novelraw Chapter 274: Chen Qi, Don't Die!
Chapter 274: Chen Qi, Don't Die!
Sea of Calamities.
Above the churning black waves, the Storm Hammer flag fluttered violently in the tempest.
An enormous navy warship slowly navigated through the turbulent seas, heading toward their destination.
Currently, they weren't far from their target location.
The long maritime journey and various calamities encountered along the way had these navy personnel clad in Storm Hammer uniforms crowding along both sides of the battleship, battle-hungry and eager.
They had sailed these vast oceans for far too long, yet returned empty-handed every time.
They desperately craved a battle that would bring both glory and wealth.
Undoubtedly, those despicable, cruel pirates of the Sea God Pirates and their precious Deep Blue Fire were their primary targets!
To get the latest updates from the island, numerous navy personnel crowded densely outside the communications room, leaning against the walls, eagerly awaiting news.
Just moments ago, the Navigator's Eye from Bonfire Exploration had transmitted earth-shattering news."I wonder if there's still any use for us here?"
Navy Vice Admiral Cotton, with his bushy beard and rugged appearance, muttered under his breath.
After all, although Bonfire Exploration was just a small scout vessel, it was exceptionally well-staffed, featuring not only Dya, one of the Supernovas, but also a general-class mecha from Steam Hand Workshop.
Additionally, according to reports, the Sea God Pirates' reinforcements had already been captured by their great admiral, White Seagull.
This meant even if their navy warship reached Blue Fire Island, they'd most likely return empty-handed again, left watching Bonfire Exploration feast on all the spoils.
Though wishing for comrades' defeat was shameful conduct—a disgrace to the navy—Vice Admiral Cotton couldn't help but secretly hope:
"Bonfire Exploration, don't achieve complete victory!
Even if you leave some resisting minor pirates behind, just let us have a taste of the spoils!"
Vice Admiral Cotton pressed his ear against the communications room wall, anxiously awaiting news from Bonfire Exploration.
"Stop hoping for Bonfire Exploration to lose—they cannot be defeated."
A young reporter with golden hair and blue eyes, holding a video camera, saw through Cotton's thoughts and stated bluntly.
"I'm navy personnel—why would I hope for Bonfire Exploration's defeat? Besides, with Dya aboard, how could they possibly lose..."
Cotton raised his head, blushing with embarrassment, and retorted urgently.
"Is that so?"
Reporter Pelu raised her video camera and captured Cotton's expression.
However, before their argument could continue, they heard someone in the communications room exclaim "Black Hunter" in shock.
Black Hunter!
This was one of the navy's most wanted criminals, second only to legendary figures!
Bang! At that moment, a young navy sailor lost control of his emotions and pushed open the communications room door.
Yet faced with this sailor's reckless behavior, none of the senior navy officers in the communications room offered any reprimand.
Every one of them listened with grave seriousness to the messages coming through the radio equipment from Navigator's Eye.
An looked somewhat bewildered and asked urgently:
"Could you repeat that? Are you certain it's Black Hunter?"
From the radio equipment of Navigator's Eye came Dya's frantic voice:
"Listen, I'll say this one last time! Black Hunter and White Tower Hunter together have crushed our Bonfire Exploration! We need reinforcements!
We encountered a monster and have been utterly defeated—third-tier Transcendents are either severely wounded or dead, our ship is destroyed, we need support! Without reinforcements, all the Deep Blue Fire will fall into the monster's hands!"
After speaking, Dya on the other end took out a crimson blood-colored injector and plunged it into his right arm.
Complete defeat... The senior navy officers and An couldn't help but pale with panic.
This completely exceeded their expectations!
Ship destroyed, all third-tier Transcendents defeated—this qualified as a thorough, absolute rout.
What exactly happened on Blue Fire Island?
Hearing this news, a senior navy officer immediately raised his hand, signaling everyone aboard to switch from their previous slow cruising speed to maximum velocity.
An composed herself, hiding her unease:
"We're sending reinforcements immediately. Can you tell us about the other third-tier Transcendents at sea?"
After all, Chen Qi and the White Tower Hunters should have already landed on the island.
However, at that moment, the radio transmitted the panicked, urgent voice of a frightened communications officer:
"The Black Hunter we encountered is a monster covered in arms and tentacles! The other third-tiers... may have already met with misfortune!"
Met with misfortune... Deeply concerned about Chen Qi and the White Tower Hunters' situation, An asked again:
"According to the latest intelligence we received, there's another White Tower Hunter vessel in the Sea of Calamities with several third-tiers aboard. What's their status?"
"This, this... let me check..."
At that moment, the short-haired communications officer hurriedly turned off the lights, then carefully crawled to the window, peering out to observe Black Hunter's situation.
In the distance, within the darkness, Chen Qi's completely blackened form with tentacles sprouting from his back appeared like some abyssal deep-sea creature.
Fear had completely overwhelmed this communications officer.
Combined with some reports from Witch Times, this Bonfire Energy communications officer could already imagine the horrific torture he'd endure as Black Hunter's plaything.
He stuck his head out and vaguely saw Chen Qi together with White Tower Hunters, using a tentacle to pat a White Tower Hunter's head.
He looked for barely half a second before immediately pulling his head back in.
The prolonged voyage, artillery explosions, fear, anxiety, and tension made the communications officer dare only a brief glance.
That normal scene of Chen Qi using his tentacle to pat Little Mary's head became rapidly distorted into something terrifying in his mind.
Black Hunter was using his tentacles to eat the White Tower Hunter's head!
Trembling, he picked up the phone again and said:
"Naval officers, I just looked—those White Tower Hunters you mentioned have been captured by Black Hunter, reduced to his playthings! They can only huddle around him in fear, completely at his mercy!
Naval officers, I beg you, save us! Otherwise, we're next!"
"......"
Hearing the communications officer's trembling voice, An couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
White Tower Hunters and Chen Qi had been captured by Black Hunter.
Given Chen Qi's stubborn operational style, he wouldn't have been... caught and killed by Black Hunter, would he?
But even if Chen Qi hadn't been killed, he'd most likely been firmly captured.
From An's perspective, Black Hunter and Flower Witch had always been terrifying presences on the seas.
According to navy reports and some third-rate newspaper articles, Flower Witch Fen was a sorceress who enjoyed using humans as fertilizer and whipping people with lashes.
As for Black Hunter, he was an even more terrifying, elusive existence covered in tentacles.
The two were known as the twin terrors of the Witch Sea—the dark and light scourges.
Previously, when Black Hunter disappeared, there were even strange reports claiming Flower Witch—with her penchant for torture—had whipped Black Hunter to death. Clearly, those were pure rumors.
But Flower Witch came from Goldenfinch Kingdom and very likely enjoyed some... unusual practices.
Could Chen Qi have been captured by Black Hunter and then gifted to Flower Witch, to be bound and tormented by her?
Numerous strange thoughts flooded An's mind.
Damn it, why does my imagination have to be so vivid!
An quickly shook her head, regaining composure. The most critical matter now was accelerating toward Blue Fire Island and intercepting Black Hunter's escape!
Chen Qi, don't die, hold on... She took a deep breath and finally said:
"Understood. Please hold for three minutes—we'll arrive shortly."
With those words, An and the others ended the call and exited the communications room.
At that moment, faced with news of Bonfire Exploration's defeat, the navy personnel felt surprise, but more importantly, a powerful and excited battle fervor.
Three reasons explained this.
First, their navy would no longer play supporting roles in this operation but would be the main protagonists! Moreover, besides the Deep Blue Fire, there was also the extremely high-bounty Black Hunter—capturing him would bring tremendous merit!
Second, their vessel wasn't some ordinary ship but the navy's veteran battleship, Great Shark. This ship possessed exceptionally powerful offensive capabilities and defensive barriers! It even carried powerful third-tier experts like Supernova Hunter An.
Third, and most crucially, their warship was currently not far from Blue Fire Island.
Throughout the massive battleship, a senior naval officer's powerful roar echoed:
"All personnel! Attention! We're about to engage Black Hunter, bounty fifty million Shell Coins!
Everyone, assume combat readiness! Henceforth, these seas become our stage!"
"YES, SIR!!!"
On the distant horizon, they could already see burning flames—the fires of Blue Fire Island.
And also, the White Tower vessel and ghost ship preparing to escape.
The crowd erupted with deafening cheers.
The enemy had fallen deep into their encirclement!