novelraw Chapter 232: The Fog Sea
Chapter 232: The Fog Sea
Chen Qi rubbed his forehead and pondered carefully.
Little Crow had completed the mission involving the Illusion Beast, which was a highly meritorious task.
Meanwhile, the captain of the Mermaid, Carol, had gone missing...
With these two events intersecting, Little Crow becoming the temporary captain of the Mermaid wasn't an entirely baseless notion.
If he had to say, Chen Qi thought to himself, he had played some part in Little Crow's rise to captaincy...
However, Little Crow's combat abilities weren't particularly strong among third-tier Transcendents. Becoming the true captain of the Mermaid and a pirate queen like Carol was still a distant dream...
That said, judging solely from the composition of this photo, the situation didn't bode well for Chen Qi.
Over fifty Blackfin Crew executives boarding a ship bound for the Fog Sea was decidedly not good news.
Chen Qi's gaze darkened as he looked at Jin Li.
At this moment, Jin Li had changed her outfit. She tore off her tight navy uniform outer layer, letting her long twin ponytails fall naturally, showcasing her graceful figure, and finally donned a golden cap emblazoned with currency symbols before slinging an oversized squirrel backpack behind her.This familiar feeling... Chen Qi couldn't help but feel the urge to spend money rising within him.
The money-printed cap plus giant backpack were the signature look of traveling merchants.
Jin Li swallowed the blood in her mouth, then tilted her head and flashed Chen Qi a smile.
In that instant, her glasses reflected two large golden coin symbols.
During their recent fight, Jin Li had lost 100,000 in intelligence fees, 100,000 in body enhancements, 50,000 in golden fist techniques, and 500,000 in rapid jabs!
Totaling a staggering 750,000 Shell Coins!
As a major merchant, being scammed out of money by someone she just met went against all her principles - it was utter humiliation.
She would definitely recoup her losses!
Jin Li gulped some water, narrowed her eyes, expertly clasped her hands together, and put on an ingratiating smile:
"How about it, customer? Was my information satisfactory?"
Such quick mood shifts... Chen Qi was startled by her rapid change in demeanor.
When they first met, Jin Li had worn a mocking expression, looking ready to pummel him.
After getting beaten up, she instantly switched back to merchant mode.
Truly one of the most cowardly legends.
With her petite face, tall figure, and round gold-rimmed glasses, Jin Li could pass for a literary maiden when silent.
But her expressions only had two modes: mocking and shady merchant.
Jin Li rubbed her hands together:
"Customer, you truly live up to being Miss Flower Witch's associate. Despite only having second-tier spiritual energy, your strength is remarkable—this humble merchant can't help but admire you..."
"But aren't you curious why Blackfin Crew executives are gathering here? Besides the Flower Witch, what else could attract the Blackfin Crew en masse?"
"This is crucial Blackfin Crew intelligence—just 300,000 Shell Coins! No, customer, considering how much you've beaten me, I'll only charge you 100,000 Shell Coins!"
Jin Li's eyes sparkled with golden light as she raised one finger emphatically.
The Blackfin Crew's main objective...
Chen Qi pondered.
Undoubtedly, capturing the Flower Witch was one of their primary goals.
But in these seas, the Blackfin Crew had an even greater purpose—to kill the Black Whale and conquer these waters.
First, they needed to subjugate all cities and treasures in the Rift Sea.
To achieve this, they had many tasks ahead.
The Sea Beast Research Project, Deep Blue Fire Mining Project, Deep Sea Hunters' Treasure Project, and Witch Land Exploration Project were all part of their agenda.
But undoubtedly, an impending catastrophe—the approaching Smiling Moon—would change everything.
That crimson moon hanging in the sky would herald a new chapter for the Witch Sea.
By now, information about the Smiling Moon should have spread... Chen Qi calmly speculated:
"The Smiling Moon?"
"Huh? What?"
Jin Li's raised finger twitched.
Are you from the White Pigeon Press? How do you know more than a professional intelligence broker? Jin Li couldn't hide her shocked expression!
Chen Qi clapped his hands and asked:
"By the way, have you seen the Flower Witch? Your purpose here can't be just this, right?"
As an Ice Demon Pirates member, Jin Li surely possessed more intelligence than this.
Jin Li raised her head slightly, eyes sparkling:
"Indeed, Black Hunter, and Miss Flower Witch... Personally, I think staying aboard the Blood Blade Pirates' ship isn't wise. I'd like to speak with the witch."
Chen Qi took a sip from his canteen:
"I know. She's recovered today and can meet you."
"Really, customer?"
Jin Li rubbed her hands excitedly.
Chen Qi smiled:
"Of course. By the way, why is your face all bruised and why are you limping? Need a healing potion?
I happen to have a high-grade one—special discount, just 100,000 Shell Coins."
"???"
Jin Li's smile nearly cracked.
A healing potion, at a discount, for 100,000 Shell Coins—how could these three conditions coexist!
Even at 5,000 Shell Coins, a healing potion would be overpriced.
Only complete fools fresh to society would fall for this!
Chen Qi added:
"It's a high-grade potion made by the Flower Witch."
"I'll take it!"
Jin Li blurted instinctively.
As a legendary merchant, Jin Li had plenty of wool to shear... Chen Qi handed her the potion.
Finally, Chen Qi glanced once more at the photo in his hand, looked toward the mist-covered sea, and headed for the infirmary.
......
Rift Sea, Border Island, Shipwreck Dock.
Mist slowly rose, intertwining with light rain.
The dock's planks were already weathered, rainwater seeping through cracks with rhythmic drips.
This was the Rift Sea's edge—with the Dimensional Tide's arrival, this border island had become desolate and ruined.
Aside from homeless fugitives, deranged madmen, and pirates like the Blackfin Crew, almost no one came to this remote island.
At least, that was its appearance.
In truth, this was known as Mist Dock—the Rift Sea hunters' mandatory passage to the Fog Sea.
The Fog Sea, where daylight grew thin, marked the Witch Sea's outermost boundary.
Here, terrifying mists drifted endlessly across the waters, Coastal Apex Predator-level monsters swam as commonly as fish, and eerie echoes reverberated perpetually.
To countless hunters, this was a forbidden zone no sane person would approach.
Little Crow hid in a corner of an abandoned church, her heartbeat growing increasingly frantic as she carefully unfolded paper, looking at the pale sky to calculate coordinates.
"The Blackfin Crew's base..."
Signals couldn't transmit here, and compasses barely functioned... Little Crow bit her tongue.
The Blackfin Crew's decades-long dominance owed much to their headquarters' secrecy.
Neither the White Pigeon Press nor the navy's intelligence bureau possessed its location.
Legends claimed their headquarters lay where no signals reached—at the New Sun World's edge, the Fog Sea's end...
This mysterious location ensured the Blackfin Crew's survival despite Beiguo's Great Judgment and the navy's hunter teams.
Each time destroyed, like phantoms, they returned from the mist.
In their 300-year history, the navy's intelligence bureau never stopped searching for their base—but never succeeded...
Little Crow never imagined she—a mere captain under Captain Blackeye, a Beiguo Royal University reject—would come so close to the Blackfin Crew's headquarters!
So dangerously close!
Clutching her pounding chest, Little Crow checked the newspaper again.
#Trial Grounds: Witches and Hunters' First Major Operation#
#Big Mom Carol's Disappearance#
#Bonfire Energy Company's A-rank Hunter Team Attacks, Annihilates Blackfin Crew's Sword Shark Fleet#
Due to the Black Hunter and witch incidents, and Big Mom Carol's disappearance, she—originally conducting experiments aboard ship—was suddenly summoned with other executives to headquarters.
A great storm was coming... Little Crow nervously gripped the newspaper and swallowed.
Naval battles were escalating across these seas, with increasingly fearsome monsters emerging.
If I can obtain the Blackfin Crew's coordinates... Little Crow's heartbeat intensified.
This could reshape the Witch Sea's entire landscape!
Even that bastard intelligence director who tricked her into joining couldn't suppress her merits then! Couldn't order her around anymore!
Little Crow strained to discern coordinates from celestial patterns.
But thick gloomy fog obscured even the pale sky...
No good—I'm no navigator... Little Crow bit her lip hard.
Suddenly, a hand tapped her shoulder.
Little Crow jolted and whirled around:
"Siren..."
Siren tossed her silky hair:
"Little Crow! What are you doing?"
Suppressing her heartbeat, Little Crow calmly raised the newspaper:
"Reading news. If not for the hunters and witch, our Mermaid would still be under Big Mom's protection.
Now even minor ship officers dare disrespect us."
"Black Hunter..."
Siren gritted her teeth:
"Right, that damned Black Hunter! If I catch him, I'll make him experience ultimate humiliation!"
She mimed strangling motions.
Little Crow smiled wryly:
"Easier said—we still don't even know what he looks like."
Siren punched the air twice:
"Anyway, I came to notify you! The ferryman's arrived."
"Ferryman?"
Little Crow stepped outside the ruined church, staring at the dock.
Siren explained:
"Didn't you know? Except for Beiguo's top vessels, normal ships can't navigate the Fog Sea.
But here, there's a special being—for a small price, its ship will take us to our destination."
Through the mist, a decrepit vessel slowly approached.
A figure gradually appeared at its bow.
Clad in a weather-worn raincoat and conical hat with swaying ties, it held a long wooden oar.
Hoarsely, it uttered one word:
"Board."
"Let's go, rookie!!"
Blackfin Crew executives on the dock beckoned urgently.
Siren made a shushing gesture:
"Oh, Little Crow, remember—once aboard, keep your eyes closed until ordered! No spiritual perception allowed!"
"Those who open their eyes only see death!"
No opening eyes... Little Crow swallowed hard, tying a black cloth over her eyes.
She cautiously crossed the gangplank and shut her eyes.
Instantly, her senses faded rapidly.
Light vanished, touch dulled, even temperature perception and time awareness dissipated swiftly.
Sweating, Little Crow faintly heard countless monster roars, felt herself trudging through muddy black soil and long staircases.
After what felt like eternity, amidst endless waves, a voice came:
"Alright, everyone—open your eyes!"
Finally... Little Crow tore off the blindfold and opened her eyes.
A massive black pirate base materialized before her.
Along with overwhelming dissonance—chaos, bloodshed, oppression—
Little Crow slowly surveyed her surroundings as Blackfin Crew executives assembled.
This cavernous space blazed with numerous bonfires, flanked by colossal monster statues.
Thousands of pirates filled the base.
Including long-missing corsairs, high-ranking navy officers, legendary adventurers...
Yet here, they were mere crew members.
Having reached base, the pirates' true nature emerged as chatter erupted.
"Finally! After completing so many missions, even without a legendary profession card, I deserve at least one forbidden artifact reward!"
"Dream on—your fleet just became Bonfire Energy Company fuel!"
"Silence!"
A Transcendent in bloodstained robes with twin longswords at his waist cut through the noise.
Instantly, the massive base fell silent.
The Blackfin Crew's Blade—the legendary Blade-aligned Blood Hunter.
Me! Little Crow gulped. Legends said the Blood Hunter executed all traitors.
And she was an infiltrator—a hidden traitor!
Clutching her chest to calm her pounding heart, Little Crow watched as the Blood Hunter exhaled bloody mist:
"In these perilous tides, comrades! Welcome to Whale Island! The Whale Father, by our code, shall reward you and assign new missions!"
His gaze lingered on Little Crow.
Whale Father... Little Crow slowly looked up at the massive figure upon the throne.