Thus, when Hogan returned intact to the gang’s headquarters, he naturally became part of the Ebbtide Gang once again, and even got promoted to a minor leader by the gangsters.

Unfortunately, perhaps worried that he might stir up some Big Shot again, he was removed from his original position at the port docks and reassigned to work near the coast. There, while collecting protection fees from fishermen, he and his brothers also engaged in some fishing activities; sometimes catching rare types could even yield bonuses.

Hogan was filled with vigor.

He felt that his survival this time was due to the blessings from celestial gods, possibly the Goddess of fortune or even the Sea Goddess.

He was destined to establish a foothold in Suo Yu Bay as a member of the Ebbtide Gang, and even chat and laugh with those whom he currently could only look up to.

And today, this is where it all begins!

Learnt from nearby fishermen that a large area of coral reef here has a dense gathering of fish and is usually unwatched; fishermen often came here to fish after hearing this, Hogan brought several of his brothers aboard a fishing boat and rushed over.

"Boss Hogan, there are indeed lots of fish here! Groups and groups of them, you can see right through the water surface!"

One of the gangsters leaned out from the edge of the boat, expressing excitement.

The taste of power is intoxicating, and the title "Boss" made Hogan feel like he was on cloud nine, ready to float away.

Imitating actions he had seen from those Big Shots before, he reached out and waved his hand calmly.

"Cast the nets."

"Yes, Boss!"

The fishing nets with fine mesh were tightly gripped by the gangsters, who used their waist and abdomen strength to swing the nets towards the ocean below.

Whoosh——

Accompanied by the sudden flight overhead of a Short-tailed Albatross, a gust of strong wind suddenly swept across the deck.

Although the weather was clear with floating white clouds and no sign of a storm approaching, the gust was extremely strong. The resulting waves slammed fiercely against the side of the boat, causing gangsters onboard to lose their balance and stumble around, eventually falling to the ground.

The fishing net in their hands was also blown away by the forceful wind, winding high into the sky and eventually landing ashore.

"What was that!?"

"Where did the wind come from?"

Ebbtide Gang gangsters cursed all around, assuming it was a natural phenomenon at sea.

Hogan, who gripped the boat’s railing tightly to stabilize himself, seemed to sense something, a chill ran through his heart.

Instinctively looking up, his gaze turned to the distant, flying alabaster albatross.

A familiar cold touch swept across his neck, causing him to shiver violently, instantly prompting him to turn around, instinctively gazing towards the coast.

On a flat stretch of reef, a pitch-black silhouette, undoubtedly familiar and causing his body to tremble uncontrollably, stood silently.

Eyes met.

"Go! Go quickly!!!"

A piercing scream that surpassed anything Hogan had ever heard escaped his lips, almost breaking the sound.

His face contorted with fear.

In that moment, he even forgot about his newly acquired minor-leader status, clumsily fell on the heaving deck, ignoring his embarrassment, and rudely displaced the original helmsman. He then frantically turned the ship’s wheel with all his might, almost causing sparks to fly out.

Having seen Hogan’s reaction, although his subordinates did not know what happened, they, sensibly, followed suit without questioning, abandoning the original fishing task, collaborating to steer the boat away from the coral reef.

...

Buzz——

The high-frequency humming sound of magic particles resonated once again along the coast.

Amidst the sprinkling light particles, Hai Yin transformed back into human form, taking a few small steps to stabilize herself, her face full of bewilderment.

"What happened? Are those gangsters so timid that they flee at the slightest wind?"

As the guardian of this coral reef, she had of course encountered greedy stragglers who attempted indiscriminate fishing in the area before, considering herself experienced.

In usual circumstances, unless it’s a group with keen perception, most people wouldn’t notice the peculiarity of the sudden gust and would assume it was a natural event. Even if they sensed something out of place, they wouldn’t ponder deeply.

In the subsequent developments, Hai Yin should utilize one of the few spells she could cast in her transformed state to make seaweed and seagrass grow on their bodies and the deck.

By this stage, they would generally realize that this coral reef is protected by a Druid, and most ordinary people without extraordinary power would back off.

And if, after this point, there are still people who insist on intruding...

Hai Yin would have no choice but to retreat cautiously, memorizing the invader’s face and identity in her Albatross form, and later contact Lorin and the others to reclaim the territory.

It’s not that she cowers from conflict, nor that she lacks pure faith in her association; as the only Spellcaster in the "Sword of Vengeance" squad’s core, her safety is crucial.

If unforeseen injuries prevent her from participating in missions, the tactical depth and overall strength of the entire fleet would be significantly compromised.

Thus, in normal circumstances, facing perpetrators who disregard her presence, Hai Yin would truly have no solution.

Today Xia Nan is present, providing her some confidence.

Unexpectedly, those gangsters were indeed timid, fleeing at the mere wind gust.

"Probably from the Ebbtide Gang; one of them I’ve seen at the port before."

Seeing Hai Yin confused, Xia Nan explained.

"Aha... are they the ones who almost got snatched by Alton? Haha, no wonder they fled upon seeing you." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

A week had passed since their return, and nearly the entire "Sword of Vengeance" fleet heard about Alton’s incident on that day; at the time, Alken, still wrapped in bandages and in serious injury, considered picking a fight with the Ebbtide Gang. After being advised against it and seeing the midget himself unconcerned, coupled with Xia Nan quickly arriving not causing any loss, it was let go, with talks of visiting their headquarters once healed.

"But over the past few days, I’ve indeed heard the Ebbtide Gang mentioned quite a few times at the tavern; they’re making significant moves recently."

Hai Yin glanced down at the grouper beneath Xia Nan’s feet.

"They might be expanding their influence."

Xia Nan seemed unconcerned, casually replying.

Not originally wanting to associate with these criminal forces, no matter how they expand, it had nothing to do with him.

To be honest, if Xia Nan were part of this gang’s higher-ups, he definitely wouldn’t operate so prominently, causing even a place like the Three-legged Sea Dog Tavern to frequently mention their name.

In a place like Suo Yu Bay, teeming with mixed elements, being overly high-profile only invites unnecessary trouble.

Putting it bluntly, if it had been Alken or the outwardly ruthless Lorin who saw them surrounding Alton instead of himself, the Ebbtide Gang name might no longer exist.

Even he sometimes wondered if the nickname "Haiya" and his previous experience at the Corner Shark Gang’s stronghold were too conspicuous, potentially affecting his future development in Suo Yu Bay.

Shaking his head, Xia Nan chose not to dwell.

The tip of his boot covered the grouper with [Heavy Tide], giving it a firm hit, ensuring its complete demise.

Then he pressed the pocket watch’s button, waiting patiently for the needles to rotate. Static for three seconds.

Buzz——

Space warped in an instant, and the gigantic grouper, larger than an adult’s body, vanished.

Replaced by a black miniature fish icon on the watch’s face.

"Time’s up; let’s call it a day."

Xia Nan nodded slightly towards Hai Yin beside him.

"I remember someone was interested in the surgical bed from Twin Canyon, wanting to come especially for appraisal?"

"Calculating the time, it should be this afternoon."

On hearing Xia Nan’s words, Hai Yin seemed momentarily confused, having evidently forgotten.

Recalling this, she nodded repeatedly in response:

"Yes, yes! I almost forgot—let’s hurry up, or we’ll be late and the captain will scold me again."