National destiny: Starting with a coffin, building an aircraft carrier is broadcast live globally.

The gentle sound of water grew closer.

It was a very deliberate rhythm, designed to lower his guard.

Klaus quickly recognized who it was.

It was a much better single-masted sailboat than his original raft, clearly having undergone careful repair and maintenance.

What caught Klaus's attention was the full sail.

Even in such a gentle breeze, it can catch the airflow and propel the small boat forward.

No wonder they were able to catch up with the ghost bone boat, Klaus thought to himself.

The small boat stopped about ten meters away from the ghost bone boat. The person on the boat was of Asian appearance, not tall, of medium build, and had a carefully calculated smile on his face.

Good evening, friend.

The person's language, as translated, had a distinct Japanese accent.

"I meant no harm, I just saw the light and wanted to come and ask for help!"

Klaus emerged from the shadows and stood on the ship's railing, scrutinizing him, his hands behind his back gripping his most trusted pair of pliers.

When the man saw Klaus's distinctively chubby features, his smile warmed up even more.

"Ah, so you're a friend from Hans the Cat Kingdom!"

"I am Sato Jiro, contestant number 37 from the Sakura Country."

He bowed deeply, his face displaying just the right amount of obsequiousness and exhaustion. "That's... wonderful..."

"To encounter a competitor from an allied nation on this cruel ocean!"

Allies?

Klaus frowned even more; the word made him very uncomfortable.

What era are we living in? Why are you still bringing up such outdated and trivial matters...?

In the eyes of the rather rigid Klaus, the Japanese nation's unwillingness to face its mistakes was too narrow-minded.

The scrutinizing intent in his cold, gray eyes deepened.

Jiro Sato, however, was oblivious to this change; he was busy examining the ghost bone boat.

This ship...

It’s incredible!

It looks like it's made of bones, with a touch of elegance amidst its sinister aura. The pale blue light is soft yet bright, it's simply a work of art!

And there's that ruggedly designed boat moored behind it.

The menacing shark-shaped bow is full of violent aesthetics!

His heart started pounding uncontrollably as he watched.

Before entering the game, he had seen this engineer from the Hanscat Kingdom in a live stream. He was a [Foundry] and could perform preliminary processing on ships.

But until Jiro Sato was pulled into the game, he was still a raft.

Has it been that long?

They actually possessed two such powerful ships?

He really misses miso soup, natto, and plum ochazuke (rice with plum tea)...

Since entering, I've lived in constant fear. Although my [Salt Warrior] abilities ensure my survival, I can't even get a hot meal...

And this Hans cat is clearly living a life of paradise!

He hated it.

He hated that contestant from the Dragon Kingdom named Renyi. If it weren't for him killing number 36, Sato Ichiro, how could he have been captured and thrown into this hellhole?

I also hate that good-for-nothing Sato Ichiro, who was actually killed by an unarmed, sick man from East Asia!

This is a disgrace to the Great Sakura Empire!

But now... the opportunity is right in front of me. If I can get on this ship and latch onto this powerful figure, wouldn't I be able to rise to the top in one step?

At that time, even Jeff from the United States will tremble under the feet of the Great Sakura Empire!

As for the Hans the Cat Engineer whose sequence is "Foundry"...

It's nothing more than a stepping stone to the top!

A wise man knows when to yield. If he is willing to build a ship specifically for me when the time comes, it wouldn't be unreasonable to spare his life.

Thinking of this, he put on an even more obsequious smile and said humbly:

"Mr. Klaus Schmidt, you are Hanscat's most outstanding engineer, and your achievements have been widely reported throughout our Sakura Country!"

"To be honest... my ship has run into some trouble, and we've run out of food."

"I haven't slept for two days. Could... I possibly board the ship to rest?"

[66666, another acting king has arrived!]

[Haven't slept for two days? Your eye bags are cleaner than mine!]

[I remember this guy, the Salt Warrior. He played it safe from the start.]

[Hilarious! This acting is even worse than that Korean guy from last time; at least the Korean guy actually got beaten up.]

Klaus stared at him speechlessly.

The man said he hadn't slept for two days because he had no food, but judging from his clothes and boat, which were cleaner than mine, he had clearly never been in a battle.

Why lie to gain sympathy when you've never encountered danger?

There's a ghost.

He hates guys who seem shrewd but actually treat everyone else like fools.

Her acting was even worse than that Korean guy's last time o(︶︿︶)o.

Klaus was about to impatiently tell him to get lost,

Seeing that he didn't speak, Jiro Sato assumed he was hesitating and quickly continued:

"Mr. Schmidt, I won't eat and drink for free! I am a [Salt Warrior] and can provide you with fine salt!"

Salt Samurai?!

Klaus swallowed back the word "get lost" that was about to slip out.

Just two days ago, Renyi was still muttering to himself that if he encountered a Salt Samurai, he should "friendly"ly invite him to board the ship.

This was delivered right to our doorstep.

His impatience vanished instantly, and he tore off the driest fish from the dried fish hanging on the side of the boat and tossed it over.

"You... stay there for now, and we'll talk after my companion wakes up."

Jiro Sato caught the hard fish. Why wasn't he even questioned?

Is this how you treat a beggar?

"Friend, this..."

Klaus didn't give him a chance to continue speaking, turning his head back to fiddling with the ore, only occasionally glancing at the movements of the Japanese player.

Circumstances dictate that he could only feign gratitude and sit down to gnaw on dried fish.

[Well done, Klaus!]

[My enthusiasm was met with indifference...]

[Klaus: If the boss says to invite, then we have to invite.]

[This contestant has amazing teeth! =.=]

......

The sky soon began to lighten.

He sat up casually and stretched, making a slight crackling sound on his back.

Ivan rolled over, his snoring continuing to be deafening.

At night, Little Nine, who had been perched on Wilson's bald head, noticed any movement and, like a pool of flowing blue jelly, slowly slid down.

Climbing up the front of the trousers along any leg,

Hang yourself up like a pendant around your neck—

Ever since it almost strangled Renyi to death last time, its shoulder has become a place it absolutely cannot stay ε(┬┬﹏┬┬)3.

Renyi led Xiao Jiu out of the captain's cabin.

He habitually glanced around to make sure nothing was amiss.

Klaus was leaning against the ship's side, glancing out to sea from time to time, looking in any direction he could see a small sluice-masted boat.

It seems we had some "guests" last night.

He looked away, preparing to go over and ask what was going on, when a glint of something unusual caught his eye out of the corner of his eye.

Um o_O?

Where Ivan's axe had been lying, now lay a very...

A weapon made of love?!

Blinking randomly, is it a hallucination?

He raised his hand to rub his eyes and looked again.

The bling-bling heart still sparkles in a flamboyant way.

In dim light,

The crystal-clear axe and gemstones refracted a rainbow of light, as if declaring to the world its uniqueness.

For the first time, Ren Yi's usually indifferent expression cracked.

Given that an axe won't magically grow a heart, the truth must be...

Klaus seems to have eyes in the back of his head.

Just as Renyi glanced at him, she quickly walked over, her eyes darting around, and said:

"cough."

"Boss, that guy is a player from Japan (Sakura Country)."

He pointed to the small boat and briefly repeated what Jiro Sato had said the previous night.

"That's it, he said he was the 'Salt Samurai'."

Just right.

Renyi temporarily put the bling-bling on her mind and walked towards the ship's side with a friendly smile.