Chapter 111

Chapter 111: The Dagger Revealed
“Boss Wu, may I ask where your boat is heading next?”

As soon as Yu Zhao said this, she could feel several fierce gazes lock onto her.

[So they really are hiding something.]

Boss Wu’s expression did not change. He laughed and said, “It’s nothing hard to say. My boat has actually been hired by Lady Hua and the others. I have to send them to their destination and then sail back. You and your junior brother can just follow me without worry. I, more than anything, value my word. Since I took your fare, I will definitely get you safely to shore.”

Yu Zhao smiled lightly. “Hearing Boss Wu say that, I feel relieved.”

While Yu Zhao and Boss Wu were talking, Lady Hua swayed her soft waist as she walked up to Ji Han Zhou. In a sweet voice, she said, “Young gentleman, where are you from? The road is long and lonely. Do you want this elder sister to keep you company for a while?”

As she spoke, she even threw Ji Han Zhou a flirty wink.

A shiver ran down Ji Han Zhou’s back.

He remembered his last encounter with someone like her. His voice held a clear note of disgust as he said, “Don’t come near me!”

Lady Hua’s smile stiffened.

She had roamed the cultivation world for many years, and no man had ever dared refuse her.

At first, she only wanted to tease the young gentleman to kill some boredom. But the more she looked, the more she realized his face was unbelievably handsome, far better than any of her past lovers.

Her heart could not help but stir.

“Young gentleman, this elder sister means no harm. How about we be friends?”

“No.”

Ji Han Zhou answered with another crisp and firm refusal.

Being rejected twice in a row made Lady Hua’s expression a little ugly. “You…”

“Lady Hua, my junior brother has been shy since he was small. Please don’t take his behavior to heart,” Yu Zhao said calmly as she stepped in front of Ji Han Zhou, neither humble nor arrogant.

Lady Hua looked at Ji Han Zhou, then at Yu Zhao. Suddenly, she laughed out loud. “I was wondering why this young gentleman looked so cold and distant. So he already has someone he loves. I, Lady Hua, always act on a willing basis. I never force anyone. If the young gentleman had said so earlier, this would never have happened.”

“I…” Ji Han Zhou’s heart was suddenly laid bare by someone else. He stared blankly, completely at a loss.

But in Yu Zhao’s eyes, his expression just looked like that of someone who had been wronged and could not explain himself even if he tried.

She thought to herself, [Junior Brother Ji, to protect your good name, you will have to carry this blame for now.]

“Thank you, Lady Hua,” Yu Zhao said, planning to calm Lady Hua for now and decide what to do after they reached shore.

Lady Hua walked away.

Yu Zhao felt at ease again.

Ji Han Zhou… Ji Han Zhou almost died from embarrassment.

His ears were burning red, and his heart was pounding wildly in his chest.

[Did Senior Sister Yu believe Lady Hua’s words or not? Why is she not reacting at all? Why isn’t she questioning me? If Senior Sister Yu asks, should I tell her the truth or not?]

Ji Han Zhou fell into endless struggle.

No one else on the boat spoke. The atmosphere turned very quiet.

Another full day and night passed.

The three Long brothers could not sit still any longer.

Long Three walked to the bow and stared out into the distance for a while. Then he went over to Boss Wu and asked in a harsh tone, “Boss Wu, you said before that ten days would be enough. It has already been half a month. Why aren’t we there yet?”

“Brother Long Three, there are too many accidents when traveling at sea. No one can guarantee the timing will be perfect. Besides, there are other customers on this boat. Please calm down a bit.”

Yu Zhao had been resting with her eyes closed. Hearing Boss Wu’s words, she opened her eyes. Her gaze happened to meet Long Three’s vicious stare.

She curled her lips and gave him a polite smile.

Long Three snorted heavily and turned back to sit with his own people. His face still looked bad, but he was not as impatient as before.

Yu Zhao fell into thought.

This group was probably a team formed temporarily. They did not seem to know one another well. Ever since she and Ji Han Zhou boarded, they had not spoken to each other or even exchanged looks.

Of course, it could be that they were putting on an act in front of her.

But Yu Zhao felt that was unlikely. Judging from their open strength on the surface, they clearly had no need to fear her and Ji Han Zhou.

So there was only one other possibility: what they were after was too important, and they did not want even a hint of it to leak out.

The more mysterious they were, the more curious Yu Zhao became.

People said the Nanming Sea was a place where danger and opportunity existed side by side.

So far, she had only run into danger on the sea and had never found any treasure.

Maybe this time, she could borrow their luck and finally see what treasures lay hidden in the Nanming Sea.

In a flash, three more days passed since Long Three’s question.

By now, it was not just the Long brothers. Even Zhao Xian and his wife, who seemed the calmest of all, were often standing up to look around.

Yu Zhao did the math. They had been sailing for almost twenty days, exactly twice as long as Boss Wu had first estimated. No wonder everyone was getting restless.

Boss Wu’s state was actually no better than theirs. When Yu Zhao and Ji Han Zhou had just come aboard, he still had the mood to joke with them. Now there was no trace of a smile on his face, and his eyes were dark and serious.

“Boss Wu, it has been twenty days already. Isn’t it time you gave us an explanation?”

The three Long brothers stood up, and an astonishing pressure rolled out from them.

Zhao Xian and his wife also turned toward Boss Wu, sending out a heavy sense of oppression without saying a word.

Lady Hua stood off to the side with her hands folded, not helping either side, happy just to watch the show.

“Brothers of the Long Clan, Brother Zhao Xian and Lady Wang, you all must have heard of my reputation. Do you really think I would joke about something like this? I was wrong about the timing, and for that I apologize. But I swear on my life, the information is absolutely true!”

Seeing that he had angered everyone, Boss Wu knew that if he did not make a stand now, he would become their enemy.

So he first apologized to them, then swore a heavy oath to prove he was not lying.

After discussing it for a moment, the three Long brothers and the couple Zhao Xian and Wang Zhen decided to trust him one more time.

The main reason was that they had already spent twenty days at sea. If they turned back empty-handed, they themselves would not be willing to accept it.

They might as well gamble again. If they won, all would be well. If they lost, they could always vent their anger on Boss Wu.

And so, this clash faded away again as if nothing had happened.

Yu Zhao and Ji Han Zhou did not say a word the whole time, but they kept every person’s words and actions clearly in mind.

On the twenty-fifth day of Boss Wu’s voyage, they finally found an island that looked almost exactly like their destination.

“Elder brother, look! We’re here! We finally made it!”

“The rumor is true, it’s really true! Hahaha!”

“Ah Zhen, you’ve suffered a lot these days.”

“Brother Xian, as long as I am with you, I never feel it is hard.”

“…”

Some people were wild with joy, some clung to each other in affection.

Yu Zhao and Ji Han Zhou glanced at each other.

Next would be the moment when the hidden dagger was finally revealed.