"I'm also the descendant of a noble family. My name is Nailu Ye. You probably haven't heard of the Nailu family, but it was once illustrious."
Shi Ming glanced at Captain Nailu Ye's clothes.
On her hunting attire was a family crest: a gentle deer.
Of course, most young people born in the Wandering Era had probably never seen a deer before and wouldn't recognize such a land-dwelling creature.
"That's all past glory, long gone. When the Wandering Era began, the sea submerged Fujing Mountain. Only then were Renhuang and the Black Society able to delve inside the volcano to explore its mysterious depths. In the volcano's deepest recesses, they discovered a slumbering creature. The power of this creature's bloodline was far beyond their comprehension, so they named it the 'Great Black Heaven Dragon'."
Shi Ming listened without interrupting her.
"'Great Black Heaven' is a deity in some faiths."
Naming the creature as such was a testament to its power.
"The bloodline of the Great Black Heaven Dragon is incredibly volatile, far beyond A-rank. The only reason it hasn't been compared to an S-rank creature is the lack of a sample. But it's certainly more powerful than any S-rank creature."
"Back then, the government still had some authority. My mother was a high-ranking official and one of the few people who knew this secret."
"After my mother passed away, I was suppressed by her political rivals. With the Wandering Era in full swing, I fell to my current state. But this secret, known to so few, has been buried in my heart for over thirty years!"
The captive captain recounted her past.
"If that's the case, why haven't the Black Society and Renhuang used it to create powerful Awakened after all these years?"
Shi Ming voiced his doubt.
'Why have the bloodline of a powerful sea beast and not use it?'
'Why guard it day in and day out? And why pretend to be so attached to their homeland?'
"Absorbing the blood of a creature that surpasses S-rank is easier said than done!"
Nailu Ye sighed and continued.
"After sacrificing countless researchers and elite Samurai, they finally confirmed it: to acquire the Great Black Heaven Dragon's bloodline, one must first be an S-rank Awakened! Only the body of an S-rank Awakened could possibly bear such volatile power!"
"That condition alone is an insurmountable barrier!"
"S-rank Awakened are exceedingly rare. The Black Society doesn't have a single one, so they can only guard this great treasure and sigh in helplessness!"
"The Black Society doesn't have a single S-rank Awakened?" Shi Ming asked.
Nailu Ye shot him a strange look.
'These young people are always so ambitious. Do they think S-rank Awakened grow on trees? Wait, that's not right. Cabbages are a rare commodity these days—they're probably no more common than S-rank Awakened.'
"Don't underestimate the Black Society, and certainly don't underestimate S-ranks. Someone with your level of power would be crushed in an instant before either of them."
Shi Ming ignored her taunt.
'I have two S-rank skills myself. Of course I understand how rare and powerful S-ranks are. I wouldn't underestimate any Awakened.'
'It's just... for an organization from a formerly developed nation to not have a single S-rank Awakened? That's just pathetic.'
"Because of this, the Black Society's current mission is to cultivate an S-rank Awakened. They use all sorts of incentives and resources to make their core members compete and improve their strength. Heh, Chunyi was one of them. Too bad he's an idiot. Even with his uncle's help, he only managed to reach D-rank! It's laughable!"
"Does Chunyi know about the Great Black Heaven Dragon?"
"He isn't worthy!"
"Only the true higher-ups know this secret now!"
"The Black Society doesn't command a top-tier General-level Wandering Ship, so they don't dare let many people know this secret. You have to understand, even in the Yinping Sea Region, there are several General-level Wandering Ships stronger than them, like the 'Shiva' and the 'Pickles'."
"Not to mention the King-level Wandering Ship 'Da Yu', which guards the surrounding three thousand nautical miles!"
"I'm the only fish that slipped through their net, the one they overlooked. All right, I've told you the secret. Whether you kill me or spare me, it's up to you."
Shi Ming considered this for a few seconds.
"Your secret is certainly shocking, but to me, it's not even worth a single Sailing Coin." He stared at Nailu Ye. "Surely you don't think I can go head-to-head with the Black Society to hunt that super beast?"
"That's true. But it's the biggest bargaining chip I have."
"If you want to live, that's not impossible. I can agree to spare you, but you must agree to three conditions."
"Oh?" Nailu Ye looked at Shi Ming, her eyes slightly clouded.
She wasn't surprised by this outcome.
If the tables were turned and she were the victor, she would have used even crueler methods to squeeze every last drop of value from Shi Ming.
"First, you will register your chip with my Wandering Ship's Celestial Net Terminal."
Registering her chip was equivalent to placing her life in his hands. He would have the power of life and death over her; from that moment on, another person would be able to control her fate.
"Fine."
Nailu Ye didn't seem to mind.
'Only the living have value.'
"Second, a raider must be prepared to be raided. I'm taking nine-tenths of the resources on your ship."
The woman, who had drifted on this ship for decades, gritted her teeth.
"I agree."
'Where there's life, there's hope.'
'I can plunder resources from elsewhere to make up for what I've lost.'
"Third, from this day forward, you will obey my every command."
"You..."
Hearing this third demand, Nailu Ye flinched almost imperceptibly.
She had spent her whole life taking orders from others, and she was sick of it.
'She used to take orders from the Black Society, forced to hand over a portion of her resources. Now he wanted her to serve another master? How was that any different from being dead!'
"How would I be any different from a slave?"
Shi Ming gave Nailu Ye a cold look.
"Don't worry, I won't be giving you many orders. You'll be free most of the time. I might not even contact you once a year."
His blade remained pressed against Nailu Ye's throat.
"Tell me your decision."
...
Half an hour later, Nailu Ye stood on her ship, watching Shi Ming's crew carry her possessions back and forth.
She had made the wise choice.
The resources they had worked so hard to acquire, the extracted Sea Crystal Stones, the Sailing Coins they had earned—it all became his spoils of war. And now, even she had to take orders from this young upstart before her!
"Sigh... One careless move and you lose the whole game."
...
"Oh, Mother! I've broken my promise. I told your secret to someone else!"
"But I did it to survive. Surely you can understand."
Nailu Ye sighed.
She didn't regret revealing the secret.
Instead, she felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
'She even hoped that Shi Ming would spread the secret. That way, she could watch without an ounce of guilt as other powerful Wandering Ship factions attacked the Black Society, still clinging to their homeland, and plundered their greatest secret!'
A barely perceptible glint of hatred flashed in her eyes.
'Her greatest wish was to see the Black Society fall, right there on its precious homeland, within her lifetime.'