Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1598 - 1137: Mutiny—"Kill Columbus!

"Joder! We've reached the end of the ocean, just like in the legends, there's nothing here! This is the sea of the undead!..."

"True! We haven't seen land for so many days, if we continue going west, everyone will die at sea!..."

"Cojones! Listen to me! Kill that damned commander! Turn east and go home alive!..."

"Yes! Yes! Pull out your daggers, kill Columbus, go home alive!!..."

The deck at the bow is crowded with heads, and bright blades. The sailors on the flagship have gathered, discontented and clamoring. Their voices grow louder, and their words more aggressive. The momentum seems increasingly out of control, and the impulsive boatswain Qia Chu is already leading the charge to the captain's quarters at the stern...

"Everyone, draw your blades! Follow me!..."

Seeing the impending mutiny, Columbus trembles all over, feeling the icy breath of death approaching. Once the enraged sailors start fighting and blood is shed, he will either be hacked to death by chaotic blades, hanged from the mast, or thrown into the sea to feed the fish! The only way out is to act decisively before the mutiny fully erupts...

"Merda! Idiots! Bastards! I am the Admiral personally appointed by the Queen, the Expedition Commander of the Kingdom! What are you shouting about? Lay down your weapons!..."

Columbus grits his teeth, not having time to think and swiftly strides into the crowd on the deck. He glares fiercely, looking around the gathered crowd. Then, one familiar, angry face after another surrounds him like a pack of wolves.

"Boatswain Barto, second boatswain Qia Chu, Goldsmith Carlo, Carpenter Antonio, Woodworker Lope..."

Seeing this circle of leaders, Columbus feels his heart tremble, sweat instantly pours down his back. Among the 42 people on the ship, the two boatswains directly manage the sailors, which is most critical, as they can likely rally about 20 men. Adding the goldsmith, carpenter, woodworker, and apprentices, that's at least 25 people! Clearly, at some unknown time, he has become the target of the sailors' dissatisfaction and hatred...

"Almighty witness! Lower your weapons! This is the Admiral's rapier! I am your Fleet Commander, you must obey my command!..."

Columbus's knees shake, his fingertips tremble, but his face remains stubbornly fierce. Using the resolute demeanor of the Expedition Commander, he gazes at the surrounding crowd. Then, holding the Admiral's rapier in one hand and the Queen's royal decree in the other, he shouts loudly.

"This decree! This is Queen Isabella's royal decree! It is the Queen who has ordered us to sail west to find new routes! You shouting for return are defying the Queen's will! Aren't you afraid of the Queen's punishment?! Quickly drop your weapons and return to your posts! I can still forgive you, pretend nothing happened!..."

The brave Expedition Commander, wielding his sword in one hand and the document in the other, stands like a brave martyr from the Bible, as if the halo of the sun radiates from his head. His face flushes red as he loudly reprimands, full of authority while watching the crowd. At this moment, he strives to straighten his spine, to use his dignity as the leader of the fleet to make everyone...

"Coño! I spit! Columbus, don't pressure us with the Queen's orders! The Queen wanted us to explore west, not to die!..."

However, the result is clear, Columbus's current prestige cannot force the crowd like those legendary captains from maritime biographies with "dignity" and "heroic courage." Second boatswain Qia Chu spat directly, and his spit "splashed" onto Columbus's face. Then, this fierce Canary sailor raised his scimitar, made a chopping motion, and cursed heavily.

"Columbus, you've deceived the Queen! You lied saying there's some damn new route and fooled us into coming this far west into the deep sea! In the end, there's no land, there's nothing, only a dead end!..."

"Yes! Qia Chu is right! Further ahead, we'd surely die! We must return, today!..."

"Boatswain Qia Chu! You... speak nicely! Lower your scimitar!... I never lied to you, nor could I deceive the wise Queen!... The new route to the west truly exists! Look at my sea chart! We're about to reach the rich land of Japan! Just a few more days westward and we'll arrive at Xipangu Island, where there's gold everywhere..."

"Coño! What nonsense about Xipangu! What damn sea chart! He swore there were two islands before, neither exists... he just wants to trick us into going to die! To die in this deep sea, then fall into the Abyss!..."

"Damn it! If we die here, far from the Almighty's glory... we'll surely become undead in the sea! Forever wandering undersea!..."

"Almighty, don't let me become undead... kill him!..."

"Wait! Wait! Lower your weapons! Lower your weapons!... Let's talk it over! Let's talk!... I swear by the Almighty, I absolutely did not deceive you!... Really! Think about it, even if it's to die, I'm dying with you!..."

Columbus sweats on his forehead, surrounded by a group of angry sailors, with several scimitars raised above his head, ready to fall and slice him into pieces.

However, the more life-threatening the situation becomes, the more Columbus's stubborn determination plays a role, suppressing his inner fear. Whenever a crisis arises, his rigid posture can turn flexible. Ironically, when things go smoothly, he tends to get arrogant and self-destructive...

Columbus grits his teeth, again looking at the surrounding crowd, discovering on the outskirts, the solemn second captain De La Cosa, and the distant, observing Royal Family steward Gutierrez.

From the expressions of these two, he suddenly realizes this is an unplanned, spontaneous sailor rebellion. The rebellious sailors don't have a detailed plan and haven't controlled any key personnel on board, nor reached an agreement with them. In other words, the sailors are led by a few individuals on impulse...

To quell such a rebellion, the opposing anger must first be calmed, to restore order to the chaotic situation! Both the seemingly neutral second captain and the Royal Family steward must be dragged into the water, to take on the decision-making responsibility too! Not only them, all neutral parties must be involved to speak up...

"Columbus, I just ask you one question, will you return or not!..."

"Don't be hasty! Don't be hasty! I can return! I can return!... But I need to hear everyone's opinions! Listen to everyone's opinions!... Let me drop my weapon first!..."

Columbus takes a deep breath, striving to steady his trembling fingers. With a "clang," he drops the rapier on the deck, taking the first step to concede. Then he looks at De La Cosa on the other side of the deck and calls out loudly.

"De La Cosa! De La Cosa! You are the trusted second captain... come forward, convene an all-crew meeting! Yes! Not just our ship, call over the two ships of the Pinzon brothers too! Everyone participates!... Respected Royal Family steward Gutierrez! You are the trusted representative of the Queen, you come to guarantee and witness at the meeting!..."

"Almighty witness! Today there's no mutiny, there will be no blaming, nor will there be bloodshed! Today there will only be an all-crew meeting to decide on our future voyage! Everyone participates, everyone speaks, everyone!..."

"Come on! Put down your weapons, let's talk this out! See what everyone truly thinks, what this daring voyage was for! And now, if we return, what will be gained, if we continue, what will be obtained!..."

"Almighty witness! Vast wealth, the fortune given by the Almighty, is truly in sight!... The Queen's generous rewards, the royal family's ennoblement, are also waiting for us... But if you retreat at this moment, you will get nothing, and you will regret forever!..."