31: A tyrant's gaze!

Splish splash—

Separated by expensive transparent glass, the sound of rushing water was clearly audible.

Although the specific scene inside couldn't be seen, the mist swirling on the glass and the occasional sounds of laughter were enough to make any physiologically normal male's blood pressure skyrocket.

"Ah... so smooth... Sister Yaozhi, your skin is so good, isn't it?"

This was An Nuonuo's soft voice, making one's bones tingle.

"Don't... don't touch randomly! Xia Lai! Take your paws off! That's soap, it's not for... ugh..." Li Yaozhi exclaimed, clearly experiencing some indescribable assault.

"Hehe, we're all girls, what's there to be shy about! Second Sister will scrub your back~ Oh, Tang Ran, you came down too?"

"Tsk tsk, these abs, moderately firm, excellent to the touch, simply top-notch!"

ferry no. 0819, Captain's Quarters.

Chen Du sat expressionlessly at his desk, his nostrils tightly plugged with two wads of tissue.

He held a copy of "The Golden Lotus" he'd found on the pirate ship, his eyes unfocused, not really seeing the words.

"I am the captain, I must maintain my dignity."

"I am a soulless survival machine; women only slow down my draw speed!"

Chen Du took a deep breath, trying to suppress the restless fire within him with reason.

Beyond the wall, twenty-something stunning school beauties, their guards down and bodies bare, were putting on a top-tier panoramic ASMR show;

Outside was the miserable captain, forced to rely on his imagination and maintain a cool persona.

This was pure torture!

"No, I need to find something serious to do, or my Dao Heart will collapse if I listen any longer."

Chen Du closed the book and wiped his nosebleed.

Then, he pulled out an object wrapped in oilcloth from his embrace.

He lifted the oilcloth.

A fist-sized, irregular black crystal lay in his palm.

It wasn't like a stone.

Its surface felt warm and slippery, more like the dried internal organ of some creature.

He lightly touched it with his fingertip.

Thump, thump, thump... it was beating?

This thing was actually alive?!

Before Chen Du could examine it closely, the sacrifice notebook in his mind suddenly began to tremble wildly!

This vibration was different from before.

Previously, when facing a Sacrifice, the notebook was aloof, like a god awaiting offerings;

But at this moment, it was like a beast that had been hungry for three days and three nights, smelling the most delicious flesh and blood.

"You want this?"

Chen Du narrowed his eyes, looking at the strange black stone.

Since the notebook was so agitated, it meant this item was priceless.

In this world, high risk often came with high reward.

Take a gamble, turn a bicycle into a motorcycle.

"Sacrifice!"

Chen Du let out a low growl, his five fingers gripping the black stone tightly.

Boom—!

The light in the captain's quarters suddenly vanished, plunging into deathly darkness.

The black stone disintegrated!

It transformed into countless slippery, disgusting tentacles that climbed up Chen Du's arm.

They tangled and wove in the air, finally piercing into the notebook in his mind!

Sizzle sizzle—

A teeth-grinding sound rang out, like a hot iron pressed against raw flesh.

Chen Du's pupils constricted.

The leather cover of the ancient notebook actually squirmed like a living creature.

Dark red grease seeped from the leather surface.

The texture began to twist and reorganize, eventually taking on the delicate feel of human skin.

And in the very center of the cover, the flesh tore open to both sides.

A dark golden vertical pupil slowly opened!

That eye had no whites, revealing endless chaos and tyranny.

It rotated, first glancing at Chen Du, then showing a hint of human-like... pleasure?

[Ding! Special Sacrifice successful!]

[Sacrifice: Heart of an Abyssal Leviathan Scion Hatchling.]

[Evaluation: Delicious! Supremely delicious! The notebook expresses extreme satisfaction with your offering!]

[Congratulations! The sacrifice notebook has completed its first life-level ascension, increasing to Lv2!]

[Unlocked new function: Living Bestiary, can collect monster souls!]

[Unlocked God-tier passive skill: Tyrants Gaze!]

The next second, an incredibly violent energy surged back into Chen Du's brain through the notebook.

"Ugh—!"

Chen Du grunted, his hands gripping the corner of the desk tightly.

"...Sea of Despair... Abyssal Gaze..."

His brain felt like it had been thrown into a blender, countless insane whispers exploding in his ears.

It was the mental pressure of a superior being, enough to drive one mad.

"Shut up... for me!!"

Chen Du's eyes were bloodshot, and he roared through gritted teeth.

He was the captain, the master of this ship; did a mere broken notebook think it could usurp him?

"Who is master, who is servant, get it straight!"

As if sensing its host's strong will, the whispers in his mind gradually receded.

They transformed into a cool stream of air, merging into his eyes.

After a long while.

Chen Du slowly raised his head, covered in cold sweat.

He walked to the mirror.

The person in the mirror was still that handsome nursing student, but his demeanor had undergone an earth-shattering change.

A faint dark golden halo appeared deep within his pupils; if one didn't look closely, it would be completely unnoticeable.

But as he stared at himself in the mirror, he felt an inexplicable palpitation.

Evil, wild, and supreme.

[Passive Skill: Tyrants Gaze]

[Effect One, Deterrence: Exerts rank suppression on lower-tier creatures. Mild cases cause trembling and paralysis, severe cases lead to mental collapse.]

[Effect Two, Domination: For creatures of the opposite sex, there is a 20% chance that the fear generated will transform into infatuation.]

[Note: The abyss in your eyes is an irresistible poison to them.]

"Fear transforms into... infatuation?"

Chen Du stroked his chin, "This skill sounds a bit improper, but I like it."

To establish a divine kingdom on this Sea of Despair, mere ties of interest were not enough.

He needed absolute loyalty, even if that loyalty stemmed from fear.

Click!

Just then.

The glass door to the bathroom opened.

A thick cloud of steam rushed out.

"Phew... that was a comfortable soak, I feel alive again~"

An Nuonuo walked out, wrapped in a large white bath towel and wearing slippers.

Her hair was wet and clung to her cheeks, and her skin was rosy from the hot water.

Like a peach, making one want to take a bite.

Because the bath towel was a bit large, she had to hold it with both hands at her chest.

Her short legs were translucent under the light.

An Nuonuo hummed a tune, ready to go back to her cabin to change clothes.

She looked up and happened to bump into Chen Du, who was standing in the shadows.

Their eyes met.

Chen Du squinted at her.

Tyrants Gaze had just awakened and couldn't be controlled freely yet.

A dark golden light subtly swirled deep within his pupils.

Boom—!

From An Nuonuo's perspective, the Chen Du in front of her was not a person at all.

But a dark emperor seated upon a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!

Extreme fear coursed through her entire body like a high-voltage current.

But strangely... her little heart began to throb uncontrollably.

An indescribable, strange feeling of wanting to be controlled by those large hands grew wildly in her heart.

This feeling... was terrifying, yet so intoxicating.

"Cap... Captain..." An Nuonuo's voice was sweet and syrupy.

The next second, her knees buckled, and she fell straight to the ground.

Slap!

A large hand firmly supported her arm.

"You're performing a grand bow right after your bath?"

Chen Du's deep, magnetic voice sounded in her ear, "It's not even New Year's yet, no red envelopes to give."

An Nuonuo was completely draped over Chen Du's arm, her body burning hot.

She gasped for breath, her nose filled with Chen Du's pheromones.

"My... my legs are weak..."

An Nuonuo looked up, her large, watery eyes misty, "Captain, am I... sick?"

Chen Du lowered his gaze, looking at the little loli, who was now a puddle of softness.

The passive skill's effect was even more overbearing than he had imagined.

"Indeed, you're quite sick."

Chen Du leaned down slightly, close to her ear: "Probably lacking exercise!"

"Looks like I'll have to arrange more physical training for you in the future, Student Nuonuo."

"Ugh..." An Nuonuo shrunk her neck, goosebumps rising all over her body.

Creak—

The bathroom door opened again.

Tang Ran walked out casually, towel in hand, wiping her hair.

"Nuonuo, why haven't you gone back..."

Before she finished speaking, Tang Ran froze.

She saw An Nuonuo sprawled in Chen Du's arms, her clothes disheveled.

Her face was flushed, her eyes hazy.

Looking like she was ready to be taken.

"Holy crap!"

Tang Ran's eyes widened, and she dropped her towel in shock.

"Captain! You're starting already?! Nuonuo is just a child! You're too much of a beast!"

Chen Du: "..."

He calmly helped An Nuonuo stand upright, offering no explanation.

At that instant, Tyrants Gaze activated again.

It was just a flash, but Tang Ran suddenly felt a shock to her mind!

The hairs on her back stood on end; it was an instinctive reaction to encountering a natural predator.

How did this scoundrel become so terrifying after taking a bath?

"Want to try?" Chen Du looked at Tang Ran with a half-smile.

"Try... try your grandpa!"

Tang Ran cursed, forcing herself to be bold, but her confidence was clearly lacking.

She picked up her towel and, grabbing the still bewildered An Nuonuo, fled.

"Nuonuo, let's go! This man is very dangerous now; he might eat you whole and not even spit out the bones!"

Watching their fleeing figures, Chen Du retracted the strange glint in his eyes.

The smile on his lips gradually disappeared.

He turned around, his gaze fixed on the pitch-black sea surface.

At that moment, besides An Nuonuo and Tang Ran... he seemed to have felt an extremely subtle gaze.

Not from anyone on the ship.

That gaze... came from outside the ship.

"Interesting."

"It seems something extraordinary is hidden in this Sea of Despair..."