Sage patted Andre on the shoulder and said to Lily, "Give him ten million Bellies, and then leave him with a hundred people. Ask who's willing to stay stationed here."
Choosing a hundred people was easy, but before that, Sage still led these people, with Andre guiding them, to sweep the villages on the island. Each of these villages had a village chief with some relations to the town mayor. Although the villages weren't populous, the chiefs had assets equivalent to anywhere from hundreds of thousands to several million Bellies.
After taking out all the village chiefs and bringing the entire island under his command, they looted about forty million Bellies, plus six crates of gold and silver treasures, totaling roughly around one hundred million Bellies.
The ten million loaned out doesn't count; that was a personal loan from Sage, but if counted as spoils, it's definitely included.
After taking half for himself and several shares for a few high-ranking officers, there wasn't much left, with each getting thirty thousand Bellies.
Money surely wasn't much, considering there were so many people; Sage had brought about a thousand people, whereas normally, an island like this would only take a hundred or so to handle.
After completely occupying the island, Sage had Sayou taken to the volcano to collect some volcanic rocks. The results were delightful; this stuff contained the gemstone components she needed, serving as the main material for Rainbow Gems.
"You've got another industry now."
Sage said to Andre, "Start a mining operation to extract this material here. I'll purchase it at a fair price. First, sort out food, fertilizer, and volcanic rock. If you have energy to spare, invest wherever you want."
"Yes, yes, Master Sage, I will not let you down!" Andre said excitedly.
This was indeed a pleasant surprise.
As for whether anyone would be unwilling to work, Andre didn't care; he was paying real gold and silver!
"As for the hundred staying behind, you won't be involved in robbery anymore, just security. Of course, I'll pay you. If you're bored, you can apply to switch duties and continue robbing. Don't worry about being abandoned. As long as you follow me, even if you get seriously injured or disabled, I promise you'll have a meal as long as I'm around!"
Sage was very fair!
"Oh!!"
His words ignited an even more passionate cheer from the pirates.
Pirates are like wandering souls and wild ghosts drifting on the sea, with dozens per ship, floating on the vast ocean, living day by day.
The money they loot, sometimes they don't even manage to spend it before they're gone, so every pirate is actually living on the edge, afraid that if they're deemed worthless, it's all over for them.
But now it was different. Their Captain was guaranteeing their livelihood!
Which pirate crew pays a salary...
Even the Four Emperors don't have such benefits, right?
Even being useless isn't a problem, you can just find a place to retire in peace!
Some pirates, with wavering thoughts, only turned to piracy because they couldn't survive, so they headed out to sea to find a way of living.
But now they had one, guarding Master Sage's territory, which was like having a stable job!
And Master Sage was starting a business here, with wages for workers... Could they bring their families over and settle down here?
As Sage boarded the ship, Andre watched the enormous Black Ship gradually distance from the shore, and then he said to the pirate standing beside him, "Barnaby, I didn't expect you'd stay too. Now, I'm relieved."
Among the hundred who volunteered to stay was Barnaby, who had a bounty of fifty-six million.
"Don't call me 'sir'... I'm just a small fry in the Disaster Pirates."
Barnaby shook his head and smiled, "Andre, about that mining field Master Sage mentioned... Can I invest a bit too? Don't worry, I won't ask for interest, just a share of the dividends."
His reason for staying was simple - he just wanted a slice of the pie here.
The captain didn't seem to forbid such things. Even though he wasn't good at business, he could still invest, just like Master Sage.
"Well..." Andre hesitated for a moment, mouth pressing together, not answering.
"Relax, I'll pay the taxes, I won't break Master Sage's rules. I have five million Bellies back home. As long as you say yes, I'll give it all to you, just for a share of dividends."
"Alright, but I can't guarantee how much dividends I can provide right now. It will depend on the total investment needed after we start production, and then I'll give you a corresponding share." Andre replied.
"No problem, looking forward to working together!" Barnaby said happily.
...
In the captain's cabin of the Death Star, Lily, gazing out of the window at the gradually receding island, said, "That Barnaby seems to have other intentions. Shouldn't we stop him, Sage?"
"No need to mind."
Sage, holding a cigar, lit a lighter, rolled it around the smoke body and then lit it, "As long as they pay taxes, give people wages, are loyal to me, it doesn't matter who they work for."
He didn't care about such things because, in the end, there was no difference.
Finding an unknown guy to do it was less preferable than giving the chance to someone like Barnaby, who had contributed intelligence in the past.
If someone doesn't seize the opportunity, should we find those who don't?
It doesn't matter who does the work as it doesn't change anything, obviously choose someone agreeable.
No money will be lost anyway.
The Death Star continued its voyage, steering slowly towards Augustine Castle amidst thunder and lightning.
Upon exiting the island's territorial waters, the storm arrived immediately.
But at this moment, Lily exhaled a sigh of relief, noticeably relaxing a lot.
"What's up, Lily, did you notice something?" asked Sage curiously.
"No, nothing..." Lily bit her lip and shook her head.
"I know, I know!"
Renedia reached out, directly answering Lily's unspoken thoughts.
"Lily was worried the volcano would erupt and destroy the island, but now we've left, and the storm's come, meaning your bad luck, Sage, has already taken effect, it won't increase anymore!"
"What nonsense!"
Sage glared at Renedia, "I'll repeat, the storm wasn't conjured by me. I admit I'm a bit unlucky, but the storm has nothing to do with me. It's a shift in climate, not my doing!"
"Mm, you're right." Renedia replied perfunctorily.
"Go draw your weapon designs!" Sage rolled his eyes in exasperation.
What, blame him for volcanic eruptions too? And sea levels rising in the future, that's also his bad luck?
Utter absurdity!
BOOM!
In the dim sky, a massive bolt of lightning struck down, hitting the sea and a swaying ship, charring its mast, and with burning sails, it crashed down on the deck heavily.
BAM!
At that moment, a gigantic wave also crashed in, under enormous pressure, the ship broke in half, with one part getting engulfed by the sea.
"It's over!"
A trader clinging to the bow, face pale and eyes filled with despair, exclaimed.
He never imagined that, despite following the route, specifically avoiding the dangerous waters around the Gares Kingdom, and almost reaching the destination, such a massive storm would appear!
A storm's a storm, why is there lightning too!
Is the New World this harsh!
They were just one step away!
"I refuse!"
The trader screamed, "Anyone, save me now, and I'll make you rich, I'll definitely make you rich!"
Behind him, similarly dressed traders, all had faces full of fear.
In such a fierce storm, if the ship sank, would there be any hope?
"No, wait, there's a ship, I see a ship!"
One keen-eyed trader, in the midst of the storm's obscuring fury, noted a huge silhouette, speeding through the tempestuous waves, stormy rain, and crackling lightning, unaffected as it cleaved the seas.
Like a ghost ship.
"Hey, stop shouting, that's a ghost ship! The New World really is terrifying; it even has ghost ships. Just like a disaster, sailing amidst the storm..." One of the merchants was almost in tears.
However, the merchant at the top, though initially terrified, calmed down upon hearing this.
Storms...
And a ship that brings its own storm...
He stared fixedly at the top of the massive approaching vessel, spotting a familiar emblem on the sails.
Starry Sky Skull Flag!
"Disaster! Sage! Norton Sage! Help!"
The merchant erupted in a scream louder than ever, his voice hoarse from shouting, "I am Link! Your most loyal good buddy, the one who fenced goods for you, Link!"
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning descended from the sky once again, striking directly at Link's head...