Chu Xiaoxiao

"How about we let the little ones go back down and look some more?" Having tasted the sweetness of success, Nie Yun was becoming insatiable.

However, it was quite obvious that when you're out and about, you don't just stumble upon piles of luck everywhere you go. Half an hour later, Nie Yun gave up on this futile endeavor.

Seeing the sun setting and the Mechanical Insects having finished their feast on the shipwreck, Nie Yun decided to spend the night on the island and return to Nanwan tomorrow.

The sea breeze was strong at night, so Nie Yun lit a campfire inside the cabin to cook some instant noodles. The Mechanical Insects coated the interior of the cabin in a layer of silver-white, keeping Nie Yun company by the fire; with them around, Nie Yun didn't have to worry about a fire breaking out at all.

"This is truly hellish. I haven't eaten all day, yet I don't even feel hungry?" Nie Yun had just finished a bowl of noodles and already felt full, his expression turning strange.

Could it be that I just need to bask in the sun to be full of energy? Am I even still human?

Nie Yun fell into a deep state of conflict.

"Put-put-put!" Suddenly, the roar of a motor approaching from afar interrupted Nie Yun's thoughts, and he froze.

Having dealt with all kinds of boats for years, he could tell just by the sound that a small speedboat was heading in his direction. The engine was running at full power, and the boat was moving fast!

It was so late; who would come to such an uninhabited island? Nie Yun was somewhat surprised.

The South China Sea around the Rabbit Country had always been a melting pot of fish and dragons—human traffickers, gangsters, and smugglers. Nie Yun had seen plenty of them at the Nanwan pier. Since this was a lawless zone far from the mainland, if he happened to stumble upon a transaction he wasn't supposed to see, it would be a huge injustice to be silenced. Nie Yun decided that caution was the better part of valor.

With a thought, the Mechanical Insects immediately sprang into action. A sheet of silver-white descended from the cabin ceiling, smothering the campfire like a curtain, and the surroundings plunged into darkness.

Then, under his personal command, the Mechanical Insects rapidly changed color. In the darkness, the hull of the Sea Wolf shifted; parts of the ship turned pitch black, making it look from the outside as if it were riddled with gaping, dark holes—a simple visual deception.

Although it wasn't a perfect disguise, it was a dark, windy night, so as long as no one came close to inspect it, there was no need to worry about the anomaly being discovered.

One should not have the intention to harm others, but one must have the intention to guard against them. His old man had told him: "If you want to make a living by the sea, you can't be the fish and shrimp waiting to be caught; that's just meat on a cutting board. You have to be a Sea Wolf! Wolves roam the world to eat meat, while dogs roam the world to eat dung! Do you want to eat meat or dung?"

Nie Yun wanted to eat meat, so he naturally chose to be a wolf!

Don't let Nie Yun's usual easygoing, friendly demeanor fool you; those who knew him understood that this kid had a ruthless streak deep in his bones.

Why do you think he could be a lone wolf in a chaotic place like the Nanwan pier at such a young age? It was all fought for since he was a child! Fighting with thugs, fighting with other fishermen, until no one dared to provoke him easily.

Nie Yun had a nickname in Nanwan: "Sea Wolf"!

After finishing the disguise of the Sea Wolf, Nie Yun felt slightly breathless. He was stunned to discover that commanding the Mechanical Insects actually consumed physical strength, and the larger the scale of the insects controlled and the more detailed the commands, the greater the physical toll!

However, there was no time for him to dwell on it. Not far away, a speedboat rounded a cliff and appeared in Nie Yun's sight, roaring as it came.

It was a small white speedboat. The person steering was clearly an old hand; they took the turn at high speed, pulling off a beautiful drift before charging straight ahead without slowing down.

The searchlight on the bow swept over the Sea Wolf several times, and judging by the direction, it was heading straight for him.

Nie Yun hid his head under the gunwale, cursing his luck. If he had known, he should have just sailed away. If someone actually came aboard, how would he explain the "disguise" of the Sea Wolf? Abstract art of a wreck?

Fortunately, the speedboat docked not far from the Sea Wolf. It was clear the newcomers hadn't seen through the disguise and had no interest in this "abandoned shipwreck," which made Nie Yun breathe a huge sigh of relief. He quietly poked his head out to look.

By the light of the speedboat's searchlight, Nie Yun clearly saw a tall man struggling to pull the speedboat onto the beach. After the boat docked, three more people jumped off. The person in the middle was being held by the two men beside her—yes, held captive!

The captive was a woman, her hands tied in front of her. But that white dress made her look somewhat familiar to Nie Yun.

"Get down here, don't drag your feet!" The man's movements were rough. The woman stumbled, and as she swayed, the light shone on her face. Nie Yun's expression changed instantly!

It was her!

That person was the young girl who had come to find him yesterday, claiming to be the old man's daughter!

How could it be her? Is this... a kidnapping?!

"Hehe, Third, don't be so rough. What if you hurt her? This is a real beauty; I want to have some fun with her later!" A man with a duck-like voice cackled.

"Second, don't do anything unnecessary! The employer said we need a complete hostage! If you want a woman, after this job is done, you can find ten or eight every night!" the man who got off the boat first said in a deep voice.

"Boss, don't be so serious. The employer wants a complete hostage, but if I have some fun, the woman won't lose anything. Besides, where else can you find a woman of this quality?" The duck-voiced man continued to stare greedily at the girl.

Chu Xiaoxiao shivered as she looked at the man's yellow teeth and lustful eyes. No matter how arrogant and cold she usually was, she was still just a seventeen-year-old girl. To not scream in such a situation was already quite composed.

"You kidnapped me, isn't it just for money? As long as you guarantee not to hurt me, I can give you whatever amount you want!" The girl tried her best to suppress her fear, looking for a glimmer of hope.

"Miss Chu, those of us in this line of work also value our reputation. Although you can offer a higher price, we took the employer's order first. Sorry about that!" The boss threw those words at her and ignored her further.

"Third, use the satellite phone to ask the employer when they'll arrive!"

"Yes, Boss!"

Nie Yun watched as the one called Third took out a satellite phone, muttered into it for a while, and then reported to the boss.

"Boss, the employer said they ran into a maritime patrol on the way and will arrive in about an hour."

"Hmm, confirm the delivery location again!"

"Boss, it's been confirmed. This is the right place; the shipwreck there is very easy to recognize!" Third replied.

"Good. Second, go set up a tent. Third, go start a fire and get something to eat!" The boss turned his head, saw Second still staring at Chu Xiaoxiao, and immediately gave the order.

"Alright, Boss!"

Third quickly went to the speedboat to grab a backpack and then went looking for dry wood to start a fire.

Second took one last greedy look at Chu Xiaoxiao before reluctantly going to set up the tent.

The speedboat's engine was cut, and then a powerful outdoor floodlight was turned on. Chu Xiaoxiao sat by the light, hugging her knees, looking pitiful. The boss sat beside her, vigilantly scanning the surroundings, never leaving her side—clearly very cautious.

They had no idea that in the shadows, a pair of increasingly sharp eyes were watching their every move...