1. A new adventure 

"Baby! Wake up! Come on, I need to tell you something. Baby, Baby, BABY!" Xiao Zhan, barely containing his excitement, stood wide-legged on the shared bed, bouncing up and down in an attempt to wake up his peacefully slumbering husband, Wang Yi Bo. Although the sun hadn't even risen, Xiao Zhan's cheeks were flushed with a healthy red, and his eyes sparkled brightly.

However, after five minutes of an unsuccessful human-made earthquake, Xiao Zhan had to resort to more drastic measures. He threw himself on top of the still-sleeping Wang Yi Bo, eliciting a pained groan from under the blankets. The annoyed, sleep-deprived police officer weakly tried to shake off his overenthusiastic lover.

"Get off me, you idiot! I swear, one day, you'll find your testicle stuffed in your mouth if you don't stop pestering me! Can't you give me peace for one second? Wasn't last night enough for you?" Wang Yi Bo grumbled.

"But I need to tell you something extremely awesome!” Xiao Zhan exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear and ignoring his beloved's threats.

"And why couldn't this wait until I woke up?" Wang Yi Bo asked, exasperated.

“You are awake now!" Xiao Zhan pointed out triumphantly.

"No shit…" Wang Yi Bo sighed and finally managed to roll onto his back, shaking off the clingy octopus. 

"Baby, just listen, okay?" Xiao Zhan snuggled up to his husband and poked his shoulder repeatedly, giving him a pleading stare.

"... Fine… what is it?" Rolling his eyes and accepting that going back to sleep was futile, Wang Yi Bo turned his face towards Xiao Zhan.

"I had an amazing dream! Let me tell you, it's wonderful!!" Xiao Zhan's excitement was palpable.

"A dream? I don't know if I want to know what crazy things your brain produced…" Wang Yi Bo muttered.

"Aah, just listen! So…" Xiao Zhan cleared his throat and began to recount his dream.

***

The wide sea was unusually calm on this cold night, reflecting thousands of stars in the clear, starry sky. Small waves swayed on the water's surface, lapping against the hull of the imposing, three-masted ship, which leisurely rocked in rhythm with the gentle waves. The full moon shone down, illuminating everything below with its pale, silvery light.

In the security of the darkness, a tall, upright figure, a young man, stood at the railing beside the steering wheel and gazed at another ship in the not-too-distant waters. In the moonlight, his determined and serious expression was clearly visible.

A sigh escaped his lips, forming tiny clouds in the cold air, followed by a slow closing of his eyes. A gloved hand moved to his chest, gently enclosing a pendant hanging loosely from a necklace.

After a brief moment of calm, he opened his eyes, looking into the distance. Blurry fragments of an old memory resurfaced, sending him back to a place in the past.

It had been a night just like this…

Fire. It blazed almost everywhere, as far as the eye could see. Thick clouds of smoke drifted over the small huts of the coastal fishing village. The flames leapt up walls and over roofs, tearing the sleeping residents from their beds. The fire consumed everything, destroying the few belongings of the hard-working families. 

Suddenly, amid the fearful cries, another type of scream resonated through the inferno. Women and children were swept away, dragged along by strangers who appeared out of the dark. Anyone who resisted or defended their loved ones was silenced by a sword. Even the weak and the old weren't spared. It was a massacre.

In the middle of the chaos, a scared little boy clung to his mother, his eyes wide with terror. The strange men approached their hiding place, and the desperate mother hugged her child tightly, silently begging that they wouldn't be found. But her pleading was in vain. A rough, calloused hand grabbed the boy by the nape and pulled him, along with his mother, out of their hideout. They were dragged by the violent men and taken to a boat. The little boy never let go of his mother's hand, clinging to her desperately.

The small boat moved out to sea. In the darkness, the little boy saw a huge black shadow, illuminated by the faint glow of the full moon. Never in his short life had he seen a ship of such size, and for a moment, he forgot his fear as he stared in awe at the monstrum. However, the sobs and cries of others tore him from his reverie. On the boat were other mothers with their children and young women - people he knew.

As they reached the side of the black ship, they were herded up a rope ladder. The scared little boy struggled to stay close to his mother. More armed and uniformed men appeared, loudly and roughly hurrying the frightened group below deck into the belly of the ship. Crammed together, they crouched on the wet, musty wooden planks. There, the little boy saw other groups of emaciated women and children he didn't recognise, all of them staring fearfully and desperately at the small door. They all shared the same unfortunate fate: to be sold into slavery.

No one knew how long they had been imprisoned, but one day, battle cries and the unmistakable clang of clashing weapons erupted through the locked hatches. The whole ship seemed to tremble. Everyone held their breath, waiting for what might happen next. The sounds grew louder and closer. Violent banging vibrated through the hatches until they broke open. Dust fell on the people huddled in a corner. The little boy stared in horror at the figures in the opening. A group of masked men in strange clothing entered the narrow room cautiously. They raised their hands to show they weren't armed. 

"We're not here to harm you. Please come with us. You are free." Nobody moved an inch.

"We assure you that we are here to save you. We don't belong to those who want to sell you. Have you ever heard of the 'Freedom of the Sea?'" A middle-aged man took off his mask and tried to persuade the scared captives. His voice was deep and calm, exuding security. The little boy was in awe.

Nobody said anything, but they exchanged unsure glances, the fear palpable. 

"How can we trust you?" A woman finally asked, her voice weak from the relentless suffering they all had endured.

The older man smiled understandingly and gestured to a small figure behind him. Surprised gasps followed when a woman stepped forward, showing the back of her hand. A slave brand was burned deep into her skin, identical to the ones they all bore. The little boy widened his eyes, absentmindedly rubbing his own almost-healed wound, never taking his eyes off the intruders. Only when his mother gently removed his fingers did he stop, as if just realising what he had been doing.

"They cut out her tongue when they caught her. We rescued her and her fellow prisoners a year ago," the man continued.

Hesitantly, after exchanging a few wary glances, the women and children slowly crawled forward. At this point, what did they have to lose?

Fast steps resounded above them on the wooden planks. Another man appeared at the opening, his face tense and showing traces of fierce battles.

"Captain, we need to go now! They have reinforcements heading straight for us!" The younger man urged, his eyes nervously scanning the women.

"Aye… please, follow us. We need to leave this ship immediately. Stay calm. We will protect you," the Captain said, reaching out a hand.

One by one, the strangers helped the weak and sick women and children out of their horrible prison and guided them to the railing. Down in the water were several small boats waiting. The deck was a mess - everything destroyed and broken. Around the masts, tied up and mostly unconscious, were the crew and soldiers. A few dead bodies were scattered among the nets and boxes on the planks.

It was night, and the cloudy sky obscured the moon, their only light source. Therefore, climbing over the railing and down the slippery ladder was treacherous. After countless days, perhaps even weeks, inside the ship, they had barely any strength left when they finally reached the boats.

They hadn't gone far when a deafening thunder shook the world. Seconds later, huge waves splashed around them, causing the fragile boats to sway dangerously. The women and children screamed in fear as another ship appeared in the distance, heading toward them at full speed. Though still far away, its cannons had a long reach. Their saviours cursed, trying to avoid contact. Just then, a second wave of cannon fire erupted. The roaring sounds froze them in horror. But once again, luck was on their side, and the darkness was their ally.

The little boy hid his face in his mother's belly, trembling. Despite living by the sea, he had never learned to swim. A row of what ifs played in his mind, consumed by unspeakable fears. Then, after a few dreadful moments, they almost reached a rock formation. The large ship wouldn't be able to follow them there, and behind it, their own ship was hiding. A sigh of relief passed through them - too early.

A third wave of cannon fire thundered through the sky. Before anyone could react, hell broke loose. Cannonballs struck the rocks, sending debris raining down. Cries of pain and panic filled the air as water splashed in all directions and boats sank into the sea.

The mother of the little boy threw herself over her child to shield him, but her selfless act was in vain. A cannonball shattered their boat into pieces, and fragments of wooden beams flew in all directions. Everyone was flung into the water, many already dead or grievously injured.

The little boy screamed as he was hurled into the sea, separated from his mother. The cold water enveloped him. Desperately, he tried to move his legs and arms but was pulled down. A rope from a heavy burlap sack had tangled around his ankle, making it impossible for him to reach the surface. Around him, remnants of the boat and lifeless bodies floated.

His vision darkened as he struggled for air. His lungs burned with the need for oxygen. Just as he was about to give in, a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him upward. The weight of the sack was suddenly gone. He broke through the surface, gasping for air, the cold wind biting his face.

His vision was blurred, but he recognised the Captain holding him tightly, swimming urgently toward his ship. The last thing he saw was the ship's bow before everything went dark. Later, he learned that almost no one from their boat survived the cannonball's impact, and only half of the other boats escaped the ambush.

The little boy never saw his mother again. She had given him her necklace a few days before they were abducted, and it was his only keepsake of her. The Captain took him under his wing, helping him through his grief and teaching him everything he knew.

As if bracing himself, the young man at the railing exhaled sharply, fixing his gaze on the distant ship. Turning, he descended the stairs to the main deck, where a crowd awaited him. He nodded and raised his fist. "Alright, let's do it!"

The crowd responded in unison.

"AYE!"

***

"Oh, please, stop being overdramatic! What's going on in that weird head of yours?" Wang Yi Bo said, rolling his eyes.

"Aah, Baby! You ruined the whole mood and my cool look!" Xiao Zhan whined, standing up and pouting.

"What was there to ruin anyway?"

"Come on, it's Monday morning, and we're on vacation. Let's just enjoy our free day, and you be nice and listen to my dream from last night."

"Okay, okay, stop whining… that's my part. Come here and continue." Laughing, Wang Yi Bo tapped the mattress.

"Hmpf… okay, where was I…?”