Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

She spread garlic paste on the oysters, grilling them slowly.

Before long, the enticing aroma of garlic filled the air, making Mendun salivate, and the captain’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down a few times.

Once they tasted the delicious garlic grilled oysters, the captain was speechless, devouring the oyster clean, leaving not a drop of juice.

After finishing, he and Mendun kept staring at the oysters.

Xu Xingguang grilled a total of 25 oysters, she only ate 5, the rest were given to the captain and the Strong Sailor.

After this meal, the Strong Sailor Mendun’s attitude towards Xu Xingguang completely changed; he squatted beside the railing like a puppy, unable to help but sneak glances at Xu Xingguang.

Xu Xingguang stared at the big guy and asked the captain, ”Is he mentally challenged?”

The captain looked at Xu Xingguang in surprise, ”You figured it out?”

It was the first time Xu Xingguang realized that Mendun had cognitive damage; other passengers all assumed Mendun was an unfeeling killer.

Xu Xingguang did not refute.

”Are you... a doctor?” the captain tried to engage her in conversation.

Xu Xingguang lay lazily on the deck chair, unwilling to speak.

Seeing she didn’t want to talk, the captain didn’t mind, calling out to Mendun, ”Mendun, prepare to set off.”

Only then did Mendun stand up, towering two meters high beside the captain, much taller than him.

The ship headed into the depths of the Black Sea, sailing all night, only at dawn could the outline of Bai Ze Island be faintly seen. Mendun, still thinking about the food, deliberately moved the bucket of oysters to the deck, flaunting it in front of Xu Xingguang.

Xu Xingguang pretended not to understand his intentions.

Seeing Xu Xingguang didn’t get it, Mendun grew anxious, but not very articulate, blushing as he went into the cabin.

After a while, the captain came out, biting his pipe as he smoked, and negotiated with Xu Xingguang, ”Miss, if you grill us that garlic oyster again, I’ll only charge you 40,000 silver coins.”

Only then did Xu Xingguang nod her head.

After eating a breakfast identical to the dinner, Mendun was satisfied, and even successfully learned by watching beside Xu Xingguang.

After breakfast, Xu Xingguang sat on the railing, looking up at the top of the mast where the tattered flag, color indistinguishable, fluttered.

Coincidentally, the captain came out to smoke, seeing her staring at the flag dazedly, he looked up as well.

”Curious about what it originally was?” the captain chuckled at himself and said, ”That flag originally had a silver long sword embroidered on it.”

Xu Xingguang said, ”Starlight Sword, it’s Marshal Lin Piaopiao’s National Defense Army.”

The captain was astonished beyond measure.

He had roamed the seas his entire life, Xu Xingguang was the only one to know about the Starlight Sword.

Lowering her gaze, Xu Xingguang looked at the captain’s weathered face and asked, ”Did your ancestors ever serve in Marshal Lin’s fleet?”

The captain made a noise, then nodded.

Xu Xingguang asked, ”What’s his name?”

Without hesitation, the captain replied, ”Cen Chaoyang.”

Cen Chaoyang.

Xu Xingguang was silent for a moment, then said, ”He was Captain Cen of the fleet. When Marshal Lin defeated the Ancient O Continent countries and seized the Central Yu Continent’s ownership, Captain Cen led the fleet, pioneering through the vast ocean to the uninhabited island.”

”Their fleet were pioneers in opening routes for Marshal Lin.”

The captain listened in a trance.

What Xu Xingguang recounted matched perfectly with what his grandfather had told him.

The captain squinted his old eyes, watching Xu Xingguang sitting casually on the railing, her backdrop an endless Black Sea where the golden sunburst emerged, sprinkling gold on the sea.

Xu Xingguang, silhouetted against the light, seemed like an ancient soul from thousands of years past, her eyes reflecting a lifetime of change.

”You...” The captain, supporting himself with the pipe, asked Xu Xingguang, ”How do you know so much about this history? Are you also an Ancient Xia Country culture enthusiast?”

”Yes,” Xu Xingguang said, ”I am also a fan of Ancient Xia Country.”

How could she not love it?

That grand and splendid Ancient Xia Country was once the land she guarded with her life.

Getting closer to Bai Ze Island, Xu Xingguang stretched her long legs, stepping on the deck to stand up. She said, ”It’s almost the end of the month; the island’s competition will start soon, right?”

The captain raised an eyebrow, ”Are you going to watch the competition?”

”Mm.” Xu Xingguang glanced at the Strong Sailor standing in the cabin corridor and insightfully pointed out, ”That big guy’s speech and cognitive issues are due to a fall, right?”

Xu Xingguang accurately diagnosed the Strong Sailor’s condition, once more astonishing the captain.

”If there’s a chance to ride your ship when I leave the island, I’ll treat him,” Xu Xingguang said, then turned back to look at the nearby Bai Ze Island. With shining starry eyes, she had no trace of a smile.

Arms crossed, she stood with her left index finger lightly tapping her right arm, murmuring almost inaudibly, ”Compared to playing with toys, I prefer playing with players.”

*

Evening, Fallen Demon Street, Yunxiao Hall.

Xiao Qiao stepped out of the elevator leading from the second-floor casino and immediately saw a breathtaking woman in a purple spaghetti strap long dress. Under the blatant gazes of numerous criminals, she walked towards an office hall on the east side.

That was Hell Palace’s office hall where entrance tickets were bought, and toys sold, all there.

Seeing the woman enter the office hall, some criminals with lewd glances in their eyes followed her in.

Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes, following in with a mindset of enjoying the spectacle.

In the hall, a group of men surrounded the woman in the purple dress, saying nothing, just ’watching’ every inch of her flawless skin exposed outside the dress.

Until there were so many people that they blocked the woman’s path.

Seeing her being surrounded, Yunxiao Hall’s staff didn’t step in to stop it. This is Bai Ze Island; street crimes and bullying of women are nothing significant here.

What fate awaits such a stunning woman in this jungle full of wolves, tigers, and leopards is self-evident.