Translator: CinderTL
Splash!
Seawater sprayed into the air as a white seagull cut through the sky, diving down to snatch a small fish.
Once it flapped its wings and rose again, it carried its prey high into the sky.
"Survival of the fittest, natural selection..."
Glancing at this scene, a black-haired young man in a black trench coat walked on the surface of the sea as if it were solid ground.
In the distance, dark clouds loomed over the island, as if a hurricane was gathering.
Ships with masts were docked along the shore, their various flags fluttering in the wind.
Hurricane Island, the southernmost island of the Bountiful Continent, was also the border of the Steel Kingdom.
Numerous fleets came and went, and many powerful figures could be seen among them.
Chen Feng remained calm, steadily walking on the seawater, gradually sensing a familiar presence approaching.
"Sha!!"
Beneath the deep blue sea, a dark blue Giant Octopus emerged.
Its skull-shaped head had bulging eyes, and its dozen or so tentacles gently swayed. Soon, one of them extended out of the water, touching Chen Feng's palm in a gesture of flattery.
"You've grown again."
Rubbing the slightly grainy skin of the tentacle, Chen Feng could see the massive octopus beneath the surface through his perception.
Its large, glowing blue-green eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement and flattery as they met his gaze.
When he first subdued it, Gata was only about thirteen or fourteen meters in size.
Now, it had grown to nearly sixteen meters.
Judging by its aura, it had also advanced slightly, reaching the peak of the fifth tier.
"Did you eat something good?"
Through the link of the Soul Flame, Chen Feng asked curiously.
"Sha! Gata nodded, explaining that it had hunted many sea creatures in the nearby seabed.
This area was more expansive than the waters around Eaglefall Island, and some of the sea creatures here tasted particularly delicious.
Knowing it wasn't lying, Chen Feng pondered thoughtfully.
One of the rulers of the Deep Sea, a special Star Realm Creature.
This was the information about Gata's lineage that the panel had mentioned.
"So, as long as you consume enough sea creature flesh, you can accelerate your growth."
"Just like humans need sufficient nutrition to grow from childhood to adulthood."
Under the Soul Flame, Gata could hide nothing, and many of its secrets were laid bare to Chen Feng.
Having roughly understood its uniqueness and knowing that its bloodline potential was high and still in its growth phase, Chen Feng decided not to delve deeper.
After all, the stronger it became, the more help it would be to him.
Hum! Immediately, upon his command, Gata manipulated the water.
A whirlpool formed beneath Chen Feng's feet, and he took the opportunity to sink down, allowing Gata to carry him through the seabed as they headed toward Hurricane Island.
The seabed was vast, with green seaweed and red coral visible everywhere.
The gray sand and mud were dotted with crabs, shrimp, and colorful small fish, all tumbling in the waves. Gata had clearly become the dominant force in the area.
Wherever it went, many of the weaker marine creatures hid or fled, as if recalling the times they had witnessed large sea creatures being hunted by it.
Chen Feng glanced around briefly, sitting atop Gata's skull-shaped head as he looked toward the sea surface.
From the dark depths to the emerald waters, and finally to the bright surface above.
The sunlight shimmered, casting its rays across the waves.
A shadow slowly passed overhead—a massive multi-masted ship, accompanied by several other ships, clearly part of a large fleet.
The flag on the fleet resembled a red scepter. Chen Feng averted his gaze, gradually catching sight of the underwater plate of Hurricane Island.
"Hmm?"
The fleet sailed forward, the waves unceasing.
Inside the cabin, an elderly man in a mage's robe, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, a trace of doubt flickering across his face.
Had someone just been spying on him? With this doubt in mind, he amplified his meditative spiritual energy.
It enveloped the ship, even sinking beneath the sea.
There was nothing unusual, only a vast, dark blue shadow that crossed paths with the fleet and gradually faded away.
Frowning, a man in an apprentice mage's robe inside the cabin asked with concern.
"Master?"
"Nothing."
"Just thought I saw something big."
The elderly mage in the robe shook his head.
It seemed the rumors were true; a sea beast overlord might have indeed been born near Hurricane Island.
He wondered if, while escorting Miss Suoya back, there would be a chance to hunt and tame it.
The sound of splashing water quietly arose and then quickly disappeared, hiding.
On the northern coast of Hurricane Island, in a deserted clearing nestled between the forest and the beach.
A boy in a brown cotton coat stood behind a tree, his hands in his pockets, cautiously looking around.
"I wonder when Master Feng Chen will appear."
The thought crossed his mind; he had been waiting for several days, but there was still no sign of anyone.
Without overthinking, he shook his head.
No matter when Master Feng Chen appeared, he just needed to wait patiently as instructed.
He looked around the forest again, occasionally glancing at the sea.
At some point, a mist had risen here, as if formed by evaporating water vapor.
A pair of blue-green glowing eyes, as large as an adult's, flickered in and out, gradually approaching.
His pupils contracted, and Tulin's body trembled, almost fleeing in fear.
But soon, the blue-green glowing eyes dissipated, and a figure emerged from the mist, walking on the sea.
"Master... Master Feng Chen?"
His gaze fixed, Tulin almost thought he was hallucinating.
In the next moment.
The mist that had filled the air dispersed, and the young man in black had already stepped onto the island, standing before him.
A large, firm hand ruffled his hair, and the young man's strong, masculine face broke into a smile.
"Long time no see."
"Little Tulin."
More than ten minutes later.
The sound of footsteps left the forest and entered the island, blending into the crowd on the streets.
Looking around, rows of wooden shacks appeared at the edge of the island, mainly clustered in the north, where most of the simply dressed residents lived, mostly the elderly, women, and children.
The ground was paved with a mix of gray bricks and gravel, and carriages appeared, carrying people in woolen clothes, with few nobles in sight.
"Master, this is the slum area of Hurricane Island."
"The north has no port or factory, so the economy is poor."
On the way, Tulin drove the carriage, earnestly explaining the situation of Hurricane Island to Chen Feng, as if he had returned to his days as a guide in Banli Port.
Though dressed in a simple black cotton coat, it was clean and without patches.
His freckles remained, but perhaps due to the events in Banli Port, Tulin seemed to have matured a bit, holding the reins and sitting on the carriage's platform, exuding a sense of responsibility.
"How did things turn out in Banli Port?"
Chen Feng asked, knowing that nearly a month had passed in this world.
"The Sark Factory was destroyed, and the Charles Family was swallowed up by some enemies." "I heard the king was furious and issued a warrant for your arrest, including posting notices on Hurricane Island."
"During those days, neither we nor Lord Lei Long dared to venture out much. However, we later discovered that the Hurricane Lord wasn't particularly concerned about the matter, which allowed us to breathe a sigh of relief."
Tulin spoke in a low voice, while Chen Feng seemed lost in thought.
He recalled the fifth-tier Scholar Adler and his disciple, Fran, who wore a gray cloak.
The latter had quietly remained in Banli Port, seemingly gathering evidence against the Charles Family.
It was unclear whether they had already reported their findings.
"Perhaps, even if they did, no one would take action."
With a flicker in his eyes, Chen Feng thought of Duke Charles hunting Mermaids to curry favor with many nobles in the capital.
And then there was Prince Seth, the third son of the Iron King.
Such a powerful group of forces would not be easily shaken.
Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on it further as the carriage had already left the northern shantytown area of Hurricane Island.
Soon, rows of houses built with red and gray bricks came into view, with ornate iron railings gradually becoming part of the scenery.
Looking out, low-rise buildings stood in orderly rows, occasionally interspersed with villas and estates.
The sound of horse-drawn carriages echoed around, and the passersby under the black streetlights mostly had rosy complexions, dressed in woolen clothes or overcoats.
The women had beautifully styled long hair, carrying small handbags, while the men wore polished leather shoes and smoked cigarettes.
This was the area closer to the center of the island. Further south lay the wealthier regions near the port.
To the west, there were rows of steel factories and scattered tall chimneys.
"We've arrived, Master Feng Chen," Tulin said respectfully, jumping off the carriage and placing a small wooden stool on the ground.
This was a cluster of red and gray buildings, with the names of various shipping-related companies hanging on the walls outside the second-floor windows.
This was no surprise, as Lei Long had already reported it when he sent a letter to Gata earlier.
The Crimson Flame Fleet, a medium-sized merchant fleet, was their new identity.
The oceans of this world were vast, and there were countless shipping companies. Hurricane Island welcomed all fleets to establish their businesses here.
This was one of the reasons why Lei Long and the others dared to stay on Hurricane Island under their hidden identities.
Sensing Lei Long's presence in an office on the second floor, Chen Feng nodded and prepared to step down from the carriage.
"Make way!"
"Quickly, make way!!"
Suddenly, voices rang out, accompanied by the sound of whistles.
Chen Feng turned his head and saw a group of Hurricane Island soldiers in brown overcoats jogging with rifles, forcefully clearing the crowd.
In the midst of the confusion, a young boy with red hair, dressed in a silk robe, could be seen holding the reins of a horse, his face filled with excitement as he galloped through the crowd, ignoring everyone around him.
Pedestrians quickly moved aside, and carriages blocking the path scattered to both sides.
"Young Master Wei!!"
Someone was chasing from behind—several knights wielding long swords and riding black horses.
At the same time, a convoy of carriages could be seen approaching.
At the front was the Hurricane flag, while the family crest of a red staff was emblazoned on the carriages.
This would have been ordinary, but the red staff emblem bore a striking resemblance to the flag of the fleet they had seen earlier in the ocean.
"It's the Hurricane Lord and the Red Dragon Family."
"It seems Miss Suoya has returned to visit her family."
"Was that Young Master Wei just now? Miss Suoya's child?"
Whispers of discussion reached Chen Feng's ears as he watched the carriage procession slowly pass before his eyes.
The exquisite curtains blocked his view, but he could sense the presence of several figures inside, including an elderly man in a mage's robe who was looking around in surprise.
Further away, a young boy with red hair galloped off on his horse.
The boy's black horse nearly trampled a passerby, but the latter knelt in fear, pleading for mercy.
Eventually, the boy let the passerby go, and the procession disappeared into the gray-black street.
"The Red Dragon Family..."
Chen Feng was puzzled; this was the first time he had heard of this family.
But his confusion didn't last long, as Lei Long, upstairs, was drawn by the commotion on the street and soon spotted him.
The sound of hurried footsteps descending the stairs followed, and the two reunited after many days apart.
Lei Long still had the appearance of a man in his thirties, with slightly curly brown hair, wearing loose clothing and a dark jacket.
The only difference was that his beard had been shaved clean, making him look a bit younger.
"Master Feng Chen!"
He exclaimed excitedly, his eyes filled with deep reverence.
The further he progressed on the path of the Sequence, the more he could feel the immense power of this master.
"It seems you've gained some insights as well."
Chen Feng was invited into the upstairs office, where he smiled, noticing that the storm aura within Lei Long had grown denser, nearing the peak of the third tier.
Tulin quickly brought over some coffee, and Lei Long explained with a smile, "Thanks to the master's blessings, I underwent a storm baptism and gained some enlightenment."
He had been stuck at the third tier of the Storm Sequence for a long time, and after two trips to Merman Bay, experiencing the storm and lightning within the White Mist, he had finally gained some understanding.
Chen Feng roughly guessed the reason and then thought about how the Sequence Power in this world was quite unique.
It seemed that starting from the fourth tier, one needed to complete certain rituals to advance to the next level.
This was precisely why fourth-tier Sequencers were considered to have entered the ranks of the strong.
He then asked a question, and Lei Long nodded, not hiding anything.
"I need to undergo a baptism within the storm to advance to the fourth tier."
This was his current challenge, the bottleneck of the Storm Sequence.
Chen Feng nodded lightly, pondering the uniqueness of Merman Bay.
The two didn't linger on this topic for too long, and Chen Feng soon began inquiring about Bernard, the fourth-tier Sequencer under Duke Charles, and the related matter of the Mermaid.
"This matter, it seems, is somewhat related to the Hurricane Lord."
"Oh?"
"That Bernard, after learning of Duke Charles's death, has been hiding on Hurricane Island."
"Perhaps fearing retaliation and retribution, he moved around and eventually connected with the Hurricane Lord."
Lei Long explained seriously, sharing the information he had gathered and tracked during this time.
The Hurricane Lord was a powerful Sequencer suspected to be at the Saint level, later recruited by the Steel Kingdom to become the lord and hereditary noble of that region.
He had many descendants, among whom the third son, Mo De, was a viscount and the latest master Bernard had pledged allegiance to.
It was suspected that Mo De had taken over the Mermaid brought by Bernard, as well as part of the list of nobles Duke Charles had gathered.
"So, the Mermaid is hidden in Mo De's estate?"
"Not certain, but it's highly possible."
"It's also possible that Bernard has hidden her in some other secret location, but I've already confirmed his whereabouts."
Lei Long spoke earnestly; this was a clue he had spent a great deal of effort to uncover.
Seeing this, Chen Feng gave a slight nod.
As long as they could find Bernard, they would naturally know the location of the Mermaid.
"Let's go."
Without further ado, he signaled Lei Long to lead the way.
Whether it was the Hurricane Lord or Mo De, he only hoped that these individuals would have the sense not to stand in their way.
(End of the Chapter)
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