A Friend in Need is a Friend to Sell
Pelmas was flustered.
"W-What?"
"T-Tae-hyun-nim."
"What, punk? You're the one who said we should use an intellectual method. Isn't this what you meant?"
"Of course not! You can't do this!"
"Why not? You're the one who did it. Just accept it."
Pelmas, the former gambler. Even if someone said he had run off with another person's money, it wouldn't be surprising at all. If it had been any other NPC, Tae-hyun would have felt a deep sense of betrayal, but since it was Pelmas, his reaction was more along the lines of, 'Ah, of course he did. No surprises there!'
"When you suggested using an intellectual method, I wondered what you meant, but you were planning this all along. How admirable."
"No, I wasn't—mmph!"
Galakpad's slaves quickly stepped forward and gagged Pelmas.
"Well done, Galakpad."
"Thank you, Tae-hyun-nim. It was nothing. Now we just need to hand over this eyesore of a man. To think even pirates can be useful at times... This must be the guidance of Lord Archisus..."
"No, it's really not."
Meeting the guy Pelmas had scammed right here in the middle of nowhere was definitely not the guidance of Archisus. If that counted as divine guidance, then this cult had some serious issues!
Meanwhile, the pirate captain furrowed his brow and asked, "You captured that guy?"
"Yes! When we spoke to him, he was boasting quite proudly about running off with your money, Captain."
"What! You, you, you!"
The pirate captain's face flushed bright red with rage. Pelmas frantically shook his head, but the captain wasn't looking at him.
"You shameless bastard!"
"Even though I am but a humble merchant, how could I not know the reputation of the captain who makes the seas of Uruk tremble! That is why I captured him and brought him straight to you!"
"To think...! You are a truly good fellow!"
Kada, Captain of the Kada Pirates, is deeply moved by your actions.
Your reputation within the Kada Pirates has reached its maximum.
Kada's affinity has reached its maximum.
You have acquired the Title: [Friend of Pirates].
A single Pelmas was all it took to max out his reputation!
Tae-hyun was flustered too. Just how much did this captain hate Pelmas to react like this?
"Come inside, merchants! Today is a feast! Your name is..."
"Kim Tae-hyun."
"Right! Throw a grand feast for my good friend, Kim Tae-hyun!"
A feast is held by the Kada Pirates.
Your Reputation increases.
Mentioning this feast will please the pirates of Uruk.
"It is my turn to step up."
"Stay still."
"No, but..."
"I said, stay still."
When Stau stepped forward, his fingers practically itching to cook, Tae-hyun firmly held him back. They had just befriended the pirates; he didn't want to start a life-or-death battle right away. Stau's cooking was just that volatile.
"Mmph! Mmph-mmph!"
"Tae-hyun-nim, please try this dish. The flavor is quite excellent."
"Thank you, Galakpad."
Tae-hyun and Galakpad warmly offered food to each other. Just because it was pirate food didn't mean it should be looked down upon. The dishes were packed with an abundance of fresh, local seafood.
"Mmph! Mmph-mmph!"
"Be quiet, Pelmas. You're disturbing our meal."
"Exactly, Pelmas. Do you really have to keep making those noises while we're eating?"
Unable to speak, Pelmas could only shed fat, sorrowful tears.
This is too much!
"Still, I never expected the 'intellectual method' Pelmas mentioned to turn out like this. I suppose even Pelmas has his uses, Tae-hyun-nim."
"Well, isn't that just how the world works?"
Pelmas's thrashing grew even more violent. Tsk-tsking, Tae-hyun finally removed his gag.
"So, why did you run off with his money in the first place?"
"No! It was all a misunderstanding!"
"What misunderstanding?"
"I merely borrowed some money and couldn't pay it back..."
"..."
"..."
"...Should we just gag him again and throw him in a corner?"
Galakpad wanted to use this opportunity to get rid of Pelmas once and for all. He was a fellow who brought absolutely nothing to the table yet was thoroughly unlikable!
"No. We can't just abandon Pelmas."
"Tae-hyun-nim! I knew I could trust you!"
Pelmas was deeply moved, his eyes welling with tears at Tae-hyun's words.
"But since we need to get closer to them first, you'll have to suffer a bit."
"...Excuse me?"
"Just play the role of a quiet, submissive prisoner. Stay locked up for a while."
"N-No. What if I die...?"
"You won't die, you won't die. I'm here. Don't you trust me?"
"..."
When Pelmas didn't answer immediately, Tae-hyun's face turned serious.
"You don't trust me? Wow, my feelings are hurt."
"N-No. It's not that I don't trust you..."
"Then that means you do trust me, right?"
"Yes..."
"Go in quietly. I'll rescue you later."
"Wait, let me think about this again, mmph—!"
Without waiting for a reply, Tae-hyun stuffed the gag back into his mouth.
Captain Kada was walking over from a distance.
"My friends! Are you eating and drinking well!"
"Yes! Thank you!"
"Die, you son of a bitch!"
"Mmph! Mmph-mmph!"
Kada delivered a swift kick to Pelmas, sending him rolling across the floor.
"Do you have any idea how much I suffered because of the money you stole! I became a pirate because of you!"
An unexpected backstory! Tae-hyun quickly stepped in to stop Kada. It would be a disaster if Pelmas actually died.
"Captain, please calm down!"
"Why are you stopping me!"
"Wouldn't it be a waste if he died so easily like this? We should pick an auspicious day, subject him to all kinds of torture, and then execute him to show off your majestic pirate authority!"
Pelmas's face turned pale as he listened, but Kada nodded, finding the suggestion quite reasonable.
"That makes sense. I'll pick a day and slice him to pieces..."
Eek! Pelmas trembled violently.
Kada scratched his chin and asked, "What are your plans now? Since you've sold all your goods, are you heading back?"
"I have always admired you, Captain! If you would permit it, I would love to join you!"
"Oh? Really? Then... excellent! I shall appoint you as my Vice-Captain!"
You have joined the Kada Pirates.
Your current position within the crew is Vice-Captain.
"Captain?!"
"Captain! Even so, making him Vice-Captain is..."
"Silence! How dare you speak that way to the benefactor who brought me my nemesis!"
Kada roared furiously at the other pirates.
Cain thought to himself:
Why does this guy, Kim Tae-hyun, always get handed high-ranking positions the moment he joins a villainous faction?
Other players had to grind through all kinds of quests and suffer immensely just to raise their standing within a faction, but Tae-hyun effortlessly secured the position of a villain's second-in-command. It was a natural talent for villainy!
"I look forward to working with you, Vice-Captain!"
"Hehehe. Thank you, Captain!"
Tae-hyun let out a sly, sycophantic laugh. Kada smiled with satisfaction.
"Then we shall set sail soon. We still have some time, but there's no sense in being late."
"Is there something going on?"
"There is a meeting of the pirates of this sea."
"A meeting?"
According to Kada, the pirates of the southern Uruk seas did not belong to a single faction. They were independent crews sailing around on their own. Of course, considering they were pirates, that was only natural.
However, even these lawless pirates gathered to consult one another on rare occasions—specifically, when an event occurred that required them to join forces.
"What kind of event would require that?"
"A Great Pirate has arrived."
"A Great Pirate?"
"The Great Pirate Gardu. Have you not heard of him?"
"Uh..."
Tae-hyun froze. It was a name he had heard many times before...
Gardu!!
Tae-hyun pulled out the pirate map from his bag. It was the source of the dreadful, ill-fated connection that had plagued him ever since he raided the Caterand Pirates!
Hand over the map!
When Gardu had demanded it, Tae-hyun had briefly wondered if it would have been better to just hand it over, but he didn't regret his choice. If someone tried to push him around using sheer force, Tae-hyun's nature demanded he screw them over to feel satisfied!
"Why has the Great Pirate Gardu come here?"
"From what I've heard, he plans to attack the Atali Kingdom. Since the Atali Kingdom is too difficult to attack alone, he's trying to gather the other pirates. Whatever the case, a Great Pirate is a Great Pirate. To think of attacking the Atali Kingdom... how bold. Don't you think?"
"Ah, yes. Truly bold."
Cold sweat trickled down Tae-hyun's back.
If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that the Great Pirate Gardu wouldn't suddenly attack the Atali Kingdom for no reason.
Is he targeting my territory?!
If Gardu's plan was to land in the Atali Kingdom and march up to attack Tae-hyun's territory...
"Surely you aren't thinking of accepting Gardu's proposal?"
"Well, I'm not sure. I quite like it here. But I'll have to hear what the others think. There will be plenty of fools looking to strike it rich."
"What nonsense!"
"Huh?"
"Gardu is trying to use you all as arrow fodder! Think of his notorious reputation! The Caterand Pirates were wiped out precisely because he refused to help them!"
"???"
Listening from behind, Pelmas was utterly bewildered. Wait, wasn't it Tae-hyun who wiped out the Caterand Pirates?
"Is that so?"
"The Caterand Pirates always offered their absolute loyalty to Gardu, yet Gardu didn't lift a single finger to help them! He is an incredibly selfish bastard who only cares about himself!"
"Well, that is how pirates usually are."
"This time is no different! Why would that greedy bastard call upon you all? He wants to put you at the front lines to serve as shield fodder, and then take all the loot for himself. You must never accept!"
Tae-hyun's voice was filled with absolute sincerity. It was a raw, powerful emotion that completely bypassed his Advanced Rhetoric skill!
Kada wavered at his words.
"Indeed... that makes sense. Gardu is not a trustworthy fellow. The Atali Kingdom is tempting, but it is also highly dangerous."
"Exactly! You must oppose it. You must never forget how evil and wicked Gardu's intentions truly are!"
Tae-hyun desperately began to persuade the Kada Pirates. He had to weaken Gardu's forces by any means necessary!
"But how long do we have to stay here?"
"Why are you asking me?"
Chairman Yoo replied while fishing.
Captured by the Gardu Pirates, they were currently sailing toward the southern seas of Uruk.
The voyage itself was quite comfortable. No one dared to challenge the fleet of the Great Pirate Gardu!
Of course, the members of the Power Warrior Guild were busy running around doing chores.
[Chore: Repair all 10 rusty swords!]
[Chore: Prepare a meal for 50 pirates by dinner!]
Chairman Yoo had also received a chore quest, but perhaps because he was a fisherman, his was a fishing quest. And as long as he could fish, Chairman Yoo was perfectly content.
"If you give the word, Elder, I will draw up an escape plan!"
"...You?"
Chairman Yoo looked at Choi Min-soo with a skeptical expression.
One of the things he had realized lately was that Tae-hyun was an incredibly capable player. He might be completely shameless, but his competence was undeniable!
In contrast, the world was filled with people who were both shameless and utterly incompetent.
The Power Warrior Guild members standing nearby quickly waved their hands.
"I-I'll just stay here. It's actually quite comfortable once you get used to it."
"I even got 1 silver earlier because they liked my cooking. Hehe."
"Hey! What is wrong with you guys!"
"Honestly, how can we trust you and run? Everything you've said so far has turned out to be wrong!"
"A person can make a mistake once or twice!"
"If we let you make one or two more mistakes, we'll be completely wiped out!"
An internal conflict erupted within the Power Warrior Guild.
Chairman Yoo sighed and shook his head. He felt it would be much safer to escape on his own than to rely on them.
"...Does that fellow not have any real work to do?"
Chairman Yoo asked, utterly dumbfounded.
"A rescue team?"
"A rescue, not a subjugation?"
"No thanks. I don't do those kinds of quests."
The rankers who received the proposal showed various reactions.
Above all, a rescue quest rather than a subjugation was highly unusual. It was not a common quest in Pan-On.
Unless it was a quest to rescue a kidnapped noble, there was rarely any reason to do such a thing.
Furthermore, there were practically no in-game rewards to speak of, since this wasn't an official quest generated by the system.
However, Executive Director Kim resolved the issue in the exact same manner Chairman Yoo would have.
"If you accept... I will compensate you with this much."
"Gasp!"
"Gaaaaasp!"
A massive real-money transaction!
Executive Director Kim was making an offer they simply could not refuse.