Becoming an immortal from a canal worker

Just after the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), the night at Qingkou Wharf was as thick as ink that could not be dissolved.

The river wind howled, making the reeds on the bank whistle like ghosts wailing.

Three large, deep-drafted boats were moored on the shore, like three giant beasts lurking in the darkness, rising and falling with the turbid waves.

This is not a passenger ship used for transporting goods on ordinary days, but a "black trough" used by the canal gangs to smuggle salt and iron and transport contraband.

The ship's hull is entirely black, crafted from ironwood as hard as iron, with thick copper plates reinforcing the key areas at the bow and stern.

The ship's sides were adorned with chilling barbed nets, intended to prevent sea monsters from climbing aboard.

Chen Ping mingled among a group of ragged canal workers, with two black steamed buns wrapped in oil paper tucked into his arms.

He mingled with the crowd and stepped onto the swaying springboard.

I didn't see any yellow teeth.

A manager of that rank would naturally not take on such a dangerous job that could cost them their life at any moment.

Standing at the bow, taking attendance, was Yellow Teeth's second-in-command, a one-eyed man with a sinister face.

He was wearing a black leather coat, with a sheathed dagger hanging at his waist and a leather whip soaked in salt water in his hand.

The single remaining eye gleamed with a chilling light, as if it were looking at a herd of livestock awaiting slaughter.

"Listen up, everyone!"

The one-eyed man suddenly lashed out with his whip, creating a loud crack in the air that startled several thin canal workers.

"Once you're on board, your life belongs to the gang! You do whatever we tell you to do. Anyone who dares to slack off will face the consequences!"

"Snapped!"

Another lash struck the railing of the ship's side, leaving a deep white mark.

No one dared to utter a sound.

Everyone lowered their heads, like a flock of sheep being herded into a slaughterhouse, and crawled down the creaking gangplank into the dark hull of the ship.

……

Base warehouse.

As soon as you enter, a nauseating stench hits you.

It was the smell of sweat, foot odor, and mildew accumulated over the years, mixed with the stench of dead fish and rotten shrimp, fermenting in this almost unventilated enclosed space.

Just one whiff of it can make you vomit up your dinner from the night before.

There were no beds, only rotten straw mats laid on damp wooden boards.

Forty or fifty men were crammed into this narrow, cramped space. A dim oil lamp hung from the crossbeam, swaying with the waves, casting flickering light on their faces.

"This is fucking awful, no human being can live here."

Someone muttered a curse under their breath and found a slightly dry open space to lie down.

Chen Ping remained silent.

He walked expressionlessly to a corner and found a spot leaning against the deck.

Although it's damp here, and even moss grows in the corners, at least there's something to lean on.

If the boat leaks, is attacked by sea monsters, or is ambushed in the hold, it won't be attacked from both sides.

He had just prepared to sit cross-legged and adjust his breathing when a strange, sarcastic voice rang in his ear.

"Hey, isn't this the 'celebrity' at our docks?"

Chen Ping paused slightly and looked up.

Blocking his way was a burly man with broad shoulders and a thick waist.

This man was called "Lai San," and he was also a canal worker at Qingkou Wharf.

He used to bully newcomers and steal the best jobs, relying on his brute strength. In the first month that Chen Ping arrived at the dock, this man caused him a lot of trouble. But later, I heard that he was transferred to Huang Ya's area.

Unexpectedly, fate brought us together in the same ship and the same hold.

Lai San, shirtless and revealing his muscular physique, with a tiger tattooed on his chest, looked down at Chen Ping with a mocking expression.

"I heard you got lucky and managed to kill a water monkey? What, you're still squeezing into the bottom tier with us poor folks? I thought you were going to be drinking tea up there."

The surrounding canal workers all turned their gazes toward it.

Some gloated, while others were indifferent and apathetic.

In this oppressive, terrifying, and foul-smelling warehouse, watching people suffer misfortune is the only pastime these people have.

Chen Ping ignored him.

He had been severely sleep-deprived for the past two days, and all he wanted to do was take a nap before the ship set sail to conserve his energy.

Arguing with such an idiot is a waste of breath.

He turned to the side, preparing to walk past Lai San and sit down in the corner.

"I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?"

Seeing that Chen Ping was ignoring him, Lai San lost face.

He felt offended.

Why is this quiet, hardworking guy acting so arrogant now? He just got lucky and killed a water ghost, what's with the show of bravado!

In this warehouse, everyone is a consumable, but Lai San must be the leader among the consumables!

"Stop right there!"

Lai San snorted and deliberately took a step to the side, blocking Chen Ping's way.

Immediately afterwards, his broad shoulders, carrying a brute force, slammed into Chen Ping.

In the narrow passageway, this was a blatant provocation.

He wanted to teach this kid a lesson, to let him know that in this warehouse, whoever has the biggest fist is the boss.

Despite the shoulder that was about to collide with him, Chen Ping's eyes remained calm, and he didn't even lose his footing.

Two days ago, on the shore, he might have taken a step back or even gone around to avoid trouble.

But not on the ship.

This is a boat, surrounded by water on all sides, with nowhere to escape.

In case of danger, everyone will huddle together.

If you have a fool around who can't see the situation clearly, or a troublemaker who is hostile to you, it could be fatal if you get pushed or blocked at a crucial moment.

You can be cunning on land, but you have to be ruthless on the ship.

This potential threat must be nipped in the bud before it even erupts.

We need to show some ruthlessness and tell everyone in this warehouse, don't mess with me.

Chen Ping neither stopped nor dodged.

Since he broke through to the beginner level of the [Water Observation Method], his perception has undergone a qualitative change.

At this moment, in his eyes, Lai San's seemingly fierce collision was not an unstoppable attack at all.

Those swaying shoulders, that unsteady stance, that instant of shifting center of gravity...

It's like a turbulent body of water that appears to be surging, but in reality only has surface waves and nothing underneath.

It's full of flaws.

"A lot of hard work."

This thought flashed through Chen Ping's mind.

He didn't even raise his hand; just as their bodies were about to make contact, he slightly shifted the point of force under his feet, his spine moved like a dragon, and his shoulders seemingly casually swayed forward.

This gentle push landed precisely at the point where Lai San's old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet been generated.

"Bang!"

A dull thud.

Amidst the shocked gazes of those around him, Lai San, who had been charging forward with such ferocity as if he were a wall, was instead struck head-on by a running wild bull.

"what!"

Lai San felt an irresistible force coming from the other person's seemingly thin shoulder, and he instantly lost his balance.

His 170-180 pound body was lifted off the ground by both feet, and he flew backward like a tattered sack full of rotten grass!

"Clang!"

Lai San slammed hard against the wooden wall three meters away, causing dust to fall from it. He then slid to the ground like a lump of mud, clutching his chest, his face turning a deep purplish-red, unable to catch his breath for a long time.

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

The previously noisy cargo hold instantly fell silent.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the boy who was still walking in the same position, as if he had just accidentally bumped into something.

In their eyes, the two people were just passing by.

How did Lai San fly out like that?

How much strength does that take?

Chen Ping didn't even turn his head.

He reached out and patted off non-existent dust from his shoulder, as if swatting away an annoying fly.

Then, he went straight to the corner and sat down cross-legged.

For a quarter of an hour, he wanted to kill Lai San.

But then he calmed down. With so many eyes watching, he couldn't kill Lai San.

If someone kills someone as soon as they board the ship, the one-eyed second-in-command will inevitably intervene.

Chen Ping took out an oil paper package from his pocket, took out a black steamed bun, and took a bite.

"Click."

The sound of the hard, dry bread crackling in your mouth was particularly jarring in the silent warehouse.

Lai San, who was some distance away, finally recovered. He clutched his aching shoulder and stared in horror at the figure quietly eating in the corner.

For a brief moment, he felt as if he had bumped into a boulder, not a person.

That's not even in the same league.

"This kid... he's a bit strange."

Lai San swallowed hard, the fierce glint in his eyes fading, replaced by deep apprehension.

He may be muddle-headed, but he's not stupid.

He knocked him away so easily; if he wanted to kill himself, it wouldn't be difficult for him either.

Chen Ping swallowed the food in his mouth, raised his eyelids, and glanced around indifferently.

In the dim light, a deep, cold glint seemed to flow in the depths of his pupils.

Those whose gaze swept over him invariably shrank back, subconsciously shifting their positions to make way for him, fearing they might come into contact with this menacing star.

In the corner, Chen Ping withdrew his gaze and continued to gnaw on his dry rations.

The ship shuddered slightly, then began to move slowly.

The turbid waves pounded against the ship's deck, making a dull thud.

Chen Ping leaned against the damp wooden planks, feeling the vibrations of the ship, and closed his eyes slightly.

The ship has set sail.