Power and wealth bring fragrance

A series of steady footsteps echoed down the deck.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, each step feeling as if it were landing on one's heart, carrying an unquestionable sense of authority and control.

Wei Yuan slowly raised his head, his gaze following the direction from which the footsteps came.

Then I saw a middle-aged man in a coast guard uniform, surrounded by a group of armed coast guards, walking slowly toward the center of the deck.

The man was around fifty years old, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. His features were upright and dignified, with naturally downturned lips that exuded authority. The stars on his epaulets gleamed in the sunlight, clearly indicating that he was the highest-ranking officer of this coast guard vessel—the captain.

He walked with an extremely steady posture, his back straight, his hands behind his back. When his gaze swept over the corpses lying haphazardly on the deck, he didn't even blink, as if those lying in pools of blood were not his former colleagues, but just a pile of insignificant trash.

Upon approaching, the captain glanced at Wei Yuan indifferently.

That glance was unremarkable, yet it carried a condescending scrutiny, as if looking at prey that had fallen into a trap, or as looking at a piece of merchandise that had already been labeled.

Then, his gaze slowly swept over the surrounding corpses, his nostrils twitching slightly as if he had smelled the strong stench of blood in the air, but his expression remained unchanged.

He spoke softly, his voice low and hoarse, carrying the roughness honed by years of exposure to the wind and sun at sea.

"Is everything taken care of?"

Four simple words, devoid of any extra emotion, as if simply asking about today's weather.

A fake coast guard officer who was following closely behind immediately stepped forward, standing upright and speaking respectfully and crisply.

"Yes, Captain. Everyone who wasn't one of us has been dealt with thoroughly; not a single person was left alive."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the several corpses on the deck, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"We'll just throw them into the sea, and they'll be devoured by sharks in less than an hour, leaving not even a bone fragment. Nobody will even notice."

The captain nodded in satisfaction, seemingly quite pleased with the result.

"Well done."

He gave a brief compliment, then turned his gaze to the middle-aged fisherman who was still handcuffed but remained calm and composed not far away.

Wei Yuan stood still, his eyes sharp, taking in the whole scene.

He had a vague guess in his mind, but he didn't dare to be completely sure. He just tensed up his muscles even more, and his martial energy surged and flowed through his meridians, ready to deal with any unexpected situation at any time.

Then, under Wei Yuan's watchful eye, the captain strode up to the middle-aged fisherman.

The next moment, something happened that made Wei Yuan's pupils contract violently and his mind shake.

The captain, who had been so imposing just moments before, holding the power of life and death over the entire coast guard vessel, suddenly bowed slowly before the middle-aged fisherman, lowering his proud head with utmost respect.

His voice also became incredibly humble, a stark contrast to his previous imposing demeanor.

"My lord, I have successfully completed the mission. Now, please give me your orders."

grown ups? !

Wei Yuan was jolted, as if struck by lightning. His mind went blank.

He stared intently at the middle-aged fisherman's back, his eyes filled with disbelief.

How is that possible?!

He never imagined that this seemingly unremarkable middle-aged fisherman, with his dark skin, wrinkled face, and the air of an ordinary fisherman, would actually be the mastermind behind everything!

Even though Wei Yuan had just guessed that the middle-aged fisherman's identity was suspicious and that he might be a member of a mysterious organization, or even a minor leader, he never expected that his identity would be so astonishing!

Even the captain of this coast guard ship had to bow and respectfully address him as "Sir"!

What does this mean?

This means that the middle-aged fisherman's status in the mysterious organization far exceeded Wei Yuan's imagination!

Wei Yuan couldn't help but take a half step back, his muscles tensed to the extreme, his martial energy flowing more and more smoothly, and the energy in his dantian surging like boiling water as he focused intently on his surroundings.

His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swept back and forth between the middle-aged fisherman, the captain, and the fake coast guards around him. His mind raced, analyzing the current situation and searching for any possible flaws or breakthroughs.

He was ready to act at any moment should anything unusual happen!

Even if he is surrounded, even if the enemy has a large number of people, Wei Yuan will never sit idly by and wait for death!

When the middle-aged fisherman was greeted by the captain, he simply gave a faint "hmm" in a flat and unwavering voice, as if it were all perfectly normal.

He slowly turned around, his gaze falling on Wei Yuan.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

One is like fire, fiery and fierce, carrying an indomitable fighting spirit and vigilance; the other is like water, calm and profound, carrying a serene and composed understanding of everything.

Water and fire stand side by side, neither can prevail over the other.

The sea breeze howled, making the middle-aged fisherman's tattered fishing clothes flutter loudly. The wrinkles on his face appeared particularly deep in the sunlight, making his eyes seem even more profound, like two bottomless ancient wells.

After a long pause, the middle-aged fisherman broke the silence.

A faint smile appeared on his previously expressionless face. The smile was subtle, yet it instantly transformed his entire demeanor, turning him from an ordinary old fisherman into a strategist in control of the situation.

He nodded slightly to Wei Yuan, his tone calm, even carrying a hint of apology.

"Young man, you seem somewhat surprised? It seems I was rude."

He paused, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

"But I suppose you can understand, after all, you ruined our operation and arrested our people. It's understandable that I'm being cautious on our first meeting, right?"

Wei Yuan stared coldly at the middle-aged fisherman, his aura growing increasingly icy and sharp, as if the air around him had been lowered by his killing intent.

He said it indifferently, his voice devoid of any warmth.

"Stop with the nonsense. It was my own fault for not recognizing you as the mastermind. Otherwise, I should have taken you down the moment we met, and things wouldn't be like this now."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the fake coast guards around him, who were pointing guns at him, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips.

"Now that we're on your turf, it was a miscalculation of mine."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged fisherman's smile deepened, but he remained silent, simply watching Wei Yuan as if waiting for him to continue.

Wei Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing straight into the middle-aged fisherman's eyes.

"However, the fact that you were able to infiltrate and take over a coast guard vessel, and even slaughter all the real coast guards on board in such a short time, makes me even more curious about your mysterious organization."

He asked, word by word, his voice carrying an unwavering resolve.

"Who exactly are you people?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged fisherman's smile remained unchanged on his dark, wrinkled face. He chuckled softly twice, the sound particularly jarring on the deck, which reeked of blood.

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the vast sea in the distance. The sea breeze ruffled the brim of his fisherman's hat, casting a shadow that obscured half of his face, making it impossible to see his expression.

After a moment, he slowly withdrew his gaze, looked at Wei Yuan again, and spoke with a light smile.

Who are we?

He repeated Wei Yuan's question, his tone both playful and profound.

"That's a good question."

He paused, his smile slowly fading, replaced by an indescribable complex expression—a mixture of pride, fervor, and a deep-seated pity.

"we are……"