Deep Sea Holds No Treasure

Deep Sea Holds No Treasure

"Boss, you've been captain of the Cangyuan Ship for nearly ten years. How can you just hand the position over!"

"You saved my life, Boss! If they try to drive you away, I, Liu San, will be the first to refuse!"

"That's right!"

"Why not wait until we're out at sea and throw him overboard to feed the fish? A man dying at sea is the most normal thing in the world!"

The crew was worked into a frenzy. In the blink of an eye, Li Fan had become the public enemy of the entire ship.

The burly man raised a hand to calm the crew. "Calm down, everyone, calm down! I know you all think highly of me, Zhang Haobo, but the Cangyuan Ship is Steward Zhao's property after all. We're merely working ourselves to the bone for him. Now that Steward Zhao says he wants to replace me, what can I do?"

It would have been better if he had said nothing. The moment Zhang Haobo spoke, the crew grew even more enraged.

Their eyes reddened as they glared at Li Fan as though they wanted to kill him.

Li Fan sneered inwardly.

Naturally, the little tricks used by this man called Zhang Haobo had not escaped his notice.

On the surface, he lavishly praised Li Fan; in truth, he was stirring up the crew's distrust of him.

On the surface, he spoke for Li Fan; in truth, he was provoking the resentment in the crew's hearts.

On the surface, he lamented his inability to resist; in truth, he hoped the crew would band together against Li Fan.

Saying one thing and doing another, carrying the red flag to oppose the red flag?

These were merely tricks Li Fan had long since played to death.

Without a trace of fear on his face, Li Fan stepped before the crew, lifted his head, and declared in a loud voice, "If you do not trust me, could it be that you do not trust Steward Zhao's judgment either? Besides, we are about to set sail. Just watch what I can do! I will certainly not disappoint you."

Li Fan's voice rang like a bell, drowning out the crew's noisy discussions.

Seeing Li Fan's extraordinary bearing, the crew was suppressed for a moment. No one stepped forward to refute him.

Li Fan gave them no chance to do so. After bidding them farewell, he took the first step and entered the cabin alone.

He left behind a group of crewmen staring wide-eyed at one another, along with Zhang Haobo's dark expression.

The men began murmuring quietly.

"Could that kid really have some skills?"

"Probably... maybe it's true. Steward Zhao's eyes are remarkable. He hardly ever misjudges someone."

"I don't think he looks like an ordinary person either."

"What do you mean, he finds treasure every time he puts to sea? I don't believe that for a second!"

"He clearly pulled strings to steal the captain's position from me! Did he think I wouldn't know?"

"Anyway, he has already boasted so boldly. I want to see how he plans to clean up this mess!"

Zhang Haobo secretly seethed. Seeing his subordinates being led around by the nose after only a few words from Li Fan made his anger burn even hotter.

"Set sail! Head out to sea!"

he roared.

The Cangyuan Ship moved without wind and sailed out of the harbor toward the open sea.

More than a hundred large ships from Liuli Island also scattered one after another, heading for their assigned waters.

The Cangyuan Ship relied neither on wind nor manpower, but on a miniature formation powered by spirit stones.

The ship was also equipped with a spirit guide. When traces of Liuli Fish were discovered in nearby waters, the spirit guide would give directions.

But the sea was vast, and the spirit guide's sensing range was limited.

Thus, experienced crewmen were needed to first locate the general area where the fish schools appeared.

In ordinary years, the Liuli Fish schools moved in relatively regular patterns. They were often fairly easy to catch.

But when the Wind Calamity raged and the fish schools migrated, all past experience became useless.

They could only search for a needle in the sea and rely entirely on luck.

And the Cangyuan Ship's luck did not seem particularly good.

More than half a month passed. Aside from hauling in some ordinary fish schools and finding some common sea minerals, they had gained nothing of note.

Not only were all the crewmen wearing long faces, even Zhang Haobo began to grow anxious.

After all, the last-place ship would be punished this time.

Compared with other jobs on the island, work as a seafaring crewman carried less risk and brought greater returns.

No one wanted to lose such a position for nothing.

"The island rules say we must return within a month. We have only gathered this much. We may truly end up with the least harvest. We can only hope for a turn in the next few days. May the immortals bless us."

Zhang Haobo gazed at the calm, unfathomable sea, helplessness filling his heart.

Just then, he heard footsteps behind him.

Turning around, Zhang Haobo saw Li Fan walking toward him.

"What, you're finally willing to leave your cabin? If you didn't come out every day to take food, I would have thought you'd died in there."

Since setting out to sea, Li Fan had remained in his room and never interacted with anyone.

Zhang Haobo was already in a foul mood, so he had no pleasant expression to spare for him.

Li Fan did not mind his rudeness. Instead, he stared out at the distant sea with a grave expression.

He simply stood there without saying a word.

Seeing Li Fan's strange behavior, Zhang Haobo felt a chill creep over him. He looked in the same direction, yet saw nothing. The sea surface was completely normal.

Yet Li Fan's expression only grew more solemn.

Still, he remained silent.

After a long while, Zhang Haobo finally could not endure it any longer and asked, "What are you looking at?"

Li Fan jolted, turned back, and glared at him with an annoyed expression.

"What are you playing at, acting all mysterious?!" Zhang Haobo felt a little guilty, but he still forced himself to demand.

"I need a small boat!" Li Fan did not answer him. Instead, he turned back toward the sea and said in a grave tone, "I saw treasure!"

"What..." Zhang Haobo was confused at first.

"What?!" But he quickly came to his senses and cried out, "You're not joking, are you?!"

"Quick, prepare a small boat for me. I can see jewels beneath the deep sea shining with light, waiting for me to salvage them." Li Fan's voice was low.

Zhang Haobo was still hesitating when he heard Li Fan add another sentence.

"Opportunity vanishes in an instant. The treasure's radiance is growing dim. I am about to lose its location."

Zhang Haobo immediately shuddered.

"Quick! Prepare the boat!"

The Cangyuan Ship had several small boats aboard, generally used to explore narrow channels or test dangerous, unknown waters.

But once the small boat was lowered and Li Fan sailed away alone, Zhang Haobo suddenly came to his senses.

He did not know why he had let his head grow hot and believed Li Fan's words.

Seeing treasure buried beneath the deep sea?

How could that be possible?

Just as he was about to say something, he heard Li Fan shouting from afar.

"Do not follow me! Wait for my signal!"

"Why?" Zhang Haobo could not help shouting back.

"You're too noisy! You'll easily interrupt my line of sight!" Li Fan replied.

Zhang Haobo's mouth twitched. But when he recalled Li Fan glaring angrily at him just now, he somehow felt that perhaps the other man had not been lying.

Time passed. Two hours had gone by since Li Fan had sailed away alone.

"Could he have run off by himself?" One of the crewmen stared eagerly in the direction Li Fan had departed and could not help asking.

"What nonsense are you saying? The sea is boundless. He is alone and brought no provisions. Where could he possibly run to?" Zhang Haobo cursed his subordinate. Just as he was about to say more, he saw a red beacon flare in the distant sky.

"Quick! Sail over there!" Zhang Haobo hurriedly ordered.

The Cangyuan Ship went at full power and swiftly reached the location of the signal.

Li Fan stood on the small boat, exhaustion written across his face.

"The treasure is here!" he told them.

Zhang Haobo and the others exchanged looks, uncertain whether it was true.

After a moment, Zhang Haobo gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "Get in the water! Cast the nets!"

Amid everyone's half-belief and half-doubt, one chest, then two...

A full sixteen chests of gold, silver, and jewels were slowly salvaged.