Under One Person: The Sea Emperor Who Shattered Heaven and Earth

"Serve Ren-Ming".

The inscription at the end reads "Presented to Jiang Zhen," followed by a name prominently displayed.

Chapter 92 Setting Sail! The Second Ocean Cruise (4000)

"Ren-Ming?" Old Feng chewed on the two words, "The name is interesting. But who exactly is Ren-Ming? Is he a porter at the docks? Or a farmer in the countryside?"

Everyone looked at each other, their eyes all falling on Jiang Zhen, their eyes filled with confusion.

Every single one of them was a seasoned veteran of the underworld, having roamed the streets for decades. They had seen all sorts of people, from the most humble to the most cunning. Dock laborers, unscrupulous merchants, government officials, and battlefield ruffians—they had dealt with them all. They had met countless people, but Ren-Ming was truly unlike any they had ever met.

Jiang Zhen sighed: "Gentlemen, haven't you been asking me for an explanation? Do you think that I've only been building ships and not training troops for the past six months because I've backed down?"

Everyone lowered their heads and remained silent, but their resentment was practically bursting out from the top of their heads.

They have fire in their hearts.

This fire started half a year ago. At that time, Jiang Zhen ordered that all energy be put into shipbuilding, and even the business that was practically handed to them was turned away. The brothers had a lot of energy to spare, and they were so bored that they were practically growing mold on the river every day.

"Let me ask you first," Jiang Zhen's gaze swept over everyone present, "what exactly does our Canal Gang rely on for a living?"

“The canal transport!” someone blurted out, their voice carrying a hint of taken for granted.

“That’s right, we’re people who eat on the water, why would we go ashore?” Jiang Zhen suddenly stood up and walked to the wall.

Pointing to the map on the wall, it traces the Yangtze River and lands on the sea.

“Since the brothers have such skills they don’t want to waste, let’s go to sea.” Jiang Zhen’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word was clear. “I don’t get involved in things on land. But the rules at sea are up to me, Jiang Zhen.”

"Going to sea?!"

Zhao Yuan's voice rose eight octaves, sounding like a rooster being choked, his eyes wide open as if he had heard something unbelievable.

"Boss! Our vast empire, tens of thousands of docks... are we just going to hand it all over to others? How can we do that!" His voice trembled, whether from anger or anxiety, it was hard to tell. "We took those territories inch by inch, we defended those docks one by one! Are we just going to give them up like that?"

Jiang Zhen glanced at him sideways.

“My mind is made up.” Jiang Zhen’s voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable determination. “Those who trust me and are willing to come with me can go. Those who are unwilling to go—all the wealth on land and all the property on the ground will be given to them.”

"Don't worry, I've already made the arrangements and found a way for the brothers who don't want to leave. Shanghai will still be Shanghai, and the canal transport will still be the canal transport. It will be the same as before and the same as before."

"Besides, I, Jiang Zhen, am just going out to see the world; I didn't say I'd abandon this place."

The entire room fell silent.

Nevertheless, everyone's faces turned deathly pale.

They knew all too well. The reason the Grand Canal Gang had reached its current status and commanded the respect of various factions was entirely due to the gang leader sitting here.

Jiang Zhen is the soul of the Grand Canal Gang, the pillar that stands tall and firm. Whether he is here or not is a completely different matter.

“Master Bai.” Jiang Zhen turned to Bai Fu.

Bai Fu shuddered, as if he had been woken from a nightmare.

"Pass on my order. Those who are willing to go to sea, compile a list and prepare to board the ship."

"This……"

"Ok?"

Bai Fu looked at Jiang Zhen's uncompromising gaze, trembled, and managed to utter a single word: "Yes!"

This order caused an uproar throughout the land.

The day the news broke, it was as if a bomb had been dropped on the entire nation. In the streets and alleys, in teahouses and taverns, everyone was talking about the same thing—the Grand Canal Gang was leaving? Jiang Zhen was going to sea?

Is it really that noble and virtuous? You don't want anything? Those are things that are readily available to you.

Speculation was rampant, but no one dared to ask. Everyone knew—the Grand Canal Gang was a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.

Jiang Zhen gave no time for the outside world to react. Once the order was given, he personally took charge and directed the operation, and the massive machine of the Canal Gang began to run at an unprecedented speed.

He crammed all the top experts he'd poached from the West—naval engineers, weapons designers, chemists, physicists—into the fleet. These were people Jiang Zhen had built up with money; they all signed long-term contracts, received high salaries, and were treated well and well in the Canal Gang's territory.

Now that Jiang Zhen said he wanted to go to sea, they packed their bags without saying a word.

Are you kidding me? Where can you find such a great employer these days? You get to eat and drink, have a high salary, and live in the safest place in the world.

It's just going out to sea. Westerners aren't afraid of sailing. Our ancestors did it during the Age of Exploration.

As for those extraordinary friends, Jiang Zhen personally went to their door.

Jiang Zhen felt a little uneasy when he looked for Lin Zhu, but when he saw her, he found that she had already started packing her things, and he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Fang Ying, Ma Benzai, and Duanmu Ying, the three members of the Thirty-Six Thieves, remained silent for a long time in front of Jiang Zhen.

Fang Ying lowered her head, tracing circles on the rim of her teacup with her finger. Ma Ben leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. Duanmu Ying held her teacup in both hands, the steam obscuring her face and making her expression unreadable.

After all, they were the Thirty-Six Thieves. Although Jiang Zhen's departure left a lingering influence for a short time, and no one dared to make a move, it was hard to say what would happen in the long run. They knew this was the best option, but the feeling of being reluctant to leave their homeland welled up in their hearts.

"Brother Jiang."

Finally, Ma Ben spoke first, scratching his head with a wry smile, "If you leave, we're afraid we'll suffer if we stay." His honed skills are a treasure when someone protects him, but when no one protects him, they're the root of trouble.

"That's why I wanted to ask if you guys wanted to come along," Jiang Zhen said.

"If you miss home, you can come back for a visit. It's not like you're never coming back."

Fang Ying was the first to speak: "I'll go with you."

Ma Ben nodded in agreement: "Let's go."

Duanmu Ying put down her teacup and softly said a single word: "Okay."

Jiang Zhen didn't ask any further questions, giving them ample time to handle their household chores. Ma Benzai had a wife and children, and Duanmu Ying had a husband and businesses; both required arrangements. Jiang Zhen simply said, "No rush, take your time."

Finally, Jiang Zhen pushed open Fang Dongtian's door.

Fang Dongtian has been going through a very difficult time lately.

"Uncle-Master..." Fang Dongtian shrank in the corner and coughed awkwardly as he watched Jiang Zhen walk in.

"Oh, your ear is healed?" Jiang Zhen glanced at him sideways, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Healed, healed! The Quanzhen Secret Method works quickly and makes my ears crystal clear. Now I can even tell the gender of a mosquito flying by."

As he spoke, he deliberately tilted his head to the side and patted his ear, as if showing off the results of the repair. A huge weight was finally lifted from my heart—I had been pretending to be deaf for so long, living in constant fear, but now I finally didn't have to pretend anymore.

"Do you want to come with me?" Jiang Zhen asked directly.

Fang Dongtian paused for a moment, then shook his head bitterly: "Uncle-Master, I am a hermit, cultivating tranquility. I've been caught up in the mortal world for a while now. I want to go back to the mountains, and it's been a long time since I offered incense to our Ancestral Master."

He said this in a soft but firm voice.

Jiang Zhen looked at him but did not insist.

There was a few seconds of silence in the room.

"Alright, I respect your choice... Take care..."

"By the way, Uncle-Master."

Fang Dongtian suddenly called out to Jiang Zhen, and with great effort pulled out a huge wooden box from under the bed. Then he led Jiang Zhen to the courtyard and pointed to a cart full of thread-bound books—the books were stacked neatly, bound with hemp rope, piled up like small mountains.

“I won’t be by your side, but you can’t fall behind in your studies.” Fang Dongtian dusted off his hands and said seriously, “Since you’re going on a long voyage, take these things with you.”

Jiang Zhen looked at it and, instead of being worried, laughed: "Dongtian, look at my learning progress, it's pretty fast. At my current speed, I can memorize these books in another year or two at most."

Fang Dongtian shook his head and looked at Jiang Zhen seriously: "Uncle-Master, you're overthinking it. These are just the catalogs."

"Ok?"

"Yes, that cartload was just a catalog."

"What did you say?" Jiang Zhen's voice changed instantly.

“Table of contents,” Fang Dongtian repeated, emphasizing his words, “is the table of contents that tells you the name of each book, who wrote it, and what it’s about.”

Jiang Zhen's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot on the spot.

......

The day of departure has finally arrived.

Before dawn, the Huangpu River was already filled with boats, so numerous that they stretched as far as the eye could see.

Most of the members of the Canal Gang chose to follow Jiang Zhen. In their eyes, their leader was a god. Following a god, even if they went to hell, they could fight their way in and out seven times.

As for those who were reluctant to leave their homeland, Jiang Zhen made arrangements for them and entrusted them to relevant organizations for proper care.

The dock was packed with people.

People started arriving gradually from the early hours of the morning. Some were family members of the canal gang who came to see them off, some were business partners who came to say goodbye, some were ordinary people who had benefited from the canal gang, and some were simply there to watch the spectacle.

Countless friends of the supernatural and people from the palace came to see him off, and some of the supernatural beings wanted to follow Jiang Zhen.

Shuiyun and Changqing from the Sanyi Sect were two of them. Dressed in white, they stood out conspicuously on the dock.

“Uncle-Master,” Shuiyun stepped forward, cupped her hands in greeting, and said in a clear voice, “Master said when he was alive that you could help him advance further in the Reverse Life Triple Realm. We want to continue following Master’s path.”

"Please grant my request, Uncle-Master."

Changqing nodded in agreement, his eyes resolute.

Jiang Zhen looked at them, thought of their master, and didn't say much, just nodded: "Get on the ship."

The two accepted the order and turned to board the ship.

Jiang Zhen returned the greetings one by one, exchanging pleasantries, saying goodbye, shaking hands, and hugging those who came to see him off. There were too many people, and he couldn't even see some faces clearly. He could only nod, smile, and say "take care" repeatedly.

Until his gaze swept across the crowd and he saw a familiar figure.

That was Boss Zhao—the one who donated his entire fortune to ask the Tang Clan to help annihilate the Bihe Ren. He was wearing a dark long robe and leading a chubby little boy in a suit, standing quietly on the shore.

Jiang Zhen walked over.

"Chief Jiang, I came to see you off after learning of your upcoming voyage." Boss Zhao bowed deeply.

"Mr. Zhao, you're too kind." Jiang Zhen helped him up, then looked at the chubby, cute little man in a suit next to him.

"This is my son, Zhao Fangxu," Boss Zhao introduced, his tone tinged with pride.

"Hello, Uncle Jiang." Zhao Fangxu bowed respectfully, the hem of his suit jacket sticking up.

"Okay, okay." Jiang Zhen laughed heartily and reached out to pat Zhao Fangxu's head.