super battleship

Chapter 11: My Boat Has Arrived

A speedboat gradually slowed down, cutting the engine as it drifted near the small island, rising and falling with the waves, surrendering to the current. The boat was enveloped in darkness, save for the faint beam of a flashlight in Nie Yun’s hand. They dared not risk being discovered by the mysterious employer they were supposed to meet.

Chu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but feel a pang of fear. She only wanted to return to the mainland, to the safety and comfort of civilization.

"Why are we stopping here?" Chu Xiaoxiao asked, watching as Nie Yun searched through their loot by the dim light of his flashlight. She had wrapped herself in a jacket—one of Nie Yun's spoils—covering her exposed skin.

"Waiting for my boat," Nie Yun replied casually. He rummaged through a backpack and found some canned food, exclaiming with delight, "Perfect timing, I'm starving!"

"Waiting for your boat? You have companions?" Chu Xiaoxiao asked, a flicker of surprise in her voice.

Nie Yun didn’t answer, instead, he opened a can, revealing braised beef. He quickly took a large bite, mumbling with his mouth full, "You want some?"

Controlling the mechanical bug had drained a significant amount of energy, and without the sun to recharge, his stomach was already gnawing with hunger.

Seeing Nie Yun devour the food so hungrily, Chu Xiaoxiao realized she too hadn’t eaten in a long while and was genuinely famished. She sat beside him, and Nie Yun handed her a can as well. They ate in silence.

A short while later, seven or eight empty cans lay piled at the bow of the boat. Nie Yun burped contentedly, while Chu Xiaoxiao shot him a curious glance—had he not eaten for days?

"You still haven’t explained why you’re here," Chu Xiaoxiao couldn’t resist asking, watching as Nie Yun leaned back, eyes half-closed in contentment.

"If I told you my brothers and I were having a picnic on that deserted island, and you just happened to show up, would you believe me?"

"Of course not!" Chu Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes—who would have a picnic on such a remote, uninhabited island? Were they savages?

"Then there’s no point in explaining," Nie Yun shrugged, knowing the truth would be too far-fetched to be believed.

"Hey... I haven’t properly thanked you for saving me," Chu Xiaoxiao muttered, the words awkward and unnatural on her tongue.

"My name isn’t 'Hey!' It’s Nie Yun."

"Oh, I’m Chu Xiaoxiao," she replied quickly, realizing they didn’t even know each other’s names until now.

"Got it," Nie Yun said, and they both fell into silence once more.

Chu Xiaoxiao hugged her knees, staring out at the dark sea. She couldn’t shake the image of Nie Yun firing his gun earlier—was it to keep her from seeing the man’s face, to spare her the trauma of witnessing a killing?

Nie Yun’s actions had surprisingly minimized the psychological impact of the killing, leaving her with a sense of justice rather than horror. That man deserved his fate.

And that man’s godson... he seemed... rather gentle.

"Nie Yun, can you... tell me about him?" Chu Xiaoxiao asked softly.

Nie Yun was startled, meeting her bright eyes before looking away, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. He leaned back, hands behind his head, gazing up at the starry sky.

"My old man... He was a well-known drunkard around here, always reeking of alcohol, but he never caused any trouble. He’d just sit at the bow of the Sea Wolf, staring out at the sea."

"He was lazy and slovenly. From as far back as I can remember, I was the sailor, mechanic, fisherman, and cook on his boat—he was just the captain! Haha!"

"And he had this twisted sense of humor, always pulling pranks on me, making me look foolish in front of others. Once, I got so mad, I chased him down the street with a knife—ah, those were the days!"

"But he was all bark and no bite. No matter what, he always thought of me first, never lost his temper with me."

"I remember once when I was sick, burning up with fever, and the town doctor wasn’t around. He carried me over three mountains, walked for four hours, and got me to the city hospital, saving my life."

"I’m grateful to him. He gave me the Sea Wolf, a stable home, taught me how to survive, and how to be a man."

"I could tell he wasn’t happy, but he never spoke about his past. Not that I’m interested in an old man’s youth, haha..."

Nie Yun rambled on, and Chu Xiaoxiao listened quietly, forming a clearer picture of the man who had been little more than a vague figure in her mind.

When Nie Yun finished, he glanced at Chu Xiaoxiao beside him. She turned her face slightly and, after a long pause, murmured, "I’ll burn some incense for him."

Nie Yun narrowed his eyes, smiling softly, "That’s good... that’s enough."

…

After another ten minutes or so, a sudden splashing noise broke the silence in the darkness—it seemed something was approaching.

Startled, Chu Xiaoxiao asked, "Did you hear that?"

Nie Yun stood up, stretching, and pointed beside them, "Yes, my boat’s here!"

Chu Xiaoxiao looked where he pointed. Under the dim starlight, a battered fishing boat silently glided across the dark sea, stopping gently beside their speedboat.