195: Chapter 195 Transoceanic Extortion

The sun was shining brightly.

Wang Ce was kneeling there.

He held a military radio in his hands, trembling as he adjusted the frequency.

*Scratch—scratch—*

After a burst of static and microphone feedback.

A steady, authoritative middle-aged male voice finally came through from the other end.

"This is Wang Zhen. Which unit are you from? Contacting me at this time... has something happened regarding Ce'er?"

The voice was very steady, exuding the confidence of one who held the power of life and death.

After all, he was a councilor of Sleepless City.

Even after being forcibly dragged into the survival game, people like him still drank red wine and ate steak.

Hearing this voice, Wang Ce truly couldn't hold it together anymore.

Tears and snot flowed like a breached dam, and he let out a heart-wrenching howl into the microphone:

"Dad!!"

"It's me! I'm Wang Ce! Save me... save me, Dad!!"

There was a noticeable second of silence on the other end.

"Ce'er? What happened to your voice? Where are you? Have you been kidnapped?!"

Just as Wang Ce was about to start sobbing, a black military boot suddenly stepped down on his ankle.

Chen Du sat in a rattan chair, swirling half a glass of iced cola in his hand.

He gave Tang Ran a look.

The newly promoted S-rank female Berserker grinned.

She crouched down and pinched Wang Ce's collarbone.

"Ah—!!"

This agonized scream traveled faithfully across the radio waves to the other side of the ocean.

"Shut up."

Chen Du uttered two words flatly.

Wang Ce instantly became like a chicken with its neck wrung, mouth agape, forcibly swallowing his scream.

Chen Du leisurely took the microphone. "Hello? Can you hear me? Greetings, Councilor Wang."

The breathing on the other end immediately became heavy:

"Who are you? Do you know who you're talking to? If you dare touch my son, Wang Zhen, you must have a death wish!"

"No matter which sea you're a pirate from, I give you three minutes to release him immediately! Otherwise, Sleepless City's fleet will..."

"Stop, stop, hold it right there!"

Chen Du dug at his ear impatiently. "Councilor Wang, we're both adults. Let's skip the empty threats!"

"Wang Ce is currently here experiencing life. As you heard, he's quite lively."

"What do you want?" Wang Zhen quickly calmed down. "Fuel? Food supplies?"

"No, no, no. How could I 'want' anything? It's tuition fees for Wang Ce's remedial education."

Chen Du smiled, leaning back in his chair.

His gaze swept over the line of stunning beauties standing nearby, putting him in an excellent mood.

"Since Councilor Wang is so forthright... let's do this. I won't ask for much."

"Three thousand barrels of fuel, one thousand portions of life essence, and..."

He paused, remembering a special formula he'd seen before at Blackgold Harbor.

"Fifty doses of 'Mental Stabilizer,' the kind produced at Blackgold Harbor."

"..."

There was a full ten seconds of silence on the radio.

Then came a roar of furious laughter: "Three thousand barrels?! One thousand portions of essence?! Are you insane?!"

"Do you know how much that is in supplies? It could buy a medium-sized shelter! Aren't you afraid of choking on it?!"

"Young man, leave some room for maneuver. I'll give you five hundred barrels of fuel at most. Release Ce'er, and I'll let bygones be bygones."

"Otherwise, you'll learn the true meaning of despair."

A threat?

Chen Du raised an eyebrow.

He didn't speak, just lifted his chin towards Tang Ran.

Tang Ran understood immediately.

Her hand pinching Wang Ce's collarbone suddenly exerted force!

*Crack—!*

The crisp sound of bone fracturing was particularly piercing.

This wasn't ordinary damage. An S-rank Berserker's strength was controlled with extreme precision, capable of grinding bone into powder bit by bit!

The pain was amplified countless times!

"Ugh, aahhh—! Dad! Give it to him! Give him everything!!"

Wang Ce convulsed in agony, losing control of his bowels and bladder.

In excruciating pain, he screamed frantically into the microphone: "Dad! He's a demon! A real demon! He keeps Ghouls! All his subordinates are monsters!"

"That woman punched and blew up the sea! If you don't give it... he'll really feed me to the dogs!!"

"...Dad! I don't want to die! Save me... mmmph!"

Tang Ran casually grabbed a dirty rag and stuffed it into Wang Ce's mouth.

Peace returned to the world.

Chen Du picked up the microphone again, his tone lazy. "Did you hear that, Councilor Wang? Wang Ce speaks very highly of me."

"Actually, I'm a very 'nuclear' kind person, especially towards generous patrons."

"But, my pets have been rather hungry lately. They particularly enjoy eating tender young masters."

"Alright, I'll give you three seconds to think about it."

"Three."

"Two."

The breathing on the radio was heavy as an ox's.

Three thousand barrels of fuel was cutting flesh from Wang Zhen's body! Even as a councilor, this amount of supplies would leave him severely weakened!

But Wang Ce's words about "punching and blowing up the sea" sent an inexplicable chill through Wang Zhen's heart.

This wasn't an ordinary pirate.

He was an Awakened One! And a high-ranking one at that!

If they clashed head-on, his son would most likely be the first casualty!

"One."

"Deal!!"

Wang Zhen practically roared the word through gritted teeth.

The smile on Chen Du's lips widened.

"See? That's more like it. Fatherly love and filial piety, how touching."

He took a sip of cola. "Time and place. Would Councilor Wang like to set the terms?"

"Twenty-four hours. I need time to prepare."

Wang Zhen's voice regained its icy calm. "Not far from my location is an area called the 'Zhuri Islands.' My fleet will wait for you in zone C3."

"We'll exchange the goods for the person then."

The Zhuri Islands?

Chen Du narrowed his eyes slightly.

He'd seen that place on the nautical charts—perpetually shrouded in thick fog, with chaotic magnetic fields. Radar was practically useless there.

It was the perfect place for murder and plunder.

The old fox definitely wasn't up to any good.

"Sure, as you wish."

Chen Du agreed with extreme cheerfulness. "Then it's a date."

*Click!*

He ended the communication.

Wang Ce was nearly unconscious from the pain by now.

Hearing his father agree to the deal, a wild, desperate joy of having narrowly escaped death appeared on his face.

Ignoring the rag in his mouth, he kowtowed towards Chen Du, whimpering.

Once they reached the Zhuri Islands, it would be his father's territory!

Sleepless City's regular fleet, equipped with heavy artillery, even had Awakened Ones of A-rank or higher stationed there!

Then, even this demon wouldn't dare act recklessly!

"Someone."

Chen Du stood up. "Take Young Master Wang below. Give him a good wash and change of clothes."

"After all, he's our cash cow. Can't have him looking unpresentable."

Zhou Qian and Zhao Mengmeng immediately rushed forward and dragged Wang Ce towards the lower deck like a dead dog.

Peace returned to the deck.

Then.

A fragrant breeze wafted by as Lin Keke pressed close.

She leaned forward.

Her white tank top couldn't possibly contain that substantial, weighty magnificence.

Beneath her black ultra-short leather skirt were a pair of exquisite, long legs clad in black stockings.

She tilted her little face upwards, the tear mole at the corner of her eye exceptionally alluring, the spitting image of Tifa herself, freshly stepped out of the 3D zone.

"So alike! Too alike! It's practically a perfect portrayal!"

Chen Du didn't stand on ceremony either, reaching out to encircle her slender, graspable waist.

"Of course~"

Lin Keke acted like a kitten begging for petting. "Then... since I'm so accurate, tonight, can we..."

"In your dreams."

Chen Du grinned mischievously and gave her perky bottom a slap. "Full combat readiness tonight. No time for fooling around."

"Huh?"

Lin Keke covered her buttocks, her little face falling.

Chen Du's gaze turned towards the sparkling sea to the east, a flicker of cold sharpness in his golden eyes.

"This isn't some trade meeting we're going to."

"That old dog Wang Zhen wants to double-cross us. We'll give him a plan within a plan."

Hearing this, the eyes of the women instantly lit up.

Especially the combat enthusiasts like Xia Lai and Tang Ran, who rubbed their hands together in excitement.

With a captain like this, the words 'swallow your anger' didn't exist!

Just as the atmosphere was heating up.

A crisp *ding* suddenly came from a corner.

Everyone instinctively turned to look.

They saw Li Yaozhi, who had been silent all along, staring at a coin that had fallen onto the deck.

At this moment, the coin was eerily standing upright!

On a deck with such strong sea winds, a coin was standing perfectly steady!

The aloof and elegant beauty showed a grave expression.

She lifted her head and looked at Chen Du.

"The divination has changed."

"An upright coin signifies 'Kǎn' (The Abysmal). The path ahead... fortune and misfortune are unpredictable!"