Chapter 678: Section 465: Cooperation with the Ship Ghost?
White Hair Sea Trench.
Believers of the Charming Blue Sect were cleaning the bloodstains on the Golden Level altar.
Not far away, in an undersea shack hastily built from corals and the like, Cang Xu knelt and prayed.
A Gold Coin-like communication device gently entered his mouth while he recited his prayers.
Cang Xu closed his mouth in silence, appearing to pray without words, but in fact, he pressed the communication device under his tongue.
The communication device gradually heated up and finally, like a branding iron, seared into the bottom of Cang Xu’s tongue, turning into a round-edged badge.
Encapsulated within the badge was the information given to Cang Xu by the Fishman youth.
This was Tongue-Under-Gold.
It was a communication device carefully selected by the Fishman youth from the War Merchant’s database, inherently very secret. After being blessed with Deception and Disguise Skill and Anti-Intelligence Prophecy Skill, it was virtually infallible.
As Cang Xu read the information, his complexion couldn’t help but slightly change.
Somewhat beyond his expectations, the Fishman youth inquired in this message whether Cang Xu—should make direct contact with the ship ghost, to strive for the most straightforward cooperation?
For a moment, Cang Xu felt admiration and could not help but admire the Fishman youth’s foresight again.
According to their current arrangements, the Deep Sea Monster Fish was within the Ocean Nest. With the advantage of a calculated mind against an unsuspecting one, the chances of ambushing the ship ghost were very high. Knowing that it was possible to subdue the ship ghost, the Fishman youth did not choose to bully the weak but thought rationally and calmly about the possibility of cooperation with both sides.
To be honest, Cang Xu had never thought about this possibility.
For a while, he found himself deep in thought.
“Although the ship ghost is bound by both Divine Arts and Spells, with the advantage of the Undead’s new faction, it still possesses the strength to fight and potentially free itself within the Ocean Nest. So if we can reach an agreement with him, we won’t have to face him in the Ocean Nest, thereby greatly reducing our risks.”
“The prospects of cooperation with the ship ghost’s faction have always been significant. First of all, those Undead Inheritances are all very outstanding, attracting all the world’s powers to suppress them. Second is the Undead resources. Behind the ship ghost and others is You Can’s Legendary force, holding the world’s foremost Undead resources. And these are what we will need in the future.”
Cang Xu kept weighing the pros and cons, and his heart became more at peace.
From this proposal, Cang Xu could clearly discern the Fishman youth’s attitude towards the Undead Mages.
Unlike the vast majority of people in the world who are very hostile and wary of Undead Mages, the Fishman youth was willing to cooperate with the Undead, treating them as equal beings.
Moreover, Cang Xu was deeply moved. Although the Fishman youth did not explicitly say so in the message, Cang Xu knew that the squad leader’s suggestion of cooperation was precisely because Cang Xu was currently under the control of the ship ghost—life and death at the ship ghost’s whim.
The message from the Fishman youth explicitly stated:
“If we fail to atone with the Empire’s upper echelon this time, then by leveraging our connection with the Undead Mages, we may be able to withstand the Empire’s manhunt and secure a chance and time for my survival.”
This idea especially comforted Cang Xu!
In Cang Xu’s view, while the youth during the Mysterious Monster Island period was an excellent leader, he was not mature and tended towards idealism.
Now, the young squad leader had matured a lot. As a leader, he considered the consequences of all kinds. Many of his decisions were made considering the team rather than just personal faith and values.
This statement by the Fishman youth also brought Cang Xu a new idea.
“If we establish contact through cooperation with the ship ghost and others, and later successfully communicate with the Empire’s upper echelons and atone, we can then use this relationship to reverse and lure the ship ghost into a trap, eliminating them as a military achievement within the Empire.”
Cang Xu had already been considering the possibility of turning against the Undead Mages in the future.
He was only a Black Iron Level Mage, but he had started plotting against Legendary Level forces. The reason was that the Blood Core had given him endless hope and confidence.
This world’s class barriers are incredibly rigid. For many people, their entire lives are defined at birth.
Strength determines one’s societal stratum.
And the main factor that dictates strength is the Bloodline.
Now, with the Blood Core, survivors had unlimited potential concerning their bloodlines.
As long as there was ample time and resources for adequate development, why couldn’t they compare to others?
Even when considering Legendary forces, why couldn’t they plot against them?
After deep contemplation, Cang Xu had reached a conclusion: “Cooperating with the ship ghost and others is indeed a good idea. But it’s still too early to be candid with the ship ghost right now.”
Cang Xu was wary of the ship ghost.
If the ship ghost learned of the existence of the Dragon-man youth and Deep Sea Monster Fish, it might leverage this to force the Fishman youth to comply. Then, the methods the ship ghost had placed on Cang Xu would also become an important bargaining chip in negotiations.
The Fishman youth and Cang Xu, who hid in the shadows, were in a position of initiative. If they revealed themselves in negotiations with the ship ghost, they would fall into a great disadvantage.
“So even if we are to cooperate, we must find the right opportunity. The timing is not ripe right now, still too early!”
“Another point: before the official confrontation, it’s best to remove the back door implanted in me.”
“I would be most reassured if I were to handle it myself. If I let the ship ghost do it, I would still harbor many doubts.”
“However, that time is fast approaching.”
More than a day had passed since the ship ghost announced the progress inspection.
During this period, nearly ten Blood Sacrifices were conducted on the Golden altar, all on a large scale.
The Gold Coin device carried Cang Xu’s intentions and quietly departed.
Before long, the ship ghost gathered the Undead once again.
The Undead assembled in the ship ghost’s shack.
However, the atmosphere inside the shack was different from before.
Everyone no longer stood united as before; instead, there were undercurrents of suspicion and a strong sense of competition.
On the surface, they exchanged insights and experiences on conversion, but in reality, the ship ghost used secret messages to discuss with them, centered on him, the experiences and insights of fabricating false memories.
Due to the pressure to survive, the ship ghost’s memory fabrication was the most focused it had ever been. Other Undead, even if it was their first time, were definitely making their utmost effort.
This exchange of experience and techniques was beneficial to everyone, even the ship ghost gained a lot.
Yet, as the exchanges deepened, Cang Xu’s expression grew uglier.
He found that his progress was still the last!
“How is this possible? Ku Feng is actually ahead of me?”