novelraw Chapter 1365 - 688: Speak Frankly—That's My Way of Endurance! (Part 3)
Chapter 1365 - 688: Speak Frankly—That's My Way of Endurance! (Part 3)
Actually, the speed of the Prosperity is even more exaggerated than this.
You can't tell without reference points on the sea surface, but during the slow acceleration, the entire cargo ship has already accelerated to a terrifying speed of seventy knots, barely outpacing the slower speedboats.
Within just two hours, it had already left the territorial waters of the Federation and entered international waters.
And upon seeing the buoy in the open sea, Minkler was momentarily stunned, his mouth agape, glancing at Ji Jue, who seemed in no mood to explain, and decided to remain silent.
He finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Picked up the instant noodles and started eating.
Amidst the rumbling sounds, the Prosperity continued to speed forward, cutting through the wind with extreme agility, the steam whistle blaring continuously like a song, going beep-beep constantly.
From afar, a fishing boat operating on the sea with nets fled in a panic, making Minkler burst into laughter.
It was as if the desperate fugitive was pretending to be a wild boar to scare people for fun in the bushes.
It can only be said that people need some amusement to keep living.
Ji Jue shook his head and sighed.
"Still laughing, it's coming for you."
"Huh?"
Minkler was dumbfounded.
"Although it's the fishing season now, the fishing boats operating in this area all rely on New Spring for supplies and distribution. The problem is, that ship never appeared at New Spring... The identification signal matches a fishing boat, but this ship number was drifting around Tide City just the day before yesterday."
"Isn't that wrong?" Minkler was puzzled.
"The Federation's open sea fishing license has quotas and thresholds every year, and only large fisheries companies can manage it. Although ordinary fishermen don't care about these, it's ultimately an unseemly business that can't be made public."
Ji Jue asked again: "For unseemly operations, whose favor do you rely on?"
"Uh, Desert Market?"
"Not dumb enough to be beyond saving."
Ji Jue sighed, "The rules in Desert Market are few but stricter. So strict that one can lose everything if they violate them... Some smuggling ships, even if they accidentally dock at the wrong port or place, the owner might have to cut off their hands and feet.
Even though the fishermen earn a pittance that's looked down upon by those above, rules are rules—this area is tacitly acknowledged to belong to Cliff City, and ships from Tide City that don't pay tribute to the Dragon Head and sail here are considered crossing the line.
Every year the production time for yellow lips here is already short with low yield, and you still want to cast nets wiping out everything... If you are seen by ships from Cliff City, they'll report it to the guild and chase you to the death!
So, do you still think that ship running here and just happening to bump into you is truly just for a couple of fish?"
Minkler was stupefied, frozen in place.
During the conversation, mist had inexplicably risen over the sea ahead, threads gathering gradually to form a dense fog.
In a matter of minutes, a towering gray-white wall appeared as if out of thin air ahead.
The sea fog rushing in like a tide!
"Hey..."
Ji Jue chuckled, sighing softly: "You Thousand Islands people, why do you always like to create unusual weather before making a move at sea?
Quite disciplined, huh."
Some things must be done with the lights off; in the fog and clouds where no satellite can find you, you can leave without a trace after finishing your business.
Attention to detail!
"Hiss..."
Minkler took a deep breath, his face pale, seemingly realizing something, then frantically shook his head: "No, no, how did my whereabouts..."
He knew that from the Federation, he had used absolutely trustworthy secret channels, and his face was disguised. Unless seen by someone familiar, he was unrecognizable. The departure time, location, and route were unknown even to himself, so how could there be leaks?
"Oh, your whereabouts, huh."
Ji Jue answered calmly, "I leaked it."
"What——"
Minkler exclaimed in shock, reflexively jumping up and nearly smashing through the deck with his foot to fall into the cabin, in disbelief.
His tears were about to flow, filled with grief and anger.
"Brother, what for...?"
If you want money, you should just say it!
I'll give you whatever amount you want, why sell me out!
Anyone else offering could never match my pricing!
"There's no 'want' here; mind your words."
Ji Jue calmly sipping tea, countered: "You don't fish without getting the spot ready first? I just need to see how big a catch you can bring in, right?"
With a flick of his fingers, Minkler's phone lit up suddenly, displaying an image from the screen.
A screenshot of the Desert Market app's page.
Minkler's intelligence message.
It had been packaged into a bundle in the Seven Cities column, available for separate purchase as well, sold a total of seventeen times. Further detailed information and precise whereabouts were sold separately seven times.
"In other words, this wave ahead might just be cannon fodder for probing."
Ji Jue slowly stated: "On this journey, at least four or five groups want you dead... But that's where the problem comes in."
He paused, his smile fading as he looked at Minkler, expressionless: "I can't fathom, Old Ming, why so many are fixated on a sacrifice like you, who's doomed to die sooner or later?
Any idea?"
This situation is hard to grasp; could you explain to me what's really going on right now?
Minkler stood there stiffly, pale, lips moving without uttering a word.
Several times he tried to speak, but then stopped short.
He could explain, offer ten thousand reasons, using just the heel of his foot, conjuring up hundreds of excuses and speculation.
But as he was under the watchful gaze of those calm eyes, his brain, weighing less than two pounds, dictated instinctively—this is a one-shot chance.
He's free to speak.
But misspeak and you're dead.
So explain, Minkler, explain it away.
—A promised C Class escort mission, an old foul-mouthed bridge repairer, how come so many ninjas want you dead?
Because you excel at repairing bridges or you drink excessively?
Minkler turned pale, lips closed and opened.
In silence, unable to make a sound.
"If you've got something to say, you'd better say it now, Old Ming, it'll be better for all of us."
Ji Jue sat in the chair, holding his teacup, eyes downcast on his phone, reminding him: "You only have one minute, oh, now there's only fifty seconds left."
"..."
Minkler's expression twitched, forehead began to sweat.
Ji Jue calmly reminded again:
"Half a minute, just about."
"..."
Minkler panted heavily, pupils dilating, struggling fiercely inside, his face turning red then iron-blue, ears filled only with indifferent countdown.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven..."
He abruptly lifted his head, looking at Ji Jue with hopeful eyes, but Ji Jue remained still, watching the scene on the screen, indifferent as always, only counting down: "Five, four, three, two..."
Ji Jue sighed, turned off the screen, shook his head regretfully.
"I'll talk!"
At that moment, Minkler finally utterly collapsed, unable to hold on, shrieking and shouting in desperation: "I'll talk, I'll talk!"
Boom!
At Ji Jue's gesture, a deafening crash belatedly arrived.
In the spreading wail, an iron-like light silently appeared at Ji Jue's fingertips.
The extremely thin, hiltless blade suddenly halted before Minkler's forehead.
Arriving with a sharp thrust, it froze mid-air.
Only at the blade tip, just inches from the eyes, a heart-stirring glowing red faintly shimmered...
A cold sweat silently seeped from his forehead, hitting the blade tip with a sizzling sound.
With a soft clatter.
The blade fell to the ground.
"Now, you can speak."
Ji Jue retracted his fingers, sipped his tea again, unfazed by the murderous intent in the mist, telling him:
"You have at most thirty seconds."