After two hours of handling, all the goods were loaded into the cabin.
Gao Jianfei and the other laborers were also placed in the hold of a cargo ship. The hold was rather cramped, and with over 300 laborers crammed together, the air was extremely stuffy. Dim lighting illuminated the hold, creating a desolate scene… The laborers, like animals or unclaimed packages, were carelessly tossed about in the hold, scattered haphazardly. Some chatted in anguish; some simply closed their eyes to sleep and replenish their energy; others drank strong liquor…
These laborers all knew that the unknown adventures would plunge them into arduous work every day.
Gao Jianfei, Li Yun, and Song Ying huddled together, chatting in hushed tones.
Soon, the cargo ship set sail!
Several large ships, illuminated by the bright beams of searchlights, advanced smoothly along a specific route.
Inside a large, luxurious cargo ship, in a cabin that was lavishly decorated and warmly cozy, the eccentric scientist and the fleet's captain sat on a sofa, legs crossed, sipping whiskey.
The captain was a man about the same age as Blank. He had a gray beard, and his face was rugged and pockmarked, giving him a fierce yet sinister appearance. It was clear at a glance that he was not someone to be trifled with.
Mario, that's the captain's name.
In fact, the Arctic exploration community includes not only numerous scientific expeditions and explorers, but also professionals responsible for transportation. The only way to reach the depths of the Arctic from the town of Barrow is by water. Therefore, many fleets of ships emerged. They were responsible for transporting expeditions to the areas they wished to explore, charging high fees to make a living.
Captain Mario's fleet, known as the "Whale Fleet," is one of the most powerful and secure Arctic fleets, boasting 400 sailors and crew members on regular duty. The ships are also equipped with advanced firearms. The "Whale Fleet" is also the official fleet of the Blanc expedition team. Therefore, the two sides have a very good relationship.
At this moment, Blank and Mario clinked glasses. Mario leaned back comfortably on the sofa, stretched lazily, and yawned, saying, "Blanc, my good friend, this expedition of yours must be truly magnificent...tsk tsk, just the laborers alone number over 300, and the expedition equipment weighs tens of tons...so, you have a good target in mind?"
As he spoke, a subtle, almost imperceptible cunning and shrewdness could be seen surfacing deep within Mario's eyes.
Blank casually shook his head and shrugged. "Mario, actually, I don't have a specific goal. I'm just going deep into the Arctic and wandering around. Don't overthink it. The Arctic is a very mysterious place, it holds countless secrets and treasures, but these treasures are not public knowledge for us adventurers. Uh... this adventure doesn't have a particular purpose."
"Haha! I see." Mario laughed heartily, then stood up casually. "Alright, my esteemed adventurer Blank, I won't disturb your rest any longer. Please let me know if you need anything. Goodnight!"
After saying that, Mario left the cabin with his several bodyguards. As he turned around, the amiable smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a clear look of savagery in his eyes.
At the same time, as soon as Mario turned around, Blank's smile froze, replaced by a nervous, epileptic-like facial twitch.
After Mario left the cabin, Blank gave a sinister smile. "Mario, I see greed in your eyes!"
The bodyguards behind Blank couldn't help but frown.
"One-Eyed" Baroche asked, "Doctor, do you mean Mario is trying to take advantage of us? Well... he's just a captain of a fleet... Besides, Mario has been working with us for so many years, always just responsible for sailing, never participating in our adventures. Even when we return laden with spoils, he's never been envious..."
One of the twin brothers, Falk, agreed, saying, "Every profession has its rules."
Blank waved his hand, interrupting his subordinate. He sneered, "No one knows Mario better than me. On the surface, he's just an excellent captain, but in reality, he's incredibly cunning and tyrannical. As far as I know, in recent years, at least five research teams have been robbed by Mario, and hundreds of researchers have perished at his hands, their bodies left to rot in the Arctic! Mario is a madman! A thief! An executioner! The reason he hasn't targeted us and has maintained such a harmonious cooperative relationship with us is simply because our power is too great for him to swallow! But... well, this time, things are different."
Upon hearing Blank's words, the seven elite subordinates simultaneously perked up their ears, and their facial expressions tightened.
“You need to know that Mario is a gambler. Last month, he lost $200 million in Las Vegas. That’s no small amount,” Blank sneered.
"So... Great Doctor, you mean Mario is preparing to attack us?" Baroš asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Of course, I can’t draw any conclusions yet. After all, Mario doesn’t have the ability to eat us. However… nothing is absolute, and we must be careful of this guy,” Blank said, his face twitching.
…… …… ……
at the same time.
Inside Mario's cabin.
Mario was drinking heavily, his cheeks flushed, already quite drunk.
Behind him stood several burly men dressed in sailor uniforms, exuding a fierce aura.
Inside the cabin was a small bed, upon which curled a petite, lovely, and alluring young Asian woman. She was a Japanese woman, the wife of a doctor on a Japanese Arctic expedition. She had accompanied her husband on an expedition to the Arctic. However, during the expedition, the entire Arctic expedition was caught in a trap meticulously planned by Mario, and all perished except for this Japanese woman. The reason was her beauty.
However, her being alive seemed more terrifying than death.
At first, she was simply imprisoned in Mario's ship's cabin as his trophy, subjected to torture several times a day. Later, Mario would allow his trusted henchmen to take turns having sex with this promiscuous woman.
By this point, this woman had been raped multiple times by the 55 crew members of the fleet.
Now, her eyes are vacant, her face is pale, and her hair is disheveled.
Suddenly, Mario threw down the bottle he was holding and charged at the woman like a wild beast, then began his savage assault...
After a violent storm, the woman lay on the bed like a limp rag, sobbing.
Mario, having vented his twisted emotions, sat back on the sofa, leisurely puffing on his cigar. "I swear, in this world, just as important as money and alcohol are women..."
His trusted sailors nodded in deep agreement.
"Guys, this time, we're going to pull off something big!" Mario's glasses once again reflected that morbid excitement.
"Captain, what do you mean?" a bald, burly man asked suspiciously, "Is...is...is it raiding Dr. Blank's group?"
“Blanc is known as the world’s most professional Arctic explorer. He has a luxurious expedition team and has amassed a fortune. And this time, his preparations are unparalleled in any previous expedition! I believe he will launch a major operation… uh, it’s really enviable!” Mario’s left eyelid twitched.
“But…” the bald man continued, “Captain, our strength is probably insufficient to contend with Blank… You must know, he possesses hundreds of highly skilled professional mercenaries, as well as a large number of advanced firearms. His team is as terrifying as an army… What about us?”
Mario waved his hand. "It's alright. This time, I've united people from several shipping routes. Our men have already laid an ambush on 'Cocos Island' ahead! Hahaha! As the shipping tycoon of the Arctic, how could Blank possibly imagine the depth of my power? I am the one who commands the masses, the great Captain Mario! Also, I'll have the answer to Blank's expedition goal soon!"
At this point, Mario leisurely picked up the strong liquor from the coffee table and took another big gulp. After downing several large mouthfuls, he once again roughly charged at the woman on the bed, like a wild horse in heat.
Chapter 485 The Battle is Imminent!
Chapter 485 The Battle is Imminent!
The "Whale" fleet's cargo ships glided smoothly and swiftly across the glacier. The powerful searchlights on their bows illuminated the nearby waterway as bright as day. Meanwhile, inside the cabins of several ships, various ulterior motives were at play!
Dr. Blank has become suspicious of Captain Mario; while Captain Mario has prepared an Icelandic island, 'Cocoyasi,' to plunder and massacre Blank's expedition team, his intentions sinister.
The laborers in the dilapidated cargo ship's hold were naturally unaware of all this. Most of them had already fallen asleep. Song Ying, Li Yun, and the other women also nestled beside Gao Jianfei and slept.
Gao Jianfei was not asleep. The level 1 ghosts he sent out entered the cabins of the cargo ships belonging to Blank and Mario respectively, and spied on everything that happened between them.
The level 1 ghosts returned to Gao Jianfei's side and reported the situation to him.
In the dimly lit cabin, Gao Jianfei's lips curled into a strange smile... "Very good! I never expected that Captain Mario of this fleet would be such an evil and greedy fellow... Uh, 'Cocoyasi Island,' very interesting! An ambush will take place on that island, and perhaps I can gain something in the chaos!"
To the surprise of both Blanc and Mario, while they were locked in a fierce battle of wits, there was another terrifying figure lurking in the shadows, eyeing their predicament!
Gao Jianfei knew the voyage would be long, so he would seize every opportunity to rest. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. Additionally, he used his special ability to accommodate ten animals in his Ghost Den space to directly store them there. This action wouldn't attract the attention of the armed mercenaries. Gao Jianfei's Ghost Den space now contained a total of ten polar bears and eight huskies.
For the next three days, the fleet continued its voyage without ceasing, traveling day and night. They encountered no natural disasters such as cold waves, tornadoes, or iceberg collapses along the way, and everything proceeded smoothly.
The voyage over these three days covered more than a thousand kilometers. The fleet has now officially entered the Arctic.
For the past three days, Blank had been hiding in his cabin, studying the map that recorded the Viking civilization. He had secretly drawn a map based on his years of experience exploring the Arctic, comparing it point by point with the treasure map and taking notes.
Blank was thoroughly enjoying it.
On the other hand, Captain Mario received a mysterious guest in his own cabin.
It's a woman.
It was none other than Nicole, one of Dr. Blank's personal bodyguards... 'Bloody Rose'!
That tall, beautiful, and aloof Caucasian woman.
At this moment, Mario and Nicole were the only two people in the cabin.
Soon, the two were embracing each other wildly, rolling around on the small bed in the cabin, their passion raging. Mario, in a brutal, almost frenzied manner, became one with Nicole, leaving behind bloody teeth marks all over her body.
After the storm subsided, Nicole lay in Mario's arms, panting, her face radiating the lingering satisfaction of love. "God! My dear Mario, you're still as wild as you were four years ago. I love this kind of sex! It's enough to give me a real orgasm! Only you can give me this feeling."
"Haha!" Mario laughed with no small amount of pride. "I swear, even the smartest person in the world would never have imagined that the beautiful, noble, and aloof Ms. Nicole, Dr. Blanco's personal bodyguard, would fall for a rude man like me! Haha! Under my wrath, Ms. Nicole has actually become a woman filled with lust! Hahaha!"
"My dear Mario, I've told you before, only you can let me experience the pleasure between a man and a woman!" Nicole smiled charmingly and gave Mario a sweet kiss.
“By the way,” Mario gave Nicole’s nipples a good squeeze, a smirk playing on his lips, “you’ve been cooped up these past few days, haven’t you? That guy Blank has been keeping a close eye on you, and only today did you finally get a chance to come see me. Well, actually, I have something to ask you… What specific goals does Blank have on this Arctic expedition? I noticed that his team has over 300 laborers alone, something that’s never happened before… I think Blank is definitely planning something big!”
"Hmm!" Nicole gave Mario a charming glance. "My dear Mario, you're so clever! This is indeed a major operation, Dr. Blank's last Arctic expedition. His goal is... the Viking treasure! He obtained an ancient Arctic map that marks an extremely alluring ancient civilization site, a treasure so large you can't believe it!"
"Viking civilization? Viking treasure? You mean those fearsome pirates? Those powerful guys? Oh God! Their hoarded treasure?" Mario's voice was completely hoarse, and his eyes shone with an extremely intense light.
“My dearest Mario, the man I love in this world is you!” A strange light flashed in Nicole’s eyes. “Mario, you are the master of the Arctic shipping routes. You can command dozens of fleets. If you are willing, I can assist you in taking down Blank’s expedition! I know where he hid the map. Once we get the map, relying on your outstanding navigation experience and familiarity with the Arctic terrain, we can easily find the Viking treasure! We will become the richest people in the world! And the discoverers of ancient civilizations!”
Even the usually aloof Nicole is now burning with passion!
Mario nodded repeatedly, as if pounding garlic.
After getting dressed, Nicole walked out of Mario's cabin, crossed a long corridor, and arrived at the door of a cabin on the other side.
She knocked on the door and entered, only to be immediately dragged to the bed by two burly men.
So Nicole satisfied the needs of the two men with both her mouth and her legs.
The three people lay face down on the bed, panting, and whispering their stories.
"Nicole, my sweetheart, how's it going with Mario? Did you deliberately leak the Viking treasure to him? Is he interested?" a male voice asked urgently.
“Dear Fox, you’re always so impatient… Hehe, we’ve been scheming for years, and we’re about to succeed!” Nicole let out a low, but incredibly joyful laugh. “Yes, that pig Mario is completely hooked! He’ll ambush Blank! He will! Hahaha!”
The two men who were with Nicole were none other than Blank's other two elite bodyguards... Fox and Fockel! The twin brothers!
At this moment, Falk sighed. "For so many years, we've followed Dr. Blank, and his arrogance disgusts us! He has boundless wealth and status, and what about us? He bosses us around like we're huskies! I've had enough! I don't know what Baroche and the others are thinking, but the three of us have had enough!"
Fox added, “As the dominant figure in the Arctic shipping routes, Mario can barely put up a fight with Blank. He needs a lure! And now, that lure is enough! The day we've been planning for years is finally here!”
…… …… ……
Early the next morning, the 'Whale Fleet' docked on an Icelandic island.
This Iceland is about the size of the town of Barrow. The island has simple wooden houses, igloos, scattered oases, some basic shops, and even armed soldiers in military uniforms guarding the area.
Blank and Mario stepped in and reached an agreement with the officers on the island. As a result, everyone on the cargo ships—the crew, sailors, armed mercenaries, and laborers like Gao Jianfei—disembarked and went ashore.
Gao Jianfei learned from some sailors that the island was called "Kester Island," belonged to Canada, and had a Canadian military presence. "Kester Island" was typically used as a supply depot for Arctic explorers.
On the island of 'Kester', the fleet purchased a large amount of energy supplies and fresh food.
The group went to the island's bars and restaurants and enjoyed a hearty meal to relieve the boredom of the journey.
Gao Jianfei's gaze swept across the room, and he saw Blank and Mario walking together affectionately, their arms around each other's shoulders; Nicole, Fox, and Fokker walking loyally behind Blank... Gao Jianfei couldn't help but feel a sense of absurdity.
Damn it, these people are all actors!
Such complex relationships, full of intrigue and backstabbing, yet they remain outwardly calm and collected—they are truly ruthless characters!
At this moment, Song Ying whispered in Gao Jianfei's ear, "Jianfei, what happened to the eight huskies you bought from those Eskimos? They suddenly disappeared!"
"Ha!" Gao Jianfei chuckled casually, saying perfunctorily, "I've left some crew members with me." He quickly changed the subject, speaking in a serious tone, "Listen up, everyone, this Arctic adventure is extremely dangerous. If I'm not mistaken, the fleet will be ambushed after reaching a certain island! Therefore, everyone must be on high alert every time we land!"
"This?" Li Yun and the others tensed up. Their eyes began to instinctively scan their surroundings warily.
Gao Jianfei chuckled and said, "Alright, stop looking around. This island is safe; it won't be the site of their fight. I'll let everyone know when they're about to start a battle."
Gao Jianfei knew that the place Captain Mario was going to take action was a place called "Cocoyasi Island".
After resting for half a day and replenishing their supplies, everyone boarded the ship again.