Chapter 27
After dinner, following a few icebreaker games, the guests retired to their rooms for some “sleep.”
At precisely eight o’clock, all lights on the cruise ship were extinguished, officially commencing the nighttime activities.
“Is it really pitch dark?” Wen Xingze chatted with the cameraman. “Aren’t the other crew members afraid? Many of them have individual duties.”
The cameraman chuckled, “What’s there to fear? You know magic, right? If anything spooky shows up, just turn into a shark and bite it!”
After the magical incident in the afternoon, Wen Xingze’s image had become somewhat mythical in everyone’s eyes. In fact, a couple of guests had discreetly asked him if he was a secret cult leader…
“I didn’t attend nine years of compulsory education at Hogwarts,” Wen Xingze sighed, even though he couldn’t perform magic either.
Similar to the game “Werewolf,” ordinary sailors without special abilities could only stay in their rooms at night. Meanwhile, the sea creatures could venture out to “curse” someone. Each night, they could curse only one person, and all the sea creatures had to gather on the deck to decide who to target.
Of course, in this game, “killing” was referred to as “cursing.” It was just a matter of terminology.
Although the game mechanics were directly lifted from the game, Wen Xingze found it quite enjoyable in reality.
The most amusing part was when Wen Xingze arrived on the deck, only to find the other two sea creatures already there.
Wen Xingze, who claimed to be a sailor, and Zhu Bo, who also claimed to be a sailor, exchanged glances.
Zhu Bo grinned, “Haha, Heng Zhi, you've fooled me.”
Wen Xingze laughed, “Haha, Yan Xun, you've fooled me too.”
As long as they acted nonchalant, embarrassment wouldn’t catch up with them. The fractured plastic friendship boat was painstakingly patched up, and they set sail once more.
The loudest laughter came from the cameraman and the third sea creature, supermodel Sister Fang Ruxue. She slapped her thigh, laughing like a goose, “Hehehehe!” (Note: 鹅 [é] = goose, sounds like laughter)
Wen Xingze: “…” Although it was awkward, was her laughter a bit too exaggerated?
The three of them huddled together to discuss whom to curse. On the moonlit deck, with the wind blowing, Wen Xingze felt like he was in a suspenseful spy movie.
In the end, they decided to curse Jean first. During the room selection performance earlier, Jean had flirted with Sister Fang Ruxue and ended up getting punched by her. As for Zhu Bo’s reason, it was simple: he envied Jean’s life — no office work, no acting, and no being bossed around by Director Zheng.
How profoundly human those reasons were.
After leaving the deck, they split up — this was the real-life version of Werewolf, different from the board game. It wasn’t a straightforward “kill” situation; the “killed” guests could resist.
There was a name tag-tearing segment. Tearing off someone’s name tag meant they were “killed.” Although sailors couldn’t actively go out to kill, they could escape when attacked or even counter-attack the sea creatures.
To successfully tear off Jean’s name tag or prevent Jean from escaping, they needed to block all escape routes.
Suddenly, Sister Fang Ruxue discreetly beckoned Wen Xingze over. She removed the hairpin from her bun and handed it to him. “You know magic, right? Can you do something with this…”
Wen Xingze was about to explain once again that magic wasn’t the same as sorcery and couldn’t replicate objects. But then Sister Fang Ruxue abruptly stopped.
She stared into Wen Xingze’s eyes for a couple of seconds, her expression suddenly bewitched.
“Has anyone ever told you that looking at you makes them want to feed you jade bracelets, hairpins, and ornaments?” Sister Fang Ruxue murmured.
Wen Xingze: “…Quite a few people, actually.”
Sister Fang Ruxue asked, “Would you accept?”
Wen Xingze, feeling helpless, replied, “I don’t eat those, Sister. I’m just an ordinary human.”
Sister Fang Ruxue’s expression mirrored Xu Qianqian’s regretful look. Finally, she handed him the hairpin and said, “Could you hold onto this for me? When you pass by the front desk, please store it for me.”
Fang Ruxue had a personal hobby: she loved traditional Chinese clothing (hanfu). This jade hairpin had accompanied her to numerous fashion shows. During the intense name tag-tearing chase, wearing the hairpin made it prone to breakage. In her haste to leave, she had momentarily forgotten about it.
Wen Xingze breathed a sigh of relief and agreed.
________________________
Let’s rewind time slightly.
At exactly seven o’clock, not far from the Fantasy Cruise ship, another vessel silently approached in the darkness.
Mi Mingyou was a journalist from the “Pineapple Gazette.”
While the Pineapple Gazette wasn’t considered an authoritative media outlet, it garnered high attention because of its audacity. They fearlessly reported on everything — overseas politicians, A-list scandals, and even supernatural phenomena.
Many celebrity scandals were first covered by them. For instance, during the recent Xu Baijing incident, their publication was at the forefront.
Mi Mingyou sat on the deck, his excitement barely contained.
Apart from him, the other journalists on this ship were seemingly from third-rate magazines like “Folklore Tales” or “After-Rain Storytime.” However, Mi Mingyou knew their true identities — they were mainstream media within the supernatural community!
Yes, the supernatural circle, or rather, the feng shui circle, was a mysterious world in China.
Due to various regulations since the country’s founding, they rarely appeared in public. Mostly serving wealthy politicians, they maintained unique information channels through seemingly third-rate story magazines and newspapers.
All significant events in the feng shui circle were published in story format, spreading nationwide and even globally within a day — an astonishing speed.
For Mi Mingyou, this “infiltration” was an unexpected delight. He never imagined he’d encounter Xu Baijing, who still pretended to be mute!
What he didn’t anticipate was Xu Baijing’s plan to steal someone else’s destiny. If exposed, it would cause a massive uproar, and the Pineapple Gazette would undoubtedly gain fame.
“Is it the person wearing the jade hairpin?” The central figure in the crowd was Xu Baijing’s father, Xu Sichao, one of China’s top feng shui masters. “The cruise ship has dimmed its lights. Let’s rely on the jade artifact for positioning.”
At that moment, Xu Baijing chimed in, “Yes, using the compass, we’ve deduced her location. She’s on this cruise ship. All we need is a strand of her hair and to lead her into the formation…”
Stealing destiny wasn’t as simple as snatching it. Taking a child’s fortune was easier; for instance, when Xu Baijing began stealing Wen Xingze’s destiny at eight years old, he only needed a strand of Wen Xingze’s hair.
However, stealing an adult’s destiny required not only hair but also luring the unsuspecting victim into the magical formation. But Xu Baijing was confident — his adoptive father, Xu Sichao, had stepped forward, ensuring the success of this endeavor!
Dressed in traditional attire, Xu Sichao furrowed his brow, seemingly reluctant. “Baijing, that supermodel’s name is Fang Ruxue, right? She’s only twenty-five, not much older than you.”
Seeing Xu Sichao’s hesitation, Xu Baijing’s expression changed. He immediately began a pitiful lament, “Dad, can you bear to see me in such misery? Besides, after I steal her destiny, I’ll give her money and introduce her to wealthy boyfriends. Why should a woman work so hard for her career when she’ll eventually marry anyway…”
Xu Sichao sighed. “Fine.”
Damn. Mi Mingyou was utterly shocked. In this day and age, Xu Baijing’s twisted morals were nauseating. And Xu Sichao seemed slightly better, but ultimately, he was aiding and abetting. His feigned compassion was merely a facade.
It seemed this whole family wasn’t upstanding.
Mi Mingyou adjusted his tie, securing a tiny camera. He recorded everything and live-streamed it online. With a less sensational title, he only had a handful of viewers at the moment.
However, this website’s live streams were fully recorded. Initially, Miming You hadn’t planned to expose anything through the live stream. He merely wanted to record while broadcasting simultaneously to save memory. Otherwise, a standalone miniature camera couldn’t record for long.
Regardless, just because Xu Baijing uttered those words, any hope of his comeback seemed utterly dashed.
“…”
Mi Mingyou was lost in thought when the other journalists and mystical practitioners suddenly stirred. Someone exclaimed excitedly, "It’s starting — the masterful technique of Master Xu!"
“Master Xu said he would summon a giant dragon to transport us from this ship to the cruise liner!”
“The reason Master Xu is known as the top feng shui master is that, even in this age of decline, he can manipulate various energies and even condense them into form—”
Mi Mingyou also grew excited; this was another thing he had been anticipating.
The most powerful feng shui master in all of China! How miraculous would his techniques be?
Would he conjure a massive black sea serpent thicker than a train? Or perhaps open a cabinet to reveal a gateway to another ocean? At the very least, manipulating ocean currents should be possible, right?
Like the other journalists, Mi Mingyou eagerly moved closer, everyone anticipating a magical spectacle—
Xu Sichao began to perform hand seals, draw symbols, and chant incantations.
The journalists exclaimed, “Wow!”
Five minutes later, Xu Sichao was still performing hand seals, drawing symbols, and chanting incantations.
The journalists murmured, “Wow…”
Half an hour later, as the journalists settled down to play cards and chat, Xu Sichao continued with his rituals.
The journalists yawned, “Getting sleepy…”
After an hour, Xu Sichao finally stopped his hand seals, symbols, and incantations. Before him appeared a—
A snake, as wide as a pinky finger, wiggled hesitantly in the air.
Mi Mingyou and the journalists: “…” Snickers.
“Don’t laugh!” scolded the other feng shui practitioners. “In this age of decline, with depleted spiritual veins, Master Xu’s ability to create a snake from thin air is already remarkable. No one else in the world can do something so impressive!”
Mi Mingyou replied, “Alright, alright.”
A nearby journalist asked, “How will this ‘giant dragon’ carry us to the cruise liner?”
Clearly annoyed by the outsiders’ reactions, Xu Sichao waved his sleeve. “Why not? Just ride the dragon! If you’re too scared, I’ll do it!”
Another feng shui practitioner quickly advised him, “Master Xu, be cautious. Maybe we should quietly take a small raft over…”
But Xu Sichao ignored the advice and insisted on mounting the “giant dragon.” Mi Mingyou thought something magical might happen. He held onto a last glimmer of hope for the feng shui circle.
However, after Xu Sichao flew out for two seconds, there was a splash. He and the snake plummeted into the sea.
“Save him!”
“Master Xu fell into the water!!!”
“Ah, ah, ah!”
Mi Mingyou: “…”
Damn it! Feng shui was truly a lie.
________________________
In the Muse Empire, on the planet Lancer, in Atlantis.
The dome of the Elder Hall remained in its vanished state — not because it couldn’t be repaired, but because the three elders, anticipating the Emperor’s return, refused to mend it.
Of course, the actions of Xu Baijing, Xu Sichao, and the others couldn’t escape the eyes of the parents.
“Pathetic ants, not even enough for Dahei’s teeth.” Elder Cang held a mermaid pearl in his hand, crushing it.
Elder Li sneered, “Why are you in such a hurry? Traitor, still claiming ‘our Emperor’? I think you secretly like him.”
Elder Cang squinted at him, coldly remarking, “Like him? Ridiculous. Maybe I should ask certain people why they wag their tails like dogs when they see him.”
Their gazes clashed in midair, sparks flying.
After a moment, their argument escalated into a fight.
“Don’t embarrass yourselves in front of the younger generation,” Elder You frowned.
Elder Cang adjusted his hairpin and coughed lightly before sitting back down. “Just in case, let me send a few sharks over.”
“…”
Xu Sichao and the others had no idea what awaited them.
________________________
On the Fantasy Cruise ship, Wen Xingze held Fang Ruxue’s jade hairpin. Before he reached the front desk, Dahei and the suddenly arriving bald crow, Emergency Rations, began quarreling. It was supposed to be an argument, but Dahei was being bullied unilaterally.
Because Wen Xingze felt that the short dagger was too conspicuous, and cruise ships prohibit carrying such regulated weapons, Dahei was reluctantly transformed into a cute dagger pendant. It now hangs on Wen Xingze’s wrist with a red cord.
The red cord is made from the Sea God Beads, ensuring a mutual constraint between them.
At first, the crow angrily interrogated Wen Xingze and Dahei: “Caw? Caw caw!”
Clearly, it was the Blood Clan familiar that arrived first. How did this snake manage to usurp its position?
Dahei looked utterly bewildered, emitting a low hum for reasons unknown.
Unable to comprehend dagger language, Wen Xingze guessed from the context that Dahei was saying the term “senior.”
In the next moment, Emergency Rations flapped its wings, smugly declaring, “Caw, caw caw—”
The photographer asked, “What’s with this crow?”
Wen Xingze introduced, “This is Emergency Rations, a bald crow. We’re not very familiar.”
The photographer looked puzzled, “Oh, I see.”
Emergency Rations felt wounded, clutching its chest with its wing. Wen Xingze realized it was an expressive drama queen.
Emergency Rations stared at Wen Xingze in disbelief, seemingly accusing him: “Caw, caw caw caw?” Who carried guns and shed blood for you? And who made me lose my feathers and go bald?
Wen Xingze logically pointed out, “Carrying guns and shedding blood are your imagination, right?”
The photographer was even more confused, “???” Cross-species communication?
Emergency Rations was heartbroken.
The bald crow, wings pressed to its chest, staggered away from this unfaithful human. It flew to the deck and then witnessed:
Over a hundred suspicious individuals, clad in orange life jackets, were laboriously climbing aboard using ropes. There were journalists with equipment and feng shui practitioners carrying cinnabar, swords, and talismans.
One of them looked vaguely familiar — someone named Xu Bai something. The person beside him, dressed in traditional attire, was probably one of his fathers.
Emergency Rations quickly folded its wings, hiding in a corner to observe their intentions.
Xu Sichao instructed his feng shui practitioners to bring cinnabar. On the deck, they began performing hand seals, drawing symbols, and chanting incantations. The journalists seemed ready to pull out playing cards and continue their game, but Emergency Rations suddenly tensed—
This formation was treacherous.
Even Emergency Rations couldn’t guarantee it would resolve the situation within ten seconds.
It seemed Xu Sichao’s reputation as China’s top feng shui master wasn’t just empty praise; he excelled in these cunning and harmful methods.
On the deck, the cinnabar gradually formed a connected pattern, emitting a blood-red glow. Countless centipedes and spiders emerged from the formation — thin legs, dark eyes, and bloated abdomens.
This was a specialized formation for stealing destinies. If an ordinary person stepped into it and got bitten by these venomous creatures, not only could it steal their fortune, but it could even swap their entire destinies or cause harm.
Most importantly… it was disgustingly nauseating!
"Caw!" Emergency Rations, though a crow, had high-level aesthetics.
Behind Emergency Rations, Wen Xingze, who came to look for it, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Disgusting! Is that Xu Baijing? Who’s he targeting?”
Wen Xingze had rushed over because Dahei sensed an ominous aura on the deck, fearing Emergency Rations might end up as someone’s meal.
Touched, Emergency Rations responded, “Caw!”
As for the accompanying photographer, they’d be temporarily delayed by the illusion of a Blood Clan filter, allowing them to safely film the ceiling for ten minutes.
Regardless of whom they were targeting, with such a grand display, Wen Xingze couldn’t just stand by.
After all, he still needed to hurry back to record his show.
As a precaution for any unexpected events, Wen Xingze tapped the earphones in his pocket, relying on the ever-capable Teacher Chi to save the day.
________________________
Meanwhile, on the deck:
Mi Mingyou glanced down at the miniature camera attached to his tie clip, feeling a bead of sweat. The scene before him was a bit unsettling — although he held some reverence for China’s feng shui community, the centipedes and spiders were downright nauseating!
He wondered if his live stream would get banned by the platform. Hopefully not, especially since his colleague was simultaneously recording the web broadcast.
What Mi Mingyou didn’t know was that not only was his live stream not banned, but the room number was rapidly spreading on China’s largest anonymous feng shui forum.
Curious or admiring, the feng shui practitioners and onlookers from the forum clicked into the live stream room, and their numbers grew…
Inside the formation, the insects multiplied, and the outermost scorpions began crawling outward. Although they hadn’t left the deck yet, it was only a matter of time before they covered the entire cruise ship.
When Xu Sichao had just embarrassed himself, Xu Baijing had watched with a sour expression. Now, he finally revealed an adoring look toward his father. He led the way in praising:
“Truly my dad, so impressive!”
“Master Xu can skillfully manipulate dozens of venomous creatures—amazing!”
“He’s a master, and no one can break this formation—”
Bang!
Suddenly, a loud crash interrupted the noisy scene on the deck.
Everyone turned to look.
The door leading from the interior to the deck was wide open. The only remaining light on the deck illuminated a specific spot, drawing everyone’s attention.
A young man, his lower face obscured by a mask, revealed strikingly beautiful eyes. In the halo of light, faint blue wisps surrounded his eyes, and a teardrop-shaped birthmark adorned the corner.
Nothing escaped his gaze, no matter how small.
Kneeling on one knee, he leaned slightly forward. His body formed a graceful arc from waist to spine, like a drawn bow. In one hand, he gripped a jet-black dagger, perfectly skewering the menacing scorpion that was about to crawl out onto the deck.
The half-kneeling youth’s disheveled hair was damp with sweat, sticking to his cheek. His half-closed eyes exuded a casual and indifferent demeanor, yet hidden within was a sharpness — an indescribable, highly aggressive handsomeness.
He resembled a medieval knight, even more so an uncrowned king.
After the resounding crash, the scorpion beneath the dagger was engulfed in flames conjured out of thin air. The scattered scorpions on the deck met the same fate, reduced to ashes after their cries of agony.
This scene could easily be mistaken for a screenshot from a movie.
The entire deck fell silent.
In an obscure live stream room on an unknown platform, viewers and chat messages surged!
If Mi Mingyou hadn’t been undercover, he would have wanted to scream for him too.
Wow, that was incredibly handsome!
Even the creatures in the center of the formation ceased their multiplication. The scorpions, spiders, and centipedes now cowered and even started biting each other due to limited space.
The feng shui practitioners, who had just finished lavishing Xu Sichao with praise, felt incredibly awkward. They casually averted their gazes and whistled as if nothing had happened.
Xu Sichao never imagined that his pride — the formation — would suddenly become passive. He trembled with rage, muttering, “A mere yellow-haired kid is nothing to fear!”
Seeing the familiar mask, Xu Baijing’s legs went weak. His previous psychological trauma from the castle incident made him give up opposing Wen Xingze.
“Apologies,” Wen Xingze glanced at the dead scorpions, feeling a bit embarrassed. He hadn’t expected Dahei to be this formidable, he’d only wanted to assert dominance. “Didn’t realize you all were so weak…”
Xu Sichao: “…”
Xu Sichao was practically spitting blood.
Biting his tongue, he shouted, “This formation is only half of my lifetime’s effort!”
“…” To think it was already half of your lifetime’s effort, Wen Xingze’s expression softened with pity. Xu Sichao was so infuriated he rolled his eyes.
Xu Sichao urgently activated the formation. The insects regained their vigor, growing several times larger than before. They continued spewing venom, their postures increasingly menacing.
But then, in the next second…
Wen Xingze released the dagger, and all the feng shui practitioners suddenly felt an extraordinary and powerful aura. The air thickened, as if time stood still. Overhead, clouds rapidly gathered, and faint echoes of ancient bells reverberated, spreading in all directions—
A pure black sea serpent materialized out of thin air. Its crimson, icy vertical pupils glowed.
Hovering above the cruise ship, the snake’s body coiled around the entire three-story vessel, dwarfing it in size. Its razor-sharp scales momentarily blocked out the moonlight, casting a dark shadow over the deck.
Due to its immense bulk, the sea serpent rested its head gently on the deck, flattening the venomous insect formation that had just regained its strength.
Xu Sichao: “…”
Journalists and feng shui practitioners: “…”
“Mr. Xu,” Wen Xingze said, “I mean no offense, but consider this: if you’re here for wealth, can’t we resolve this matter with money?”
Dahei understood Wen Xingze’s words and remained quiet for two seconds before suddenly opening its mouth.
The feng shui practitioners on the entire deck cowered, horrified by the gaping maw. They thought they were about to meet their end. But in reality, Dahei merely spat out a pile of—
Enormous pearls, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, antiques, minerals, energy stones, and mother-of-pearl.
Although it was just the tip of the iceberg of Merfolk treasures, the deck was already piled high, roughly equivalent to hundreds of millions in Chinese yuan.
Admittedly, faced with such wealth, even Xu Sichao wavered. Not to mention the other journalists and feng shui practitioners — they were practically drooling, ready to pounce and hug the treasure.
Dahei wagged its tail excitedly, feeling its money-making abilities were perfectly timed.
Wen Xingze: “…”
Unfortunately, Wen Xingze had no intention of praising it. He furrowed his brow, assessing the treasures for a moment, and then said to Dahei, “They’re not worth that much. Swallow these back.”
Dahei: “…”
Feng shui practitioners: “…”
Dahei blinked, hanging its head even lower in misery. With a howl, it swallowed the treasures back.
Xu Sichao was about to explode with rage. His face flushed as he shouted, “Then how much are we worth?”
Wen Xingze touched his nose, seriously considering and evaluating.
And then…
The feng shui practitioners watched in disbelief as Wen Xingze pulled out his wallet and extracted three ten-yuan bills: “Is this enough? If not, I can add another ten.”
Xu Sichao’s heart nearly gave out.
…This was going too far!!!
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