After Cross and the other person left, Mu Lin also departed from Country Y alone. Xiaolaipi, who was more conspicuous, was taken away by Kerry. The little guy had almost gone crazy in these two months, and Meizi and others also missed him. Therefore, Mu Lin arranged for Kerry to take Xiaolaipi along.
Without Xiaolaipi as a burden, Mu Lin’s departure became much easier. By then, he had already stirred up chaos in London’s public order. The government and police were busy dealing with demonstrations and gatherings organized by unemployed people, so the management of border entry and exit had become somewhat relaxed. Country Y was an island nation; leaving via air was relatively difficult. However, the country had a vast coastline, making it easier to leave undetected by sea.
At Plymouth Harbor, Mu Lin was walking toward his newly purchased yacht. He had bought this yacht through a local gang organization in London, using a forged passport he had fabricated in Country U. This was currently one of the world’s most advanced yachts, 196 feet long, with its most unique feature being an artificial waterfall at the “lip”-shaped stern, beneath which was an infrared massage bathtub. Originally commissioned by a European, the vessel, named “Blueshield,” had been left unsold due to the buyer’s inability to pay the remaining balance, so it was put up for sale. Now it lay quietly in the harbor, waiting for its new owner. The boat was priced at $68 million. Buying it had nearly drained Mu Lin’s savings.
If ultra-luxurious hotels and mansions were easily affordable for most billionaires, luxury yachts had become the latest status symbol among the wealthy. Besides representing wealth, status, and power, yachts primarily served as a means of extravagant self-display. Once a billionaire already owned mansions, multiple luxury cars, and even several villas and castles abroad, the next way to show off was to flaunt his private yacht. Although investing in a yacht was extremely impractical and among non-essentials was the least necessary expense, it could not stop the wealthy from proudly showing off their yachts to friends.
Mu Lin, however, had no such intention. He had already traveled extensively on land, but the ocean, covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, had always lured him with its mystery and vastness. He only wished to freely roam the open sea.
An increasing number of wealthy travelers had begun to favor private luxury yachts equipped with professional crews—the ultimate escape from worldly noise and the ultimate travel platform. Private luxury yachts symbolized status and identity. After experiencing yacht travel, one entered an internationally recognized social circle. On their floating palace, passengers enjoyed the power of kings, every minute filled with royal respect, mingling with royalty, celebrities, and top billionaires. On the yacht, they had absolute freedom, privacy, and the authority of a monarch. Advanced electronic security systems and weapons on board kept unwanted intruders away.
However, for Mu Lin, such luxuries were somewhat superfluous and unnecessary. His requirement was simply to be able to sail the yacht alone. According to his plan, he would slowly explore and adventure at sea, so he didn’t want to bring along ordinary people into potentially dangerous situations. Therefore, he underwent two weeks of intensive training at Portsmouth Harbor, specifically learning how to operate the yacht.
Now, standing alone on his yacht, Mu Lin felt a sense of melancholy about embarking on a journey—an indescribable feeling that might be a mix of fear of the unknown, the courage to overcome future obstacles, and the joy of new discoveries. It was a complex mix of emotions.
Considering that he still needed to dive into the ocean, Mu Lin stayed an extra night, sailing the yacht back to Portsmouth Harbor to prepare to purchase a diving suit there. Portsmouth was a mixed military and civilian port, so its black market offered various advanced naval military goods. He spent an extra night there, acquiring two compact submersibles capable of diving to depths of 300 meters.
After saying goodbye to his instructor, Mu Lin sailed the yacht back to Plymouth Harbor. Since both harbors were filled with luxurious yachts and were far from London, Mu Lin didn’t worry that his yacht would stand out and expose his identity.
With a long blast of the horn, the inspection personnel left the yacht. Mu Lin steered the yacht westward. He planned to sail along the English Channel into the Atlantic, then head alone to Africa, exploring untouched primitive jungles and grasslands yet to be fully claimed by modern civilization.
Soon, the yacht had left the English Channel. The number of passing ships gradually decreased. After setting the yacht on autopilot, he went back to the dining room, had dinner alone, and then stood on the front deck, admiring the ocean view alone.
The sun was setting, and the western sky was ablaze with orange-red evening clouds. Mu Lin was chasing the setting sun, feeling as if he were like the ancient mythical Kua Fu chasing the sun. The only difference was that he was chasing the sinking sun across the vast ocean.
The sea was also dyed red by the glow, but its scenery was even more magnificent than the sky. Because it was alive—every time waves rose, the glow reflecting on their peaks was bright red, like flickering flames, shimmering, rolling, and vanishing. Then another row would come, flashing and rolling toward him.
It was different from the real highland continent, where everything was exposed and open. Here, everything was wrapped in a murky, opaque layer of seawater. The inner impulses of life occasionally surfaced as waves, then disappeared again. Here, everything was moist, soft, delicate, and ever-changing… No one could truly see its inner secrets, yet it created a desire to explore and understand its complex, unpredictable inner world. Mu Lin was determined this time to uncover its true mysteries.
It was already deep into the night, but Mu Lin still didn’t want to return to his luxurious bedroom to rest. He had an instinctive feeling that danger was approaching. On land, he had carefully observed everything around him, finding nothing unusual. On the yacht, he had also thoroughly checked all the facilities, finding nothing wrong. Yet, a sense of danger kept lingering in his mind. Therefore, he dared not relax his vigilance, preparing to confront the danger that was about to come.
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