Chapter 865: Columbus Ocean Navy

After the Fin Dragon was frightened away by Zhang Yi, the Golden Edge continued its journey toward Tianhai City in the Huaxu Kingdom.

During breakfast the next morning, Zhang Yi saw Zhu Yunque holding a child, looking utterly exhausted as she approached Zhou Ke’er. Compared to when they first set sail, she looked significantly more haggard, like a frostbitten eggplant—her former arrogance and confidence completely gone. The massacre in the lower deck cabin had especially stripped away any right she had to be proud. Nowadays, she even trembled in fear at the sight of Zhang Yi.

Curious about her purpose, Zhang Yi walked over to the two women. The moment Zhu Yunque noticed him, her expression changed. She hastily told Zhou Ke’er, "I'll head back first. Let me know your answer later," before retreating to her room and locking the door tightly from inside.

Zhang Yi smirked, certain that this woman had run into trouble again. She probably wanted his help but was too embarrassed to ask directly, so she resorted to seeking Zhou Ke’er’s assistance instead.

He approached Zhou Ke’er and asked with a smile, "What did she want?"

Zhou Ke’er chuckled. Wrapping her fair, delicate arms around Zhang Yi’s, she replied gently, "What else? It’s about the baby, of course!"

"At first, she was all enthusiastic, trying to play mom and take care of the child. But it hasn’t even been that long, and she’s already on the verge of breaking down. And that’s with two people sharing the responsibility! If she were alone, she’d have collapsed long ago."

Zhang Yi gave a faint smile. "She chose this herself. Why bother with her? Let me make this clear—don’t get involved in her mess. Let her swallow the bitter fruit of her own decisions."

Zhou Ke’er nodded with a grin. "Don’t worry, I won’t agree to anything without your permission."

Feeling the soft yet resilient warmth of Zhou Ke’er’s body against his, Zhang Yi felt a stirring in his chest. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "Remember our little bet? I won."

Zhou Ke’er’s face instantly flushed crimson. The terms of that bet... terrified her a little, though there was also a faint trace of anticipation. That kind of thing—she’d never tried it before.

"A bet is a bet. I’ll keep my word," she murmured coyly, casting him a sultry glance before taking his hand and leading him into the bedroom.

---

That afternoon, the Golden Edge cut swiftly through the calm icy sea on its return journey. Old Tian sat in the control room, smoking a cigarette and chatting idly with the crew. Half the voyage was already behind them, and since they had cleared out many obstacles—pirates and small naval forces—on their way here, the return trip promised fewer troubles.

However, Zhang Yi had ordered everyone to stay alert. On their way out, they had carried nothing of value, so even if they had encountered the navies of major nations, there would have been no cause for concern. But now, the ship held critical data. There was no room for mistakes.

Yet, as fate would have it, what they feared most came to pass.

Just as Old Tian and the crew were swapping dirty jokes to pass the time, the Golden Edge’s radio suddenly crackled to life with a stern, rhythmic warning. The machine-translated message read:

"Attention, unidentified vessel ahead. This is the Columbus Ocean Navy. Prepare to be boarded for inspection. Cease all movement immediately and comply with our instructions!"

"A word of warning: Do not attempt resistance or evasion. Failure to comply will result in immediate engagement!"

The abrupt announcement sent the entire crew into high alert. Old Tian leapt from his chair and rushed to the control panel as the message repeated. His pupils contracted sharply. "The Columbus Ocean Navy?! This is bad!"

In maritime travel, they were the worst possible force to encounter. Without any ideas of his own, Old Tian hurriedly reported to Zhang Yi.

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Yi’s expression darkened. The Columbus Ocean Navy was the last group he wanted to deal with right now. Even though he was now a top-tier superhuman, facing them at sea still filled him with immense pressure.

Before departure, Zhu Zheng had specifically warned Zhang Yi: the greatest threat was the Columbus Ocean Fleet. This was the elite force of their navy—a fleet powerful enough to rival even the Huaxu Kingdom’s strongest naval division, the East Sea Region. Among the Huaxu Kingdom’s six major regions, the East Sea Region’s military might was second only to Shengjing. That alone spoke volumes about the Columbus Ocean Fleet’s terrifying strength.

Not only did they possess world-class warships, but they also had numerous powerful superhumans among their ranks. They were the last people Zhang Yi wanted to cross paths with.

"What’s the situation? Did they say why they’re here?" Zhang Yi asked rapidly as he changed clothes, keeping his communication with Old Tian brisk.

The appearance of the Columbus Ocean Navy was highly unusual. They hadn’t been intercepted on their way out—so why now, on their return? The Golden Edge was, on paper, just a civilian vessel. Unwarranted interception and inspection could easily spark unnecessary tensions with the Huaxu Kingdom. The larger the power, the more cautious they should be.

Zhang Yi even began to suspect—had they somehow gotten wind of something?

Old Tian replied, "They just called us a suspicious vessel and said it’s a routine inspection."

"Routine inspection?" Zhang Yi narrowed his eyes. They were still in international waters. What kind of routine inspection happened here? "How far out are they?"

"Radar shows about twenty nautical miles."

"Don’t make any moves. Follow their orders and halt for now."

"Yes, sir!"

As Zhang Yi finished changing, his mind raced. Seeing his serious expression, Zhou Ke’er couldn’t help but ask what was wrong.

"We’ve run into the Columbus Ocean Navy. This could be a major problem."

"Them?" Zhou Ke’er tensed as well. "What could they want?"

Zhang Yi had never told Zhou Ke’er about the Divine Source, so to this day, she remained unaware of his true mission. She still assumed this trip was simply to rescue someone important.

After fastening his combat suit, Zhang Yi kissed her cheek and flashed her a reassuring smile. "Don’t overthink it. There won’t be any danger."

Even if a fight broke out, worst-case scenario, he could abandon ship and escape with Zhou Ke’er using spatial traversal. The only regret would be leaving behind over a dozen crew members. As for Zhu Yunque and the others on board—well, some things were simply beyond his control.

Though spatial traversal allowed him to cross vast distances in an instant, each jump had a cooldown; it wasn’t a continuous movement. At most, he could carry one person with him. As a special-type superhuman, his physical endurance was only on par with a well-trained soldier.

Author's Note