Chapter 112: Unexpected Encounters and Hidden Agendas

“My apologies, my apologies. I’ll open it right away.”

The guard felt a pang of embarrassment, for Bai Yu’s appearance was so deceptive that they had mistaken her for a mere child following along to watch the spectacle.

“Hmph!”

Bai Yu offered no response, simply stepping onto the ship, with Stella trailing closely behind her.

The Old Woman Captain also began to appraise Bai Yu.

She had previously heard that Tianyu had a son.

However, for some peculiar reason, he had recently transformed into his current appearance, though Tianyu had never disclosed the specific cause.

Nevertheless, the Old Woman could largely surmise the truth, for Bai Yu’s flawless beauty spoke volumes.

She possessed a discerning eye, after all.

“Are you Tianyu’s daughter?”

The Old Woman called out, halting Bai Yu in her tracks, who had initially intended to sneak away to her cabin on the ship.

“Uh-huh! Hello…”

Bai Yu awkwardly nodded, unsure of what to say, her innocent tuft of hair bobbing gently.

The Old Woman narrowed her eyes, studying Bai Yu’s face.

“She truly is a spitting image!”

The Old Woman murmured, noting that despite Bai Yu’s silvery-white hair, the subtle charm in her expression was uncannily identical to Tianyu’s.

“Image?”

Bai Yu, not quite grasping the Old Woman’s words, merely offered a polite smile in return.

“Ah, you’re heading to Jas Academy, aren’t you?”

The Old Woman asked Bai Yu, seeking confirmation.

“That’s right, but I’ll need to stop for a while in an uninhabited area of the high seas midway; I have some preparations to make.”

Bai Yu scratched her head, attempting to explain to the Old Woman.

To Bai Yu’s surprise, the Old Woman’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

This startled Bai Yu, making her wonder if the Old Woman was unwilling.

“Two days at most. There’s a particular spot in the ocean that poses the greatest danger.”

The Old Woman finally conceded.

“Understood, Captain, that’s more than enough. Thank you!”

Bai Yu let out a long breath of relief; two days would be ample time for her to absorb the Reverse Metal and the Heaven’s Fire.

After all, as Moweila had explained, with proper preparation, she could complete the absorption in just a few hours.

“Mm-hmm.”

The Old Woman Captain nodded, then smiled at Bai Yu.

“You don’t need to call me Captain. I’m just an old geezer with one foot in the grave; it’s wonderful that I could be of assistance this time.”

Upon hearing Bai Yu’s words, the Old Woman’s expression softened instantly, a shift that struck Bai Yu as somewhat peculiar.

“My name is Li Hua. You can just call me Grandma Li from now on.”

Li Hua said with a smile, a name that once again resonated with Bai Yu, reminding her of a similar name she had heard somewhere before.

‘Could she be related to Li Hua, one of the Dragon Summer Guardians? What connection might this old woman have with him?’

“Grandma Li, do you happen to know Li Hua? The Dragon Summer Guardian?”

‘It doesn’t hurt to ask, there’s nothing I can’t ask,’ Bai Yu thought, hoping to establish a closer rapport.

“Oh, him? He’s my nephew. So you’ve already met him, have you?”

Li Hua seemed a little surprised, never imagining that this young one before her had actually met a Dragon Summer Guardian.

“Just by chance, haha.”

Bai Yu casually brushed it off, though she found the names within this family quite preposterous.

Bai Yu merely grumbled inwardly, knowing it would be impolite to express such thoughts aloud.

“Grandma Li, I’ll go inside and get my things ready then.”

Bai Yu didn’t wish to waste too much time, as she needed to begin preparing the prerequisites for refining the Reverse Entropy Crystal immediately.

“Alright, feel free to pick any room inside.”

Li Hua nodded and returned to the bridge.

****

The staff at the port, seeing that the matter had been resolved, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

However, just as they believed things were settling into their proper course, a sudden phone call jolted them half to death.

It was a call from the Dragon Summer Investigation Bureau, and simultaneously, the maritime forces also rang through.

After their frantic attempts to answer, they finally received news from the higher-ups.

The information they received left them utterly stunned, barely able to believe that the girl, who appeared no more than a child, was actually an honorary investigator for the Dragon Summer Investigation Bureau.

The maritime forces were even dispatching four warships to escort her, a level of treatment they could scarcely fathom.

They involuntarily swallowed, wondering what kind of extraordinary individual the person they had just encountered truly was.

Even as they were lost in speculation, four warships appeared before their eyes, positioning themselves at the four corners around the ship where Bai Yu was located.

Since they could not leave the Dragon Summer Nation’s waters, they would only be able to escort Bai Yu for a limited period; on the high seas, she would still need other means to protect herself.

At this moment, the cruise ship carrying Bai Yu finally set sail, moving away from the port.

They were expected to reach their destination in ten days, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Bai Yu gazed out the window, bidding a silent farewell to Cecilia and her Mother as she watched them leave the port.

A sense of wistful emptiness settled over Bai Yu; now, it was just her and Stella.

Stella, for her part, had vanished the moment they boarded, and Bai Yu had no idea what she was doing or where she had gone.

Bai Yu decided not to press the matter, instead collapsing onto the bed in her cabin.

She had previously heard that cabins on ships were typically cramped, but the one she occupied was entirely different; the room was spacious, impeccably clean, and the bedding even carried a faint, pleasant scent.

‘Ah, well, it’s done. Time to sleep,’ she thought.

Bai Yu suddenly felt weary, longing for a straightforward sleep.

She got out of bed to draw the curtains; even though the window’s position meant the bed wasn’t visible from outside, Bai Yu simply wished to block out the light.

Just as Bai Yu changed into her pajamas and prepared for bed, she suddenly felt something soft and warm beside her.

‘What is this…?’

Bai Yu reached out a small hand to rub it, only for a feminine voice to emanate from the spot.

This startled Bai Yu, prompting her to swiftly pull back the covers.

The sight that met her eyes rendered her speechless with shock.

In Bai Yu’s vision, Moweila lay on her bed, clad only in lingerie, gazing at her with an alluring stare.

Bai Yu’s small face flushed instantly.

Unlike Lu Xingyao and Cecilia, Stella possessed a mature beauty that neither of them shared.

Especially with Stella now wearing only lingerie, Bai Yu’s eyes were drawn to everything they shouldn’t have seen.

That immense ‘evil’ in particular made it impossible for Bai Yu to tear her gaze away, inspiring a strong urge to burrow in and thoroughly enjoy herself.

However, she did not act on that impulse immediately, even though her body was on the verge of losing control.

Still, she didn’t want to fall into another woman’s embrace right after leaving Cecilia.

‘Wouldn’t that make me seem too much like a scoundrel?’ she mused.

“Stella, what… what are you doing?! Put some clothes on!”

Bai Yu turned her head, attempting to appear more like a proper gentleman, but her lingering gaze on Stella betrayed her true feelings.

“I’m just having a normal sleep, Bai Yu. It was you who suddenly barged into my room and stared at me with *that* look.”