Construction

"Breaking news! A ghost ship from three hundred years ago!"

"The Haishan! The long-lost flagship of the **** family!"

"A sensational discovery: Captain Victor's expedition!"

The thick, crisp newspaper, its pages pale yellow, described the return of the Ghost Ship in all sorts of extravagant terms, successfully sparking another wave of public interest in the occult.

Wu Ming flipped through a few pages, quite pleased to see that he and Vidi's group had been mentioned only in passing, summed up in the words "tourists."

Let Captain Victor have the limelight for something like this. He needed to keep a low profile.

"Mr. Steven Sterling! Thank you so much for returning our ancestors' heirloom. The **** family will always remember this kindness!"

Before him, a middle-aged man with platinum-blond hair and impeccable attire smiled as he spoke.

"Captain Victor deserves most of the credit this time, Mr. An Wen!"

Wu Ming replied with considerable humility.

In truth, even though the **** family was a major conglomerate with considerable influence in the Golden Oak Kingdom, it hardly amounted to anything in his eyes.

He had dealt with them this time mainly to pave the way for Captain Victor.

"Mm, I understand!"

An Wen **** smiled. "We'll do all we can to help with the establishment of your ocean-going shipping company. We'll also provide instruments and equipment suitable for long-distance voyages and salvage at factory prices..."

To Westerners, it was perfectly normal to expect something in return for doing someone a favor. In An Wen's eyes, this was nothing more than a transaction.

Once he had given them a hand, he might remain on friendly terms with Steven and Captain Victor, but how he treated them in the future would depend on how each of them fared.

*Two fellows who've only just