Hunter x Hunter: Infinite Growth

"Is this radio yours?" Kevin asked the man who refused.

"So what if it is?"

"It's nothing."

Kevin then turned to the sixteen or seventeen-year-old: "You're just temporary teammates. That stove is yours, but you might not get any of the rescue supplies."

"This is the open sea. Even if there are ways to obtain food, fire is not that important in the short term."

Gorenu had previously told Kevin that the young man in front of him was a newcomer this year.

He had seen the owner of the radio before, and he had even seen the man hanging out with the Dongba.

Dongba, this old fox, has been trying to get the hunter's license for thirty years. Judging from his behavior, he clearly no longer sees it as a goal. His mindset has become distorted due to his long history of failures.

Although I don't know what the other party is up to, there's no doubt it won't be anything good.

However, this has nothing to do with Kevin, since this is an exam.

Kevin simply patted the other person on the shoulder and reminded him, "Keep your eyes open. You are both opponents and teammates."

“Please don’t try to undermine the trust between us here.” A young man walked over; he was clearly on the same team as the two.

Kevin just smiled, said nothing, and quietly left.

Before leaving, he glanced at the Dongba who was squatting not far away.

Dongba gave Kevin and the others a very kind smile as they were leaving, making him appear honest and simple.

"It seems that someone will soon come with a stove to exchange with us," Gorenu sighed.

Kevin shrugged helplessly: "There's nothing we can do about it."

Chapter Ninety-One: Leisure Day X Night of Slaughter

On the cruise ship.

As night fell, the already empty steel behemoth became even quieter.

Kevin and the others sat on the balcony connecting several rooms, enjoying the sea breeze.

"Your fishing skills are really amazing."

Basho said with a hint of envy that he was born in an island country but did not have such technology.

Two sea fish were hanging nearby. These were not Kate's limit, but rather two carefully selected from the fish he had caught. He had released the rest.

Judging from his meticulous selection, an uninformed person might think he was choosing dinner at the seafood market.

“I grew up in a slum and had to learn all sorts of skills to get food.”

Kate explained from the side.

As he spoke, he gutted the fish with his bare hands, and before Banana and Gorenu could react, he had already sliced ​​off the fish fillets with his bare hands.

"You hid a knife?" Banana asked suspiciously.

Kate shook her head: "It's just a little trick."

Kevin could naturally tell that this was done by attaching Nen to his fingers, which could be achieved with a little training.

After slicing the fish, Kate took out the seasoning kit, sprinkled on a little simple seasoning, and dinner was ready for the evening.

"Neither of you seem to be used to eating sashimi?" Kate asked Kevin and Gorenu.

Kevin nodded: "Whether it's steak or any other food, I don't like eating it undercooked, and sashimi is no exception."

Gorenu nodded in agreement.

After all, neither of them lived by the sea, so they weren't really used to this kind of food.

Basho looked completely absorbed, clearly used to sashimi.

"If you rarely eat sashimi, you might have problems if you have a sensitive stomach. We still have two days and three nights before we reach the shore," Basho warned. "If you get diarrhea now, it will be a real problem."

"It's alright, someone should be coming to exchange things with us soon." Kevin had barely finished speaking when there was a knock on the door.

"You're here," Gorenu said with a smile, then opened the door.

Standing at the door was Dongba, and in his hand was the small stove that Kevin and the others wanted to exchange during the day.

"Excuse me, everyone. I've come to exchange some tools with you." With that, Dongba held up the small stove in his hand and waved it, gesturing to Xing Shu.

"Two life jackets," Kevin stated his condition.

Upon hearing this request, Dongba paused for a moment, then shook his head: "That's impossible. This isn't a seasoning kit; many people on this ship use it."

It should be noted that in addition to not providing food, the ship also did not provide water.

“So I offered double the price for the seasoning kit,” Kevin said seriously.

Dongba looked at him.

"No, four items are required."

"Just two items. Since when can stolen goods be sold at the same price as new products? Haven't you ever sold stolen goods before?" Kevin's words made Dongba fall silent.

A moment later, Dongba nodded decisively, completed the exchange, and left.

"He agreed to both?" Gorenu asked, somewhat surprised.

Kevin laughed and said, "Of course, from the time this item left its original owner to the time it came into our hands, it should have only passed through two people, so two pieces are enough."

Moreover, they couldn't wait to exchange it that very night, which clearly had the intention of framing them, even if it was a little cheaper.

This guy is almost instinctively doing bad things, especially newcomers, especially talented ones.

This oven is obviously solar-powered, which is very convenient to use on the boat. With it, the group immediately started grilling food, and with the seasoning kit next to it, they should have a good time during their stay on the boat.

Gore-niu certainly has excellent culinary skills; no wonder he was so interested in the seasoning kit.

“That Dongba, his purpose has long been distorted,” Kate suddenly said.

Banana nodded: "That guy is particularly vicious. I heard that in the third round last year, he never thought about winning."

"He even tried to trick me into drinking juice," Gorenu added, as if remembering something.

After all, he had been taking the exam for thirty years, and at some point, his mentality had become distorted.

"Haha, it seems he's become a test in this process. He's twisted and wicked, yet unaware that he's doing the very thing he hates most," Kevin said with a laugh.

"Who knows?" Banana pondered.

"However, newcomers who can withstand his deception and attacks usually achieve good results in their first exam." Gorenu seemed to know more about this aspect.

At least the Dongba people have a good eye for people, which is admirable.

He doesn't provoke every newcomer. He can even judge how to quickly make targeted plans to break the other person's spirit through simple communication and behavior.

The group chatted idly for a while before returning to their rooms to rest.

The following morning, the ship went from quiet the previous day to noisy. The corridors and decks were filled with insults and arguments.

"You bastard, how dare you steal my things!"

"Steal? No way, that was mine to begin with, hahaha."

"Yesterday's harvest was quite bountiful."

Such noises reached their climax at the deck exchange area.

Due to the rules, stolen items are exchanged directly on the spot. You cannot prove the items are yours, nor can you steal them, as fighting is prohibited. Insults are almost useless against shameless thieves.

Today's exchange was much more "lively" than yesterday's.

Kevin and the others leaned against the edge of the deck, enjoying the sea breeze.

"How delightful!" Basho exclaimed.

At this moment, he couldn't help but want to express his feelings again—to compose a haiku.

“That guy’s watching us,” Gorenu gestured toward the exchange area.

Kevin looked over and saw the young man who had exchanged radios yesterday; the oven was his possession.

"It seems he hasn't realized it yet; his eyes look like he's accusing us of stealing his things," Basho said, turning her head to look over.

Kate shook her head: "No, he must have had his own doubts, otherwise he wouldn't have just stood there watching."

“Don’t worry about it. For us, the important thing for the second test is to stay in good shape and be prepared for the shipwreck that could happen at any time,” Kevin said. “These situations before the shipwreck are just appetizers.”

Acquiring supplies and making good use of tools are all ways to be in better condition when a ship sinks and increase the chances of survival.

Those who are wise and insightful have been preparing for this.

Inside the captain's cabin, Wahachi was idly pressed against the wall, staring blankly at the surveillance screen.

"Those guys are too relaxed. Are they really here to take the exam?" At this moment, the surveillance footage he was watching showed Kevin and his three companions chatting and enjoying the breeze on the deck.

The captain crossed his arms and calmly said, "Because they have been doing the right thing. Doing the right thing naturally deserves the corresponding reward."

"These four people should have known each other before they came, and in this test, they are naturally allies. Compared to other teams, the trust between them is stronger."

"Moreover, they were the first to board the ship, so they easily guessed the purpose and potential problems of the second test, and obtained the necessary tools in advance, making preparations."

"They have the means to protect their belongings, so it's understandable that the exam was easier for them."

Although the captain said that, his gaze was actually fixed on Kevin.

He could sense that the other three were brought together by Kevin.

"Besides, you can see that those two are Nen users. As long as they are strong enough, they can move freely and remain calm." Under these circumstances, the scheming and intrigue before them and the survival of the sunken ship afterward are nothing to them.

The boring time passed quickly for the four of them, who were completely detached from the sinister and treacherous atmosphere on the ship, and it was already the afternoon of the third day.

It was still on the deck, but the exchange meeting no longer existed. To be precise, starting yesterday, the exchange meeting had turned into a begging meeting.

However, this is meaningless, since no one would give food to a competitor, and even if they did, it might be drugged.

It must be said that these candidates each had their own methods. On a ship with scarce resources, they managed to obtain various drugs that, while not lethal, would seriously affect their condition, and used them to poison others.

Because the rules do not say that poisoning is prohibited.

Currently, a large majority of the test takers are experiencing various problems, including severe hunger, food poisoning, and dehydration.

"I wonder how many people will be eliminated this time," Guo Liennu remarked.

Apart from looking a little disheveled, the four of them hadn't changed much since they first boarded the ship.

There are very few candidates in such good condition as them.

"Tonight is the last night," Basho said, though her expression remained calm, a hint of nervousness lingered within her.

"Hmm." Gorenu nodded, he was also a little nervous, because if nothing unexpected happened, the ship would sink tonight.

This is why the exchange meeting was unusually quiet today. After these past few days, the fact that the ship was going to sink was no longer a secret; almost everyone knew, but everyone kept it to themselves and secretly made their own preparations.

"That might be the most intense moment yet, when the last remaining supplies will be the focus of a scramble," Kate said, adjusting his newsboy cap.

The hunter exam has always had a high mortality rate, and a shipwreck is a real danger.

If they persist until they reach their destination, the hunters' association might really let the person who fell into the water fend for themselves. Of course, they might also arrange a rescue, but no one can say for sure.

"Alright, the sun has set, let's go back and rest," Kevin said.

Hearing this, Basho couldn't help but turn to look at him: "How can you sleep under these circumstances?"

Kevin gave him a strange look: "What's keeping you awake? A ship this big won't sink to the bottom of the sea in an instant. Even if it were to sink, there would be obvious noise. Don't worry, I won't sleep too soundly. I'll wake up immediately if there's any noise. Relax."

Kate nodded in agreement, saying, "If you don't get enough rest, it will be a lot of trouble later."

Because this ship will go directly to the venue of the third exam, it is almost an open declaration to everyone that there will be no rest time in between.

Maintaining good form now will be an advantage in the third exam.

Gorenu couldn't help but admire the two men for their composure under such circumstances.

Inside the captain's cabin, the captain, watching the situation on the monitor, suddenly picked up the walkie-talkie next to him.

"Connect me to all the broadcast channels on the ship."

"Yes." The operator adjusted the equipment as required.

"Ahem, I am the captain. After tonight, we will arrive at the venue for the third exam."

The ship is currently sailing towards the island where the exam venue is located; tonight is the last night.