Following the dim light on the ship, Li Ying didn't have much trouble finding her way to the cabin where the pirate leader lived.
Without much thought, she immediately rummaged through the messy trunks and boxes.
However, no matter how thoroughly she searched the small cabin, she found nothing.
Just when she was at a loss, she heard heavy and disorderly footsteps outside the cabin door.
Li Ying quickly pulled Lu Xunguang and carefully hid their figures behind the curtain.
A moment later, two pirates supported the pirate leader from left and right and slowly walked into the room. They laid the drunken man on the bed.
"What bad luck! Rarely did the girls from the fishing village bring good wine and food today, but it's our turn to stand guard. Not only do we have to watch others eat, drink and have fun, but now we also have to clean up this mess of a drunk. It's really unlucky!"
One pirate snorted indignantly. The other quickly gave him a look: "Shh, keep your voice down. If the boss hears such rebellious words, you'll be dead!"
The first pirate fell silent as told. He covered the pirate leader with a thin animal skin and then left with a bitter face to attend to the other brothers on the deck.
Li Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief. The knockout drug hidden under her nails wasn't enough to knock out all the pirates on the ship. Fortunately, the remaining pirates just thought their companions had drunk too much and didn't suspect that someone was trying to hijack the ship and rescue the hostages.
Outnumbered, it would be unwise to fight head - on.
After the two minions left the cabin, Li Ying pulled Lu Xunguang out from behind the curtain. They held their breath and carefully sized up the sleeping pirate leader.
He reeked of alcohol and sniffed groggily. Maybe he smelled the faint fragrance from Li Ying or for some other reason, he grunted incoherently. One of his restless hands casually opened his robe, revealing a large expanse of his scar - covered chest.
Li Ying immediately noticed a delicate brocade box hidden under his inner garment. If she guessed correctly, it should be the pink pearls that Zhang Lu and the others had collected.
She held her breath, gave Lu Xunguang a look, and carefully reached out her hand to try to hook the box.
Just as she was about to succeed easily, a faint look of joy appeared on Li Ying's brow. At that moment, she heard a hoarse sneer.
"The young lady repeatedly warned us not to underestimate the enemy. I was still thinking that a delicate woman couldn't be that capable. But today, it seems we really underestimated her."
Li Ying felt a dull pain in her wrist. Her eyes met the pirate leader's playful ones, and her heart sank.
It was Lu Xunguang who quickly kicked the pirate leader hard on the ulna.
The pirate leader groaned in pain and instinctively let go of Li Ying's hand. He took two steps back. Lu Xunguang quickly pulled Li Ying behind him, shielding her completely with his own shadow.
The pirate leader steadied himself, cleared the daze from his eyes, calmly picked up the brocade box that Li Ying had dropped on the ground, and said with a smile, "Using the beauty trap on me, Miss Li is really brave."
He slowly opened the box. While playing with the two pink pearls inside, he said in a rather regretful tone, "It's a pity that these rare pearls are still mine in the end. Miss, you've fallen into my trap."
He clapped his hands, and the pirates who had been lying listlessly on the deck suddenly got up full of energy, with a clear look in their eyes.
"Miss, we're the masters of drugs and incense. Your useless knockout drug is as childish as a sugar bean. Thinking you can subdue us with such a little trick is just a pipe dream."
Li Ying secretly thought it was bad.
She thought Su Buchi had managed to lead the captured fishermen to escape while the pirates were unconscious.
If all this was part of the pirates' plan...
Weren't they in danger!
As if to confirm her worry, sure enough, several pirates pushed and shoved Su Buchi back.
"Boss, we never thought this girl was actually a man in disguise! Brothers managed to catch him before they landed on the shore. But this kid was unruly. The strange moon fruit he had on him made a lot of smoke! Brothers couldn't see the way clearly. We had no choice but to bring back only this kid!"
Su Buchi's clothes were in tatters. Under his messy hair, his thin and handsome face had several bruises, obviously having been beaten by the angry pirates.
"Miss Li, I... I've lived up to your trust..."
He said this and then fainted on the ground, unconscious.
Li Ying didn't know how this scholar had managed to use the half - baked "smoke bombs" she had given him to protect the villagers and let them escape.
The pirate leader contemptuously kicked Su Buchi hard.
"What a bunch of useless idiots! But at least we've got a hostage!"
"Miss, if you don't want to die obediently and still think of using this loyal dog beside you to resist, then... we brothers are used to living a life of danger. In a moment of desperation, we might accidentally crush the pearls and hurt this pretty boy. It's hard to say."
Hearing this, Li Ying's heart tightened again!
Su Buchi had risked his life to protect her. How could she just stand by and do nothing?
The bright steel knives of several pirates were placed on Su Buchi's neck. Even though she secretly tightened her grip on the "smoke bombs" and "tear - gas" in her arms, she was really afraid of harming Su Buchi and didn't dare to act.
The pirates' dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed firmly on her. As long as she made the slightest move, they would cut Su Buchi into pieces.
Now the enemy had the upper hand, and they were in a very difficult situation. It was really a tough problem to find a way out.
Lu Xunguang must have noticed this too, which was why he hadn't taken action.
"Miss, a wise man knows when to yield. Since you've seen the current situation clearly, quickly tidy up and come and have some fun with us brothers. It'll be a worthy death for you!"
As the pirate leader said this, he walked towards Li Ying proudly, as if he was sure that Lu Xunguang and Li Ying wouldn't dare to act because of the hostage.
"Wait!"
Lu Xunguang stood firm, still blocking Li Ying behind him. He frowned and spoke in a deep voice.
The pirate leader only regarded him as Li Ying's bodyguard and didn't take Lu Xunguang seriously. Hearing him speak up to stop him, he just gave him a contemptuous look.
"What are you?"
Lu Xunguang raised his head proudly and said, "Let go of A Ying and Uncle Su, and return the pearls. I'll let you do whatever you want with me!"
The pirate leader seemed to hear something extremely funny. He sneered contemptuously, "What are you?"
Li Ying's heart tightened.
Sure enough, Lu Xunguang said loudly, "I'm the mortal enemy that your master has been tossing and turning at night, longing to kill!"