Endless Ocean: Survival Begins with a Dugout Canoe-Chapter 111 - 108: The Transaction, Wright’s Shock
"Captain, the Twelve Stars’ ship Calming Field is three nautical miles ahead. Should we dock for Calming?"
It was just after six in the morning. Shi Ming had just finished his routine inspection on deck when a crewmate’s voice came over the intercom. After a night of slow sailing, the Dayun had once again returned to the "Dinglan Field" of this King-level Wandering Ship.
The sun had just risen, and the morning light pierced through the clouds, casting an epic glow upon the distant behemoth that was the Twelve Stars.
The vast, desolate sea was no longer lonely; now and then, one or two Wandering Ships could be seen passing through these waters.
It finally felt inhabited.
"Yes, dock there and begin Calming."
"Roger that."
...
The Twelve Stars staff in charge of the Calming Area were drowsing aboard an ordinary management boat. Their daily job was to guide arriving Wandering Ships to their spots for Calming and direct passengers to specialized small boats that would take them to the King-level Wandering Ship’s massive elevator.
But in the early morning, it wasn’t busy.
A staff member was dozing off when he suddenly felt the temperature plummet and let out a huge sneeze.
"Fuck, why’s it so cold all of a sudden? Feels like the temperature dropped several degrees."
"Don’t tell me a sea beast is attacking?!"
The staffer grabbed a tissue and wiped his nose.
"I think you’re still half-asleep! What kind of brain-dead sea beast would dare to run wild near a King-level Wandering Ship?"
A slightly older staff member standing nearby pursed his lips.
"That’s true. What sea beast would dare come here? I’m probably just exhausted. Bro, can you keep an eye on things? I’m gonna try and catch a quick nap. I’ll buy you dinner after our shift."
"Come on, man. You only work 20 hours a day, how are you so tired? A good job like this that includes room and board isn’t easy to find. Be careful you don’t lose it... Hey, stop napping, a ship’s coming..."
The Dayun, carrying the carcass of an A-grade sea beast, sailed slowly into the designated area.
Although most of the Glacier Dragon’s chilling aura was contained, it still brought an unseasonal cold to the area.
The most noticeable change was the multi-degree drop in the surrounding temperature wherever the Dayun went. The crew, who had been on the ship the whole time, had grown accustomed to the cold, but others who entered its vicinity felt an inexplicable discomfort.
"Calming."
"Hello, sir. Welcome to the Twelve Stars Dinglan Field. The fee is one High-Level Sea Crystal Stone per hour. How long will you be staying?"
Shi Ming tossed over a small bag of High-Level Sea Crystal Stones.
"Ten High-Level Sea Crystal Stones, Area G122, ten hours. Remember to pay up when the time is... Oh! My goddess, what are you hauling on that ship?"
"A... dragon?"
The staff member had glanced up casually and caught sight of the Glacier Dragon on the deck.
Even though he worked at the Dinglan Field of a King-level Wandering Ship, the carcass of an A-grade sea beast was by no means a common sight, and not every staff member got to see one. At that moment, the young worker in charge of collecting fees stared wide-eyed at the Glacier Dragon on the Dayun, with its crystalline scales that looked as if they were forged from ice.
For a moment, he was utterly stunned.
"OMG, that’s at least a B-grade sea beast! I’m sure of it! It’s so powerful and beautiful, like a work of art."
All the worker’s drowsiness vanished.
"Look at you, acting like you’ve never seen anything. That’s got to be an A-grade!"
Comparatively, the other, older staff member on the boat had a much sharper eye.
They processed the paperwork much faster.
"Honored guest, is there any other service you require? We have professional and comfortable speedboats that can take you and your companions to the Twelve Stars in the most convenient way possible. We also have professional guides to show you around the outer areas of the Twelve Stars."
"No thanks. We’re waiting for someone."
"Very well, sir. I hope you have a pleasant Calming. Feel free to contact me if you need anything~"
The sudden enthusiasm made Shi Ming a little uncomfortable. It was as if he had been abruptly yanked from the Wandering Era back into the modern world of his past life.
No matter the era, strength was what earned respect.
He had moored the ship here because, overnight, he had already found a buyer for the Glacier Dragon.
The customer this time was an old acquaintance,
Wright de Albert.
The price was 45 Pure Dome Crystals.
Wright’s offer wasn’t the highest. The Pharaoh, far away in the Africa Region, had even offered 48 Pure Dome Crystals. However, based on his past pleasant dealings with Wright, combined with Wright’s stellar reputation on the Twelve Stars, Shi Ming didn’t want to waste time traveling all the way to Africa. He settled the deal for 45 Pure Dome Crystals to save himself the trouble.
Of course, for a deal of this magnitude, Shi Ming hadn’t initially negotiated directly with the patriarch of the Albert Clan.
Yize had contacted him through the contact information they had exchanged previously. After inquiring about the details and condition of the Glacier Dragon and consulting with her teacher, she finalized the deal in her teacher’s name.
Forty-five Pure Dome Crystals was a considerable expense.
Without her teacher’s approval, no matter how wealthy Yize was, she wouldn’t have spent such a large sum on an A-grade sea beast that couldn’t be used for Awakening.
Shi Ming waited patiently in Area G122.
When the appointed time arrived, he saw a familiar Wandering Ship take shape in the distance.
Wright and Yize, the tall master and his short apprentice, stood at the bow as their ship docked alongside.
’Punctuality truly is a virtue.’
Wright was still in his suit of armor, his hand resting on the greatsword at his waist.
Yize, however, was no longer wearing the red-hooded robe and red gloves. Instead, she was dressed in bright, sunny clothes, looking like a true noble lady. Her long, golden hair fluttered, looking exceptionally pretty in the morning sea breeze.
’It seems her Awakening problem has been solved in just a few days. She no longer needs red clothes to suppress her uncontrollable bestialization,’ Shi Ming thought.
...
As the seller, Shi Ming naturally took the initiative to greet them.
’They’re my patrons, after all. Better be polite.’
’Gotta provide that emotional value.’
’Honestly, as someone from Dragon Country, I’m not used to the way people in the European Region exchange pleasantries. The Dragon Country style is much more simple and down-to-earth by comparison.’
’But when in Rome...’
’Besides, dealing with big shots who value their reputation saves you from a lot of scheming and backstabbing.’
"Mr. Wright, Miss Yize, it’s a pleasure to see you. This is the third time we’ve met."
"Mr. Stone, this is the fourth time," Yize said with a bright smile.
"Ah? Miss Yize, you look particularly different today."
"Thanks to your help, those two B-grade sea beasts were a huge help. But what’s even more shocking is that you’ve hunted another A-grade sea beast in just three days. It’s almost unbelievable."
"It was just a stroke of luck."
After exchanging pleasantries, Yize and Wright boarded the Dayun again and, accompanied by Shi Ming, inspected the Glacier Dragon.
Wright’s expression gradually grew grave.
His rough hand touched the Glacier Dragon’s scales, feeling the residual Extreme Cold Power left on them.
’It really is a Glacier Dragon!’
’As far as I know, this berserk and ferocious sea beast only appears in the Core Area of the Endless Ice Sea. If one came to the outer seas, the water would freeze in its wake, making navigation impossible. An encounter would be catastrophic for an ordinary Gold-level Wandering Ship. Unable to escape and unable to fight, they would be doomed to have their ship destroyed and crew killed.’
’And this kid in front of me actually managed to hunt one?’
’And it’s only been three days since we last parted!’
’Impressive! Truly impressive!’
’The Glacier Dragon’s blood is gone, too. It looks like this fellow used it for a second Awakening. Does that mean he’s at least a dual A-grade Awakened now?’
’I wonder if I could persuade him to join my plan with the promise of a great reward?’
Wright had his own calculations in mind.
His hunting party was more or less assembled. In addition to a powerful offensive S-grade Awakened leading the charge, he had also invited Hunter friends from all over the world, including veteran A-grade Awakened from America, Vortex Country, and even the Earth Lung Region.
They were all elites from their respective regions.
’Perhaps... I could add one more?’
