We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 1 [The Eye of the Secret Sea]

"Captain Shane? Captain Shane?"

"The loan agreement signing process is complete, and you can leave now."

Xia En sat on the hard wooden chair, looking at the medieval-style room and the old man who looked like a butler, his eyes full of confusion.

What loan agreement?

Why did it end?

Also, where is this place?
He remembered that just a second ago he was at home waiting for his fried chicken delivery, and he had just heard, "Open the door, Ken..."

I opened my eyes and found myself in this awful place.

Before I could think, a jumble of fragmented memories brutally flooded my mind, and countless images were forcefully crammed in.

Xia En quickly realized that he had traveled through time.

This is a mysterious world that is similar to Earth but not quite.

There are extraordinary beings such as secret paths, witches, and forbidden artifacts.

However, one day hundreds of years ago, the sea level suddenly began to rise sharply, and the relentless seawater successively submerged land and cities, and the space for human habitation continued to shrink.

The extraordinary individuals of the previous era used every means to preserve the flame of civilization.

Great migrations, "Noah's Ark," underwater shelters, racial modification... people struggle to find a way to survive.

Today, a new order has been established, and the world has entered the Age of Exploration.

This captain, who shares the same name as Shane, inherited his father's legacy—a two-masted sailing ship called the "Black Swan"!

He had hoped to make a name for himself at sea, but he encountered a shipwreck on his second voyage.

Not only did the sailors on board suffer heavy casualties, but all the cargo they were transporting was also lost.

Such a huge loss naturally enraged the supplier, who demanded compensation.

Of course, we can't afford to pay compensation.

The repairs to the ship's cabins and the payment of pensions to the families of the deceased sailors had already emptied his savings.

At this point, Captain Shane still had one last option: sell the ship and go to the island to make a living.

But perhaps because of his deep affection for the ship, or perhaps because of his youthful arrogance and unwillingness to settle for mediocrity, he made a bold decision.

Borrow money from Duke Nova on the island!

As we all know, some money, once lent out, is irretrievable.

The contract in front of us is less of a loan agreement and more of a betting agreement.

If Shane is unable to repay the debt when he returns next time, he and the ship will be handed over to the Duke.

"No, bro, if you're thinking of doing something rash, don't drag me into it!"

With his last hope, Shane glanced at the parchment not far away.

Above, his name was clearly written in another language.

According to the Seven Seas Convention, this treaty has already taken real effect. If he fails to comply, all city-states will be prohibited from opening their ports to him, and he will be placed on the list of wanted fugitives at sea.

Everything is already set in stone.

Xia En looked at the old butler in front of him, his lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing.

Even if he says he didn't sign it, nobody will believe him!
"Captain Shane, I sincerely suggest you..."

The old butler stood up and said meaningfully, "Not going to sea might be a better choice."

"After all, His Majesty the Duke is quite fond of handsome men like you."

Yes, this Duke of Nova is a woman.

To be honest, if she were a fair-skinned, beautiful woman with long legs, Xia En wouldn't mind reluctantly selling her body, letting money taint her pure soul, and embarking on a legendary path that begins with marrying a rich woman.

The problem is that, in his memory, the Duke of Nova's dimensions were 300x300x300.

Moreover, she was so extravagant and frivolous that she had to change her male lovers almost every three months, resulting in a higher mortality rate than when she went on a sea voyage.

The thought of that mountain of flesh pressing down on him sent chills down Xia En's spine, and he said.

"I want to try again."

"Okay, then, good luck."

Seeing this, the old butler stopped trying to persuade him and watched Xia En leave.

A smile played on his lips, but his eyes were filled with mockery.

He had seen far too many people like that.

These captains are like gamblers driven to the brink of despair; they always cling to the hope that they can turn their fortunes around on their next voyage.

The result was simply a gradual slide into the abyss, ultimately leading to utter ruin.

This time will be no exception.

at the same time.

As Xia En stepped out of the room, the salty, fishy sea breeze greeted her.

Looking out, one can see a vast expanse of blue waves in the distance, with the waves rising and falling, looking like tiny specks of gold in the sunlight.

Only at this moment did Xia En finally have the real feeling that he had traveled to another world.

He couldn't help but think with a hint of anticipation, "That's right, I still have a ship and sailors on board. Maybe I can turn things around?"

"Captain! So you were here!"

Just then, Shane heard someone calling his name.

He turned his head and saw several sailors walking towards him.

Xia En recognized them as his crew members, but their expressions made his heart skip a beat.

"captain……"

The first mate, Renate, a burly man with a thick beard, hesitated, a hint of shame on his face. But the other black sailor was far less polite, saying directly, "Hey, Shane, I heard you're going to be kept by the Duke?"

"Perfect timing, we don't want to work here anymore either, let's part ways amicably!"

"Hey Jason!"

Renate glared at him, then looked at Shane: "Captain, I'm getting old and want to settle down on the island, so..."

Shaun kept a straight face, his gaze sweeping over Renate and the other sailors, trying his best to keep his tone calm.

"Is this what you all mean?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, Captain, I have to support my family."

The sailors responded one after another, most of them sounding somewhat ashamed, but some were quite outspoken.

"Captain, let me be frank, I don't think there's any future in following you. If the old captain were still alive, I definitely wouldn't leave, but now..."

"I don't want to risk offending His Excellency the Duke by continuing to play your childish nautical games."

The one who said this was a thin man with a hooked nose named Fried.

His twin brother died in a recent shipwreck, and he clearly blamed part of the responsibility on Shane.

After hearing these words, Xia En quickly understood everything.

These sailors were old men on the Black Swan, but their captain was not Shane, but his deceased father.

In their eyes, Xia En was just an immature pretty boy with no real prestige.

His two failed voyages and his performance in the face of shipwrecks demonstrated his lack of ability.

Insufficient prestige and inadequate ability.

No one would want to work hard under such a leader, let alone someone in a high-risk profession like a sailor.

After a moment of silence, Xia En said, "Okay, I understand."

"Is there anything else?"

Jason and Fried were somewhat surprised by his calm reaction.

In the past, if Captain Shane had encountered such a situation, he would have been completely panicked and perhaps even cried and begged them to stay.

But now, he seems to have calmly accepted the status quo?

It seems that hardship truly is the best way to train people.

Unfortunately, it's too late.

Renate sighed inwardly and turned to leave with the other sailors.

In the blink of an eye, only Xia En was left standing alone in the same spot.

"Phew... Now I'm truly all alone."

Xia En took a deep breath.

It wasn't really that heartbreaking.

After all, he wasn't familiar with these former crew members at all; he only knew them through the original owner's memories.

What I felt most was confusion and helplessness.

Suddenly transported to this unfamiliar world, I start with a huge debt, betrayed by everyone, and utterly alone.

This feeling is really not pleasant.

More importantly, what should we do next?
"I still have thirty silver snake coins on me. Although they were borrowed, it shouldn't be a problem to recruit a few sailors."

Xia En consoled himself, "Out with the old, in with the new! Let's just consider this a fresh start!"

……

……

After half an hour.

Xia En, who had been strolling around the dock, frowned deeply and felt very heavy-hearted.

We can't find anyone, we simply can't find anyone!
Normally, sailors who could be recruited for just a few silver snake coins would all refuse upon hearing his name.

There's even a sense of wanting to avoid it at all costs.

"Most likely, it's related to Duke Nova."

After careful consideration, Xia En quickly came to a conclusion.

The Duke of Nova was the governor of the island, a position of immense prestige.

He didn't need to do anything shady; he just needed to leak the news that Shane and the Duke had signed a betting agreement, and none of the sailors on the island would dare to board his ship.

"Damn, they're really not giving us a way out..."

Xia En couldn't help but think of the old butler's meaningful smile, and felt that the road ahead was bleak.

Without sailors, he couldn't even go to sea. How could he turn the tide?
"Or... should I just give in to her?"

Xia En gave a wry smile.

Suddenly, he had a feeling and looked up, only to find that he had unknowingly walked to where the "Black Swan" was docked.

When Xia En saw his own ship, his mind went blank, as if a red-hot iron rod had been inserted into his temple.

Hot!

Severe pain!

Then, deep within his consciousness, an eye composed of dark blue patterns opened!
Its name is——

【The Eye of the Secret Sea!】

New author, new book! Seeking recommendations, collections, and investments!
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(End of this chapter)