Everything Within Sight Was My Fishing Ground

Shortly afterward, the Chengjiang set sail again.

Nie Yun sat in the captain's chair in the main control room, his legs propped up on the control panel in front of him as he leisurely watched his new employees bustle about.

A group of "Xiaohai," each with an adorably blank face and dressed in pink dresses, manned the helm, operated the radar, checked various instruments, and handled other clerical duties, busy yet orderly.

Meanwhile, the "Xiaolang," dressed like fishermen, hauled supplies, coiled ropes, and scrubbed the deck, working tirelessly...

Men and women made a great team—work never felt tiring!

Xiaolang: "..." (I'm exhausted, okay!)

Nie Yun took the tea a "Xiaohai" beside him had brought over and took a sip. "Now this is what being a captain should feel like!"

As he steered the Chengjiang with his robotic sailors, he also began experimenting with his new skill, trying to write more convenient automated programs for controlling them.

"Hmm, this output power is a little low. It'd be better if it had a bit more strength. Okay, let's try changing it like this!"

"Ka-chak, ka-chak!" The "Xiaohai" who had just brought Nie Yun his tea suddenly started shaking all over like she was having a seizure, her limbs flailing wildly.

At last, with a "Zzzzt!", a few wisps of black smoke rose from her body, and she slumped forward, out of commission...

"Uh..." Nie Yun looked at his secretary awkwardly.

"Sorry about that! My mistake, my mistake!"

After a silver ripple passed over the clearly short-circuited secretary "Xiaohai," her insides were completely repaired. Once she had recovered, she gave the unscrupulous captain who had used her as a test subject a speechless glance, then quietly resumed her post as his "secretary (test subject)."

"Zzzzt!" "Uh, why did it fail again? That won't work either!"

"Zzzzt!" "Hmm, should I add a section of XX code this time?"

"Zzzzt!" "I refuse to believe this! Let's try again..."

Time passed slowly as Nie Yun tested his new skill and the "Xiaohai" endured her resentment. It was only after night had completely fallen that he brought the Chengjiang back to his secret base.

The base had already been transformed beyond recognition. A channel more than thirty meters wide had been cleared and was being continually widened and deepened. Beside the Sea Wolf, a simple dock walkway had also been laid out using the cleared reef stones and other materials.

Though simple, the Mechanical Insects' processing capabilities were on a cosmic scale. The walkway had been built perfectly smooth, and some raw materials that the Mechanical Insects had gathered from the seabed had been placed on it.

The base had also been partially camouflaged.

The sky above the Sea Wolf was now covered by dense trees, stretching along the cliffs on both sides all the way to the exit and shielding it from the ever-present satellite surveillance overhead.

This camouflage net had been made by the Mechanical Insects from materials gathered in the island's woods.

Before long, the net would cover the only entrance as well. Then, unless someone came to inspect the place in person, no one would be able to spot anything unusual, even from a few dozen meters away.

"A secret base has to be absolutely secret above all else!" That had been Nie Yun's guiding principle in building the base: keep himself hidden, and put safety first!

After mooring the Chengjiang beside the Sea Wolf, Nie Yun ordered all the Mechanical Insects working to reinforce the Sea Wolf and build up the base to put down their work and, together with the original Mechanical Insects, devour the Chengjiang and its cargo with all their might.

With the dozens of barrels of fuel Chu Xiaoxiao had bought for him, the energy problem was temporarily solved. Once those power generators had been copied, it would no longer be a problem at all.

At Nie Yun's command, all the Mechanical Insects went into overdrive and began another population boom.

From a distance, the entire Chengjiang looked as though it had been plated in silver, gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

He had originally bought the ship to throw others off the scent, while also providing a large supply of raw materials. From the moment it was purchased, its fate of being devoured had been sealed.

Standing at the bow of the Sea Wolf, Nie Yun watched the countless Mechanical Insects swarm over the ship and devour it, and an indescribable feeling welled up inside him.

Once, Nie Yun had sailed his old Sea Wolf beneath a great ship, gazing up at the huge vessels with envy, as if they had taken over the whole world.

But now, the thousand-ton cargo ships that had once seemed so imposing to him were at his mercy. Before long, ten-thousand-ton ships, even hundred-thousand-ton behemoths, would be nothing but food for him. And what came after that?

Nie Yun looked at his hands, and for the first time, he began to understand the power he possessed.

Beneath that silver-white surface surged a force that surpassed nature itself—the power of technology!

And it was my power!

Ambition was like a spark tossed into the lake of his heart, igniting a blazing fire.

He raised his head and looked toward the boundless sea in the distance and the stars scattered across the sky.

What would it take to become the greatest fisherman of all? As Nie Yun pondered the question, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Then I'll make this ocean mine to rule!

Everything within sight would be my fishing ground!