"I repeat, we are currently facing a pirate attack! There were armed men boarding the s.h.i.+p! Mayday! Mayday!"

That was the report received from MT Navig8 Song one random night. It was a bulk carrier merchant s.h.i.+p that was carrying dry goods cargo such as grains, salt, cement and metals ores that was bound to Quanzhou, coming from Taiwan. At the middle of the night, while waiting for her berthing in anchorage, MT Navig8 Song was looted by pirates – armed sailors from the surrounding area. The cargo was taken and ransacked. As fast as they appeared, they vanished into the night.

Xue Jinxu together with the executives was alerted immediately by this emergency situation.

Currently at Xue s.h.i.+pping, the top management was discussing on what best course of action to take.

Xue Jinxu was, as usual, presiding the meeting. Her elbows were resting on the table with hands clasped together. Her head rested on the clasped hands. She was bowing and her eyes were closed. The atmosphere in the room was filled with vulnerability since their s.h.i.+p's crew's safety was at stake, first and foremost. The a.s.sets that were at high probability to be lost were only secondary priority.

The crew's families had already been notified of the pirate attack. Although the company valued the families' concerns and worries, and the crew's safety, the PR team were careful not let any news about this incident come out.

"This was the first time that an incident of pirate attack happened in that area. It was truly tragic and alarming that after several years of doing business such incident occurred today." The Commercial Marine and Legal teams were explaining.

"We had coordinated the matter with the local government. It was partly the lapse of the local government however any action taken would be on retrospect already."

"The community around that area had been declining over the years. In the past, there had been sufficient farming, hunting and fis.h.i.+ng before however in the recent years due to lack of capital and external support from the local government, the townspeople could not sustain their living, and have thus resorted into this attack."

The Safety and Security officers were next to report. "Although there was a threat to the lives of the crew members, no one was hurt and all of them are out of danger now."

"There were traces of illegal trading in the black market of the materials that were looted; however, the instigators were nowhere to be found. After liquidating their plunder, they disappeared without any trace at all. We could further investigate in the public market where an abnormally big spending will take place."

"Alright, update everyone soonest. Meeting adjourned." Xue Jinxu was exhausted. She internally prayed that this will not happen again.

As usual, Guangxi was also there at the meeting. Today's meeting was rather undesirable and depressing. He did not dare disturb her sister after.

Xue Jinxu went straight to the COO's office to continue with her pile of workload.

Still disturbed, Guangxi decided to discuss the matter with his teacher Chen Linyun instead that afternoon.

"Teacher Chen, do you know pirates still exist to this day and age? One of our s.h.i.+ps encountered pirate attack just recently. It was a grave matter."

"Where was the attack?" Chen Linyun asked.

"It was in the Southeastern coast, near Quanzhou. The report said that it was the first incident in that area so far."

"Hmmm.." Chen Linyun adjusted his eyegla.s.ses and crossed his leg. "As far as I know, communities near and around Quanzhou are thriving. There should not be any reason for a pirate attack in that region, unless those pirates came from another location."

"They said that the townspeople were forced to become pirates because they don't have any decent and sustainable source of income."

"It's possible."

"Guangxi, do you know that pirates also have a code? They have principles which govern them. Otherwise it would be likely that they will fight among themselves."

The boy's eyes glimmers with enthusiasm. He did not quite expect that to hear. He remembered the fantasies involving pirates when he was still so much younger.

Chen Linyun further explained other facts about pirates and that throughout ancient history there were instances that the pirates were involved at some point or another.

Guangxi was so immersed in the discussion.

Chen Linyun was also interested, even too interested in the matter.

"Maybe I should visit Quanzhou and see for myself what the current situation is." He said.

Guangxi was alarmed. "But it's dangerous! You shouldn't go!"

"It will not be dangerous for me if I go through legal channels. These people might need help from external sources." Chen Linyun said. "They might be starving in famine and desolation. I'll try to help if I could."

Guangxi understood now. It was another way of looking at the facts.

"Then, Teacher Chen, can I go with you?"

"Definitely not. Your sister will kill me. Ask her first although I doubt that she'll allow you."

"You can go there when you're already old enough to decide for yourself."

"Will you really go?"

"Yes. I am feeling obliged now that I know about it. My conscience will not let me sleep."

"But they're still thieves, and they're armed. Are you sure they're not dangerous?" Guangxi asked again.

"Guangxi, you've relayed the incident yourself. Didn't you say that the crew members were all safe, and no one got injured? And the pirates had minimized their interactions with the crew. They simply looted but did not harm anyone."

"Teacher Chen, I realized, there's also a bizarre side around you! You have a different perspective!"

Guangxi was amazed about what he had learned about Chen Linyun. He did not know whether to laugh or cry or both. His teacher was absurd!

Chen Linyun just gave out a gentle laugh and ruffled the boy's hair.

In his mind, he had firmly made a personal resolution.

[1] international radio distress signal originally came from the French word m'aider meaning "come help me" [source : internet]