Master of Thermodynamics

Starfish Island.

This island in the Gulf Sea is nominally part of the Thousand Lake Kingdom in the south of the mainland, but it is actually no different from an independent kingdom.

Because Haixing Island hangs alone overseas, it is more than 300 kilometers away from the mainland.

Due to the lower latitude, the temperature on the island is significantly higher than that on the Tide Islands.

In Haichao Islands, the temperature at noon is already as low as minus 10 degrees, and the sea around many islands is also frozen, but the temperature on Haixing Island is above zero all day.

This large island with a total area of ​​more than 200 square kilometers, most of the area is the territory of Earl Earl, less than 20% of the land belongs to other nobles, including a baron and several knights, they too A vassal of Earl Eriksson.

On Starfish Island, Earl Eriksson has the right to make decisions in almost all matters.

Thanks to the unique island environment, Seastar Island is very safe. There is no need to face the black orcs' peaks. The biggest threat is only the pirates in the bay waters.

However, the pirates would only harass outside the port, and would never take the initiative to attack the territory of an earl, let alone set foot on land.

Because an earl's subordinate, there must be a powerful extraordinary person to serve.

Although Haixing Island is far away from the mainland, it is not that kind of remote and poor territory. On the contrary, this island is quite prosperous.

It is only more than 600 kilometers away from the Xinghai Continent in the south, which makes it an ideal transfer station. Most merchant ships heading to the east of the Xinghai Continent will choose to dock at the Starfish Island to supplement food and fresh water, and at the same time be repaired here.

The total population of the island is slightly more than 30,000, and more than 50% of the population is concentrated in Haixing City. There is a large natural harbor on the south side of the city, and the water depth is generally more than 20 meters.

Due to the unique geographical location, the Earl of Eriksson has paid great attention to trade and commerce, and spent a large sum of money on port construction. After years of continuous expansion, the total number of berths in the port has exceeded 200.

This amazing scale makes Haixing Port one of the best ports in the south, with thousands of merchant ships going to and from here every year.

The extremely prosperous trade also allowed the Earl of Earl to be wealthy, and relying solely on commercial taxes and various income from the port, the annual income of the Earl could far exceed that of the nobles of the same level.

It is a pity that due to the impact of the storm season, there will always be half a year each year when the maritime trade routes are completely cut off.

At this time, the originally busy port will become very deserted, and the ocean-going merchant ships that used to be in groups will disappear without a trace, and only the fishing boats fishing in the coastal waters will enter and exit the port.

At this time, it was the time when the berth manager Hansen was the most leisurely.

He doesn't have to run around at the berths of the wharf, because he doesn't have to climb up and down on different merchant ships all the time to handle the berthing formalities for merchant ships from all over the world.

During the storm season, Hansen only has to deal with a few dozen large fishing boats every day, and most of the time he has nothing to do.

When the weather is good, these fishing boats will sail along the coast to salvage conch and seashells.

Of course, there are more than a dozen fishing boats on the island, but most of the fishing boats are small wooden boats, which can be moored at any angle, and these large berths in the port are not used at all.

What's more, those poor fishermen can't afford the expensive parking fees. Now that the fish stocks are scarce, the fish they have worked so hard to catch may not be enough to pay the parking fees.

Now that the New Year has just passed, the waves are quite big, and all the fishing boats in the port are parked at the berths honestly, without any intention to move. Hansen has foreseen that today is probably another day of panic.

The cold sea breeze whizzed across the pier, causing Hansen's cheeks to sting slightly. The waves slapped against the wave-breaker in the distance, blowing up countless waves and constantly making a huge roar.

He tightened his collar tightly, and he missed the busy days in his heart.

Of course, what Hansen misses is not busy work, but extra money at work.

When handling berthing formalities for merchant ships, many shipowners often don't mind giving Hansen a little benefit and "encourage" him to improve work efficiency.

These benefits are either a handful of copper nars or commodities transported on merchant ships, and occasionally a generous shipowner can even get a silver nar.

At the busiest time, the foreign express income was higher than the salary, but this **** stormy season not only drove the merchant ship away, but also squeezed most of his pockets by the way.

Hansen sighed unhappily, turned around and walked to the office on the pier. After standing outside for a long time, the damp sea breeze made his hands and feet cold. He urgently needed to go to the office to warm up his body.

When passing a yellow weed, he couldn't help but glanced at the big pit not far away. The brown mud in the pit was exposed, in sharp contrast with the surrounding dry grass.

An extremely **** picture immediately appeared in his mind: blood all over the floor, hollowed internal organs, gnawed to reveal a boneless body.

This made Hansen shudder uncontrollably. Thinking of several similar incidents during this period, the shadow in his heart deepened.

He sighed secretly and drew a triangle pattern on his chest, with the Father God on top, hoping that the Knights in the territory could catch the murderer as soon as possible.

After walking more than 30 meters, he vaguely heard someone calling his name.

Hansen stopped, turned his head and looked around, and found that on the observation tower more than 20 meters high in the distance, the observer Derek leaned his upper body out of the window, shouting his name.

Seeing Hansen looking at him, Derek waved his right hand and shouted louder.

"Hanson...the sea...the boat..."

But due to the long distance, Hansen only heard a few words intermittently.

He walked dozens of steps to the watchtower before he heard Derek's words.

"Hanson... two sailing ships appeared on the sea..."

Hansen was taken aback.

He subconsciously looked into the distance. The strong sea breeze set off waves on the sea. Waves with heights of 2 and 3 meters were everywhere. He knew that this was just the appearance. It was the new year and the stormy season. In its heyday, there are still countless extremely dangerous turbulences in the angry sea.

There was a strong question in Hansen's heart: How can a sailing ship dare to go to sea now? Don't the shipowner die? Did Derek get it wrong?

He pulled out his leg and rushed to the watchtower, intending to confirm it with his own eyes.

Before reaching the bottom of the tower, Derek's voice came down from the watchtower again, and the voice was full of deep shock.

"Hansen... come and see... the sailboat looks weird..."

After climbing to the top of the tower panting, Hansen rushed to the window and looked into the distance.

I saw two thousand-ton sailboats floating on the sea a few kilometers away.

Hansen was taken aback by the fact that some sailboats dared to go to sea during the stormy season.

As Derek said, they look very strange. The left and right sides of the sailboat seem to be connected to a small boat. This is the first time he has seen a sailboat with such a strange structure.

Hansen instantly understood the benefits of this, and he suddenly felt that they dared to go out to sea in the dangerous storm season. After encountering turbulence, this special structure can greatly stabilize the hull and avoid capsizing.

The person who designed this structure is really smart, he gave a secret compliment.

"Are they... pirates?" Derek asked hesitantly.

This kind of suspicion is normal. In the minds of normal people, those who dare to sail during the storm season are either lunatics or desperadoes. Those vicious pirates fit these two points very well.

Coupled with the fact that there have been several horrific murders during this period, there is a lot of turmoil in the territory, which makes Derek unconsciously think about bad things.

"It should not be. There is Lord Schroeder in the territory, and there is a guard in the port. The pirates dare not go ashore..." Hansen replied.

"Derek, you are staring here. If the situation is not right, you should ring the bell quickly. I will find someone to inform the port guard..." For safety's sake, he added.

Derek nodded nervously, Hansen quickly rushed to the narrow stairs, and the sound of "puff" rapid footsteps gradually faded away.

After a while, more than 50 Port Guard members, led by two Awakeners, appeared on the dock.

They are extremely well equipped. Everyone wears uniform leather armor, metal helmets, a melee weapon in their backs, and a strong crossbow in their hands.

Crossbows in different worlds are not cheap. Because they are all made by hand, the price of a crossbow is often as high as 2 kinnals. Armed with such a guard, the money spent on the crossbow alone is more than 100 kinnals.

Counting leather armor, weapons and other equipment, the total cost is probably more than 200 kinnals. This is only a small head. The larger expenditure is labor. The salary paid to the guards will not be less than 300 kinnals each year.

However, the armed forces of an earl are by no means limited to this guard.

In this world, a knight order led by the extraordinary is almost the standard equipment of every earl.

The Earl of Eriksson is no exception. There is a knight order with more than 600 people in the territory, which is nearly double the number of ordinary Earls, and the annual expenditure is close to 8,000 kinnals.

Being able to afford such a powerful armed force shows how generous Earl Eriksson's annual income is.

The loud noise made by the Port Guard attracted many civilians. Soon more than 100 people gathered on the pier, but they did not dare to approach the heavily armed guards, and they all stood and watched from a distance.

When the two sailing boats drove 2 kilometers away from the port, everyone saw the sailing boats and their strange appearance.

As a result, the entire pier was a sensation.

Because, in the recorded history of the earl, and in the memories of everyone present, this is the first fleet to visit Starfish Island during the storm season.

There is no doubt that the sailors on these two sailing ships are true warriors.

Only the bravest are willing to risk their lives to challenge the terrible storm season and cross the extremely dangerous ocean.

Ten minutes later, under the intense gaze of the harbor guard, the two weird-looking sailboats approached the pier. A burly bald man appeared on the bow deck and shouted:

"I am Mu Si the extraordinary from the Haichao Chamber of Commerce, leading the merchant fleet under the Chamber of Commerce and requesting to enter the port..."

After hearing the words "extraordinary", everyone, including the port guard, humbled their heads.