Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1601 - 1139: Third Discovery of the Continent, Arrival at the East!

"Right! The nautical record you showed us indicates that we've already traveled four or five thousand kilometers, far more than you said!… But where's the land now? We haven't even seen the edge of an island!…"

"Joder! If we don't turn back soon, I'll kill you!…"

"Almighty! Today is only the fourth day!… Just one more day! Let us sail for one more day!…"

Columbus was at his wits' end, shouting himself hoarse. Fortunately, his voice was always loud enough for everyone on the ship to hear.

"The Almighty has witnessed, we all swore a solemn oath during the Gold Ceremony!… I said five days, and five days it will be! If by tomorrow we still haven't found any sign of land… we'll turn back the day after tomorrow!… I swear!!…"

Upon hearing Columbus mention the Gold Ceremony, the sailors causing trouble exchanged glances, their expressions tinged with some reverence. Second Sailor Chief Qia Chu thought for a moment but then nodded, lowering his raised scimitar from Columbus's head and sheathed it at his waist. Sailor Chief Bartolome pursed his lips, staring into Columbus's pale blue eyes, and issued a low, threatening warning.

"Columbus, the Almighty bears witness! Since we swore during the Gold Ceremony, we will wait one more day! If there's no hope tomorrow, everyone insists on turning back!… Otherwise… we will leave you alone to find the new sea route in the vast sea…"

"…!"

Hearing the sailor chief's merciless threat, Columbus clenched his teeth tightly, secretly cursing profusely in his heart. But when he spoke in reply, he sounded sincere and adaptive.

"Barto! Believe me! The land is right ahead… Just one more day, for yourselves, as well… I will lead you all to Gold, and you will make great fortunes!…"

"Haha!… Let's hope so!…"

The rowdy sailors received a clear promise and dispersed once more. Columbus pressed his lips tightly, standing on the quarterdeck. He gazed longingly towards the Western horizon as night slowly enveloped it, resembling an unmoving statue.

The fleet sailed with the wind for one night, covering at least 20 leagues. According to Columbus's estimates, in the course of just over a month, they had sailed more than 5000 kilometers!

On the morning of the fifth day, there was no sight of a storm at sea, yet suddenly unprecedented giant waves surged! The waves rose several meters, even over ten meters high, sweeping fiercely from the Western direction, drenching everyone. Many sailors looked terrified, kneeling on the deck to pray to the "giant beast of the sea" that raised the massive waves, pleading for forgiveness for their offense…

The giant waves came quickly and receded just as fast. As the wave crests retreated eastward, the crew's fear morphed gradually into anger, once again directed toward their outraged target, Columbus, the expedition commander insistent on heading west!

"Joder! Kill Columbus! Kill him!…"

Second Sailor Chief Qia Chu once again drew his sharp scimitar. This time, he was not joking and was ready for the blade to spill blood…

However, on the mast of the Nina, the signaling flags rose once more, firing the cannons to announce the discovery of land. Among the fleet's three sailboats, both the Pinta and Nina had only a little over 20 sailors. These two ships had slightly more spacious decks and were equipped with two small 3-pound copper cannons, one at the bow and one at the stern...

"Boom! Boom!"

"Coño! How did the Nina ahead discover land again!…"

"Joder! Damn it! I really want to kill them!…"

Upon hearing the signaling cannon fire, the sailors on the flagship Santa Maria grumbled and cursed but still sheathed their scimitars, adjusting course towards the southwest, where the stopped Nina was. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

As a modified Caravel model, the Nina was extremely nimble, sailing almost twenty percent faster than the Santa Maria, often darting ahead. When the sailors halted the flagship, the sharp-eyed navigator Pedro noticed that nets had been cast from the fore and aft of the Nina, seemingly fishing for something continuously in the sea…

"The Almighty protect us! The Almighty protect us!… Haha! Look at what we've retrieved!…"

The Nina's navigator, Francisco, the second of the Pinzon brothers, agilely hopped with the cable to the flagship. Holding the cable in his right hand and a short wooden stick high in his left, he resembled an ancient West Gothic stick warrior emerging from the mural…

"Uh?…What is this? A stick?"

"Exactly! Look at this stick, look closely!!…"

"What kind of thing! A broken stick…uh! No, it's been carved by someone!…"

"Indeed! Indeed! This is a wood stick processed by human hands, brought here by the morning's big waves…Holy Mother bless! There must be land around here, and inhabited villages!…"

The sailors showed a surprised look, gathered around Francisco, and argued continuously. The two Royal Family representatives on the flagship, as well as the Expedition Commander Columbus, quickly came over. They stared at the stick carved by human hands, initially with some bewilderment, then disbelief, and finally turning into excitement and ecstasy!…

"Haha! God bless! I've said it! I, the brilliant Naval Commander Columbus, have long said it!…We've arrived at Cipangu Japan, the land is right ahead!…"

"Quick! Raise the sails! Quick! Continue sailing southwest!…The new route to Khitan and India is just around the corner!…"

The three sea ships raised their sails once more, and the sailors were all excited and invigorated, singing hymns to praise the Almighty, resembling a monkey group seeing bananas. Everyone eagerly gathered at the bow of the ship, climbed the masts, and gazed southwest without blinking. Everyone desired to be the first to discover land and receive the huge annual pension promised by the Queen!

However, as the sun gradually set, the night enveloped the sea, and the anticipated land still hadn't appeared. The three sea ships continued sailing with full sails in the night. The sea and sky in the distance remained blanketed in darkness. It seemed there was a fire in that darkness, or perhaps it was just people's imagination…

"Joder! My eyes are strained from watching!…Tonight there isn't a chance of seeing land, might as well tie a rope and get some sleep, wake up early tomorrow morning to look again!…Land, land!…The first to discover land gets an annual pension of ten thousand copper coins!…"

Second Boatswain Qia Chu cursed softly, walking toward the cabin entrance. He muttered about the Queen's reward, almost drooling. At this moment, he had nearly forgotten the morning when he led furious sailors, almost hacked down the Expedition Commander…

"Boom! Boom!…"

Just as Qia Chu climbed down to the cabin, suddenly he heard two cannon shots indicating land discovery! He jolted all over and leaped swiftly, from the lower cabin straight to the deck. Then, he eagerly looked toward the direction of the cannon fire…

"Coño! Damn Nina again?…Oh no! It's Pinta!…"

"Ah! Pinta discovered land?!..."

"Boom! Boom!…"

Another wave of deafening cannon fire, but this time, it was a report from Nina. Did two ships discover land almost simultaneously, one after the other?…

Qia Chu widened his round eyes, gazing at the horizon's end. And Expedition Commander Columbus was the same, mouth agape, staring hard southwest…

The Clark Sailing Ship headed southwest, albeit for a moment, the drowsy horizon suddenly underwent a change, as though painted with thick ink, and seemed desperately pregnant with something. As the thick ink gradually unfolded, growing deeper, the lines formed by the birth became completely apparent to everyone… In the end, a black, distinctly contoured island appeared just several leagues southwest!…

"Land! It's land!…It's really land!…"

"Ah! We've discovered land!…We've discovered an island!…"

"Merda! Hahaha! I was right, my wise Columbus was indeed right! Those idiots from the nautical academy, brains filled with sheep dung, couldn't understand my plan at all! The Portugese nobility, with eyes on their backsides, couldn't perceive my grandeur at all!…Ahahaha! Those complete fools! Ahahaha! Who dares look down on me from now on!…"

On the stern deck, Expedition Commander-in-chief Columbus laughed wildly, kneeling on the second deck, his fists pounding with a thud. He laughed wildly for quite a while, then twisted his whole body, tears flowing like madness. He cried and laughed, mouth agape, showing his yellow, worn teeth, and howled like a man-eating hyena!

"Awooo! Growl growl!…Almighty! This is Cipangu! This is Japan!…I, Columbus, have circled half the globe, finally discovered a new route, finally reached the East!…The East! The East with gold everywhere!…"