Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

The sea and the sky can change in an instant.

About three hours later, the previously clear sky suddenly turned gloomy.

The change happened very quickly; within minutes, a torrential downpour began to pelt down from the sky.

At first, it was just a few raindrops, hitting the deck with a crisp pattering sound.

But in just a few breaths, the rain intensified suddenly, as if a hole had been torn open in the sky, and endless seawater poured down from that opening.

Raindrops pounded on the sea surface, stirring up countless splashes of water, and the entire sea area was instantly shrouded in a white curtain of rain.

As far as the eye could see, there were only gray and white rain lines, densely interwoven, stitching the sky and the earth together as one.

The sea breeze howled past, tearing the rain curtain into countless diagonal lines that stung my face.

The wind was not the gentle wind found on land, but rather carried the wildness and savagery unique to the ocean, whipping up waves and stirring up mist, as if it wanted to tear everything on the sea surface apart.

Storms at sea are completely different from normal rainstorms on land.

On land, no matter how heavy the rain, you can at least find a roof to take shelter under, or stay indoors and listen to the rain.

But at sea, a storm feels like the whole world is working against you.

The sky seemed to hang low, so low that it felt as if you could reach out and touch the rolling dark clouds.

The rain didn't fall from above; it came from all directions, slanting, horizontally, and swirling as it hit people.

The whole world became a water world, and nothing could be seen except for rainwater.

The Doomsday was rocking violently in the storm, its hull rising and falling with the giant waves, each rise and fall sending shivers down one's spine.

Benny was already sprawled on the sofa.

She was the smartest one; she was the first to rush back to the villa as soon as the downpour started.

At this moment, Benny was curled up in the softest corner of the sofa, covering her face with her paws, seemingly unwilling to admit that she had also been fleeing outside in a disheveled state.

Occasionally, it would peek out from between its claws to look at its drenched companions at the door, then quickly close its eyes again, giving them an expression that said, "I don't know them."

Only Su Xiao remains on the Doom for the time being.

Lin Yi stood at the entrance of the villa, looking at the Doom in the distance through the dense rain.

The rain was so heavy that visibility was reduced to just a few meters; beyond that, all that remained was a blurry white expanse.

But he could still vaguely make out the outline of the black three-masted sailing ship.

The sails of the Doom were already folded up and tightly bound with ropes, but the ship still rose and fell with the giant waves, tilting at a terrifying angle with each rise and fall.

Waves crashed one after another against the ship, creating sprays several meters high before flowing down the deck and back into the sea through the drain holes.

There was no other way; although the Doom could navigate automatically, it still needed a captain.

If Su Xiao isn't there, it's like a smartphone without a chip; even the most advanced phone won't run.

However, Mordrac was completely unconcerned about the wind and rain.

Its massive body continued to move forward on the sea, cutting through the waves and maintaining a steady speed in the storm.

For it, this level of storm is nothing.

It has lived in the deep sea for so many years and has experienced ocean storms that are far more violent than this.

How old was it then? It was still an infant, hiding with its mother in the deep sea from real natural disasters.

Such storms can generate waves tens of meters high, tear a fully armed warship apart like a toy, and turn the entire sea upside down.

Compared to that storm, this little bit of rain is nothing.

It continued swimming forward, raindrops hitting its thick scales, flowing down the lines, and then forming tiny streams of water between the scales.

The water flows down its spine, all the way to its tail, and finally into the sea.

It would occasionally raise its head and let the rain hit its face, a feeling that reminded it of playing on the sea when it was a child.

Lin Yi looked at the raindrops outside, which were as big as the heads of Bahamut birds, and turned to walk towards the top of the villa.

The raindrops pounded against Mordrak's scales, making a crackling sound, so dense that there were almost no gaps.

If an ordinary person stood in this kind of rain, they would be covered in bruises within minutes.

He climbed the stairs to the top floor.

The control panel for the villa is located in the center of the top floor.

It was a metal platform, densely packed with various buttons and levers, each with a different function.

Lin Yi walked to the control panel, glanced at the buttons, and then pressed a red start button.

hum-

With a low, mechanical sound, the villa began to deform.

First, heavy metal barriers began to descend outside the glass windows, one after another, completely sealing them off.

The baffles fit together perfectly without any gaps.

Then there's the roof, where several huge metal plates slowly rise from the eaves, converge towards the center, and finally close completely at the top, enveloping the entire villa in an airtight metal box.

The clanging and clattering sounds immediately reached Lin Yi's ears.

These were all the sounds of raindrops hitting the iron plate, so dense that there were almost no gaps, like countless people frantically hammering the roof.

Lin Yi came down from the top floor and returned to the living room.

The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, the orange-red flames dancing and illuminating the entire living room with warmth and light.

Shangyue leaned against the window.

Mond sat on the other side of the sofa, arms crossed, his rugged face expressionless, his breathing steady, as if the raging storm outside had nothing to do with him.

For the safety of the Doom, Su Xiao manipulated several cables, throwing them over from the ship and tying them to Mordrac's back.

The Doom is still a bit too small, and sailing alone in such a storm would be much more dangerous.

But now it is fixed behind Mordrac, like a small boat being towed by a giant ship, making it much more stable.

The massive body of Mordrac cut through the waves, creating a relatively calm waterway for the Doom behind it, greatly reducing the impact on the ship.

The captain's cabin door was closed, but a dim, yellow light shone from inside.

Compared to the damp and cold deck, the captain's cabin where Su Xiao was located was much warmer, and the only sound that could be heard was the faint sound of raindrops hitting the wooden planks.

The Doom has been successfully transformed into a three-masted sailing ship by Su Xiao through feeding sea monsters, greatly increasing its ability to withstand risks.

If it were still the same single-masted boat from the initial level, this storm would be enough to capsize it several times over.

The storm lasted all night.

That night, the rain almost never stopped.

The clanging and banging sounds came incessantly from the roof, as dense as an endless drumbeat.

Occasionally, thunder would rumble, its booming sound rolling through the clouds and causing the entire villa to tremble slightly.

Lightning flashed across the sky from time to time, and even through the metal shield, one could feel the momentary brilliance.

The next morning, when Lin Yi got out of bed, everything outside had returned to calm.

He didn't know when the storm stopped.

The moment he opened his eyes, he sensed something was different.

Without the dense knocking sounds and the howling wind, the world became eerily quiet.

He walked out of the villa.

Sunlight shone through the clouds onto the sea, turning the ravaged waters of the previous night into a deep blue.

The blue was so pure, like the finest gemstone, shimmering in the sunlight.

The sea breeze blew gently, carrying a salty, fishy scent, as if last night's storm was just a dream.

The sky was crystal clear, without a single cloud, and several seabirds circled overhead, emitting clear calls.

If it weren't for the water stains still remaining on Mordrac's back, Lin Yi would have really thought it was just a dream.

In the distance, the outline of land can be vaguely seen.

It was a vast expanse of land, not the small islands we had seen before, but a real coastline.

The rolling mountains are faintly visible in the morning mist, and the outlines of some buildings can be seen at their foot.

The buildings stretch along the coastline from east to west for miles, and are quite large in scale.

Many ships were moored at the port, their masts standing densely packed together, like a forest without leaves.

We have arrived at the port of the Kingdom of Fudin.

Lin Yi returned to the villa and woke up Shang Yue and the others.

A few minutes later, the group packed their things, jumped off Mordrak's back, and landed on the deck of the Doom.

Mordrak let out a low cry, a sound tinged with reluctance.

Its massive body swam slowly on the sea, its huge eyes fixed on the people on its back, its gaze filled with reluctance.

Lin Yi glanced back at it and waved his hand.

The behemoth understood his meaning, and its massive body began to sink, slowly diving into the sea.

It will wait in the nearby waters, ready to provide assistance at any time.

As it sank, the seawater formed a huge whirlpool, and after a moment, the surface returned to calm, as if nothing had ever existed.

The Doom changed course and headed towards that land.

As the distance closed, more and more ships appeared on the sea.

There were large merchant ships fully loaded with cargo, with a deep draft. The decks were piled high with wooden crates and barrels, and the sailors were busy adjusting the sails and checking the mooring lines.

There are fast and agile fishing boats, and the fishermen on board are hauling in their nets. The nets are shimmering with silver, containing freshly caught fish that are jumping in the sunlight.

There were also some less-than-reputable ships, with tattered sails and battered hulls, their crews eyeing the Doom with wary intent. Pirates.

These ships were flying all sorts of flags, and some didn't have any flags at all, but you could tell at a glance that they weren't legitimate ships.

The people on the deck were dressed in all sorts of clothes, with fierce expressions on their faces that came from years of licking blood from the front lines. They had swords at their waists, and some even had parrots or other creatures perched on their shoulders.

They stared at the Doom, at the people on board, their eyes scrutinizing and assessing—was this ship worth stealing? Were the people on board easy to mess with?

But they quickly looked away.

Because they saw Shangyue, and they saw the pair of folded black wings behind her.

The pirates immediately looked away, pretending to be busy with their own affairs.

On this vast ocean, they know perfectly well which ships they can mess with and which they can't.

Although this is the kingdom's port, pirates can still come and go freely.

As long as they didn't cause trouble in the port, the kingdom's officials turned a blind eye to them.

In fact, there has always been a subtle relationship between port cities and pirates.

Pirates need ports to replenish supplies, repair ships, and sell stolen goods, while ports need the wealth brought by pirates.

This relationship has lasted for many years, and the two sides have long since reached a tacit understanding.

As the port drew closer, the sounds of the docks gradually reached our ears.

The sounds mingled together, creating a unique cacophony—the shouts of laborers carrying goods, the cries of merchants haggling, the unrestrained laughter and curses of pirates, and the loud calls of dock officials urging people to handle things gently.

The cool sea breeze in the early morning carries the unique salty smell of the sea, as well as the smell of fish and wood, a mixture of various odors.

This is the pier of Siren Harbor.

The pier is built with huge stones, and its surface has become smooth from years of being washed by the sea.

Every so often, a large wooden stake was erected to secure the cable.

The dock was piled high with goods: wooden crates, sacks, and barrels.

The laborers carried goods, shuttling back and forth between the docks and ships, their dark backs glistening with sweat.

The Doom slowly approached the dock, and Su Xiao maneuvered the ship to precisely stop next to an empty berth.

The group jumped off the boat and landed on the wooden planks of the dock.

The feeling of solid ground made Bubuwang roll around comfortably. It shook its fur, sniffed around, and left wet paw prints on the wooden board.

The dock was bustling with people.

Su Xiao stepped forward.

After walking only a few steps, a middle-aged man in a dark uniform carrying a heavy legal code blocked his way.

The man was in his forties, with a meticulously trimmed mustache and his hair was neatly combed and held in place with hair oil.

He wore a metal badge on his chest, a symbol of a dock official.

The badge was polished to a high shine and glittered in the sunlight.

The legal code in his hand was also very thick, with a leather cover and gold foil embossing on the edges; it was clearly an official document.

"Sir, you need to present a port docking warrant issued by the Kingdom of Fuinding. According to the kingdom's laws, if a pirate ship is found to have entered the port without a valid warrant, a fine will be imposed, and in serious cases, the ship and its cargo will be seized..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

Because Shangyue and Mondstadt were walking up from behind at that moment, they were seen by the people around them.

The unique characteristics of the two immediately caused a sensation among those around them.

The previously noisy sounds on the dock instantly quieted down.

The silence didn't gradually diminish, but stopped abruptly, as if someone had pressed the mute button.

It was obvious that the pirates and laborers knew that the two beings in front of them had definitely entered the realm of the extraordinary.

Shangyue's wings were too obvious. On this sea, only those who have established a connection with the secret relics and obtained extraordinary abilities could possess such inhuman features.

The dock officials' expressions changed faster than turning the pages of a book.

His originally stern face instantly filled with smiles, and he bent over, his entire demeanor transforming from that of a high-ranking official into that of a humble servant.

He swallowed back all the familiar official jargon he had just used, not daring to utter another word.

"N-nothing, welcome to the port."

His voice changed tone and trembled noticeably.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He regretted being so eager and being the first to rush forward.

If these people have bad tempers, if they are unhappy about being stopped, then they might be out of a job today.

As the head of the dock, he knew best who on this sea could be messed with and who couldn't.

Ordinary merchants can make things difficult, and ordinary pirates can extort money, but if you offend an extraordinary person, there is only one outcome—death.

Moreover, even if you die, it will be in vain, and no one will seek justice for you.

If Shangyue were to make a move here, even its superiors wouldn't avenge it; instead, they would only try to win over Shangyue and its companions.

For any power on this ocean, extraordinary individuals are always people they need to win over.

The value of one extraordinary person is greater than that of one hundred ordinary officials.

If we can win over an extraordinary person, what does it matter if we sacrifice a mere dock official?
Why are the three legendary pirate crews unprovoked? It's because these pirate crews clearly have extraordinary individuals on board.

The existence of those extraordinary individuals forced even kingdoms to back down, let alone ordinary people.

Those pirate crews can freely enter and leave any port, are not subject to any inspection, and do whatever they want on the kingdom's territory, simply because there are superhumans on board.

Su Xiao remained silent.

He simply raised his hand, snapped his thumb, and pulled out a gold coin, which landed precisely in the pocket of the dock official.

The pocket was unusually large, its purpose obvious: to facilitate bribery by pirates.

This was a common practice at the seaport; almost all officials' clothes had such a specially made large pocket, specifically used to hold the pirates' "tribute".

The placement and size of this pocket were carefully considered, making it convenient for pirates to stuff money in without being too conspicuous.

The gold coin fell into the pocket with a soft clinking sound.

"If the boss gives it to you, just take it."

Mond spoke at the opportune moment, his rugged face bearing an expression of utter certainty.

Although he is straightforward, he can also act when he needs to.

At times like these, it is important to maintain Su Xiao's image as the leader.

The sheer presence of him was enough to deter anyone from acting recklessly.

The dock official was taken aback for a moment, then realized what was happening.

He then noticed that Su Xiao was actually able to lead these two extraordinary individuals.

what does this mean?
Undoubtedly, Su Xiao is also very likely a person in the extraordinary realm.

He might even be someone stronger than those two. Otherwise, how could two extraordinary beings treat him with such respect?
The obsequiousness on the dock officials' faces intensified, their backs bent even lower, and their smiles became even brighter.

His feelings at that moment were very complicated—he was both glad that he hadn't really offended these people and excited that he actually had the opportunity to get involved with such people.

If we can please these people, there might be some benefits in the future.

"Sir, when you go to the shops in this neighborhood, just say that White recommended them. It will make things much easier for you."

His voice was low and ingratiating.

His hands were trembling slightly when he pulled the business card out of his pocket.

It wasn't fear, it was excitement.

“The shop owners are all acquaintances of mine, they won’t rip you off. Especially that ‘Old Tom’s Supply Station’, they have the most complete selection and the prices are fair. I’ve known Tom for over twenty years, he wouldn’t dare cheat someone I introduce. If you need anything special, you can ask him too, he has connections and can get things that ordinary people can’t.”

Su Xiao nodded slightly.

The movement was so subtle that it was almost imperceptible, but the dock officials noticed it immediately.

His smile grew even brighter, and his wrinkles gathered together.

He pulled a crumpled business card from his pocket and respectfully handed it over with both hands.

The business card was old, with curled edges, but the handwriting was still legible—a crooked address and name: Old Tom's Supply Station, 73 Dock Street.

Su Xiao took the business card, glanced at it, and casually put it into her pocket.

He turned around and led the group out of the dock.

Behind them, the onlookers on the dock were still staring blankly at their backs.

There was envy, there was awe, and there was a certain indescribable complexity.

For them, anything that can be associated with extraordinary individuals is something to brag about for a lifetime.

Seeing two extraordinary individuals in person at the docks was enough for them to brag about in the tavern for three months.

Lin Yi walked beside Su Xiao, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding streets.

Siren Harbor was more bustling than he had imagined.

After leaving the dock area, there is a wide stone-paved road. The road surface is smooth, and the stones fit together perfectly, without any of the pits and bumps that make it look dilapidated.

On both sides are rows of neat buildings, all constructed of stone and wood, which look sturdy and durable.

Most of those buildings were two or three stories high, with shops on the first floor and living quarters on the second.

Various signs hung outside the shops, some selling grain, some selling cloth, some selling tools, and a few that looked like taverns, with the aroma of beer and roasted meat wafting from their entrances.

There were many people on the street.

Although this is kingdom territory, the influence of pirates is also very deep. (End of Chapter)