My left and right hemispheres fight each other.

A faint light fell, and the sky turned white.

Chen Jing silently walked out of the passageway, holding a rag in his hand, and went to the upper deck.

He straightened up, looked around, and observed the appearance of the behemoth.

The gray-blue celestial light, like a thin veil, gilded the entire giant ship with a dim glow, while subtly reflecting off fragmented glints of light.

The three masts seemed to reach for the dome, standing tall and proud. The massive, folded sails hung in layers, occasionally billowing in a sharp arc by the strong wind.

The deck, soaked in the night for so long, exuded a chilling aura. My gaze followed the old, dark wood luster and anti-slip patterns, winding its way to the high bow and the ram that always seemed to gleam like a sharp sword.

Chen Jing took a deep breath, just as the sea breeze, carrying the salty, fishy smell and the tarry scent of wood, blew into his lungs, washing away the nausea and sweat of the night.

The quiet dawn was chilly and refreshing, but the gentle rocking of the ship with the wind and waves made one feel dizzy. The thin hospital gown could not keep out the chill, and Chen Xin involuntarily shivered.

He stood there in the morning light, his eyes hidden in the darkness, silently taking in everything.

"What are you doing up here?" Chen Xin couldn't help but ask.

"Observe and familiarize yourself with it." Chen Jing looked around and gazed into the distance, where he could only see the boundless ocean and the crimson light that stretched to the depths of the starry sky.

"Why this time?" Chen Xin asked, puzzled. Chen Jing had looked around several times that night, but he had to actually step onto the deck at this exact moment.

"Because the sun came out," Chen Jing explained.

"What does this matter?"

"If Chen Muqing isn't lying to us, it seems like it could be very dangerous at night," Chen Jing continued.

"The sky is dark and the sea is still, the candle is extinguished and the spirits pray. The date of death is set, and the path to life is a mystery. Be careful with your words and actions, close your eyes and shut your ears; the soul departs and rests, and ghosts come to respectfully invite you. Remember, remember..." The voice in my heart murmured.

"But we didn't feel anything unusual last night, so why would that woman make up such a long lie?" Xin Sheng wondered.

"That's possible, though very unlikely." Chen Jing watched as the golden-red dot on the horizon gradually transformed into a line, and said with a focused gaze, "More likely is..."

"Do you remember your first feeling when we first arrived in this world?" Chen Jing asked in turn.

"Smells bad? Noisy? Damp?"

"Anything else?"

"shake!"

"That's right." Chen Jing pointed to the sea, which was gradually being dyed crimson by the sun, and laughed, "The sea is clearly still struggling and trembling, stirring up the wind and waves, so how can you say it's dark and the sea is still?"

"Then what about the extinguished candle? Open flames are prohibited on pirate ships; only cold light without flames, such as fluorescent light, phosphorescence, and reflective light, is allowed. At most, sealed lanterns are used in safe and easily extinguishable places. Where would candles come from?"

"I don't know," Chen Jing gave a convincing answer, then shrugged. "But I think I have a picture in my mind."

Hearing Chen Jing's tone, which suggested he was going to leave it at that, and guessing he was too busy to talk about the bigger picture, Chen Xin simply retorted, "Then what's the meaning of that rag you mentioned?"

Chen Jing glanced up and saw that on the two lookout towers shrouded in morning mist, there were obvious reflections moving around.

He twitched the corner of his mouth: "Of course it's to deceive people. You think there's no one on guard duty on the pirate ship? There are definitely more guys on night watch."

Chen Jing took two steps forward and was about to lean on the railing to look down when he seemed to suddenly realize something. He immediately picked up the rag in his hand and wiped the edge of the boat hard with two large swipes.

Almost simultaneously, a gust of wind blew above his head, and a pair of black leather boots stepped onto the wooden fence in front of him, entering Chen Jing's field of vision.

Chen Jing looked up, somewhat bewildered and blank. His gaze followed the leather boots upwards and saw jewel-encrusted tight-fitting trousers, a neat and close-fitting short jacket, a dark purple short cloak, and hawk-like sharp eyes looking down at him.

Chen Jing was startled and quickly retreated, but he quickly calmed down and saw the person's full appearance.

The sea breeze swept by, pulling his clothes close to his body, highlighting his somewhat thin waistline.

The light and mist gathered and dispersed, revealing his fair skin and clear, sharp eyebrows and eyes.

But his shoulders were broad and solid, and he stood even straighter than the towering mast beside him. Despite his slender body that could be broken by a gust of wind, his stance seemed to conceal a force and stability that could hold down the entire ship.

His long-held air of restraint and authority, while lacking the intimidation of a rough man, made him seem like a sharp edge of tempered iron.

His flamboyant captain's hat sat atop his head, highlighting his extraordinary status.

Chen Jing was so frightened that he gave a military salute from the Chen Kingdom and shouted in a panic, "Captain!"

The captain scrutinized the man before him. He looked down at him, his eyes sharp as knives. Though not fierce, they were more chilling and piercing than the waves of the night.

He stared for a full ten seconds, then twisted his waist and walked along the single-log railing, his body steady and his steps powerful as if stepping on the very core of a person's soul.

His steps were light yet heavy, without any hesitation, and the single-edged scimitar hanging at his waist nodded repeatedly, as if delivering a silent verdict.

"Captain?" Chen Jing was covered in cold sweat. He seemed unable to remain calm under the oppressive force any longer, and could only weakly call out amidst his inner turmoil.

"What's your name?" The captain stopped hesitating and stood still, asking.

"Chen, Chen Xin," Chen Jing murmured.

"Chen Xin?" The captain frowned, looking away from Chen Jing's face for the first time, as if he was pondering something.

After a long while, just as Chen Jing was about to feign exhaustion again, the captain asked, "What are you doing here at this time?"

"Can't sleep, so I'm wiping... wiping the ship's deck?" Chen Jing lied clearly.

"Really?" The captain's pupils sharpened, but he quickly smiled. "Are you someone who can't sit still?"

"No, not really, I just wanted to get familiar with...our ship," Chen Jing stammered with a fawning smile.

The captain laughed too. With one foot still on the railing and the other dangling down, he stood there, straddling the sun, which was now almost fully revealed, coloring half the sea and sky. He murmured, "Your name...is it from that mysterious place?"

"Wh...what? Captain?" Chen Jing pretended not to hear clearly.

"You keep calling me captain, don't you know my name?" the captain suddenly chuckled.

Chen Jing scratched the back of his head somewhat awkwardly.

Seeing his appearance, the captain walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder: "Isolde Raven."

"Captain Raven..." Chen Jing called out softly, sounding somewhat exhausted.

Isolde smiled, walked to the stern, and returned the salute softly: "I like your salute."

Isolde was gone, long gone, but Chen Jing remained where he was, the powerful sound of her leather boots pounding on the deck still seeming to echo in his ears.

"What a terrifying guy." Chen Xin finally calmed down and sighed.

"Um."

He quickly noticed Chen Jing's unusual behavior: "What's wrong? Are you scared? That kind of pressure, like you're about to die, is definitely..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Jing interrupted him: "I originally just wanted to get to know the helmsman over there, but I didn't expect to meet the real boss who is in charge."

"What? What do you want to do by getting to know them?" Chen Xin was dumbfounded. Chen Jing actually wanted to get to know high-ranking people at this strange time.

That would easily arouse suspicion!

"We're new here and know nothing about the plot. Whoever gets the firsthand information will gain the upper hand," Chen Jing said with a cold laugh, glancing at his hand as if he could read Chen Xin's mind.

"The point is to arouse their suspicion."

"Whether it's disgust, suspicion, or shock, it's always easier to cultivate than liking."

"And these, like liking, are all ways to attract attention."

"We must first find a way to capture their attention before we can better showcase our strengths."

"At that point, whether we can wash away the bad impression and cultivate goodwill, or deepen other impressions, will be entirely in our hands."

"What you're saying... is very strange."

"You're the one who's strange." Chen Jing frowned.

"Didn't you think about it that way too? Actually, you understand everything."

"Of course, but I won't think about it that way right away; it's pointless and useless."

……

The sun was blazing, and the deck was crowded with people.

The sailors began doing odd jobs, stealing wine, climbing masts, and hoisting sails.

Chen Muqing and the others had already dispersed into the crowd and began to inquire about information. In particular, Ge Yan had come specifically to give them instructions:

"We have absolutely no idea how the plot is going. Now's the time to quickly get to know the pirates, and ideally find out some background information, you understand?"

Chen Xin nodded obediently: "Understood!"

Ge Yan nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Let's do a summary tonight and share the intelligence."

Chen Xin nodded vigorously in agreement.

In reality, he was chattering away with Chen Jing the whole time.

"What did Captain Raven mean by muttering that at dawn? Did he know we came from another world?"

"It shouldn't be that. Rather, there are other countries in this world with cultures similar to Chen Kingdom."

"What did Chen Muqing mean last night?"

"They're probably just taking advantage of your newcomer, trying to put pressure on you by using information gaps to see if you'll reveal any flaws."

"That Ge Yan..."

"Alright, at least pretend to know what you're talking about, don't you? Do you really think you're some kind of floor cleaner?"

Chen Jing probably wanted to take a nap, so Chen Xin had no choice but to go find the pirates to see if he could get any information out of them.

After all, in the early hours of the morning, Chen Jing stopped his familiar activities with the helmsman, citing the reason that "the impression of suspicion should not be too strong".

And this heavy responsibility naturally fell on his shoulders.

At the very least, I need to be able to give a satisfactory answer to those tourists.

He quickly identified his target.

He strolled around casually, slowly creeping up to the old pirate who was leaning against the mooring rope and drinking.

The old pirate didn't react much when he saw him approaching; he just glanced at him sideways and continued to pour himself a drink.

"Big brother, I have a question for you," Chen Xin called out.

But the old pirate pretended not to hear, ignoring Chen Xin's shouts and only glancing at him when he found him annoying.

"Understood." Seeing this, Chen Xin didn't press the matter further. He immediately ordered Chen Jing to quickly steal a few cups of hot liquor from the cooper.

After using Chen Jing, who was quite useful, he discarded him and returned to the old pirate dressed in coarse cloth.

"Big brother, I have a question for you." Chen Xin handed over the bucket cup in his hand.

"Please speak," the old pirate said with a broad smile, immediately grinning and showing off his rough, yellowed teeth.

Chen Xin casually glanced around, and seeing that no one was paying attention to him, asked softly, "Brother, I want to ask about our captain."

"Heh, asking about this?" The old pirate deliberately moved closer to him, his salty, pungent stench of sweat filling the air, and his breath reeking of foul odor: "Trying to pry things out as soon as you board? You're not some government spy, are you?"

"Just boarded the ship?" Chen Xin's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly waved his hand and said, "What nonsense. I just arrived recently and don't know the rules. I wanted to ask around to avoid making a mistake."

"Make a mistake?" The old pirate took a big gulp of hot wine, shivering with pleasure. He laughed and deliberately breathed hot air into Chen Xin's ear: "Yes, you wouldn't dare make a mistake."

He grabbed Chen Xin's hand and rubbed it against his chest: "Look at your delicate skin, it's softer and whiter than a prostitute on a ship. How did you end up in this pirate den?"

Chen Xin pulled his hand back and took several steps back. He was filled with disgust but didn't want to show it, so he just put on an angry face: "I'm just trying to make a living, show me some respect!"

"Respect? What respect is there at sea? In these cruel waters, there is only swallowing and barely surviving." The old pirate looked at Chen Xin with disappointment and sighed.

"In the water?" A glint flashed in Chen Xin's eyes.

Before he could even think of asking anything else, the old pirate mocked again: "You little rascal, you probably can't even hold onto the rope properly. When it comes to life and death, you'll be nothing but a chicken! Hahahaha! Of course, you'll be holding onto the one you always hold."

Undeterred, he continued his arrogant shouting, trying to grab Chen Xin again: "You're asking so many questions just to find a backer or a job while the crew is being reshuffled, aren't you?"

"Come on! Sleep with me, and I'll be your backer! I'll make sure you're my right-hand man!"

Suddenly, many eyes turned to the slightly drunk old man and Chen Xin, who was extremely embarrassed.

Many sailors cast lewd and strange glances at Chen Xin, constantly provoking him.

Chen Xin haphazardly broke free from the old pirate's grip and ran away in embarrassment, leaving behind a group of agitated sailors.

"These pirates are so vulgar and disgusting! They're spewing nonsense!" Chen Xin cursed, realizing that he, a psychologist, had almost fallen into the jaws of wolves just by trying to get information out of them.

"Otherwise, do you think pirates all received nine years of education?" Chen Jing sneered.

"This damn sun is so hot!" Chen Xin grumbled as she retreated into the cabin, not wanting to run into any more obstacles.

Although the Bauhinia is ridiculously large, this embarrassing incident will probably spread quickly, and then there's no need to worry about how to explain it.

Making a fool of himself in front of these tourists seemed to fit Chen Jing's wishes and plans.

Just as Chen Xin was about to steal a moment of peace from his busy schedule, a large number of sailors suddenly rushed around in the passageway, making him feel very uncomfortable in the narrow passageway where there was barely enough room for one person to pass.

"What's going on? The boatswain is here to check on people?" Chen thought to himself, wondering if he could curry favor with the boatswain and prove himself.

Having an official position or someone supporting him would allow him and Chen Jing to thoroughly explore this large ship and familiarize themselves with its environment.

But he waited and waited, but there was no word from the bosun. So he had no choice but to follow the sailors who were running around back to the deck to see what had happened.

"What's going on?" Chen Xin asked, trying to push through the crowd.

"Stop pushing! Some sailors saw a big fish underwater and wanted to catch it for a meal, but the fish dragged them back into the sea and injured several people. What a trivial matter! Why are you getting involved!" The sailor in front was uncomfortable from being pushed and cursed loudly.

Chen Xin lost interest as soon as he heard this, but then the crowd in front of him suddenly erupted in an even louder shout.

Sensing something, Chen Jing intervened instantly. He leaped up, soared to the mast, and jumped into the middle of the crowd, stepping on the heads of the howling sailors to reach the front.

"Damn it, who stepped on my head?"

"My hat!"

"I only have these two hairs!"

Ignoring the discontented voices, Chen Jing went straight to the forefront of the crime scene.

He immediately saw two blood-covered sailors howling by the ship's edge. One had a broken hand and what appeared to be a broken leg, while the other had his calf bitten through, the huge wound gushing blood as he screamed and howled in agony.

Chen Jing stood on the edge of the boat and looked down. He saw a large fish, almost five meters long, thrashing about in the water, seemingly trying to bite a person who was trapped underwater.

The sailors were ready to send out small boats to try to rescue them, but they were too slow, and the pirates on deck were watching coldly, none of them wanting to go down.

Chen Jing estimated the time and quickly set off.

He first snatched the relatively clean canvas from the sail maker beside him, then tore it into strips with one hand and his mouth, while his other hand precisely pressed down on the severed arm, immediately slowing the flow of blood.

He then quickly tied the canvas strip to the man's arm to stop the bleeding, and then yelled at another sailor next to him to hold the bandage tightly and press down on the vein.

After doing all this, he snatched all the strong liquor that was about to boil from the cooper, and kicked several wooden planks in half. He used the former to pour on the wounds of the bitten man and the broken arm, and used the latter to simply pad the fractured area with cotton cloth and temporarily fix it with a wooden board.

He did the same thing to stop the bleeding from the bitten person, and then, without knowing who it was, he snatched the curved knife from someone, jumped down, and fell into the sea.

His series of actions truly shocked everyone. The sailors stared in disbelief as he jumped into the sea, and no one dared to utter a word.

Despite his delicate skin and fair complexion, his every move exuded an undeniable and powerful aura, intimidating the rough sailors into refusing to protest.

The well-organized, calm, decisive, and swiftly effective methods turned this farce into a silent drama.

The small boat quickly set off, and the sailors, oars in hand, prepared to fight the big fish. Then they saw Chen Jing swimming more smoothly and swiftly than the fish, slicing through the fish scales with his knife, tearing off large chunks of flesh.

He waged guerrilla warfare against a large fish with sharp teeth in the sea, spilling its blood all over the area.

When the sailors glided through the viscous sea of ​​blood in their speedboats and arrived at the heart of the fierce battle, they discovered that Chen Jing was actually leading the dying sailor in a struggle against a large fish that was also exhausted.

They frantically pounded the fish with their oars and stabbed it wildly with their harpoons. The large fish, sensing the danger and wanting to escape, tried to break through the encirclement time and time again, but Chen Jing precisely blocked its retreat each time. Finally, it let out a mournful cry and fainted under the oar of an unnamed sailor.

When the enormous carnivorous fish, which took five sailors to lift together, was carried back to the ship, the sailors were astonished.

This type of carnivorous fish is very common, and they have even hunted quite a few of them.

But they had never seen a human who could fight such a fish in the water.

In the past, their hunting methods involved using various tools such as harpoons and fishing nets on boats, and sometimes even artillery.

In their minds, once a person is put into the water, no matter how good a swimmer you are, you will only die!

These large fish swim much faster than humans and have terrifying explosive power, easily knocking people over.

Those steel teeth could easily crush bones, and a powerful tail could take away half a person's life with a single sweep.

Who would chase and intercept a big fish in the water like that?

Chen Jing was soaked to the bone, panting heavily, and so exhausted that he could barely stand.

But the sailors' gazes toward him were no longer filled with lewdness and greed, but with fear, and even a hint of submission.

Chang Song and the others, who were mixed in with the crowd, had complicated expressions. Chen Muqing and Ge Yan, in particular, frowned as they looked at the man who was currently in the limelight.

"What happened?" Captain Raven spoke suddenly, appearing out of nowhere.

The crowd panicked for a moment, then barely managed to regain order at the bosun's shouts.

Captain Raven stood with his hands behind his back, like a spear.

Despite his frail appearance, no one found him frivolous; every movement he made revealed a profound and powerful strength.

His face was not roughened by wind and sun; it was excessively fair, which made his eyes appear exceptionally clear and sharp.

He glanced indifferently at the messy deck, the terrified crowd, and the groaning wounded, finally settling his gaze on Chen Jing, who was at the center of the sailors.

The bosun hurriedly stepped forward to report, telling Captain Raven everything he had seen and his actions, and vividly describing Chen Xin, shifting the focus towards Chen Xin.

Captain Raven's gaze remained fixed on Chen Jing, not fierce, but as if he were measuring him.

He spoke quickly, his voice low but clear, as if it could subdue the wind and waves: "It was you who killed that sea monster."

"What sea monster? Captain, this thing looks long, but the big spike on its head is a meter long. It's actually less than four meters long. It's just a big fish." Chen Jing said with a forced smile.

Captain Raven nodded slightly, his expression ambiguous, and then spoke with a hint of amusement:

"I never expected that someone as frail and weak as you could possess such strength and courage."

Chen Jing smiled and said calmly, "Actually, I knew before I jumped into the sea. Although our ship was fully loaded, the deck was three or four meters above the sea. The fish must have been severely injured when it was caught, and its ability to move was greatly impaired. Otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to go into the sea to save it."

The sailors looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

"No matter what you say, I've never seen such thinking and fighting prowess in a guy of your size before," Captain Raven shook his head.

"Captain, you're too close to the situation to see clearly. Don't you see it every day when you look in the mirror?" Chen Jing flattered.

The sailors instantly realized that the guy's previous statement, which ostensibly belittled his own achievements, was actually a compliment to the captain's ship. And this statement was even more blatant; after praising the ship, he was now praising the captain!

This gradual and skillful flattery is impressive! Impressive!

Everyone admired him, but Captain Raven showed no expression. He simply tapped the hilt of his scimitar with his fingertips, his rhythm terrifyingly steady: "Courageous and resourceful, skilled in both martial arts and literature, he is a true talent."

Upon hearing this, the veteran pirates, who knew the captain's style of doing things, immediately looked at Chen Xin with envy.

That's the highest praise you could give.

"Right to the east, there's a frigate escorting the Bauhinia sailing there. I'll appoint you as the second mate there, how about it?" Captain Raven continued.

Chang Song and the others in the crowd exchanged a sudden glance, their gazes toward Chen Xin now quite different from when they first met.

Be wary and suspicious.

"But I want to stay on your flagship, Captain." Chen Jing looked at Captain Raven with longing and admiration in his eyes: "Even as a third mate would be fine."

Chang Song's vigilance grew stronger, while the others began to plot another test against Chen Xin.

But Captain Raven simply turned away and said coldly, "Then you can continue to be a sailor here."

Like a sudden blow to the head, or a bucket of cold water poured over his head, Chen Jing, who was overjoyed, was immediately dumbfounded.

"Too much of a good thing is bad," Cao Hui murmured.

"This guy," Ge Yan said with a wry smile, rubbing his forehead.

"Damn it!" Chang Song slapped his forehead.

"What an idiot," Roseweiser sneered.

"Trying to get fat overnight? You've missed your chance," Chen Muqing muttered to himself.

A murmur arose among the sailors, filled with sarcasm and snickers.

But the pirate who had just been rescued and was unconscious suddenly burst into a cough, with a series of hoarse sounds coming from his throat.

The sailors were at a loss, not knowing what had happened.

As if driven by instinct, the distraught Chen Jing lowered his body and, instead of moving swiftly and professionally, mechanically patted his head.

He turned his head to clear his throat, and the blood that had been choking in his trachea was expelled. The pirate then returned to his unconscious and calm state.

Captain Raven abruptly stopped in his tracks as he looked back at the wounded man lying on the ground.

The sailors who were taking care of their companion were clumsy and misaligned the wooden plank that was holding the bones in place, causing the man with the broken bones to immediately begin to howl in pain.

He suddenly smiled faintly and turned to the boatswain: "Who treated their wounds?"

The boatswain hesitated for a moment, but finally pointed to Chen Xin.

Captain Raven looked back with a hint of surprise, his voice still calm, perhaps the surprise only lingering in his eyes: "You know medicine?"

Somewhat dejected by the sudden change, Chen Jing nodded blankly and subconsciously replied, "I've only studied some surgical procedures."

"In that case, you can stay in Zijing and become a doctor from now on." Captain Raven said this as he left, then walked decisively to the stern, his figure disappearing into the cabin.