Chapter Fifty-One: Murata’s Ear

This living pirate is perfect for training the villagers’ courage!

Even Chen Shu, who had seen countless battles, felt a chill run through him upon hearing this. Ruthless!

Soldiers at the frontier often captured enemy civilians or soldiers, tying them to posts for the new recruits to practice. But that was in the bleak, bitter cold of the borderlands, where commanders were decisive and merciless, compelled by necessity to keep their troops battle-ready. How could a small fishing village in a remote corner produce someone as savage as Qin Zhen?

Though shocked, Chen Shu did not object; in fact, he felt a vague thrill. In his eyes, these pirates were evil incarnate—death was too good for them! To simply kill them with one stroke would be letting them off easy. Better to tie them up and let the villagers cut them to pieces, one blade per person—now that would be satisfying!

Seeing the villagers surrounding them with hostile faces, the remaining pirates instinctively felt terror. They didn’t know what these lowly merchants planned, but it clearly wouldn’t be anything good.

“No… don’t kill me!” a youthful voice cried out. It was a boyish pirate, tied to a pillar, struggling as he blurted out a few broken words in the merchants’ tongue.

“Well, we’ve caught a tongue,” Chen Shu exclaimed in wonder. It was rare to find a pirate who spoke the merchants’ language.

“Who are you?” Qin Zhen immediately stepped forward, studying the youth and demanding in a deep voice, “Where did you land? How many are left?”

Murata Ear, trembling, replied, “Reporting to the lord, I am Murata Ear, a pirate from Rasetsu Reef...” Before he could finish, Qin Zhen’s short dagger plunged into his shoulder. The pain and terror broke his resolve, and he quickly spilled everything about their journey.

“We landed at Golden Sands Beach. We encountered a village along the way. Aside from the seven or eight who stayed behind, everyone else is here…”

“Lies!” Chief Chen sneered. “Golden Sands Beach borders the East Sea, patrolled by our merchant navy. How did you land there?”

Qin Zhen pushed the blade deeper, piercing Murata Ear’s shoulder and causing blood to gush.

“I swear I speak the truth! We followed Captain Oda from Golden Sands Beach, and didn’t meet any merchant navy along the way.”

“And what about this captain?” Chen Shu pressed.

“He’s dead… lying right there…” Murata Ear trembled in pain. “The sword this lord holds is Captain Oda’s.”

---

“Why did you land?” Qin Zhen asked.

Murata Ear’s expression turned evasive. Qin Zhen was in no hurry; he slowly twisted the dagger, making blood spurt anew. The agony and fear shredded Murata Ear’s mental defenses.

At last, he confessed. “To capture merchant slaves.”

Qin Zhen knew what merchant slaves were—just as northern barbarians called merchants 'two-legged sheep,' merchant slaves was a degrading term for the merchant people.

“Why do you speak our language?” Qin Zhen’s tone was icy.

Having witnessed Qin Zhen’s methods, Murata Ear dared not delay. “My family has a merchant slave, a reward for my brother’s campaign against the merchants. She taught me your language!”

“You just mentioned another group.” Qin Zhen kept twisting the dagger, nearly tearing Murata Ear’s arm apart, exposing bone beneath the shredded flesh. “Is there any other group of pirates ashore besides yours?”

Qin Zhen had to determine if this was a lone raid or a new war launched by the pirate nation against the merchants.

“No one else! Just us! The merchant navy patrols constantly—most routes are blocked. Captain Oda knew this path from before, which is why he led us here.” By now, Murata Ear feared Qin Zhen utterly. “Captain Oda said he landed at Golden Sands Beach years ago, killed many, stole much...”

“Years ago?” Qin Zhen’s instincts sharpened. He drew his knife and stabbed Murata Ear’s other arm. “Was it ten years ago?”

Murata Ear wailed in pain. “It must have been… Captain Oda was different from us. He was a veteran of the Evil Merchant Sea War…”

Pirates—that was what the merchants called these outsiders. In truth, they called themselves the Xietai Nation. The Evil Merchant Sea War had happened ten years prior!

That year, pirates landed and ravaged three thousand miles of coastline—wherever they went, heads rolled, blades never rested! Qin Zhen’s elder brother was killed by pirates that year.

Seeing that Qin Zhen was about to kill Murata Ear, Chief Chen hurriedly reminded him, “Brother Qin, leave one alive. These pirates are far more valuable alive than dead!”

Looking at Murata Ear, whose arms were pouring blood and nearly useless, Qin Zhen pulled out the knife.

“One last question: where is the village you mentioned?”

After learning the village’s location, Qin Zhen tossed Murata Ear, now limp as a dead dog, into Shanhai’s hands.

“Tell your senior not to let him die!”

With that, Qin Zhen immediately led the village guard toward the village Murata Ear had described.

---

He took only the village guard; the fishing crew and most villagers stayed behind to guard against surprises.

No one knew if Murata Ear was telling the truth—if there were still other pirates, precautions were necessary.

“Brother Chen, how do you plan to deal with the pirates?” Qin Zhen asked suddenly as they walked.

“Take them to the county, of course,” Chief Chen replied, clearly in good spirits. “Since the pirates first landed over a decade ago, countless innocent people have died at their hands! Even local militias and garrisons have been terrified, fleeing before them. This time, we’ve not only wiped out dozens of pirates, but captured many alive—this is a first in all of Jiangnan!”

The court would surely reward them.

For Chen, who had worked as a constable for over a decade, this could be his big break. If not, he’d remain in the coastal county forever. He never imagined that honors would fall from the sky!

He reckoned he’d finally be able to leave the county for the city—becoming chief constable of Coastal City!

The difference between county and city was immense—not just for him, but even the county magistrate would rise in stature.

“Brother Qin, rest assured. I will report the battle truthfully to the court. You can expect their commendation!” The more Chen looked at Qin Zhen, the more he liked him, wishing he could hug him and shower him with praise.

Since teaming up with Qin Zhen, he’d gained wealth, respect, and now military merit! Qin Zhen was a godsend—a fortune-bringer from the heavens!

“Brother Qin, if your village has such strength, why fear those bandits?” Chen recalled the matter with Scarface, his expression turning subtle.

Previously, killing Scarface might have caused trouble. But now, if the bandits of Hat Mountain learned that the fishing villagers had wiped out a hundred pirates, not a single bandit in the entire coastal county would dare threaten them.

Just as Qin Zhen was about to speak, Chen Shu, who was scouting ahead, called out in a deep voice.

“Found it.”