Ling Yun pondered silently, suddenly recalling his peaceful life before gaining superpowers. Although ordinary and unnoticed, his life was tranquil and free. After the initial novelty of having superpowers wore off, all that remained was weariness of a life without control over his own destiny. He wondered when this uncertain future would finally come to an end, and when he could spend his time quietly and happily with his beloved.
A gentle little hand suddenly caressed his cheek. Xiao Rou looked at him affectionately. Without a word, their hearts were already connected. Ling Yun gently placed her in his arms. A deep sense of happiness suddenly welled up within him. No matter what, being able to meet the person he loved most in this life was the greatest happiness.
After a while, the two finally separated.
"It's time to call our new ship owner out." Ling Yun smiled faintly. In fact, only half an hour had passed since the massacre of the pirates began. Old Yu and the others probably didn't know what was happening outside and were anxiously waiting inside the sealed barrier.
Ling Yun flicked a finger, and the corpses on the deck seemed to be propelled by an invisible force, sliding off the deck and splashing into the sea. Before pushing the bodies into the sea, Ling Yun carefully used his mental force field to strip the pirates' battle suits. In the blink of an eye, there were more than a dozen high-level battle suits on the deck. These suits and equipment were all intact. Since he was going to give them to Lao Yu, Ling Yun naturally wanted to earn a favor. As for the pirates killed by Xiao Rou, they were basically all dead without complete bodies, and their battle suits were also destroyed. Therefore, Ling Yun had no choice but to throw the remaining pirate corpses into the sea.
A huge wave, drawn by the mental force field, crashed onto the deck, instantly washing away the bloodstains. In the time it takes to eat a meal, all the pirates, except for an empty pirate ship, had sunk to the bottom of the sea, as if they had never existed.
Ling Yun casually removed the isolation barrier on the ferry and said calmly towards the cabin door, "Old Yu, come out."
Old Yu, Fatty, and the group of stowaways were still anxiously waiting in the cabin, while diligently using various tools to scoop out the seawater. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, the water in the cabin was almost completely drained, although the bottom was still damp, but it was much better than when the seawater had flooded in.
Due to the isolation barrier, the cabin was cut off from the world. Nothing could be seen or heard, and everyone felt as if each day was an eternity. The half hour or so felt like half a century had passed.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of waves crashing and the sea breeze blowing again, along with Ling Yun's gentle greeting. Lao Yu and the others felt as if they had been reborn. They looked at each other, momentarily dazed, as if under a spell. After a few moments of stunned silence, they heard Ling Yun's slightly impatient second call.
A moment later, a burst of extremely enthusiastic cheers suddenly erupted in the cabin. Fat Lao Yu and others couldn't help but shout and jump up. Relatives who knew each other hugged each other tightly and wept with joy, while strangers took turns embracing one after another. Even vicious thugs and emaciated thugs hugged each other. Faced with the threat of death, everyone showed their most vulnerable side. Most people were in tears, letting their emotions run wild for this almost impossible miracle.
Chased by a fully armed pirate ship, everyone, including the stowaways, was prepared for a final stand. They couldn't expect the pirates to show mercy and let them go. With death already inevitable, how could the sudden arrival of a savior not instantly lift everyone's spirits from the depths of despair to heaven?
Life is one of humanity's greatest desires.
Old Yu suppressed his trembling hands and gestured for the fat man behind him to be quiet. He indicated that they should wait a moment while he went out to take a look. Although Ling Yun's voice had already proven everything, it was still better to be cautious before seeing what was happening outside.
The door was gently pushed open a crack, and Old Yu cautiously peeked out, looking furtively around. Outside, the sky was still clear, with fluffy white clouds, and the sound of the sea breeze pushing the waves seemed timeless, as if the pirate ship had never been there. But out of the corner of his eye, Old Yu clearly caught a glimpse of the pirate ship's enormous silhouette. Compared to that behemoth, his smuggling boat looked like a wreck. Both the pirate ship and the ferry were eerily silent; those heavily armed and ruthless pirates seemed to have been wiped from the world by an invisible hand.
Old Yu was taken aback at first, then his heart filled with joy. Since this was the scene he saw, it meant that the danger had indeed passed. He strode out of the cabin and immediately saw Ling Yun and Xiao Rou standing leisurely on the deck. The two of them were gazing intently at the afterglow of the setting sun, looking like a couple enjoying the scenery while on a sea voyage.
"Sir..." Old Yu cautiously approached the two from behind, calling out softly with a tone of almost divine reverence. If he had only felt a vague fear of the two before, now that fear had completely transformed into a feeling of worshipful reverence. It was truly unimaginable, unimaginable that two thin boys and girls, with a slightly threatening MA4 and a carbine that looked like a fire poker, could actually wipe out all the pirates dressed in high-class combat uniforms?
No, not wiped out. Old Yu immediately noticed something different: they had vanished without a trace. He looked around in astonishment, trying to find even a trace of the pirates, but whether on the pirate ship or his own ferry, apart from Ling Yun and Xiao Rou, there wasn't even a small animal in sight. Where had they gone? Old Yu wondered, "Could they have all been sent into the sea by the Master?" Old Yu couldn't help but feel even more awe for Ling Yun.
Ling Yun turned his head. "Old Yu, all the pirates are dead." He said it casually, but his words sent a shiver down Old Yu's spine.
"Sir..." Old Yu stammered, his emotions, which hadn't been expressed in years, overflowing with gratitude. It was as if all the emotions he had never felt before in his life had suddenly been sublimated to this moment. "Thank you for saving me. I have no way to repay you..."
Ling Yun waved his hand, interrupting Lao Yu's words of gratitude. He didn't have time to waste with this guy. He had already wasted more than half an hour at sea. Because of the constant circling with the pirates, the direction of the trace of his aura had changed. What he needed to do now was to catch up with the aura as soon as possible, otherwise the aura would slowly disappear.
Upon seeing Ling Yun wave his hand, Lao Yu immediately shut his mouth, his calm emotions gradually returning to his composed mind. However, a greater wave of turmoil surged within him. He couldn't imagine what reason could have enabled two people who looked like students to kill all the pirates and throw them into the sea in just over ten minutes. Those were living, breathing people, fierce pirates in battle uniforms with immense combat power, not just a few dozen domestic animals. Even if they were just a few dozen domestic animals, killing them all and throwing them into the sea wouldn't be something that could be done in just over ten minutes.
Suddenly, Lao Yu felt a chill run down his spine as he considered an almost absurd possibility: Could these two distinguished guests be monsters? Otherwise, how could they kill so quickly without being detected? Although this possibility was infinitesimally small, Lao Yu was not well-educated and deeply believed in ghost and spirit legends. Since something illogical had happened, it meant that the other party must be abnormal in some way.
As he was lost in thought, Ling Yun slowly spoke, his first words surprising and delighting him: "Old Yu, this pirate ship is yours, including the battle suits stripped from the pirates. Consider it a gift from me for seeing me off."
"Oh my God! God! Lord, please save me!" Old Yu cried out in his heart, his fingers trembling as he made the sign of the cross on his chest. If it weren't for his years of experience at sea and his stable nerves, he probably would have fainted from happiness by now. He had unexpectedly acquired a priceless pirate ship and dozens of high-end combat suits, each costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. This was more than dozens of times the money he had earned from smuggling over the past ten years. With just this one trip, he could never spend all his wealth in ten lifetimes.
He couldn't think of how to thank this ordinary young man in front of him. His gratitude had just changed and turned into heartfelt worship, the same feeling he had when facing his ancestors and God. Even if Ling Yun told him to die right now, Lao Yu would probably carry it out without hesitation.
Ling Yun looked at his wide-open mouth, his expression a mixture of surprise and delight, and smiled slightly: "However, I have one more condition."
"What are your conditions, sir? Just name it, and I'll do whatever it takes, no matter how difficult." Old Yu's eyes lit up as he spoke eagerly. He knew he could repay the favor if the other party asked for something, though he didn't know what conditions Ling Yun and Xiao Rou would require.
“The pirate ship is yours, and your ferry is mine,” Ling Yun said. “I need your ferry to go in another direction, as it’s inconvenient to take so many people. Do you agree?”
Chapter 290 The Theft
Old Yu was taken aback, then immediately realized that Ling Yun wanted to set off alone, so he was exchanging his dilapidated ship for a pirate ship. This deal was quite a bargain. Not to mention that the pirate ship itself was worth many times more than the ferry, the equipment and facilities on the pirate ship were enough for Old Yu to exchange his old ship for a cannon. Compared to the conditions Ling Yun proposed, it was practically nothing. Even without Ling Yun's request, Old Yu himself was considering whether to throw away his dilapidated ship.
He was about to ask, "Sir, aren't you coming with us? Taking the pirate ship is very fast." But he immediately swallowed the words back. Clearly, in the short time they had met, Lao Yu had already learned that the two distinguished guests did not like to waste words. Lao Yu himself was a man of few words, but in front of Ling Yun, he was full of nonsense.
"Sir, if you like it, this boat is yours," Old Yu said respectfully.
Ling Yun nodded. This middle-aged man in his forties was indeed very smart and knew how to be pragmatic. He didn't ask him out of curiosity how the pirates were wiped out, nor did he ask what he wanted the ship for. Talking to such a person was simple and effortless. It seemed that he hadn't misjudged him. Giving him the pirate ship was worthwhile.
"Have someone come out and board the pirate ship. I need to get your ship away immediately," Ling Yun said calmly. "Also, fill up the ship's fuel tank. I don't want to run out of power later."
"Yes, sir, as you wish." Old Yu replied loudly, turned around and strode into the passenger cabin of the ferry. He flung open the cabin door and impatiently shouted at the fat man, "Quick, Fatty, the pirates have been eliminated, we are out of danger. That gentleman wants to borrow our ship for a while. You immediately take your men and bring all these stowaways to the pirate ship. Also, send someone to fill up the fuel. Our ship has already been given to the gentleman. Go quickly."
The fat man was taken aback and was about to ask a few questions about the situation outside when Old Yu became impatient and urged him repeatedly, "Hurry up and go, don't waste time." With that, he turned around and walked into the cockpit through the passageway.
Once the danger was over, the remaining thugs regained their spirits and became menacing again, shouting for the stowaways to line up and file out of the cabin. One by one, they followed the steps the pirates had used to get onto the ferry and onto the pirate ship. Meanwhile, Lao Yu was busy in the wheelhouse taking out the spare fuel and pouring it back into the engine's fuel tank.
The stowaways wore expressions of curiosity and confusion as they walked past Ling Yun one by one. Although the thugs shouted for them to form a neat line, most of the stowaways still walked unsteadily. Almost everyone would steal glances at Ling Yun and Xiao Rou from time to time, wanting to see what these two heroes who had saved their lives looked like. Clearly, Ling Yun and Xiao Rou didn't have an extra arm or leg, nor did they possess any physical advantages compared to most people, which only added to the stowaways' bewilderment.
Even now, most people still feel it's all a nightmare, so unreal. Did those vicious pirates really exist? Or was it all just an illusion? Otherwise, how could that ordinary student-like boy and that stunningly beautiful girl have killed all the pirates in such a short time? Even the most clueless stowaways find it unbelievable, which makes Ling Yun and Xiao Rou seem even more mysterious to them.
A sallow-faced, thin boy suddenly ran out from the line of people climbing onto the pirate ship. He ran a few steps to Ling Yun and Xiao Rou, his hands clenched into fists, his thin chest heaving, his face showing a mixture of excitement and agitation. He asked breathlessly, "Big brother, big sister, did you drive away the vicious pirates and save our lives?"
Ling Yun and Xiao Rou were both taken aback, and couldn't help but look at the boy whose eyes were filled with admiration and excitement. Clearly, the boy regarded his two saviors as idols. Ling Yun couldn't help but smile and nodded, saying, "Yes, little brother."
The boy rubbed his hands excitedly, standing somewhat flustered in front of the two, wanting to say something, but his thin lips moved but he didn't know what to say. His two bright eyes blinked, constantly shooting out joyful and excited light. He clearly admired and respected Ling Yun and Xiao Rou very much, as if he had met his idols in person and was so excited that he didn't know what to say.
A burly thug quickly approached and berated the young man, "What are you doing? Get back to the group right now, don't disturb the two guests' time." Then, with a fawning smile, he said to Ling Yun, "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't expect..."
Ling Yun smiled faintly: "It's alright, take the child away. Don't make things difficult for them. Everyone is just trying to make a living, and it's not easy for anyone."
The thug agreed repeatedly, grabbed the boy's arm, and tried to drag him back. The boy seemed unwilling to leave his two respected idols without saying a word. He struggled and shouted, "Big brother, can you tell me how you defeated the pirates? Big sister, you are so beautiful, like a fairy from heaven."
His first question hit the nail on the head for everyone, including Lao Yu. Everyone was extremely eager to know what had happened in that short fifteen minutes, why the vicious pirates had suddenly all disappeared, and how the boy and girl had managed to eliminate them. Even the thugs, while yelling at the boy and dragging him back to the group, were listening intently, clearly also curious.
However, Ling Yun said nothing, only smiled and waved his hand. He naturally wouldn't tell these people about the details of the murder using superpowers. Not only was it unnecessary, but even if he did, no one would believe him. Some things are better left unknown.
The sallow-faced, emaciated boy struggled several times in the thug's thick arms, finally stopping his writhing and obediently returning to the group of stowaways. As he boarded the platform, he kept glancing at Ling Yun and Xiao Rou.
Lingyun and Xiaorou smiled and greeted him at the same time. Any praise, especially if it comes from the heart, will make people feel genuinely happy. Superpowered people are also human, so Lingyun and Xiaorou naturally did not feel unhappy.