The sea breeze gently caressed Zhao Changhe’s face as he leisurely lay on the deck. He gazed at the blue sky and drifting white clouds, sipping from his wine gourd. Despite the fact that this journey was fraught with looming danger and uncertainty, this voyage also offered a rare sense of tranquility—perhaps that was what set this journey apart from all the others.0

It was a pity, though, that he could not sail alongside Chichi.0

She had directly departed from the Langya port, while Zhao Changhe had no such luxury and needed to head south to Ningbo. Their purposes for venturing to sea were different, though their destination may ultimately be the same. Zhao Changhe’s goal was to peer into the secrets and movements of the Sea Tribe from the shadows. Traveling together with Xia Chichi would draw too much attention, placing them both under the Sea Tribe’s watchful eye and thereby hindering his ability to maneuver freely. Furthermore, it would reveal the fact that the Four Idols Cult and Zhao Changhe were on the same mission here—a fact best kept in the dark.2

It was much better for one to remain overt and the other covert. This way, they were granted much greater operational flexibility. It was just a shame that he could not enjoy a carefree, audacious voyage with Chichi.0

What Zhao...0