163: Black Shark Gang vs. Poseidon Cult? Hold on, let me finish this crab leg first.

The air in the Nine Rings Archipelago was filled with a nauseating smell.

But it did not hinder the prosperity here.

As the largest fence for stolen goods on the edge of the high seas, there was no law here, only profit.

"Is this your disguise?"

Su Wanqing stood at the street corner, examining the man beside her.

She had changed into a windbreaker herself, her hood pulled low, covering most of her face, making her look like a bounty hunter.

As for Lin Yuan... he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt printed with coconut trees and bikini beauties, loose beach shorts, and flip-flops.

Around his neck hung a large gold chain, acquired from who knows where.

"Be professional, Beauty Su."

Lin Yuan flicked his collar, looking completely at ease.

"Our current identities are a nouveau riche second-generation heir who came to 'stock up' and his cool female bodyguard."

He pointed at himself, then at Su Wanqing.

"This is called contrast, understand? Who would suspect a person dressed like a flamboyant peacock to be a secret agent?"

Su Wanqing wanted to retort, but what he said seemed to make a lot of sense.

The two walked into the trading zone.

This was a maze built from shipping containers and makeshift board houses.

The roads were muddy, and various stalls lined both sides.

A cacophony of hawking sounds rose and fell.

"Freshly caught 'Deep Sea Blue Crystal'! Ninety percent purity! Don't miss out!"

"Mutated Sea Snake Gallbladder! Aphrodisiac and kidney tonic! One dose is effective!"

"Second-hand exoskeleton armor, 80% new, only three thousand trading points!"

Lin Yuan walked in front, with a swaggering gait.

He didn't even glance at the stalls, heading deeper inside.

"Boss!"

Just then, a man as thin as a monkey darted out from the side.

He was wearing a vest, his face beaming with smiles, rubbing his hands as he approached Lin Yuan.

"Need a guide?"

The skinny monkey's shifty eyes darted around Lin Yuan's large gold chain, then he looked warily at Su Wanqing behind him.

"I'm the 'guide' around here. Whether it's buying goods, selling goods, or looking for fun, there's nothing I'm not familiar with."

The skinny monkey lowered his voice, leaning in closer.

"Just a small guiding fee, guaranteed to satisfy you."

Su Wanqing's brows furrowed slightly.

She was about to refuse; people who approached like this usually brought trouble.

"Oh?"

Lin Yuan, however, stopped.

He reached out and slung an arm around the skinny monkey's shoulder, pointing with his other hand to the stall selling exoskeletons nearby.

"Just now I heard that guy shouting something about three thousand trading points, what is that thing?" Lin Yuan asked with a look of disdain, "Does this rotten place print its own money?"

"Heh, Boss, is this your first time here?" The skinny monkey's eyes darted around, and he quickly explained, "That's a virtual currency jointly issued by a few big bosses on the island, convenient for circulation here."

"But you don't need to pay too much attention to it; that's for the permanent residents, the poor folks."

"For esteemed guests like you, we accept hard currencies from all countries here, and the exchange rate is even more favorable."

"Tch, making it sound so official."

Lin Yuan scoffed, pulled a coin from his pocket, and jingled it between his fingers.

"Perfect, Young Master, I'm hungry."

"Lead the way to your best restaurant."

The skinny monkey looked at the coin, his Adam's apple bobbing.

That was a large denomination 'Spiritual Crystal Coin', one of which was equivalent to a common person's monthly expenses.

"Alright! You've found the right person!"

The skinny monkey smiled even more obsequiously, bending even lower.

"Turn left ahead, 'Drunken Immortal Pavilion'! That's our island's specialty, the seafood is all freshly killed mutated species, the taste... tsk tsk."

"Lead the way."

Lin Yuan casually tossed the coin.

The skinny monkey fumbled to catch it, bit it, and then scurried ahead, leading the way.

"Lin Yuan."

Su Wanqing quickly caught up, lowering her voice, her tone displeased.

"We are here to carry out a mission, not to travel."

Lin Yuan didn't turn his head, replying in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"What's the rush?"

"Have you ever seen a big boss coming to trade in the black market who immediately starts asking around about cults and ninjas?"

Lin Yuan glanced at her.

"That's not gathering intelligence, that's a suicide bomber."

"Moreover..."

He rubbed his stomach, feeling perfectly justified.

"I'm really hungry."

"It's my first time on an island, shouldn't I try the local delicacies?"

Su Wanqing was choked.

Seeing Lin Yuan's roguish demeanor, she decided not to speak anymore.

As long as this guy didn't forget the mission, let him be... Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

The name was elegant, but in reality, it was a three-story dilapidated building welded together from abandoned ship planks and rebar.

Inside, it was smoky and chaotic, with shouts of finger-guessing games and curses rising and falling.

The air was mixed with the smell of alcohol, roasted meat, and some kind of spice.

Lin Yuan swaggered up to the second floor and chose a seat with the best view.

"Bang!"

He slapped the menu onto the table.

"This one, this one, and also this one..."

Lin Yuan's fingers quickly traced over the menu.

The waiter was a burly man, holding a small notepad, sweating profusely as he took the order.

"This... this Boss, these few dishes you've ordered are all prime parts from Warlord Rank sea beasts, the price..."

"Afraid I can't afford it?"

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.

He reached into his pocket, grabbed a handful of Spiritual Crystal Coins, and slammed them onto the table with a "clatter."

The waiter's eyes widened at the small pile of Spiritual Crystal Coins.

"Alright! Please wait a moment! It'll be ready right away!"

The waiter's attitude became extremely respectful, and he turned to shout at the kitchen: "Table two! Valued guests! Bring out the hard dishes!"

Su Wanqing sat opposite him, arms crossed.

"Where did you get so many Spiritual Crystal Coins?"

She looked at the small mountain of currency on the table, her brows slightly furrowed, and asked in a low voice.

"You wouldn't understand, would you? This is called professionalism."

Lin Yuan grabbed the peanuts on the table, threw them into his mouth, chewed them with a crunch, and patted his waist pouch proudly.

"When I do things, the main thing is caution."

"Since we're undercover in the black market, we definitely have to do as the Romans do. I specifically exchanged these before we left."

At this point, Lin Yuan suddenly dropped his playful demeanor and stared at Su Wanqing with a serious expression.

"Captain Su, you must testify for me. Every single one of these is hard-earned money I advanced for the mission!"

"When we go back, it must be fully reimbursed, not a single cent less."

Soon.

The dishes were served.

A huge steamed red-shelled crab, as big as a millstone;

Char-grilled eel segments, still sizzling with oil;

And a pot of seafood porridge, bubbling with Spiritual Qi.

Lin Yuan didn't stand on ceremony.

He directly used his hands, broke off a crab leg, crunched through the shell with a bite, and slurped the crab meat inside into his mouth.

"Mmm... fresh!"

Lin Yuan looked intoxicated.

"The Spiritual Qi content, although not as good as last night's bathwater, is still a great tonic."

Su Wanqing looked at the table full of delicious food but had no appetite at all.

She vigilantly observed her surroundings.

The second-floor hall was packed with people.

There were mercenaries with greatswords, Gang members covered in tattoos, and a few mysterious figures in cloaks whose faces couldn't be seen.

Everyone exuded a dangerous aura.

"Bang!"

Just then.

A loud crash suddenly came from the next table.

An empty beer bottle smashed violently onto the floor, glass shards scattering.

"Damn it! I told you, that batch of Divine Stones was seen by our Black Shark Gang first!"

A bald, muscular man suddenly stood up and kicked over the table.

Soup splashed everywhere.

Opposite him sat several men in gray uniforms, with wave emblems embroidered on their chests.

"Black Shark Gang?"

The leader of the gray-clad men sneered, slowly wiping the grease from his hands.

"The Nine Rings Archipelago now belongs to Lord Sea God."

"Forget a batch of stones, even the lives of you people, with just a word from the Divine Emissary, must be obediently sacrificed."

"You're asking for death!"

The bald, muscular man roared in fury.

His muscles bulged, and a layer of black keratin appeared on his skin.

"You're ungrateful! Brothers, get them!"

Clatter—!

At his command, the entire second floor erupted into chaos.

Tables and chairs flew, and supernatural abilities flashed wildly.

Fireballs, ice cones, and wind blades darted around the narrow space.

Some diners screamed and fled, while others excitedly cheered and egged on the fight.

Su Wanqing immediately gripped her dagger, her body tensed.

"Sit down."

Lin Yuan's voice suddenly sounded.

He didn't even lift his head, still concentrating on the giant lobster claw in his hands.

"But..."

"Eat your food."

Lin Yuan grabbed a peeled shrimp and stuffed it into Su Wanqing's mouth, cutting off her words.

"Mmm!"

"Don't waste it, this shrimp is quite expensive."

Lin Yuan said, tilting his head slightly.

Whoosh!

A beer bottle flew past his ear, smashing into the pillar behind him, shattering into pieces.

Lin Yuan didn't even blink.

Around him, the fight raged, blood and flesh flying, yet he calmly peeled crabs.

"Those guys in gray are from the 'Sea Wave Society'."

Lin Yuan spoke, his voice calm.

"The leader just mentioned 'Divine Emissary' and 'sacrifice'."

Su Wanqing chewed the shrimp in her mouth, forcing herself to calm down.

She had heard it too.

"And 'Divine Stone'."

Su Wanqing added in a low voice.

"Looks like we came to the right place."

Lin Yuan put the last piece of crab meat into his mouth, clapped his hands, and picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth.

In the center of the battlefield.

The bald, muscular man from the Black Shark Gang had already been beaten back repeatedly.

Although the gray-clad men looked thin, their movements were very strange.

Their bodies twisted as if they had no bones, always dodging attacks at incredible angles, then delivering a fatal blow in return.

"That kind of movement technique..."

Su Wanqing's eyes narrowed.

"It's a bit like ninjutsu."

"It's not 'like'."

Lin Yuan picked up his teacup, blowing on the floating tea leaves.

"It is."