Chapter 81: Who to Thank? |
"Storm... Danger."
The captain suddenly grew anxious, assuming Su Yuan had not understood him.
He immediately began repeating what he wanted to say in his broken English.
"..." Zhao Ru hesitated for a moment.
She did not know how to explain it to the captain.
Should she just tell him there was no danger?
But seeing the captain's earnest expression, Zhao Ru felt he probably would not believe her.
"Don't say too much, just tell him to set sail,"
Bai Tangwen said from the side.
But since a big shot like Su Yuan dared to board the ship, what did he have to fear?
"Alright," Zhao Ru thought for a moment, then began persuading the captain.
A few minutes later, the captain was convinced. He stood in place, pondered for a moment, and then boarded the vessel. The other two crew members also got on board to prepare.
Bai Tangwen and Zhao Ru followed onto the ship and found Su Yuan sitting at the bow. The black long box he usually carried on his back rested beside him.
"Boss."
Bai Tangwen stepped forward and reported in a low voice, "We are about to set out to sea. Do you want to return to your cabin..."
Bai Tangwen meant that it was dangerous outside, especially at the bow. Not to mention anything else, even the seabirds in the sky might injure someone.
"Here is fine,"
Su Yuan replied calmly.
Sitting at the bow provided the broadest view.
As for danger?
With his current strength, what danger could he possibly face?
Furthermore, Su Yuan had already asked the gray mirror in advance; he would not encounter any danger.
"Understood."
Bai Tangwen muttered softly.
"Boss, the captain said that as soon as there are signs of a storm, he will immediately turn back,"
Zhao Ru spoke up from the side.
The only way she had managed to persuade the captain was by guaranteeing they would not encounter a sea storm, and if they did, they could immediately return.
Without this guarantee, the captain would never have set sail. After all, for anyone, encountering a storm at sea was a near-death experience.
"There will indeed be a storm."
Su Yuan glanced at Zhao Ru. "But there won't be any danger."
The gray mirror had already answered numerous scenarios they would encounter on the voyage, as well as their corresponding solutions.
And the storm... they would encounter it five hours and thirty-two minutes after setting out.
It was just that this storm would pose no danger to them. They would pass through it safely.
"Ah?"
Zhao Ru blinked in surprise.
The boss said they would encounter a storm? But it wouldn't be dangerous?
Zhao Ru could hardly comprehend the meaning of those words. It was common sense that no one could guarantee survival when encountering a storm in the deep sea.
'The boss probably hasn't truly experienced a sea storm before. He must think it's just a few small waves...'
Zhao Ru thought to herself. Although she had never personally experienced the terror of a sea storm, she had heard others talk about it. It was an apocalyptic scene of heaven and earth tearing apart. Just experiencing it once would leave an indelible psychological shadow.
'Once we actually encounter the storm, he'll take the initiative to have the captain turn back.'
Zhao Ru thought in her heart.
Right at that moment.
The ship slowly started, sailing toward the depths of the ocean.
For the first few hours.
Everything was calm and peaceful. The ocean stretched out boundlessly, an incredibly spectacular sight.
But as time passed, the originally bright sky gradually turned gloomy.
Dark clouds gathered in the distance, and pale cyan lightning flashed intermittently, sending shivers down their spines.
"The storm. The storm is really coming."
Seeing this, Zhao Ru's expression changed slightly. This scene was unmistakably a sea storm. The captain truly was experienced to have predicted it before they even set sail.
"Boss."
Bai Tangwen gazed at the distant, cloud-covered horizon and immediately whispered, "What should we do now?"
He glanced at Su Yuan, then turned back to look at the ship's control room.
At that moment, the captain was already planning to turn around and head back.
While sea storms were undeniably dangerous, as long as they distanced themselves in time, it usually would not be an issue.
"Do you have a gun?"
Su Yuan asked casually.
"Yes."
Bai Tangwen patted his waist. Abroad, carrying firearms was quite normal.
"Press the gun to the captain's head and demand he keeps sailing in the direction I gave him."
"Afterward, compensate him with ten times the fee for this voyage,"
Su Yuan ordered.
This was the simplest and fastest method.
Through the gray mirror, Su Yuan knew this sea storm posed no actual threat.
But others did not know that, especially the captain. Rather than wasting his breath trying to explain, it was better to directly threaten him.
This action was also the most effective approach.
"Understood."
Bai Tangwen did not hesitate.
He immediately turned and walked to the ship's control room.
A moment later.
The ship, which had been in the middle of turning around, corrected its course and sailed toward the dark, stormy distance once again.
Obviously.
Faced with the two choices of dying right now or dying a bit later.
The captain chose to die a bit later.
As they drew closer and closer to the storm area.
The ship noticeably began to pitch and roll, clearly battered by the impact of the surging underwater waves.
Under these circumstances.
The two crew members were already hiding in a corner, trembling in fear.
Because under normal conditions, the intensity of these impacts would only increase until the vessel was completely swallowed by the sea.
Compared to the true might of heaven and earth, humanity was simply too insignificant.
Rumble— Wave after wave continually crashed against them, and the ship's violent pitching grew increasingly severe.
Even Zhao Ru's face revealed a look of absolute terror.
Bai Tangwen's right hand holding the pistol trembled slightly.
Once the ship was submerged, let alone an ordinary person like him, even a Core-Embracing Grandmaster could die if their luck was bad.
In the boundless ocean, with no place to land and no supplies, even if a Core-Embracing Grandmaster did not drown, their stamina would deplete, their condition would decline, and they would eventually be torn apart and eaten by sea beasts.
Rumble—
Another massive wave struck, causing the entire ship to shake violently once more.
"No!"
The captain wore an expression of total despair, already shutting his eyes as he waited for death.
However.
At that exact moment.
The successive crashing waves rapidly calmed, and a ray of bright sunlight abruptly pierced through the densely packed dark clouds in the sky.
Immediately after, the dark clouds scattered, the waves subsided, and the skies cleared after the rain.
"The storm... the storm has passed?"
Seeing this, the two crew members broke into looks of wild ecstasy. They hugged each other, rejoicing that they had survived such a natural disaster.
Promptly, the two sailors fell to their knees, closing their eyes to thank the Sea God for his protection.
In their eyes, their survival this time was entirely due to the unseen grace of the Sea God.
"I... I survived?"
The captain was equally ecstatic. Just a moment ago, he had believed his death was absolutely certain.
"Thank the Sea God..."
The captain also dropped to his knees, offering a heartfelt prayer of gratitude to the Sea God.
"The storm is over."
Bai Tangwen steadied his nerves.
For some unknown reason, he suddenly recalled the words Su Yuan had spoken not long ago—
There will be a storm, but there won't be any danger.
"Why aren't you thanking the Sea God?"
Seeing Bai Tangwen still standing there, the captain could not help but remind him.
"Thank the Sea God?"
Bai Tangwen was somewhat bewildered.
Should he thank the Sea God.
Or should he thank Su Yuan?