Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 126 Promotion to Dock Manager, Setting Off Again (Three Chapters, 1.1 Words, Seeking Subscriptions)
So these past two days, whenever Chen Ye had time, he reinforced the enslavement mark he had left in Li Qingyan's heart, for fear of making any further mistakes.

Ultimately, the current situation stems from insufficient strength.

If I were unafraid of the Blood Lotus Sect's investigation, I would have killed this woman with a single blow long ago, instead of going through all this trouble.

Fortunately, the Spirit Orb has now been obtained, and the next voyage of the Ark of the Other Shore can finally begin.

However, Chen Ye did not set off immediately. He looked at his tattered criminal clothes and then at the misty Blackwater Lake, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

He has always regarded the main world as a temporary transit point, a refueling station that provides fuel for the Ark to the other side, so he leaves after using it, and sometimes even has a deliberate desire to escape.

However, Li Qingyan's appearance this time revealed only the tip of the iceberg of the internal strife within the Blood Lotus Sect, which set off alarm bells in his mind.

The main world was far more dangerous and full of uncertainty than he had imagined.

Although he, a criminal adrift on the edge, may seem to be living a life of peace and tranquility, that is merely his own illusion. Any change in his situation will bring about his death.

Even if Li Qingyan is subdued this time, it will only temporarily alleviate the immediate crisis and will not solve the fundamental problem.

So we can't keep being so passive. We need to build up some of our own power, even if it's very basic and weak, it's at least a good start.

Moreover, as long as you make yourself important, you won't be targeted even if someone else takes over.

After all, Chen Ye understood the thoughts of these Blood Lotus Sect disciples. In their eyes, they, these criminals, were not even human. If there was any way to deal with them, they wouldn't say a word more than necessary.

If someone could help them manage the criminals at this time, as long as they paid their due share in full, they would be very happy to see it happen.

With this in mind, Chen Ye made a plan, then put away the spirit pearl, pushed open the door, and went straight to Li Qingyan's residence.

……

At this moment, Li Qingyan was staring blankly at his own face, which was both familiar and unfamiliar, in the bronze mirror.

Just then, the door was violently pushed open.

Li Qingyan trembled. When she saw that it was Chen Ye, she quickly stood up and respectfully lowered her head.

"Lord...Master."

Chen Ye strode in, sat down in the main seat without any ceremony, and looked at her calmly.

"I want to be a manager at the docks."

"What?" Li Qingyan looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with astonishment.

She had just imagined many possibilities, such as the man demanding more cultivation resources or making some more humiliating and excessive requests.

But what he never expected was that all he wanted was the identity of a lowly criminal leader.

"Is there a problem?" Chen Ye's voice remained completely calm.

"No...no!" Li Qingyan's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head. "This servant will announce it tomorrow."

She didn't dare ask why, nor did she want to.

This man's thoughts were as unfathomable as an abyss; all she had to do was obey.

The next morning, Li Qingyan appeared again on the familiar dock platform.

The criminals below the stage were no longer as excited as they had been a few days ago, and had reverted to their numb and resigned state.

The old system has been restored, but people still face the cold lake water and the threat of death every day, so life has not fundamentally changed.

"In order to improve pearl harvesting efficiency and incentivize outstanding performers, I have decided to appoint an additional deputy manager to assist me in managing all affairs of the dock."

Li Qingyan's cool voice echoed throughout the dock.

All the criminals were stunned and looked at each other in bewilderment.

Deputy steward? What kind of position is that?
Before they could figure it out, Li Qingyan's gaze fell on Chen Ye in the crowd.

“Chen Ye, a criminal, has achieved remarkable results in pearl harvesting, far surpassing ordinary people. From this day forward, you will assume this position!”

boom!
One stone caused a thousand waves!

All eyes immediately turned to Chen Ye.

Envy, jealousy, shock, disbelief... a variety of complex emotions permeated the crowd.

Why?
Why him?
How did this usually quiet and unremarkable guy, who was only good at collecting pearls, suddenly rise to the top?

Li Qingyan ignored everyone's reactions, turned and left after making the announcement, leaving the stage to Chen Ye.

Chen Ye walked slowly up the platform, facing countless complex gazes.

He didn't waste any words; his voice was calm and steady, reaching everyone's ears.

"From today onwards, three rules will be established."

"First, the Yin-expelling talisman, distributed according to the number of people's hairs. Anyone who dares to withhold it, I will twist their head off."

"Second, the person who collects the most pearls each day will be rewarded with a serving of meat."

"Third, private fights and bullying are strictly prohibited within the dock area. Violators will be severely punished."

His words were simple and direct, yet they were like heavy bombs, exploding in the hearts of the lifeless sinners.

Is the distribution of talismans for exorcising evil spirits fair and just?
Doing a good job means you get to eat meat?

You must not be bullied again.
Is this...is this real?

Their long-standing despair had numbed their hearts.

But Chen Ye's three rules were like a glimmer of light, piercing through the thick darkness and allowing them to see a glimmer of hope.

Among the crowd, some of the bullied newcomers began to subtly shift their initial jealousy into a hint of awe.

However, in a corner of the dock, the faces of several old criminals were so gloomy they could drip water.

The leader was a one-eyed man with a hideous scar on his face, known as Ghost Three.

He stared intently at Chen Ye on the high platform, his single eye filled with undisguised resentment and jealousy.

Chen Ye's rise to power directly destroyed their livelihoods!
Withholding exorcism charms, robbing newlyweds of their food rations, and bullying others at the docks—these are all methods they use to make money on a daily basis.

Now everything has been cut off by Chen Ye's single sentence!
"Damn it, some lucky kid dares to shit on my head?" Gui San spat and whispered to his henchmen, "Teach him a lesson tonight, let him know who's in charge at this dock!"

Chen Ye naturally noticed the unfriendly gazes of Gui San and his gang, but he merely glanced at them indifferently and ignored them. They were nothing but a bunch of clowns, not worth his time.

He stepped down from the platform and then moved into a larger, cleaner detached wooden cabin by the dock.

This is standard equipment for a deputy manager.

Closing the door shut out all outside prying eyes.

Chen Ye exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling a sense of peace brought by his new identity.

Finally, we have a decent place to live.

But it was late that night.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A dull knocking sound suddenly rang out.

Chen Ye opened his eyes, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Sure enough, he still came.

He opened the door, and there were five or six burly men standing outside, the leader of whom was none other than the one-eyed Ghost Three.

"Kid." Gui San squinted at Chen Ye with his one eye, looking him up and down with a contemptuous tone, "Although I don't know how you became this manager, we'll keep to ourselves. Mind your own business from now on, understand?"

Chen Ye leaned against the door frame, looking at him expressionlessly.

"roll."

The smile on Gui San's face froze instantly, then turned into a ferocious grin.

"He's asking for it! Get him and break his legs!"

Before he finished speaking, several burly men behind him pounced on him like hungry wolves.

Chen Ye made a move.

His figure vanished from the spot in an instant, like a ghost.

next second.

Click!

The crisp sound of bones breaking.

The burly man at the front had his wrist twisted at a bizarre angle, letting out a bloodcurdling scream like a pig being slaughtered.

Then, the second, the third...

Chen Ye didn't even use any advanced martial arts techniques. Relying solely on his combat instincts from the martial arts world and his superhuman physical strength, he knocked all the so-called strongmen to the ground in the blink of an eye.

The whole process was smooth and neat.

The ferocity on Gui San's face turned into terror. He wanted to run, but his legs felt like they were made of lead and wouldn't obey him at all.

A hand gently rested on his shoulder.

"You... what do you want to do?" Gui San's voice trembled uncontrollably. "Let me tell you, if you dare to touch me, the adults of the Blood Lotus Sect will not let you off!"

"Oh?" Chen Ye's voice rang in his ear, tinged with amusement. "Which adult?"

Gui San wanted to say something, but Chen Ye's fingers had already gripped his throat, lifting him up.

A feeling of suffocation instantly enveloped him.

Gui San's face turned a deep liver color, his legs kicked haphazardly in the air, and his single eye was filled with extreme fear and pleading.

"Crack!"

A soft sound.

Chen Ye snapped Gui San's neck effortlessly, and his head drooped limply.

Chen Ye casually tossed his body on the ground, like throwing away a piece of trash.

He walked up to the group of henchmen with severed limbs and terrified expressions, his voice icy: "If you dare to cause trouble again, you'll suffer the same fate as them."

The crowd nodded vigorously like chickens pecking at rice, tears streaming down their faces, wishing they could bury their heads in the ground.

"From now on, you are to keep a close eye on all the criminals and the latest developments in the outside world. Report to me immediately if there is any disturbance," Chen Ye ordered.

"Yes...yes, sir!" The crowd scrambled to their feet and then, like stray dogs, desperately rushed out of the wooden house and disappeared into the night.

After efficiently dealing with these troubles, Chen Ye closed the door.

It's time to set off.

He sat down cross-legged, took out the dark blue sixth-grade spirit pearl from his bosom, and swallowed it without hesitation.

A powerful and pure energy exploded within his body in an instant!

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, the ancient dugout canoe burst forth with unprecedented brilliance, and on its hull, mysterious runes lit up, as if it had been completely awakened.

A familiar feeling of dizziness washed over me, and the surrounding scenery began to distort and dissipate.

Suddenly... Chen Ye opened his eyes and then smelled a strong stench of blood.

He found himself sitting in a dilapidated temple, with cold stone floor beneath him.

Not far from him, moonlight streamed through the dilapidated rooftops.

A monster covered in green fur and resembling an ape was facing away from him, its head buried in something and gnawing on it.

"Crack...knock..."

That was the sound of bones being chewed.

At the monster's feet lay a mangled corpse.

Just then, the monster seemed to sense the movement behind it and slowly turned its head.

(End of this chapter)