Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 640

Chapter 640: 640

The pirates who had just been beaten to a pulp by the boss managed to escape back to their base, nursing their wounds and nursing a grudge. They had no idea where this formidable guy had come from, a guy who seemed to be impervious to bullets.

More pirates gathered, ready to reclaim their territory, no matter what. This was their turf; they couldn’t just let someone walk in and trash the place.

Just when the pirates were ready to get going, all pumped up and ready for action, the boss kicked the door open and sauntered in. A smile played at the corners of his mouth as he said, "I want some of my stuff back. If you hand it over, you won’t get hurt. But I’d rather you put up a fight, it makes things more interesting. Based on the fact that you’re pointing your guns at me, I take it you’ve chosen the latter."

Lu Yi added from behind, "Can’t blame them. If I were them, I’d choose the latter too. After all, they can’t understand what you’re saying."

The sound of gunfire filled the room, followed by the boss’s roar and the pirates’ screams of agony. It was clear that the fight was completely one-sided.

It didn’t take long for the boss to beat all the pirates into submission, forcing them to bow down with their heads in their hands, kneeling on the ground.

Gu Fan and Xiaohu noticed that quite a few pirates – including their leader and Qiao Ya – were missing.

Sensing trouble, Gu Fan asked Xiaohu to question the remaining pirates. It turned out that the pirate leader and Qiao Ya had left half a day earlier with a lot of supplies and weapons, each taking one of three ships.

Gu Fan had suspected as much. He instructed Xiaohu to press for information about what Qiao Ya and the pirate leader were planning.

The remaining pirates, all low-ranking, knew nothing.

Not wanting to waste any time, Gu Fan instructed the pirates to return the stuff they had stolen. Among the loot were various food and drink items, as well as diving equipment.

The pirates complied without question, especially after seeing what happened to those who dared to disobey – the boss ripped them into pieces without so much as breaking a sweat.

Gu Fan could see the resentment in the pirates’ eyes as they returned the stolen goods. They have never had to give anything back before; this was a bitter pill to swallow.

The more the pirates proved difficult, the less inclined the boss was to show them any mercy. He seized all the goods that could be moved, leaving the pirates only with food and drink. As a result, the pirates’ inventory was essentially cleaned out.

Under the boss’s intimidating gaze, the pirates had no choice but to comply. They moved items, reluctantly, actually on the verge of tears. One of them even uttered the phrase "bad luck" in Gu Fan’s language.

Puzzled by this, they turned to look at Xiaohu, who nodded, admitting that he had taught the pirate the phrase.

Thanks to everyone’s efforts and the pirates’ begrudging contribution, all the stolen goods were successfully recovered. Lu Yi, overjoyed, shook hands with the pirates: "Thank you guys for guarding these items for us for so long."

In their broken language, one of the pirates responded, "You’re welcome! Can you go now?"

Next up was the boss’s demonstration of how to return a grounded ship back to the sea using only his bare hands. Everyone watched in awe, shocked by his incredible strength.

When the cargo ship was finally back at sea, the crew was overjoyed, believing that they could finally return home.

Seeing the captain and the crew’s reaction, Gu Fan realized that he had overlooked one thing - these people didn’t share his team’s mindset.

So Gu Fan and Du Jun approached the captain to discuss their situation; they asked him and his crew to stay and help with the search in the Triangle Sea Area, hoping they could hold out a little longer.

The captain and the crew were torn. They didn’t want to stay in the center of the Triangle Sea Area a second longer – they wanted to go home.

People have different ambitions, and Gu Fan didn’t intend to force anyone to stay. They had the ship they had seized from the pirates as a backup, after all. While they lacked seasoned sailors, they could ask for help from the boss’s team, even if it meant becoming dependent on them.

Gu Fan thought that since the boss had reclaimed the goods from the pirates out of regard for him, he should give his team a share.

The captain had no objections. However, he was curious why Gu Fan and his team were insistent on staying in the highly dangerous heart of the Triangle Sea Area.

Gu Fan chose not to answer, merely stating that if there was no objection, his team would take some supplies and then part ways with the captain and his crew.

The captain hesitated for a while, then surprisingly agreed to stay. This decision shocked the crew; they couldn’t understand why the captain would agree to stay.

The captain explained that he was grateful to Gu Fan for saving a crew member. If it had not been for Gu Fan, he believed that no one on the ship would have been able to leave, and so this favor must be returned.

Unexpectedly, the captain – only moments ago intent on leaving – suddenly changed his mind. This surprised Gu Fan, but he quickly understood and thanked the captain for his support.

Only after Gu Fan and Du Jun had left did the captain explain to his crew the real reason he decided to stay - without the protection of Gu Fan and his team, it would be hard to safely navigate the heart of the Triangle Sea Area. What if they were attacked by pirates again during their trip back?

Plus, the cargo ship’s navigation system malfunctioned in the center of the Triangle Sea Area, making the map Gu Fan took from the pirates essential.

With these two justifications, the captain convinced the crew to stick around, striking two birds with one stone by also repaying a favor to Gu Fan.

There was one last reason he kept to himself, for fear of scaring the crew. While they were suggesting that they should head back and part ways with Gu Fan’s group, the captain noticed a glint of murderous intent in the boss’s eye.

The captain realized something important: they had seen the secrets of the boss, Lin Xi, and Gu Fan. The boss might not let those who now know his secrets leave so easily.

Remembering how the boss dismembered the pirates bare-handed, the crew was filled with fear.

Meanwhile, Gu Fan and Du Jun left the cabin. Gu Fan explained why the captain had changed his mind so suddenly, applauding him for his thorough thinking.

"So they chose to stay not out of kindness, but to ensure their safety," Du Jun realized, appreciating the captain’s choice that saved all the crew members.

"Yes, the captain sure is shrewd." Gu Fan looked up at the sky, exhaling a long breath of relief. He had been worried about how the boss would react, but now that the captain decided to stay, there was no need to worry about the boss taking any rash actions.