Chương 28: He shouted with a clear expression

Martial artists have sharp ears and keen eyesight, and this moment of life and death seems to be infinitely prolonged.

Its scientific name is "Gillhead". The monster with a human face and a fish body slowly opened its mouth to 180 degrees, and its entire head seemed to have become a feeding mouth.

Duoduo's originally pretty features became distorted with fear and panic.

The mouthparts, large enough to engulf her entire head, were only an arm's length away.

A deafening roar.

The arm struck the merman's cheek with lightning speed, the force sending it flying backward.

But Jiang Yu grabbed its throat with his other arm and pulled it onto the deck.

His breathing, which was originally like the tide, suddenly became louder, like a raging wave.

His muscles bulged and his skin turned pale blue. With a sudden burst of strength, he tore the merman in two.

The dull thud of chunks of meat hitting the ground echoed, and blood stained the deck.

Before Jiang Yu could even feel relieved, more merfolk burst out of the sea and attacked his classmates at the edge of the deck like they were playing a claw machine.

Fortunately, the students who were injured earlier were recuperating in the cabin, and most of those on the deck were still capable of fighting, so there were no casualties for the time being.

But this was just the appetizer; more dark shadows surged and gathered beneath the surface of the sea.

The ships didn't seem to be sailing on the sea, but rather being carried forward by these strange beasts; the eerie shrill laughter of the merfolk, like the wailing of a baby, surrounded everyone's ears.

This encounter was far more dangerous and terrifying than any of the three days that had passed.

Screams mingled with the roars of strange beasts, rising and falling in waves. The mercenaries could still hold on, but the students were on the verge of collapse.

As one man laid down his weapon and fled into the cabin, the battle line collapsed, and everyone was thrown into chaos.

"Calm down, everyone calm down!"

Duoduo shouted on Jiang Yu's behalf, but it was to no avail; in fact, she herself was so frightened that her legs were trembling.

Previously, when they encountered strange beasts, only careless students would get injured. Jiang Yu and his mercenary group could easily kill these beasts. But this time it was different; there were far too many monsters coming.

Jiang Yu gritted his teeth. He had witnessed the collapse of the front line, but he couldn't make up his mind. They were classmates; could he really let them hold the line to the death?

He cannot bear this responsibility.

"Hey kid over there, come over here if you can move!"

"The mercenary leader shouted."

"Hold onto this machine gun. If we can get across this stretch of sea, we'll survive."

He pointed to a heavy machine gun at the bow of the ship; its caliber was about the size of a fist, and its bullets were shrouded in a chain.

Jiang Yu took a deep breath, and the undulating hull of the ship became as flat as ground as he joined the defensive line near the machine gun.

With his arrival, the mercenary group's pressure was greatly reduced; as the machine guns opened fire, the attack on the ships eased considerably.

The towering flames spewed out, turning the sea near the ship red.

"Damn it, I don't know how many credits this round will cost me. I'm afraid I'm going to lose money on this trip."

Although it was a complaint, Jiang Yu felt reassured. Indeed, following an experienced mercenary group for social practice was the right choice.

With the damage to the ship's hull lessening, the ship slowly made its way back to base.

Just when Jiang Yu thought everything was coming to an end, the machine gun fire slowly stopped.

"What happened?"

The mercenary leader was shocked, and his second-in-command's voice trembled:

"We're running out of bullets."

The burly man roared:

"Didn't I tell you to stock up on ammunition? Give me an explanation!"

He gritted his teeth.

"We only have so many compartments on our ship, so bringing an extra set of bullets will mean we'll get far fewer loot..."

The burly man could no longer contain his rage and violently punched the merman who had leaped into the air, shattering him.

"Maximum horsepower... let fate decide."

"..."

Most of these strange beasts are quite intelligent; if someone makes eye contact with one of them, they will find themselves being scrutinized.

Finding that attacking the deck was not effective enough, the merfolk began to systematically ram the ship's cabins.

Their swim bladders spew out viscous gas that swirls around the ship.

It felt like driving through a thick fog.

This is a hunting tactic of the merfolk. This fog can not only interfere with the prey's vision, but also block the transmission of electrical signals.

There's an unwritten rule in the ecological zone that asking other teams for help is a last resort, but now it's too late to do so.

A series of muffled thuds came from the ship's cabin; the ship wouldn't last much longer.

A skilled martial artist can fight and kill a mermaid, but without a foothold, they can only be devoured by the strange beasts.

Several mercenary groups, including Jiang Yu, stood on the deck, their faces ashen, awaiting their fate.

Duoduo had somehow come to Jiang Yu's side, and now the deck was actually safer than the cabin.

She looked sadly at her unrequited lover.

A piercing tearing sound was followed by a creaking explosion, and everyone's expression changed drastically, knowing that this was a sign that the ship was about to sink.

Jiang Yu felt an unprecedented sense of regret; he had been too arrogant and presumptuous.

Duoduo spoke sadly:

"Brother Jiang Yu, if there is an afterlife, I want to be your wife."

At that moment, a sudden change occurred.

The booming sound of whistles pierced through the thick fog, and huge searchlights hung in the sky like the sun.

Standing on the hull of the sinking ship, Jiang Yu and the others looked up at the giant ship at sea.

Above the bow of the ship, a head peers downwards.

"Isn't this Jiang Yu? Come on up, swimming isn't allowed here."

......

Standing on the lifeboat platform of the giant ship, the mercenary leader was filled with doubt and uncertainty.

I hadn't heard that the base was going to launch a large-scale attack on the ecological zone... How come they've even brought out Titan-class behemoths?

Upon boarding the deck, the first thing that catches the eye are three girls with different appearances, all of them stunningly beautiful.

He dared not look any longer, turning his gaze to the boy surrounded by the three; his aura was not strong, and his life energy level was probably not very high, so he could not be considered a strong person.

But he had an extraordinary demeanor, and every move he made was natural and effortless, making it clear at a glance that he had been guided by a famous teacher.

Damn it... it's infuriating to compare yourself to others... while we're fighting tooth and nail down here, they're driving around with pretty girls.

Thinking this to himself, his expression became even more obsequious.

He bowed to Lin Shuxuan and shouted:

"master."

Jiang Yu had originally been eager to put his arm around Lin Shuxuan's shoulder, but seeing how respectful the mercenary leader was, he hesitated.

Looking at this ship again, it was majestic and grand, even the details were carved by master craftsmen; it was clearly worlds apart from the cost-effective ship they had previously traveled on. His attitude finally became respectful, and he clearly called out:

"master."

A pathetic back barrier has separated us... but Lin Shuxuan can still speak.

"Don't worry about it, I just hitched a ride on this boat. I can't afford to drive it myself."

He warmly embraced Jiang Yu's arm, and the top student in the class smiled gratefully, understanding that Lin Shuxuan had told him not to worry too much.

But Duoduo wasn't so perceptive; she sneered sharply:

"I knew it! How could you possibly afford to sail this boat? Oh, it belongs to someone else..."

She couldn't speak anymore. Yu Xin's gaze felt like it was choking him. The mercenary leader was also annoyed. This girl really had no sense of propriety.

Lin Shuxuan thought for a moment, then leaned against Jiang Yu's chest and said sadly:

"Brother Jiang Yu, if there is an afterlife..."

Duoduo's face turned bright red, and she let out a sharp, explosive sound.

She had always secretly loved Jiang Yu, but couldn't bring herself to confess out of consideration for her female feelings; she had previously thought she was doomed, never expecting that Lin Shuxuan would now use this girlish secret to humiliate her.

She was taken away by her classmates to be comforted. Lin Shuxuan wasn't too angry. He remembered this girl; she seemed to be particularly at odds with Bai Shasha, though it was one-sided.

Since she had never had the chance to defeat Bai Shasha, she would vent her anger and soothe her wounded heart by mocking him.

Looking at the defeated soldiers in front of him, he still didn't know how to deal with them.

The mercenary leader gritted his teeth, bowed, and handed over his smart bracelet.

"All the profits of the Tianhai Mercenary Group are here. Please take a look."

Your name is missing a pair of wings... But I should be the one who saved your life, why am I acting like a bandit leader... Lin Shuxuan was a little puzzled by the other party's overly respectful behavior.

Seeing this, Yu Xin whispered an explanation in her ear, her older sister's breath sending shivers down her spine.

"If a rescue team manages to reach another team within the ecological zone, they have the right to possess that team's assets and spoils; this is a well-established rule."

Such strict rules, even though we're all on the same side.

"After all, people's hearts are hard to fathom," Yu said naturally.

"If it weren't for us, they would have lost their lives. The fact that they are still alive is the best reward."

Her gaze was fixed on the mercenary leader.

The burly man thought for a moment and continued to adopt a humble attitude.

"We are willing to work on the ship to offset the cost of the ship."

Yu Xin put restraints on the five mercenaries to limit their cultivation, and had several helpers salvage the ship that had just been sunk by the horde of alien beasts.

"Do we have to be so meticulous?"

Lin Shuxuan felt a pang of pity. The injuries of those five people were still unclear, and it would be very uncomfortable for them to wear restraints on top of that.

"Guan Yunyang's Titan-class ship cost astronomical amounts to build. If the five of them seize it, they can become kings in the outer ecological ring."

"Although it's unlikely, and the other party's sudden attack wouldn't hurt me or Lingyue and Hailanlan, it's not necessarily the case for you, you weakling. In the ecological zone, you absolutely cannot be soft-hearted."

"It's so strange of you to use that word, woman..." Lin Shuxuan nodded.

"Understood, I'll go kill that Duoduo right now."

"I don't think you understand anything..."

Jiang Yu's embarrassed voice came through:

"Hey, Shuxuan, the students have been hungry for a long time. Do you think you could share some of your food? We'll pay you back when we get back to Xinhai."

Lin Shuxuan then remembered that he had spent money on food before setting sail, and with a wave of his hand: Eat whatever you like.

To be honest, the specially processed food didn't taste good. Apart from Hailanlan enjoying her steamed bun, they only took one bite of the other dishes and didn't touch them.

Anyway, the ship is extremely fast, and it will be able to make it back to Xinhai City in time for dinner, so he doesn't plan to eat in the ecological zone.

Jiang Yu gave him a grateful look before returning to his cabin.

I passed by a mercenary who I had argued with earlier and was moving pieces of the sunken ship.

Upon seeing him arrive, the other party clearly called out:

"Young Master."

Jiang Yu couldn't help but marvel at the allure of power; the previously arrogant mercenaries were now so obedient.

This is all because of Lin Shuxuan.

Being called "young master" in a place with a master just feels a little strange...

On the deck, Lin Shuxuan and Yu Xin discussed the spoils of war.

The ship Jiang Yu and his group were on was destroyed, and some of the cargo was lost. The remaining cargo is estimated by the AI.

Worth 8000 credits, this already includes the mercenary leader's personal collection.

Seriously, they're so poor they're practically penniless, yet they're handing it over so carefully. I thought I was going to make a fortune... Lin Shuxuan was speechless.

"The ratio of credits to federal currency is 1: 100. If they can return safely, their losses will be about 4500 credits, and they can earn 35 federal currency. This team's cost planning is not bad."

This ratio? So the steamed bun Hai Lanlan is eating now is worth 500 yuan?... Lin Shuxuan felt a pang of heartache, snatched the steamed bun the slightly chubby girl was eating, and stuffed it into his mouth.

But after being reprimanded by Yu Xin, he returned it.

"What about our ship? Will it break even with those 8000 credits?"

"How could that be?" Yu Xin smiled.

"That single floating cannon shot that hit the merfolk just now cost more than 8000 credits, not to mention the fuel it used for turning."

"If you were to pay for this trip, you wouldn't be able to afford to pay for it even if you pawned your underwear."

"This ship was built to explore the ecological core area of 'Port Zero'; it's just a waste of money to build it on the periphery."

No wonder the experience was so good, it turns out I was wearing six different outfits when I entered the ordinary cabin... Just as Lin Shuxuan was about to speak, he heard loud cheers coming from inside the cabin.

"Anyway, the auto-course is already set, so go and meet your classmates, Mr. Lin~."

Yu Xin smiled at him, her eyes narrowed.

It was indeed a good thing that he had coincidentally saved his classmates, and Lin Shuxuan planned to remove the thick barrier between them.

Inside the cabin, apart from the students with more serious injuries who were taken to the medical area for treatment, the rest of them were starving for the food in front of them.

Normally, they wouldn't be polite when faced with these ordinary foods, but after three days of exploration, they have realized that the ecological zone has completely different rules than Xinhai City.

On this boundless sea, the captain is the truth; his every word and action can determine the life and death of his crew.

Previously, even cheap nutritional cakes were treasures to the mercenaries, let alone these real foods now.

Therefore, even though their hunger was greatly aroused by the relief of surviving the ordeal and the exhaustion of many days of fighting, they still maintained their restraint.

Until Young Master Jiang returned.

"Master Lin said! Eat whatever you want!"

Cheers suddenly erupted, but the students still restrained themselves from eating anything other than steamed buns, only filling their stomachs with the cheaper ones.

Poor Hai Lanlan, with tears in her eyes, tried her best to gather more steamed buns into her arms.

However, Duoduo still looked dissatisfied in the crowd, especially when she saw her crush Jiang Yu licking Lin Shuxuan like that, which made her feel even more pained.

She was unwilling to accept any further favors from Lin Shuxuan.

Noticing several jars of nutritional paste in the box at her feet, she bent down and picked them up.

Why are you picking things out of the trash can?

She heard Lin Shuxuan's voice coming from there.

"Trash can?" Duoduo stared incredulously at the exquisitely designed, high-tech box.

"I... I'm just helping to tidy up..."

Lin Shuxuan ignored them and led the still somewhat reserved classmates to the hot pot that Yu Xin had bought earlier.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Jiang Yu led his classmates in raising a toast to Lin Shuxuan.

Duoduo was reluctant to stand in the crowd, but she had to admit that Lin Shuxuan's ability to live off women was second to none in Xinhai City.

......

After most of the students had left, they helped maintain the ship's operation.

Jiang Yu pulled Lin Shuxuan to a secluded corner and handed him a box with a serious expression.

A sealed glass box, about the size of a thumb, confines a pearl-like sphere at its center.

"What is this?"