On the Ark.

"I understand? What do you understand?" Lin Ye panicked a little, realizing that there seemed to be another blind spot in his knowledge. "Isn't this just an insult?"

"There are real insults and fake insults," the man said. "Calling someone a pig isn't a real insult no matter how you look at it. Think about it, when someone insults you, aren't you really angry?"

Lin Ye thought about it carefully for a moment, then shook his head: "It seems like he wasn't angry."

"That settles it!" the other person said confidently. "A girl calls you late at night and calls you a pig without any anger. Isn't that obvious? You can find similar scenes in any romance novel you pick up."

"Oh, wow, looks like you know a lot about women. It seems only women truly understand women... Hmm? What the heck are romance novels?"

"Dr. Lin, stop pretending." The other person raised their hand and patted Lin Ye's shoulder. "Calling you so late at night and calling you a pig, you're definitely just being cute. Girls only act cute in front of guys they like. I've made it so clear, you understand now, right, Dr. Lin?"

"So, is that how it is?" Lin Ye's lips twitched slightly. "But how could Inspector Chen possibly like me... Hmm? Wait a minute, who are you anyway?!"

Lin Ye suddenly realized that he didn't know the girl he had been chatting with for so long at all.

"Hello, Dr. Lin!" The petite girl, barely over 1.5 meters tall, saluted Lin Ye with a lively air. "Victoria Mountie Grani, reporting for duty!"

Lin Ye then remembered that Kal'tsit had told him this morning that the people accompanying him to Yan Kingdom had been chosen and would come to find him before departure. And now, just before departure, Lin Ye looked at the silver spear slung across the back of the petite girl in front of him, and then asked, "Are you the one Kal'tsit mentioned…?"

“Yes.” Kal’tsit’s voice came from behind Lin Ye. “She is Grani, the candidate strongly recommended by the Radiant Knight Nearl.”

Lin Ye turned around and saw Kal'tsit walk to his side.

“Hello, Ms. Kal'tsit.” Grani saluted Kal'tsit again. “I am ready and can set off at any time.”

Kal'tsit nodded and said, "Thank you for your help this time."

“No trouble at all!” Grani said. “I will definitely protect Dr. Lin! I won’t let anyone get close to him!”

Upon hearing this, Skadi and Messiah, who were waiting nearby, both turned their heads and glanced in their direction.

Lin Ye, meanwhile, was thinking about what Kal'tsit had just said.

The person recommended by Lin Guang?

No wonder she looks somewhat like Nearl, especially those erect ears and the tail behind her. Oh, the tail doesn't seem as long as Nearl's. Wait a minute, isn't it a bit too lewd of him to keep staring at the little girl's ears and tail? Don't look at what you shouldn't. Don't look at what you shouldn't. Lin Ye quickly averted his gaze.

“Alright, Grani, go and say hello to the others first,” Kal'tsit said. “I have something to discuss with Dr. Lin privately.”

"Received!" Grani then went to find Skadi and Messiah who were standing nearby.

After Grani left, Kal'tsit pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance.

“It wasn’t really my idea for Pagrani to go with you,” Kal’tsit said. “This young girl has been on the island for less than a month, and her internship isn’t even over yet. But if we don’t break up the existing combat squads, I really don’t have a better candidate. Besides, it was Nearl who strongly recommended her. It’s rare for a Radiant Knight to think so highly of someone, and I couldn’t refuse her.”

Lin Ye smiled and nodded, saying, "It's okay, she seems fine."

Kal'tsit's primary concern was the safety of the journey, or more specifically, Lin Ye's safety. She understood Skadi's abilities but felt it wasn't enough, given Skadi's lack of expertise in protection; hence the need for additional personnel. However, this was all predicated on Kal'tsit being unaware of Messiah's identity. In Lin Ye's view, with Messiah and Skadi accompanying him, the journey was incredibly safe. Of course, this was something he couldn't tell Kal'tsit.

Their trip to Yan Kingdom had already begun to circulate on the island, as Yan Kingdom was a place many people longed to visit. However, apart from Saria and Himeru, the others were unaware of their true purpose for going to Yan Kingdom, assuming it was, as Kal'tsit had said, to expand trade routes. Therefore, no one felt the trip might be dangerous, and the Radiant Knight Nearl only recommended Grani. For commercial exchanges, such security was sufficient. After all, Yan Kingdom wasn't Ursus, the most stable and powerful nation in the East.

"Also, I've made arrangements with Warfarin," Kal'tsit said. "She's currently handing over the research data on the 'L reagent' to Saria and Himer, so she'll be a little late. Let's wait for her."

"Of course, but can you really convince her?"

“Warfarin isn’t as difficult to talk to as you think,” Kal’tsit said calmly. “Most of the time, she’s quite understanding.”

Lin Ye thought for a moment.

On this one point, Lin Ye disagreed.

"Yes, Warfarin is here." Kal'tsit said, looking at Warfarin in the distance. "In that case, you can set off. Just go to the port and board the ship. If nothing unexpected happens, you should arrive in Yan in two weeks. Remember to call me then to let me know you've arrived safely. Also, don't do anything reckless in Yan."

Lin Ye was somewhat puzzled: "Reckless? What do you mean?"

“Literally,” Kal'tsit said. “Yan Kingdom isn’t Ursus; it’s a very safe place. Basically, as long as you don’t cause trouble, nothing will happen. But if you do, the trouble you’ll face will be several times greater than in Ursus. I know you’re not one to cause trouble, but Warfarin is. Once you get involved with her research, her IQ will drop by half, so if that ever happens, make sure to take her with you and never break the laws of Yan Kingdom.”

"Ok."

“I don’t know the Messiah in your team,” Kal’tsit continued, “but Skadi listens to you, and so does Grani. As a mounted police officer, she will obey your orders. If Warfarin shows any signs of misbehaving, don’t hesitate to have Skadi and Grani hold her down.”

Lin Ye: "..."

"Kal'tsit!" Warfarin shouted, "Are you talking badly about me?!"

“No.” Kal’tsit denied decisively. “Goodbye, I have work to do. Have a pleasant journey.”

After saying that, he turned and left, clearly not wanting to be bothered by Warfarin.

This left Lin Ye speechless; he still had a few questions he wanted to ask Kal'tsit.

"Lin Ye!" As soon as Kal'tsit left, Warfarin turned her attention to Lin Ye. She gritted her teeth and said, "I trusted you so much, and you dared to betray me! Are you prepared for the consequences!"

"Backstab? What backstab?" Lin Ye pretended not to know. "What nonsense are you talking about in broad daylight? Let's hurry up and leave. We'll miss the boat if we're any later."

"You!" Warfarin opened her mouth, about to pounce on Lin Ye, but then she suddenly noticed something, turned to look at Grani and Messiah beside her, and raised her eyebrows slightly. "Hmm, this little girl looks unfamiliar. Has she ever had a physical examination here? Oh, this little girl also looks unfamiliar. Would you like to come here for a physical examination as well? Don't worry, it's just a matter of drawing a little blood."

Grani tilted his head, and a smile gradually appeared on Messiah's face.

Lin Ye couldn't help but rub his forehead, thinking that this journey was unlikely to be very peaceful.

……

A few hours later, they arrived at the port by car. And the timing was just right, just in time to board the ship.

All five tickets were in Grani's hands. Grani then took out a sealed leather bag, opened it, and distributed the tickets to everyone.

“Yes, this is Dr. Lin’s, this is Miss Messiah’s, this is Miss Skadi’s, and this is Aunt Warfarin’s.”

"Hey!" Warfarin immediately became annoyed. "Who are you calling 'Auntie'?"

“Uh, Miss Zilan told me this,” Grani said. “She said you are several generations above me, no, dozens of generations above me. I should call you Grandma, but I think it’s better to call you Auntie.”

Warfarin gritted her teeth and said, "That Zilan, she really wants to die."

Seeing Warfarin's discomfiture made Lin Ye quite happy, but he didn't dare show it, so he suppressed his laughter and asked Grani, "Did Zilan book the boat tickets?"

Grani nodded and said, "Yes. And it's not just the boat tickets. Miss Zilan thinks that none of us have been to Yan before, and we'll most likely get lost once we get there, so she's made preparations as well."

Lin Ye was somewhat surprised: "Really?"

This was something he had wanted to tell Kal'tsit before: none of them had ever been to Yan Country. And Yan Country was so vast; they wouldn't even know their way around once they arrived. Thankfully, Zilan had made preparations in advance; she truly lived up to her title as the head of the personnel department—reliable indeed. Lin Ye immediately felt much more at ease about the trip: "Has she found us a guide?"

“Yes,” Grani nodded. “We’ve found a tour guide.”

"Hmm...hmm?" Lin Ye sensed something was off. "Tour guide?"

At this point, all five of them boarded the ship, and only then did they notice the huge red banner hanging on it.

"Ursus - A March Tour of Yan Country! Let us show you a different kind of scenery."

The signature is from Red Sun Travel Agency.

Chapter 518 I Need Him to Protect Me (3K)

Lin Ye never expected that Zilan had bought them tickets for a tour group cruise. Once on board, seeing the cabin filled with middle-aged and elderly Ursus people wearing sunglasses and carrying backpacks, Lin Ye felt an overwhelming sense of incongruity. At that moment, half of the lingering mystery surrounding Yan Kingdom in his mind vanished.

"This is too much..." Lin Ye didn't know what to say.

"Is this what ships are like now?" Messiah asked with interest, looking at the scene inside the cabin. "The last time I was on a ship, it was one of those wooden boats that needed to be rowed with oars. I never imagined that ships would develop so quickly."

Messiah's words immediately captured everyone's attention.

“Wooden boat? What are you talking about, little girl?” Warfarin said. “You don’t have to pretend to be mature like this. Cruise ships powered by Originium have existed for two hundred years. You say you haven’t seen one, that’s just because you’re ignorant. Oh, I remember you’re from Kalan, then I understand. You really should come out and see more of the world. The outside world is very exciting.”

After listening to Warfarin's "senior-like" remarks, Messiah smiled but remained silent. Lin Ye, standing nearby, listened with trepidation. He desperately wanted to remind Warfarin that Messiah was the only person on this ship she couldn't overpower with age or seniority. When Messiah was in a wooden boat, cruise ships simply didn't exist.

But he couldn't reveal it openly; the Messiah's identity absolutely couldn't be exposed. If Warfarin knew that the person standing before her was a deity of Kalan, she would most likely rush over to examine the Messiah's body. Although the Messiah had a good character, it was best not to repeat blasphemous acts again and again.

So Lin Ye could only try to remind Warfarin with a soft cough, but it was to no avail; Warfarin simply ignored him. Grani, however, noticed and asked with concern, "Dr. Lin, are you sick? I brought some cold medicine; would you like some? One pill will do the trick."

Lin Ye shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, no, I was just coughing casually."

We can't warn Warfarin anymore, so we can only hope she behaves herself and doesn't try to mess with the Messiah.

With this in mind, Lin Ye led the group forward.

Actually, after boarding the ship, the five of them received quite a bit of attention. After all, most of the people on board were elderly. Relatively speaking, there were very few young people, and even if there were, they were all accompanying their elders. This situation was similar to Lin Ye's memories from his previous life; young people generally didn't join tour groups and preferred to ditch the guides and explore on their own.

Lin Ye and his group of young people were indeed quite conspicuous among the middle-aged and elderly people on the boat. Besides Lin Ye, the other four were all youthful, beautiful, and strikingly attractive women. This combination would attract attention anywhere, let alone here. Of course, if you really considered age, their group combined could probably outnumber everyone on the boat.

Even if you abandon all four of them, Messiah alone is enough to outage a whole group of people in terms of age... right?

In fact, Lin Ye didn't know how many years Messiah had lived, but he didn't dare to ask. He wanted to live a little longer.

“Ah, let me see.” Grani looked at the process on the ticket and said, “It says that passengers must wait in the restaurant for inspection before they can go to their rooms to put their luggage away.”

"A checkup?" Lin Ye asked, puzzled. "What kind of checkup?"

"What other checks could there be?" Warfarin shrugged and said, "Of course, checks on infected people. Infected people aren't allowed on this ship."

"why?"

"Is there even a need to ask why?" Warfarin said. "Although Yan Country also has Oripathy infected people, it doesn't mean they are willing to bring more infected people into the country."

Lin Ye thought about it and realized that it seemed to make sense.

Sure enough, after waiting a short while at the restaurant, personnel came to check them. However, Lin Ye and his group weren't too worried; none of the five of them were infected, nor was the newcomer, Grani. Logically, the inspectors shouldn't have given them any trouble, but they encountered a problem at another stage.

"Why are you carrying so many weapons?" one of the inspectors asked sternly.

Only then did they realize that the reason they had attracted so much attention earlier wasn't just because of the four strikingly beautiful women, but also because of the weapons they carried. While weapons were commonplace in Ursus, or even throughout Terra, they still seemed somewhat out of place among this group of middle-aged and elderly tourists.

Lin Ye could only try to explain: "This is not a weapon, it's just an ornament. You can touch it and see, it's not sharpened."

He deliberately didn't grip the hilt of the [Maple] knife, then let the inspector examine it. Only after the inspector discovered that the blade of the [Maple] knife was indeed so sharp that it couldn't even cut a person's finger did he let Lin Ye go, and then he set his sights on Skadi and Grani.

“I am a Victoria RCMP officer!” Grani said. “This is my police ID, but I am willing to comply with your ship’s rules and hand over my gun for safekeeping. However, you must also guarantee that I will return it to me intact after I disembark.”

Grani, being a police officer, was quite disciplined. After checking Grani's police ID, the inspectors didn't give her any trouble. After promising to take good care of her weapon, they put it away. Finally, it was Skadi's turn. Lin Ye was initially worried that Skadi wouldn't hand over her sword easily, but to his surprise, before the inspector could even ask any questions, Skadi took the sword and gave it to him.

However, the inspector, whose burly build made it easy for Skadi to wield the greatsword with one hand, paled upon receiving it. He had to use both hands to support it to avoid being overwhelmed, and his gaze towards Skadi became strange. Skadi, on the other hand, seemed oblivious, leisurely gazing at the sea outside the cruise ship. Lin Ye could clearly sense that she was in a good mood, probably because she was back at the seaside.

“While this question is beyond our authority,” the inspector said sternly, “are you really here for tourism? And why are you carrying weapons?”

This was a rather pointed question, and Lin Ye really didn't know how to answer it. Did they not come here for tourism at all? Did they have no idea what their HR director was thinking by even boarding this ship? However, before he could speak, Grani spoke first: "This is our privacy. You're not a police officer; you have no right to ask."

Yes, Grani is the perfect person to say that.

“Alright, young policewoman,” the inspector shrugged and said, “but anyway, once you’re on this ship, you have to follow its rules. As for your weapons, we’ll take them away for now, don’t think about them until you disembark. You can go put your luggage away now, and come back here after you’ve done so. We still have some things to explain to all the passengers.”

"Is there anything else?"

"I'll give you some travel tips and a general introduction to the Yan Kingdom," the inspector said. "You can't possibly arrive in the Yan Kingdom without even knowing the emperor's surname, can you?"

After saying that, the inspector turned and left.