Free Web NovelChapter 384: Chapter 376: King Solomon’s Treasure
"It’s dead?"
"An S-rank sea beast, insta-killed??"
The crewman carrying the heavy camera equipment was stunned.
He used to be in charge of managing some of the ship’s mechanical systems. After the Dayun advanced to a King-level Wandering Ship, the equipment no longer needed manual intervention, so he was now handling informal diplomacy and communications with other King- and Admiral-class Wandering Ships.
You could call him a public relations and media officer.
He had been preparing to seize this opportunity to film a video of the captain’s glorious might.
’But before it even began, it’s already over?’
The captain had just stood there, thrown a sword, and the impossibly arrogant S-rank sea beast was pierced and killed just like that? The ostentatious, tyrannical giant clam had its shell shattered into smithereens?
The foul water that splashed out could even hit them in the face from so far away...
How was he supposed to do any PR with this?
’A tagline like, "Did it start? No, it’s already over!"?’
That would never work.
Everyone knew their captain was strong.
The strongest in the world, even.
He had soloed the Great Black Heaven Dragon, which made the bigwigs on other Wandering Ships treat him with great deference. More than that, he had become the "Grand Patrol Envoy," a title acknowledged by all six King-level Wandering Ships. The title of "world’s strongest" was well-deserved.
’But was he really in such a league of his own?’
’Didn’t it take him a good while to kill the last S-rank sea beast?’
He looked at his camera. All he had was a short clip of a greatsword descending from the sky.
With no other choice, the crewman raised his equipment and moved closer to film the crew harvesting the sea beast’s corpse. The hard shell of the over ten-meter-long giant clam was already shattered. Its iridescent black flesh and pearls had been smashed into a pulp. In the area pierced by the greatsword, the meat was seared and fragrant—and that was just the damage from an instantaneous pass-through.
If Fenyuan had lingered for even a second longer, the S-rank sea beast’s entire corpse would probably have been cooked through, its blood completely evaporated.
The crewman filmed several video clips from different angles.
He could still complete his assignment by highlighting the aftermath.
...
The moment the Ten Thousand Forms Sanctuary was unleashed, the sea beast was, for all intents and purposes, already dead.
A second move wasn’t necessary.
The main reason he’d used it was that he had obtained Fenyuan but hadn’t yet put it to use, and his hands were itching for a try. Combining the two moves not only gave Shi Ming an additional "Form" but also added 54 evil tendrils to his Extremely Evil Sanctuary. The total number of fully manifested evil tendrils now reached 1,522. He didn’t even need to absorb its blood; the mere act of killing it was enough to accumulate "malice" and allow the Extremely Evil Sanctuary to grow.
The remaining blood could be used to awaken people.
The corpse also had other uses. Nothing would go to waste.
The crew members divided the work, and the Mysterious Shell was hauled completely aboard the ship. According to the previously drawn lots, its blood—or rather, its mucus—would become the material for Lin Hai’s promotion to S-rank.
The A-rank Awakened was already eager to get started.
"Go on! Bathe in its blood. You will acquire a powerful offensive skill."
"Thank you, Captain."
His gratitude was in his heart, and he would show it through his future actions. The former exploration team leader, now head of the Ship Defense Department, nervously and apprehensively jumped into the giant clam’s smooth, ruined remains. He could feel the power of "Jewels in a Casket" seeping through his skin, bit by bit, into his body.
Ordinary Awakened didn’t have a bug-like ability like the Right Arm Red Pattern, so absorbing the skill origin of an S-rank sea beast would take at least a day.
For some of the higher-ranked ones, it took even longer.
"Set sail. On to the next target."
Morale was high, and Shi Ming personally took the "helm."
In truth, a King-level Wandering Ship no longer had a "helm" in the conventional sense. However, it still had a "cruise helm system" for directional control. The simulated controls gave the operator a sense of ceremony when piloting the ship. And as the one with the highest authority, Shi Ming didn’t even need to lift a finger; with a single thought, the Dayun would accurately execute his next command based on his intentions.
But taking the helm was one of the few romantic rituals left on the sea.
Especially now, with spirits soaring on the ship.
The crew was fired up, their expressions fervent. Shi Ming had no doubt that if another S-rank sea beast were to appear right now, even if he didn’t make a move, these guys would ride the wave of their own momentum, swarm it, and butcher it!
...
The second sea beast target was located in the Old Domain of the former "Sin Continent," another 800 nautical miles to the south.
The Solomon Golden Islands.
The name had nothing to do with the historical Solomon.
Legend had it that in the 16th century, a navigator piloting a treasure-hunting ship found a vast amount of gold here. Overjoyed, he suspected he had found the legendary "treasure of King Solomon" and thus named the place the "Solomon Golden Islands."
Centuries had passed, and these old tales, along with more ancient legends and myths, were now buried beneath the raging waves.
They drew closer and closer to the coordinates.
But the Dayun’s sea-scanning waves detected no powerful life signatures.
The Map of the Endless Sea clearly showed a powerful S-rank sea beast here. The black dot representing it was highly saturated and extremely clear, which meant the beast was not in the deep sea but was instead roaming the shallows.
Shi Ming put away the Map of the Endless Sea.
"Interesting."
"To be able to avoid detection... this sea beast is no simple creature!"
’Looks like Stone Pillar’s luck might be even better than Lin Hai’s.’
"Ah Jian, spread out your Spiritual Power."
"Yes, Master."
The Dayun sailed through the waters of the Golden Islands, appearing like an ordinary Admiral-class Ship.
The target was in the shallows, yet it was hidden perfectly. Without a doubt, the sea beast was in a hunting state. It might have already cast its net, watching its "prey" venture deeper inside.
But in the face of absolute power, all disguises were just paper, easily pierced.
And it seemed the sea beast had begun to make its move—
"Master, I’ve detected an unusual brass bottle, floating toward us on the waves."
"Brass?"
’Shouldn’t it sink?’
’This sea beast doesn’t seem to have much common sense.’
Shi Ming grumbled inwardly.
Following Ah Jian’s guidance, his Spiritual Power swept out. Sure enough, three nautical miles away, a metal bottle was being carried along by the waves, drifting in a most unnatural manner.
Shi Ming’s Spiritual Power scanned over it.
Its design was extremely archaic.
It didn’t look like an object made in the last few decades, or even the last century. Its entire body was coated in golden beeswax, and its mouth was sealed tightly with a slightly corroded but still sturdy oak cork, covered by a tin seal, and marked with an ancient maxim.
The maxim was written in ancient Hebrew.
[Want to find my treasure? Then open the bottle.]
—Solomon
Such blatant bait.
Shi Ming blinked. Under the enlightenment of the Eye of Destiny, the maxim on the bottle actually changed before his eyes.
[Stop! A demon of the Death Empire is sealed inside!]
—Solomon
???
’The story of the fisherman and the devil, is it?’
’What is this, One Thousand and One Nights?’
