Ocean Lords: Start Harvesting Double from Dice Rolls Chapter 3: Crew Enhancement

[Seaman Luu Yuan successfully signed, salary: 400 Copper Coins/month, paid]

[Ship’s Ocean Affinity Attribute +5]

[Ship’s Sailing Speed +5 knots/hr]

[Ship’s Exploration Range +5 meters]

[Stability Ability +1]

A contract glowing with a soft blue light silently fused into the forms of Luu Yuan and Fang Yu, marking Luu Yuan's official entry into Fang Yu’s ship crew.

The Ocean Affinity Talent of Luu Yuan further empowered the vessel, greatly boosting Fang Yu’s ship performance.

A wave of delight washed over Fang Yu as he glanced at his lord panel, observing the updates to the ship's stats.

[Captain: Fang Yu]

[Lord Level: 1 (0/100)]

[Lord Ability Level: 1 (1 unit represents the average attributes of an adult)]

[Ship Type: Small Cargo Vessel]

[Cargo Limit: 700 tons]

[Ship Speed: 15—20+5 knots/hr]

[Exploration Range: Depth 10+5 meters]

[Stability: 6+1 (Can withstand sea state level 7)]

(Note: Sea state level 7 waves are about 6-8 meters high, wind force level 8-9)

[Extraordinary Ability: None]

[Ship Modifications: None]

[Crew Management: 1]

Luu Yuan: Level 1, Basic Ocean Affinity (Contract can be terminated)

[Lord Talent: ???]

Question marks filled the Lord Talent section.

Still, Fang Yu brimmed with excitement, knowing the presence of this section confirmed his ownership of a Lord Talent.

It simply hadn't awakened yet.

Early-stage Lord Talents tended to be monetary in nature almost without exception.

Later awakenings usually brought combat-oriented ones.

In advanced stages, combat talents overshadowed monetary types by a wide margin.

With a crew member boasting Ocean Affinity Talent now on board, the ship's capabilities had surged dramatically, yet Fang Yu intended to enlist even more hands.

His strategy involved using the starting 2000 Copper Coins to onboard three crew members right away.

Wealth allowed for such moves, and extra crew meant smoother operations during the crucial early phase.

This was smart investing to accelerate progress.

“Captain, should I tag along while you hire more crew?”

Luu Yuan quickly adapted to his position, sharp-eyed and attentive. Seeing Fang Yu eyeing other prospects in the human resources area, he inquired gently.

“No thanks, go buy the supplies!”

Fang Yu declined with a shake of his head, assigning tasks to suit each person's strengths.

He passed 100 Copper Coins to Luu Yuan, directing him to procure essentials like food and daily necessities for the voyage.

Meanwhile, Fang Yu kept browsing the talent market.

After his bold spending on hiring earlier, everyone recognized Fang Yu as a captain with bright prospects ahead.

Eyes followed him with growing anticipation.

A few turned down bids from rival captains, hoping Fang Yu might pick them instead.

Other captains stared in shock toward Fang Yu.

Typically, lords extend offers, and crew snap them up fast.

Captain-to-crew ratio stands at 1:9.

Budget limits mean most captains manage just two hires.

Around 70% of crew hopefuls get cut in the initial picks, compelled to slash prices or labor gratis.

Without that, development stalls completely.

So, crew rejecting captains was unheard of, leaving others baffled.

Captains couldn't help but fix their stares on Fang Yu.

Who’s this guy? Such nerve...

They wondered silently.

Yet those stares didn't distract Fang Yu from his selections.

In the end, his attention settled on two candidates.

Du Ran: Basic Strength Talent, 200 Copper Coins/month, sturdy frame, square-jawed, seeming dependable. Fang Yu wanted a powerhouse type for...

hauling heavy loads...

Fang Yu approved strongly and swiftly inked the deal with Du Ran.

Early followers often formed the backbone of future core teams.

Therefore, Fang Yu weighed both skills and personality in his choices.

Du Ran came across as straightforward and trustworthy, not the sort to slack off.

For the third spot, Fang Yu picked a seafaring expert.

Ma Shuo: Basic Nautical Management Talent, 300 Copper Coins/month, slender figure, goes by “Ma.”

Quite the talker, endlessly chatty.

After a short exchange, Fang Yu felt a bit dazed by Ma’s zeal but sealed the contract without delay.

Ocean voyages drag on tediously.

This fellow could brighten the mood onboard, his sociable vibe likely to cheer up quieter mates.

Handling crew dynamics would pose no issue.

Every ship requires oversight.

But managerial talents cost a fortune few captains can bear.

Only a rich one like Fang Yu could snag one so casually.

Upon signing Ma’s contract, numerous managerial bonuses popped up on Fang Yu’s captain interface.

[Warehouse Utilization Rate +15% (Cargo Limit boosted to 805 tons)]

[Food Calorie +15%]

[Crew Gains Basic Fishing Skill]

Now, Fang Yu’s starting trio of crewmates was completely assembled.

At the same time, his funds dropped by 1000 Copper Coins.

Left with just 1000 Copper Coins displayed on the panel, Fang Yu decided against further hiring. Instead, he directed Ma and the rest to link up with Luu Yuan before exiting the talent market toward...

[Ship Modifications Store]

After using up the last thousand Copper Coins, Fang Yu departed the upgrade shop satisfied, scroll in hand.

Through his lordly senses, he swiftly pinpointed where his three crew members were.

Hmm?

At the dock?

Fang Yu made his way to the area near Qiyun Port’s docks, where he saw his three crewmates already assembled. Right then, Ma called out with a wave, “Captain, over here!”

The trio stood patiently in line.

For a beginner cargo vessel, this dock served as the hub where captains claimed transport missions.

Daily, vast quantities of goods awaited shipment from this spot.

Yet today, a fresh wave of captains had shown up, creating a throng of competitors with scant opportunities—too many wolves, too little meat.

The dynamic had flipped from ships hunting cargo to cargo evading ships.

Showing up late forced a long wait in line for merchants to hand out jobs, risking an empty hold for the day.

Noticing his crew had been standing there awhile with the line barely advancing, Fang Yu grinned to himself and gestured them over. “Forget the queue, come here—I’ve got special cargo lined up for us!”

The three froze in surprise, sharing looks. “Special cargo?”

“Special cargo demands over a thousand tons of capacity to claim. Captain... our ship can’t handle it!”

Ma stared wide-eyed at Fang Yu, hesitant to abandon their spot.

Stepping out now would require starting over at the end, maybe missing out entirely today.

The three shook their heads, suspecting their captain hadn’t checked the guides.

Catching their dubious faces, Fang Yu’s eyes bulged. “Move it, before we lose that cargo!”

They traded another glance, then grudgingly ditched the line and trudged over to Fang Yu, heads low.