Steve suddenly lowered his voice, his expression intentionally menacing. "Only the bravest explorers can pass the trials of Devil's Bay!"
Steve looked at the silent crowd, seemingly satisfied with the effect he had produced, and let out a hearty laugh.
"Of course, the Devil's Bay will serve you wholeheartedly during these seven days. All facilities on the ship are at your disposal, and John will be in charge of any matters regarding your daily life."
John stepped forward and gave a slight nod. "Rest, dining, and entertainment during your adventure will proceed as usual. You may arrange your own schedules."
"Now, I shall announce tomorrow's mission."
Upon hearing this, every scavenger took a sharp breath. Behind them, the sky was painted in the breathtakingly beautiful colors of the setting sun.
But no one had the time to admire it. Starting an adventure the moment they entered the mission was truly intense!
"At 3:00 AM, all explorers are requested to view the Devil's Bay aurora on the deck."
John finished reading the instructions by the book, took a crisp step back, and returned to his position behind Steve.
"Watching the aurora is one of the specialties of Devil's Bay. I hope you all enjoy it."
"Mr. Steve," Nan Yue called out, realizing she had to speak up even if she didn't want to stand out as the two prepared to leave. "Will there be crew members with us when we watch the aurora?"
Steve turned to look at Nan Yue. "Beautiful lady, although we would love to accompany you, this is your own adventure."
"However, if you encounter any problems, you can always ask the crew for help."
Steve bowed slightly. "Now, please go and enjoy the delicacies of the Devil's Bay. The other guests are already in the restaurant."
Seeing Steve's decent attitude, Nan Yue stepped forward to walk beside him.
"Do the other guests on the ship need to be kept a secret?"
She frowned slightly, looking somewhat troubled. "This is our adventure, after all."
Steve was pleased with her attitude. Seeing how the others were listening silently without competing for attention, he was willing to reveal a little more.
"Indeed. You are the most united explorers I've seen. God will bless you."
"I suggest keeping it a secret. After all, you paid much less than the other guests. It would be difficult for us if they found out."
Nan Yue understood. As explorers, they were enjoying a discount on the Devil's Bay, while the others were regular guests who had paid full price for a vacation. Their natures were fundamentally different.
She just didn't know where the danger would come from—the other guests, the crew, or the sea itself.
Steve departed, and the group followed John toward the cabin in silence.
The deck was eerily quiet. There wasn't even the sound of the sea breeze, let alone any sign of the other guests.
Were there really other guests on this ship?
Yes, there were.
The restaurant of the Devil's Bay was on the first floor. It was massive, located toward the rear of the ship, with transparent floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides.
If one ignored the fact that this was a mission, the view while dining here was truly unparalleled.
Steve hadn't lied to them; the restaurant was already quite crowded.
Unlike the silence outside, the restaurant was bustling. It was a buffet style, and if one was willing to pay extra, they could even order additional dishes.
By the floor-to-ceiling windows where the view was best, a group of wealthy-looking men and women sat. A chef wearing a tall white hat pushed a small cart over with a fresh fish.
He was currently slicing the fish open to prepare fresh sashimi.
"Explorers may enjoy everything in the restaurant. Don't be shy."
The bald man's expression was still a bit grim, but he was at least able to ask a question now.
"Brother, we don't have any markers on us. How do you know if we're explorers or regular guests?"
The man spoke with a rough, street-wise air, likely sharing a similar temperament with Gu Xiang Kai.
Upon hearing the question, John showed his first and only smile so far.
His smile revealed pearly white teeth and was quite charming, but his words sent a chill down everyone's spine.
"There is no need. We can tell you apart. You are special."
John left, leaving the scavengers to exchange uneasy glances.
His words were confusing. There were over twenty scavengers here, and they hadn't even recognized all of their own people yet.
However, it was possible the crew had undergone training and memorized the faces of this batch of explorers.
Of course, there could be other reasons.
The scavengers scattered in groups of twos and threes. No one would easily team up without first understanding the mission.
Moreover, the title of this mission was straightforward enough to be terrifying.
Successfully completing seven adventure missions meant that each one carried a risk to their lives, and they couldn't afford to fail even once.
Unlike missions with high degrees of freedom, where rules for death might not be encountered by everyone depending on luck, this mission required everyone to participate in all seven adventures. It was unclear if competition existed among them.
Nan Yue and her team took a seat near the floor-to-ceiling window. The restaurant's position allowed them to see the pitch-black seawater below.
Gu Xiang Kai looked around, wanting to eat everything. Wen Xiang Yuan smiled and accompanied him to get food, explaining which dishes were delicious along the way.
Zhu Xi Ning sat opposite Nan Yue with her chin in her hand, her gaze also fixed on the sea.
"A-Nan, I feel... like the problem isn't coming from the sea."
In a maritime mission, one would subconsciously worry about threats from the ocean, but Zhu Xi Ning's words shifted Nan Yue's train of thought.
"Then the people on the ship are the problem."
Nan Yue's fingers unconsciously rubbed together. "Find information about the ship. As much as possible."
Zhu Xi Ning nodded and ran over to say something to Wen Xiang Yuan. The two girls left Gu Xiang Kai behind to go and gather information from the waiters.
Jiang Siyan sat down across from Nan Yue. "You seem very cautious."
Jiang Siyan sized her up. "Very different from how you are outside of a mission."
Nan Yue spread her hands. "It is a matter of life and death, after all."
Jiang Siyan laughed. "If you need anything, you can find me. I'll do my best to help."
Nan Yue watched him for a moment before offering a gentle smile. "You don't seem like the helpful type. You're making quite an exception for us."
In just ten minutes, several groups of scavengers had already approached Jiang Siyan, and even some of the original guests had tried to strike up a conversation with him.
However, he had politely declined them all. Nan Yue could see the coldness hidden in his eyes.
A Top 9 powerhouse wouldn't need her assistance.
Why?
Jiang Siyan let out a low chuckle. "We have a connection. I'm a man who believes in fate and destiny."
Gu Xiang Kai was already on his way back. Jiang Siyan stood up. "And... I want to see if, no matter what happens, you can remain firm and... believe in yourself."
Those last few words were almost lost between his lips, but Nan Yue heard them.
Rate on N.U.
