The drifting ship sailed for another hour and a half before finally arriving near the verdant New Island.
On deck, the crew could already see the island's trees and rocks clearly.
"Looks like an uninhabited island. No signs of human activity so far!"
"We've struck it rich! We're really going to be rich this time, hahaha! An uninhabited island—the resources on it must be unimaginable! They're all ours!"
The captain and the first mate stood at the bow, one behind the other, their eyes burning with fervor as they gazed at the New Island in the distance.
This was especially true of the first mate, whose round eyes were filled with greed.
After all, while an island untouched by man might be home to powerful sea beasts, it also meant a rare opportunity to awaken a special ability. The captain was already an Awakened and no longer needed such a chance. As the drifting ship's second-in-command, he would be the next person to awaken his powers!
He could hardly wait.
"Are the slaves ready? Get them to the island on the small boat!"
...
Shi Ming and eight other slaves were brought up from the bottom of the hold. Having not seen sunlight for so long, they couldn't open their eyes right away. They shielded them with their hands for a long moment before they could adjust and make out their surroundings.
From here, he also got a clear look at the drifting ship.
Its shape was similar to a cruiser from Shi Ming's previous life, but the material seemed extremely special. In addition to its four-story internal structure, there were two more levels of cabins and platforms on the deck. The hull wasn't made of ordinary steel; its dark gray coating exuded a grim authority.
Cold, hard, and sharply angled.
It was like a mobile fortress on the sea, an iron behemoth under human control.
Before he could get a closer look, the first mate barked at them to hurry.
"Move it! Don't just stand there! Everyone grab a supply pack and get on the small boat below!"
"Once you're ashore, you'll split up and explore. Keep your eyes peeled! The island's layout, types of ore, flora, and fauna—memorize it all clearly. Whoever draws the clearest map of the area and its resources gets the biggest reward!"
"You! Keep an eye on them!"
"The exploration time is one full day!"
"If you run into danger, don't panic. Especially if you encounter a powerful sea beast—adapt to the situation and wait for rescue!"
Shi Ming chuckled inwardly.
'Wait for rescue?'
'Who would believe that bullshit?'
If they ran into any real danger, these slaves would be treated as sacrificial pawns. The drifting ship was cautiously staying offshore for a reason; if a particularly dangerous sea beast was nesting on the island, this ship would absolutely turn tail and flee faster than anyone.
After receiving their supply packs, the nine slaves, including Shi Ming, boarded the small boat one by one. Under the captain's remote control, it set off toward the island. During this exploration, not only did Shi Ming have to complete his own task, but he was also given the duty of supervising the others to prevent them from just going through the motions and not exploring carefully.
As the small boat moved, he took stock of the items in his supply pack.
A not-so-sharp dagger, a packet of compressed biscuits, and a small bottle of water. Nothing else.
'This little food for a full day of exploring?'
'Heh, it looked like an exploration mission, but it was really a survival mission. If we can survive, it means the dangers on the island are manageable!'
The people on the drifting ship weren't worried about them escaping—if the island was safe, the crew would conduct a systematic search for resources. If the island was dangerous, the slaves would have already fulfilled their value as cannon fodder, and it wouldn't matter if they returned or not.
The small boat, remotely piloted, sped toward the uncharted island.
The slaves on the boat were all filled with unease.
Most of them had never been to an unexplored island. Based on the account of the one person who had, everyone knew that exploring a new island was extremely dangerous. While a new island was indeed rich in resources, as a rare piece of land, it would surely be occupied by dangerous sea beasts, perhaps even mutated ones. These beasts were generally not weak—a creature that was too weak couldn't possibly control such a rare piece of territory.
Many of the slaves looked at Shi Ming, hoping he would take the lead.
"What are you all looking at me for? The captain said I'm just here to supervise. Once we reach the island, we're all supposed to scatter and explore separately to avoid presenting a large target that could attract a sea beast attack."
"Why explore separately? Isn't there strength in numbers?" one slave asked, confused. "You aren't planning to abandon us, are you?"
"Stupid."
Shi Ming scoffed.
"In the face of a powerful sea beast, is there a difference between one person and a group?"
Shi Ming stood at the prow, looking at the rabble. "The captain wants us to explore and gather intelligence, not huddle together as a target for sea beasts. This is a stealth mission. Even if we do encounter a powerful sea beast, we must carefully bypass it and leave it for a stronger exploration team to handle."
"He's right. Our mission is to stay alive and bring back intel."
"Yeah. We don't have any powerful weapons."
"If anyone wants to show off and senselessly provoke the island's sea beasts, they can die alone. Don't drag the rest of us down with you."
Many slaves voiced their agreement, the bald slave among them.
The boat traveled with the wind and reached the shore in no time.
Shi Ming disembarked, stepping onto the soil of this New Island.
Islands were extremely rare in this world. Many of its inhabitants might not get the chance to set foot on land even once a year, let alone an undeveloped New Island like this. Most people spent their long lives in the Endless Ocean, wasting away in gloomy ship holds and on salty decks.
Feeling the solid sand beneath him, Shi Ming felt an inexplicable sense of security.
It was a sense of belonging written into the genes of a land-based creature.
And just then, a series of system prompts appeared before his eyes again.
[Set foot on land. System loading progress greatly increased. System is now 70% loaded...]
[Arm of Power, activated]
[Eye of Intelligence, activated. Can provide the host with one piece of intel about the surrounding sea region daily.]
[■■■■, not activated]
[Newbie missions have been planned.]
[Mission 1: Kill 3 hostile creatures.]
[Mission 2: Become an Awakened and master a special ability.]
[Mission 3: Possess a drifting ship capable of survival in the Endless Ocean.]
[Reward 1:]
[Upon completing each mission, you will randomly receive one "Mystery Package" as a reward.]
[Reward 2:]
[Upon completion of all missions, the system's loading progress will increase significantly. It will also help the host remove the Celestial Net Chip's control without triggering a reaction from the Celestial Net.]
Shi Ming blinked.
'The missions are finally here.'
Three missions, each offering a different "Mystery Package" as a reward. The final reward was what he desperately needed right now—removal of the chip's control in his mind! He didn't want to live another day under someone else's thumb.
'This damn chip has to go!'
Besides the missions and rewards, the bonus from reaching 70% system load—the Eye of Intelligence—also sent a jolt through Shi Ming.
He clearly remembered that on his last mission in his previous life, the ancient artifact he was escorting was a pendant named the Eye of the Divine.
That treasure had ultimately exploded in his hands, creating the red tattoo that now covered his right arm.
'Is there a connection between the Eye of Intelligence and the Eye of the Divine?'
'Could it be that my transmigration and rebirth into this world was ultimately caused by that ancient pendant, the Eye of the Divine?'