On the small hill, He Nandou gazed into the distance.
The rain had stopped by now, but the water level continued to rise incessantly.
Amidst the surging waves, the outline of that Black Ship became increasingly distinct, drawing closer and closer.
The closer it got, the stronger that oppressive feeling, like the sky was collapsing, grew, causing many with weaker resolve to turn pale, barely able to stand.
At this time, Huang Liang appeared beside He Nandou and said in a deep voice, "How is it?"
He Nandou shook his head, his expression heavy. "I can’t sense any improvement, and the speed of the Black Ship is even increasing."
Huang Liang said nothing more.
By now, a long time had passed since Zhao Ya went to the Black Ship, yet there was still no news, not even the slightest sign of improvement. Everyone, including Huang Liang and He Nandou, knew what this implied.
Yet none of them could speak of it, nor dare show it.
After all, for the Martial Artists now under immense pressure, Zhao Ya had become their last hope.
If even this last hope vanished, without exaggeration, many would directly collapse.
So, even for the sake of maintaining morale, they couldn’t exhibit the slightest change.
But the inner anxiety was real, hence both fell into silence.
At that moment, He Nandou suddenly made a slight ’hmm.’
"Strange..."
"What is it?" Huang Liang immediately asked.
"Look quickly, is the Black Ship slowing down?" At this point, He Nandou, filled with excitement, shouted regardless of his demeanor.
Huang Liang looked up closely and indeed.
The giant ship, which had been moving slowly earlier, now visibly slowed down, continuing to decelerate.
Finally, the Black Ship came to a complete stop.
"What’s going on? Could it be that Zhao Ya has succeeded?" Huang Liang immediately asked.
"It’s still uncertain, but at least this is a good sign," He Nandou replied solemnly.
At that moment, ripples suddenly arose on the distant water surface, accompanied by surging waves, as if something underwater was rapidly approaching.
Seeing this, Huang Liang and He Nandou became extremely tense.
After all, no one knew what more tricks the Black Ship might have.
Fortunately, they were seasoned figures in the Jianghu, experienced and not panicked, ready for battle in no time.
Moreover, Yin Jiaxiong, who had been patrolling at a distance, rushed over with sword in hand.
Jing Rou even hoisted a cannon, focusing intently on the water line, ready to pull the trigger at any moment.
In a blink, the water line reached the hill, slowly revealing itself.
It turned out to be an incredibly gigantic Octopus Monster.
And atop the Octopus Monster’s head lay a half-human, half-snake Snake Woman.
Such a bizarre sight made many Martial Artists gasp.
Fortunately, Jing Rou and others remained calm and did not launch an immediate attack.
Because they noticed that the Octopus Monster and Snake Woman seemed to bear no malice.
Indeed.
After surfacing, the Snake Woman slightly nodded toward Jing Rou and others, then said loudly.
"By order of my Lord Zhao Ya, I’ve come to inform you that the Lord is safe and has seized control of the Black Ship. He invites representatives to board the ship for important discussions!"
Then, the Snake Woman threw out an oilcloth-wrapped letter, landing right in front of Huang Liang.
After the Snake Woman finished speaking, a commotion ran through the crowd, many filled with astonishment.
They couldn’t believe that Zhao Ya not only resolved the crisis but also took control of the Black Ship.
But is it true?
Could the Snake Woman be deceiving everyone deliberately?
The people, filled with questions, didn’t include He Nandou, who, though unsure, didn’t show agitation. Calmly, he bent down, picked up the oilcloth, opened it, and took out the letter inside.
Upon reading it, it was indeed a letter handwritten by Zhao Ya.
In the letter, Zhao Ya briefly recounted the events, described his situation, and invited Huang Liang, Shen Yunshen, and He Nandou to board the ship for urgent discussions.
After confirming its authenticity, Huang Liang and He Nandou exchanged a glance full of joy.
Who could have expected such a crisis to end this way?
But this was ultimately good news, avoiding many unnecessary casualties.
"But how are we to board the Black Ship?" He Nandou asked.
"Simple, just be prepared, and the Octopus Monster will naturally take you aboard," the Snake Woman smiled.
"Alright, thank you!"
"Hold on tight!" The Snake Woman commanded.
Before coming, Zhao Ya had done two things: first, let Shi Bolong overcome its fear of water.
Second, temporarily granted it partial control over the Octopus Monster.
This greatly inspired the Snake Woman, making her completely devoted to Zhao Ya.
With whistling sounds, the Octopus Monster shot out several tentacles, gently curling them atop the hill, whisking away those about to board the Black Ship.
At first, Huang Liang was very nervous. But once wrapped in the tentacle, he found it soft, with a perfect grip, not uncomfortable, easing his tension.
Then the Octopus Monster turned and headed swiftly toward the Black Ship, leaving the Martial Artists on the hill shocked and envious.
Shocked by the news yet to be fully digested.
Envious of their chance to board the mysterious Black Ship.
At this moment, a figure suddenly leaped from the hill into the water, swiftly swimming toward the Black Ship.
The bold move drew many exclamations.
Wu Bao’Er, with a face dark with anger, watched the figure swiftly swim away, grinding his teeth and growling.
"Liu Yuhuan, you bastard!"
Yes.
The figure that had leaped into the water was none other than Liu Yuhuan.
Wu Bao’Er was caught off guard, allowing her to slip away, feeling frustrated and furious.
But Liu Yuhuan cared not.
Her daring action wasn’t driven by curiosity for the Black Ship; instead, a restless feeling surged in her.
Especially upon seeing its outline, a primal impulse boiled her blood.
Her swimming speed was nearly as fast as that of the Octopus Monster, arriving soon at the Black Ship.
But boarding it was no easy task.
Just as Liu Yuhuan prepared to circle the Black Ship for a boarding point, a tentacle suddenly reached into the water, scooping her up, bringing her aboard.