With a sharp whoosh, an arrow came from a treacherous angle, swift as lightning. Thunder rumbled overhead, masking its flight. By the time Gin sensed danger, the arrow had struck him.
"Hahaha..."
As Gin toppled into the sea, a chilling laugh drifted from the cabin behind Sang Biao. It sounded like the wail of a vengeful ghost, cold and terrifying enough to raise goosebumps.
"Gin!"
Stone stood at the bow. Seeing Gin fall into the water with an arrow in him, he cried out in alarm.
"Don't worry. He's fine."
Ye Chen waved a hand, telling Stone not to make a fuss.
"Damn it. What rotten luck."
A moment later, Gin surfaced, cursing. He slapped both hands against the water, used the force to launch himself upward, and landed on Sang Biao's ship again.
"Three Stars in a Row!"
Before Sang Biao or the others could act, three more arrows shot from the cabin. They flew in a triangular formation, almost simultaneously, straight for Gin's throat. This time, Gin was ready. He stepped back, twisted, and flipped backward.
Thud, thud, thud...
All three arrows missed and buried themselves in the thick deck. Their cold tips sank completely into the wood, while the shafts still quivered violently. Whoever had fired them possessed astonishing strength.
"Crimson Mist."
A red figure suddenly flashed out behind Gin. Red mist billowed up on the wind and enveloped him in an instant.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Gin faltered. His whole body felt wrong, and he could not stop coughing. His vision blurred until everything looked red, as though he had fallen among the gauze curtains of a woman's bedchamber. Mist swirled around him, dreamlike and unreal, while a heady feminine fragrance filled his nose.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
The bowstring sounded again. Three more arrows flew toward him.