Chapter 178: Alchemist Sha'er (Part 1)

The Delta, standing in the vast Lake Azure, is the stronghold of the notorious pirate leader, Spiloor.
In the past few days, the pirates at the Delta have become active again.
All the cobblestone roads have been swept clean, and the surrounding tree groves have been carefully trimmed, with no leaves or tender branches in sight. Additionally, any accumulated garbage and fallen leaves on the ground have all been thoroughly cleared away.
Above the forest, there are red papers hanging, representing celebrations. On both sides of the dock, long red banners are hanging, which looks quite imposing and very eye-catching from a distance.
This is the core area of Lulanh Lake, surrounded by vast stretches of water with no end in sight. The emerald green lake water is extremely clear, and the surface of the lake appears unusually calm. Breezes blow across, causing layers of ripples to ripple on the water, while the sunlight reflects off the surface, creating colorful rays. If it weren't known that this is the delta of Lulanh Lake, no one would think that such a beautiful lake is the gathering place for these vicious pirates.
The water thieves of Liulan Lake are scattered across its vast waters. Over the years, they have evolved from being disorganized and scattered individuals to forming organized and structured armies. They have established different factions on the various islands of Liulan Lake, with the largest being the stronghold of "Water Dragon" Spilo.
In the early morning, a small wooden boat emerged from the dense reeds on the shore, its oars causing long ripples that disturbed the tranquility of the azure lake surface.
Above, the sky stretched out clear and pristine, as though it were a mirrored reflection of the lake; beneath the blue sky, mature reeds and water plants formed a verdant barrier, vast and uncontaminated by the slightest speck of dust.
The wooden boat glides swiftly, and the fish occasionally flip out of the water while the shrimp happily leap with the splashes.
At the bow of the boat, two people are quietly standing, enjoying this beautiful scenery.
"The scenery here is really beautiful. It's hard to imagine that it's still early spring." The young man on the left said with deep emotion.
"Yes! If this lake could remain calm, who knows how many precious fish it could produce." The middle-aged man on the right also expressed the same sentiment.
"I didn't expect that Sir Sparrlow's daughter would have such a grand wedding ceremony." The blond young man sighed, "I heard that leaders from all the islands will come to this peninsula to attend the wedding."
"Of course, it's none other than Senor Sprolo, the fearsome warrior. Even Admiral Visehale himself is intimidated by his reputation," the middle-aged man chuckled. "While regular armies might excel on land, here in Lake Azure, it's the sailors who dominate."
As they were speaking, suddenly, two patrol boats appeared out of nowhere. Black flags flying on their masts indicated that they belonged to the pirates of the Lake of Azure.
The patrol boats positioned themselves on either side of the small boat, and a person at the bow shouted loudly from a distance, "Stop! That boat, stop right away!"
Both the young and middle-aged people remained unchanged, continuing to appreciate the scenery before them.
The boatman who was rowing, of course, knew the rules and slowly stopped the boat.
This is a very common scene in the middle of Lake Liulan.
In a moment, two patrol boats approached. One boat came directly towards the small boat, while the other stayed nearby for surveillance. Both patrol boats were manned by fourteen pirates, wielding black harpoons and tridents, as well as six individuals using black crossbows. However, it was difficult to discern the type of crossbows they were using, making it impossible to determine their firepower. Their attire was not uniform, indicating that they were not elite pirates.
从哨船上跳上来一个人，仔细的打量着船头的两人，很不友好的说道：“你们什么人，到哪里去？”
中年人不慌不忙地从怀里掏出请帖，送到对方的面前。
The man carefully read the invitation and his expression immediately became much friendlier. He said in a low voice, "So it turns out it's the alchemist, please!"
He returned the invitation to the middle-aged man and then returned to his own patrol boat. He made a gesture, and immediately two patrol boats quickly departed. These patrol boats were equipped with additional oars, making their movement much faster than this manually-rowed boat.
The young man looked at the retreating figure of the sentry ship and calmly said, "Let's go!"
The boatman glanced at the young man with some trepidation. He could tell from the behavior of the pirates just now that the two important figures on his boat were carrying something valuable.
The young man exclaimed, "It seems that the Delta's defense is quite strict. Our small boat was actually intercepted by them."
The middle-aged man chuckled and said, "Of course, who wouldn't be cautious at a time like this? Everyone is afraid of troublemakers!"
一边说着，中年人还深深地看了青年一眼。
这名青年正是夏彦，而身旁的中年人，则是卢铎要塞的斥候队长伊斯梅尔，两个人稍作乔装，就来到了这五角洲。
Just a few days ago, the scout team sent by Xia Yan finally brought back useful information that the daughter of "Water Dragon" Johnny Sparrow, the leader of the Azure Lake Pirates, is about to be married. The groom is the only son of another pirate leader, "Water Lion" Ovi Frantz. At that time, all the pirates will gather at the pentagonal delta.
Xia Yantun keenly sensed that this could be a rare opportunity.
On the other hand, the Luduo Fortress once again sent an invitation to Xia Yantun. They had captured an alchemist near the Luduo Fortress, and surprisingly, they found a invitation letter from the Azure Lake Pirates on him.
And so the present scene came about.
Alchemist?
Regarding his own abilities, Xia Yan remained quite confident.
By this time, it was almost noon, and the early spring sunlight was very gentle. The lake surface reflected the bright sunlight, unleashing a colorful shimmer. Groups of fish leisurely swam beneath the water's surface, not caring at all about the approaching wooden boat. Observing their carefree appearance, it seemed as if one could simply reach out and scoop them up. Translation: "And so the present scene came about.
At noon, the boat finally saw land, which was the delta.
From a distance, the delta seemed very small, as small as a point. But as the boat approached slowly, it turned out to be a huge island that couldn't be seen in its entirety. The delta had not only mountains and water but even waterfalls. A white waterfall hung down, clearly visible from afar. The island was also covered with vegetation, and in a while, the entire island would probably be lush and green.
Delta, as its name suggests, has five corners extending from the island, forming a natural pier.
Xia Yan looked at the dock in front of him, where dozens of ships of all sizes were already moored, including even two-storey luxury ships, which looked quite spectacular. Translated content: