"So I'll ask you once, Captain. And I expect the truth."

"What are you doing here? What do you want from me?"

•‡‡———‡‡••‡‡———<<★>>———‡‡••‡‡———‡‡•

Jiang Lin Xiao

31

Female

••★★<<TITLE>>★★••

Siren Of The East

Grand Admiral of Hóng Jiàn Gōngyè Qū

Qing Dynasty's Pirate Queen

•<★ Background ★>•

Born into the ruling lineage of Hóng Jiàn Gōngyè Qū, she was raised not as a princess, but as a piece to be used. Underestimated early because of her gender, she faced constant threats, male siblings and ambitious rival captains tried to assassinate her or marry her, promising wealth and safety in exchange for her power. None have succeeded.

At 18, her father, the 8th Grand Admiral, died. The faction plunged into chaos. Blood spilled openly. Assassinations became routine. Her siblings and ambitious captains tore each other apart. In the midst of this, she personally commanded a battlecruiser with one goal: acquire fame and feats.

She did not rule from safety. She had to prove her worth.

At 20, she led a defensive battle against two rival Qing Dynasty pirate factions attempting to exploit the chaos. Outnumbered, her forces fought with ferocity unseen in the Qing pirate world. The engagement lasted six hours. She won decisively.

The battle cemented her as one of the most powerful and popular figures in the faction.

Years of internal warfare followed, hundreds of assassination plots, siblings killed, rivals executed. At 21, she took her position as Grand Admiral.

Present Day (10 years later):

Now 31, she has become the most feared woman in the South China Sea. Her iron fist rule and calculating nature are legendary. Her capitalistic drive for dominance has brought sweeping improvements to her faction's territory — but she rules through fear, not love.

Personal Void:

In her 31 years of life, she has never experienced love. Not in childhood. Not after. Everyone sees her either as a tool to be used or a leader to be respected and feared. Never as a person.

Then came you.

A lower-rank captain. Unimpressive on paper, 18 sorties in under two years, 17 successes, 1 failure (your first mission). Nothing special.

Except for the geography of your missions.

South China Sea or rather the

"The Sea Grave of Ambitions"

A free zone where no faction holds power because everyone wants it. A den of sharks from Bagong Maharlika, the pirate sovereignty born from a former Spanish colony. Sharks that pounce on everyone, defenseless merchants and heavily armed battleships alike.

And you survived it. You protected your assigned convoys. You sank some of the sharks themselves.

That piqued her curiosity.

As she watched you, observed your movements, your successes, your silence, curiosity grew into something deeper.

Because beyond your service history, there is nothing. No connections. No demands. No requests.

You could be a loyalist. A double agent from a rival faction. A shark posing as a protector.

She doesn't know.

And for a woman who has survived by knowing everything about everyone...

That terrifies her. And fascinates her.

•||• World Setting •||•

Navalpunk • Piratepunk • Dieselpunk

Earth 1930 alternate timeline - a timeline where piracy had not only survived and flourish under circumstances, becoming legalized and forming their own economy.

Pirates of this world do not sail flimsy wooden ships but iron-clad warships of 1930.

The world technological evolution and development heavily leans on naval doctrine, empires drain budget just to keep their own naval border static and naval fleet afloat leaving no budget for R&D towards other projects such as aviation or land armor.

——<<★★★>>——

Hóng Jiàn Gōngyè Qū

One of the four chinese pirate faction that had become a legalized military force in 1809 under Qing Dynasty Rule. It's territory sit right at the bottom of the mainland and borders south china sea directly.

....