138: Chapter 138 The Value of Goals

"Did they increase their manpower because they want to capture me alive?"

On the deck, Lin Fang cast his gaze toward the distant horizon where the sea met the sky. His clothes fluttered loudly in the strong wind. At this moment, the cargo ship had already left the strait port and was heading toward Molo.

Hearing this news, Lin Fang pondered whether he should take advantage of the fact that they were not far from the shore and fly back now.

【Yes, Boss.】

【After receiving news that you had boarded the ship, the India authorities, in order to ensure nothing went wrong, dispatched a Delhi-class destroyer from the East Second Fleet with its markings removed to join that maritime force. It is currently disguising itself as a pirate ship and assembling in the waters you are passing through.】

Lin Fang was puzzled: "Is a low profile not my usual style? What did they see in me?"

Xiao Hei muttered with dissatisfaction: 【They judged you to be a high-value target, Boss. They want you to submit to them and work for them. In their eyes, you are a talent very suitable for their country.】

Xiao Hei showed Lin Fang their communication records. Lin Fang flipped through them and discovered an evaluation of him from the India side:

「The target has demonstrated extraordinary business and technical integration capabilities by the age of twenty. The Third-Party Biotechnology Company under his name officially released a cancer gene-targeting drug yesterday, which has huge economic benefits. If he can be controlled and used for our country, the long-term value brought will be immeasurable, far beyond what a few supercomputers or short-term interests can compare to... 」

After a moment, Lin Fang reached a conclusion: their praise for him was very reasonable. Other than that, there was nothing meaningful.

"General Manager Lin, the wind is getting stronger outside, and we are in deep sea waters. You should go inside quickly!"

Zhang Yongkui breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the young man on the deck. He was truly like a rabbit; he would disappear the moment you turned your head. If his subordinates had not reported to him that he was here, Zhang Yongkui would have almost thought this ancestor had fallen into the sea.

The group management had demanded that he ensure Lin Fang's safety and that no mishaps occur.

"I am heading back now," Lin Fang nodded readily and walked toward Zhang Yongkui. The sea breeze blew the messy hair on his forehead into a bit of disarray, which instead made him look like a young man immersed in the scenery and oblivious to danger.

Zhang Yongkui quickly stepped aside to lead the way, his tone becoming much more relaxed. "General Manager Lin, what kind of tea do you like to drink? I have some top-quality Longjing here."

In the lounge,

Lin Fang took a sip of hot tea and asked casually: "Captain Zhang, you have been sailing for so long, have you ever encountered pirates or anything like that?"

"General Manager Lin, that is certain,"

Zhang Yongkui smacked his lips, and his chatterbox opened up. "Back in those days, the seas were full of desperate outlaws. They would drive speedboats, carrying Rocket Launchers and AKs, and dare to charge. Sometimes several boats would attack together, specifically picking merchant ships that looked to have weak defenses to target. They would board, rob, take hostages for ransom, and behave completely lawlessly."

"The first time I encountered them, I had been sailing for less than a year and was still just a handyman. A speedboat was chasing us fiercely, and just as it was about to pull alongside, one pirate was already grabbing a hook to attach to the railing. I rushed out with a fire axe at that moment and swung it at the pirate's arm; blood spurted out instantly."

Speaking of this, Zhang Yongkui glanced at the young man, wanting to see the latter's expression.

"What happened later?" Lin Fang asked with a nervous and uneasy expression.

"The pirate screamed and fell back into the sea. The other pirates were also intimidated, and combined with our ship going faster and faster, we left them far behind."

Zhang Yongkui laughed. "I am not afraid of being laughed at by you, General Manager Lin, but my legs were really shaking terribly back then."

Lin Fang shook his head and sighed: "Captain Zhang is truly amazing, unlike me, who has never hurt anyone."

Zhang Yongkui paused, his tone turning to one of wistfulness. "It is much better these years. The naval patrols of various countries are very strong, and organized pirate groups with heavy firepower are extremely rare."

"At most, there are just some petty thieves, in groups of three or five, driving modified small speedboats, sneaking close at night, wanting to hook the cables and climb up to steal something valuable or kidnap a lone crew member for extortion. It is all minor trouble, and now cargo ships all have high-pressure water cannons and sonic repellent devices. They generally do not dare to come hard; a little scare or a blast from the water cannon and they run away."

"Oh?" Lin Fang put down his water cup and said with interest: "In that case, has the Fengze Ship also prepared quite a few countermeasures?"

"That is natural!" Zhang Yongkui straightened his back, carrying a bit of professional pride. "High-pressure water cannons, high-intensity searchlights, and sonic generators are all standard equipment. Plus, our ship is large, and the freeboard is high, so it is not easy for those small boats of theirs to climb up. The crew has also been trained, and if we really encounter someone who does not know what is good for them, we can definitely make them regret it."

Zhang Yongkui said, then smiled again. "However, General Manager Lin, rest assured. I have checked the route. This time, we are some distance away from the unstable zones; they will not come over."

Just as Zhang Yongkui said, the voyage was uneventful until sunset. The setting sun dyed the sea a magnificent orange-red, and the Fengze Ship broke through the waves, sailing steadily southward.

The crew also began to rotate for meals.

Zhang Yongkui used the best ingredients on the ship to entertain Lin Fang, so much so that Lin Fang, who originally wanted to get to work, decided to wait until after eating.

After eating and drinking his fill, Lin Fang tapped the table. The electromagnetic Force Field enveloping the entire ship began to surge violently, and all the crew members, including Zhang Yongkui, fainted instantly.

The engine room, the lounge, the corridors... all the crew members lost consciousness at the same moment. The dining room suddenly fell into dead silence, leaving only the low hum of machines running and the sound of waves hitting the ship's hull.

By the way, one remained.

Except for the Deputy Captain, Li Rui, who was secretly sizing up Lin Fang from across the table.

The reason he was still awake was not because he had any special abilities, but because Lin Fang had deliberately controlled the Force Field, excluding the very small area around him from its influence.

At this moment, this lean middle-aged man was frozen in place, terrified by this sudden situation, still holding half a lit cigarette in his hand.

He could only stare blankly at the young man.