One month later, Donghai, Shieldstown.

In the 153rd branch adjacent to the small town, the atmosphere in the colonel's office was solemn. Looking at the expressionless Mengka on the seat, Lieutenant Colonel Jodi reported in a low voice.

"Colonel, news just came from the 173rd branch."

"Well, did they find it?"

Jodi hesitated and shook his head: "No."

"Then he must be dead!"

Lieutenant Colonel Klimans interrupted loudly, and the sound waves echoed in the small office, making people's eardrums hurt.

"It only lasted three hours, and even if you had a boat, you couldn't go far! Now we have gathered the strength of more than 20 branches in the East China Sea and searched for him for a month but couldn't find him. This can only mean that he was killed by a third-party force and his body was buried in the sea."

The bad thing about Lieutenant Colonel Klimans is that he doesn't have any scheming, but the good thing is that he doesn't have any scheming in mind. He says whatever comes to his mind.

Therefore, Mengka never regarded him as a threat, and after hearing this, he seriously considered this possibility.

"You can't say it so absolutely."

After a long time, he raised his eyelids, and through his iron chin, his voice was inexplicably filled with a bit of chill.

"Don't forget how the superiors warned us when such big mistakes happened in a row."

"Lowett's business is to see people alive or dead, there is no third possibility!"

"Lieutenant Colonel Jody..."

Jodi was shocked when he heard this and lowered his head, not daring to look at Mengka.

"exist!"

"You are fully responsible for this matter, do you understand? Even if his body is buried in the sea, we must fish out his body!"

Sure enough.

Jodi's face turned bitter, but he didn't dare to complain.

"clear!"

"Climans!"

"What's the matter?"

Mengka's eyelids twitched and he said: "Thank Colonel Mouse for me, bring a gift and visit him later. We will handle the next thing."

"That's right. Colonel Mouse also put in a lot of effort in the search area that was clearly not their responsibility."

Lieutenant Colonel Klimans nodded and said something that normal people could not say.

That's not called exerting effort, it's called earning merit!

He found one that he could get a piece of!

If Mengka doesn't call himself, he just reminds him: "Hey, brother, your men have crossed the line!"

But Klimans obviously didn't know this, and said regretfully: "It's a pity, the guys in Branch 16 are actually quite hardworking... But that's fine, they probably don't have that much free time to go out and find people recently."

"Um?"

Mengka frowned: "Why?"

What happened to branch 16?

"Oh, that's it, Colonel."

Klimans looked up at him: "I encountered their ship while patrolling outside a few days ago. I heard that another ghost ship collision had occurred, and they rushed back."

"Ghost ship collision?"

Mengka thought for a moment and suddenly realized: "Are they those incidents where unmanned pirate ships hit ports and merchant ships?"

"That's right."

Starting more than half a month ago, a caravan ship returning to the Goa Kingdom along the route encountered a pirate ship. At that time, they immediately notified 16 nearby branches and waited for rescue.

However, the expected attack did not come. On the contrary, there was not a single pirate on board.

It was pitch black in the middle of the night, with no lights or people visible.

In fear, the pirate ship was approaching all the way, just like that...

It hit him straight up!

The 16-branch rescue force that was thought to be fighting pirates turned into a real rescue force, and the lifeboats were filled with caravan members who fell into the water.

This is a small matter.

Being a pirate seems fun, but there are many enemies.

The navy, bounty hunters, other pirate groups, even vengeful madmen who hate pirates, etc.

The number of pirates who went to sea was so large, so many pirates were exterminated.

It couldn't be more common.

How else could there be so many rumors about ghost ships?

But a few days later, another pirate ship crashed into the port of a town in that area, and things turned weird.

There was also no body, and there was no trace of anyone.

There was not a single trace of battle visible on the ship, but the warm kettle and half-eaten food all proved that something was living on the ship not long ago.

Unable to find the answer, uneasiness and anxiety gathered among the people.

Branch 16 hurriedly stood up and said that this was the work of an unnamed pirate hunter, and that they had warned the pirate hunter and promised not to do it again.

It cannot be said that the same thing has not happened, and the probability is not low. Branch 16 did not take it seriously, thinking that there would not be a third time.

Then that day, the third ghost ship appeared.

Yes, at this time, people already believed that these were real ghost ships.

How else do you explain the warm kettle and half-eaten food on board the ship in full view of the navy?

That is the port of your navy!

Do you know if anyone took the opportunity to escape?

The trouble was someone else's, and Mengka was not moved by this. After asking that there were no blood stains left on the ship like the desert island that day, he stopped asking.

"Is this the fourth time? I have a lot of hatred against the pirates!"

Mengka also tended to believe that this was done by a certain pirate hunter, but the other party never came to collect the bounty, so he could not confirm it.

"Not only that, it's the ninth time!"

Lieutenant Colonel Klimans shook his head.

"so many?!"

Everyone was amazed.

Everyone is tired. You have to kill nine pirate groups in a row, one for three and a half days on average, without resting?

This doesn't include the search time.

In just one month, there are only a dozen or so pirate groups in total who are willing to borrow passage from the navy branch without fear of death, right?

"Isn't it?"

Klimans waved his hand: "Anyway, the current internal situation of Branch 16 can be imagined. After the pirate hunter was initially blamed, it is impossible to claim credit."

"There are indeed fewer pirates in that sea area, but there are also more people who have left their homes for fear of being cursed by the ghost ship."

This Clemans really dares to say anything.

Mengka's eyelids twitched and he coughed lightly: "Okay, don't worry about those things for now, let's deal with our own troubles first."

"Climans, you set out immediately to see if you can be of any help."

Since the mouse dared to stretch his hand over, why couldn't he?

Klimans, who was completely unaware of being taken advantage of, stood at attention and saluted: "Yes!"

…

Jingle Bell.

At night, a small boat docked at the port of Shieldstown.

In the rippling waves, a man wearing a bamboo hat jumped out of the boat, took out a rope, and tied a person in a small boat to the stone pier of the pier.

The way he bundled up the boat was very strange. He was squatting down, as if he was a man with limited hands and feet.

But not many people noticed this scene, and they didn't care if they noticed it. The night was getting darker, and everyone was in a hurry to go home and sleep.

Jingle Bell!

There was a bell tied to the bow of the boat. The sea water swayed slightly, and a dark figure emerged from the water, which made the bell ring continuously.

Hearing the sweet sound of the bell, not far away, the eyelids of the boatman who was busy gathering the fishing nets became heavy. After a while, his head drooped and he snored.
To be continued...