"So, the strange sounds those Sea Gatherers heard on the Wuyang Beach before—were they made by your Bounty Ships searching for unclaimed lands?" Zhao Ya asked.
"It should be like that," Shi Bolong answered honestly, while secretly glancing at Zhao Ya, not understanding why he asked this suddenly.
Zhao Ya was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Then why didn’t those Bounty Ships pass through the fog and enter this world before?"
This question also baffled Shi Bolong, and after pondering for a while, he hesitated, "Yeah, why not?"
"Maybe I was just lucky?"
Even Shi Bolong himself didn’t believe this upon saying it.
As a Disciple of the Wuyou Longevity Palace, having wandered the harsh Endless Sea for more than a decade, he no longer believed in luck.
There must be some reason behind it.
But these matters were irrelevant to him; he was only thinking about how to escape from Zhao Ya’s grasp, so after a brief moment of confusion, Shi Bolong brushed aside many thoughts and started thinking quickly.
Meanwhile, Zhao Ya felt a heavy burden on his heart.
Because this seemingly insignificant question was precisely the key.
Previously, Sea Gatherers frequently heard the sound of steam whistles, indicating that those Bounty Ships were only a stone’s throw away from Beyond the World.
But due to the fog barrier, all those ships returned fruitlessly.
This was why Beyond the World had been peaceful for so long.
Yet the sudden intrusion of this Black Ship clearly indicated a problem with the fog barrier.
Could this extremely closed-off world be gradually opening up?
This thought flashed through Zhao Ya’s mind, and then he reached out and gripped Shi Bolong’s slender arm, applying a slight force.
Crack.
Shi Bolong’s two arms, like two pieces of rotten wood, were easily broken into two segments by Zhao Ya.
Shi Bolong let out an ear-piercing scream, but the cries were quickly cut off.
Because Zhao Ya was looking at him indifferently, his eyes were filled with undisguised killing intent.
Shi Bolong sheepishly closed his mouth, his face full of a flattering expression.
"I know what you’re thinking—are you planning on how to escape, then figuring out how to get even?"
"Dare not, dare not, sir, how could I have such rebellious thoughts!" Shi Bolong replied hastily, with a demeanor of loyalty as clear as day and night.
Of course, Zhao Ya would not be deceived by his appearance, but he also knew that capturing Shi Bolong’s real body was due greatly to luck and Shi Bolong’s underestimation of his opponent.
If it was a real showdown, he would never have been able to capture him so easily.
This was Zhao Ya; if it were someone else, they might not even make it past the first hurdle.
Especially the final Wuyou Net was exceedingly formidable.
If it weren’t for Zhao Ya being a person reborn, along with the numerous talents gifted after unlocking his body’s organs, he might have succumbed to it, becoming a lamb to be slaughtered.
After entering the control room, Zhao Ya had actually been in a pseudo-death state to deceive Shi Bolong.
Once he engaged Shi Bolong, Zhao Ya instantly noticed something was amiss.
Because Shi Bolong was too weak, at least not matching his status.
At that moment, Zhao Ya vaguely guessed that this was probably just a clone, while the true body was hiding in the shadows observing.
What happened later proved this point.
Now, Zhao Ya had captured Shi Bolong alive, but how to deal with him became a significant problem.
After all, Shi Bolong had just clearly stated that the Black Ship’s control authority had already merged with him, making separation impossible.
Zhao Ya’s idea of seizing the Black Ship was doomed, as he couldn’t even kill Shi Bolong.
This was a major threat to Zhao Ya, who was always meticulous and unwilling to leave a loose end.
Noticing the ever-changing expression on Zhao Ya’s face, Shi Bolong also deduced his thoughts and chuckled.
"Sir, why don’t we cooperate?"
"Cooperate? How do we cooperate?" Zhao Ya asked.
"You’ve captured me but can’t kill me, and I can’t leave either. So why not cooperate? I’ll steer the ship, and you’ll ensure safety. Together, we could achieve something on the Endless Sea."
Shi Bolong’s eyes were fervent as he spoke.
"What do you mean by achieving something?" Zhao Ya asked.
"Simple, we rob weaker Bounty Ships or merchant fleets, and when facing stronger ones, we quickly stay away."
"So basically, you’re saying become pirates?" Zhao Ya sneered.
"Yeah, what’s wrong with that?" Shi Bolong said as if it was right and proper.
Crack!
The only response was the crisp sound of bones breaking.
It turns out Zhao Ya broke his two legs again.
This time, Shi Bolong didn’t scream; he just looked at Zhao Ya with utter resignation, hating him in his heart.
This guy is so hard to deal with.
Seeing him so young, Shi Bolong initially thought a little trickery would achieve his purpose, not expecting Zhao Ya to be immune to it.
"Don’t try anything clever, just stop the ship first," Zhao Ya said coldly.
Shi Bolong had no choice but to follow Zhao Ya’s instructions, slowly bringing the Black Ship to a halt, and then said with a face full of resignation,
"Master, what other instructions do you have?"