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

After a brief interlude,

To avoid the kind of "two-way rush" fishing accident that happened this morning,

Renyi and Ivan were reassigned to different workstations.

Having secured the best vantage point, he leaned against the new rudder, the "Pudu" talisman in his hand held out at an angle.

Ivan was "assigned" to the stern of the ship.

He leaned against the gunwale, sitting cross-legged on a large, imposing stance.

The posture didn't look like fishing; it looked more like waiting for the enemy to charge onto the position.

Compared to the "willing to take the bait" approach, which targets those with low IQs, the "universal salvation" approach is much more benevolent.

Before long, the thread in Renyi's hand started moving again.

Under the expectant gaze of Aurora and Klaus,

A large, plump, emerald-green fish was easily lifted up and leaped about in mid-air.

"Lunch!"

【Mutant Jadeite Spot (Lv2)】

[Review: Its meat is so good you'll forgive its zero intelligence. P.S.: Please don't tell it, or it will be sad.]

Ren Yi's eyes lit up, and he immediately told Klaus to start a fire.

"Let's have roasted whole fish for lunch!"

Klaus lit the dry firewood, and Ivan tossed aside the "willing to take the bait" and began mixing his "rum-flavored sauce."

Even the exploited man was infected by this leisurely atmosphere, constantly swallowing his saliva.

He dragged the still struggling [mutated jadeite spot] towards the fire.

The system's comment made him look forward to lunch!

He held the slippery fish body with one hand.

With his other hand, he drew his katana, ready to prepare a live fish kill at RT-Mart.

"Bang!!!"

A dull, loud bang...

It seems to be coming from the bottom of the ship?!

Because of the buffer layer, the turbulence was not severe, but the entire ship tilted to the left at a 45-degree angle.

Burning timbers rolled across the deck.

Caught off guard, everyone stumbled and fell.

Perhaps sensing that the demonic hand on its body had loosened for a moment, the grouper seized the last glimmer of hope and used its last bit of strength to leap out!

A green light flashed above everyone's heads.

"Thump—"

The lucky grouper successfully escaped!

"..."

[So funny... oh no, it's so pitiful o(*≧▽≦)ツ]

[Fish: Thanks to Boatman for the diving platform!]

Why did the boat suddenly tilt?

Before they even had time to mourn the lost lunch,

"Is the ship stuck?" Aurora asked anxiously.

The ghost bone boat was stuck there, motionless, not like it was being attacked by any underwater creature, but rather like it had run aground.

He walked to the side of the ship and peeked out.

The menacing black reefs beneath the sea surface are faintly visible.

The ghost boat was awkwardly stuck in the gap between two reefs of different heights, its hull tilted and unable to move.

Fortunately, the mimicry buffer layer was indeed robust; it was only stuck without being damaged.

"reef!"

Klaus's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"The presence of reefs, does that mean... we're already near land?!"

"Not necessarily," Ivan explained. "Underwater volcanic eruptions can also form reefs."

"Let's go around it."

Arbitrarily decided,

Taking a detour is certain; the question is, which way to detour.

Random's gaze shifted to Ivan.

"I'll go take a look."

Ivan immediately understood, quickly took off his shirt, and plunged into the sea.

Time passed by,

Just as Aurora began to worry, Ivan emerged from the sea not far away.

He wiped the water from his face and shouted:

"Turn to the right! It's about two kilometers to the right, the reefs are much less dense there, our boat can get through!"

After Ivan used [Heart's Desire] to simply and brutally smash the reef, the Ghost Bone Boat sailed in the direction Ivan indicated.

Fearing another collision with the reefs, the boat was moving very slowly.

About twenty minutes later,

Sure enough, a relatively sparse area of ​​reefs appeared ahead.

From the sea, you can see jagged reefs forming a winding, narrow waterway, like a maze drawn by a giant's finger.

The width is just enough to allow the ghost bone boat to pass through; if it were any wider, it wouldn't be able to.

It was getting late at this time.

"It's too dangerous to go in after dark."

Looking at the waterway ahead, he thought, "Let's stay here for the night and cross over tomorrow at dawn."

......

As night deepened, the waves gently lapped against the hull of the ship.

The group agreed on the order of the night watch.

When it was Klaus's turn to keep watch, it was late at night.

The night breeze was slightly cool, and he tightened his jacket, meticulously inspecting every corner of the ship.

He first checked the knots securing the sails, then wiped the railing where Ivan had left footprints, before finally sitting down by the helm and carefully wiping it with the [Light Chaser].

The sea was pitch black, with only the stars in the sky casting a faint light.

All sounds are silent.

Suddenly, Klaus stopped wiping.

He raised his head, his gray eyes scanning his surroundings warily.

There's a strange feeling...

It seemed like something was watching him.

Klaus frowned, gripped the Light Chaser tightly, and walked to the ship's side.

He carefully observed the dark sea surface, but there was nothing there except the outline of the reefs and scattered starlight.

Maybe......

Am I just too tense?

Thinking this, he turned around and prepared to return to the helm.

however,

The moment he turned around, that feeling of being spied on came over him again!

This time it's clearer and stronger.

The strangest thing is that it also has a slight sense of familiarity!

A chill ran down his spine, as if...

He returned to that night when he was most embarrassed and desperate.

Hunted by a giant serpent that no human could possibly defeat, his raft broke apart, and he thought he was doomed...

The feeling right now is exactly the same as that night!

It was the oppressive feeling brought about by some kind of powerful, irrational creature!

Klaus's heart skipped a beat.

He rushed to the ship's side again, staring intently at the rocky area.

How is that possible?

Could it be another monster similar to that giant snake?

He was restless, and his breathing became rapid.

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught something strange—

It's not a reflection of starlight.

Klaus abruptly turned his head and looked underwater to the left front of the ghost bone boat.

That tiny green light rapidly magnified in Klaus's eyes, splitting into two, four, eight points...

Several pairs and a few single, eerie green compound eyes gleamed in the dark water.

How did it get here?!

Is it a coincidence, or... has it been tracking them all along?

Klaus stared intently at the sea as he backed away step by step to the captain's cabin door.

"Anything... Ivan."

"Wake up! We might be in trouble!"

In the captain's cabin, Ivan's snoring stopped abruptly.

At the same time,

A sound completely different from the waves crashing against the boat came from underwater.

"Crunch...squeak...creak..."