Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 33: Sea Monsters
The ship had long set sail, and no one spoke on the deck. The gray-white fog blanketed the vast sea, shrouding the hearts of those aboard as well.
Everything in the world is multi-dimensional.
They see one side, while others see another.
They thought they were hard-pressed, but it turns out they should be grateful—grateful to be free from worries, still young and vigorous, able to let go and set off whenever they wish.
“What’s with the long faces?” Wu Sheng, having steadied the helm in the right direction, came out of the cockpit and saw his three teammates enveloped in gloom. “What did Mao Qiping say? Is there a surprise in this route?”
Immediately guessing it had something to do with Mao Qiping was a testament to Classmate Wu’s exceptional wisdom. As for the completely off-target conclusion, it was typical for Advisor Wu, who rarely followed conventional thought patterns.
Xu Wang couldn’t help but look at his classmate, who didn’t understand the atmosphere of the duck at all.
Wu Sheng looked back at him, his head tilted in a confused frown, which suddenly made him seem adorably clueless.
The gray fog in Xu Wang’s heart suddenly lifted.
He realized for the first time that having Wu Sheng, who always stayed in his own channel, was actually quite nice. He was rational and pragmatic, focused on the matter at hand without wandering into pointless ponderings. His gaze was always on the peak ahead, making you unconsciously focus along with him, ready and eager to proceed.
“Is the course alright now?” Xu Wang skipped the topic of Mao Qiping and threw a new question.
This question hit right at Wu Sheng’s interests. He immediately smiled slightly, his eyes beaming with an “I have the world in my grasp” reflected in them. “Of course, leave the steering to me, and…”
“Xiao Kuang—” Xu Wang suddenly turned and called out to Kuang Jinxin. “This spyglass is yours. Report anything unusual at any time.”
Kuang Jinxin stood at attention. “Roger!”
As Kuang Jinxin dashed to the stern, Wu Sheng felt mixed emotions. “It’s polite to let people finish talking.”
Xu Wang turned back to him. “Proceed. Just omit the self-praise.”
Wu Sheng: “……”
After a wordless two seconds, Advisor Wu, deprived of his only pleasure, turned and went back to the cockpit dispiritedly.
Qian Ai, who had been watching the whole process, finally found the opportunity to express his feelings. “How the tables have turned. Back in high school, he had you under his thumb, and now it’s the other way around.”
Xu Wang doubted they experienced the same three years. “Back then, I was at least a bit taller than him, wasn’t I? Not to mention, I can beat two of him. At least we were evenly matched.”
Qian Ai shook his head in disagreement. “You can’t just count physical strength. You have to include intelligence.”
Xu Wang: “……”
Qian Ai, completely unaware of undermining his captain’s self-esteem, suddenly looked around, puzzled. “Is it getting darker?”
Xu Wang paused, then looked up. Indeed.
The dense fog already made visibility and light poor, but when they met Mao Qiping, it was still a “not very bright day”. Now, however, dark clouds covered the sky. In the moments they looked up, the dark clouds turned to black, barely letting through any light. The surrounding fog was absorbed into this darkness, leaving the sea a vast expanse of blackness.
“Xiao Kuang, can you still see the lighthouse?” Wu Sheng’s inquiry came from the cockpit.
“I can,” Kuang Jinxin replied, peering through the telescope. “The lighthouse is lit. It’s actually more visible now.”
“Good, keep an eye on it—”
“No problem. It can’t escape!”
With one at the helm and the other on lookout, the two had become a team in sync.
Xu Wang and Qian Ai glanced at each other, and without a word, each took a position on one side of the deck railing.
As the four companions settled into their roles, the sea became even quieter, with only the sound of the ship cutting through the water as the backdrop.
Suddenly, a light, warm and conspicuous, rose on the deck, brightening in the increasingly dark sky.
Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, and Kuang Jinxin, keeping watch, all turned simultaneously from their respective positions to see Qian Ai raising one arm like the Statue of Liberty. Instead of a torch, he clenched his fist, and a small fireball appeared.
“Can you control the size of the flame too?” Xu Wang had thought the [Invincible Hot Wheels] meant being engulfed in flames.
“More than size, I can control the intensity!” Qian Ai actually just discovered this himself and enthusiastically demonstrated it for his teammates. “Look, the fire’s big now, and now it’s small. What do you prefer—a bonfire party atmosphere or the ambiance of a candlelight dinner? Just ask—”
Xu Wang: “……”
Wu Sheng: “……”
Kuang Jinxin: “……”
Watching their teammate play with the flame, growing and shrinking it joyfully, the three felt neither the warmth of a bonfire nor the romance of candlelight. The only thing that came to mind was a gas stove, particularly one with an unstable gas supply.
Suddenly, a song floated over the night sea, low and melodic.
It was as if a woman was humming and singing in a foreign language. The notes pierced through the thick, dark fog to reach the ship and the ears of the voyagers, carrying the smell of seawater and the mistiness of the fog.
Qian Ai quickly extinguished the fire.
The ship then blended into the protective color of the darkness.
The four companions, steadfast at their posts, gathered their spirits and became alert.
[First head due north, and when encountering the first sea monster, sail straight towards the lighthouse.]
This was the strategy given by Mao Qiping, and now, having sailed due north for a considerable time, they were due to encounter the first sea monster.
The boat moved slowly forward, and the gentle lapping of the waves grew clearer and more enchanting with a low hum and singing.
The tension in each of the four companions stretched to its limit.
Being suddenly attacked isn’t terrifying; what’s terrifying is knowing a ghost will appear but not knowing when it will spring forth—that anxious and unbearable waiting.
Qian Ai was getting antsy. He grabbed the railing with one hand and clutched the spear inherited from Wu Sheng with the other. His palms were soaked with sweat.
When scared, he tended to talk, like walking alone in a dark stairwell and wanting to play some divine music on his phone for courage. “Have you guys seen Pirates of the Caribbean? There’s one with mermaids that use this kind of singing to lure and kill sailors.”
The suffocating silence was broken. Xu Wang, who was facing away from him, also briefly exhaled, relaxing the hand that had become somewhat numb from gripping the ax. “Are you suggesting this sea monster is a mermaid?”
“Or a water nymph.” Qian Ai considered all possibilities. “Like those exceptionally beautiful female sirens—tender, mysterious, dangerous, slowly kissing you while killing you in the midst of caresses and entanglements…”
Xu Wang: “……”
Despite the brutal nature of the act, why did it sound like a kink activity when his teammate described it? =_=
“There’s light ahead!” Kuang Jinxin, responsible for the lookout, mostly kept his eyes on the lighthouse but occasionally scanned the surroundings. This time, he spotted a faint light amidst the fog.
Xu Wang and Qian Ai rushed to the bow and looked ahead.
In the direction of the boat’s advance, about a dozen meters away, a dim, warm light illuminated a palm-sized area.
“A lantern-carrying siren.” Qian Ai, gazing ahead, was very certain. “Japanese ghost stories always have such specters—a beauty in a kimono on a snowy night, carrying a lantern, knocking on doors in the countryside to ask for shelter.”
“……” Captain Xu didn’t know how to respond to his teammate’s broad knowledge.
“If it’s really a beauty, tell me, should I burn her or not?” Qian Ai was genuinely distressed.
Xu Wang, in the darkness, rolled his eyes skyward. “If you don’t burn her, she’ll kill you.”
Qian Ai knew the logic but lamented, “I can’t bring myself to do it—”
As they spoke, the boat drew closer to the light, close enough to make out the glowing object.
It was indeed a delicate little lantern.
The top of the lantern extended into a thin, curved line, as if someone was carrying the lantern on this single hard thread. The other end of the thread, along with whoever was holding it, was hidden in the darkness.
The boat was now less than ten meters from the lantern.
“Qian Ai,” Xu Wang suddenly said. “Light up.”
Whoosh—the flames leaped up.
The “Statue of Liberty” reappeared.
The fire, many times more powerful than the faint glow, illuminated the whole boat and the surrounding area of ten meters.
The other end of the lantern, finally under the scrutiny of the four, revealed its true form.
A five-meter-long fish monster, half above water, half below, with a large head and bulging eyes. A line sprouted from its forehead, holding up the lantern. The delicate lantern contrasted sharply with the creature’s roughness.
“Lao Qian.” Xu Wang swallowed nervously, facing the imminent threat while comforting his teammate. “It is indeed carrying a lantern—pretty much as you imagined.”
Qian Ai was on the verge of tears. “Who the hell cares about the lantern! My focus was on the beauty, the beauty!”
Amidst the shattering of romantic fantasies, the lantern fish monster suddenly accelerated, charging straight at the bow!
Its mouth rapidly opened as it approached, like a snake, widening to a degree larger than its head, revealing rows of serrated, sharp teeth!
Qian Ai’s one arm blazed with flames, and the other gripped the spear tightly while Xu Wang swung his ax, ready to clash with the lantern fish monster at close quarters!
“Ding—”
The notification rang inappropriately.
Xu Wang gritted his teeth. To look or not to look—that was the question!
“Ignore the sea monster. Everyone, hold on tight—” Wu Sheng’s shout suddenly came from the cockpit.
As Xu Wang and Qian Ai prepared for battle, bewildered, and Kuang Jinxin, guarding the spyglass, also puzzled, the boat suddenly made a full-speed sharp turn!
Xu Wang and Qian Ai were almost thrown into the sea. Fortunately, they grabbed the railing at the last moment!
Kuang Jinxin clung to the fixed tripod of the spyglass, steady as a mountain.
Wu Sheng’s maneuvering turned the ship in a graceful 135° turn just as it was less than five meters from the lantern fish monster, avoiding a collision and completely changing their course!
The lantern fish monster bit into empty water, then strained to swim and shifted from an oncoming force to a trailing pursuit.
“Where are we heading—” Xu Wang, unable to see the path ahead, could only ask the helmsman.
Wu Sheng struggled to adjust the direction. “To the lighthouse!”
Just as Xu Wang was about to ask further, Qian Ai, still holding his fiery arm aloft, spoke up first. “Are we not fighting the sea monster?”
“The condition for turning was ‘encountering the first sea monster’, not ‘defeating the first sea monster’,” came Wu Sheng’s resounding answer from the cockpit. As a programmer, he understood the importance of clear and precise conditionals.
Qian Ai was at a loss for words.
Damn, that actually makes sense. TAT
Xu Wang rubbed his face, relieved he hadn’t been the one to ask.
“Ding—”
“Ding—”
Two four-in-one new information notifications rang out back to back. Along with the previous one, in just the short time it took for the ship to turn, three new messages had arrived.
Both Xu Wang and Qian Ai, on their way to the stern, didn’t stop but simultaneously raised their arms to check.
[Cheat Sheet: East Treasure Beach (1/3). The first treasure vault has been opened.]
[Cheat Sheet: West Treasure Beach (1/3). The first treasure vault has been opened.]
[Cheat Sheet: North Flying Island (2/3). The second ship has sailed into the clouds.]
Though mentally prepared, the late-starting team hoped at best for the last spot to ascend the lighthouse. But seeing the second message, Xu Wang’s heart still skipped a beat.
People always think about “what if”. What if all the ships heading to West Treasure Beach encountered the toughest sea monsters? What if all their competing teams were as mediocre as the earlier group they encountered?
But the world doesn’t cater to so many “what ifs”.
Two spots remained at West Treasure Beach.
“The ones who chose South Flying Island made a good choice,” Qian Ai said with a hint of envy. “No one’s going that way at all.”
“According to probability, it’s more likely that those who chose that route are buried at sea halfway there.” In the cockpit of the ship’s bow, which was almost a whole deck away, Advisor Wu enthusiastically corrected his teammate’s misconception.
Qian Ai was speechless. “Are you clairvoyant or something?!”
The sea breeze picked up slightly, giving the sails more force and unknowingly increasing the ship’s speed.
In the midst of their conversation, Xu Wang and Qian Ai had reached the stern. Before they could observe, Kuang Jinxin, responsible for the lookout near and far, reported first. “It seems to be losing steam…”
Kuang Jinxin was stating facts.
In the flickering firelight, the lantern fish monster had fallen significantly behind the stern, far more than could be accounted for by the increased speed of the ship due to the stronger winds. Looking closely at its movement, it indeed appeared slower than before.
However…
Xu Wang leaned close to the stern railing, observing the fish monster more intently. He noticed it wasn’t swimming consistently but rather would swim quickly a couple of times, then pause, and then chase the ship again before stopping. Rather than its speed decreasing, its movements became intermittent, as if it was hesitant or wary, not daring to boldly pursue.
The question was: Qian Ai’s fire hadn’t even touched it, so what was it afraid of?
“Captain…” Normally, Qian Ai would only use this term to refer to his old classmate when he’s nervous. “Doesn’t the ship feel less stable than before?”
Prompted by Qian Ai, Xu Wang realized it was indeed rocking more violently.
This wasn’t Wu Sheng’s fault, as he had steadied the ship after the sharp turn earlier. The increased rocking was due to the waves.
Under the ship, the waves had intensified.
Just as Xu Wang thought this, a huge impact force from below suddenly lifted their entire ship with a “bang” into the air!
After soaring two or three meters, the ship heavily fell back into the water. The three at the stern clung desperately to anything they could grab, while Wu Sheng in the cockpit hugged the helm tight, preventing himself from being flung into the sea!
In the suddenly raging waves, continuous “bangs” hit the bottom of the boat. Though not as intense as the first, they still jolted everyone aboard.
Something was hitting their ship from below!
Realizing this, Wu Sheng made another quick turn!
The ship beautifully glided in the water, shifting from vertical to horizontal!
The next second, the “something” that failed to change direction in time and missed its target, emerged from the water with massive inertia, leaping into the air!
In the firelight, its immense size, several times larger than a whale, nearly eclipsed the sky. Its body was covered in armor-like scales, gleaming a cold green hue.
The three at the stern widened their eyes in horror!
They had seen this fish-crocodile-like monster before. It was the same one that had attacked the magic carpet earlier!
Xu Wang suddenly realized the erratic chase of the lantern fish monster wasn’t due to fear of them, but rather of it!
As the monster reached its peak and swiftly fell, it crashed heavily into the water, raising enormous waves!
The water surged over them. The three at the stern held their breath, enduring the wave without choking. But they were completely soaked from head to toe.
Under Wu Sheng’s control, the ship righted itself and continued to cut through the waves.
However, there was no further movement from the sea monster that had crashed into the water at the stern.
One second.
Two seconds.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
The ship had already sailed some distance when suddenly something floated up where the sea monster had fallen.
Qian Ai, instinctively, intensified the blazing fire.
The floating white mass finally became clear—it was the lantern fish monster, belly-up, motionless.
“No way.” Qian Ai swallowed hard. “It kills its own kind too?”
Before he could finish speaking, a row of dorsal fins emerged from the water and pushed aside the corpse of the lantern fish monster.
They recognized the fins of the fish-crocodile monster anywhere, even if turned to ash.
Without giving them a moment to breathe, the fins headed straight for the stern of their ship, coming at a speed that had been enough to kill the lantern fish monster!
“Wu Sheng!” Xu Wang shouted. “Speed up—”
“Shouting at me won’t help. You need to call the wind—” Wu Sheng was always attentive to the situation, knowing they needed to accelerate, but the only control the helmsman had on this ship was direction! Such high-level tricks as summoning wind and rain were left to the heavens.
Unfortunately, the heavens didn’t intervene.
The wind remained the same, but the sea monster was getting closer.
“Whoosh—”
The sea monster broke the surface again, its mouth wide enough to swallow half their ship, charging straight at them. Its dense, sharp teeth were chilling to the bone!
Qian Ai had turned himself into a fireball. Xu Wang swung his ax and thrust the spear to Kuang Jinxin.
Three men stood ready, resigned to their fate.
Just as they steeled themselves for a desperate struggle, Wu Sheng made another sharp turn!
The sea monster, caught off guard, barely managed to reach the stern’s edge, biting off a few railings before falling back into the water!
“Don’t clash head-on with it. Too risky,” Wu Sheng shouted. “Our goal is the lighthouse. The best solution is to try to delay and maneuver as much as possible—”
Xu Wang was torn.
He also wanted to maneuver and delay, but the sea monster was keen on a confrontation!
Wait?
Xu Wang suddenly felt his body lurch and stagger to the left!
It wasn’t just him. Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin also lost their balance!
All three slammed into the left railing, barely stabilizing themselves when they realized it wasn’t a sudden loss of balance but rather the ship tilting severely to the left!
“Grilled Squid—” Kuang Jinxin suddenly screamed.
Xu Wang and Qian Ai, following his gaze, saw a row of charred tentacles clinging to the left railing of the deck, pulling the ship to the left!
It was a case of misfortune upon misfortune. One problem hadn’t been resolved when another arrived!
Thanks to the octopus monster, the ship was pulled to a halt, halving its speed.
The next instant, it emerged from the water, revealing its huge, smooth octopus head for the first time!
Compared to size, the lantern fish monster was dwarfed by just the octopus’ head, which meant it wasn’t much smaller than the fish-crocodile monster.
But Xu Wang and Qian Ai had no time to admire it. They dashed to the left railing of the deck—one mercilessly chopping with an ax, the other burning fiercely with fire!
This time, though, the octopus monster seemed determined. It dodged and resisted, not retreating but moving along the railing, engaging in a battle of attrition. As they moved to try to deal with the tentacles, it would retreat away from them. Round after round, its tentacles remained, but more of its body emerged from the water.
Is this creature versed in the Art of War and came back seeking revenge?!
“Xu Wang—” Wu Sheng suddenly shouted.
Xu Wang, already frantic, became even more distressed. “Lao Qian and I were fighting, but it changed tactics. It’s not trying to drag us down but to board the ship—”
Wu Sheng had initially planned on executing Tactic A for his teammates, but upon hearing Xu Wang say the octopus monster was trying to board the ship, he immediately switched to Tactic B. “Use barbarians against barbarians*—”
*(以夷制夷) Idiom referring to leveraging foreign or external forces to subdue or control another foreign threat (AKA Fight poison with poison).
“Barbecued” Qian Ai was baffled by these sophisticated words. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Lao Qian.” Xu Wang stopped his ax, making a swift decision. “Stop burning.”
Qian Ai incredulously looked at his captain. “You understood that?!”
“Yes, stop burning, and come over here!” Without time for explanations, Xu Wang pulled Qian Ai to the other side of the deck, away from the tentacles, and told him to hold tight.
“Xiao Kuang, hold on tight—” Xu Wang shouted to Kuang Jinxin.
Finally, Qian Ai realized that the captain and the advisor had indeed communicated effectively and clearly.
This must be some fucking high-tech stuff!
“Captain.” Kuang Jinxin’s voice came from the stern, not in response but in urgency. “That monster is charging again—”
He was referring to the fish-crocodile monster.
“Don’t bother with it,” Xu Wang shouted back. “Just hold on tight—”
The moment the word “tight” was uttered, the ship suddenly turned!
Due to the octopus monster clinging on, the turn was slower, but the ship still sliced through the water and slowly drifted sideways.
The fish-crocodile monster had already leapt up, and the octopus monster had half of its body out of the water. However, under Wu Sheng’s direction, the left railing, which was initially at the stern, rotated to the original position of the stern. The fish-crocodile monster’s bite, accurate and forceful, latched onto the octopus monster’s head!
Both sea monsters plunged into the water together. Under the massive force of their struggle, the tentacle suction cups tore off the entire left railing!
Fortunately, the ship itself was unharmed, continuing to bob strongly amidst the turbulent waves!
Qian Ai finally grasped the meaning of “use barbarians against barbarians”. The historical phrase “use barbarians against barbarians” he learned in history class suddenly came back to him.
But… couldn’t they have just said, “Pit the sea monsters against each other”?
In the giant waves, the two entangled sea monsters rose and fell, but it was clear to anyone watching that the octopus monster was about to join the lantern fish monster for a tea party in just a matter of time.
With little time left, Xu Wang could only urge Wu Sheng again, “Can we go any faster?”
Wu Sheng, out of energy even to shout, turned back, imploring, “I said we need the wind—the wind…”
The wind.
In Wu Sheng’s repeated emphasis, Xu Wang had an epiphany.
“Lao Qian.” Captain Xu suddenly looked up, his eyes shining. “Isn’t your thing called ‘Invincible Hot Wheels’? I’ve seen the fire, but where’s the wind*?”
*Clarity: The original text is (无敌风火轮) which transliterated means Invincible Wind and Fire Wheel equating it to “(Invincible) Hot Wheels”. This is referencing hot wheels given that his other item (Mr. Thirteen of the Middle Ring) is a reference to drag racing. This is why Xu Wang is asking about the “wind” component.
“This…” Qian Ai, looking at his desperately hopeful captain, was at a loss for words. “Calling it Hot Wheels is just to make this weapon sound more impressive…”
“No,” Captain Xu firmly shook his head. “From my observations, I can responsibly say that every word in these magical tools is meaningful.”
“But…”
“No ‘buts’. Just try swinging your arms.”
With no other choice, Qian Ai reluctantly swung his right arm, still ablaze with fire.
Captain Xu didn’t feel any wind, but he nearly had his hair singed off.
Qian Ai sighed. “I told you…”
“What about swinging both arms together?”
“……”
With a captain so tenaciously hopeful, what else could he do?
Swing it is.
Qian Ai closed his eyes and focused. His other arm was instantly engulfed in flames.
Taking two deep breaths, he swung both arms together!
A warm breeze, carrying the heat, brushed against their faces, lifting the hair on Captain Xu’s forehead and fluttering Kuang Jinxin’s collar further away.
Qian Ai stopped swinging his arms, his face full of astonishment.
Xu Wang patted his shoulder in satisfaction. “Lao Qian, get up the mast and start swinging.”
<<< || Table of Contents || >>>
Kinky Translations 