17: Captain of the Sea Serpent

The first rays of morning light pierced the horizon, bathing the entire island of Saint Martin in a golden glow.

Lin Feng and Wang Dalong arrived at the hotel's private pier in high spirits. A sleek, pitch-black exploration vessel was moored quietly in its berth; the silver words "sea serpent" were printed on its side, glinting coldly in the morning sun.

The ship was even larger and more professional than what they had seen in the dossiers. It wasn't just equipped with state-of-the-art satellite navigation and deep-sea sonar; the deck also featured two complete sets of solo deep-diving gear, a small crane arm, and even a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) for underwater operations.

"Good grief, this isn't just a rental; it's practically a mini marine research vessel!" Wang Dalong circled the ship, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg. "This hotel owner is way too extravagant!"

A tall, bronze-skinned middle-aged man stepped out of the cabin. He wore a clean captain's uniform and a warm smile, but the eyes hidden behind his sunglasses were as sharp as an eagle's.

"Good morning, Mr. Lin, Mr. Wang. I am your captain; you can call me Jack." He reached out and shook Lin Feng's hand. "I am the captain of the sea serpent, and among those who make a living near Snake Bone Island, I'm the guide most familiar with those waters."

His English carried a thick Caribbean accent, and he spoke every word at a measured pace, brimming with confidence.

Lin Feng shook his hand; through his fingertips, he felt the thick calluses on the man's palm, earned from years of hauling ropes. This was a true old sailor.

"Captain Jack, thank you for your help," Lin Feng nodded.

"It is my honor to serve such distinguished guests." Captain Jack made a gesturing motion. "Gentlemen, please board. We are departing immediately."

Wang Dalong shouldered his livestreaming equipment and jumped excitedly onto the boat, introducing it to the camera: "Family! Look at this ship! Professional! So professional! I feel like we're not going treasure hunting, but filming a National Geographic documentary!"

The livestream's comment section was instantly flooded with words like "Professional" and "Badass."

[With this gear, I feel like they could go salvage the Titanic.]

[Brother Feng has so much influence! Even a rental boat is the top-tier version!]

[Why does this captain look familiar... like I've seen him in some adventure documentary?]

Lin Feng wasn't as excited as Wang Dalong. After boarding, his gaze seemingly drifted casually across the cockpit, the deck, and every corner of the ship. Everything appeared so perfect—perfect to the point of being flawless.

The sea serpent slowly pulled away from the pier, cutting a white wake through the sea as it sped toward Snake Bone Island.

Captain Jack handled the vessel with practiced ease, enthusiastically introducing the scenery along the way and sharing pirate legends as he steered. He was witty, humorous, and knowledgeable, quickly hitting it off with Wang Dalong as the two chatted away happily.

Lin Feng stood alone at the bow, letting the sea breeze ruffle his hair. He appeared to be enjoying the view, but his mind was highly focused; however, aside from a few seagulls, there were no warnings of danger.

He knew that true danger often didn't let itself be easily detected.

While Wang Dalong and Captain Jack were in the middle of a lively conversation, Lin Feng asked casually, "Captain Jack, you've sailed these waters for so many years; you must have been to Snake Bone Island many times. Have you heard any special legends about Kidd's Treasure?"

Captain Jack laughed heartily. "Haha, Mr. Lin, everyone here can tell you a dozen different versions of the Kidd's Treasure legend. Some say it's in a cave on the island, some say it's in an underwater shipwreck, and others say there is no treasure at all—that it was just a smokescreen Kidd put out. However, one thing is true: countless treasure hunters come here every year, but in thirty years, I've never seen anyone actually bring back a single gold coin from Snake Bone Island."

His words were full of mockery toward those "treasure-hunting dreams," as if implying that they were merely the next set of tourists destined for disappointment.

Wang Dalong was a bit indignant hearing this. "That's not necessarily true. Our Brother Feng is different!"

Captain Jack simply smiled and didn't argue, though a subtle glint flashed behind his sunglasses.

After several hours of sailing, a strangely shaped island appeared on the horizon. From a distance, it looked like the winding skeleton left behind by a giant sea serpent; jagged rocks and steep cliffs formed its menacing silhouette.

"Snake Bone Island is here," Captain Jack's voice called out.

The sea serpent dropped anchor and stopped in safe waters about one kilometer from the island.

"I'll wait for you on the ship." Captain Jack pointed to the ship's walkie-talkie. "Contact me anytime if anything happens. For safety's sake, I'll be monitoring your movements from here the whole time."

"Alright, thanks." Lin Feng donned his exploration gear and boarded the small landing craft that had been prepared with Wang Dalong.

As they rode the landing craft toward the beach of Snake Bone Island, Lin Feng glanced back at the sea serpent's cockpit.

Captain Jack stood there, watching them go, that same warm smile still on his face.

But at his feet, a black briefcase was open. He skillfully took out a compact quadcopter drone and placed it on the deck.

The drone's propellers began to spin, emitting a faint buzz as it rose silently into the air. It became a small black dot high in the sky, trailing far behind Lin Feng and Wang Dalong like the eye of a deity.