The dock where the battleship Kul Tiras docked had been placed under martial law, and Lordaeron's sailors had taken over the area. A number of men dressed in plain black robes with white Lordaeron flags tattooed on their chests were inspecting the docks. These people did not wear armor, many of them simply wore simple linen clothes. But on the chest robe, the conspicuous shield emblem in the upper left corner tells the others that they are special services from the Kingdom Security Service.

Soon, Harvey, the great lord who is about to come here, will board the ship.

"Hurry! Wipe the deck clean! ”

The battleship was crowded with people, and the sailors moved all the ammunition boxes placed on the deck to the ammunition storage room on the top deck at the stern.

Led by a boatswain, on the deck, which was 52 feet wide, squatted a discharge. Behind each of them was a small bucket with clean water for daily use.

"Whoa!"

James scooped out a scoop of water, poured it on the deck in front of him, took out a rag and began to wipe the deck for the second round. To his left and right, the sailors were trying to do the same thing as him.

For the people of Kul Tiras, one can not drink clean water, but one must not lose the face of the battleship under his feet.

Of course, the face here naturally refers to the deck of the battleship.

Just like sailors on the sea, they will choose to take a bath after getting off the ship. Battleships are equally fond of bathing. Because the sea water is very corrosive to ships, this is the case with later warships made of steel. Whenever you sail outside for a while, you have to return to the dock to carry out maintenance and repair work. In this way, the battleship can sail long enough on the sea.

And for this warship, especially a wooden sail battleship, washing the deck is almost one of the essential tasks of every day. Because the deck can only be maintained by washing it frequently, it will prevent the deck from being damaged due to corrosion. During a naval battle, if there are broken holes on the ship, it is undoubtedly a disaster.

Deck cleaning is a very time-consuming and labor-intensive task, so every time a deck is cleaned, it is often the work of all sailors together. Sometimes, the captain would also lead a team to clean the deck, just to boost morale or show concern about the matter.

James rubbed the deck in front of him, the sun above his head began to emit its power, and James's snow-white hair began to sweat on the deck. He closed his dizzy eyes and covered his forehead with his left hand for a moment before he put down what he was doing.

He scooped up a ladle of water and poured it on his head, the cool water made him feel a little dizzy. When he was about to continue wiping, he found that his position in front had been filled by other sailors.

James couldn't help but sit on the somewhat damp deck, and he let out a sigh of relief, looking blankly at the young sailors in front of him.

As the oldest sailor on the ship, James was a man who would not offend anyone. Not just because he was a former naval academy student, nor because he briefly led the captain. Rather, it is because he has served in the Navy of Kurtilas for more than 40 years.

He started as a sailor in the Navy at the age of 16 and is now 57 years old. Over the years, he has been tossing and turning in the navy of Kul Tiras, from a displacement officer in the lower cargo hold to a Marine on the top deck of a battleship. From a naval cadet to a naval cadet to today's naval non-commissioned officer. It can be said that except for the captain and first mate, he has basically worked in every position on the battleship.

When he was young, if he wasn't impulsive, maybe he was the captain of a ship now. Such an experienced old sea wolf is undoubtedly a mobile treasure trove of maritime knowledge for all the sailors on this ship.

Of course, the reason why he is respected by everyone is not only because of his qualifications, but because of his sense of responsibility for his work. No matter when and where, he can lead the way and lead his men to work. This is a very valuable quality in a navy where bureaucratization and stratification are very serious.

But because of his stubbornness, no one would persuade him anything. On the contrary, only when he can't do it, the rest of the people will quietly take his place.

It neither embarrassed him nor made him feel humiliated.

Once again, the deck was scrubbed clean with clean water, and James watched as the sailors took out rectangular gravel six inches long and three inches wide, and everyone lined up at the boatswain's orders. They pouted and slowly pushed the sand and gravel against the deck. From bow to stern of the boat, a total of 187 feet, they pushed the gravel back and forth until ten rounds, and then came to a complete stop.

At this time, the deck was rubbed, washed and wiped, and then exposed to the sun in the sky, becoming unusually clean and white. James walked casually on it, and he didn't feel any slippery or burr feeling when he was barefoot.

He nodded, and the deck was thoroughly scrubbed.

The process of cleaning the deck lasted nearly an hour, and the boatswain's tired waist could not stand upright, so he sat on the deck, took the water bladder handed by a sailor, and poured it into his mouth. After drinking almost a sac of water, he felt better. He turned his head to see the fallen sailors around him, letting the harsh sunlight shine on their faces.

When he turned his head again to change the water bladder back, he found that it was the old sea wolf James who handed him the water bladder.

Boatswain was a key position, and he worked under the captain's lieutenant, Colonel Warden. He basically took on all the work except fighting, which was a very heavy and important position. The boatswain was only in his early 30s, in the prime of life, and he had great respect for the old Seawolf James's attitude towards his work.

"Master Chief, is that you? I thought it was some other kids. The boatswain touched the beard on his chin, and he smiled reluctantly and gave the bladder to James, and he tried to get up, but his thighs were sore.

He's only in his early 30s, but this kind of work is really stressful for him. You must know that wiping the deck is a physical job, even if he is followed by about 20 hairy young men, but after an hour of bending over and laboring, they are all tired and lie on the deck without moving, let alone him.

The boatswain patted the deck beside him and motioned for James to sit with him. When James sat down, he heard the old sea wolf beside him for the first time show a somewhat subdued voice.

"I'm old."

Looking at the wrinkles on James's face, the boatswain opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. But the reality is so cruel, James is indeed old.

"Major Mikhail, I think it's time for me to retire from the Navy."

Boatswain Mikhail looked back at James in surprise, this stubborn old sea wolf, who was tired outside for the first time.

"You... Why? ”

Mikhail turned his head to look at the captain standing outside the command room at the stern, he turned his head and looked at James beside him, "The captain came to you in the hope that you could guide these young men on the battleship, and he didn't mean to let you rush to the front line." You just have to tell them what to do, and I'll give them the rest. ”

James just shook his head at the boatswain's explanation, he looked at the sailors who were starting to jump alive again, and he sighed and said, "I'm really old, Mikhail." I can feel the sea calling to me as old as I am. ”

"You can't feel that."

Mikhail gradually calmed down, he turned his head to look at the west side of the sea, "Is it for your daughter Arya?" ”

James nodded, "I want to go to Theramore to find them, that's why I'm on this ship." I know of the up-and-coming port of Iva and there must be ships to Theramore. ”

As they spoke, a sail bearing the Lordaeron mark stopped in a harbor not far from them. The sharp-eyed James pointed to the small Theramore anchor in the upper right corner of the sail and said, "Look, there's one." ”

Mikhail just casually glanced up at the sails of the ship, and then he lowered his head and cursed hatefully, "Those damned traitors! ”

James made no comment on Mikhail's words, he got up and went to the side of the ship, looking condescendingly at the boat on the other side.

He saw many sailors dressed in Lordaeron League uniforms, busy collecting the sails, pushing the rubber wheels, and lowering the huge iron anchors into the sea.

He also saw a woman hiding herself in a burqa, standing alone in the bow of the boat.

"General Stosson won't agree to your request for retirement." Mikhail also came to the side of the ship, he lay on his stomach, looked at the ship opposite, and then spat down without warning, "I really want to sink them!" ”

"It doesn't make sense to agree anymore, that money is dispensable for me." James didn't turn around, he looked at the ship with a smile, as if he saw his own daughter. "I'm going home, Mikhail. For me, where my daughter and wife are, is my home. And that home, now in Theramore. ”

"That's right, James!"

Mikhail turned his head and saw Captain Henry, the captain of the musket team, approaching.

"We just want to go home, and we answer Lady Catherine's call to go home." Henry regretfully spread his hands, "James and I are both old, you look at our ship." ”

Henry pointed to the young sailors who had been put on, and they all grinned and changed into new military uniforms to greet the local lord. Either they are laughing and playing, or they are sticking their heads out and pointing down.

"We don't fit in with them, we're all old guys." Henry took off his tricorne, he pointed to his gray hair, "Mikhail, we are really old. After serving the Navy all our lives, it is time for us to completely withdraw from this stage. The future is not ours, it's yours. ”

"Everyone get ready, Your Excellency Rock Harvey, the High Lord of Eva, will soon enter the docks." The communications officer shouted from the boat, and the three stopped verbally communicating and turned their heads to look.

"Put on your new uniforms hidden in your parcels and cheer up your best spirits. If anyone were to disgrace our Kul Tiras Navy, I think the captain would be more than willing to give some special work to those who caused trouble. ”

"Rock Harvey, the High Lord of Ivar?"

"Who is he?"