Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

The ocean is vast and boundless, with the sea and sky merging into one.

This combined ocean-going fleet of the Ming Dynasty set sail from Tianjin and has been sailing in the vast ocean for more than a month.

The scenery of the deep sea inspires awe at first glance, making one feel the vastness of the world.

But if for more than thirty days and nights in a row, all you see is the same azure blue and rolling white waves, that sense of awe will gradually be replaced by boredom and fear of the unknown.

The sea breeze howled all day long, carrying a strong salty smell, and the wooden planks of the Fuyuan, a civilian sand barge, were covered with a layer of rough salt frost.

The sails billowed in the wind, making a dull thud, which, along with the sound of the hull breaking through the waves, became the only music during this long voyage.

At the entrance to the cargo hold on the aft deck, there was a simple tarpaulin shed.

Li Changqing was wearing a slightly worn blue cloth robe and a straw hat to block the wind. He was sitting on a low stool.

Before him sat a square table with chipped paint, on which lay a wolf-hair brush, an inkstone, and a thick, coarse paper ledger.

"Da, da, da..."

Li Changqing flipped through the account book with his left hand while rapidly manipulating an abacus with his right.

The crisp sound of the abacus beads clattering together carried a strange, peaceful rhythm amidst the noisy sea breeze.

"Accountant Li, how long will our fresh water and salted meat in the hold last?"

Shipowner Zhao Laolang, wrapped in a thick sheepskin coat, strode across from the foredeck against the sea breeze.

His already rough face, weathered by the sea breeze over the past month, resembled old tree bark, turning a purplish-red color.

Li Changqing did not stop using the abacus. He glanced at the dense ink marks and replied gently.

"Don't worry, boss. I just checked the hold with the crew yesterday. There are still sixty large barrels of fresh water, and more than two hundred baskets of salted meat and dried fish. With the appetites of the thirty men on our ship, we will definitely not go hungry even if we stay at sea for another two months."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Laolang let out a long sigh of relief, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

"Enough to eat is fine. The deep sea is not like the near sea. If we run out of water and food, we'll have to feed turtles."

He sat down on a wooden barrel next to the square table, casually took a gourd from his waist, tilted his head back and took a swig of liquor to drive away the chill.

"In previous years, I heard from those old sea wolves who went to Southeast Asia that sailors who stayed at sea for a long time were prone to a strange disease. Their gums would swell and rot, they would feel weak all over, and eventually they would rot and die in the cabin."

"Although our brothers are tired from this trip, they are all full of energy, and not a single one of them has gotten sick."

Old Zhao wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with emotion, and his gaze involuntarily turned to the sailors working on the front deck.

Several burly men, shirtless, were chanting and pulling together on a thick cable to adjust the angle of the sail.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that these men are not simply using brute force when they exert their strength.

Each time they pulled, the rise and fall of their chests and abdomens was extremely rhythmic, and their breathing subtly corresponded to the "First Chapter of Body Strengthening and Breathing" printed and distributed by the imperial court.

As their breath flowed, a faint sheen appeared on their dark muscles, and they seemed oblivious to the cold seawater splashing against them.

Li Changqing reset the abacus to zero, picked up a wolf-hair brush and wrote a few strokes in the ledger, then spoke with a faint smile.

"The breathing technique passed down by the imperial court is a great way to strengthen the body's foundation and nourish the vital energy. Brothers, by breathing in the sea breeze every day, the blood and energy in your bodies circulate even faster than on land."

"With this abundant Qi and blood protecting it, ordinary illnesses naturally cannot invade the body. The master's voyage has come at a good time."

Old Wolf Zhao nodded in deep agreement.

Looking at the dozens of royal warships on the horizon ahead, resembling floating fortresses, a sense of pride shone in his eyes.

"Who can argue with that? With the Ming Dynasty's navy leading the way, we feel much more confident. I've heard that those Wave-Breaking giants are not only covered in iron plates, but also engraved with immortal formations."

"A few days ago, we encountered a storm. Our sand barge rocked like a leaf, while their giant ship remained perfectly stable without even a sway. It was truly the work of a god."

Li Changqing rinsed his brush in the brush washer and turned his gaze to the massive fleet ahead.

Those three flagship-class behemoths truly stood like anchors on the vast sea.

The massive lightning and fire rune cannon at the bow gleamed with a cold and murderous luster in the sunlight.

This was the blueprint he drew for the Ming Dynasty.

Today, this blueprint carries the ambition and hope of tens of thousands of people, propelling them forward towards the unknown future.

The days passed by.

This combined fleet sailed eastward steadfastly across the vast ocean, like a flock of migratory birds.

Gradually, the color of the surrounding seawater began to change.

The original deep, inky blue gradually transformed into a vibrant emerald green.

The pure salty smell in the air began to be mixed with a very faint fragrance of soil and grass.

This subtle change might be difficult for an ordinary sailor to notice, but it could not escape Li Changqing's extremely keen perception.

The New World is not far away.

It was dusk on this day.

The sea was calm and the sunset on the horizon was like a burning fire, illuminating the entire sea area in a dreamlike way.

The cooks on the Fuyuan had just finished cooking a pot of thick seafood porridge in a large iron pot, and the crew members were squatting on the deck in twos and threes, holding large rough porcelain bowls, enjoying the meal.

Li Changqing also held a bowl of porridge, leaning against the side of the boat, and slowly ate it.

Suddenly.

A strange light flashed in Li Changqing's usually calm eyes.

He turned his head slightly, his gaze passing over the Royal Fleet ahead and landing on a stretch of sea a few miles to his right.

The once calm sea suddenly erupted with a violent surge of waves without warning.

The surge was not caused by wind, but rather it rose from the depths of the sea, carrying a terrifyingly violent aura.

"Ugh!"

A piercing horn call suddenly rang out from a patrol ship on the right flank of the Royal Fleet, instantly shattering the tranquility of dusk.

Immediately afterwards, the lookout on the mainmast of the patrol boat waved the red flag in his hand with all his might.

"Enemy attack! A huge object is approaching in the right flank sea area!"

Upon hearing the horn, the sailors on the Fuyuan were so frightened that they dropped their rice bowls, grabbed harpoons and machetes from the deck, and nervously looked towards the sea to their right.

Zhao Laolang rushed to the ship's side in a few steps, his face ashen.

"What...what kind of monster is that?!"