Versatile Mage: I have 999 talents!

Chapter 138 It’s hard for a clever woman to make a meal without rice
(Thanks to Sky Mirror: Ningjie for the donation!)

Wang Feng leaned against the white railing of the cruise ship, gazing at the clear blue sky, a self-deprecating bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"The duck that was about to be eaten has flown away."

Just now, as his fingertips were about to touch that last forbidden zone—Jiang Shaoxu suddenly sprang up like a startled rabbit.

She frantically tried to cover her swimsuit, which was about to slip off, and fled the pool area barefoot without even putting on slippers.

"I thought this sly fox had finally seen the light, but look what she's done!"

The future is now as solid as iron, but unfortunately, the clever woman is no longer by his side.

The sea breeze swept by, but it couldn't dispel Wang Feng's deep frustration.

Just then, soft footsteps came from behind.

"Master, are you alright?"

Wang Feng turned his head and saw Mu Tingying standing at the corner of the gangway.

A pale yellow chiffon dress was gently lifted by the sea breeze, revealing slender ankles.

"What brings you here?" Wang Feng raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you singing with Nan Jue and the others?"

Mu Tingying lowered her head, her voice barely audible: "I just saw Jiang Shaoxu running over in a panic."

Her gaze inadvertently swept over Wang Feng's swimming trunks, "and I was thinking that perhaps the master needs them."

Wang Feng gazed quietly at Mu Tingying before him, a subtle ripple stirring in his heart.

Although she knew this was the result of "optimization"—every choice she made prioritized him, and every bit of her loyalty was unwavering.

But at this moment, seeing her eyelashes trembling slightly with nervousness and hearing her whispered concern, a kind of indescribable sense of satisfaction spread through my heart.

Like a cup of warm tea unexpectedly found on a winter's day, its temperature is just right, soothing the palm of your hand.

Wang Feng leaned back lazily in the lounge chair and beckoned to Mu Tingying with his finger.

"come over."

Mu Tingying immediately stepped forward obediently, her skirt swaying gently with her movements.

The moment she stood still, Wang Feng suddenly grabbed her slender wrist and, with a slight pull—

"Yeah~"

Mu Tingying was caught off guard and fell into Wang Feng's arms.

Wang Feng's palm moved along the lines of Mu Tingying's spine, his movements as practiced as if he were playing a familiar musical instrument.

As his fingertips climbed the soft mountainside, he unexpectedly touched a cold metal ring.

"You're still wearing it?" Wang Feng looked at Mu Tingying with great surprise.

“This was put on me by my master, so naturally I won’t take it off,” Mu Tingying said softly.

Wang Feng's fingertips threaded through the metal ring, gently tugging at it, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

Aren't you afraid someone will find out?

Mu Tingying did not answer Wang Feng's question directly, but instead asked, "Then, Master, do you want me to be exposed, or not?"

"Jie Jie Jie~"

Wang Feng chuckled twice.

"Let's cook the rice first, you clever housewife!"

Mu Tingying nodded, knelt down next to the lounge chair, and began to help Wang Feng solve his problems.

...

the other side.

"Old Zhao, you've chosen a terrible fishing spot," Mo Fan said irritably, tugging at the fishing line. "It's been three hours, and the float hasn't moved an inch."

Zhao Manyan leisurely adjusted the angle of his fishing rod: "What's the rush? Fishing is like picking up girls; it's all about playing hard to get."

"You're kidding me!" Mo Fan kicked the empty ice bucket. "Who promised the captain this morning that the whole team would have enough seafood tonight? Now we're out of food, what are we going to eat?"

"Oh dear, even a clever housewife can't cook without rice. But as long as you have rice, there are plenty of clever housewives to cook for you. Look, what's this?" Zhao Manyan mysteriously pulled a crystal bottle out of his pocket.

"A seductive agent? Aren't you afraid of attracting sirens?" Mo Fan said in surprise.

"What's there to be afraid of? We have a ship full of high-level mages, and this is just a low-level magic lure, which can only attract servant-level sea monsters."

"Besides, you've had siren sashimi in Sakura before, that stuff is just large-sized seafood!" Zhao Manyan said.

Mo Fan stroked his chin: "That seems to be the case."

Zhao Manyan uncorked the bottle and poured the red liquid from the crystal bottle into the sea.

A moment later, Mo Fan and Zhao Manyan began to serve the fish... no, it should be called the Shanghai serow.

……

……

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the cruise ship was about to arrive at the port of Tinoaia in Portugal.

This coastal city is known as the Pearl of the Atlantic and is a renowned hunter's capital.

Countless hunters eager to discover the treasures of the ocean gather here, and spend lavishly here.

Neon-lit casinos, all-night bars, and arenas teeming with magicians—an atmosphere of decadence permeates every corner of the city.

As the cruise ship slowly entered the harbor, a massive, imposing skeleton was fully revealed to everyone.

The pale bones gleamed coldly in the sunlight, each rib curving higher than the hull of the ship.

"What the hell is this?!" Zhao Manyan gasped, involuntarily taking a half-step back.

Jiang Yu's fingers trembled slightly, and his pupils behind his glasses contracted sharply: "Sea Mammoth. Its upper body resembles an ancient giant elephant, while its lower body is that of a whale. They usually inhabit the deep sea and are gentle sea monsters that rarely attack humans."

Nan Jue frowned as he carefully examined the skeleton: "Strange. The bones are so well preserved, but the flesh and internal organs have completely disappeared."

"The density of the bones is also abnormal; they can actually float, just like a ship!" Jiang Shaoxu added.

"Why bother with all this!" Zu Jiming interrupted impatiently. "Let's finish the national tournament and get out of here. This awful place is giving me the creeps."

……

On his way to the Portuguese pavilion, Mo Fan suddenly stopped.

"Old Wang, I want to investigate that skeleton." He scratched his head, but his eyes shone with an astonishing light. "With you guys in the National Tournament, we're all set."

Wang Feng glanced at everyone and noticed that Jiang Shaoxu was secretly glancing in the direction of the port, while Mu Ningxue and Nan Jue also had thoughtful expressions.

"Go ahead if you want to go, I'll take care of the National Pavilion," Wang Feng said, waving his hand.

The challenge for the National Pavilion is naturally without any suspense.

They easily defeated the Portuguese pavilion and earned the Challenge Chapter.

...

In the evening, as everyone returned to their posts, Wang Feng noticed that Mu Ningxue's face was unusually pale.

After dinner, Wang Feng took Mu Ningxue to the hotel rooftop. The night breeze ruffled her long hair, and her profile appeared exceptionally serene in the moonlight.

"Ning Xue, what happened?" Wang Feng asked softly.

Mu Ningxue took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly: "It's a drowning curse."

Mu Ningxue recounted to Wang Feng her first encounter with the Drowning Curse in Sakura Naval Battle City, and her subsequent sighting of another Drowning Curse near the harbor shortly after leaving the team.

Upon hearing this, Wang Feng gently tapped his fingertips on the rooftop railing.

He still remembered what the Drowning Curse was.

Parasitic Demon—Maggot!
This fragile demon, which dies as soon as it leaves water, possesses the terrifying ability to kill powerful beings.

The massive mammoth skeleton in the port was probably hollowed out from the inside by these tiny demons, ultimately becoming nourishment for their growth.

Wang Feng naturally remembered the solution, but he was not willing to be a nanny for the wicked maggots!
In particular, the bounty pool for the [Drowning Curse] is a mere 300 million.
"Don't worry, Ningxue, the Drowning Curse isn't scary. Leave it to me," Wang Feng said, gently stroking Mu Ningxue's cheek.

(End of this chapter)