Chapter 19: The Serpent

“What’s going on here?” Perkin realized something was wrong and couldn’t help but ask.

“This isn’t the time for explanations. We need to leave this place immediately—the longer we stay, the more danger we’re in,” York, the jungle survival expert, said anxiously.

Perkin hesitated for a moment, but chose to trust the professional. He waved to the captain. “Set sail. We’re leaving now.”

The captain was reluctant, but Perkin’s word was law. He rushed to the helm and shouted, “Raise the anchor, set the sails…”

York darted to the bow, positioning himself at the best vantage point and scanning the surroundings.

Seeing York’s nervous demeanor, Liu Zhi and the others grew serious as well. Liu Zhi thought for a moment, then hurried to the cabin to strap his luggage onto his back.

Aside from the rapier he’d just acquired, he only had a backpack and a newly bought sailor’s cutlass. Inside the backpack, apart from some food and maps, most items were meant for wilderness survival. Though few in number, each was carefully chosen, prepared for nearly every likely situation. Even someone lacking survival experience could eke out a few extra days with such a pack.

The mercenary leader was bemused at Liu Zhi’s prepping. “Isn’t that a bit much?”

Just as he finished speaking, a heavy thud echoed from beneath the ship, as if something had slammed into the hull.

Hearing this, York’s face changed dramatically. “Raise the sails! Get out of here as fast as possible!”

The others now realized the gravity of the situation and rushed to the sails, trying to help.

But these were mercenaries, not sailors. Even when they grabbed ropes, they did more harm than good, hampering the ship’s speed.

One burly black man pulled hard, yanking the sail to the right and making the ship spin in place.

Liu Zhi ran to his side. “Give me the rope. Let me handle this.”

The black giant ignored Liu Zhi entirely, shoving him aside. Liu Zhi staggered, nearly falling, and the man even raised his fist, as if to provoke him.

Liu Zhi sized him up, quickly judging that this man possessed at least 4.5 strength—far exceeding his own in raw power.

Just then, the female knife-thrower appeared behind Liu Zhi. “Wuji is a good man. He just doesn’t like being looked down upon when it comes to strength. Your actions made him feel you underestimate him.”

Liu Zhi was exasperated. Raw strength wasn’t enough; handling sails required skill. With the black man’s rough handling, the captain’s family couldn’t keep control. At this rate, the ship would capsize even before anything happened below.

Seeing Liu Zhi was about to try for the rope again, the knife-thrower blocked him. “Don’t go. If you do, he’ll start a fight right here on the ship.”

Her words made it clear: they’d side with their comrade, not reason. But if this continued, the ship would surely overturn—and if there truly was something beneath, not one would escape.

At that moment, the musketeer called out, “Wuji, put your back into it!”

He shouted, flexing his muscles. This only excited Wuji further, who pulled the rope with even greater force.

The captain was nearly hysterical. His two sons together weren’t half as strong as Wuji, and as they pulled the rope, Wuji dragged them forward, completely overpowering them.

But Wuji, a black man, didn’t understand the local language. He recognized only his name’s sound and a few gestures from his teammates.

Seeing the musketeer’s actions, Wuji knew he was to exert himself even more.

His muscles bulged, and with a surge of strength, he hauled the sail back forcefully. The ship spun in place, turning its head, shifting from struggling upstream to drifting downstream with the current.

York, at the bow, was nearly thrown overboard. He shouted, “What are you doing? Are you all insane? We’re trying to escape the territory of the Titan Anaconda, not rush back to meet our doom!”

Now the mercenary team understood what their black comrade had done. The knife-thrower hurried to calm Wuji, while the others scrambled to help.

Ordinarily, Liu Zhi would have watched the chaos unfold, but now they were all in the same boat—literally. If the ship capsized, none would have a chance to escape. As soon as Wuji let go of the rope, Liu Zhi rushed forward, seized it, and shouted,

“Follow my lead—turn the ship, then move forward!”

Liu Zhi was an extraordinary sailor. Though not as strong as Wuji, as soon as he grasped the rope, instinct guided him.

He didn’t haul it back like Wuji. Instead, he mimicked the boatswain’s technique, adjusting the tension and guiding the ship’s direction.

With Liu Zhi’s direction and the captain’s sons assisting, the ship turned again, this time much more smoothly. Even the most arrogant could see Liu Zhi’s skill.

Once the bow was finally adjusted and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to sail away, another violent impact struck the hull.

This time, the blow was heavy; from the deck, Liu Zhi even heard the keel crack.

“Hold the sails—we need to accelerate!” Liu Zhi gripped the rope tightly, activated his extraordinary ability: Gale, and instantly the sails billowed, propelling the ship forward nearly a hundred meters.

Everyone on board was caught off guard, nearly thrown off, but Liu Zhi’s warning had them clutching whatever was nearby.

After the burst, the ship slowed, but the noises from below ceased—no more collisions.

Just as everyone relaxed, thinking things would finally go smoothly, a shadow enveloped them all.

A giant serpent rose from the water, its body towering nearly ten meters above the surface. Its eyes, as large as headlights, glared down at each person aboard, high above, watching with cold, predatory intent.