Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

When Lin Yi stepped onto the wooden planks of the dock, the surrounding noise noticeably decreased.

The pirates who had been crowding the dock to watch the spectacle automatically moved aside, making way for a narrow passage.

Their gazes swept back and forth between Lin Yi and Su Xiao. Some whispered among themselves, some craned their necks to get a better look, and a few bolder ones stood on tiptoe to peer at the flag at the bow of the Doom.

Turtel squeezed his way out of the crowd.

His movements were quick, but not hasty, and his wrinkled face wore just the right amount of respect.

Turtel walked quickly to Lin Yi and stopped three steps away.

His gaze shifted from Lin Yi's face to the flag on the bow of the Doom ship, lingered for less than a second, and then looked away.

That brief pause was enough for him to confirm that the flag was real.

Turtel took a deep breath, as if he were suppressing some emotion.

"Lord Agati requests your presence." His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, enough for the pirates around him to hear clearly.

There was a brief silence on the dock for about two seconds, then the whispers became more frequent.

The pirates exchanged glances, a smile playing on their lips that was hard to decipher.

Some leaned against the wooden crates, arms crossed, heads tilted, looking like they were watching a good show.

Some squatted on the edge of the dock, still holding wine glasses in their hands, not caring if the wine spilled.

A few even climbed up the mast, found a comfortable spot to sit, and looked down at the scene from above.

On this vast ocean, the scumbag rivalries between the three legendary pirate crews are well-known.

Redbeard and Bone Sheep don't get along, Bone Sheep and Agati have a past grudge, and Agati and Redbeard are outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds.

This triangular structure lasted for decades, with no one able to eliminate the other, and no one daring to make any rash moves.

But those things that happen in the shadows, those shady deals, those backstabbing tactics—anyone who's been in this business for a long time knows all about them.

Especially Agati, a woman who managed to climb to the position of captain of one of the three legendary pirate groups. How many tricks, schemes, and shady dealings were behind it? The pirates might not dare to say it, but they all knew the story in their hearts.

Some say she has an affair with a high-ranking official in the Kingdom of Fuinding; others say she left the Church of the Light by selling out the Bone Sheep; still others say her businesses are illegitimate and only survive because Redbeard turns a blind eye.

These are words that can only be spoken in hushed tones in taverns, and after speaking they must look around carefully, for fear of being overheard.

Now, Agati's underhanded methods are completely ineffective against these people.

The flag of the Bone Sheep flew at the bow of the ship, and the dozens of ships following behind the black sailboat were the best witnesses to this.

Agati is known for his scheming and using others to do his dirty work, but now that they've used up their power, they're coming back to settle scores with you. Let's see what you do now.

Turt could certainly feel the gazes around him. He had spent most of his life at sea; he had seen all sorts of things and endured all kinds of stares.

The pirates looked at him with mockery, schadenfreude, and a hint of barely concealed pleasure.

He didn't care about any of that; what he cared about was the attitude of the two people in front of him.

Lin Yi's gaze swept over him, and he strode forward.

Turt stepped aside and followed half a step behind Lin Yi.

The distance is carefully chosen; it's neither too far nor too close, so that it doesn't make people feel that he's trying too hard to please, nor does it make them feel that he's being impolite.

The pirates on the dock watched this scene. Some clicked their tongues, some shook their heads, and one muttered something, but was pulled back by the person next to him, and swallowed the rest of his words.

Everyone knows Turtle's status on Turtle Island: the second mate of the Black Sea King, an old man who followed Agati in conquering the world, and the one who has the final say on the island.

Normally, when the pirates saw him, they would all bow and scrape, and all of them would have a smile on their face.

Now, following behind two strangers, I don't even dare to straighten my back.

Walk through the dock area and onto the street that leads to the center of the island.

There were more people on both sides of the street than on the dock, their eyes following Lin Yi and Su Xiao's backs, whispers rising and falling.

"Those two?"

"Yes, they came back from the Bone Sheep."

"He doesn't look that formidable."

"What do you know? They just keep a low profile."

"Agati has really messed up this time."

"It's good that she's fallen, let her taste what it's like to have someone choke her."

The sound was very low, but it was still clearly audible.

Turt listened to these words without any change in expression on his face.

He didn't quicken his pace, maintaining a distance that wasn't too close or too far, following behind Lin Yi.

Arriving at the light red building, four pirates stood at the door.

These guys usually look fierce and menacing, and their eyes are always filled with a hint of malice when they look at people.

They stood there, shoulders hunched, chins down, eyes fixed on the ground, barely daring to breathe.

As Lin Yi approached, their bodies tensed up noticeably, but no one dared to reach out and stop him, or even look up at him.

Lin Yi ignored them and pushed open the door, walking straight in.

The pirates' legs were trembling, and one of them had such a trembling hand that the curved sword at his waist was gently tapping against its scabbard, making a soft, rustling sound.

They were not afraid of Turt, not afraid of Agati, and not even afraid of Redbeard.

But they were afraid of the two people in front of them.

Bone Sheep is dead, and all those inhuman creatures under his command are gone too. They aren't even worthy of carrying Bone Sheep's shoes; in front of these two, they're not even ants.

The lobby on the first floor was still the same as before, with the fresh scent of green tangerines wafting in the air, the floor so clean you could see your reflection in it, and the oil paintings on the walls hanging neatly.

The old woman in the dark robe stood at the top of the stairs, head bowed, hands clasped in front of her, her posture as respectful as if she were welcoming some important person.

As Lin Yi walked past her, she slightly shifted her body to make way for him on the stairs.

The door on the third floor was open.

Sunlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the entire room with brightness and warmth.

Black Sea Empress Agati stood by the window, her back to the door. She wore a dark robe, simple in style and exquisite in fabric. Her long hair was tied back with a silver ribbon, revealing her fair and slender neck.

She was very relaxed, with her hands folded in front of her and her back straight, looking nothing like someone awaiting trial.

Lin Yi walked into the room and, without waiting for her to speak, pulled out a chair and sat down.

Agati turned around.

She had a smile on her face, very naturally, as if she were welcoming an old friend who had come from afar.

“Turt said you brought back the Bone Sheep’s banner.” Her voice was soft, with a touch of just the right amount of emotion in her tone. “I thought the best outcome would be a lose-lose situation. I never expected you to actually kill the Bone Sheep.”

Her expression didn't change at all when she said those words.

She wanted to see how the person in front of her would respond to that sentence—whether they would show smugness, arrogance, or the magnanimity of a victor.

Lin Yi didn't reply; he just sat there, looking at her calmly.

Agati's smile froze slightly.

Having spent so many years at sea, she had seen all sorts of people—arrogant, treacherous, cunning, and ruthless. But she couldn't see through the person in front of her.

He possessed neither the arrogance of a victor nor the aggressiveness of a vengeful one.

But it was precisely this calmness that made her feel an inexplicable pressure.

She recalled seeing this person in that small building yesterday, and she thought she had seen through him.

A greenhorn from out of town, with some skills and ambition, but ultimately an outsider, completely ignorant of the rules of this vast sea.

She gave Bone Sheep a navigation map, the location of Bone Island, and promised to supply sea monster meat at cost price.

She thought everything was going according to her plan, and that even if these people could kill Bone Sheep, they would have to pay a considerable price.

Then she can reap the benefits and become the only legendary pirate captain on this sea.

Now that Bone Sheep is truly dead, his flag hangs on the bow of the ship, and all his pirate crew is gone. Their territory, shipping routes, and businesses are all now ownerless.

But she found herself unable to be happy, because she suddenly realized something—the person in front of her had seen through her thoughts from the very beginning.

They're not crazy or reckless; they're clearly confident and determined to get information about Bone Sheep.

It's a shame that Agati was so foolish as to think she had outsmarted someone else. Now look what happened, she's not only failed to save face, but has also exposed her own shortcomings.

She took a deep breath, raised her hand, and clapped her hands gently.

Applause rang out in the quiet room, crisp and brief.

Upon hearing this signal, the old woman standing at the door turned around and went out. A moment later, she came back in carrying a wooden box.

The old woman placed the wooden box on the table in front of Lin Yi, bent down, took a few steps back, and stood back in the doorway.

"This is what I feel for you." Her voice was very soft.

Lin Yi reached out and opened the wooden box.

A total of twenty soul crystals (complete).

Su Xiao sat beside Lin Yi, her expression unchanged.

But Lin Yi could sense that his gaze lingered on the wooden box for a few seconds.

Twenty complete soul crystals—that's a fortune anywhere, and in a world like the Viking Sea, they're incredibly rare and precious.

Agati's ability to produce such a large number of soul crystals in such a short time indicates that she indeed had a considerable stockpile, and that she had spared no expense to save her life.

Lin Yi closed the box lid and tapped the surface of the wooden box lightly with his fingers, producing two crisp tapping sounds.

He looked up at Agati.

"not enough."

The voice was very calm, as calm as if saying that the weather was nice today.

Agati's expression changed.

She took a deep breath, then another, to suppress the chill that surged from the depths of her heart.

“Such a large soul stone would be a treasure among treasures even on the ocean.” Her voice was relatively steady, but there was a slight, almost imperceptible tremor at the end. “Aren’t you afraid of ruining things?”

The moment she said those words, she found them laughable.

To break off relations? What does she have to offer in order to break off relations with someone?

Her only trump card is this Turtle Island, the giant turtle that has lived for countless years, and the mechanisms and traps hidden on the island.

But are these trump cards enough to deal with someone capable of killing an ancient god?

Lin Yi stood up.

The stool leg scraped against the floor and made a slight creaking sound.

He walked around the table, stood in front of Agati, and looked down at her.

They were very close, close enough that Agati could see the fine lines in his eyes and feel the subtle pressure emanating from him.

That sense of oppression wasn't deliberate, nor was it the kind of arrogance that comes from baring one's teeth and brandishing one's claws; rather, it was a composure that emanated from the very core of one's being.

Like a ferocious beast standing in front of its prey, it doesn't need to bare its teeth or growl; just standing there is enough to make the prey's legs go weak.

“If you die,” Lin Yi said softly, “your inventory will also be mine.”

Agati's body stiffened.

Looking at the person in front of her, she suddenly realized that all her scheming and planning over the past few decades had become a joke in front of him.

She thought she was a chess player who could manipulate and exploit others, and reap the benefits from their battles.

Only now did she realize that she had never been a player; she was merely a pawn who thought herself clever.

"And don't think I don't know. After the Bone Sheep dies this time, you'll get a huge slice of the pie from its territory. You're dreaming if you only want the benefits without giving anything in return."

He raised his hand and gently patted Agati's cheek.

The movement was very gentle, as if it were soothing a naive child.

But Agati only felt a chill spread from his cheeks to his whole body, seeping from his skin into his blood vessels, and from his blood vessels into his bone marrow.

She had spent so many years on this sea, experiencing countless life-and-death situations and facing numerous formidable enemies, but she had never felt this way before.

She suddenly realized something: the person in front of her had never considered her an opponent from the very beginning.

In their eyes, she wasn't even qualified to be a rival.

People deal with her not because she's particularly cunning or because her conditions are particularly attractive, but simply because they're too lazy to deal with her.

If she knows what's good for her and hands over what's due, they might spare her life.

If she doesn't know what's good for her, she'll end up like the Bone Sheep, unable to even protect the flag.

Agati closed his eyes.

She took a deep breath, then another, clearing those jumbled thoughts from her mind.

She has lived on this sea for so many years, climbing from an unknown nobody to where she is today, not because of her abilities, but because of her brains.

What do you want?

Rather than being thrown into some unknown place to die like a bone sheep, it's better to be sensible and give what you're entitled to.

Lin Yi looked at her, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

He withdrew his hand, turned around, and walked back to his seat, his movements as casual as if nothing had happened.

"Tell me what else you have."

"After I take over the territory of the Bone Sheep, 30% of the profits will be yours. As long as I, Agati, remain the pirate captain of this sea, 30% of the profits will be delivered to you every year, without missing a penny."

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

“No need.” Lin Yi suddenly said something that stunned Agati.

It's worth noting that a 30% share of the profits is already quite high. After all, Agati also incurs costs in opening up new routes. This time, Agati paid a huge price to save her life, essentially giving away all of her profits.

“I need high-quality soul stones, or rare equipment and materials. We don’t need these route divisions or anything like that.” Lin Yi looked at Agati. To them, this world was just a transit point.

Choosing these flight routes would be a complete waste, so it's better to stick to something more substantial. (End of Chapter)