[Just Verdict]

"Existing anomalous objects already rank beyond ten thousand. To put it simply, those ranked around five or six thousand are pretty good."

"Those around three or four thousand can be called top-quality, one or two thousand are epic, and anything within the top thousand counts as legendary. As for the top hundred or even the top ten... supposedly, survivors once saw one somewhere deeper than the Blood Moon Sea."

"The rumors describe it in just a few words-shocking beyond belief, utterly inconceivable."

After saying this, Wang Tai tossed the Flintlock to Qin Mao.

Qin Mao cradled it carefully.

As he focused his mind, lines of floating text immediately appeared before his eyes.

[Anomalous object: Just Verdict]

[Rank]: 2879

[Information]: An anomalous weapon crafted by gunsmith Leng Jun using the Power of Judgment, blood of justice, a Flintlock used by Queen Anne in the eighteenth century, and Spectral Shadow Fish bones.

[Ability 1]: Rapid Fire. Condenses bone bullets, greatly increasing bullet speed, range, and penetration. Deals moderate damage to eerie entities.

[Ability 2]: Explosion. Fish-Bone Bullets explode upon striking hard targets, with bone fragments dealing secondary damage.

[Ability 3]: Resonant Blast. Wherever the gunshot reaches, it briefly dispels confusion and brings clarity.

[Cost], [Special effects]: Owner-bound anomalous object. Invisible to anyone other than its holder.

"What a gun! What a fantastic gun!"

All three abilities were practical, and firing it even had the passive effect of calming the mind.

He just did not know what the cost was.

It seemed anomalous objects with owners automatically hid the cost field.

And it even had [Special effects].

The word "special" alone made it clear that effects like these had to be uncommon, not something every anomalous object possessed.

Qin Mao reluctantly handed the gun back.

He imagined when he might own an anomalous object himself.

"Little brother, no need to be envious. I once heard someone say a Shipwright built a large ship of anomalous-object quality. You'll definitely be able to do it someday too!"

Wang Tai saw that the lad could barely tear his eyes away from [Just Verdict].

He hurried to offer some encouragement.

Once the Hope became an anomalous object, he would be the captain of an Anomalous Object Vehicle!

He would be even more in his element at sea, and with a Sequence Potion on top of that...

The thought of Sequence Potions came to him.

And he remembered that damned bottle in his cabinet.

His mood instantly soured.

"Soon, soon. Two more days. I have to succeed... I must succeed!"

A frightening gleam appeared in Wang Tai's eyes.

Qin Mao had only ever seen that sort of desperate, do-or-die look in the eyes of brown bears defending their cubs to the death in wildlife documentaries.

Time flew. Today was Qin Mao's fifth day aboard the Hope.

As usual, he killed fish and repaired the ship.

Only two fish were caught today.

He finished them off with two hammer blows.

His technique was growing more practiced, each strike a killing blow.

As for the ship's minor scrapes and bumps, he personally took an axe and saw to repair them.

He ended up dusty and grimy like a carpenter-though everyone in the apocalypse wore rags and was dusty and grimy.

But whenever he worked, someone would always be watching from nearby or farther away.

They even came up under the pretext of asking, "Need any help?" It really annoyed Qin Mao.

Whether they were watching him or not, he was not used to having people crowd around him.

No freedom!

There was no freedom whatsoever in living under someone else's roof. He could not stand another minute of it!

If only Wang Tai really were a Transcendent!

At least then he would have the confidence to keep Qin Mao under control and would not resort to these little tricks.

Unfortunately, he was just an ordinary man.

He wanted to take Qin Mao in as a Shipwright, yet also had to constantly guard against this "Transcendent" replacing him.

Late that night, Qin Mao was about to turn in when someone suddenly knocked on his cabin door.

The only person who would knock at this hour was Zhu Yu.

He seemed determined to curry favor with Qin Mao, bringing him a cup of Tranquility Water every night before bed.

Supposedly, it was steeped with the leaves of a plant from some island.

Drinking it helped one sleep more soundly and recover energy quickly.

Qin Mao watched him set down the cup and nodded.

Zhu Yu then left without needing to be told.

As usual, Qin Mao poured the water under the bed, yawned, pulled up his blanket, and went to sleep.

Anyone who drank something of unknown origin was a fool.

Time ticked by. One hour... two hours...

Two and a half hours later.

With a barely perceptible sound, the door to Qin Mao's cabin slowly swung inward from outside!

The lock was completely useless, failing to serve any purpose at all.

A thin figure stepped through the doorway.

Holding something in his right hand, he darted to Qin Mao's bedside in a single stride.

His left hand pressed down on the head, and his right hand tightened its grip as he stabbed viciously at the round shadow on the pillow!

Pfft-

After sinking halfway in, the sharp implement seemed to hit hard bone and became stuck, unable to go any farther.

The plan had gone so smoothly, yet the figure could not help letting out a startled cry under his breath.

"What!"

Fast. Too fast!

Only after he stabbed down did his left hand register that strange, cold, smooth sensation.

That was clearly not how a human head should feel!

He was just about to retreat when he sensed something wrong behind him.

"Don't move!"

Qin Mao was already behind him.

With his left hand, he pressed a screwdriver against the intruder's neck, while his right still gripped the Ram's Horn Hammer tightly.

The figure immediately stopped backing away and raised his hands, not daring to move.

Only two sets of extremely heavy breathing remained in the silent, cramped cabin.

After closing the door, Qin Mao switched on a dim solar-powered flashlight:

The blanket lay loosely draped over the bed, and a large coconut rested on the pillow with a towel laid over it.

A rusty screwdriver was embedded deep in the coconut.

Sure enough, it was Zhu Yu.

Qin Mao was expressionless and not at all surprised.

During the three months he had spent fleeing from Bashu to the coast, a so-called expert had already said:

The most dangerous things in the apocalypse were not actually eerie entities, but people.

Before the apocalypse, this same so-called expert had said that young people should spend all their money and keep no savings, calling it the best way to show patriotism.

When the apocalypse came, this so-called expert indeed did not die at the hands of eerie entities. Instead, after delivering his final words about "people being more dangerous," he was killed by survivors gathering supplies.

Supposedly, they also found over a dozen boxes of colorful banknotes and several different passports in its home.

Back aboard the Hope.

Qin Mao asked flatly, "Did Wang Tai put you up to this?"

Zhu Yu's gaunt face filled with anger.

After a long while, he forced out a single word.

"Yes!"

"That's right! Wang Tai sent me to kill you! There can only be one Sequence Transcendent aboard the Hope, and only one boss. He's afraid you'll replace him!"

Qin Mao laughed in anger. "Do you think I'm an idiot, or are you the idiot?"

"What the fuck are you playing at?"

Without ceremony, Qin Mao slapped him on the head several times.

"If I hadn't checked the lock, you might really have pulled it off today!"

"Wang Tai is like a brother to me, my dearest friend and family! Who are you to slander him? If he wanted to kill me, one bullet would do it."

"What the hell is going on? Explain yourself!"

Blood trickled from the corner of Zhu Yu's mouth, but he said nothing.

Seeing him still pressing his lips tightly together, Qin Mao said casually:

"How about I get Brother Wang over here, and you report to him yourself?"

"No!"

Zhu Yu cried out instinctively and shuddered.

He had personally witnessed how ruthless Wang Tai was toward traitors aboard the ship.

He did not want to become another soul claimed by that gun!

"I... I'll talk..."

In the end, Zhu Yu gave in.

That made Qin Mao laugh in anger.

Without ruthlessness, his image would never hold up.

He had threatened this brat for ages, and the brat had stubbornly refused to talk. Yet the moment he mentioned Wang Tai, he spilled everything.

It seemed he was still far too kind in his dealings with others!

With the screwdriver in his left hand and the hammer in his right, he quietly sat down.

But the more he listened, the darker his expression grew.

The more he listened, the angrier he became.

By the end, he was even trembling with rage, his teeth grinding with hatred.

Goddammit!

Did good people... deserve to die?!