"Ah, what’s the big deal? It’s just a small boat. I can just return it next time."

"The capital ship is handing out subsidies tomorrow. How about we go to the hot pot place in Da Yu’s Sector F, Level 7 tonight for a feast? My treat! None of that synthetic, pre-packaged stuff—all fresh ingredients. I’ve been dreaming about it ever since we got back from the Kunwu. The food you get on missions out there... it’s not something a normal person can stomach!"

With the first mission complete and a lead on the second, Rong Bing was in high spirits.

He invited Li Jiuyuan, Shentu Kuo, and Dr. Chongwen to go out for a feast.

Dr. Chongwen politely declined the captain’s kind offer. His mind was completely preoccupied with his student and the few pieces of spent Sea-Rising Cherry Root. He needed to seize this golden window of opportunity to research them and had no desire to waste time and energy on a meal.

Since his teacher wasn’t going, Li Jiuyuan had to reluctantly decline, no matter how tempted he was.

Shentu Kuo, for his part, had taken temporary leave from his post and needed to get back.

"Fine. I’ll just go eat by myself."

"We’ll take a rain check. You can just treat us next time."

"Next time? Hah."

...

...

...

Shi Ming was alone in the captain’s room, studying the Nine-Strand Pattern on his body.

This was the main takeaway from his trip to Da Yu.

He had been inoculated with the "vaccine" of the Great Black Heaven Dragon.

The Nine-Strand Pattern began at his navel, its ends snaking upward through the grooves of his muscles. It gradually branched into a nine-headed design that spread across his entire upper chest. The tip of each strand terminated in a magatama-like shape, resembling the silhouette of the Great Black Heaven Dragon’s heads—imperious and an unnerving scarlet.

The central, primary head connected directly to the original pattern on his neck. Compared to the flagrant malice emanating from the pattern on the unconscious researcher, Lu Ping, the Destructive Power within Shi Ming’s Nine-Strand Pattern was completely restrained. It was as docile as a common soldier waiting to be integrated into the ranks.

According to intelligence from the Eye of the World, after consuming the Sea-Rising Cherry Root, the intensity of the pattern indicates the progress of its digestion.

When the pattern disappears, digestion is complete.

’Although I haven’t directly consumed the Sea-Rising Cherry Root, my resonance with the Great Black Heaven Dragon caused me to actively absorb all the power from those root fragments. Now, I just have to wait for the pattern to fade completely. That will confirm I’ve developed true antibodies and fulfilled Condition Two!’

’And Condition One has to be worked on simultaneously.’

’Physical Strength + Endurance > 500!’

’Right now, my Physical Strength is 185 and my Endurance is 167, for a total of 352. I’m still 148 points short!’

’I already have a plan to close that 148-point gap. Since I’m in a completely new sea region, it’s only natural to give its sea beasts a little "surprise." I’ll get to do my good deed for the day while also increasing my own power. It’s a win-win.’

His main targets were the A-rank sea beasts in the Sea of Soaring Dragons.

’Take an A-rank sea beast like the White Dragon Whale, for example. If I forgo its skill, allowing the power to be absorbed and divided between my Right Arm Red Pattern and other S-rank skills, the expected stat gain would be around 50 points.’

’A B-rank sea beast would yield around 8 to 20 points.’

’C-rank, 4 to 8 points.’

’And D-rank, 2 to 4 points.’

’But different sea beasts specialize in different stats—some are skewed toward defense, others toward Physical Strength. The probability of the points landing specifically in Physical Strength and Endurance is only about two-fifths.’

’Still, those are pretty good odds.’

A-rank sea beasts were both a catastrophe and an opportunity. For most drifter vessels, an encounter meant total annihilation. But for S-rank Awakened capable of killing them, they were a rare and sought-after prize. On the Hunter terminal, the coordinates for a single A-rank sea beast could sell for 200 Pure Dome Crystals or more, and it was still a seller’s market.

But for Shi Ming, A-rank sea beasts were simply a gift from the ocean.

With the Map of the Endless Sea, he could pinpoint the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates of any sea beast. Even though the coordinates designated a wide area, with the right baiting techniques, he could lure the beasts into revealing themselves.

’With enough perseverance, becoming a Ten-Mile Slope Sword God wouldn’t be a problem.’

He exported the coordinates of the A- and B-rank sea beasts in the nearby waters from the Map of the Endless Sea. There were about seventeen or eighteen in total.

He then fed the data to the ship’s artificial intelligence system.

Using the right tools would make his hunt more efficient—

"Moss, here are the sea beast coordinates for the Sea of Soaring Dragons. Assume A-rank coordinates have a weight of 50 and B-rank coordinates have a weight of 15. Please plot the most efficient route that acquires the maximum weight value over the shortest possible distance."

"[Understood. Plotting course... Course plotted according to your parameters. The following are three potential routes... Each balances efficiency and weight value, with the primary option being...]"

Shi Ming reviewed the routes plotted by the AI.

’Moss is incredibly useful.’

"Yellow Cannon, this is the Da Yun’s new route plan. I’ve marked every hunting spot. Notify me when we reach the red waypoints. For the yellow ones, notify Lin Hai and his team. Also, find a buyer on the Hunter terminal for the sea beast carcasses. It’s best if they can pick them up themselves quickly. We can give them a decent price."

"Got it."

Yellow Cannon knew what this meant. The captain was going into hunting mode again.

...

Killing too many sea beasts tended to generate a bloody, hostile aura that other beasts were extremely sensitive to. This was why, after Shi Ming returned from the Sea of Boiling, sea beasts would steer clear of him for days on end, even when he had their exact coordinates, leaving him empty-handed.

Therefore, for this expedition in the Sea of Soaring Dragons, the crew would be responsible for killing any B-rank or lower sea beasts.

The crew would earn contribution points, Shi Ming would get the blood and stat points, and the carcasses would become bait for the next hunt or materials for the buyer. It was a perfect system where nothing went to waste.

Shi Ming would only personally intervene for A-rank sea beasts.

The first stop, naturally, was the location of an A-rank sea beast.

The coordinates pointed to the former site of Dragon Country’s Kukunor Lake. Once the largest high-altitude inland saltwater lake, it had been a place of mystery and beauty, known as the purest eye on Earth.

The Sea Patrol Radar had a limited detection range. To compensate, parts from an A-rank sea beast carcass stored aboard the Da Yun were attached to iron chains and lowered into the water. For an A-rank sea beast, the flesh and blood of its own kind was a fatal lure, making for the perfect bait.

The water’s surface remained perfectly calm.

Hunting in the Sea of Soaring Dragons required exceptional patience.

The Sea of Soaring Dragons was known as the "Sea of Peace" for a reason: the deep integration and perfect coordination between the Da Yu and three Admiral-class Ships. This was especially true of the incredibly fast Kunwu. Piloted by Sword Captain Rong Bing, who used his "Sovereign Hegemony" skill in tandem with the 26th-ranked Artifact, "Kunwu Heaven-Opening," he would invariably be the first on the scene to eliminate the threat whenever an A-rank sea beast was reported.

For a time, the sea beasts in the Sea of Soaring Dragons lived in a state of constant fear, and things quieted down for quite a while.

But their bestial nature was difficult to suppress; they were bound to resurface eventually.

Especially when they thought it was safe.

"Captain, a powerful lifeform is approaching. Thirteen nautical miles ahead, depth of 3,451 meters."

"Maintain course as planned. When the beast gets closer, feign a retreat. Keep us at the speed of a standard Silver-class ship."

"Aye!"

WHOOSH~

An immense wave erupted from the sea. A crustacean creature, only six or seven meters long and covered in a thick, uneven, spiny carapace, burst forth. It devoured the A-rank Sea Beast Flesh and Blood in a single gulp and charged, attempting to capsize the ship. Finding the vessel immovable, it changed tactics and lunged for Shi Ming on the deck.

It had two massive pincers that, at a glance, looked incredibly meaty.

Shi Ming stood on the deck, watching the predator charge with ferocious, explosive speed. His right hand swept across his left forearm, drawing forth the Extremely Cold Saber.

Third Law! Great Cold!

WHOOSH!

A bone-chilling cold seemed to freeze time itself. This small human, barely two meters tall, had inexplicably struck heart-stopping terror into the giant beast. It tried to retreat, but its thoughts had already frozen. Its head separated from its body.

One slash! Decapitated!

The timing was perfect!

Its hard carapace shattered instantly. The fine, tender white meat within was laced with ice crystals, so fresh it was mouth-watering. While the beast’s body froze in mid-air, its head tumbled onto the deck, tentacles still twitching.

Blue blood sprayed from the severed neck, drenching Shi Ming in an icy shower.

Before his Third Law, the A-rank sea beast was utterly defenseless.