Shadow 380,000 Level 17 Suspended Spirit Hurricane Arrives

Chapter 28

We were led to a cabin, which was equivalent to a standard room in a four-star hotel, and perhaps even a little larger.

We put down our backpacks, but the young man who had led us there didn't leave. Instead, he stood at the door, seemingly waiting for someone.

"What?" I frowned, feigning displeasure.

The young man smiled, didn't answer, but took a half step back. Then another person walked in.

"Hello, I'm the captain of this ship, you can call me Lao Ma." The man who spoke was burly, and most noticeably, he had a face full of pockmarks. It was unclear whether his surname was actually Ma, or if he was called Lao Ma because of his pockmarks.

“This ship isn’t slow, but it’ll still take a day to get to the boss. Before that, I’d like to confirm your identity again,” Old Ma said, looking at me.

"Confirm identity?"

"Yes, not everyone can accept the boss's invitation, and I think you understand what I mean. This is my responsibility, and I hope you will cooperate." Old Ma's words were firm yet gentle, leaving no room for compromise.

There is only one way to prove one's identity.

I stretched out my hand, palm up, fingers slightly spread.

Old Ma squinted his eyes.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

Damn it, I suddenly remembered that Kou Yun was seasick. Her little face was pale and bluish, and she struggled between vomiting and not vomiting for a long time. Was she unable to use her powers now?

Sweat immediately beaded on my back. My gaze slowly moved around the room, seemingly searching for a target, but when it swept over Kou Yun's eyes, I gave her a sharp wink.

"Wow!"

This wasn't Lao Ma's exclamation, but... Kou Yun vomited.

My outstretched hand was trembling, and my face was twitching.

One drop, two drops... sticky, sour stuff hung between my slightly parted fingers, slowly dripping down.

Old Ma's pupils dilated slightly, and the young man at the door twitched violently, turning his back and shrugging his shoulders.

I'll confirm with you tomorrow. Right now... I'm a little... dizzy too.

"Okay, goodnight then." Old Ma nodded readily, turned around and left in a hurry, as if afraid that I would throw up and spray him with vomit.

It's not a big deal for him to drag this out until tomorrow. As long as he's on his boat, no matter what tricks I play, he has a hundred ways to throw us overboard to feed the fish.

12. Proceed to the Dragon's Nest (4)

After vomiting, Kou Yun looked much better. But I imagine my complexion must have been terrible.

After a night of restless sleep, Kou Yun was much better the next day. After all, he had practiced roller coaster riding, and he showed off a few moves in front of Lao Ma during breakfast, passing the test with ease.

The time on the ship was extremely boring. The crew members, including Lao Ma, showed us at least superficial respect, but they didn't take the initiative to talk to us, let alone answer any questions about Zheng Yu. They only said that we would know when we arrived at the destination.

As evening approached, I received a notification that we would arrive at our destination soon. Together with Kou Yun, we climbed onto the deck. In the distance, on the horizon, there was a faint black dot, perhaps an unnamed island in the Pacific Ocean.

This seemingly dilapidated fishing boat was incredibly fast, cutting through the waves. In no time, the black dot had begun to resemble a small island.

With my destination in sight, I couldn't help but feel uneasy.

This trip to Zhengzhou was at their invitation, and as requested, I couldn't bring any communication devices. Considering they were certain they had counter-surveillance measures, I didn't even bring a signal transmitter, let alone any Chinese police or military vessels secretly following me. Risking a falling out with Zheng Hai over the location of a base in Zhengzhou was clearly not worth it, and as a small-time reporter, my life was now tied to national security; I had to rely on myself.

Fortunately, Guo Dong said that given Zheng Hai's reputation, Zheng Yu shouldn't do anything bad to his invited guest, and that would have a negative impact on the non-human community. Even with Zheng Hai's power, he would have to think twice. However, if I were to expose my identity or try to cause trouble, that would be a different story.

So my task is to be careful with my words and actions for a month, earn a million US dollars, and then resign from Zheng Yu's job. I'll come back and tell Guo Dong what I've seen and heard, and that'll be the end of it. I'll also regain my identity and reputation and go back to working as a reporter normally.

I'll let bygones be bygones regarding the one million yuan debt Kou Feng owed me. As for those murder cases, if the police are planning to take a roundabout approach, I won't directly clash with Kou Feng.

Wow, it seems like this million isn't taxable.

Wow, with a million US dollars as a base, if any short-sighted leader in the newspaper dares to give me a hard time again, I'll quit immediately and become a freelance writer, writing whatever I want. Hmm, if I really put my mind to it, I'll buy a newspaper and become its editor-in-chief. But then, eight million RMB won't be enough. Should I work a few more months? This money is quite easy to earn.

Suddenly I remembered that current policies don't allow private individuals to own newspapers, but there are ways to work around that.

I was just enjoying the sea breeze and daydreaming when Kou Yun's shout pulled me back to reality.

"Brother, look, there's another boat following us."

Looking back in the direction Kou Yun pointed, we indeed saw a ship about a nautical mile away, heading in the same direction as us, and its speed was no less than that of the fake fishing boat beneath our feet.

It was too far away to see the boat clearly, but it was definitely not a fishing boat; it looked like a yacht.

The island was now in sight, and the fishing boat slowed down, preparing to enter the harbor and dock. Old Ma and his crew had surely spotted the boat behind them long ago, but there was no unusual reaction; it was most likely Zheng Yu's vessel as well.

The shore of the small island in front of us is covered with reefs and strangely shaped rocks, somewhat resembling the island in the movie "King Kong". The island is covered with lush trees, which completely obscure the interior, making it impossible to tell that anyone lives there.

The island appeared to be hundreds of square kilometers in size. The fishing boat circled half of the island before entering a narrow, beak-shaped crevice-like waterway.

At the end of the waterway, the water suddenly widens, somewhat resembling a lake extending inland from a small island. A dense circle of boats is moored along the shore; some are identical fishing boats, others appear to be ordinary small ocean-going vessels, along with motorboats and a few small yachts. It's a natural harbor, but due to the narrowness of the waterway, which stretches over a thousand meters, larger vessels cannot enter.

The entire lakeshore was paved with wood, and there were several dirt roads leading into the depths of the island.

The boat shook and came to rest on the shore. As I stepped off the gangplank, I happened to see the entrance to the straight waterway, and the boat I had just seen entered as well.

Seeing me looking in that direction, Lao Ma smiled and said, "Like you, that's another guest of the boss."

Are they the same? It doesn't seem so. Now that we're closer, I can see clearly that this is a yacht. Of course, its exterior isn't as eye-catching as the New Hope, but judging from the fishing boats and the boats on the shore, Zheng Hai's vessels are probably all different inside and out to avoid attracting attention. Therefore, the yacht's interior facilities must be several levels higher than these fishing boats. A person's mode of transportation can reveal their status, and as a guest, it reveals the level of importance the host places on them.

I wonder what kind of extraordinary person this distinguished guest of Zheng Yu is.

My gaze shifted to the vehicles parked nearby, and I became even more certain of my judgment.

There were two jeeps, one a Land Rover and the other a Hummer. It goes without saying which one we were riding in.

The truth is, people can't stand comparisons. A Land Rover is already a pretty good car, and in other situations, it would make you feel proud and have a good reputation. But now, with someone else's Hummer right next to you, you can't help but feel a little depressed.

Old Ma stood on the deck, beside the tattered fishing net, waving goodbye to us.

"Aren't you going to take us inside?" I asked.

"That's other people's business, Mr. Dai. Until we meet again." After saying this, Lao Ma turned around and walked into the cabin cleanly and neatly.

I stood on the shore looking around at the scenery when a young man wearing a short-sleeved shirt and trousers, who looked like a white-collar worker in a Shanghai office building, jumped out of the Land Rover and walked quickly toward us.

"You must be Mr. Dai. Welcome to Yi Island. My surname is Zhang. You can call me Xiao Zhang or Xiao Dai."

"Little Dai?"

"Yes, the 'dai' in 'daiyu' (ribbonfish)."

He didn't explain further, but I guessed it would be quite normal for the Dragon King of the Sea to use marine creatures as code names for his subordinates. I figured "ribbonfish" was his code name. There are countless kinds of creatures in the sea, and ribbonfish is a common one. It seems this young man isn't some insignificant nobody; he must at least be a figure of importance under Zheng Yu. Thinking this, I calmed down a bit.

"Is this island called Yi Island? Which Yi is it?"

"It's Yi, the Yi who shot down the suns," the ribbonfish replied with a very polite smile.

"That's a strange name. Why is it called Yi Island?"

"I'm sorry, the boss chose this name, and I don't know why."

"Oh, that's newly picked."

12. Proceed to the Dragon's Nest (5)

"Yes, it's only been seven or eight years."

A smile involuntarily crept onto my lips. Hou Yi is the hero in ancient Chinese mythology who shot down nine suns, and the island's name, "Yi," is clearly related to him. Besides being famous for shooting down the suns, Hou Yi also had a beautiful wife named Chang'e. Chang'e stole the elixir of immortality and ran to the moon. Even with Hou Yi's great abilities, he could only fuss on Earth. If Hou Yi really existed, his greatest wish would probably be to go to the moon and bring his wife back.

The name Yi Island has been around for seven or eight years, which means that Zheng Yu's plan to extract helium-3 from the moon has been in place for seven or eight years.

"This is truly a beautiful place." The azure lake shimmers with golden light, nestled amidst lush greenery. Because it lies deep within the island, it's even cooler than outside. If this place weren't a port but developed into a tourist beach, it would absolutely be a paradise for relaxation.

“I thought Mr. Dai would be difficult to deal with, but it seems that’s not the case at all.” The smile on Daiyu’s face made my smile freeze.

Actually, the reason I was talking to Lao Ma and then chatting with the young man in front of me was to buy some time and satisfy my curiosity about who was on the ship behind us. I didn't realize that my role wasn't meant for so much talking.

I was thinking about how to keep quiet and get through the month on the ship, and earn a million to spend back in Shanghai, but I forgot about it in the blink of an eye. That's so unprofessional.

Fortunately, judging from the appearance of the ribbonfish, I didn't suspect anything. But I should be more careful in the future; if it turns out to be an imposter, it won't be a laughing matter.

He dared not say another word and obediently followed the ribbonfish toward the Land Rover.

The yacht behind us was moving quite fast and had already docked. I walked to the Land Rover, and Daiyu opened the car door for us. Just before getting in, I glanced back and saw someone getting off the yacht. I was stunned.

This was a young woman. She had short hair, sunglasses, and wore a short-sleeved denim shirt with epaulettes and denim shorts, revealing two long, slender, tanned legs, and sneakers. Her presence was more striking and commanding than that of a female mounted police officer in full uniform.

I do recognize this person.

We haven't seen each other for two years, and I wonder if she has found a good cure for her hereditary headaches.

Two years ago, I met her at Sir D's underworld gathering. At that time, I had been given a death prophecy and traveled a long way to seek help from Lu Yun, only to unexpectedly run into her, a master of prophecy. Later, I even went to an ancient tomb with this Xiahou Ying to solve an age-old mystery. One of the precious artifacts we retrieved that time is still prominently displayed in my study, where every visitor treats it as a fake.

It turned out she was Zheng Yu's esteemed guest, but her specialty was suggestion—using methods including mysterious lines and symbols to alter the mental state of her target. What could such secret art possibly have to do with the Helium-3 project?

I remembered Lu Yun telling me that Zheng Yu invited her but she refused. Xiahou Ying's abilities are similar to Lu Yun's; they are both spiritual secret arts. It seems that Xiahou Ying is the person Zheng Yu invited to replace Lu Yun.

The Hummer's door opened, and an old man stepped out to greet Xiahou Ying. The old man's face seemed vaguely familiar to me.

Kou Yun saw me looking at the old man and opened his mouth to say something, but then realized that the ribbonfish was right next to him. He reached out and wrote a word on my back.

It's a very simple Chinese character with a left-right structure, which I can easily recognize.

"Forest".

It was Lin Wen, the old man who greeted Xiahou Ying. It was indeed Lin Wen. However, he looked much older than in the photos the police had found and as Commander Zhang had described, which is why I didn't recognize him at first.

"Do you know this lady?" asked the ribbonfish.

I was momentarily stunned. If I denied it, Daiyu's keen observation skills would surely see through my lie; if I admitted it, I was currently using Daixing's identity. I gritted my teeth and decided not to answer the question, pretending I hadn't heard it. Daiyu had just said he thought I was difficult to get along with; now I'd let him experience the eccentricities of my personality.

Xiahou Ying saw Lin Wen approaching her, and naturally also saw us standing next to Lin Wen. She was wearing sunglasses, so we couldn't see her eyes, but after looking at us for a while, she walked straight over.

Lin Wen was somewhat taken aback, because Xiahou Ying did not stop in front of him.

Xiahou Ying stood in front of me, took off his sunglasses, looked me up and down, and frowned slightly.

My heart was pounding. Good heavens, in my current state, even my closest friends and family would have to circle around me three times before daring to recognize me. Xiahou Ying and I only spent a few days together two years ago, how could she possibly recognize me?

The theory of mind-locking flashed through my mind. I immediately realized that if ability users could lock onto objects with their minds, then someone like Lu Yun and Xiahou Ying, who were skilled in mental magic, would definitely see more than just a person's appearance; they would also consider a person's spirit, temperament, or even their brainwaves and mental field. This mysterious and indescribable thing must be the key to Xiahou Ying recognizing me.

Oh no, oh no! If Xiahou Ying calls out the name Na Duo, Kou Yun might be able to survive because she's Kou Feng's sister, but I'll definitely be thrown into the sea to feed the sharks.

"How come you don't recognize me now that I've shaved my head?" I blurted out before the explosion could happen, winking at her twice in the process.