Ghost Shark polished her Hand Cannon. The shark bone resembled dragon teeth, which she embedded at the tip of the Hand Cannon, sharp enough to kill.
The sea is a place where the strong prey on the weak, and she knows this well. The Hand Cannon and dragon teeth are her trophies. Whether near or far, ordinary pirates dare not provoke her with ease.
She has a new name, Ghost Shark.
Sharks with their armored scales and razor teeth are fish destined to become dragons, feared by all.
They say Ghost Shark is ruthless and unscrupulous, beyond reason. They say she dwells in shadowed thoughts, her mind unknowable, perhaps corrupted by evil spirits. No one should approach her freely. They say this time, half their cargo were snatched by Ghost Shark, leaving them scraps, and wonder what dark enchantment binds Master Eagle's will...
Hearing her footsteps on the deck, the crew scattered in panic, terrified she might bring them trouble.
...Ghost Shark's target is not them; insignificant people are no longer worthy of her attention.
She pushed open the helm room door to find Ah-Wei Gong studying the sea chart while Master Eagle operated the rudder, his gaze unwavering.
"This is no place for a woman," Master Eagle said.
Ghost Shark had heard this countless times before. Each time, her response was the same: Why not?
Ghost Shark offered no reply, stating her purpose plainly: "I came for justice."
By the Eagle Pirate Gang's custom, yesterday's distribution followed strict rules: one gold per kill, a firearm for every three. Though Ghost Shark had been crucial during the ship raid, she ranked last in the distribution, receiving only scraps. The pirates, backed by Master Eagle, divided her merits cleanly among themselves.
...She could forgo gold and silver, but she would not endure humiliation in vain.
"Master Eagle, what Ghost Shark received falls far short of her merits," Ah-Wei Gong sighed, folding the sea chart. He knew his words would unleash a storm, but they needed to be spoken.
Ah-Wei Gong understood Ghost Shark's intentions perfectly. Initially, he had advocated for her to stay a decision that displeased Master Eagle and some crew members. But this wasn't solely for her sake. Since Master Eagle took command, the Eagle Pirate Gang's loot distribution had grown increasingly unequal: he and a few confidants claimed half, leaving scraps for the crew. Pirates are all roughnecks; without even the illusion of fairness, no ship can long stay afloat. He kept Ghost Shark to show the crew that merit would be rewarded.
"Justice at sea isn't something you can demand," Master Eagle cut in coldly before Ah-Wei Gong could speak. He was determined to make Ghost Shark and Ah-Wei Gong understand who truly commanded this ship. "Letting you aboard and feeding you that's not enough?"
"If that's not enough, just how much of the sea's treasure do you reckon your life is worth?" Master Eagle gripped the helm with both hands, shooting a sideways glance. "Ah-Wei Gong, surely you agree?"
Not enough, still not enough.
Ghost Shark stood silent in the helm room. Master Eagle's hands clenched the helm one word from him, and she'd be thrown into the sea, left to feed the fish. But being a pirate alone couldn't answer all those "cannots." And a Hand Cannon alone? Still not enough.
Her gaze fell upon the helm.