137: Loneliness is the norm

[Phantom: Deep Sea Cruiser Mode]

[Total Length: 108 meters] [Power System: Magnetohydrodynamic Drive + Cold Fusion Reactor] [Maximum Speed: 80 knots] [Endurance: Infinite]

"Zero, open the boarding hatch."

Jiang Yuan said indifferently to the air.

"Command confirmed, Captain."

Zero's familiar electronic voice sounded in his mind.

The black beast anchored on the sea surface saw a hatch slide open silently on its side hull.

A black-and-gold automatic floating gangway extended like a spirit snake emerging from its hole, coming to a steady stop on the sand by Jiang Yuan's feet.

Jiang Yuan stepped onto the gangway.

The texture under his feet was warm and solid. As he walked onto the deck, the gangway behind him retracted automatically, and the hull closed again, sealing so perfectly that not even a scratch could be seen.

This ship was an absolute industrial work of art.

Jiang Yuan strolled across the wide aft deck.

The flooring here was not ordinary teak, but a synthetic material called "Bionic Carbon Wood." It possessed the warm texture and grain of wood but had a hardness higher than steel, would never rot or discolor, and even featured a self-cleaning function.

In the center of the deck was a massive infinity pool.

The bottom of the pool was paved with glowing Starry Stones; as the water rippled, it seemed as if the entire Milky Way had been placed into the pool.

Jiang Yuan crossed the deck and entered the interior of the cabin.

The level of luxury here was enough to make so-called Arab oil princes feel ashamed.

It didn't pile up gaudy gold and silver jewelry but was instead filled with a minimalist, futuristic sci-fi style.

The main living room utilized 360-degree holographic projection walls. Whenever Jiang Yuan wished, he could make the walls disappear instantly, making himself feel as if he were in the middle of the unobstructed ocean; he could also have the walls simulate a tropical rainforest, deep space, or even his study at home.

All the furniture featured a floating design.

That massive white sofa floated twenty centimeters off the ground without any support legs, relying entirely on an anti-gravity field to maintain balance. Sitting on it felt like sitting on a cloud.

A faint scent of cedar permeated the air, the most relaxing scent simulated by the smart environmental system. The temperature was constant at 23 degrees Celsius with 45% humidity; even if it were a violent storm outside, it remained as comfortable as spring inside.

"Let's go check the cockpit."

Jiang Yuan took a transparent vacuum elevator to the bridge located on the top floor.

There was no massive steering wheel, nor were there dense clusters of instrument panels and levers.

There was only a solitary black command chair floating in the center of the bridge.

In front of the command chair was a single, massive, curved, one-way transparent floor-to-ceiling window. Various holographic data were projected onto the window: sea charts, water depth, ocean current velocity, wind speed, and even the biological activity tracks within the surrounding hundreds of kilometers.

"Welcome aboard, Master."

A beam of light fell, and Zero's hologram appeared beside the command console.

This time, she had changed into a crisp white naval admiral's uniform, wearing a peaked cap on her head and golden tassels on her shoulders, looking valiant, heroic, and incomparably beautiful.

"Target set: Ross Sea, Antarctica."

Jiang Yuan sat in the command chair, the soft, enveloping sensation instantly relaxing him.

"Since we're heading out to sea, let's not crawl along."

"Full speed ahead."

"As you command." Zero gave a standard military salute.

There was none of the engine roar or vibration typical of traditional ships starting up.

This ship utilized magnetohydrodynamic propulsion technology.

The principle involves using superconducting magnets to generate a powerful magnetic field in the seawater, then passing an electric current through the water via electrodes, causing the seawater to jet backward at high speed under the influence of the Lorentz force, thereby generating a massive reaction force to propel the hull forward.

This is a propulsion method with no mechanical moving parts.

No propellers, no drive shafts, no noise, and no bubbles.

It was like a ghost in the water.

Hum—

Only an extremely faint electrical hum sounded.

Through the massive floor-to-ceiling window, Jiang Yuan saw the surrounding scenery begin to recede rapidly.

The hundred-meter-long black beast was like a black torpedo, instantly tearing through the calm surface of the bay.

When the bow surged out of the bay and slammed into the violent waves of the Atlantic, an incredible scene occurred.

[Wave Stabilization Force Field: Activated]

The seawater around the hull seemed to be pressed down by some invisible giant hand.

Even if there were five-meter-high waves outside, they would be instantly "flattened" within a ten-meter radius before contacting the hull.

The ship's body remained perfectly still.

The surface of the liquid in the red wine glass on the table didn't even ripple.

This was the dimensional strike of an interstellar civilization against Earth's primitive oceans... Half an hour later.

The outline of the African continent had completely disappeared below the horizon behind them.

All around was the boundless deep blue.

The sky had turned completely dark.

But the sea was not dark.

Overhead was the breathtakingly brilliant Milky Way, with stars scattered like diamonds on black velvet.

Beneath his feet, as the yacht broke the waves, it didn't stir up white foam but rather countless blue bioluminescent sparks—plankton excited by the magnetohydrodynamic drive were glowing, looking like a path of blue fire extending to the end of the world.

Jiang Yuan left the cockpit and returned to the open-air deck on the top floor.

The wind was strong, but under the protection of the force field shield, there was only a light breeze on the deck.

He walked to the bar.

A mechanical arm flexibly took out a bottle of aged whiskey, carved a perfect ice sphere, poured the liquid, and then gently pushed it in front of Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan picked up the glass and walked to the bow.

He leaned against the railing, looking down at the bottomless black seawater beneath him.

This was the high seas.

No laws, no moral constraints, no clamor, and no disturbances.

Only the purest power of nature.

"Is this the taste of freedom?"

Jiang Yuan swirled his glass, the ice sphere clinking against the wall with a crisp sound.

He raised his glass toward the brightest star of the Southern Cross overhead, offering a distant toast.

"To loneliness."

"To this damn, charming world that belongs only to me."

He tilted his head back and drained the pungent liquid in one gulp.

The alcohol burned in his stomach, and warmth spread through his blood vessels.

Directly ahead of him was the most treacherous sea region on Earth—the Roaring Forties.

There were waves up to twenty meters high and hurricanes that could tear steel apart.

But there was not the slightest hint of fear in Jiang Yuan's eyes.

A wild, arrogant smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"Zero, turn on the music."

"Play... Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries'."

Dun dun dun dun—dun!

The stirring, grand, and epic symphony instantly resounded across this silent ocean.

Amidst that soul-stirring melody, this black-and-gold ghost ship, like a sharp sword, cleaved through the waves and charged resolutely toward the unknown darkness and chaos of the south.

At this moment, Jiang Yuan was no longer a tourist.

He was the sole king of this sea.