Navigator: I Have a Legendary Exploration Log

Chapter 95 The Friendship of the Corleone Family (Second Update, Seeking First Subscription)

Having connections makes things easier.

Perhaps the association realized it had "tricked" Chalice, or perhaps Maro Island was simply too wealthy to care about such a small matter.

The compensation and rewards were given very readily.

Chalice folded the check worth five hundred gold coins and stuffed it into the lining of his trench coat. The paper containing the recipe for the [Chef] potion gradually "faded".

The extraordinary knowledge mentioned above has now found a new form.

Chalice's spirituality is the most suitable vessel.

This thing—was his greatest gain!

Chalice did not linger and left the building directly.

Although he never genuinely sought a sense of belonging in the Navigators' Association, the negligence and mistakes of this makeshift organization still left Cherries feeling deeply exhausted.

sometimes.

He'd rather deal with wicked people like tigers than sincerely cooperate with fools.

The former at least knows what's important and will consider whether harming others will implicate themselves in crucial moments.

the latter?

Hard to say —

"A toast to the Corleone family's guests!"

The crisp sound of wine glasses clinking together was incessant.

Cherries' visit was warmly welcomed by the Corleone family.

Faced with faces, some genuine and some feigning, but ultimately all smiling in response.

Cherries also relaxed, raising his glass to immerse himself in the long-lost atmosphere of "home".

The orange-yellow liquid swirls in the glass, and the warm, bright crystal chandelier in the restaurant illuminates the wine, making it shimmer with an amber-like luster.

"Mr. Chárlis, this is a fine wine that we only bring out for family gatherings. If you hadn't come as our guest, I would have been longing to drink it for a long time!"

The person who spoke was a familiar face.

Michael, who had previously dealt with Chalice, now abandoned his usual composure and raised his glass across the table like a friendly acquaintance.

Zhuo Chaochalis laughed heartily.

"Michael—you're making it sound like the Corleone family are all misers!"

Seated at the head of the long table was a sprightly old man with a meticulously trimmed, jet-black mustache.

Antonio Corleone.

He is also the current head of the Corleone family and the father of Michael and Luca.

Antonio's voice was gentle yet powerful, carrying the calm and composure that comes with the passage of time.

"When Luca came back, he praised you to the skies. I initially thought it was just his youthful exaggeration when he suddenly encountered something new—but after hearing Buck's account, I must admit—"

Antonio smiled at Cherries, "Captain Cherries, you are even more outstanding than I imagined."

"You flatter me, Mr. Antonio."

Chalice wisely picked up his glass, took a sip, and prepared to listen attentively.

Despite the delicious food served by the Corleone family, the variety of colorful and fragrant dishes made Cheryl feel as if he had almost finished digesting his potion.

But faced with the Corleone family head about to get down to business, Cherries could only reluctantly put down his knife and fork.

His gaze swept over the other people at the table.

Apart from Buck and Luca, who was excited but also a little reserved and shy after being called out, the other members seemed to treat him in a harmonious manner, but their gazes were inevitably somewhat scrutinizing.

"I just did what a captain should do: complete the mission as much as possible while protecting the ship and crew."

Upon hearing Chalis's perfect answer, Antonio picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth.

"That's precisely what makes it so rare."

Antonio gazed intently at Cherries.

"Not every captain would prioritize the lives of his crew over 'completing the mission' or 'avoiding risks,' especially when faced with something ominous—"

He clearly already knew about the origins of the evil god statue.

"You personally placed that thing into the sealed box, taking on the most risky responsibility."

"There wasn't a better option at the time."

Chalice said "of course" that "besides, Mr. Buck has already suppressed the statue's contamination, and with the risks under control, it's best not to waste any more time."

"Risks are manageable —"

Antonio repeated the word softly, "Captain Cherries, I can hardly find a more accurate word to describe your courage and decisiveness."

"Come on, try this. It's silverfish, a specialty of the waters near Maro Island. It doesn't need to be marinated with spices; just slowly pan-frying it will bring out its freshness. This is also one of Luca's mother's specialties."

Meals are eaten during conversation.

The Corleone family truly lives up to its reputation as the family that controls a significant portion of the catering and beverage trade on Maro Island. Not only are the dishes delicious, but the combination and cooking of ingredients are also quite sophisticated.

As a gourmet, Cheryl felt this particularly keenly.

The conversation gradually shifted from casual conversation to more serious matters.

Antonio waved his hand, and the waiter quickly cleared away the leftovers.

The dining table with the tablecloth removed has become a meeting table.

The restaurant door was gently closed.

Antonio's tone also became serious and earnest.

"Captain Chalice, you just said that the association allowed you to advance to the third tier, and even gave you an extra main ingredient in addition to the [Chef] recipe."

He remarked, "The association acted much faster with the captain! Looks like they don't want to lose you, this 'rising star'!"

Chalice nodded. "Just luck—"

"No need to be modest."

Antonio leaned forward slightly. "This is the treatment you deserve."

"However, I want to say that what the association can give you, the Corleone family can give you as well, and we can even give you more!"

"We know you yearn to become stronger, to sail further across the seas. But becoming stronger requires resources, information, and reliable allies—"

"A loosely organized group that might put its own people in danger due to the bigger picture or negligence—I imagine you don't trust them much, do you?"

Seeing that Cherries remained silent.

Antonio smiled slightly, "We previously considered using a marriage alliance or a Tier 3 formula to exchange for Luca joining the ship."

Luca sat up straight, his eyes full of anticipation.

"You were unwilling to form a marriage alliance, but now—the situation has changed again. The association has given you the formula first, but we still hope that Luca can train with the Homecoming."

"You already have the potion recipe. We can help you obtain one of the main ingredients in exchange for Luca's long-term ticket."

Chalice listened silently, quickly weighing the pros and cons.

The difficulty of obtaining potion ingredients has been steadily increasing.

The association has already given one, and if we add another from the Corleone family...

In this way...

My own Tier 3 potion doesn't seem so difficult after all.

Antonio did not wait for a higher price. Sensing that Cherries was interested, he continued to offer his chips, taking the opportunity to tip the scales in Cherries' mind.

"In addition, the Corleone family's lineage and the gourmet's lineage both belong to the desire pathway, which we have also studied to some extent."

"Occult knowledge, material rumors, and information about higher ranks in the gourmet hierarchy—all of these can be made available to you."

A message leading to a higher level!

Chalice's eyes narrowed slightly.

The most valuable of the resource tokens Jack gave us was the blue token, which represented knowledge.

In a world where the more you know, the more likely you are to encounter danger, the "safety" knowledge summarized by our predecessors is especially valuable.

The Corleone family was willing to reveal their family's "secret techniques".

Their sincerity is beyond question.

However, Chalice also has to consider whether he is qualified.

Studying with the Crown Prince was no easy task; messing it up could mean beheading.

"So—Mr. Antonio, what exactly does the Corleone family want me to do?"

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