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And now everyone believes she is the supervisor sent by Victor, so she is.
Su Cheng asked again, "Have you found the mermaid's location?"
Eck frowned, and after a long pause, replied, "The mermaids' habitat isn't as easy to find as you think!"
That means it hasn't been found yet.
"So, do you have a direction?"
The ocean is so vast, you can't just grope around aimlessly.
"Of course, we're following the planned route." Eck's expression shifted slightly. "We'll settle the matter of Victor secretly putting you on the ship after we return. Besides, you can observe, but you have no right to interfere with our plans."
Su Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly. "Of course."
She wasn't a real supervisor and knew nothing about the mermaids' location, so of course she wouldn't interfere with Eck and the others' travel plans.
After confirming Su Cheng's "identity", she was temporarily arranged to sleep in the captain's cabin.
Modeya originally wanted Su Cheng to stay in the cargo hold, but considering that the cargo hold contained food and fresh water, he was not comfortable letting Su Cheng come into contact with those things.
After much thought, the captain's cabin, a single room, was the best place to "isolate" her.
Instead of staying obediently in the captain's cabin, Su Cheng looked around the ship and then went to the cockpit where Eck was.
What are you doing here?
"Could you show me your route map?"
Eck took out the blueprints next to the control panel and reminded him, "Please leave the driver's cab after you've looked at them. If you still have questions, please ask someone else."
Su Cheng unfolded the blueprints; the red lines marked the planned sailing direction, while other colors indicated reefs, ocean currents, and other features.
Well, she had to admit she didn't quite understand some of it. Electronic navigation devices were much simpler and easier to use.
This instance seems to have limited technological advancements; the sailing exploration ship still relies on blueprints and captain experience for navigation.
She returned the blueprints to Eck and went back to the deck.
Modeya happened to be on deck, inspecting equipment such as sails and ropes. He glanced at Su Cheng, then turned away, completely ignoring her.
Su Cheng had no interest in currying favor with the cold shoulder; she fastened her sun hat and walked to the edge of the deck.
The wind ruffled her hair, and she looked down.
White waves lapped against the gunwale, and the water surged out in concentric circles of white foam.
"Ugh, stop looking, I'm dizzy," Mu Ling's voice rang in my ears.
"Aren't you a ghost? How come you get seasick?"
"Who says ghosts can't get seasick?" Mu Ling retorted, following Su Cheng's gaze into the distance.
Beneath the blue sky and white clouds lies the equally vast and boundless azure sea.
Sunlight falls on the calm sea like shimmering gold dust, and the waves sparkle with tiny glitters as they roll.
"The sea is so beautiful. I've never been on a boat before. I never thought that becoming a ghost would bring me such a new experience." Mu Ling sighed softly, also feeling fortunate that she had left with Su Cheng.
Su Cheng took out an umbrella. "Want to come out and take a look?"
She opened the umbrella, its canopy blocking the sunlight and hot wind, creating a cool little space.
Mu Ling, having cultivated herself into Vengeful Ghost, is no longer afraid of sunlight, but it still makes her feel uncomfortable. The Thousand-Machine Umbrella solves this problem.
Mu Ling happily popped out of the bracelet and stood next to Su Cheng, "What's this dungeon about?"
Su Cheng told Mu Ling the name and details of the mission.
Mu Ling exclaimed that the world is indeed full of wonders. She patted Su Cheng's arm and said, "Mermaids must be very beautiful, right? Just like in the movies. When you find one, remember to call me so I can broaden my horizons."
Su Cheng was also curious about what mermaids would look like, but she subconsciously felt that the mermaids in the special instance wouldn't be the beautiful mermaids from the movies.
"Look over there..."
Mu Ling suddenly floated over the guardrail at the edge of the deck and pointed in the direction the ship was sailing.
Since Su Cheng couldn't see it from her angle, she simply shared Mu Ling's Shared Senses.
From Mu Ling's perspective, she could see a blurry black barrier between the sky and the sea in the distance.
It was like a cutting line; the sky behind the barrier was dark, seemingly filled with clouds, and the sea also appeared black, churning rapidly... it was hard to see clearly.
What is that?
The Stealth is currently heading towards the Black Barrier.
The fact that the ship remained calm indicates that the black barrier was not visible to ordinary people.
Su Cheng immediately left the deck and returned to the wheelhouse.
As Modeya watched Su Cheng pack up her umbrella and leave in a hurry, he became suspicious. He leaned over to where she had just been and glanced at the sea, but found nothing unusual.
He'd noticed Su Cheng shifting the umbrella as if someone was beside her, and he'd found her odd. "If you don't like the deck being so sunny, don't come. What a strange woman..."
Eck was very unhappy that Su Cheng had re-entered the driver's seat.
After driving for a while, Su Cheng could see the black barrier more clearly. "Something's not right ahead. You'd better get everyone ready."
Eck pointed rudely at the door, "Get out! This is my territory."
"There's a black wall of fog ahead. At our current speed, we'll reach it in about 15 minutes."
"Really? I don't see it. Maybe you need to rest." Eck said impatiently; in his eyes, all that lay ahead was a calm sea.
Su Cheng felt somewhat helpless. She was like a member in a movie who noticed something was wrong and offered a warning, but the team stubbornly refused to believe her and continued to do as they pleased.
Viewers like Mu Ling were both angry and anxious, thinking, "This guy is so stubborn; he'll get what's coming to him soon enough."
Su Cheng couldn't persuade them; they didn't trust her much. So she didn't force it; she'd just take care of herself first and see what happened.
She wasn't averse to approaching or passing through the black barrier; encountering something so extraordinary in a special instance could very well be a key clue.
But the problem is, she's currently at sea. What if the ship capsizes without warning after entering a blackout?
Su Cheng pondered the question, listing several first-aid and survival methods in her mind, and had already put on a waterproof raincoat.
You also need to prepare levitation equipment, preferably a lifeboat, or at the very least, wooden barrels or planks.
Su Cheng remembered seeing several large wooden barrels in the storeroom, and that there were lifeboats on the side of the ship; they could be lowered down by simply cutting the ropes.
After preparing the emergency plan, Su Cheng then asked the other crew members what to do to save the ship in case of danger.
She's on the ship now, after all. It would be best if the ship didn't capsize. Sailing to find the mermaid is definitely better than the ship capsizing and her being forced to drift.
Unfortunately, the crew members all ignored her.
Su Cheng only knew that the ship could maintain its balance by raising and lowering the sails when encountering different situations.
Under Su Cheng's watchful eye, the Stealth approached the black fog curtain, until it was very close and the sheer size of the fog curtain where the water met the sky was revealed.
It resembled condensed black gas, occupying all the space within sight; the black mist floated, and it did not possess a solid entity.
The current was exceptionally swift under the fog, propelling the boat as if trying to get it into another sea area more quickly.
The bow of the ship made contact with the darkness first, and it passed through smoothly.
Then came the cockpit. Eck looked out the porthole, and the once sunny weather suddenly turned gloomy.
The blue sky has disappeared, replaced by a sky full of dark clouds!
But when he looked out the window just now, the sea was as calm as ever. How could it have changed so drastically in a second?
The seawater surged and roared in the darkness, as if it couldn't wait to swallow the intruding foreign object.
Eck's heart pounded. He stood up anxiously, immediately blew the whistle around his neck, hurriedly pushed open the wheelhouse door, and shouted, "A storm is coming! Cut the mainsail rigging! Seal the hatches!!"
He shouted three times in a row, and after hearing the chaotic footsteps, he ran back to the driver's side and gripped the steering wheel tightly.
In just one minute, the ship had passed through the darkness, sailing from light into darkness.
Eck stared at the churning sea and the lightning leaping through the dark clouds, his arms bulging with veins from gripping the helm so tightly.
Based on his years of experience, he knew he was about to face the fiercest storm of his life!
Su Cheng was the first to hear Eck's voice. Without hesitation, she ran quickly to the deck.
It was only a few seconds after she stepped onto the deck that Modeya heard Eck's shout, and at the same time the deck was shrouded in darkness.
The sudden darkness caught Modeya off guard; the ship was rocked by the sudden surge of water, and the wind billowed the sails.
How could the weather change so drastically?!
He staggered to the ship's side, desperately grabbing the rope that was taut in the wind. Just as he swung his knife, a torrential downpour began!
"Bang--"
The ship seemed to have hit a reef, and it trembled and swayed violently.
Modeya lost his balance, and the knife fell to the ground. Just as he was about to fall, someone forcefully pulled him back—it was Su Cheng.
"Hold on!"
Su Cheng swiftly severed the rope that Modeya was about to cut with a single stroke.
The sails and barges slammed heavily onto the deck with a loud clang.
"Boom--"
Purple lightning flashed in the darkness, the torrential rain made it impossible to open one's eyes, and the wind whipped the waves to pound against the side of the ship again and again!
Amidst the wind and rain, the boat rocked more and more violently.
Two other crew members also ran onto the deck. Seeing that the mainsail ropes had been cut, they quickly used hemp ropes to tie up the fallen mainsail.
"There's still one mast!"
Modeya wiped the rain off her face, drew another small knife from her waist, and ran unsteadily to the other side.
The cold rain poured down on her face. After understanding what he meant, Su Cheng also staggered towards the remaining masts.
The sails fluttered in the gale, the ropes were taut and stretched to their limit, and the waves were like roaring beasts, rocking the ship and trying to destroy everything on the sea!
There seemed to be an unusually large number of reefs hidden beneath the sea surface. The ship would often swerve suddenly to avoid them, or crash into them unavoidably, causing people on deck to lose their balance due to inertia.