Chapter 24: Setting Sail
In an apartment somewhere on South Street in the Free City.
Jiang Li leaned against the window, staring at the reply on her phone. She was stunned for a few seconds before quickly typing out a message.
【What are you doing in M Country? What’s this about ‘feeling great’? Think about the things you’ve seen and heard on your dream journey, and don’t mess with those chaotic things, okay?】
After finishing the input, she furrowed her brows. Unsure if it was due to her trust in Luxianbei or some other reason, she quickly deleted the message she had typed.
【As long as I know you’re okay, I’ll be at ease. I’m currently carrying out a mission in the Free City. If it’s convenient…】
This time, she had only typed half of it when she shook her head and chose to delete it again.
Not too long ago, Luxianbei was with the guardians of the Siye Society, completing a scam designed to deceive the major spiritual organizations, and now he suddenly appeared in M Country, likely on some kind of mission, which might even be directly assigned by the guardians…
And this mission required Luxianbei to fake his d*ath and conceal his identity, which would be the price he had to pay!
From what Jiang Li understood about Luxianbei, if she told him she was in the Free City, he would definitely come to see her. If the place Luxianbei was carrying out his mission from was far from the Free City, it might affect the completion of that mission.
Would the guardians of the Siye Society blame Luxianbei if the mission failed?
After pondering for a moment, Jiang Li retyped her message.
【As long as I know you’re okay, I’ll be at ease. I guess you must have something important to do in M Country? Then you get busy, and reply when it’s convenient.】
After sending it, she clicked send.
Although she missed Luxianbei and wished to see him right away, she didn’t want to let her yearning affect Luxianbei’s work, leading to adverse outcomes for him.
So, she chose to restrain herself…
————
Meanwhile, about fifteen nautical miles from the Queen’s City, on the sea.
Tonight, it was raining around the Queen’s City, and the wind was not calm either. Due to the wind, the sea was quite tumultuous.
On this stormy night, Luxianbei, aboard the Killer Whale, found it quite inconvenient to reply to Jiang Li’s message.
After about ten minutes since the Killer Whale set sail, he began to feel unwell.
He felt sluggish, had weak limbs, and a nauseating urge to vomit…
“Sir, are you alright? How about drinking this? It will make you feel better.” Noticing Luxianbei showing symptoms resembling seasickness, a tall and strong Black woman kindly brought him some chilled lemon soda.
Though she had no interest in men, during her years as a gang member, she had hosted many guests from outside, and this time was undoubtedly the most grand.
To receive this man, the gang deployed eleven B-grade spiritual ability users and even an A-grade urban legend, aside from sending out the Killer Whale…
The Killer Whale, a special ship that had caused an urban legend incident in the Free City, was obtained by the gang through undisclosed means and underwent deep alchemical modifications.
She did not know how powerful the modified Killer Whale was, but she had heard that over a year ago, three gang members, while trading with another gang aboard the Killer Whale, were besieged by over ten high-level spiritual ability users and managed to fight their way out.
Considering all these factors, it was clear how important this guest was to the legendary Mr. Constantin.
Naturally, she would spare no effort to treat this important guest, even to the point of being obsequious.
Seeing that Luxianbei took the cup, the Black woman beamed and continued, “I think this kind of ghastly weather is perfect for drinking strong liquor and smoking weed in the theater of [Angel Rose], watching the gorgeous ladies with hot bodies perform striptease…”
“Please bear with it for a while. Once we arrive at the Free City, plenty of fun will be available for you to pick out like products on a supermarket shelf. You should quickly forget this uncomfortable journey.”
“Hmm.” Luxianbei nodded, symbolically taking a sip of the soda. “Hearing you say that, I’m starting to look forward to it, like that theater called [Angel Rose].”
“Oh ho ho!” The Black woman laughed, flashing a bright smile, winking at Luxianbei, “Since the guest is interested, once we reach our destination, how about we head straight to [Angel Rose]? After the performance, we can even stay there!”
[Angel Rose] is the highest spending venue among similar establishments in the Free City; usually, members of the lower and middle-tier gangs would only splurge on such a place after saving for a month or even several months, but being with such an important guest changed everything…
At that point, of course, all expenses would be on the guest!
Luxianbei, “…”
But… could this also be part of the plan laid out by the Wordless Book senior?
Is that place really okay to visit?
This… doesn’t seem right?
Luxianbei thought, rubbing his hands like a little fly. “The way you say it makes me more looking forward to it, but…”
Halfway through his sentence, feeling a chill rise from his back, he shifted gears, “But I think I need to rest well now, could you please only call me when we reach our destination?”
“Of course, be sure to rest well. Without your orders, no one will disturb your rest.” The Black woman, being perceptive and sensitive, quickly smiled and exited the cabin.
Once she walked away, Luxianbei let out a slow breath and then noticed Nanling Yaohua holding up a little notebook in front of him that read [Are you okay?]. He dismissively shrugged.
“I’m fine, didn’t the Wordless Book senior remind me? After arriving in M Country, especially after sailing out, feeling unwell is normal. I’ll be fine once I get used to it…”
In the extensive material provided by the Wordless Book, around five pages particularly highlighted the unusual reactions he might experience after arriving in M Country.
Weakness of powers was one of them.
The urban legends originating from Z Country crossed vast distances to reach lands with almost no followers, where the transmission of these urban legends related to powers is quite limited. It is perfectly normal for powers to weaken to some extent.
It’s similar to how creatures that induce fear in certain regions can simply become food on a plate in another area, only to taste delicious.
The recent mass disappearances of deities and spiritual ability users drifting in M Country are the best examples; when they were in Z Country, none of them weren’t formidable ones who could command the winds and rain within a small area, yet with powers weakened, these former strong individuals became targets for abduction.
It has been proven that human fears and cognitions do not align; different powers can be strong or weak in different regions…
Besides, as an urban legend controlling the power of drought, being on the sea would mean that power would also be somewhat suppressed due to environmental changes.
Facing the vast ocean, Celestial Maiden Ya’s power still seemed somewhat insufficient, like a few tons of desiccant tossed into the ocean, unable to make a substantive impact on the entire body of water, instead being soaked by seawater.
Fortunately, Luxianbei obtaining Cataclysm Grade power was not through collecting faith, and the existence of the core of the witch-type urban legend meant she was not just an urban legend controlling drought, so the impact of weakened powers on her was much lighter than those unfortunate ones who were abducted.
According to the Wordless Book, it would be like experiencing a cold wind and would recover soon.
So, when the uncomfortable symptoms surfaced, the dear Mr. Yu Yinchuan was taken by the fellow gang members aboard as having seasickness, and he admitted to it.
The only inconvenience was that his plan to smoothly infiltrate the control room, take hold of the helm, and briefly captain the ship would be delayed a bit, but it should be doable before reaching the destination.
“Sasa, Sasa!”
Another sound of writing echoed.
【Also, do you really want to go to that [Angel Rose]?】
Taking a fiancée to a striptease theater is a bit excessive, isn’t it?
After reading what Nanling Yaohua wrote, Luxianbei twitched at the corner of his eye and emotionlessly replied, “Not interested, not at all. I’m just thinking that the [Golden Toad Boy] used to frequent that place a lot; the frequency seemed a bit abnormal, maybe there will be clues about his disappearance there.”
【Oh, that makes sense, I’ll take your word for it!】
Seeing Nanling Yaohua’s reply, Luxianbei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
————
Not long after the Killer Whale set sail, someone pushed open the door to a closed, dilapidated church.
Outside the intricately patterned stained glass windows, dense scarlet mist floated, casting a hazy bl**d-like hue inside the church. Upon seeing someone enter the church, a man sitting at the end of a long table, most of his body shrouded in darkness, lowered his chin from resting on his gloved hands.
“Why are you so late? You’re half an hour later than scheduled…”
Across from the long table, next to the slightly ajar door, stood a woman who had shed her dripping raincoat and looked calmly at the man at the end of the long table. “I encountered some minor troubles on the way; it won’t affect the outcome.”
“Is that so?” The man at the end of the long table raised an eyebrow, smiling. “Then tell me what good news you’ve brought back for everyone!”
“Hum!” The woman snorted softly, her gaze sweeping over the man at the end of the long table and the three figures flanking him, while she walked towards the empty fourth seat on the left, leisurely saying, “I’ve tracked down the whereabouts of those two guys who might be a nuisance…”
“One of them is in an underground clinic on South Street in the Free City, still unconscious. The other just boarded the Killer Whale heading from the Queen’s City. You decide which one to deal with first!”
“Of course, it’s the one on the sea…” The man at the end of the long table nodded towards a figure on his right, smiling. “With our dear Charybdis, that friend from the sea, there shouldn’t be any chance of survival, right?”
“By the way, be careful of the Killer Whale! I heard it’s an alchemical ship and seems to have some connection with that traitor, might be a bit formidable.”
“Ha, don’t worry.” The figure known as Charybdis nodded. “No matter how powerful a Killer Whale is, compared to a true ocean overlord, it’s just an inconsequential little fish.”
“Confidence is good, but excessive confidence can bring misfortune!” said the sleek figure sitting opposite Charybdis. “I’ve heard members of the Assassins’ nameless group arrived in M Country some time ago, and their objectives overlap with ours…”
“Why don’t I think of a way to have them help us?”
“Are you questioning my abilities?” Charybdis said in a deep voice.
“Calm down, calm down!” said the man at the end of the long table. “I don’t think she’s questioning you, Charybdis; she’s just making a suggestion… Furthermore, if we can manage it well, letting the nameless group work for us for free would be a good backup.”
“Just know, once we get targeted by those guys, they’ll be like flies, making one’s life unbearable.”
After saying that, he glanced at the sleek figure and reflected for a moment, “Darling, just go ahead and do it!”
“After handling this matter, we should all proceed according to our previously discussed plan, following the footsteps of [Hades], heading toward the predetermined destination, soon… we can begin!”
As these words were spoken, excitement sparked in the eyes of the five figures present.
At that moment, the man at the end of the long table turned to look at the figure on his left who had remained silent, patted his shoulder, “You stay in M Country for now; once you find that traitor, we can set off…”
“She must be eliminated!”
Upon hearing that, the figure’s movements stiffened, and he tilted his head to the sides as if taking some time to understand the man’s words, before he nodded…
————
At 4:05 AM.
Having departed from the port of the Queen’s City, the Killer Whale traveled at a high speed of eighty knots for nearly an hour, and the journey was already halfway complete.
The sound of waves surged.
Looking out, aside from a small area illuminated by the Killer Whale’s lights, at a slightly farther distance was a dancing gray-blue, gradually darkening, and then, at an indistinct boundary, it suddenly swallowed all light.
The night ocean relentlessly displayed its oppressive depth.
“Is it really not possible? Don’t be so stingy! I just want to slightly experience what it feels like to steer a boat… It’s just a tiny little wish, can’t you satisfy it?”
After resting for nearly an hour in the cabin and just beginning to recover a bit, Luxianbei couldn’t wait to rush to the Killer Whale’s control room, starting another round of persuasion with the captain.
Hearing Luxianbei’s words, the captain shook his head.
Although he wanted to satisfy the generous wishes of this guest, letting a novice steer was a very dangerous matter.
“How about this, I’ll give you this thing, and you let me steer for five minutes. No, three minutes! Three minutes is enough!”
Luxianbei had already anticipated the captain would reject his request at first, so he did not get discouraged. While speaking, he took off the big gold watch from his wrist and handed it to the captain.
“Here, a Patek Philippe. Do you like it? If you let me steer for three minutes, it’s yours!”
“Gulp—!” The captain swallowed, this time not refusing immediately. Instead, he stared at the exquisitely crafted steel watch, his eyes glazed.
In the eyes of this generous guest, this watch might seem like an easily disposable item, but for him, it was worth at least three years of salary.
He liked it, desperately wanting to possess it.
But…
Just as the captain was hypnotized by the watch, Luxianbei’s voice suddenly pierced his ears. After hearing it, the captain’s face turned pale.
“Hey, wait a minute! Your ship is actually amphibious? Why is it suddenly flying up?”
The captain, “??? Flying up? I’ve driven the Killer Whale dozens of times, never heard of it having flying capabilities. What the heck did you do?!”
