Chapter 27: Setting Sail!

Chapter 27: Setting Sail!

"Second Young Master, Third Young Master, how are you both holding up?" Panzi walked in, carrying breakfast.

"Panzi, did my third uncle leave any word before he left?" Wu Yu asked, looking at Panzi. Since Panzi was the third uncle's most trusted subordinate, it would be strange if he didn't know anything.

Panzi pondered for a moment and shook his head. "I haven't seen much of the Third Master since he returned from the Palace of King Lu Shang. He seemed to be constantly researching freediving techniques. A few days later, he left, saying he was collaborating with an old friend to explore an ancient tomb, but I don't know the specifics."

"If you really count the time, Third Master had already started this underwater training months before we even went to the Palace of King Lu Shang."

"What? Third Uncle had planned to head out to sea that long ago?" Upon hearing this, Wu Tianzhen felt as if a thick fog had enveloped him, leaving him without a single clue. "If that's the case, then Third Uncle's voyage has nothing to do with the Warring States silk manuscripts and the copper snake-headed fish we obtained from the Palace of King Lu Shang?"

Wu Tianzhen seemed to be answering his own question. Without waiting for Wu Yu or Panzi to speak, he shook his head rapidly. "No, no, no! There must be a connection; otherwise, Third Uncle wouldn't have gone through the trouble of circling back to the Palace of King Lu Shang! But what exactly was in that palace... and why go out to sea now?"

"Tianzhen, eat first!" Seeing Wu Tianzhen in a trance-like state, Wu Yu sent a trace of sword energy into his body, instantly snapping him back to reality.

"We both know you're worried about Third Uncle, and we feel the same way!" Wu Yu took the breakfast and handed it to him. "But no matter the outcome, you have to eat and take care of yourself first!"

"Exactly, Third Young Master. You need to look after yourself before you can worry about the Third Master. I think the Second Young Master is right. Besides, the Third Master is such a shrewd man; I don't believe any storm could just take him away." Panzi nodded in agreement.

"Panzi, book two tickets for my brother and me to Hainan as soon as possible. The exploration company that was working with Third Uncle called. We're setting off tomorrow afternoon to look for clues," Wu Tianzhen said while eating.

"That works. Also, Panzi, investigate this company. If they asked Third Uncle to be their consultant, they must know more than we do. And Third Uncle rarely works with outsiders unless..."

"Unless both parties know each other very well!" Panzi nodded, grabbed a bun, and headed out.

***

"Phew! Brother, thank you," Wu Tianzhen sighed.

"Pack your things and get ready to go. He is my third uncle too," Wu Yu said with a wave and a smile. "But remember, Tianzhen, no matter what happens or in any situation, staying calm is the most basic requirement. Panic solves nothing."

"Yeah, I understand." Wu Tianzhen nodded seriously. Whether he could truly achieve that, however, remained to be seen.

Soon, the two set off again, arriving in Hainan by plane before rushing straight to the port. Looking at the number and then at the large but dilapidated fishing boat before them, Wu Yu frowned. "Tianzhen, be careful once we're on board. This ship isn't right, and keep a close eye on the crew!"

"Huh? Right!" Wu Tianzhen didn't quite understand, but he agreed. Judging by his restless expression, he clearly wanted to ask more.

"Heh heh! You'd better listen to Master Yu!" A familiar voice suddenly sounded in their ears. The next second, a stout, round-faced man popped out from behind them with a grin. "This ship? It's not clean!"

"It looks like a fishing boat, but the size and the space it shows don't add up. Most likely, this is a smuggling vessel. If that's the case, there isn't a single decent person on this boat, so watch your back!"

"Holy crap! Fatty?" Tianzhen stared at the man in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Who do you think Master Fatty is? Go out and ask around—I'm a top-tier expert in this industry!" Fatty tossed his head, but when he saw Wu Yu, his expression turned fawning as he lowered his head. "Of course, compared to Master Yu, I'm nothing! I'll be counting on your protection for this trip, Master Yu!"

"You damn Fatty!" Wu Tianzhen was speechless at the man's rapid change in attitude.

"I say... if the three of you intend to keep reminiscing there, I'm going to have them set sail!" On the deck, a dashing figure looked down at the three of them, though her gaze lingered a bit longer when it fell on Wu Yu.

"Oh ho! That graceful figure, that cold and elegant temperament—who else could it be but my sister Ning!" Fatty hurried forward with a grin. "I'm just purely curious, Sister Ning, in this scorching Hainan heat, you're still wearing full leather gear? Aren't you afraid of getting a heat rash?"

"Are you looking for death, Fatty?" Ning swung her arm, pressing the muzzle of a gun into Fatty's mouth. "From now on, if I hear a single sound from you, I'll throw you overboard to feed the sharks!"

Seeing the cold look in Ning's eyes, Fatty nodded frantically and ran behind Wu Yu to hide.

"Ning!?" Wu Tianzhen walked onto the deck, staring at her, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Don't look at me with such shock. I only found out after returning from the Palace of King Lu Shang that your third uncle and my boss are close friends. Before he left for this voyage, he said that if anything happened to him, I should notify you." Having said this, Ning ordered her men to sail. "Don't think I'm doing this willingly. If it weren't for my boss's orders, I'd still be recovering from my injuries, not out on a mission!"

She then walked up to Wu Yu. "I didn't expect you to be a successor of the Wu family's second branch. I truly had eyes but failed to recognize greatness when we parted so hastily last time."

"Not at all, I'm just a nobody. Please don't take me so seriously," Wu Yu replied with a sheepish laugh, waving his hand.

"Oh? Then I wonder if Mr. Wu is interested in collaborating with our company?" Ning asked. "My boss said that as long as Mr. Wu is willing to join, he is willing to offer 30 percent of the annual dividends."

"Who knows how much your '30 percent' actually is? It probably wouldn't even cover a trip to the Red Romance for me!" Fatty muttered from behind.

Ning heard him, naturally, but simply ignored him.

"If you spend hundreds of millions on a single trip to the Red Romance, then I truly admire your stamina—it is indeed very strong." Ning cracked a rare joke, finally adding, "The unit I used... was in US dollars!"

"Gulp!" Once these words were out, not only Fatty but even Wu Tianzhen couldn't help but swallow hard.