Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Lin Yi and his group had already left the light red building and were walking back along the path they had come from.

The streets remained in their usual chaotic state. Rough singing and the smell of alcohol wafted from the tavern, where several drunken pirates lay sprawled on the roadside, muttering incomprehensible gibberish.

From the depths of the alley came the faint sounds of a woman's laughter and a man's heavy breathing, mixed with some indescribable, fishy smell.

Mond walked at the back, his brow furrowed.

After walking for about two minutes, he finally couldn't help but speak.

"Doctor, that woman doesn't look like a good person."

His voice was muffled, carrying a sense of frustration.

"She speaks in riddles and her smile is fake; she's clearly up to no good. Why don't we go back and beat that woman up and find out what she's up to?"

Lin Yi paused for a moment upon hearing this.

He turned to look at Mond, his gaze lingering on the earnest face for two seconds before he raised his hand to cover his forehead.

Apart from Lilim, who has demonstrated remarkable intelligence in handling matters, the rest of the demon race seem to be developing in only one area.

Their brains are structured like a straight pipe, with all thoughts flowing in only one direction—fighting.

What do you do when you encounter a problem? Fight it.

What do you do when you encounter someone you dislike? Fight them.

What do you do when you encounter something you don't understand? Fight it first and then figure it out.

As for conspiracies, intrigues, and deceptions, there is simply no room for them to circulate in this straight pipe.

Lin Yi took a deep breath and was about to speak when Shang Yue, who was beside him, couldn't help but speak first.

A hint of undisguised disdain flashed in her silver eyes as she coldly glanced at Mond.

"Can't you use your brain?"

Mond paused for a moment, then frowned.

"How could I not use my brain? That woman's smile was so fake, there was definitely something wrong with it. If there's a problem, we should solve it, what's wrong with that?"

Shang Yue's lips twitched slightly.

She suddenly understood why the elders in her clan always said they hated the demon race.

It's not because of hatred, but because dealing with such a single-minded person is just too exhausting.

“Have you ever thought about this,” Shangyue’s voice remained cold, but with a hint of patience in it, “why did she act so fake in front of us? Why did she smile so cryptically? Why didn’t she just refuse us directly, but instead gave the information to the Bone Sheep?”

Mond scratched his head.

"Because she can't beat us?"

"..."

Shangyue was silent for two seconds, then looked away and stopped looking at him.

She was afraid that if she kept watching, she wouldn't be able to resist taking action.

The Feathered Clan hates these straightforward, reckless men the most; talking to them is like casting pearls before swine.

Seeing that Shangyue ignored him, Mond turned his gaze to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi sighed.

“Agati does have a problem, but not the kind of problem you’re thinking of.”

Mond blinked, waiting for what would happen next.

Lin Yi continued talking as he walked.

"She chickened out the moment she saw Bai Ye pull out the Nightmare God's arm. Did you notice her expression at that moment?"

Mond thought for a moment, then shook his head.

He was so busy looking at the room's furnishings and smelling the unpleasant fragrance that he didn't notice the woman's expression.

“She hid it well, but some things can’t be hidden,” Lin Yi said. “Although she quickly recovered, instinctive reactions don’t lie.”

Mond scratched his head.

"So she knew what it was?"

Lin Yi nodded.

"She not only knew about it, but she also had a close relationship with it."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the surging waves in the distance.

“Agati has an aura of power about her, much like the Nightmare God. She hides it very well; you wouldn’t notice her if you were just looking at her from a distance. But just now in the room, at such close range, both Bai Ye and I sensed it.”

Mond's eyes widened slightly.

"That woman is also a member of the Extinction Light Cult?"

Lin Yi shook his head.

"Not now, but in the past. She may have been a member of the Cult of Annihilation, or even a core member. That so-called Blood Raven is the manifestation of the Nightmare God's power within her."

He recalled seeing the raven tattoo on the arm of that strong pirate at the dock. At the time, he only thought it was the mark of the Black Sea King, but now he thought that the tattoo might have another meaning.

“However, she later broke free,” Lin Yi continued. “I don’t know how she did it, but she did successfully escape the control of the Nightmare God.”

Mond was a little confused, but at least he grasped a key point.

"So she was an enemy before, but not anymore?"

"Whether it was true before or not now is hard to say."

Lin Yi's eyes narrowed slightly.

"When the God of Nightmares was alive, she could only bury her innermost thoughts deep inside, daring not to reveal them in the slightest. But now that the God of Nightmares is dead, those things in her heart have begun to come alive."

Mond was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

"She wants to replace that Nightmare God?"

Lin Yi neither nodded nor denied it.

The silence itself is the answer.

Upon hearing this, Shang Yue's silver eyes flashed with a cold light.

"She wants to use us against Bone Sheep and Redbeard."

Her voice was cool, but there was a hint of certainty in her tone.

Lin Yi glanced at her and nodded slightly.

Agati's strategy of using one wolf to devour another was actually not very clever.

She gave the Bone Sheep a flight path map and the location of Bone Island, which on the surface appeared to be a sincere collaboration.

But if you think about it a little deeper, you'll understand her true intention.

The three legendary pirate crews: Redbeard is the strongest, Bone Sheep is the craziest, and she is the richest.

The three individuals were actually quite evenly matched; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to coexist on this vast ocean for so many years.

But the death of the Nightmare God shattered this balance.

Agati saw an opportunity.

She wanted to climb up the ladder, to become the one who truly controlled everything.

But she didn't dare to do it herself.

Redbeard had countless crew members under his command, and his influence extended to various seas and kingdoms.

Although that madman Bone Sheep was all alone, his strength was ridiculously high. Even the God of Nightmare didn't want to deal with him when he was alive.

She dares not offend anyone, yet everyone wants her.

Just then, Lin Yi and his group arrived.

These outsiders are powerful enough to kill gods.

Moreover, they were unfamiliar with the situation in this sea area, and even less aware of the backgrounds of the three legendary pirate groups.

Luring them over to deal with Bone Sheep and Redbeard won't hurt her, regardless of who wins or loses.

If Lin Yi and his group win, and Bone Sheep and Redbeard die, she will become the only legendary pirate captain on this vast sea.

If the Bone Sheep wins and Lin Yi and the others die, she won't suffer any loss. After all, the lives of those outsiders are none of her concern.

As for whether the Bone Sheep will turn against her—that's perfect, she can use the pretext of "avenging those poor outsiders" to unite with other forces to besiege the Bone Sheep.

No matter how you calculate it, you're not losing out.

After listening to Lin Yi's explanation, Mond remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he raised his hand and rubbed his temples vigorously.

"I hate this kind of convoluted thing the most."

His voice was muffled, carrying a sense of frustration.

"What's with all this scheming and plotting? Can't we just keep it simple? If it's an enemy, why not just kill them with one punch?"

Upon hearing this, Shangyue couldn't help but roll her eyes.

She rolled her eyes without any attempt to hide it, her silver eyes filled with disdain for this simpleton.

"You don't think about anything, you don't care about anything, and you just fight whenever something happens. It's a miracle that you've survived this long."

Upon hearing this, Mond frowned and was about to retort when Lin Yi raised his hand and pressed it down.

Both of them shut up at the same time.

Lin Yi didn't say anything more, and just continued walking forward.

The scenery on both sides of the street gradually became familiar, and the direction of the dock was not far away.

It was already evening when we got back to the dock.

The setting sun dyed the entire sea surface golden red, and the buildings on the back of the giant turtle cast long shadows in the afterglow.

The docks were still bustling, with laborers carrying goods weaving among the cargo, and the taverns wafting out rough songs and the aroma of roasted meat.

The Doomsday Ship sat quietly behind Turtle Island, its hull rising and falling gently with the waves.

Several chains hanging from the tortoise shell were tied to the bow of the ship, swaying slightly in the sea breeze and making a clanging metallic sound.

Su Xiao stood by the dock, talking to Amu.

Bubuwang squatted at his feet, licking its paws listlessly.

Baha landed on Am's shoulder, his black bean-like eyes scanning the surroundings.

Upon seeing Lin Yi and the others return, Baha was the first to speak.

"That man from the Black Sea King came to discuss the sea monster meat. He said you should go and gather intelligence first, and don't wait for him."

Lin Yi nodded, but did not board the ship. Instead, he turned and walked deeper into Turtle Island.

Intelligence is something that should be prepared as early as possible.

Agati's information about the Bone Sheep was too vague, only saying that the opponent was active in the Dark Sea and was an unkillable creature, adding that even the Nightmare God didn't want to provoke him when he was alive.

But there's no information on why he's invincible, what his abilities are, or where his weaknesses lie.

This was not something Agati deliberately concealed.

She probably really doesn't know.

After all, although the three legendary pirate crews appeared to be at peace with each other, they were actually all on guard against each other.

That madman, Bone Sheep, is a loner and never cooperates with anyone, making it extremely difficult to figure out his background.

But surely someone on Turtle Island knows. Those old pirates who spend years at sea, those outlaws who make a living in various seas, they hold the most secrets of this ocean in their mouths.

Lin Yi circled around Turtle Island and quickly found his target.

It was a small shop located deep in an alley.

The shop entrance was small, only wide enough for two people to pass side by side. A worn-out wooden sign hung at the entrance, with the word "Intelligence" written on it in crooked handwriting.

The edges of the wooden sign were worn so badly that their original color was no longer visible, and there were several dark red stains on it, which were unclear whether they were bloodstains or something else.

What's most special about this store is its location.

It's not in a bustling area, nor near the docks, but hidden deep in this secluded alley.

There were no taverns, no shops, and not even a single pedestrian around.

But those who want intelligence will always find their way here.

Lin Yi pushed open the door and went inside.

The store was larger than he had expected, about 30 square meters.

The ground was paved with rough stone slabs, and the walls were made of dark wood planks, covered with various papers—some were wanted posters, some were details of nautical charts, and some were handwritten reward notices.

At the very back was a dilapidated wooden table with an oil lamp on it, its dim yellow light casting shadows all around.

An old man was sitting behind the wooden table.

He looked to be in his seventies or eighties, with thinning, gray hair and a face covered in deep wrinkles.

Those eyes were so cloudy that the pupils were almost invisible, but for some reason, when his gaze fell on Lin Yi, Lin Yi felt as if something had swept over him.

The old man was wearing a dark gray, coarse cloth robe, which was covered in stains and tears.

His hands were withered and thin, and were now folded on the table. His fingernails were long and yellow, and looked like they hadn't been trimmed in a long time.

When Lin Yi walked in, the old man was dozing off with his head down.

The snoring was even and long, indicating that he was sleeping very soundly.

But as soon as Lin Yi took his second step, the old man opened his eyes.

Lin Yi stopped and looked at the old man.

The old man's lips twitched slightly, which could be considered a smile.

“Don’t be nervous, young man.” His voice was still hoarse, but there was a hint of reassurance in his tone. “That’s all I know. I know everything that’s happening on this sea.”

Lin Yi remained silent for two seconds, then sat down opposite him.

The old man watched his movements, then pulled out a worn-out earthenware jar from under the table and poured two cups of murky liquid into it.

The liquid had a strange smell, like cheap rum mixed with some kind of herbal flavor.

Lin Yi did not touch the glass of wine.

The old man didn't mind and picked up a cup to take a sip.

What do you want to ask?

"Bone Sheep".

The old man's hand paused slightly.

Those cloudy eyes looked at Lin Yi, their gaze carrying a complex meaning.

"That guy..."

He put down his wine glass, leaned back in his chair, and tapped the table lightly with his thin fingers, making a rhythmic tapping sound.

The silence lasted for a few seconds.

What do you want to know?

“Everything,” Lin Yi said. “His abilities, his weaknesses, his habits, and why he’s invincible.”

The old man listened to these questions with a strange expression on his face.

The expression was like a smile, but also like a sigh.

"Young man, do you know why even the God of Nightmares doesn't want to provoke him?"

Lin Yi didn't speak, he just looked at him.

The old man continued speaking.

"It's not because the bone sheep is so strong, it's because he's unkillable."

He paused, a glint of light flashing in his cloudy eyes.

"It's not an exaggeration, he's truly indestructible. If you slash him, the wound will heal instantly. If you stab him, he won't even bleed. If you chop him into mincemeat, he'll be jumping around in front of you the next day."

Lin Yi frowned slightly.

"Secret relics?"

The old man nodded.

"The Bone Sheep's secret relic is very special; it is not a weapon, nor armor, but a heart."

"The heart isn't inside him. He's hidden it somewhere, somewhere only he knows. As long as that heart is still there, he won't die."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi had already made his judgment.

He had seen similar abilities before.

As long as the original body is not destroyed, the opponent can be resurrected no matter how many times it is killed.

There is only one way to break this ability—find the heart and destroy it.

Where is the heart?

The old man shook his head.

"Nobody knows. There are all sorts of theories, but none of them can be confirmed."

He paused, then picked up his glass and took another sip.

"However, one thing is certain: that heart requires a special method to destroy."

Lin Yi nodded; this information was sufficient.

He stood up, took a money pouch from his pocket, and placed it on the table.

The money bag landed on the table with a dull thud. The opening came undone, and a few gold coins rolled out, gleaming softly in the dim light.

The old man didn't look at the gold coins, but instead looked at Lin Yi.

"Young man, since you paid so readily, I'll give you a free piece of advice."

Lin Yi stopped and turned to look at him.

The old man's eyes gleamed eerily in the dim light.

"Beware of the Black Sea Empress."

Lin Yi's gaze shifted slightly.

Seeing his reaction, a smile appeared on the old man's wrinkled face.

"You discovered it?"

Lin Yi did not answer.

The old man didn't need his answer.

He leaned back in his chair, his cloudy eyes narrowing slightly.

“I knew that girl joined the Mingguang Cult back then. I also knew when she left. I even know what she used to get the chance to leave.”

"But she thought nobody knew."

The old man gently shook his head, a calm and detached expression of someone who had seen it all before appearing on his face.

"Young man, nothing stays hidden forever. Everything you do will leave a trace."

Lin Yi didn't ask any more questions and turned to leave the shop.

Night had fallen, but Turtle Island became even more lively.

The singing in the tavern grew louder, and there were more pedestrians on the street.

The pirates who had been hiding somewhere during the day all came out now, wandering the streets, getting drunk in taverns, and looking for all sorts of fun in the alleys.

Lin Yi walked through the crowd toward the dock.

As he walked, he sorted through the information he had just received in his mind.

The Bone Sheep's power comes from the hidden heart; as long as the heart remains, he will not die.

Agati had joined the Church of the Light of Extinction years ago. What methods did he use to gain the opportunity to leave?

The head of that intelligence point knew about this, but didn't say what he used to exchange it.

When he reached the dock, Su Xiao had already come out of the small building.

The two exchanged a glance, and Su Xiao nodded slightly.

"It's settled. From now on, we'll supply marine mammal meat at cost price."

Lin Yi nodded; this was a good result.

The two returned to the Doom, where Amu had already set up a table and chairs on the deck.

Bubuwang lay beside him, yawning listlessly.

Lin Yi briefly recounted what the intelligence point owner had said.

"We have the location of Bone Island," Lin Yi said. "We also have the flight path map. If we move quickly, we can get there in a day."

Su Xiao nodded.

"Then let's try Bone Island first, and if that doesn't work, then we'll look for the heart."

The Doom unlocked its chains and slowly sailed out of the Turtle Island mooring area.

The giant turtle still floated lazily on the sea surface, its huge head retracted into its shell, with only the occasional rise and fall of its breath proving that it was alive.

The chains hanging from the tortoise shell swayed gently in the night breeze, making a clattering sound.

The Doomsday ship bypassed the giant tortoise's massive body and sailed out to sea.

Mordrac rose from the deep sea and followed behind the Doom, keeping a distance of about one nautical mile.

At the bow of the ship, Lin Yi stood beside Su Xiao.

What do you think Agati will do?

Su Xiao remained silent for two seconds.

"Wait."

He was concise and to the point.

Lin Yi understood what he meant.

Agati will not take action now.

She wanted to wait for Lin Yi and the others to deal with Bone Sheep and Redbeard, and wait for them to fight to the death.

Before that, she would stay on Turtle Island obediently, playing the role of a hospitable partner.

She will only move after the Bone Sheep dies and Redbeard dies as well.

At that point, she will go from being a partner to a new rival. (End of Chapter)