novelraw Chapter 170: I Think You Need Someone Like Me
Chapter 170: I Think You Need Someone Like Me
As the old man recited an ancient hymn praising the sun!
The old man spread his arms wide, the lantern in his hand emitting a faint yet warm glow resembling sunlight!
The moment the Abyssal Hand saw this light, it trembled violently before plunging into the sea as if it had never existed.
A Lamp Affinity supernatural relic... Chen Qi was slightly startled as he turned to look at the elderly man standing on the dilapidated ship.
Beside him stood ten knights wearing triangular helmets and a woman wearing a crow mask.
"It's the cloaked elder from the White Pigeon expedition ship, and Little Crow..."
Meeting them here?
Chen Qi had been searching for traces of Little Crow and the cloaked elder.
He never expected they'd encounter each other out at sea.
The waters he currently sailed were dangerous seas frequented by ghost ships - logically, no vessels should be sailing here at night.But the current situation was perilous!
On such a dark and stormy night, a young, weak male wandering alone on the sea was prime hunting material for many sea beasts and pirates!
After all, he was merely a second-tier supernatural.
Chen Qi swallowed hard, preparing to accelerate his boat.
Yet in the next second, he heard the clanging of metal.
A triangular-helmeted knight had fastened chains to his houseboat.
The cloaked elder let out a dry chuckle:
"Young man, what fortune. While hunting ghost ships, we unfortunately encountered a school of black-armored sharks. Our ship sustained damage, leaving us stranded here for two full days."
The cloaked elder's lips curled:
"Who would have thought we poor castaways would encounter you during these dangerous nighttime whispers."
"......"
From the captain's cabin, Chen Qi wiped away a bead of cold sweat.
White Cloak - one of the Sea God Pirates' captains with a 25 million Shell Coin bounty, a Phantom Affinity professional who had mastered release techniques!
And beside him stood ten black triangular-helmeted creatures of unknown strength.
White Cloak was truly powerful, completely different from someone like Mad Shark from before.
Could he fight them?
Chen Qi considered.
Unless he could turn Little Crow against them, making her switch sides, given his current strength...
He might put up a fight against White Cloak, but the inevitable outcome would be getting pinned down and beaten into insanity.
In other words, he had no right to refuse their boarding.
If fighting wasn't an option, could he escape?
Chen Qi pondered again.
Absolutely possible. Currently, White Cloak showed no signs of aquatic mobility.
And Little Crow was a third-tier supernatural who couldn't walk on water.
With the Deepsea Water Spirits and Ember's Touch...
If he wanted to flee, no one could stop him.
But the price would be abandoning his new ship.
Just as well - he was extremely curious about what these Sea God Pirates were up to... Chen Qi sighed resignedly:
"Welcome aboard, everyone."
The moment he finished speaking, White Cloak, the ten triangular-helmeted soldiers, and Little Crow had already boarded.
Little Crow and White Cloak quickly inspected the ship.
Little Crow murmured to herself:
"Tsk, sailing near shore at this hour... is this some kidnapping vessel?"
Chen Qi set the ship to autopilot and emerged from the captain's cabin:
"Everyone... welcome to the Water Spirits dining ship? You don't look well - care for some food?"
"Huh?"
Little Crow jolted as if seeing a ghost!
"Qi! Qi! Qiqiqi!"
This can't be right!
Exhausted, she struggled to suppress her shocked expression.
Why was Chen Qi joyriding at night? Had he gotten this reckless? Being this bold after dark?
White Cloak asked curiously:
"You two... know each other?"
Little Crow composed herself:
"Don't you remember, White Cloak? He's the chef we met on our expedition ship."
"Chef, chef, so he's a chef..."
White Cloak's tension eased:
"I thought we'd encountered the Ghost Captain. Meeting a chef is truly fortunate. Young man, why sail the seas so late?"
"Life forced me into it. Who'd willingly roam the seas at night dancing shadowflows with Shadow Demons? I'm buried in debt from buying this ship."
Chen Qi fabricated an excuse, speaking dejectedly:
"To save money, I must fish and gather spices from Flower Island... I never should've bought this boat. What about you? Why sail these waters?"
"Poor lad. Clearly cheated by Beiguo's unscrupulous banks. In my youth, debt collectors took one of my eyes."
White Cloak removed his cloak.
He had a square face, sparse white hair like withered grass, one festering eye, and skin like parched bark.
"As for our purpose - hunting the Ghost Captain. It offended me and must pay. Unfortunately, we shipwrecked during the hunt."
"How impressive! You actually hunt Ghost Captains?"
Chen Qi feigned surprise, frowning.
"Nothing worth mentioning. Unfinished business is merely laughable."
White Cloak sighed deeply:
"We failed to kill the ghost ship, nor will we get another chance."
Gazing at the dark sea, he smiled bitterly:
"A pity. The first red moon in fifty years approaches. Even eyeless, Whale Father and Sea God's commands are our fate. We must fulfill our destiny - spilling the Flower Witch's blood upon the sea, weaving the black whale's blood into a new sun..."
"White Cloak!"
Little Crow coughed twice.
This old fool was revealing their mission secrets!
And secrets were only told to the dead!
Moreover, White Cloak was a complete pervert who loved raising dark twisted tentacles and sharks, feeding disrespectful humans to them.
She could already envision Chen Qi being devoured by White Cloak's pets.
Her assistant had barely survived...
Frantically, Little Crow rummaged through her Backpack Card for memory-erasing drugs:
"Old man..."
But the cloaked elder showed no intention of stopping.
"Doctor Crow, please remain silent. This chef's ship is remarkably fast - he's our benefactor. We shouldn't hide secrets from him."
Though spoken mildly, tremendous spiritual pressure weighed upon Little Crow.
"......"
Little Crow ceased her movements.
Chen Qi stroked his chin.
Apparently, White Cloak outranked Little Crow by at least one level.
Little Crow currently had zero say.
White Cloak turned, opening his withered eyes to reveal snake-like green orbs:
"Captain... your ship's speed is truly mesmerizing."
Chen Qi forced a smile:
"Bonfire Energy Company has established itself in Moonstone City. I leased their latest Energy Core. If you want..."
White Cloak interrupted, extending a gnarled hand:
"Chef, you may not know - we're Sea God Pirates devotees who worship the deep sea gods. Foolish mortals won't let us pass Moonstone City's gates..."
Trouble, trouble... Behind White Cloak, Little Crow bit her thumb.
White Cloak produced some crumpled bills from his pocket:
"We seek power from the deep sea's great beings, yet prejudice denies us inland access..."
Revealing their identities outright? Chen Qi was stunned.
Attacking now was unwise.
At minimum, he needed to turn Little Crow first!
He needed to stall... Suddenly inspired, Chen Qi smiled bitterly:
"Could we join your ritual? I believe your ceremony lacks someone precisely like me."