Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 117 Fishing
As the wooden crates scattered, a strange, cone-shaped object appeared among them. Li Wei looked at the odd thing before him and shrugged helplessly. Then he turned to look at the second mate who had come with him.

"Please take this to the stern, immediately! Also, inform the captain not to start the ship until I say it's okay!"

"Ah, yes!"

Although he didn't know what Levi was going to do, the second mate nodded and, with two sailors, carried the strange cone away. After watching them leave, Levi shook his head and then reached out his hand.

"I didn't expect to use it so soon. I hope it works well."

As he spoke, Li Wei reached out and placed it on the wall beside him. Then, a mysterious and eerie skull and crossbones flag pattern appeared on the wall.

At the same time, a system notification appeared in front of Li Wei.

[The target ghost ship core has been assigned. Activate its trait?]

"activation."

Upon seeing the system notification, Li Wei quickly gave an affirmative answer.

The next moment, a strange sensation immediately connected Li Wei with the North Star.

From that moment on, the North Star seemed to become an extension of Li Wei's being. He even sensed that the entire ship had changed. To Li Wei, the ship held no secrets. He could easily perceive every corner and every place on the ship, and he knew exactly what everyone on board was doing.

Moreover, the North Star itself has also undergone some changes.

Previously, Li Wei could sense that the North Star was floating heavily on the water's surface, a feeling of tangible weight. But now, the North Star felt more like an ethereal, intangible entity, something between illusion and reality, seemingly in the sea, yet also not there…

At the same time, a fog began to spread all around, not just in a physical sense, but also like a mental fog, causing people to lose their sense of distance and direction...

In fact, Li Wei also sensed that the monster that had been charging menacingly toward the North Star had slowed down and was now circling around hesitantly, as if it couldn't find the North Star's location.

I have to say, this thing is really useful.

However, that alone is not enough.

Li Wei pulled himself out of his thoughts. Under these circumstances, even the North Star itself could not navigate normally, so the most urgent task was to deal with that monster as soon as possible.

With that in mind, Li Wei left the guest room and quickly went to the aft deck.

"Boom, boom, boom!!"

At this moment, the sky was still filled with raging winds and torrential rain, and the mist generated by the activation of the [Ghost Ship] core made everything before them even more eerie and dangerous.

Levi changed into his hunter's suit, which, compared to formal wear and suits, was made of leather and better suited for rain protection. He went to the back of the deck and watched several sailors carry the strange cone to the stern. At that moment, the second mate ran over, wiping the rain from his face and shouting loudly.

"What should we do now, Detective?"

"Bring the harpoon and obey my orders."

Li Wei stared at the sea shrouded in mist before him. His [Soul Vision] allowed him to see the monster circling around. Clearly, due to the interference of the [Ghost Ship]'s abilities, it was currently unable to locate the North Star.

However… this guy does seem to have gotten smaller.

Li Wei clearly remembered that when he first observed the Puppet Bird, it was still some distance away from the Arctic Star, but at that time its size appeared to be about the same as the Arctic Star. Logically speaking, if it got closer, its size would only increase.

But in fact, even if it gets closer now, judging from Li Wei's [Soul Vision], it's roughly estimated to be less than fifty meters away... Of course, that's already quite large for a living being.

However, compared to the legends of sea monsters, the number of such creatures is considerably smaller.

Moreover, its movements don't seem very agile.

Could what Annie said actually be useful?

The thought flashed through Li Wei's mind. Regardless of whether the strange behavior of the sea monster was related to Annie's previous "science popularization", at least he didn't have to face a monster that was hundreds of meters long and as big as a small island.

So, how do we deal with this miniature sea monster?
Li Wei already has an idea.

He stared at the sea, silently watching the sea monster get closer and closer. Clearly, although the fog from the ghost ship interfered with the sea monster's perception, it knew that its prey was nearby!
Soon, very soon...

Li Wei watched as the sea monster drew closer and closer, then he raised his hand and suddenly swung it.

"Throw that thing down!"

Upon hearing Li Wei's order, the second mate and the sailors did not hesitate and pushed the strange cone-shaped object down.

"Pfft!"

The cone-shaped object plummeted into the water, and at the same time, Li Wei activated his [Puppeteer] ability. As the cone entered the water, the propeller behind it began to spin rapidly!

"Splash splash splash splash!"

With the sound of water, the mysterious object quickly plunged into the water and swam towards the sea monster.

Li Wei also saw that, just as he started, the sea monster that had been wandering around looking for prey seemed to have noticed the change and suddenly turned its head to pounce on its "bait"!
Well done!
Seeing this, Li Wei secretly cheered. He then maneuvered the "bait" away from the Arctic Star, feigning an escape. Sure enough, the sea monster accelerated again, clearly afraid of losing its prey!
The sea monster was incredibly fast. Levi, maneuvering the "bait," had only been running for a few minutes when the monster caught up. From Levi's perspective, he could even see the seawater surging behind him, just like those scenes in man-eating shark movies where a shark chases and bites a person!
Thankfully, it wasn't Li Wei there right now, otherwise he might have been so scared that his legs would have cramped up!

In fact, Li Wei also felt his legs were weak and his calves were cramping.

Although Li Wei has been in this world for a long time, he has seen dead people, monsters, and ghosts. He can be said to be a veteran of many battles and has seen a lot.

But the monsters in the sea... are really different!

However, despite his initial hesitation, Li Wei hadn't forgotten what he needed to do. He once again manipulated the "bait," speeding forward as if he had detected a threat behind him and was trying to escape. The sea monster, clearly fooled, mistook the bait for prey and accelerated forward again!
Well come!
Seeing this, Li Wei was overjoyed. He then manipulated the "bait" and suddenly turned around, lunging straight at the sea monster!
This move clearly caught the sea monster off guard. It had always been the one chasing its prey, but now the prey was running into its mouth.
However, before the sea monster could react, the "bait" followed the current of the seawater and plunged into its mouth!

It's now!

Using the [Puppeteer] to manipulate the "bait," Li Wei reacted immediately after seeing his bait enter the other's mouth. He opened his right hand and then snapped his fingers.

Then, with a soft "click," the "bait" scattered in all directions!

That's right, this "bait" is actually a... lifeboat!

This is understandable; Levi was terrified the Arctic Star would sink. Besides, the movies and novels all say that even if you're lucky enough to be a swimmer, prolonged immersion in seawater can cause hypothermia and lead to death. Jack and Rose are the best examples. If Jack hadn't been in the water, he might not have died.

So he also had Eileen build a lifeboat according to her own ideas.

Of course, this is not the kind of lifeboat used on the Far North Star today, but a compressed lifeboat made using mechanical engineering and steam engine principles!

Li Wei had naturally conducted experiments as well. This kind of boat can be folded up normally, and when needed, it can be expanded and fixed using hydraulic and pneumatic pressure to form a lifeboat. Although it is not big when folded up, it can fit a cargo box and is only about two people tall.

But once opened, it's at least as large as the small steamships the captain mentioned used by pirates, easily accommodating dozens of people. And given Li Wei's love of luxury, this isn't just a simple lifeboat; it also includes rooms, resembling a modern small yacht. Even in a storm, people can easily find shelter from the wind and rain inside.

Of course, this thing is no longer of its original use.

Because it was directly fed to the sea monster by Levi!

"———————!!"

This thing, when unfolded, wasn't particularly large, but it wasn't small either. If the sea monster hadn't swallowed it whole, there might have been a chance of survival. However, Levi used a folding design, which meant that once the lifeboat expanded and deformed, blocking the sea monster's throat, the monster was completely helpless against it!

When explaining sea monsters, Anne mentioned that to withstand the pressure, the bodies of these enormous creatures on the ocean floor must be extremely hard. Only in this way can they withstand the immense water pressure without bursting. Conversely, if they need to move between different depths, their internal bodies must be soft, allowing them to adjust to internal and external pressure as quickly as possible.

Now, when the expanding lifeboat gets stuck in the sea monster's throat, it doesn't feel like a fishbone stuck in its throat, but more like a sharp knife piercing its throat!

"Crash!"

The sea began to roar.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

The second mate and sailors standing at the stern were also terrified. They looked down at the sea, though the fog obscured their vision. The constantly surging waves filled them with dread. Just watching the rolling, churning waves instilled a profound sense of unease…

Li Wei remained silent, staring at the sea, awaiting the final outcome.

There's not much he can do now. That thing is already stuck in the sea monster's neck. If the sea monster doesn't want to die, then all Li Wei can do is shoot it a few times.

If the sea monster dies... then... naturally everything will be fine.

Just then, Li Wei's expression suddenly changed.

"Back off!"

As he spoke, Li Wei quickly retreated, and the others, though unaware of what was happening, hurriedly followed him and evacuated.

Almost at the same time…

"Awooo—!"

A deep, loud, and deafening roar suddenly rang out, followed by a surge of waves!
A huge shadow bursts forth from underwater!
It was even taller than the Arctic Star, its massive size resembling that of a whale. Its roar sounded like an ancient, terrifying cry!
Although shrouded in mist, making it difficult to see its true form, the scene before our eyes is enough to send chills down our spines!

The second mate and the sailors were so frightened that they collapsed to the ground, trembling and speechless with shock!

"Quickly, now! Aim at that monster!"

Li Wei grabbed the sailor and loudly gave him the order. He had now keenly realized one thing: this monster was bound to die, but the problem was, he couldn't let it die in vain!
Li Wei had already tested the effects of rumors. He had even used this method to torment that unfortunate bishop to the point of wishing for death, turning him into a seriously ill, gender-misconception-distorted psychopath.

Conversely, what if this tactic were used to deal with sea monsters?

Even if sea monsters really exist, if we can produce solid evidence to make people believe that these sea monsters are not as scary as they imagine, then wouldn't they really not be so scary?

Li Wei wasn't sure, but he could give it a try!

Trying it won't kill anyone, right?

"quick!"

Li Wei shouted as he returned to the deck. He had already instructed the second mate and others to bring out the whaling equipment the captain had mentioned. From its appearance, it resembled a medieval siege crossbow, with a frame at the bottom and a harpoon on top, which was aimed and fired.

By inserting a barbed harpoon into the whale's body, one can pin the whale down and eventually kill it.

This thing is also very powerful. Because it fires in a manner similar to artillery, the impact is considerable. Even ordinary whales cannot withstand its attack.

As for whether sea monsters can... we'll see.

Although the second mate and sailors were dumbfounded by the sea monster in front of them, they still instinctively obeyed Li Wei's orders and hurriedly stepped forward to help him lift the whaling cannon, while Li Wei stared at the monster and locked onto the target.

Then, a cold glint appeared.

"boom!!"

With a loud bang, the huge harpoon shot out and pierced straight into the sea monster's gaping mouth, going right through its head!
"———————!"

At this moment, the sea monster's screams grew even more intense, and at the same time, the surrounding storm and lightning roared and flashed, as if displaying the sea monster's rage before its death.

The sea monster sank into the sea, and the rope connecting the harpoon spun rapidly, stretched, and finally came to an end.

"Boom!"

Had the entire device not been secured, the heavy harpoon could have easily fallen into the sea. Even so, everyone felt a sudden tremor beneath their feet, and the deck itself shook violently.

Goodness, this thing is incredibly strong?
Li Wei gripped the railing beside him, his face deathly pale. Luckily, this sea monster was only about thirty meters long "now." If it were several hundred meters long, he might as well just run away instead of fighting it.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The torrential rain poured down, and the surrounding storm was mixed with raindrops, making it impossible to open one's eyes. The gale, the giant waves, and the roar of the sea monster blended together, indistinguishable from each other.

After an unknown amount of time, the storm gradually subsided.

Only then did Li Wei open his eyes and head towards the deck. He saw that the whaling cannon had been pulled to the edge of the stern, and if it hadn't been wedged against the railing, it would probably have already fallen overboard.

Its rope remained perfectly still, taut and straight.

Li Wei took a breath, walked to the edge of the stern deck, and looked down.

Then he saw a huge creature floating on the sea not far away, bobbing up and down with the waves.

"call…………………"

Only then did Li Wei breathe a sigh of relief. He then turned his head and looked at the second mate who was staring blankly at him.

"Get a few people and pull this guy out of the water."

Then, Li Wei spoke.

(End of this chapter)