164: Chapter 164 Daily Life and Undercurrents on the Ship

A tense atmosphere, like an invisible dark cloud, loomed over the Many Children, Many Blessings.

The girls no longer fooled around like they used to; everyone was on edge.

Training intensity during the day increased several-fold, and at night, they strictly followed Li Taiping's arrangements, patrolling the deck in pairs.

The four newly arrived girls were also quickly integrated into this combat system.

"Ayo, Sister Yunque, can you pull in those wings of yours? You're blocking my view."

Late at night, on the deck.

Jing He leaned against the railing, watching Song Yunque, who had transformed into her Angel Form beside her, and couldn't help but complain.

Song Yunque was currently hovering in mid-air, a pair of massive pure white wings flapping slowly behind her. A holy radiance bathed a small section of the deck, looking exceptionally striking in this world of black and white.

Hearing Jing He's words, she landed back on the deck somewhat sheepishly and retracted her wings.

"Sorry, Sister Jing He, I... I'm not very skilled yet."

She spoke softly, an apologetic look on her beautiful mixed-race face.

"It's fine, just practice more," Jing He waved her hand, speaking like a seasoned veteran. "Back when I first learned to control the weather, I was all over the place too. I either drenched myself like a drowned rat or nearly got struck by the lightning I summoned."

"Pfft."

Song Yunque was amused by her, and her tension eased significantly.

"Sister Jing He, do you think... the kind of monsters the Captain mentioned will really appear?" she asked worriedly, looking out at the pitch-black sea.

"Who knows?" Jing He curled her lip. "But our Captain is the world's number one. If he says they'll appear, they definitely will. Let's just follow his arrangements with peace of mind, and we won't go wrong."

She paused, leaned into Song Yunque's ear, and lowered her voice, speaking mysteriously:

"Besides, if the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Our Captain is very 'tall'—not just in height, but in other areas... also 'tall'."

Song Yunque's face flushed red instantly. She gave Jing He a reproachful glare but didn't know how to retort.

On the other side, Tuan Xiaoying was excitedly buzzing around Xia Zhi, who was practicing her swordsmanship.

"Sister Xia Zhi, you're so amazing! Your sword is so fast!"

She clapped her hands while transforming into various small animals—first a kitten rubbing against Xia Zhi's feet, then a little bird perched on Xia Zhi's shoulder.

Xia Zhi was annoyed by the harassment but could do nothing about this little prankster, so she could only keep a cold face and continue swinging her sword in silence.

The sword light flashed, accompanied by the whistling sound of cutting through the air.

"Sister Xia Zhi, won't you teach me? I want to learn the sword too!" Tuan Xiaoying reverted to human form and pouted while hugging Xia Zhi's arm.

"Your Talent does not lie in this path," Xia Zhi rejected her succinctly.

"Oh, come on, let me try! Maybe I'm a once-in-a-ten-thousand-years sword genius!"

"Your Talent is [Metamorphosis]. You should practice more on mimicry and infiltration instead of wasting time on things you aren't good at."

Xia Zhi stopped her movements and gave a rare, patient explanation.

"Oh..." Tuan Xiaoying hung her head in disappointment.

Just then, Su Mei walked over carrying a plate of sliced fruit.

"Alright, alright, everyone stop practicing. Come have something to eat and take a break."

She greeted everyone with a smile and placed the fruit plate on the table in the middle of the deck.

"Sister Su Mei!"

Tuan Xiaoying immediately pounced like a little glutton, grabbing a piece of watermelon and stuffing it into her mouth.

"Eat slowly, no one's competing with you."

Su Mei rubbed her head dotingly, then looked at the silent Hong Youwu nearby.

Over the past few days, Hong Youwu had been the quietest and most hardworking of them all.

She spent almost all her time training and familiarizing herself with her Talent.

"Sister Youwu, don't be so tense," Su Mei walked over and handed her a glass of juice. "Only by balancing work and rest can you unleash your maximum combat power."

"Thank you, Sister Mei," Hong Youwu nodded as she took the juice.

She looked at the back of the man standing alone at the bow, gazing into the distance like a statue, her expression complex.

These past few days, she had also wondered if she should be more proactive.

But whenever she saw Li Taiping's preoccupied look, she suppressed the thought.

She could feel that this man was carrying a heavy burden in his heart.

"Sister Mei," she hesitated before asking, "Is the Captain... troubled by something? I feel like he's been unhappy ever since he returned from the dungeon."

Hearing this, the smile on Su Mei's face stiffened slightly.

She glanced at Li Taiping's back and let out a soft sigh.

"Him? He's just a fool who likes to shoulder everything by himself."

There was a hint of heartache in her voice that even she hadn't noticed.

"We can't help him much. All we can do is be by his side when he needs us. And then, work hard to become stronger so we don't drag him down."

Su Mei patted Hong Youwu's shoulder and said pointedly, "So, Sister Youwu, don't overthink it. Doing what we should do is the greatest support we can give him."

Hong Youwu nodded thoughtfully.

Looking at the matter-of-fact expression on Su Mei's face, she suddenly had a feeling.

This charming and enchanting woman might be the one who understood that man the best.

While everyone on the ship was trying to find their rhythm in the oppressive atmosphere,

Li Taiping's heart had already sunk to the bottom.

Three days.

Three days and another three days, yet there was no movement.

This was highly unusual.

He would rather face an overwhelming swarm of enemies than endure this unknown, prolonged wait.

He had a premonition that a storm far beyond his imagination was brewing.

And when it truly arrived, it would surely be world-shattering.

...