Gathering and Setting Off

Before long, loading on the White Triangle's port side was finished. Hansite climbed aboard with his backpack, and Su Ming had the Skull raise the sail, drifting slowly away from the port in the gentle breeze.

Fletcher led a group of people to see them off at the dock, waving colorful little flags they'd somehow found. As time passed, their boisterous figures gradually dwindled in size.

Suddenly, a commotion arose in the crowd, and Fletcher's voice could be faintly heard in the wind, "Ahhh, my eyes!"

"You blinded him?" Su Ming asked Zijin, leaning against the deck railing.

"Hmm, I was thinking of cutting off his hand, but then I thought I'd just gouge out his eyes—who told him to have such useless eyes?"

"... Then it's better to just cut off your hand."

"He was only temporarily blind for half a month; we didn't poke his eyeballs." Zijin gave Su Ming a wary look, utterly puzzled.

I was very lenient.

Now it was Su Ming's turn to look puzzled. "How come you've become so kind-hearted?"

Zijin snorted and went into the cabin.

Hansite looked towards the shore, puzzled. Su Ming snapped his fingers between his eyebrows, releasing the memory seal that had been placed on him the day before yesterday.

The old man rubbed his head. "Sir, you didn't erase my memory."

"Sealing it first and then releasing it will save time from repeated communication," Su Ming said. "My name is Su Ming, and that was Ailisha. You can just call us by our names."

Hansite's legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the deck.

This surprised Su Ming somewhat. "You know us?"

"Bone King Ooal Gown, Lord Siren!" He looked around, "Then this ship must be the White Ghost!"

"Please don't use those embarrassing names," Su Ming said. "But you're certainly well-informed."

The man was shocked but not flustered. Su Ming observed the details and realized that Hansite was no nobody.

"Little one," Hansite began.

"I don't like you referring to yourself like that. Please respect our customs. And just call us by our names."

"Ah, very well. The deeds of the two lords have spread throughout the entire ocean. I may not recognize them, but their names are absolutely legendary."

"It's not too late to back out now," Su Ming said to him. "I can erase your memory and banish you."

"Bone One—" Hansite started to say, then quickly changed his mind, "Mr. Sue is joking, I'm more than happy to oblige." The old man grinned, "This trip is sure to be spectacular! Please be sure to take this old bone with you, and feel free to use it as you see fit!"

"Welcome aboard, Hansite." Su Ming shook his hand, then summoned a zombie. "This ship is mostly filled with undead creatures. Any problems?"

"No, dead people are easier to get along with than living people most of the time."

Su Ming had the zombie lead him to a room, while he went to the cockpit to conduct a final check before departure.

"I've arrived at my destination," Miao Xin reported to her supervisor.

[OK.]

Miao Xin packed her documents and camera into her backpack, jumped out of the car, took out her phone, showed the appointment information, walked through the gate, and entered the interior of a huge building.

****

Here, the entire White Triangle system is functioning normally, and the steam pressure has reached the standard value.

"Su Ming, where are we setting sail?" Zijin unfolded the sea chart on the battle platform. "Now we need to find a suitable place to test the new equipment, right?"

"Yes, to the Giant Horn Peninsula in the north."

Someone entered the driver's seat. Su Ming thought it was Hansite, but when he turned his head, he found it was a girl. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Younier.

She changed into a lighter dress and came in carrying two cups of tea. "My lords, please have some tea!"

Su Ming turned to look at Zijin, "Explain?"

"I've reached a 'friendly' agreement with Fletcher: let his daughter work for us for a while, and we'll let bygones be bygones," Zijin replied. "Don't worry, Younier is just an ordinary person. I've placed a contract on her that requires her to keep everything secret; she can't resist it."

"My lord, I have only just realized the grave mistake my father has made. I am deeply grateful that you have allowed me to atone for my sins in this way!"

"I knew you wouldn't just poke Fletcher's eyelid and let him go," Su Ming said. He took the tea from Younier and reiterated the issue of how to address him.

"Also, don't speak so formally," Su Ming added. "Look at Zijin, even a Titled Scholar isn't this particular. You can't possibly appear more cultured than her, can you?"

Upon hearing this, Zijin rolled her eyes at Su Ming. Younier, who was standing to the side, wanted to speak, but she covered her mouth after only uttering "this little girl".

She was so flustered by Su Ming that she didn't know what to say.

"Speak the same way you did when you were working on the island," Su Ming said.

Seeing that Younier was still uneasy, he continued, "Your job here will still be that of a clerk, responsible for material planning, coordination, document management and various other support tasks."

"Yes, Mr. Su!"

"This is good." Su Ming pulled out a dozen or so lists from the folder. "These supply lists are very rough and deviate from reality. Go and check the quantity and condition of the materials in the second-floor warehouse, and file the results."

"Okay!" Younier took the list and ran off to get to work.

****

Zijin searched back and forth on the sea chart for a while, and finally found the Giant Horn Island that Su Ming had mentioned near the top by pulling the entire chart down quite a bit.

"So far north, do we really need to go that far?" she asked Su Ming curiously. Even if it was to evade capture, going all the way to the vicinity of the Arctic Circle seemed absurd.

Even at the speed of the White Triangle, this distance would take more than a week to cover.

"Yes, we need to go to the Holy Mountain Divine Might Prison," Su Ming explained.

"Wait!" Zijin exclaimed in surprise, "Didn't we already discuss this? Why go if it's so dangerous!"

"Because the potential returns are huge," Su Ming replied. "The talent we desperately need, and the bargaining chips we have against the Temple of Light, are all there. If we reduce the risk to a sufficient level, the equation holds true."

"But how can we reduce the risk?" Zijin asked.

"I have a general plan, but there are still many details that require our joint efforts," Su Ming said. "First, we'll go to the Giant Horn Peninsula and complete the renovation of the White Bone Fortress there. Then we'll cross the Tingbulike Icefield and head north to the Dome Mountains."

Zijin examined the path carefully, but still couldn't imagine it.

"Let's not even talk about the precipitous area with a thousand-meter drop where the Dome Mountains meet the ice field. It's the dead of winter in the Northern Lands, and the temperature on the Tingbulike Icefield is minus twenty degrees Celsius. How are we going to cross the snow zone? And what about the Jade Sea and Tang Valley?"

Zijin was very willing to go, but there were so many difficulties. "The Jade Sea and Tang Valley doesn't care," Su Ming said. "Going to face the Dragon Carrier, which is currently at the height of its power, is very dangerous. If we are found first, we will lose the battle."

As the first half of the dragons, Zijin quickly understood Su Ming's plan. "Given the nature of dragons, even the giant ship Jade Sea and Tang Valley would be living in dire straits. They can endure it for a week or two, but if it goes on for too long, their scales will definitely explode."

"So I plan to cause trouble again after I return from the Sacred Mountain," Su Ming said. "By then, the dragon might have already lost patience and left, leaving only an empty ship in the Blue Sea Tanggu, which we could easily bomb for free."

When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy retreats, we pursue. This is an irrefutable tactical mantra.

"It might not be that ideal," said Zijin. "Dragons can sleep, so perhaps they can endure it if they really want to."

"It doesn't matter," Su Ming said. "The environment on the ship is nothing like on land. After a few months, these dragons are either exhausted or sleeping like rotten. If we attack when the enemy is tired, the situation can't get any worse."

"That's true." Zijin nodded. "Then my people will have to endure being stuck at sea for months!"

****

On the White Triangle, Hansite had already put his luggage in his assigned cabin. He walked back to the wheelhouse door and knocked lightly on the open door. "Excuse me, Mr. Sue, what areas on the ship can I go to?"

"Anything except the hold is fine. Come in."

Hansite entered the cabin, saw the markings on the map, and recalled his conversation with Su Ming a few days ago. He guessed that they were going to pass through the Tingbulike Icefield to reach the Holy Mountain Divine Might Prison. Hansite pointed to the coast of the Giant Horn Peninsula, "This area is a mudflat about 50 kilometers wide. If we land here and cannot return before the end of the freezing period in the next three months, the mudflat will turn into a difficult-to-walk wetland and swamp."

Su Ming did the math, "It'll take about ten days to get to the mudflats and set up the equipment, plus another month for the rescue. That should be enough time." Seven thousand kilometers of snowfield, fourteen thousand kilometers round trip, and over a month? Zijin clearly didn't believe it. "Even if we can travel light and reach that speed, how can we possibly manage to return with our families after the rescue!"

"Mr. Su, even a carriage won't do," Hansite said. "The Tingbulike Icefield is sparsely populated, the roads are terrible, and you often have to cross mountains. Besides, in this season, the snow is more than a meter deep in many places, making travel extremely difficult."

The sound of wings flapping appeared, followed by the sound of four hooves pounding on the deck.

Su Ming looked up and, sure enough, saw the unicorn spreading its wings through the porthole.

"Hey!" Su Ming pointed at Qiluo, then looked at Zijin again.

The girl raised her hand, making a tiny gesture, "A tiny thing happened, nothing serious."

****

A day earlier, in the second-floor stern cabin, Qiluo knelt down in front of Su Ming and began to concentrate her spiritual power to heal Su Daiyu had fainted again due to exhaustion of her Magic Power power.

"Chestnut Crow Scholar, I have a request," she said to Zijin.

"Tell me about it." The girl placed Su Ming on her lap again and changed to a duck-sitting position.

"Please allow me to join you," Qiluo said solemnly. "The abnormality of Divine Favor is too illogical; I must follow it and seek the answers."

"Are you sure, Princess Milan?" Zijin was surprised.

The main reason for allowing Beianqi to leave the team was that the hunt for the sea monster was over, and they would return to being wanted criminals, at odds with the whole world.

"I am a guardian beast, and the world is my home," Qiluo said. "Don't let my appearance fool you; I am actually a devoted follower of the Goddess of the Moon."

"Going against the Temple of Light is okay?" Zijin asked, but she quickly realized she had asked a pointless question.

"With pleasure!" Qiluo's eyes shone. "The Moon Goddess is the true God of the Mind, the only beauty in the world!"

Beianqi froze for a moment, then suddenly lunged forward and grabbed her, "Sister, you can't go!"

"Why can't we go? It's the auspicious beast's duty!" Qiluo Luo said righteously.

"It's because you think it's more fun here!"

"Having fun is only a minor aspect." Qiluo's eyes did not waver in the slightest.

Are you going to abandon the Mist Veil?

"But I still have my uncles and aunts, and I haven't traveled anywhere in ages," the unicorn replied. "And don't think I don't know what you're up to—you want to come back yourself, that's why you're pushing me over there!"

"As a mechanic, this is where I can make a difference. But what are you doing here? Growing vegetables?"

Zijin looked at the two sisters making a ruckus and suddenly reached out her hand.

Welcome aboard this pirate ship!

Qiluo pulled Beianqi off her, took a step back, lifted the hem of her skirt with both hands, and curtsied.

Please take care of me!

****

The unicorn spread its four hooves and joyfully pounced into the cabin.

"Hey Su Ming, we meet again! Where's the chocolate you promised?!"

Su Ming covered his face; he had guessed it would be like this.

The unicorn's long mane looked rather thinner. Qiluo shook it and complained, "Beianqi insisted on brushing my fur, which took quite a while."

She leaned closer to the control panel, glanced at the map, and said, "Hmm, are we going to the ice plains? I don't want to walk on snowy roads this season!"

"That won't do. We're counting on you to pull the sleds."

Qiluo instantly transformed into human form, opening her mouth to reveal sharp tiger fangs, "Using the unicorn like that will bring divine retribution upon you!"

"Alright, enough joking around." Su Ming straightened his expression. "I plan to drive the White Bone Fortress over there."

Zijin's eyes twitched. "Su Ming, I'm very heavy."

"There is a Sang River on the ice sheet, but it's the dry season and the river is frozen!" Hansite added, "And even during the flood season..."

The water in the Sang River isn't deep enough!

Su Ming smiled. "Alright, once we get to Giant Horn Peninsula, I'll show you how to get this big guy ashore."

He turned to Qiluo and Hansite, "Welcome aboard the White Bone Fortress, let's set sail!"

Earth, Miao Xin finally found the right path. The signpost clearly read "Shenyang Train Exhibition Hall". Passing through a door, she arrived at a huge exhibition hall, where a group of black behemoths were lined up and resting quietly.

Miao Xin's footsteps seemed to traverse sixty years, leading her to these meritorious machines that witnessed the past development process.

She looked up at the largest of the three.

The Qianjin Class freight steam locomotive, serial number QJ6368.

"It seems Su Ming's target is this," Miao Mu's voice came through the earpiece. "Are you really going to destroy them?"

"It's not about destroying it," Miao Xin denied. "No motorcycle would refuse to ride on the earth again."

How did you know?

"Guess."

The power of the Nether Sea unfolds peacefully, "Tranquility - Trace Backtracking!"

Black coal dust and white steam, carried on the crisp winter wind, mingled with the heavy smell of machinery.

"You're really in a hurry," Miao Xin smiled. "Please line up, the interviews will begin now!"