ostracized by society. If we abandon the Big guy today, which is indeed the easiest action to take, then what confidence do we have in the future to ensure that others won’t abandon us?”
“The Big guy… though he is unsightly and not very intelligent, his character is more noble than mine.”
“He is willing to use his life to protect his loved ones, and because of a single word from the old shipwright, he risked his life to protect our newly built ship.”
“He trusts me, relies on me, and sees me as his last kin, the only support in this world.”
“He never builds his happiness on the suffering of others.”
“He has never lied or deceived us. I am not his equal in this respect because I have also hidden many things from you.”
“Is such a person not worth saving?”
“He is the most worthy of salvation among us! Because he has a heart as pure as gold.”
“We have all committed grave sins, and we all long for redemption. But if we don’t save him, our comrade, what right do we have to seek redemption for ourselves?!”
The cabin fell silent, and in the face of the Dragon-man youth’s rhetorical questions, everyone was left speechless.
The Dragon-man youth continued: “Though the Big guy is unconscious, he must be certain that I can help him! Just as he has always wished to help me.”
“I am willing to take the risk.”
“Not just for him, but for all of us.”
“I hope to practice my knightly creed through my actions!”
After a while, Cang Xu sighed deeply: “Sir, I have seen the banner of a knight flying high behind you. You are seeing further than we are.”
“We have no more reasons to stop you.”
“On the contrary, you have convinced me, please let me use a small spell to stimulate the Big guy’s spirit, to awaken him. Keeping him conscious will allow him to circulate his Fighting energy, further stabilizing his injuries.”
The Dragon-man youth expressed some doubt: “There won’t be any side effects, right?”
“Rest assured, sir. This is not Undead Magic. Even if the bishops of the Life Sect detect something amiss, they won’t consider the Big guy evil.”
The Dragon-man youth had no more doubts.
After Cang Xu cast the spell, the Big guy soon regained consciousness, though he was still somewhat confused.
Cang Xu’s attitude had changed since before, treating the Big guy with warm care.
Not long after, everyone left the bow deck, leaving only the Dragon-man youth and the Big guy.
Fat Tongue sighed: “Are we just going to watch as the Captain goes off to his death?”
Bai Ya: “But I think what the Captain said makes a lot of sense!”
Cang Xu smiled slightly, looking towards Lan Zao: “Would you give your life for your master?”
“Of course!” Lan Zao replied without hesitation.
Cang Xu asked again: “Then, do you think the Big guy would?”
After pondering for a moment, Lan Zao nodded affirmatively.
Cang Xu’s expression turned impassive: “We all heard the Captain’s heartfelt words, and we all felt his spirit.”
“That’s enough!”
“I think our vote wasn’t comprehensive.”
“We are missing one person.”
Zong Ge’s face showed a hint of surprise: “Are you referring to the Big guy?”
Cang Xu nodded and said to Lan Zao: “The Captain won’t be able to guard the Big guy all the time, and I have already woken him. His consciousness will become clearer and clearer.”
“You are the right person to go, you tell the Big guy everything.”
“Let him cast his own vote.”
“This?!” Lan Zao was shocked.
“To avoid any unnecessary complications, I’m entrusting this to you.” As he spoke, Cang Xu handed a Dagger to Lan Zao.
Lan Zao’s expression struggled for a moment.
Then.
He took the Dagger.