I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

Wanda Plaza, upscale women's clothing store.

In the deathly silence, only the few tiny cracks on the wall slowly spread, making a "crackling" sound.

Zhao Shao (Zhao Tianba) was like a toad made into a specimen, his limbs outstretched, his palms pinned to a load-bearing column by a small stainless steel fork he usually used to eat cantaloupe. Blood flowed down the wallpaper, making his expensive Armani suit even more "vibrant".

He had fainted from the pain, or rather, he had fainted from fright.

The bodyguards around him were all ashen-faced, their legs were trembling, and although they were still holding batons, none of them dared to move forward even half a step.

joke!

That's a fork! A fruit fork!

This person can use a fruit fork to nail a person's hand into a reinforced concrete pillar from five or six meters away. If it were a throwing knife, wouldn't their head have been removed long ago?

"Swipe card, no PIN required."

Jiang Li handed the bank card to the store manager, who was already terrified and hiding under the cashier.

"Wrap up all these outfits. Oh, and this wall too..."

Jiang Li turned her head and glanced at the load-bearing column that had been nailed with cracks, and sighed with some heartache.

"I was so careless! This renovation looks quite expensive. Manager, how much compensation do you think would be appropriate?"

The store manager peeked out from under the counter, glancing at the man who looked like a god of death, then at Zhao Shao on the wall, and swallowed hard.

"No...no need to pay! It's our honor that you bought us clothes! This wall...this wall was supposed to be repaired anyway! We should thank you for helping us get the renovation funds!"

The store manager has an extremely strong survival instinct and speaks at a speed like a machine gun.

"That won't do. You have to pay for the damage; that's the rule."

Jiang Li is a reasonable person. "How about this, I think the wallpaper only costs a few dozen yuan per square meter, and the putty powder isn't expensive either... I'll pay an extra eight hundred yuan for it, that should be enough for you to hire a bricklayer to fix it up, right?"

"Enough! Enough! Enough!" The store manager nodded frantically.

Let alone 800, even if Jiang Li said now that he was the one who repaired the wall, the shopkeeper would absolutely not dare to say no.

"Beep—Payment successful."

Jiang Li took the bank card and receipt, picked up the beautifully packaged paper bag containing the new clothes, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Little Fish, let's go."

He took the hand of Jiang Xiaoyu, who was still a little dazed, while Da Huang led the way (actually driving away the bodyguards blocking the way).

Jiang Li stopped in his tracks as he passed by Zhao Shao, who was nailed to the wall.

The bodyguards instantly tensed up, thinking that this man was about to deliver another blow.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Li simply reached out and wiped his hands on Zhao Shao's body (he had gotten some juice on his hands from eating fruit), then shook his head with a look of disgust.

"Young people these days have such poor physical fitness; they can faint even while performing a magic trick."

After saying that, he pulled out the fork.

"Pfft!"

Blood spurted out.

Zhao Shao convulsed in pain and woke up again. Then, upon seeing Jiang Li's face, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted again.

"This fork is of good quality; it didn't bend."

Jiang Li wiped the blood-stained fork on Zhao Shao's tie, then casually stuffed it into his pocket. "Take it back, wash it, and it'll still be usable. Don't waste it."

Everyone: "..."

It's ruthless!

Even the murder weapon has to be recycled!

……

Inside the Land Rover.

Jiang Xiaoyu was carrying a pile of new clothes when she finally came to her senses after the car had driven two blocks away.

"Brother...have we gotten ourselves into a huge mess?"

Her face turned pale. "That Zhao Shao, I heard he's a local tyrant, his family is very powerful. If you nail him to the wall... won't he call the police to arrest us? Or get revenge from the underworld?"

"revenge?"

Jiang Li chuckled nonchalantly as he steered with one hand, "Don't worry, he wouldn't dare."

Why?

"Because I'm now working for 'relevant departments'."

Jiang Li pointed to his sunglasses. "I specialize in dealing with these kinds of unnatural phenomena. You saw his transformation too; that's an illness, it needs treatment. I was just giving him acupuncture treatment. Although the technique was a bit rough, the effect was significant. See, he's behaving himself now, isn't he?"

Although Jiang Xiaoyu was naive, she wasn't stupid: "Brother, you're lying! Who uses a fork for acupuncture!"

"This is called 'fighting poison with poison'."

Jiang Li reassured him, "Alright, don't worry about that. I'm really capable now. From now on, no one in Jianghai City will dare to bully you. If anyone dares to lay a finger on you, I'll hang them on a street lamp as an ornament."

Although Jiang Li spoke in a relaxed tone, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He wasn't joking.

In this land shrouded in the shadows of the past, anyone who dares to harm his family will be shown what true "unspeakable terror" is.

After sending his younger sister back to school, Jiang Li left her 20,000 yuan for living expenses before driving back to Yulong Bay.

……

Back to Villa No. 13.

It was already evening.

As soon as Jiang Li entered the room, he smelled an extremely domineering sour and pungent odor.

The taste is like a hundred pounds of lemons mixed with aged vinegar, plus some chili peppers, fermented for ten years.

"Wow! This tastes just right!"

Jiang Li's eyes lit up, and she headed straight for the kitchen.

In the corner of the kitchen, the [Screaming Demon Pot] he used to pickle green beans was trembling slightly, with the water seal at the mouth of the pot bubbling away.

Wisps of blue smoke (the product of purified resentment) rose from the water.

"Big Yellow, is this jar leaking air?"

Jiang Li leaned closer to take a look.

Big Yellow hid at the living room doorway, refusing to go into the kitchen no matter what.

terrible!

It witnessed firsthand the torment that once invincible C+ grade cursed creature had endured in the past few days.

The high concentrations of salt, alcohol, and capsaicin not only marinated the green beans but also seeped deep into the souls of those vengeful spirits.

The Magic Pot of today is no longer the same Magic Pot that could only scream.

It turned into a... jar that only burps.

Jiang Li lifted the lid of the large bowl.

"Whoosh—"

A rich, tangy aroma rose into the air.

The green beans inside had turned an enticing golden yellow, their bright color making one's mouth water.

"It's done!"

Jiang Li picked up a green bean with her chopsticks and took a bite.

"Creak!"

Sour, spicy, crunchy, and refreshing!

"Delicious! So delicious!"

Jiang Li praised it highly, "This jar is truly a treasure; even the pickled cowpeas it produces seem to possess a unique spirit!"

[Ding! Consuming cursed pickled beans increases mental resistance by 2 and grants a temporary buff: Evil Spirits Begone (the sour smell emanating from you will repel low-level spirits).]

Jiang Li ladled out a small bowl of sour water and took a sip with relish.

"Ah, this sour soup would be absolutely amazing if used to cook fish!"

Just then, he suddenly thought of something.

"Fish... Speaking of fish, it seems like the fish in Blackwater Bay have been mostly caught; they've been biting rather sluggish lately."

Jiang Li stroked his chin, lost in thought.

"If you want to catch big fish, you still have to go to the deep sea. But fishing boats are too expensive these days, and I don't have the license..."

"Oh, right! Buy a used boat!"

Jiang Li's eyes lit up.

He remembered that at the old wharf in Jianghai City, there was a "ship graveyard" that was used to moor decommissioned ships. There were often some broken ships that could still be used after being slightly repaired for sale, and the prices were outrageously cheap.

"Let's go check it out tomorrow! We'll buy a boat, and we'll set sail and become pirate kings... I mean, fishing masters!"

……

The next day was cloudy.

The old wharf in the eastern suburbs of Jianghai City.

This is a gray area on the edge of the city, where the air is filled with the fishy smell of the sea and the stench of engine oil.

On the sea, hundreds of abandoned ships were densely packed together. Some were just skeletons, some were half-submerged, and some were covered with barnacles and seaweed.

This place is known as the "ship graveyard" and is also a hiding place for many homeless people and wanted criminals.

Jiang Li, holding Big Yellow (who was wearing a big gold chain today) and wearing his signature flip-flops, strolled into a tin shack next to the dock.

This is "Old Wang's Secondhand Boat Shop".

The boss, Old Wang, was a one-eyed man lying in a rocking chair listening to the radio, twirling two rusty iron balls in his hands.

"Boss, let's buy a boat."

Jiang Li knocked on the door frame.

Old Wang opened his one remaining eye and glanced at Jiang Li: "Buy scrap metal on the left, buy parts on the right, buy a whole ship... do you have a license?"

"I don't have a license, so I just want to buy one that can float on the sea, a bit bigger, and preferably cheaper."

Jiang Li stated frankly, "It's mainly used for fishing."

"Fishing?" Old Wang scoffed. "You can't go out to sea without a license; the coast guard is cracking down hard. Besides, there are sea monsters in this area. Don't you want to live?"

"Never mind that, just tell me if you have it or not."

Jiang Li pulled out a stack of red bills, patted them in his hand, and said, "Money is not a problem. The key is that the boat needs to be sturdy, so it doesn't fall apart halfway through."

Upon seeing the money, Old Wang's attitude softened slightly.

He sat up straight, thought for a moment, and suddenly revealed a strange smile.

"A sturdy ship? A cheap ship? There really is one."

Old Wang stood up and pointed to a large, solitary black ship moored at the edge of the mist on the distant sea.

"Do you see that ship?"

Jiang Li looked in the direction the finger was pointing.

It was a medium-sized fishing boat, about twenty meters long, entirely black, with a simple and rustic design, and a tattered skull and crossbones flag (actually a tattered canvas) hanging at the bow.

Although it looks old, the hull structure seems to be intact and the materials used are very solid, even faintly revealing a metallic sheen.

"That ship is called the 'Black Pearl' (Jiang Li's perspective), originally named the 'Ghost Mary'."

Old Wang lowered his voice and said, "That was a deep-sea fishing vessel from thirty years ago. It is said that it once went to 'Guixu' (the center of the forbidden sea area), and later all the people on board died, but the ship drifted back by itself."

"In the past thirty years, this ship has had eight different owners."

"Everyone who bought it never returned after setting sail. Some say the ship is alive and eats people."

"So, this ship has been sitting here, and nobody dares to take it. If you're willing to take it, as long as..."

Old Wang held up five fingers.

"Five hundred thousand?" Jiang Li asked.

"Fifty thousand!" Old Wang chuckled. "Fifty thousand yuan, the boat and the (forged) documents are all yours. But if this boat eats you or sinks, there will be no refund."

"fifty thousand?!"

Jiang Li's eyes widened instantly, like copper bells.

This is too cheap!

Such a big ship, even just selling it for scrap metal would be worth more than 50,000!

As for cannibalism, curses, ghost ships...

In his eyes, it was a second-hand vehicle that was a bit old, might have a problem with the engine, and needed major repairs.

"I'll buy it! Let's sign the contract now!"

Jiang Li was afraid that Lao Wang would change his mind, so he slammed the money on the table.

"readily!"

Old Wang took the money, tossed Jiang Li a rusty key, and said, "The boat's over there, go and sail it yourself. Oh, and a friendly reminder: don't sleep in the cabin at night, you'll have nightmares."

……

Jiang Li, with Da Huang by his side, stepped onto the legendary "ghost ship" via the swaying pontoon bridge.

As soon as I boarded the boat, a chilling aura crept up from the soles of my feet.

The deck was wet, as if it had just been washed with water, but upon closer inspection, the water stains were dark red and emitted a faint smell of blood.

"Woof!"

As soon as Dahuang got on the boat, it got all worked up.

It sensed it.

This entire ship... is alive!

This isn't a ship! This is clearly a gigantic, ship-shaped [Deep Sea Corpse Beast] (Rank B-)!

The hull is its skeleton, the deck is its skin, the mast is its spine, and that so-called engine room... is its still slowly beating black heart!

Countless wronged souls clung to the ship's gunwale, emitting silent wails.

This is a real ghost ship!

"Tsk, this deck is a bit slippery, needs to be scrubbed."

Jiang Li stomped his foot, completely unaware that the deck beneath his feet twitched slightly the moment he did so.

He stepped into the driver's seat.

The cab was covered in dust and cobwebs, and the steering wheel was entangled with some dried seaweed.

In the corner sat a skeleton dressed in tattered captain's clothes, clutching a nautical logbook tightly in its hand.

"Oh dear, what about the former captain's remains?"

Jiang Li walked over, bowed, and said, "Senior, please allow me to use your precious space. Rest assured, I will definitely make this ship a great success."

As he spoke, he began to move the skeleton outside.

Just then.

Two will-o'-the-wisps suddenly lit up in the skull's eye sockets!

"Gah gah gah... Another one coming to its death..."

A sinister and terrifying sound echoed in the narrow driver's cab.

The skeleton slowly raised its head, its jaw clicking. "Mortal, offer your souls and become nourishment for this ship!"

The surrounding temperature plummeted, and frost covered the windows.

This is the oppressive aura of the [Undead Captain] (a C-rank vengeful spirit)!

however.

"Snapped!"

Jiang Li slapped the skull's head backhand, making it spin three times.

"Shut up! What are you yelling about?"

Jiang Li frowned. "Why are there so many voice-activated switches on this ship? And some even have built-in sound effects?"

He thought it was one of those prank toys.

"The model is quite realistic, but the dialogue is too cringeworthy."

Jiang Li grabbed the skull and twisted it off its neck.

"This skull looks good, it's round and smooth. Let's take it back and let Big Yellow kick it around like a ball."

Undead Captain: "???"

It was bewildered.

Its head was twisted off?

Moreover... the aura emanating from this human...

That was an abyssal aura countless times more terrifying than the ghost ship itself!

"Big Yellow! Catch!"

Jiang Li threw the skull at Big Yellow.

"Woof!"

Big Yellow leaped up and bit into the skull.

"Snap!"

The skull is fractured.

The will-o'-the-wisps inside were extinguished instantly, and the undead captain's consciousness was directly devoured by Big Yellow.

"This ship... is mine now."

Jiang Li stood in front of the cockpit, gripping the cold steering wheel.

"It's a bit worn out, but what more could you ask for than a bicycle for 50,000 yuan?"

"From this day forward, you are my warship!"

"I've already thought of a name: 'The Wavebreaker'!" (Actually, it's called 'The Remains of Leviathan')

Jiang Li's hand gripped the steering wheel.

The entire ship seemed to tremble.

An invisible contract was formed in an instant.

Deep beneath the ship's hull, the long-dormant black heart, upon sensing the vast and terrifying power within Jiang Li's body, suddenly contracted and then began to beat powerfully.

"Thump...thump..."

It requires neither fuel nor electricity.

This ghost ship, which had been dormant for thirty years, has awakened at this moment!

It became Jiang Li's loyal mount, or... his greatest fishing tool.

"Let's go! Destination—the Sea of ​​Mist!"

Jiang Li laughed loudly as he turned the steering wheel.

With a deep rumble, the black fishing boat slowly sailed away from the deathly ship graveyard, heading towards the deeper, darker, and more dangerous sea.