Navigator: I Have a Legendary Exploration Log

"Evanhold Max reporting for duty!"

At the engine room door, the man who heard the noise on the deck hurried out and bumped into Cherries, who had come looking for someone.

In contrast to the image described by Mr. Sartre.

Max immediately realized that the young man with short black hair in front of him was his future captain.

Chalice was also sizing up the chief engineer that Sartre had introduced.

Max was a stocky, broad-shouldered middle-aged white man wearing a loose canvas work jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the strong muscles of his forearms and several scars left by high-temperature steam burns.

He met Cheryl, who was about the same age as his son.

Max awkwardly let his hands hang down and rubbed them hard against his trouser legs.

"Hello, Mr. Max."

Chalice smiled and reached out his hand.

Max quickly raised his hand and firmly grasped the long, slender hand with calluses on the knuckles and the base of the thumb.

A handshake.

Max felt much more at ease.

sometimes.

Building trust is very simple.

First, it was the experienced navigator Sartre who personally acted as a go-between.

Secondly, their first impressions of each other revealed that the other was not just a show-off but a person who actually got things done.

That makes it very simple.

Chalice asked directly, "Is this a trial voyage? May we set sail?"

"no problem!"

Max quickly added two more sentences.

"Captain Cherry, for this trial voyage, I don't need a trial salary, as long as you are satisfied and we can sign a formal contract..."

"Hey... I'll definitely pay you."

Cheryl interrupted Max's cautious probing.

"You don't need to worry about the contract either. You should have inquired about my reputation before you came. I may not have the ability to make a crew rich overnight, but when have I ever skimped on mission rewards?"

Max smiled awkwardly, seemingly regretting his somewhat stingy statement.

He deeply regretted his ridiculous mindset.

Why is it that after all these years, I've become more and more calculating and petty...?

But all he wanted was to leave his family a substantial amount of savings before he died.

While it's unlikely that we can guarantee them a life free from want, earning more will at least allow them to save more...

Chris led Max to the engine room.

After watching Max operate the turbine and randomly checking how to handle several emergency situations.

Cherries immediately decided to let Max stay.

He is indeed a person with real skills.

Unfortunately, his life is nearing its end...

If Chillis wasn't mistaken, faint black cracks were already appearing around Max's eye sockets.

This is the outward manifestation of phlogiston eroding the human body.

Phosphorus fuel is the power source that propels the exploration vessel forward indefinitely.

But it is also the death knell for almost all chief engineers.

Turbines that can efficiently utilize phlogiston and prevent leakage and corrosion have actually been developed.

Unfortunately, it was very expensive to build, costing more than the entire ship.

Therefore, most ships still use ordinary turbines.

The money saved could be used to recruit chief engineers; with some conscience, including compensation, that could get you dozens of them...

One hour later.

Wirtz returned with the cook Rumlow, the sailor Eddie, and several other sailors.

Chalice had also inspected the Homecoming from beginning to end.

The vessel is confirmed to be in normal condition.

He immediately announced the disembarkation of the anchor.

The turbines began to rumble and deliver power, propelling the Homecoming slowly out of Simon Island's harbor.

Taking advantage of the time when the speed of the ship is increasing steadily.

Chalice briefly explained the mission to everyone.

Upon hearing that the captain was on a promotion mission, Rumlow and the others were overjoyed.

This joy was even greater than when they learned that Chalice had become an extraordinary being.

After all, this is directly related to their own interests.

Crew members of the Black Iron Navigator.

The salary naturally skyrocketed as a result!

But the crew only need to obey orders; the captain has a lot more to consider.

Chalice gripped the helm, the absolutely accurate nautical chart appearing in his mind.

Up there.

There is a newly marked destination.

The authenticity is questionable.

That was the range he roughly estimated based on the information provided by the association.

The objective of this Black Iron quest is to capture an extraordinary creature called the Bigmouth Fish.

The simpler and more direct a name is, the more profound an impression it leaves on people.

Fortunately, the bigmouth fish poses little threat to the boats.

That huge mouth is very powerful at tearing apart other marine life.

But it couldn't bite through the hull.

Unless it is allowed to gorge itself after being pulled from the boat.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, rushed towards me.

The Homecoming train cleaved through the dark green waves amidst the deep roar of its turbines, resolutely heading toward its designated direction.

Chalice stood at the bow of the ship.

This mission does not require a long voyage, so naturally he and Wirtz do not need to take turns at the helm.

As the captain, I hire people to share the burden.

This isn't laziness, but rather a reasonable way to conserve energy.

Moreover, with a nautical chart and logbook, no one could secretly deviate from the course without his knowledge.

The return journey was approaching the approximate "circle".

Chalice returned to the cockpit and pretended to look at the nautical chart for a while.

Then he shouted into the loudspeaker, "Slow down! Chief Engineer! Reduce turbine power to 30%!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Max's steady response came through the communication channel, and accompanied by the faint sound of gears turning, the speed of the Homecoming gradually decreased.

Chalice steered the ship, and the Homecoming left a long white trail on the sea.

"Captain, have we arrived?"

Wirtz stretched.

"We should have arrived..."

Challis instructed, "Prepare bait. Catch some small fish, chop them up, and scatter them into the sea to see if it can attract that thing."

"clear!"

Under Wirtz's command, Eddie and the other sailors huffed and puffed as they dragged out the fishing nets that hadn't been used in a long time.

After "inheriting" the Tulip.

Despite the absolutely correct route recorded on the nautical charts, Cherries did not embark on a long voyage directly, but instead worked as a fishing captain for a period of time.

Moreover, fishing rods and nets may not be used normally, but they can be very useful when supplies are scarce.

First, I scooped up two nets full of miscellaneous fish.

Chalice's throat bobbed, the live fish jumping around on the deck constantly tempting his appetite.

Information about several common sea fish came to mind, and naturally, thoughts of how to cook them arose.

Chalice waved.

The sailors immediately and skillfully chopped the fish into minced meat.

Then they poured bucket after bucket into the sea.

at the same time.

Wirtz also prepared a fishhook the size of an adult's palm to secure the fishing rod to the winch on the side of the boat, so that anything biting the hook wouldn't be too strong and pull a person directly into the sea.

A large piece of meat, marinated in a special bait, was hanging on the fishing hook.

This is bait specially provided by the association to help him catch bigmouth fish.

"How's it going, Captain!"

Wirtz excitedly tugged at the sturdy rope.

"You need these big hooks to catch big fish! I guarantee that once that bigmouthed fish bites, it won't be able to escape!"

Chalice watched as the blood-soaked pieces of flesh sank to the bottom of the water, the murky waves gradually churning.

"That's quite a commotion; there might really be something big. Let's set the hook! Otherwise, that thing might just eat its appetizer and leave the table!"

"good!"

At Challis's command, the heavy iron hook, carrying chunks of flesh, smashed through the water's surface and sank rapidly into the depths.

The hemp rope rubbed rapidly against the winch, and the atmosphere on the deck became tense.

A few seconds passed.

The sea returned to calm, and the rope remained still.

Just as Eddie couldn't resist leaning closer to the ship's side to look, the naturally drooping hemp rope suddenly slackened for a moment without warning, and then instantly taut!

An extremely violent force rapidly extended upwards along the hemp rope, and in an instant it acted on the ship's side.

The remaining rope of the winch didn't even have time to be pulled out, and the entire ship was shaken by the force!

Eddie was horrified.

He was very close to the ship's side at that moment. His footing was unsteady and his upper body leaned forward. In the blink of an eye, he flipped over the ship's side and the sea was rapidly approaching in front of him!

A critical moment!

His calf was suddenly grabbed by a hand.

Then a tremendous force came.

Not only did it stop him from falling further, it even pulled this nearly 80-kilogram adult back up!

Between rise and fall lies the difference between life and death.

Eddie was a little confused, only to hear the captain's excited growl in his ear.

"It's biting! There's definitely a big catch!"