Above the vast and undulating azure sea,
A steam-powered yacht, emitting black smoke, glided through the waves, advancing majestically. Nearby, white seagulls skimmed gracefully over the water, their calls echoing in the air.
“Steven, want to go fishing?”
Vidi and Philip wore flashy beach shorts, their shirt buttons undone, revealing most of their chests. They wore straw hats, and their skin had already begun to tan into a healthy wheat color from prolonged sun exposure.
“No, I need to read!”
Wu Ming waved the thick book in his hand.
To an uninformed observer, this book titled “The End Times Codex” would appear completely illegible, filled with indecipherable scribbles. Wu Ming hadn’t even tried to conceal its contents.
“What a bore! Alice really wanted you to help her apply sunscreen…”
Vidi muttered, “Also, according to Captain Victor, we should reach the Red Coral Sea—the fabled Sea of Lovers—in a week…”
This was the main destination of Wu Ming’s journey. Although it was already a famous tourist attraction, through the channel provided by Meihu Diya, he learned that a mysterious ruin was hidden there.
“I know…”
Wu Ming waved his hand dismissively, not even lifting his head.
“Seriously… not the slightest bit romantic…”
Vidi shrugged, then left with Philip, their arms around each other’s shoulders, “I’m going to catch a big fish today—you just wait and see what a feast I’ll prepare tonight, hahaha…”
…
“Simple people can be quite happy too!”
Watching the figures of Neville and the others playing on the deck, Wu Ming smiled. Then, his fingers traced over several crimson symbols on the page.
“The Crimson Hand… an ancient dark organization, huh? Seems like it’s really declined nowadays…”
Instantly, two figures appeared in Wu Ming’s mind—Joseph and the seductive woman.
Originally, he could have killed the Minotaur with a single punch. The reason he temporarily spared its life was to discover who its master was.
Those two outsiders had hoped to probe his secrets, unaware that everything about them had already been completely exposed to Wu Ming through the Minotaur’s mental link.
Mei Hu, left behind at Victoria Harbour, had already begun investigating these two individuals.
“This world…”
The End Times Codex contained only a brief account of the origin and development of the Crimson Hand, along with a few small blood rituals. If someone could understand or even imitate them, there was a slight chance they could gain some supernatural power.
Yet, a hint of confusion crossed Wu Ming’s face.
“The upper limit of the supernatural is high… technology is quite advanced, far surpassing the steam age of my previous life. But… is this really the world of the deity who created the Grand Temple?”
Although the coordinates of this universe were left behind by the original master within the Grand Temple, Wu Ming was no longer certain.
Perhaps this was just an interesting world discovered by that being, casually recorded.
Alternatively, He might have hidden something in this universe, waiting for a fortunate soul to uncover it.
Even more likely, it could be a trap filled with malice?
“In any case, I must uncover all the deep secrets of this world—every relic, every supernatural inheritance, and every major faction must be thoroughly examined!”
Merely because the original master of the Grand Temple had taken notice, Wu Ming had resolved his course.
After all, with his long lifespan, he could afford to spend this much time. Moreover, this was only a projection of himself; even if he spent his entire life in this world, it wouldn’t be a problem.
Thanks to his extensive knowledge accumulated in this world and his comprehension of supernatural powers, Wu Ming translated quickly.
Half a day later, he rubbed his eyes, stretched, and walked out of the cabin.
By then, the sun was nearly dipping below the horizon, casting an orange glow, and the sea shimmered under the golden light.
“What a beautiful sunset…”
Wu Ming smiled.
“Mr. Steven!”
Captain Victor, standing nearby, had a tortoiseshell pipe in his mouth, exhaling a perfectly round smoke ring, “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
He looked about forty, with a rugged face like it had been carved by knives, and slightly graying temples. He was the very image of a seasoned old sailor.
“Captain Victor, how many years have you been sailing?”
Wu Ming watched Angelina, Alice, and Lanny preparing dinner and suddenly asked this question.
“Sailing how many years?”
Victor burst into laughter. “I was born on a fishing boat; the sea is my home! I started helping my family process the catch when I was seven or eight. Finally, at twenty-seven, I saved enough money to buy my own small boat. You ask how many years I’ve been sailing? My age is the same as my years at sea!”
“And the sea has always been this beautiful?”
Wu Ming steered the conversation deliberately, “So calm and peaceful?”
“Calm and peaceful?”
Victor laughed as if hearing something incredible, “Impossible! The sea isn’t always like this. You haven’t seen it in its fury. Even on this simple tourist route, when a real storm hits, we could all perish at sea!”
His eyes clouded slightly, “That’s just near the coast. Decades ago, when exploring the sea routes to the colonies, ships were sinking every day. Even after discovering new lands, it didn’t mean safety. The poisoned arrows and witchcraft of cannibals were enough to turn any strong, healthy young man into a corpse!”
Especially during the once-thriving slave trade, for every tens of millions of people taken, nearly the same number died at sea… resulting in ghost ships, spectral tides, sea monsters… emerging endlessly! For example, the recent mysterious disappearance of the St. Andrews, where the entire crew vanished but the ship remained intact—what else could have done that besides vengeful spirits?
Perhaps due to years at sea, Captain Victor was rather inclined to believe in mystical forces—or superstition—and spoke of these matters with unwavering conviction.
Wu Ming listened with great interest.
Although most of the stories the captain told were inaccurate, some parts might actually be true.
“Mermaids and ghost ships?”
Vidi approached, smirking, “Uncle! What era do you think this is? Have you heard of radio and newspaper science forums? Those mermaids are nothing but dolphin silhouettes or other fish. And ghosts? Science has long disproved their existence. Those who promote such stories are just sensationalist tabloids trying to boost sales…”
“Hehe… young man, the time and distance I’ve spent sailing the seas far exceed the length of your footsteps…”
Captain Victor calmly puffed on his pipe before slowly saying, “Just because you haven’t seen something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist!”
“Whatever, I’m more interested in martial arts and combat!”
Ever since witnessing the destruction at the hotel, Vidi’s interests had shifted slightly.
After all, damage that looked like it could only be caused by an explosion wasn’t something a human could do. After hearing Wu Ming’s description, he became deeply fascinated with the limits of human strength.
Although Wu Ming seriously doubted whether Vidi’s real motivation was simply to build a muscular physique to attract girls. Given how grueling the training would be, he was pretty sure Vidi would give up and complain bitterly after just one try.
“Ah, weren’t you saying you’d catch a big fish? Where’s dinner?”
Wu Ming walked onto the deck, looking at his friends gathering for dinner, where grills held scallops, crabs, and small fish a few inches long.
As for the unprecedentedly delicious fish Vidi had promised, there was no sign of it.
“Well… haha… even Lady Luck occasionally slips up, right?”
Vidi wiped his head, laughing somewhat awkwardly.
“Brother, here!”
Angelina smiled sweetly, offering juice and grilled meat.
After all, she was just a young girl, and after several hints, her relationship with Wu Ming had grown better and better. No one else found it strange.
Indeed, travel was a great way to deepen and strengthen bonds.
Just as the group was considering whether to party all night, a sailor approached with a grave expression: “The captain sent me to inform all the guests that tonight might bring some stormy weather. It would be best to stay in the cabins, avoid going outside, and especially don’t stay on the deck!”
“What are you talking about?”
Philip’s cheeks were slightly flushed from drinking too much rum. He pointed at the sky, where the moon and stars shone particularly brightly under the night sky, “The sky is completely clear of clouds—how could there be a storm?”
“Things at sea always happen quickly!”
Wu Ming looked into the distance, pondered for a moment, and said, “Trust the captain’s judgment. Let’s go back. We can still have fun inside the cabin!”
“Seriously…”
As the true leader of the group, once Wu Ming spoke, even Vidi merely muttered a bit before obediently tidying up.
Crack!
As they headed toward the cabin, a dense cloud suddenly appeared in the distance, almost instantly covering most of the sky.
Lightning danced furiously, and the sea wind grew stronger.
Crack!
Another deafening thunderclap caused Angelina, Lanny, and the other girls to scream.
The next moment, large raindrops began to fall.
The sea, which had just been calm and peaceful, finally revealed its cruel side!
In the darkness, the yacht began to sway violently.
The storm had arrived!
“Okay… okay! You were right, Steven!”
Vidi gripped the nearby railing, his face pale, “Indeed, this weather is no longer suitable for being outside. Let’s go back immediately!”
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