Chapter 2: The Mighty Mothership

A mountain breeze whispered past Mels’ ears, like a mother’s voice gradually rousing him to consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes, only to find a blanket of white mist obscuring his vision.

“Am I dead? Is this heaven?” Mels muttered to himself.

“Ugh…” Just as he was speaking, a sharp pain shot through his chest and abdomen, making him realize he hadn’t yet left the world of the living.

“It hurts! Those bastards were really vicious! To think they drove such a handsome guy like me off a cliff!” Mels seemed to have forgotten how “heroically” he had jumped off the cliff himself, placing all the blame on the Nine Saints of the Blue Tower.

No, if those guys are assassins, they’ll definitely find a way down the cliff to look for my body! This isn’t a place I can stay for long!

The thought struck him, and Mels suddenly felt the thing supporting his body tremble.

“B…big brother, since you’re awake, hurry up and find a way to get off this cliff! I…I can’t hold on much longer!” A thin, childlike voice suddenly reached Mels’ ears. Hearing this strange sound, despite the searing pain all over his body and his inability to exert any strength, Mels still struggled to turn his head and look beneath him.

When Mels focused his gaze on the thing supporting him, he discovered it was actually a green, blanket-like object.

“Wow! A talking blanket! I must still be unconscious, I must be dreaming!” Mels exclaimed in surprise, then his head lolled to the side as he passed out again on the green blanket!

“Hey! Hey! Boss, why are you sleeping again? I really can’t hold on! I’m Little One, Little One! Not some blanket!” The green blanket shook violently several times before shouting at Mels.

“Little One? I’m not dreaming?” Mels opened his eyes again, turning to face the green blanket and said, “You’re Little One? When did you become so… so flat? Why can you talk? Why…”

Before Mels could finish, Little One said painfully, “Boss, can you save these questions for later? I really… really can’t hold on much longer!”

“Fine, fine. Let me just figure out how to get out of here first.” After hearing Little One’s words, Mels suddenly remembered he was in a dangerous situation, so he stopped asking more questions. Struggling to prop himself up, Mels slowly moved toward the edge of the cliff, seemingly searching for a path to climb.

Mels's shifting increased the pressure on Little One. Little One had expanded his body into a roughly two-meter square, with his original hands and feet tightly gripping two parallel dead branches protruding from the cliff face. Since the middle part supporting Mels’ weight was completely suspended in mid-air, when Mels started moving, the pressure on Little One became even greater!

After feeling around for three or five minutes, Mels still hadn’t found a way to reach the cliff. Meanwhile, Little One, who was supporting him, spoke up again: “B…boss, I… want to tell…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know you're about to give out! Stop yapping; I’ll find a way down soon! If you keep talking, you’re just wasting my time.” Before Little One could finish, Mels assumed he knew what he was going to say.

“Boss, no, I… I want to tell you…” Little One struggled to say.

“Whatever it is, say it later! Just shut up for now…” Before Mels could finish, a faint *crack* sounded from below him.

“Little One, stop making noises to distract…” Before Mels could finish his complaint, a tearing sound rang out.

“Heavens, that three-sided cliff already nearly killed me once! You’re not planning to play me again now, are you!” Realizing that one of the two branches supporting Little One and his weight had snapped, Mels stopped moving his limbs and looked up at the mist-shrouded sky.

Just as he finished speaking, the tearing sound came again!

“Boss…”

“Little One…”

“Ah…” With a pair of blood-curdling screams, one person and one “blanket” plummeted down the cliff like falling meteors!

A thunderous crash sent towering waves splashing as Mels plunged heavily into the surging river.

Gurgle, gurgle gurgle… “Little One, you idiot! Why didn’t you tell me the branch was about to break!” Mels, now in the water, clutched the Summoned Beast, which had returned to its original form, and glared with wide eyes.

Gurgle, gurgle gurgle… “Boss, no need to thank me! You’re my master; saving you is what I should do!” Little One completely misunderstood Mels’ meaning, instead proudly accepting Mels’ “thanks”!

After hearing Little One’s words, Mels stopped squeezing the Summoned Beast and instead clutched his own throat! Having forgotten he was in the river, he had spoken earlier, leaving little air in his lungs. Now he felt the terror of suffocation! In that moment, a desperate will to survive he never knew he had kicked in! Usually growing up in the mountains and only playing in small streams, Mels now displayed his swimming skills, managing to swim up dozens of meters in just a few seconds and surface on the river!

“I'm saved! Lit—” Just as Mels was celebrating his escape from the water, he suddenly found several cold, gleaming spearpoints at his throat! The owners of these spears were riding small sampans surrounding him, glaring at him angrily!

“Not good, more trouble!” Mels's relief vanished, replaced by alarm. In the shortest time possible, he recalled Little One into his Summoning Gem! At this moment, Mels knew that these people, whether friend or foe, if they saw his Summoned Beast, his troubles would only increase!

“Brothers, I…” Just as Mels was about to say something, a powerfully built man on one of the sampans shouted loudly: “Gag him! Tie him up and take him back to the flagship!”

A few minutes later, Mels, trussed up like a zongzi, was brought onto the giant ship moored in mid-river. The eight burly men escorting him, after he left the sampan and boarded the Mothership, immediately maneuvered the sampan away from the giant ship and headed toward several other large vessels following behind.

“Hmm, this is no simple operation! My foster father said, the more detailed the hierarchy and division of functions within an organization, the greater its power! Judging by how the man giving orders on the sampan could only climb the rope ladder and not set foot on the giant ship, their rules must be very strict!” Mels observed the reactions of the people around him while analyzing in his heart.

Just as he tried to observe the giant ship more closely, a woman dressed in luxurious attire, accompanied by four burly men, approached Mels! The woman looked down her nose at the guards watching Mels and said, “Who is this? Why was he brought here?”

“Reporting to the Steward, earlier when we were exchanging with the transport ship, this kid suddenly fell from the sky and capsized four of the patrol sampans! The guard team reported that four guards are missing, and a new chef brought by the transport ship is also unaccounted for! The guard captain believes it’s unusual for this kid to survive, so he handed him over to the Steward, hoping for your judgment!” The guards watching Mels were very respectful and fearful of the Steward, their tone exceptionally deferential.

“Oh? Such a thing? Hmm…” The Female Steward glanced sideways at Mels before saying again: “Such a small fry is useless. Just throw him into the river to feed the fish! What’s most important for you is to find the new chef immediately. If the young lady throws another tantrum, none of us will have an easy time!”

Hearing that the Steward actually wanted to throw him into the river to feed the fish, Mels knew things were bad. So, before the guards could speak, he said: “Fairy sister, don’t throw me into the river! I’m a good person, I’m a good person!”

“How dare you! You have no right to speak here!” Seeing Mels spit out the cloth gag and speak, a guard immediately roared angrily and stepped forward to stuff the cloth back into Mels’ mouth!

“Wait!” Just as several fierce-looking guards were about to act, the Female Steward spoke up to stop them. She walked up to Mels and said coldly: “Kid, what did you just say? Why did you call me fairy sister?”

“Because… because you’re so beautiful! I heard my foster father say that only fairy sisters living in paradise are that beautiful, so I… I…” Mels put on the tone of an inexperienced youth.

After hearing Mels’ words, a faint, satisfied smile appeared at the corner of the Female Steward’s mouth.

Watching the haughty woman reveling in his praise, Mels thought: This time, you’ll fall for it, won’t you?

“Hmph, I hate smooth-talkers the most! What are you still standing around for? Hurry up and throw him overboard!” Just as Mels thought his scheme had succeeded, the Female Steward coldly shouted loudly!

Huh? You bitch! This Young Master endured nausea to praise you, and you still want to throw me out! My foster father was right, a woman’s face changes faster than turning a page! Mels cursed inwardly while racking his brain, trying to find a way to avoid becoming fish food.

Just as several burly men lifted Mels’ body, preparing to walk toward the ship’s railing, Mels finally spoke up: “Steward sister, I know I was wrong! Don’t throw me over! I can cook! I'm a great cook!” Under normal circumstances, Mels would never speak to someone so subserviently. But at this moment, he knew he had become the target of the continent’s number one assassin organization, the Blue-Clad Tower Wolves. If he appeared openly, he would surely be hunted again! Therefore, he wanted to board this giant ship, firstly to avoid pursuit by the Blue-Clad Tower Wolves, and secondly to use the ship’s course to head toward the Fijinando United Kingdom!

Mels’ words indeed caught the Female Steward’s attention. She stopped the guards’ actions again and said: “You really know how to cook? If you dare lie to me, I’ll make you into meat buns to feed the dogs!”

Hmph! As if this Young Master's cooking could be bad! You venomous woman, if I get the chance, this Young Master will make you pay! Although Mels cursed inwardly, his mouth obediently said: “I… I wouldn’t dare! Sister, you can test my skills first. If they’re not good, you can still throw me out!”

After hearing Mels’ words, one of the four men flanking the Female Steward frowned, stepped forward, and said: “Steward, keeping this kid of unknown origin on the ship, wouldn’t that…”

“Hmph, Kent, you're overreaching! Given this kid’s age, he’s no match for us. Moreover, with seven Elders present, are we afraid he’ll cause trouble? Don’t you know the young lady’s temper? Or do you have a way to find a new chef within half a day?” the Female Steward reprimanded sternly.

“Yes, Steward. My apologies, I spoke out of turn.” Although Kent was dissatisfied in his heart, due to his low status, he could only admit his mistake and humbly step back to his original position.

“Mont, take that kid to the kitchen. In one hour, have him prepare three dishes and bring them to me. If I think they’re good, we’ll keep him. Otherwise, kill him directly!” After saying this, the Female Steward left with the three Deputy Stewards who had come with her, including Kent, leaving only a man of about thirty, with regular, handsome features and a dignified air, to watch over Mels.

Seeing the Steward had given the order, the guards placed Mels on the ground and untied his ropes. Mels, who hadn’t felt the pain while in crisis, now that the immediate threat was gone, the pain from his broken ribs and over a dozen other injuries made him break out in a cold sweat and tremble all over.

“Kid, what’s wrong with you?” Seeing Mels slumped on the ground, unable to get up, Mont immediately stepped forward to ask.

“It… it might be from injuries when I fell off the cliff earlier.” Mels randomly explained to Mont to conceal his identity.

“Let me see.” Mont seemed less cold-hearted than the Female Steward. He approached Mels, opened his clothes, and examined his injuries. Due to the extraordinary power of the Blue Tower Nine Saints’ Dragon-Slaying Palm and the stimulation of the cold river water, Mels could do nothing but let Mont examine him.

After carefully observing Mels’ injuries, Mont's face suddenly changed. He glanced furtively around, then picked Mels up and hurried toward the cabins. Mont brought Mels into a small cabin, laid him on a bunk, and said coldly: “Tell me your true identity! Don’t make up stories about being a thief or accidentally falling off a cliff! Your injuries were caused by a vicious martial art, the Dragon-Slaying Palm. Speak! Who exactly are you?”

After hearing Mont’s words, Mels was stunned! Though wracked with pain, Mels still clearly felt that if he gave the wrong answer, he might leave this world right then! Even now, Mels kept his wits about him, thinking to himself: This person knows about the Dragon-Slaying Palm, so he must also know what kind of people use this martial art! If he wanted to kill me, he could just explain to that vicious woman; there’s no need to go through all this trouble bringing me here! His purpose is likely one of two: first, he wants to know about the Blue-Clad Tower Wolves from me, then kill me! Second, they might have a grudge against the Blue-Clad Tower Wolves and fear I’m a spy from the Blue Tower! If that’s the case, I might still…

“Speak now! If you don’t, I’ll kill you right here!” Before Mels could respond, Mont threatened again.

Ah, to hell with it! I'll roll the dice! Mels thought to himself.

He opened his mouth and said: “Actually, it was the second of the Blue Tower Nine Saints who injured me!” Mels said slowly, watching Mont closely for a reaction. However, Mont's face remained an impassive mask; he still waited quietly for Mels to continue. Left with no choice, Mels could only rely on luck to decide his fate.

Mels slowly recounted how he had encountered Liyana in the carriage and how his conflict with the brothel had arisen because of her.

Mels had expected Mont to press him about his background and his purpose for boarding the mothership, but to his surprise, after listening, Mont merely gave a slight nod. He then sat on the edge of the bed, took Mels's hand, and said, "The look in your eyes tells me everything you said is true! And I know if I keep asking, you'll just start lying! But don't worry, I'm not interested in your background or other matters, and I won't question you further! I just want to remind you that if you stay here, you mustn't cause any trouble! The Steward assigned me to supervise you, which means from now on, I'll be in charge of you. I only asked about your injuries because I don't want my subordinates causing me trouble! Now, lie down!"

After saying this, Mont paid no attention to Mels's reaction. He raised his left hand, fingers pressed together into a palm, which began to glow faintly with red light. Then, with speed like lightning, he struck the broken bones in Mels's chest! Instantly, the red light emanating from Mont's hand enveloped Mels's entire body, and a wave of heat spread through his entire being.

After about twenty minutes, Mont withdrew his power and gently wiped the sweat from his brow. His face slightly pale, he stepped away from the bed and said, "Your fractures are mostly mended. Although I don't know if you can prepare three dishes that satisfy the Steward in the remaining thirty minutes, at least I've done my part! Here's a bottle of medicine. Take two pills first. After that, we'll see if you live long enough to enjoy it!" Mont placed a white porcelain bottle on the table and fell silent.

At that moment, Mels was grateful he hadn't impulsively attacked the Female Steward earlier. Just based on Mont's profound power, Mels already felt inferior, and he imagined the Female Steward would be even more formidable!

Thanks to Mont's miraculous treatment, the pain in Mels's body had greatly subsided. Feeling his way as he got up, he picked up the porcelain bottle Mont had left on the table, popped the cork, and a refreshing fragrance wafted from the bottle.

*Just smelling this, I know it can't be poison!* Mels thought to himself, then poured out two black pills and swallowed them.

Seeing Mels take the medicine, Mont cleared his throat and said, "Alright, you should be able to go to the kitchen now. Follow me!" He then opened the cabin door and headed into the corridor.

Mels watched Mont's back without a word, silently following him toward the lower deck. After passing through a narrow corridor and descending three sets of stairs, the lower-deck kitchen came into view!

*Wow, what a place! Even the kitchen is so exquisitely made. The owner of this ship must either be royalty or a tycoon!* Mels marveled inwardly as he saw the roughly hundred-square-meter kitchen, filled with all kinds of utensils, an icebox, a tank of live fish, and various other rare equipment.

"All the ingredients are here. Whether it's fresh vegetables, chicken, duck, fish, or meat, you can find whatever you need. Use whatever you want! You have thirty minutes left. You're on your own!" Mont said.

"Mhm." Mels nodded slowly and stepped into the kitchen. As he looked over the many ingredients, he thought to himself: *Back when I wanted to please my foster fathers, I'd make a few small dishes for them to go with their drinks. But they always preferred big chunks of meat and large bowls of wine. Since the owner of this ship is a woman, she's probably more refined. So maybe I should...* With this in mind, Mels smiled confidently and walked toward the icebox filled with vegetables and fruits.

Although Mont kept his distance, his eyes never left Mels's movements. When he saw Mels picking only the most common vegetables like greens and radishes from the icebox, he couldn't help but shake his head slightly, thinking: *He's just a country bumpkin, only knows how to make common dishes! Sigh, it looks like this kid definitely won't pass the Steward's test!*

After rummaging around and busying himself for a while, Mels began to meticulously craft his delicious dishes. As time passed minute by minute, Mont's initially pitying gaze gradually changed due to the aroma wafting from the iron pot. It wasn't difficult to make a dish with excellent color, aroma, and taste, but doing so with the most ordinary ingredients was a different level of challenge!

By the time Mels placed the final dish into the meal box, Mont had already begun to believe that Mels's culinary skills were far from ordinary.

"I'm done! Should I go with you to see the Steward?" Mels turned and asked Mont.

"This... follow me." Mont replied after a moment's thought, leading the way to the deck. Seeing Mont's expression, Mels knew his cooking had at least won Mont over. Without another word, Mels picked up the meal box and followed Mont out of the kitchen.

This uniquely designed ship was divided into three sections. The kitchen and sailors' quarters, among other lower-deck entrances, were located at the stern; the Steward's and some senior management cabins' entrances were on the port side amidships; while the foredeck housed the cabins of the VIPs. Since the three sections were not interconnected, Mels had to first go up to the deck to reach the middle section where the management cabins were located.

After about five minutes of walking, Mels followed Mont into the middle-deck area, accessible only to Deputy Stewards and above. As soon as they descended the stairs, the surroundings made Mels's eyes light up. The bulkheads were carved with various patterns, and every three steps, a luminous pearl was embedded in the ceiling for lighting.

*Wow, each one is as big as an eyeball! Any one of these could sell for hundreds of thousands of gold coins! Hehe, it seems the owner of this ship is indeed extremely wealthy! If I don't dig out a few when I leave, how can I live up to my reputation as a thief!* Mels thought to himself as he walked.

"Walk faster, don't look around! If you miss the Steward's deadline, no matter how good your dishes are, it's death for you!" Mont turned and saw Mels walking slowly, hurriedly warning him.

"Yes, yes. It's my first time seeing so many gems, so... sorry, I'm coming right away!" Hearing Mont's call, Mels snapped out of his daze, realizing his lapse. He quickly quickened his pace to catch up.

The Female Steward's room was on the second level in the middle. When Mels and Mont arrived, the three Deputy Stewards he had seen earlier on the deck were guarding the door.

"Kent, is the Steward inside?" Mont asked Kent, the Deputy Steward who had been reprimanded by the Steward earlier.

"Mhm, she's inside. Take him in." Kent nodded slightly and opened the cabin door to let them through.

"Greetings, Steward. The boy has prepared the dishes. Please evaluate them!" Mont entered first and announced loudly.

"Oh? What did he make? Bring them up." The Female Steward, sitting sideways by the central sandalwood round table, glanced lazily at Mels with her phoenix eyes.

Hearing the Steward's instruction, Mels didn't wait for Mont to call him. He immediately stepped forward and placed the meal box on the round table.

"Steward, the three dishes I made are all homestyle dishes. The first, 'Harmonious Pearl Return,' uses tofu as the main ingredient, paired with fresh chicken broth and..." Mels took out a large bowl of green soup with five or six white spherical tofu pieces floating on top and proceeded to list nearly ten main and auxiliary ingredients.

"Oh? What flavor can a tofu soup possibly have? But since you gave it a nice name, I'll give it a taste." Looking at the carefully prepared dish, the Steward took a tentative sip with a spoon. Her expression, initially reluctant, suddenly stiffened as the soup entered her mouth.

Seeing the Steward staring blankly at him with a rigid expression, Mels suddenly grew nervous. *No way! Is she allergic to tofu? There's no reason it wouldn't taste good! Every time I made it for my foster fathers, the three of them would fight over it!*

"Is... is this really made by you?" the Steward suddenly asked.

"Y-yes. I made it. I didn't know you would..." Mels was about to explain when the Steward suddenly burst into laughter! Her strange reaction left Mels unsure whether he had passed the first test.

"Good! Well done! I've been by the young lady's side for over ten years, and this is the first time I've tasted something so delicious! What else did you make? Hurry, bring it out, bring it out!" the Steward suddenly exclaimed in praise.

Hearing this, Mels's anxiety finally subsided, and his lost confidence returned!

"Yes! The second dish, 'Jade Coral,' is made with seven ingredients including greens, carrots, and purple mother-of-pearl, heated over low flame, then dried over high heat to let the broth's flavor fully infuse the vegetables. The third, 'White Horse Treading on Green,' is a cold dish. First, water chestnuts are washed and peeled, then mixed with shepherd's purse, a wild vegetable, and seasonings like sesame oil." Mels brought out a stir-fried dish and a cold platter one after another.

"Mhm, this Jade Coral is rare, but this White Horse Treading on Green seems like just an ordinary dish with a changed name." The Steward frowned slightly.

"Heh, don't be hasty. Please taste it first." Mels smiled confidently.

Seeing Mels's confident expression, the Steward finally picked up her jade chopsticks and took a small bite of White Horse Treading on Green. Once again, her expression changed. She said, "Why? Why is there a hint of beef flavor in this cold dish of vegetables? Usually, mixing meat and vegetables is taboo in cold dishes, but tasting yours today, I feel the combination is just right!"

"Heh, what you might not know is this. Shepherd's purse naturally has a slight bitterness, so most people need saltiness to suppress it. I mixed it with beef bone broth before adding the sweet water chestnuts. This way, I can remove the bitterness without using a lot of salt, leaving only the refreshing taste of water chestnuts and the freshness of shepherd's purse! Although I couldn't completely eliminate the beef flavor, it's still much more delicious than the usual method." Mels explained in detail like a professional chef.

"Haha... good! Not just much more delicious, it's simply incomparable! From today on, I appoint you as the young lady's personal chef! Remember, work well for the young lady, and benefits will naturally come your way in the future!" the Steward said happily.

"Thank you for the opportunity, Steward!" Mels expressed gratitude verbally but thought to himself: *Thank goodness I have three gluttons at home, or I'd have been chopped into mince for human meat buns today! Hehe, for now, let you enjoy this Young Master's skills!*

In the following days, Mels was arranged to live in the middle-deck area and was responsible for preparing the young lady's three daily meals. However, the longer time passed, the greater the doubts in Mels's mind grew.

First, this young lady was like a ghost, never appearing before him. All dishes were delivered via the Steward.

Second, this large fleet, consisting of six motherships and over thirty medium-sized ships, was fully equipped as a sea fleet in both personnel and equipment, yet it sailed continuously on the river.

Third, the great river Mels was currently on was the 'Smaqi River,' a major waterway connecting the central part of the Chaotic Country to Fiji Nando. It flowed from west to east, straight to the sea. Such a waterway should have been bustling with traffic, but for several days, Mels hadn't seen any other vessels! If other ships were banned to allow this fleet smooth passage, then who exactly was this young lady? How could she make every country along the river bow to her?

These questions left Mels utterly perplexed. However, Mels had a cheerful disposition and didn't like meddling too much in others' affairs. So, apart from being busy in the kitchen, he would climb the main mast to enjoy the scenery along the way.

One night, when all was quiet, Mels once again climbed the familiar main mast, leaned against the sail, and gazed at the river. The moonlight was hazy, and stars occasionally appeared. The evening breeze, carrying a hint of the river's dampness, brushed past Mels's face. Having experienced a day's toil, Mels held a flask of wine in his right hand, intoxicatedly gazing at the slightly hazy yet utterly enchanting river surface.

"Little One, come out and take a look too." Mels slowly raised his left hand and spoke to his Summoning Gem. Suddenly, he was shocked to discover that the Summoning Gem on the back of his hand was no longer its original pure white crystal; a gentle pale blue glow now surrounded it.

"Boss, it's been so long since you let me out!" From within the blue light, a green humanoid Summoned Beast appeared on Mels's shoulder.

"Little One, are you okay? Why did the Summoning Gem change color?" Mels asked in surprise.

"Change color? I don't know. I feel fine?" This was the first time Mels had summoned Little One since boarding the ship, so it seemed particularly excited.

"...Never mind, who cares! As long as you're fine. By the way, why can you talk? My foster fathers' summoned beasts can't speak! Also, last time when I fell off the cliff, I was unconscious. How could you transform and save me?" Mels waved his hand dismissively and asked Little One.

"I don't know either. That time, your energy was too depleted, and you couldn't move at all. When I saw branches below your falling body, I thought, if I could turn into a cloth, I could save you! Who knew, somehow, I really turned into a piece of cloth! As for talking, it's just because I wanted to answer you, so I spoke." Little One gently tugged at Mels's hair and said nonchalantly.

"Haha..." After hearing Little One's words, Mels laughed heartily, hugged Little One into his arms, and said happily, "You're such a magical little guy! First, you grew limbs, and now you can talk! But that's good too; I won't be lonely anymore! From now on, you'll keep me company."

"Haha... that tickles! Boss... Boss, stop playing! Haha..." Little One, being tickled by Mels, laughed and protested. After breaking free from Mels's enthusiastic embrace, he said seriously, "Boss, do you really like me? I know I'm not very powerful. Before, even though I couldn't speak, I understood everything you thought. If one day you get a stronger summoned beast, will you abandon me?"

"Silly, I do hope to have a powerful summoned beast, like the Flame Tiger my foster father has. But I really like you. I wouldn't trade you for anything! You remember too, you belong to me, don't run off with anyone else." Mels pointed at Little One's nose, half-jokingly.

"Flame Tiger? That's nothing much. It's when we encounter 'Olenkasinas' or 'Soralaxulate' that I'd get nervous." Little One shook his little head, wide-eyed, looking at Mels.

"Olenkasinas? Soralaxulate? Those names sound familiar. I think I've heard them somewhere. Let me think..." Mels found Little One's words familiar but couldn't recall who they were.

Before long, Mels suddenly exclaimed, "That's it! I remember! The Nine-Winged Goddess Olenkasinas and the Two-faced Nether Emperor Soralaxulate! They, along with the Eight-part Dragon King Royeskdel, are known as the three strongest summoned beasts on the continent!"

"Yes, that's right. I'm talking about them," Little One said earnestly, giving a small nod.

"You? Compared to the three great sacred beasts? Haha..." Mels suddenly burst into laughter.

"Boss, what's wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?" Little One asked earnestly, looking at Mels' reaction.

"Oh, come on, how could I have lost my mind? Haha... I used to think that besides Sol, I was the most conceited person in the world. I never expected you, little guy, to be an even bigger braggart than me! You start off by comparing yourself to the three great sacred beasts! Haha..." Mels looked at Little One, laughing until tears streamed down his face.

"I'm not lying! Of course, I'm no match for them now, but..." At this point, Little One suddenly noticed that Mels was still laughing uncontrollably and couldn't help but stop talking. After a moment, he said discontentedly, "Never mind, it's pointless trying to explain it to you!"

Little One's reaction finally caught Mels' attention. He pulled Little One into his arms again and said, "Alright, alright, the greatest little guy, I believe you! And I look forward to you truly being stronger than them. If one day you can rival the three great sacred beasts, then I promise you, I will definitely become a master you can be proud of!"

"Yeah! I believe the boss will definitely become the strongest master!" Little One nodded seriously at Mels.

Looking at Little One's earnest expression, Mels suddenly felt a surge of passion in his chest, and the youthful ambition and lofty aspirations reappeared in his mind! He downed the jug of grape wine in one gulp and loudly recited the poem Sarikat loved most: "Heroes emerge as winds and clouds rise; / Years rush by once in the world's thick strife. / Empires and reigns are but talk in our eyes; / What rivals the drunken zest of a life!"

"Well said!" Just as Mels was immersed in his heroic sentiments, an old man's voice suddenly rang out from behind him.

"You are..." Turning his head to look, Mels immediately saw an old man standing behind him. He appeared to be around seventy years old, with white hair and beard, yet not a trace of frailty. His wide sleeves fluttered in the wind, and standing on the fragile sail, he showed no sign of panic.

"Hahaha, young man, your ambition is commendable! I originally wanted to chat with you a bit longer, but tonight, unwelcome guests have arrived. So, we'll have to wait for another fateful encounter!" The old man, standing as if riding the wind, was clearly a top-tier master. Although Mels didn't understand what the old man was saying, he could tell from his kind eyes that what he said must be true.

"Oh," Mels responded unconsciously, then turned his head to follow the old man's gaze toward the distant river surface. The river remained calm, and Mels' vision couldn't detect any "unwelcome guests." About three minutes later, just as Mels was about to turn back and ask the old man where the unwelcome guests were, he suddenly discovered that about fifty mysterious figures dressed entirely in black, each standing on a floating log, were breaking through the river fog and rapidly approaching the mothership!