8: Fuel shortage! The price of reckless driving?

Boom—!!!

Engines at full power!

A terrifying surge of acceleration exploded instantly!

ferry no. 0819 was like a sharp arrow, slicing through the oil-thick Black Sea!

The bow rose high, kicking up ten-meter waves!

"Ah!"

Caught off guard, Ye Qiu was violently thrown by the inertia.

Li Yaozhi cried out, clinging to Chen Du like an-octopus.

That startlingly elastic sensation made the corners of Chen Du's mouth curl up slightly.

This wasn't a bad deal at all.

Meanwhile, the deck was in total chaos.

"Ouch! My butt!"

"That hurt! Are we capsizing?!"

"Help! I don't want to die!"

The girls who had been huddled together rolled toward the stern like gourds, piling up on top of each other.

"What the hell! Could you at least give us a heads-up before accelerating!"

Xia Lai was sent crashing into the guardrail by the jolt.

To keep her balance, she had to let go of her collar to grab a cable.

In that instant, her nightgown flew open, revealing a flash of snowy skin that made heads spin.

While pulling her nightgown tight again, she cursed, "That crazy captain! Is he trying to shake us to death!"

The eldest sister, Xia Xin, also gave a soft cry as she pitched forward uncontrollably.

"Big sister, watch out!"

At the critical moment, it was the third sister, Xia Mo, who proved reliable.

The extreme agility granted by [Shadow Assassin] allowed her to remain as steady as if she were on flat ground despite the turbulence.

She tapped her toes lightly and caught her eldest sister's slender waist.

Still shaken, Xia Xin patted her chest as her heart pounded, her face flushed. "That... that scared me to death... What's going on?"

"What else could it be? It's definitely Chen Du's doing!" Xia Lai walked over indignantly, looking annoyed.

The girls picking themselves up nearby chimed in, rubbing their bruised knees and arms while complaining bitterly.

"Is the Great Captain going crazy again?"

"It has to be him! Who else would drive a ferry like a roller coaster!"

"Wuwuwu... I scraped my leg... I want to go home, this place is terrifying..."

However, the culprit, Chen Du, was completely unaware.

Inside the bridge, Ye Qiu struggled to stand while leaning against the wall, her glasses askew. "Crazy! Making this much noise will attract sea monsters!"

"What's there to fear? We're in the newbie protection period! Since it's a game, we have to exploit the rules!" Chen Du stared at the soaring speed data on the screen, a fanatical light in his eyes.

He had wanted to do this for a long time; his biggest wish used to be having his own car to speed in.

He never expected he'd be speeding in a ship instead!

Ye Qiu was speechless.

Looking at the man in the pilot's seat, steering with one hand and grinning like a maniac, she suddenly realized something.

Reasoning with this lunatic? I must have lost my mind.

Speed! Extreme speed!

The scenery outside had blurred into black lines, and the sound of the water being torn apart was deafening.

That feeling of being watched, like thorns in his back, finally began to fade.

"The feeling... is gone?" Li Yaozhi said, still lingering in fear.

"Phew..."

After speeding for another twenty minutes, Chen Du finally let go of the control stick and set the speed back to cruise mode.

He looked down at Li Yaozhi, whose face was buried in his chest, and gave her perky nose a playful flick with a smirk. "Alright, Study Committee Member, that's enough. Any more rubbing and I'll have to start charging."

Li Yaozhi snapped out of it and jumped back as if she'd been electrocuted.

Her blush spread all the way to her ears.

She straightened her messy JK bow tie.

"Are we out of danger?" Ye Qiu straightened her glasses.

"For now."

Chen Du replied nonchalantly, his gaze sweeping over the console.

When the numbers caught his eye, his eyelid twitched violently.

[Current Fuel: 20%]

Holy crap?!

Chen Du's heart sank, the thrill of speeding instantly turning cold.

This is such a rip-off!

There was still 50% left before he started!

That single burst of "Deja Vu" actually burned through thirty percent of the fuel?!

He had estimated a 10% drop at most, but this damn ship's engine was drinking fuel straight from the jugular!

A chill ran down Chen Du's spine, and cold sweat almost broke out.

At this ridiculous consumption rate, ferry no. 0819 could only drift for another three hours at most.

On the surface, Chen Du was as steady as an old dog, but inside he was panicking like crazy.

He couldn't show any weakness now.

If these two women noticed, the authority he had just established would likely take a hit.

He had to stay calm.

Chen Du forced down the urge to curse, took a deep breath, and used his body to block the two women's view of the console.

"Legs weak already? Scenes like this will be normal from now on. Let's go! Come out with me."

Chen Du strode toward the door and slapped the broadcast button.

"Everyone, gather on the deck."

...On the deck, it was already broad daylight.

But the seawater was still black.

The salty sea breeze whistled, making the girls' skirts flutter loudly.

It was quite a pleasant sight.

Chen Du sat boldly on the second-floor railing like a bandit chief inspecting his loot.

The previous speeding spree had left many people vomiting uncontrollably, clutching the railings.

"Look at yourselves."

"It was just a bit of acceleration, and you're already like this. What else can you do besides scream?"

The crowd fell silent as feelings of shame and lingering fear spread.

"I will repeat the rules."

"From now on, everyone must take action."

"Those who haven't awakened a talent, start physical training. Push-ups, squats, shuttle runs."

"Even if you're running from danger, I hope you can run a little faster than the person next to you!"

"As for those who have awakened a talent..." Chen Du leaned on the railing with one hand, the sea breeze blowing the hair over his forehead.

"Tang Ran, Xia Mo, come out and give a demonstration."

Tang Ran cracked her wrists.

Beneath her wheat-colored skin, her muscle lines were smooth and full of explosive power.

Xia Mo looked a bit uneasy, pulling her thin silk nightgown closer.

Her long legs were dazzlingly white in the sunlight.

"Captain, for real?" Tang Ran chuckled. "Once I activate my talent, I can't really hold back."

"Fight," Chen Du said flatly. "On this sea, enemies won't be gentle just because you're girls."

The surrounding girls moved back of their own accord, forming a large circle.

"Mo Mo, go for it!" Xia Xin called out softly from behind.

"Xia Mo is S-rank, and Sister Tang is B-rank. Xia Mo should win, right?"

"Hard to say. Sister Tang used to be on the school basketball team; that strength of hers..."

A few girls whispered among themselves, their eyes full of envy.

In this precarious world, strength was the best cosmetic.

Chen Du sat up high, watching leisurely.

This showdown between a tank top and silk lingerie was a full-on visual feast.

Especially Tang Ran; her tight black tank top showed off her abs as they rippled with her breath, looking incredibly wild.

"Pardon me, third sister!"

Tang Ran let out a low growl, her foot kicking hard against the deck.

[Talent: Fervorization — Activated!]

Her pupils were instantly dyed crimson, and her firm muscles bulged slightly.

"Ya!"

Xia Mo cried out; she clearly hadn't adapted to fighting yet.

Facing Tang Ran's fist, which was the size of a sandbag, she instinctively closed her eyes and curled into a ball.

Tang Ran's heavy punch grazed Xia Mo's shoulder, the wind from the blow ruffling her long hair.

"Don't close your eyes! You're a Shadow Assassin, not a Shadow Ostrich!" Chen Du's cold voice rang out.

Xia Mo bit her lower lip and nodded. "S-sorry!"

The next second, Tang Ran's roundhouse kick arrived.

At the eleventh hour, Xia Mo felt a surge of cold energy from deep within.

[Talent: Shadow Assassin — Triggered!]

Swish!

Xia Mo's figure became extremely ethereal in that moment, like an afterimage cast by a bright light.

Tang Ran's kick missed, leaving a shallow dent in a nearby metal pillar.

The watching girls let out a collective gasp.

"Third sister! Be careful!" Xia Lai warned worriedly.

"So fast!" Tang Ran's eyes brightened even more. "Again!"