Chapter 31: Full Load Returning to Liuli

Under the cold moonlight, all the crew members of the *Cangyuan* had bloodshot eyes and were breathing heavily.

Even now, they felt as if they were still dreaming.

Sixteen large chests filled with gold, silver, and treasures lay quietly on the deck.

Some, still unsure, pinched themselves. Only after feeling the pain did they continue to stare at the treasures scattered across the deck, unwilling to avert their gaze for a single moment.

Mr. Li had actually not exaggerated!

He truly could bring everyone back with a full load!

However, the extent of this "full load" far exceeded everyone's imagination!

The chests were overflowing with a dazzling array of jade artifacts, gold, silver, and jewels, making everyone's eyes glaze over.

They had spent half their lives fishing at sea, and even in their most beautiful dreams, they had never witnessed such a fantastical scene.

Zhang Haobo's mind, meanwhile, was completely blank.

"It's actually real! That guy really can find treasures sunken at the bottom of the sea! Such an ability, such an ability..."

Having lived on Liuli Island for over twenty years, Zhang Haobo naturally knew that besides the Immortal Masters, some ordinary mortals also possessed incredible abilities.

For example, communicating with birds in the sky, predicting disasters, breathing underwater for extended periods, or like Steward Zhao, discerning a person's true nature.

However, such extraordinary individuals were rare. They were either entrusted with important responsibilities on various islands or taken as servants by the Immortal Masters to Wanxian Island.

They were truly hard to come by.

He never imagined that Li Fan would also be such an extraordinary individual!

Zhang Haobo suddenly thought that Li Fan had only recently moved to Liuli Island. Could it be that his original island was destroyed by a storm, forcing him to relocate here? No wonder Steward Zhao treated him differently, despite him being a new resident!

Everything made sense now!

At this moment, Zhang Haobo was filled with endless regret.

"Zhang Haobo, oh Zhang Haobo, you had a rare chance to meet a benefactor, and not only did you fail to seize it, but you ridiculously thought he was here to steal your small fleet!"

The more Zhang Haobo thought about it, the more he regretted it, wishing he could slap himself twice.

"No, I must go apologize immediately! Right now! Such extraordinary individuals are honored guests wherever they go. If he gains power and holds a grudge against my actions from the past few days..."

Zhang Haobo shivered and was about to go to Li Fan's room to apologize.

"Huh, is it just my imagination? Why do these chests look like they haven't been submerged for very long?"

"It's strange, we didn't see any shipwreck when we salvaged them."

"They must have drifted here with the underwater currents, right? Or perhaps they were swept into the sky by a storm and then fell into this part of the sea?"

"Why bother with all that? As long as the treasures are real."

Amidst the whispers of his crew, Zhang Haobo hurried away.

In his room, after cordially dismissing Zhang Haobo, Li Fan stretched his tired body.

The sixteen chests of treasure, of course, he had thrown into the sea himself.

He had sailed his boat alone to an uninhabited area, deployed the Taiyan Boat, moved a small portion of the treasures he had plundered from Daxuan out of the boat, thrown them into the sea, and finally sent a signal for the *Cangyuan*'s crew to come and salvage them.

The chests were truly heavy. If he hadn't diligently practiced the "Xuanhuang Cleansing Heart Mantra" these past few months, and benefited from the invisible nourishment of spiritual energy, greatly increasing his strength, he probably couldn't have managed it alone.

Even so, after the task was done, Li Fan felt as if his entire body was falling apart.

"For the first time, to make a grand impression, I went with a bigger display. In the future, I won't need to throw in so much," Li Fan calculated in his mind.

As for Zhang Haobo...

Li Fan hadn't even given him a second thought.

To Zhang Haobo, the position of ship captain was the foundation of his livelihood for this entire life. If he had shown no reaction to someone suddenly trying to seize it, *that* would have been strange.

Moreover, the tricks he employed were so naive and ridiculous to Li Fan.

If it had been Li Fan, he would have chatted pleasantly with him for the past dozen days, keeping his true intentions hidden. Once they sailed into the deep sea and the other's guard had gradually lowered, he would quietly sneak into the room under the cover of night and kill him with a single stab.

Then he would have thrown the body into the vast ocean, leaving no evidence.

Even if someone truly possessed the extraordinary ability to find treasure, they would be new to Liuli Island, with no foundation. Before solid proof, who would truly fall out with a captain who had dozens of loyal subordinates, all for an outsider—and a dead one at that?

Even taking ten thousand steps back, if Steward Zhao were truly determined to punish him, it would only mean losing the captain's position.

One must remember, there was no concept of "a life for a life" on Liuli Island.

All the Immortal Masters required was for Liuli Island to consistently submit resources.

Therefore, in Li Fan's view, there was no reason *not* to act.

Unfortunately, Zhang Haobo was not Li Fan.

He simply lacked such daring.

To put it plainly, he was just a simple fisherman.

The fleet he valued so highly was, to Li Fan, merely a small stepping stone in his plan.

"How can a sparrow know the aspirations of a swan?" Li Fan shook his head, dismissed it from his mind, and calmly resumed his diligent practice of the Cleansing Heart Mantra.

The *Cangyuan*, having acquired the treasure, stopped fishing. It immediately turned its bow and headed back to Liuli Island.

After all, the haul this time was so immense that until they safely returned to the island, none of the crew members could rest easy.

With full power, Liuli Island was in sight in just two days.

"Once we're back, don't dock immediately. Liu San, quietly get into the water and go to Steward Zhao's residence to inform him, asking him to send people himself to tally the goods," Zhang Haobo solemnly instructed everyone.

If there were no accidents, their fleet should have had the largest haul from this expedition.

According to the rules, they could claim fifty percent!

If outsiders tallied it, who could guarantee there wouldn't be deductions or deliberate omissions?

Even a little less would cause them immense heartache.

If it wasn't one of their own, they simply couldn't be at ease.

The crew members also nodded in agreement, immediately becoming wary as they watched the regular inspection boats approaching the island.

"Zhang Haobo, what do you mean? You won't let us board?"

The other party seemed to have a conflict with Zhang Haobo, with hints of anger in their words.

Zhang Haobo, however, completely ignored him.

Seeing Zhang Haobo's lack of response, the other party became even more sarcastic: "Judging by your ship's draft, it looks like you've come back empty-handed this time. It seems your days as captain are over. If you really can't make a living later, come to my brother's ship. I guarantee you won't starve to death!"

The *Cangyuan*'s crew, hearing their captain insulted, immediately became enraged and were about to retort.

But Zhang Haobo stopped them.

After that, no matter what the other party said, Zhang Haobo pretended not to hear, waiting only for Steward Zhao's people to arrive.

"It seems there's a reason Zhang Haobo can hold his position as captain of the *Cangyuan*. He's not as incompetent as I imagined; his background and experiences simply limited him," Li Fan couldn't help but nod after witnessing this scene in secret.

The unusual situation at the dock attracted many curious onlookers, who pointed and whispered about the *Cangyuan*.

Fortunately, the standoff didn't last long. Soon, Steward Zhao arrived with his people in person.