Chapter 92: The Captain’s Peculiar Voyage

It was said that under the sway of extreme emotions, the human mind could become unhinged, capable of anything imaginable. Bai Chen couldn’t help but feel that Mo Qiu’s current state of mind was deeply unsettling.

He had foolishly believed it was all over, only to find that hell had just truly begun.

Bai Chen desperately wished to delude himself, to believe that this object merely bore a passing resemblance, that it was not, unequivocally, what he feared it to be.

Yet, within the confines of that bedroom, no amount of self-deception could obscure the stark reality staring him in the face.

“Mo Qiu, is this… yours?”

Bai Chen inquired, his voice laced with caution.

Mo Qiu not only affirmed with a nod but also proceeded to unveil her treasure chest to him, its contents delivering a jarring assault on Bai Chen’s retinas and, indeed, his very mind.

Bai Chen stood utterly dumbfounded, as though a portal to an entirely new, bewildering world had just swung open before him.

‘Was this truly the Mo Qiu he knew? While contrasting personalities could often be endearing, he felt this had long since transcended mere contrast, venturing deep into the realm of outright terror.’

“Mo Qiu, why are you handing this to me?”

Bai Chen swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat.

“I can’t use this myself.”

As the words left his lips, Bai Chen fervently prayed that no retort along the lines of “Why can’t you use it?” would emerge from her.

Mo Qiu shook her head, and he exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, only for the girl’s subsequent words to wipe the nascent relief from his face:

“You help me.”

“What?”

“I… I don’t know how to use it.”

Bai Chen’s gaze drifted back to the treasure chest, and once more, he found himself utterly transfixed.

‘Could anyone truly believe that someone possessing an entire chest of such items claimed ignorance of their use?’

“Mo Qiu, if you’re looking to… play, then I’ll just leave you to it…”

Bai Chen made to rise, but she seized his sleeve, her grip surprisingly firm. Mo Qiu, it seemed, was far more earnest than he had initially believed.

“You must help me adjust the settings.”

“But…” Bai Chen, throwing caution to the wind, finally blurted, “I don’t even know what you like…”

“It’s fine. As long as it’s you, Bai Chen, I’m content with however you choose to play.”

‘Her words only served to deepen the strangeness of the situation.’

Mo Qiu rose, standing directly before him, and lifted the detonator she held.

“Please, Bai Chen.

For me, use it.”

Bai Chen’s lips twitched into a strained grimace, his entire being locked in a state of bewildered stupefaction.

Without another thought, Bai Chen bolted from the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

After a considerable time spent regaining his composure, Bai Chen slowly began to grasp the gravity of the situation.

He realized, with a sinking feeling, that only he could truly help Mo Qiu.

Given how matters stood, there was only one course of action left: to tell a story.

Had anyone, he wondered, ever heard a tale of a daring seafaring adventurer?

The protagonist of this particular narrative was Baili Baisi, a seasoned adventurer and an exceptionally skilled navigator who had, on countless occasions, skirted the very edge of the abyss only to emerge unscathed.

Despite his heroic feats, Baili Baisi remained a man of quiet humility, often found contentedly mopping the deck or basking in the sun, savoring the simple beauty of a peaceful life.

Yet, on this very day, just before their departure, he was sought out by Captain Mo Huzi of the ship *Wind Chime*.

Though the captain bore the name Mo Huzi, she was, in fact, a stunningly beautiful young woman, her face exquisitely clean, devoid of even a single stray hair.

Mo Huzi approached Baili Baisi with a singular request: that he temporarily assume the role of captain for the upcoming voyage, with her offering assistance from the sidelines.

Baili Baisi initially intended to decline, but seeing the genuinely pitiable state of Mo Huzi, he ultimately relented.

“I, Baili Baisi, am a professional captain. Today, I shall demonstrate how to utilize expert navigational skills to rescue an entire crew of sailors.

****

The vast ocean, though appearing serene, concealed beneath its placid surface a churning abyss of treacherous undercurrents, brimming with unknown powers and untold dangers.

Their potent and enigmatic forces were more than capable of dragging even the sturdiest vessels into the crushing depths.

In this treacherous expanse, devoid of proper survival skills, one could scarcely hope to endure for even a single day.

The very first task is to grasp the ship’s helm. Observe, if you will, that this vessel boasts a total of seven gears, signifying its astonishing capability to attain speeds up to seven times that of a conventional ship!

Upon ignition, the vessel must not accelerate too rapidly; one must commence, naturally, with the first gear.

“Hmm, successfully initiated. Smooth sailing indeed.

The sea is perfectly calm, isn’t it?”

It was then that Mo Huzi, standing nearby, abruptly interjected, “Baili Baisi, are you sure you’re up to this? You’re so slow!”

“Not enough?!”

‘Who dares question the masterful piloting skills of Baili Baisi?!’

I promptly advanced the ship’s throttle by two gears. The vessel, which had been gently meandering, surged forward with such sudden velocity that most of the crew, caught off guard, were sent tumbling head over heels in a chaotic heap.

“Baili Baisi, it’s still too slow,” Mo Huzi insisted.

“Still not enough?!”

‘I, Baili Baisi, am a formidable Grand Captain! What foolhardy sailor dares to challenge my authority?!’

The throttle was advanced once more, to fifth gear! Now the ship hurtled forward with the velocity of a rocket!

‘Let’s see who dares to remain unimpressed now!’

“Hmm, silence?”

The instant that thought formed, a voice, so exquisitely alluring it sent shivers through his entire being, pierced his eardrums.

‘Ah, as a seasoned captain, I do, on occasion, indulge in song. Yet, rather than the melodies themselves, I find myself drawn more to the exquisite timbre of a singer’s voice. If this particular voice were to be categorized among those of vocalists, it would undoubtedly belong to that rare, soul-stirring breed.’

‘The undulating highs and lows of that voice were akin to an electrocardiogram tracing a frantic rhythm in a hospital ward; even devoid of a supporting melody, it possessed an uncanny ability to stir profound resonance within the listener.’

‘I would even venture to claim that, captivated by that enchanting voice, members of the lower house would rise in unison, clamoring to seize voting rights in the upper chamber.’

“The song of a Siren… this is a Siren’s song!”

This was a legend whispered across the oceans: Sirens, wondrous beings with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a fish, hence their alternate moniker, “mermaids.” They were born of breathtaking beauty, yet their most irresistible allure lay in their bewitching songs.

The Sirens’ melodies soared on the sea breeze, their voices pure, yet imbued with an intoxicating enchantment. Each note, each phrase, seemed like a whispered secret from a sea sprite, beckoning passing ships closer.

The sailors’ once resolute gazes grew distant and unfocused, their ears ensnared by the ethereal symphony, their very souls stirred to their core. The hand on the helm faltered, and the vessel began to drift perilously off course, drawn inexorably toward a treacherous expanse riddled with hidden reefs.

Waves crashed against the jagged reefs, issuing a thunderous, ominous warning, yet the sailors remained utterly oblivious. Ultimately, under the beautiful yet fatal allure of the Sirens, the ship foundered upon the rocks, becoming yet another tragedy swallowed by the ocean’s depths, while the Sirens’ song continued to drift across the waves, patiently awaiting the next lost voyager.

‘Any common sailor would have succumbed to such enchantment long ago, but I, Baili Baisi? How could such a paltry trick…’

“Worthless Baili Baisi… not enough.”

‘The Siren’s song still weaves its spell around my mind. Very well, if you intend to conquer me, then I shall play this game to its very end! As Grand Captain, I vow to safely guide this vessel to port!’

‘Who am I? I am Baili Baisi, the Grand Captain! From childhood, I have cherished the sea, braving its perilous depths countless times. How could a mere Siren like you ever hope to conquer me?’

For this final stretch of the voyage, the helm to seventh gear!

‘No matter what your song, it cannot deter me, Baili Baisi, from pressing onward into the vast ocean!’

He could not say how much time had elapsed, but when the voyage finally concluded, Bai Chen emerged from his daze like a man roused from a drunken stupor, the detonator in his hand now blinking with a red warning light.

“Out of power?”

The tumultuous, wave-crested ocean, coupled with the Siren’s enchanting song—it had truly been a most peculiar adventure.

Bai Chen lifted his gaze to the bedroom door, finding it ajar.

As the girl emerged from within, a fleeting tremor of panic seized Bai Chen’s vision.

Having just expended a considerable amount of energy, a faint blush lingered on her cheeks, and a subtle, alluring ripple seemed to dance within her typically lifeless eyes.

‘Had those songs truly emanated from within that room? Could such sounds genuinely be produced by a monstrous entity?’

‘This was the reclusive Mo Qiu, the very Mo Qiu whose dead eyes seemed impervious even to the sun’s brightest rays!’

“Haha, this must surely be a dream, right?”

“This must be a dream. I must have been injured and lost consciousness after the battle, which is why I’m experiencing such a bizarre hallucination.

But this dream… it’s far too strange, yet impossibly vivid.”

Aside from the lingering flush on her cheeks, Mo Qiu appeared no different from her usual self. She bent to retrieve the toy that had fallen to the floor, then approached Bai Chen.

“Thank you.”

The girl’s voice was faintly hoarse, prompting Bai Chen to swiftly pour her a glass of water.

Watching her hold the cup and obediently drink the entire glass of water, Bai Chen couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of relief.

‘This was the Mo Qiu he knew. The cool, aloof girl. The song from earlier? That must have been that repressed Siren, Mo Huzi, singing.’

“Right? Mo Huzi… ah, no, Mo Qiu, here, this is yours.”

Bai Chen felt a surge of relief that it was finally over.

“It’s all good now, isn’t it?”

“Mm.”

‘Yes! I finally survived hell!’

“Bai Chen, your technique is very good.”

“What?”

Mo Qiu’s words were peculiar, no matter how one tried to interpret them, so Bai Chen could only nod aimlessly.

‘I merely adjusted the settings upwards; how does that make my technique ‘very good’?’

Mo Qiu’s lifeless eyes fixed upon him.

“I hope… you’ll always play with me?”

Bai Chen gasped, his gaze falling to the object in her hand.

Bai Chen found himself at a loss for how to respond.

“Um, Mo Qiu, why do you think I’m so skilled at this sort of thing…?”

Bai Chen himself wasn’t sure why he had even asked such a question.

“Aren’t you very experienced, Bai Chen?” Mo Qiu tilted her head, seemingly perplexed.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Because you, Bai Chen, have other female friends, don’t you often play together?”

“I don’t have other friends, so I can only ask you.”

“When I’m not around, you can come find me,” Mo Qiu said, her dark eyes fixed on him. “I don’t mind if you use…”

“Stop!”

Bai Chen cut her off, his expression uncharacteristically serious.

“Firstly, I do not have the female friend you’re referring to.”

“Really?” Mo Qiu’s eyes widened slightly.

“Secondly, you must not demean yourself by acting like a mere standby tool. Didn’t I tell you to take good care of yourself?”

“Okay.”

Mo Qiu paused. “You really don’t have… a close girlfriend?”

Bai Chen scratched his head, surprised that her focus was entirely on that.

“I do!”

Mo Qiu held her breath.

“It’s you!”

Bai Chen pointed at her, flashing a brilliant smile.

“If you insist on my help, then don’t adopt such a subservient posture. We are friends; you must approach me as a friend, understand?”

“Good.”

‘So Bai Chen doesn’t have other women?’

His sincerity seemed genuine, leaving Mo Qiu no opportunity to press further.

Besides, she reasoned, if he truly had other women, his deception would inevitably be exposed sooner or later.

For some inexplicable reason, Mo Qiu felt a significant measure of reassurance. Tonight, the ship’s helm would once again return to the capable hands of the meticulous Captain Mo Huzi.