It's been ten days since I left Sofala, but I still haven't gotten rid of the southward current of East Africa, and every nautical mile I advance still consumes more than 30% of the manpower that goes downstream, which is really a disturbing thing.

I, Gilbert Silva, am a member of the Spanish Navigators' Association, vice president of the Southwind Chamber of Commerce, de facto speaker, and owner of the merchant fleet of the 30,000-ton fleet, although they belonged to my elderly father.

After the defeat of the war a few years ago, there was fierce turmoil in the country, and the military, which originally seemed to be united and united, began to collapse to varying degrees at all levels and in all fields.

Our Chamber of Commerce was originally close to the side of the military department, and it was very different from the side of the Armada. But at this time, after the fall of the old old Guzmán, I don't know what His Majesty has committed, and he actually transferred the old Alfred to the reorganized New Invincible Armada as commander-in-chief, isn't it nonsense?

The reason is simple - how can an old fox command a pack of wolves? His arrival soon caused a rift within the New Armada and split the originally monolithic fleet into two halves.

My father, the venerable Sir Navas, was also an old-fashioned man, and he wanted to break away from the Armada and become an independent maritime merchant.

A lot of age is still so naïve! There are not only beautiful scenery on the sea, but also giant sharks! You want to go it alone, but does your strength allow it?

You don't think about yourself, you have to realize your will and revenge, but do you think about the people who have been fighting with you for decades? Have you considered me for the sake of me who is still working hard at the age of 40?

In this chaotic sea, the merchant fleet, which is separated from the protection of the battle fleet, is the lamb in front of the hungry wolf, and has no power to resist at all. Isn't it because we have fallen on the big tree of the Invincible Armada that we have been able to go all the way to today?

So at the moment when our ship was about to capsize, I chose to strike blatantly! Won over the captains of the fleet who opposed Commander Alfred Sr. and succeeded in gaining their trust.

Then by a small accident, my esteemed Sir Navas's father had to go home and recuperate, and I became the de facto leader of the Southwind Chamber of Commerce!

No matter what you do, you have to go with the flow. If you have the ambition to conquer the sea, but you don't have the strength to challenge the waves, then everything you think about is in vain, and this world is so realistic.

This expedition was very quiet, and it was also the best respite after our own strength was hit hard. Thanks to those noisy beggars at sea, who begged for a great cause, and as a result, their allies England did not like it, and wanted to deal with them secretly, it was really God's mercy on Spain, and gave us a respite!

After all, under the oppression of the British, the trade volume of our chamber of commerce has dropped by nearly 50% in recent years, and the originally abundant income and expenditure have also begun to become difficult. In addition, the cost of shipping for the Dutch, beggars, ruffians, and hooligans has dropped again and again, and we have no advantage in the impact.

Do we elegant aristocrats want to fight with those beggars? Isn't that self-destructive?

So we must get things back on track, keep the colonies firmly in our hands, and let these beggars who grab food die!

Whether it's the Netherlands, or the UK! The chosen country is Spain!

Our target is the Indian Ocean, which is not yet the focus of the great powers, and the deployment of all sides is relatively weak, and we are passing through the New Invincible Fleet Fourth Fleet, although it is a little backward in equipment, but it is still very good in numbers, at least it looks quite reassuring.

The first stop of our trip was the Gulf of Aden, the southern route of the Indian Ocean, where several ports are good, but the best one is Aden.

The battlefleet had been harassing several times before, and the resistance on the other side existed, but it was not too fierce. This time, I took us to suppress militarily on the one hand, and at the same time commerce began to enter the country, slowly encroaching on these local indigenous forces from the roots.

The only thing that was more uncomfortable was the British, who were close to us. These damned, backsliding barbarians, who had promised to join forces with the Dutch and privately reached a truce, actually came to sea to grab business and territory with us!

I thought that this armistice agreement was a talisman, but now it seems to have become more of a rope to tie our hands and feet!

But what can be done? Without this paper agreement, our days are even more difficult. So if I had to choose between discomfort and severe pain, I would choose to be uncomfortable.

Hope this trip goes well and don't give us any more trouble! If we can't make a big profit this time, I'm afraid we will have to work part-time as pirates like many people to make ends meet.

In Mogadishu we had our last resupply before entering the war zone, but in the bar we heard a very valuable message!

Recently, affected by the frankincense epidemic in Britain, France, Spain, Portugal and other countries, the recent frankincense main production areas of East Africa and the Indian Ocean trade is booming, the price of a local 600 gold coins, plus an average of 300 gold coins to the epidemic countries, can be sold for 7,500 or even 8,000 gold coins!

I've heard this news, but I didn't expect it to develop to such an extent! It's just that the most unfortunate thing is that all the territories in East Africa have been occupied by the British, the Portuguese and the hateful Ming Dynasty, especially the Ming Dynasty's territory is the largest!

Although it is only a detachment in East Africa, it is said that the couple in command of this detachment is quite powerful, and it is better not to touch this mold in the current situation where we are low-key and avoid the enemy.

Then you can only go north, north to the Indian Ocean. However, our target port of Aden does not produce frankincense, but I heard that the island of Socotra has greatly increased its frankincense production this year, and several powers in the Indian Ocean have broken their heads there!

What are the forces in the Indian Ocean? A bunch of turban-wrapped idiots, who left the Ottoman Empire, they are nothing!

Why don't we also go and mix a leg? Wouldn't it be a good idea to see if Socotra could open the door to the Indian Ocean?

The Portuguese did this back then, and although they left in a hurry, this model can be replicated!

Give it a try! Go talk to the battlefleet. I'm sure these guys who can fire cannons won't say no to those cute gold coins! Who thinks they have a lot of predecessors?

Two hours later......

These goddamn idiots! Why are your heads so rigid! Playing Aden is fighting, and beating Socotra is also fighting. There were defenders in Aden, and there was only a group of natives in Socotra. Aden is just a military port, but Socotra has frankincense comparable to gold!

Why don't they get the hang of it? Why do you insist on going to the Gulf of Aden? What's there? What's there? What's there?

What else is there but sand, stench, bandana-wrapped pirates?

Damn it! They turned down such a good opportunity to make a fortune!

No wonder they are still a poor ghost who has been busy all their lives, and if they don't seize such a big business opportunity at the moment, what instructions will they talk to me about? What synergies to talk about? What discipline to talk about?

What do I want to do with these? I want benefits! It's frankincense! It's gold!

If they don't go...... I can't go on my own, I don't want to run naked in the Indian Ocean! Who's going to take it with you?

Ask the local sea mercenaries!

Two hours later......

These goddamn idiots! Why are they reluctant to make money? Do you want to be poor all your life and be maggots in the sludge?

I ran all over the port, and not a single person wanted to go to the Indian Ocean, and not a single person dared to move Socotra!

What is there to be afraid of? There are only two medium-sized armed chambers of commerce in the Indian Ocean, what is there to fear?

There are even people who say that the chamber of commerce in the Indian Ocean is not terrible, but the people behind them are terrible.

Who's behind it? Even if the Indian Ocean is turned upside down, who can do it with Spain?

Ottoman? A skinny tiger cowering in the Black Sea and the Persian Gulf, can its poor minions still bite the flesh?

That being the case, what else do we have to fear?

Then again, if the fleet really doesn't go, why don't I try arming the fleet and explore the depths myself?

What's not to do? Didn't several maritime mercenary guilds all say that Socotra's defense was quite weak, and there was only one Sultan's own soldiers, and the sea power was almost negligible?

Speaking of which, I'm angry, such a garbage force, actually scared them like that, what is the reason?

What a rage!

However, anger will not bring benefits, since they have no naval defense, I will try it! With my strength, even those turban-wrapped guys are enough to resist the enemy.

In the face of thousands of percent profits, what risk should not be taken?

Even if some risks are encountered, vested interests are more than enough to compensate for the losses.

That's the reality!

As a merchant and warrior who roams the seas all year round, there is no reason to be afraid of these illusory risks!

Of course, as a gentleman, I should morally persuade the fools of the battle fleet one more time to share this opportunity to make a fortune!

If they don't come to their senses, then I'll have to keep the benefits to myself!

That's it!

After all, the Nanfeng Chamber of Commerce has no way out, and the losses for years have exhausted the vitality of the Chamber of Commerce. If we don't seek some breakthrough changes, we don't need enemies to attack us, but a huge financial crisis is enough to send us to the abyss!

Fortunately, that Oriental was dragged to Nanyang by little Alfred's idiots - these idiots actually thought that Nanyang was a piece of fat, and you were just cannon fodder! Wake up!

Unfortunately, you don't have a chance to wake up.

The future belongs to the South Wind Chamber of Commerce, and the future belongs to those who dare to take risks and have brains!

"Shaq! Hoffman! Straighten out our fleet, vacate the warehouses on both sides, go to the dockyard, and buy me all their artillery! We're going to make a big deal! ”

The wind is blowing! Let's get the wind! The sea belongs to the Spaniards with courage! Let the Indian Ocean and the whole territory of Socotra resound with the rousing bullfighting music!