Navigator: I Have a Legendary Exploration Log

Safe shipping route between Maro Island and Simon Island.

Actually, there are two.

The first rule is naturally the one that Chalice and most captains agree on.

The second route requires navigating a complex sea area known as the "undercurrent zone".

This route is also very safe.

Moreover, the actual distance is much shorter than the first route.

However, the fluctuations in the undercurrent zone are really hard to predict.

Some of the ships that sailed in would arrive early with favorable winds and currents, while others would unfortunately have their journey delayed.

This uncertainty makes most captains who seek stability avoid it.

Chalice was the same way originally.

Although he had a nautical chart to help him, he wasn't so disoriented and lost by the undercurrents.

But time is money.

He didn't want to delay the business.

But now, the situation is different.

As Chalis became an extraordinary being, the "Legendary Exploration Log" in his mind also underwent new changes.

The nautical chart's real-time "radar" now has more information.

Chalice could always be aware of changes in the ocean currents near the ship.

Therefore, even if he enters a turbulent area, he is not afraid of being disturbed.

These elusive underwater currents, if used properly, can actually become an asset to the Homecoming!

It was almost noon.

The Homecoming ship, with its heavy hull, rolled over the last gentle wave off Maro Island and entered the complex waters known as the "undercurrent zone".

The water here has become noticeably darker, like spilled ink slowly spreading.

Unseen currents beneath the surface of the sea, like countless invisible ghostly hands, tugged at the hull, emitting a muffled groan.

The sailors had long since abandoned the relaxation they had enjoyed on Maro Island, and everyone was on edge.

In these waters, any carelessness could cost the lives of everyone on board.

They didn't know why the captain had come this way.

But... I believe!

Just believe it!

Chalice stood by the cockpit window, his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel.

His gaze did not linger on the obvious eddies on the surface of the sea, but rather, through the glass, he cast it toward the increasingly dense darkness in the depths ahead.

In his field of vision.

The ocean current curves drawn on the nautical charts blend harmoniously with the actual waves, rising and falling in perfect harmony.

A wondrous vision existing between illusion and reality, comparable to the spiritual vision of an extraordinary being.

The Returning Home ship crashed through the waves, bouncing and lurching as it continued to navigate in the correct direction.

The undercurrents that should have slowed the ship's hull, under Chalice's skillful maneuvering, instead became stepping stones for the Homecoming.

Wave after wave, time and time again.

Chalice roughly estimated the distance.

With the help of the undercurrent, his already far superior sailing efficiency can be increased by nearly half!

If this news gets out...

Many captains will definitely come to him with threats and inducements, asking him how Cherries managed to do it.

After all, this is the most direct business opportunity.

Think differently.

As long as they arrive on time, the Maro-Saimen route is a sure-fire long-term business opportunity.

In the time it takes someone else to make one trip, I can make two.

This money...isn't it making a fortune?!

In this regard.

Chalice was quite composed.

If he were afraid of trouble, he wouldn't have shown off his superb driving skills in front of everyone on the ship.

That's why he still chose the turbulent area.

This is because Cherries not only has to guard against potential Hyena gang attacks, but also has to get the two guests to Simon Island as quickly as possible.

He wanted to demonstrate his worth to the Corleone family.

In addition to this transaction, Chalice also prepared a piece of news that could be considered a surprise for the Corleone family.

But this news can only be shared when we return to Simon Island…

……

"Captain, the water temperature on the starboard side is abnormal."

Wirtz stared at the reading on the dial and said, puzzled, "It's three degrees higher than it was half an hour ago. That's not right."

Chalice did not answer.

His nostrils twitched slightly; a gourmet's sense of smell was giving him a frantic warning.

It's not a single smell, but a "scent storm" of dozens, even hundreds, of fishy, ​​putrid, and indescribably sweet odors surging up from the depths of the sea.

The sea surface suddenly began to glow.

At first, there were only a few scattered points of pale blue fluorescence, like phosphorescence sinking into the deep sea.

But in the blink of an eye, these points of light spread out rapidly!

The entire sea area seemed to be ablaze, with a large area of ​​eerie blue fluorescent light shining through the water, turning the seawater around the Homecoming Ship into an eerie blue-purple color.

"Sea monster! It's a sea monster attack!"

Terrified screams came from the deck.

Some grabbed harpoons and gripped them tightly from the gunwale; others collapsed to the ground, clinging desperately to the mooring ropes.

Eddie rushed into the cockpit, his face ashen, his voice trembling so much it was almost incoherent.

"Captain... Captain! There's something underwater! Lots and lots of things! What are they? Could they be monsters?"

"Shut up."

Chalice coldly interrupted the worthless words.

He didn't look at the sea; instead, he seemed lost in thought.

In Chalice's mind, another image appeared vividly.

The nautical chart is now showing a dense array of scarlet dots.

Hundreds and thousands of points of light are moving, colliding and entangled wildly underwater!

at the same time.

The nauseating stench reached its peak!

The sea began to "boil," and perhaps due to the rising temperature, countless bubbles surged from the depths, carrying the cloying smell of rotting flesh, slime, and some kind of neurotoxin.

"I understand, don't be nervous."

Charys suddenly spoke, his tone so certain that it stunned both Wirtz and Eddie.

"They weren't coming for us. Something died underwater, which attracted the predators."

As if to confirm his judgment, the sea was completely torn apart in the next moment.

The first to emerge from the water were a group of giant lobsters with iron-gray shells.

They are incredibly large, the smallest being half a person's height and the largest being longer than an adult. Their thick shells gleam with a metallic sheen under the eerie blue fluorescent light.

The most terrifying thing is its pair of giant claws.

Each giant claw is as thick as an adult's thigh.

Eddie had no doubt that the thing could easily snap the thickest cable of the Homecoming.

"Giant lobster..."

Wirtz gasped. "This thing's shell is so tough, even a harpoon couldn't pierce it!"

Before he could finish speaking...

Another group of predators burst out of the water from the opposite direction.

Their bodies are perfectly streamlined, and when they swim, they are so fast that they leave only streaks of silver afterimages.

The most eye-catching feature is the dorsal fin.

Rows of sharp, blade-like bone spurs, each tip gleaming with an eerie purplish-black luster.

"Bladefin Poison Fish..."

Chalice narrowed his eyes. "The toxin on this guy's dorsal fin is very potent... and very expensive..."

Neither of the two groups of creatures even glanced at the Homecoming.

Their eyes were only on each other's kind and the enormous creature slowly rising on the sea.

It was a dead whale of an unknown species.

Although it had been gnawed into many pieces, the remaining skeleton and thick flesh were still enormous and suffocating.

The whale blubber gleamed alluringly under the deep blue fluorescent light.

It is a top-grade nutrient rich in spiritual energy, which has a fatal attraction to any extraordinary marine creature.

A war among marine creatures broke out in an instant.

Armored giant lobsters, relying on their hard shells, advance in tight formations.

Their massive claws open and close like scissors, attempting to cut the poisonous fish in half.

But the blade-finned venomous fish is too fast!

They darted through the gaps in the shrimp swarm like streaks of silver lightning.

A giant lobster suddenly clamped its jaws onto a poisonous fish.

The moment the pincers close!

The poisonous fish's body was snapped in half at the waist, and purplish-black blood spurted out.

But before it died, the poisonous fish thrashed its dorsal fin, and its venomous spines pierced the joints of the giant lobster's claws.

A chilling scene unfolded.

The giant lobster, which had been so majestic just moments before, suddenly stiffened, its claws limply loosened, and its massive body began to convulse and sink.

The toxins penetrated its body directly through the thin seams of its carapace at the joints.

"joint……"

Chalice watched the war with great excitement.

His eyes weren't on the bloody battle, but fixed intently on the movements of each giant crayfish.

A gourmet's intuition was flashing wildly in his mind.

Those iron-gray shells seem flawless, but every time the claws swing, a fleeting gap appears at the joints.

The junction between carapaces.

The color will lighten slightly.

That's the weakest point on the shell.

On the other side, the attacks of the blade-finned poisonous fish were as fierce as a storm.

Taking advantage of their speed, they launched attacks from all angles.

But Chalice quickly discovered the pattern.

Before each fatal charge by a venomous fish, the area behind the gill covers on both sides of its body will bulge slightly, which is a sign that the venom sacs are full of toxins.

When they flick their dorsal fins to release toxins, that area will briefly cave in, exposing the tender flesh underneath that is not protected by scales.

"The venom sac is located two inches behind the gills...it exhibits a certain degree of rigidity after release..."

A cold smile curled at the corner of Chalice's lips.

"Captain! They're getting closer and closer!"

Wirtz shouted anxiously.

The carcasses of several poisonous fish were thrown onto the gunwale, their purplish-black venom corroding the wooden railing with a sizzling sound.

A giant lobster's severed claw even landed on the deck.

The pincers continued to open and close unconsciously, nearly snapping a sailor's ankle.

Chalice finally moved.

He strode out of the cockpit, the sea breeze ruffling the hem of his trench coat.

The sailors on deck all looked at him, their eyes filled with fear and pleading.

Shoot...shoot!

Smash those monsters with that terrifying revolver, or escape this hellish sea at full speed.

But the first thing Charys did was raise his right hand, making a "silence" gesture.

Then he walked to the side of the ship and leaned down to look at the bloody battlefield.

The pale blue glow illuminated his cold, handsome profile.

On the sea.

The battle between giant lobsters and poisonous fish has reached a fever pitch.

The shrimp formed a defensive line with their bodies, attempting to protect the whale's fattest belly.

The poisonous fish then dispersed into smaller groups, attacking the weak points in the shrimp's defenses from various angles.

Dismembered limbs floated on the sea surface, and venom and blood stained the seawater an eerie purplish-red color. The strong stench was almost suffocating.

But Cheryl smelled more than just blood.

He could smell the sweetness of the giant lobster.

The meat beneath the shell is rich in collagen, which transforms into a creamy texture when slow-cooked in broth.

He could smell the crisp, clean scent of the tender flesh of the blade-finned poison fish.

The meat, untouched by toxins, has a delicate texture and can be brought out to its fullest flavor simply by steaming.

He could smell the uncontaminated spinal cord of the dead whale.

That is the true essence of the ocean, every drop containing boundless spirituality.

"Wiltz".

Chalice's voice was eerily calm. "Take five men to the cargo hold and get the largest trawl net ready."

"Eddie, go get my knives. The whole set, from boning knives to tweezers, nothing missing."

The two stood there, stunned.

"Do I have to say it again?"

Chalice turned his head, his eyes showing no hint of a joke. "Go now."

The sailors finally realized what their captain was planning to do.

He wanted to take advantage of the situation when the two groups of extraordinary creatures were locked in a fierce battle.

"But...but Captain!"

An old sailor said in a trembling voice, "Those are two groups of extraordinary creatures, bloodthirsty and ferocious; we can't handle them!"

"The toxins in poisonous fish are concentrated in their dorsal fin and venom sac; as long as you don't touch them, you'll be fine."

Chalice interrupted him, "The giant lobster's point of attack is at the base of its claws. As long as you avoid the front and attack from the side or rear, it won't be able to pinch you."

The battle on the sea was coming to an end.

There were only seven or eight giant lobsters left, but each one was covered in venomous spines and its movements had become sluggish and stiff.

The swarm of bladefin poison fish had also suffered more than half loss; the fastest ones, the silver lightning ones, had disappeared, and the remaining fish swam with obvious signs of fatigue.

And what they are fighting for.

The dead whale miraculously retained most of its spinal skeleton.

Both sides paid a heavy price, but neither side managed to monopolize the feast.

Chalice no longer waited.

"Disconnect from the internet!"

A massive trawl net was cast from the starboard side of the Homecoming!

It covered precisely the area of ​​the sea where the most corpses were floating.

I applied a spiritual-suppressing agent online beforehand.

This is a technique that Chalice learned legitimately from old Sartre, capable of temporarily paralyzing the senses of extraordinary beings.

The last few giant lobsters and poisonous fish that were still fighting were scooped up together.

They still wanted to struggle.

However, the prolonged fighting had exhausted their physical strength, and with their spirituality suppressed, their struggles seemed pale and futile.

"Pull him up! Quickly!"

The sailors roared as they turned the winch.

When the trawl net leaves the sea, it is already full of spoils.

Three surviving armored giant lobsters, five blade-finned poisonous fish still twitching, and a large number of barely intact limbs.

At least it's more intact than minced meat scraps...

Under Chalice's command, the sailors hauled the dead whale's spine onto the ship with great effort.

Chalice stepped forward personally.

His hand holding the knife was as steady as a rock. The tip of the knife precisely pierced the joint of a giant crayfish and with a gentle flick, the terrifying giant claw was easily removed.

Then he turned to the poisonous fish.

The blade sliced ​​two inches behind the gills, removing the venom sac along with the surrounding tender flesh. The entire process was swift and fluid, without a single drop of venom spilling out.

The deck was completely silent.

The sailors watched as their captain processed these terrifying monsters like ordinary ingredients, a chill running down their spines, yet they also felt a strange, absurd sense of security.

Chalice placed the processed materials into a wooden box filled with ice slush, and finally looked at the spine.

He used a chisel to crack open the joints, and thick, honey-like, brownish-gold marrow slowly flowed out.

The most essential part of this bloody battle.

Chalice resisted the urge to dip his finger in the broth and lick it clean.

"Clean it up."

Chalice straightened up and wiped the blood off his hands.

"Continue sailing, extra meal tonight."

The Homecoming Ship set sail again, rolling over the gradually calming blood-red sea.

Behind them, the eerie blue glow gradually dimmed, eventually fading back into the darkness of the deep sea.

Only the ingredients inside the wooden crate, radiating an alluring spiritual energy, proved that the fierce battle that had just taken place was not an illusion.

Meanwhile, Chalice had returned to the cockpit, his gaze fixed on Simon Island.

His tongue seemed to have already tasted the flavors of those top-quality ingredients blending together in the pot.

Those are the spoils of a gourmet...