"So where do we go now?"
"Can we set sail?"
Ning Rongrong asked curiously.
Having grown up so big, she had never been to the seashore before, and yearned for the sea even more.
"Indeed, we need to set sail, we're going to find a ship that can carry us to Sea God's Island right now,"
Qin Xiao finished speaking and led everyone toward the direction of the harbor.
Of course,
the journey attracted quite a few onlookers, and Qin Xiao didn't know how many envious and resentful glares he garnered.
"Luxury cruise, a three-day sea tour, just for five golden soul coins."
"Ten golden soul coins and you will experience what it means to live a life of drunken dreams on my big ship."
"Brother, planning to sail out? I provide the ship, you provide the coin, let's embark on an impromptu trip."
"..."
The moment Qin Xiao and company arrived at the harbor, they could hear many captains advertising their large ships.
"We'd like to charter a ship; who among you can go out to sea?"
At that moment, Ning Rongrong inquired.
She emphasized the word 'charter,' intending to inform the surrounding captains that apart from their group of five, they didn't want any outsiders to disturb them.
As she spoke, indeed, many were put off.
Of course,
there were still plenty of interested people.
"May I ask where you wish to go?"
"Let's just say, there's no place upon the high seas that I can't reach!"
A black-bearded captain said with confidence.
Ning Rongrong said, "We want to go to Sea God's Island."
"Uh, Sea God's Island, better forget about it..."
The black-bearded captain instantly lost his nerve.
It wasn't just him, as even the people around them subconsciously backed away.
What place was Sea God's Island?
Was it a destination ordinary ships could reach?
Even a single ten-thousand-year-old sea soul beast would be enough to claim their lives.
"Hey, don't go... Don't leave,"
"The price is negotiable, come on."
Ning Rongrong grew anxious. Just now these people were claiming there was no place they couldn't reach.
And now why were they running faster than rabbits?
"Respected sirs and ladies, might I inquire if you're intending to proceed to Sea God's Island?"
Just then, a middle-aged man who appeared to be over fifty came up to them, greeting everyone graciously.
Qin Xiao glanced over and felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with this man.
"Correct, are you also a captain?"
Ning Rongrong nodded her head.
"Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Heider, captain of the Sea Demon. I've navigated the seas for many years and have extensive sailing experience. I can take you to Sea God's Island,"
the middle-aged captain Heider said humbly.
Well, Heider...
Hearing this, Qin Xiao frowned slightly.
He thought it sounded familiar. Wasn't this one of the renowned members of the Black Pearl Pirate Group?
In the original story, Tang San and his friends had taken this very ship to the sea.
Interesting, I would like to see what the legendary Purple Pearl looks like... He mumbled to himself and then told Heider, "Alright, you it is."
"It is certainly possible,"
Heider nodded, hesitated for a moment, and said in a lower voice, "However, before we embark on this voyage, I must make one thing clear. A round trip to Sea God's Island will take at least a month, with the deep sea regions being far more dangerous than the shallow ones. Since you're chartering the whole ship, the cost might be quite expensive."
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong casually took out a black pouch from her Spatial Soul Guidance Device and tossed it over, "Here are five hundred golden soul coins, all for you."
"How much!?"
"Five hundred golden soul coins?"
Heider's pupils shrank, somewhat disbelieving.
What a big fat sheep that was, throwing out five hundred golden soul coins just like that.
Even if he robbed for a year, he couldn't get his hands on that much money.
"What do you say? Can we set out?" Ning Rongrong asked with a frown.
Heider nodded, "It's not impossible, but I must say this frankly: don't think that with these five hundred golden soul coins you can do whatever you want. This sum at most gets you three round trips."
'Pfft.'
After hearing Heider's words, everyone couldn't help but laugh.
Who needed three round trips?
Just taking them directly to Sea God's Island was enough.
"When can we depart?"
Qin Xiao spoke up.
"Respected sirs and ladies, please follow me. Our crew has been awaiting everyone on the Sea Demon,"
Heider said, gesturing for them to follow and then led the way.
Under Heider's guidance, the group quickly boarded the Sea Demon.
Along the way, Heider didn't forget to inform Qin Xiao and his companions about the Sea Demon.
The group learned that the Sea Demon had a total of three decks. The main deck was on the top, and there were two decks above and one below.
The lower deck was the living space for the crew, while the upper two decks were for Qin Xiao, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and the rest to move around.
"Raise the anchor, set the course,"
Heider instructed the crew, and the Sea Demon began to move gradually.
"Respected sirs and ladies, the sea breeze is strong. Why not rest in the dining room for a while? We will soon offer you a fine lunch,"
Heider said with a graceful and polite smile.
Qin Xiao looked at the faces of those around him and noticed they didn't look so well; some were pale, as if they had lost their color.
No one said they felt uncomfortable, but Qin Xiao could tell they were all less than comfortable.
Looks like it's their first time at sea, and they're getting seasick... Qin Xiao suddenly realized.
The ship sailing on the ocean is greatly different from those on rivers and lakes.
Because the wind and waves are stronger at sea, the ship is less stable, and those who normally aren't seasick might still feel ill.
```
"Alright, let's head back to the cabin first; after traveling for several days, we can finally relax properly now,"
Qin Xiao nodded and agreed with Captain Heider's suggestion.
The cabin was spacious.
The dome above, inlaid with crystal lamps, illuminated the cabin as bright as day.
"Please wait a moment, honored guests,"
said Captain Heider as he bowed slightly to everyone with good manners and exited politely.
"Qin Xiao, why do I feel like there's something off about this guy?"
After Heider left, Ning Rongrong asked with a frown.
Qin Xiao asked with interest, "What makes you think there's something off?"
"Though he hides it well, I can still sense a gleam in his eyes,"
Ning Rongrong said seriously, arms crossed over her chest, one hand stroking her chin.
"It'd be great if I could sparkle too,"
chimed in Dugu Yan, "These people who do business on the high seas, who knows how long it would take them to earn five hundred golden soul coins. Miss Ning tossed out five hundred with just a flick of her wrist; it would be strange if their eyes didn't sparkle. After all, with five hundred golden soul coins we could buy this ship outright."
Actually, Dugu Yan had a point.
But Ning Rongrong shook her head after listening, "No, it's not about the five hundred golden soul coins; it's the way he looks at us, like we're lambs to the slaughter, with thieves' glints in his eyes."
"What?"
"Is that really so?"
Dugu Yan was stunned.
On the other hand, Zhu Zhuqing and Meng Yiran also frowned, and a cold killing intent erupted from the two women.
The temperature in the cabin suddenly dropped significantly.
Even Ning Rongrong felt a chill.
Subconsciously, she turned her gaze toward Qin Xiao.
There,
Qin Xiao had taken a seat beside the long table, poured himself a glass of water, and began to drink on his own.
"Qin Xiao, say something, will you?"
Ning Rongrong looked at Qin Xiao somewhat anxiously.
At such a time, was this guy really so calm as to drink water?
In response to Ning Rongrong's anxious expression, Qin Xiao smiled slightly, "What is there for me to say? Haven't you already spoken the truth?"
"There really is a problem?"
Everyone was stunned.
If Qin Xiao was nodding and saying so, then it confirmed that something was definitely amiss.
"What's there to fuss about? It's normal for pirate groups in the port to set some traps, seeking out easy prey. Isn't it?"
"That's normal?"
Ning Rongrong pursed her lips.
"Your Highness, it seems you had already seen through Heider's identity, so why did you board this ship?"
Dugu Yan asked, perplexed; Qin Xiao's calmness was quite reassuring.
Qin Xiao looked at Dugu Yan and replied, "Do you remember that it seemed no one else was heading for Sea God's Island at the port, apart from this guy? If we don't choose his ship, what do you propose we do?"
Dugu Yan: "..."
Was it because there was no other ship capable of carrying everyone, that even knowing it was a pirate ship, they had to board anyhow?
She had never been so speechless in her life.
"It's fine, it's just a pirate ship, nothing to worry about,"
Qin Xiao reassured everyone, who were bracing for the worst, with a nonchalant wave of his hand.
In fact, it wasn't just Captain Heider—Qin Xiao wasn't even concerned about the entire Purple Pearl Pirate Group.
After all, Purple Pearl, the strongest member of the Purple Pearl Pirate Group, was only a little over seventy in Soul Sage level. Even if Qin Xiao was not fully healed, he could still handle a Soul Sage with a single kick.
However, for the safety of everyone, he still took precautionary measures.
Qin Xiao then took out a few white pills from his soul tool.
"What's this? It smells so nice?"
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, and she involuntarily swallowed.
One thought dominated her mind: she wanted to eat it.
Qin Xiao explained, "This is a medication I had Du Gu Bo refine for me in the past. After taking it, it can greatly increase resistance against various toxins for a period of time. Everyone should take it. Just in case Heider and the Purple Pearl Pirate Group really seek death and make a move on us, it will prevent them from catching us off guard."
"Alright,"
Zhu Zhuqing and the others nodded in agreement.
Ning Rongrong was the first to take a pill from Qin Xiao's hand, and she popped it into her mouth without waiting.
However,
Her smiling face instantaneously turned bitter.
It was bitter, truly bitter.
It reminded her of something she had eaten when she was a child called Coptis.
"Ugh..."
She even thought about spitting the pill out.
But with a gentle pat on Ning Rongrong's shoulder from Qin Xiao, the pill was swallowed in one gulp.
"Qin Xiao, you're not deliberately tricking us, are you? Can people even eat this stuff?"
```
Ning Rongrong frowned and asked Qin Xiao.
"Good medicine tastes bitter, it's normal, it's normal."
Qin Xiao replied with a smile, but the schadenfreude on his face was unmistakable.
...
On the other side.
The third deck of the Sea Demon.
When Captain Heider arrived, the crew immediately surrounded him.
"Captain, you haven't told us, who are these people exactly?"
"Yeah Captain, these people are so young, are they really a fat sheep?"
"All I can say is, those few girls aren't too bad."
The crowd chimed in with their comments.
"What, you're doubting my judgment?"
Heider's gaze swept lightly over the group.
Subconsciously, their eyes flickered, none daring to meet his stare.
Seeing this, Heider smiled in satisfaction, "Heh, I'll tell you, with this catch, we could be in for a fortune. Even if we don't use these people, extorting their families would make us a killing."
"Really?"
"How much did they pay for the ship?"
The crew's faces filled with surprise and curiosity.
"This number." Heider stretched out a hand.
"Five golden soul coins? That's quite a lot, but for chartering the boat, it's not much."
"It's definitely more than five golden soul coins. I think it should be at least fifty, that would match what the captain is saying."
"Fifty golden soul coins, now that would indeed be a fat sheep."
"..."
The crew's faces lit up with excitement as they talked.
They knew, earning that amount in a year at sea would be difficult.
"Cough cough."
At this moment, Captain Heider cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him.
"Silence, the Captain has something to say."
Immediately, someone understood the intention behind his gesture and loudly called for silence.
"Look at the ambition you have, satisfied with just fifty golden soul coins? I'll tell you, they've offered five hundred golden soul coins, five hundred."
Captain Heider declared this with great fervor, waving his hand.
"Hiss, how much, five hundred golden soul coins?"
"Damn, I'm genuinely floored."
"Running the seas for ten years might not even net that much."
"We've struck it rich, struck it rich."
The crew were... sp... completely stunned.
Five hundred golden soul coins was indeed no small amount.
"Cool it, you bunch of yokels, let me tell you, this is just the beginning. Taking down these fat sheep on board could net us not just five hundred golden soul coins, but perhaps fifty thousand, or even five hundred thousand."
Heider spoke of staying calm, yet he was visibly agitated himself.
Even his face flushed red from the excitement.
"That's right, Captain Heider is spot on."
"Following the captain, we eat nine meals in three days."
"Charge, charge, charge."
"..."
The crew were ecstatic, the future looking bright.
"That's enough, get ready for lunch..."
"Sharpen the knives a bit more, after lunch, we'll be slaughtering pigs and sheep."
"Right, increase the dose of 'Cock's Crow at Dawn,' I have a hunch that young man among them is not simple..."
Heider gestured for everyone to calm down.
Under his orders, the crew also busied themselves.
And the 'Cock's Crow at Dawn' he mentioned was a potent sleeping drug.
Soon, dishes brimming with the ocean's bounty were prepared, and delivered to the dining room.
Five-pound heavy deep-sea lobsters, emperor crabs bigger than a washbasin, fish roe served in bowls...
In short, ingredients rare on land were in abundant supply here.
"Esteemed sirs and madams, please enjoy your meal."
In his mind, Captain Heider added, 'Your last meal.'
After saying this,
he led his subordinates out of the dining room.
But they didn't go far, waiting nearby instead.
After all, it wouldn't be long before the drug took effect.
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