"What are you doing here?"
Lu Mingming asked without thinking, her tone full of doubt.
"Heh heh, nothing much."
The little boss chuckled awkwardly and quickly explained.
"I've discussed it with them, and we're going to give you some more knowledge about the Phantom Sea."
Upon hearing this, the suspicion in Lu Mingming's eyes slowly receded.
If those three vouched for it, it was somewhat believable.
"Go ahead," Lu Mingming said casually.
The little boss's spirits lifted. He rubbed his hands together and leaned in excitedly, "When we go down later, try to let me take the lead. I'll take you to buy servants and fishermen to form a second fleet."
After speaking, he pointed towards the Phantom Sea, which was getting closer and closer, indicating the direction for Lu Mingming.
"Is there any special significance to that?"
Facing Lu Mingming's confusion, the little boss's voice rose by eight octaves:
"How can you question my intelligence?! If those three tall guys went to handle it, with their looks, they'd cause a lot of trouble along the way! It's more convenient for a common little guy like me to handle things. They can wear black clothes and act as bodyguards in the back."
"Ah..."
Lu Mingming blinked her eyes, speechless at such reasoning.
"Oh well, it's a small matter."
Seeing the conversation go off track, the little boss quickly returned to the main topic.
"In short, you and I will conduct normal transactions. We are merchants from out of town, remember that?"
Lu Mingming nodded, understanding but not fully comprehending.
The little boss followed up with a warning:
"Our identities must absolutely not be exposed! Once someone discovers our true purpose, we'll fall prey to 'the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind,' and all our efforts will be in vain!"
His words became increasingly serious.
"You mustn't underestimate the Phantom Sea. In a way, although it's safer than the City of Sin, whether you can survive after leaving the Phantom Sea is unknown."
"I know," Lu Mingming nodded like a pecking chicken.
She was afraid that if she didn't clarify her stance, the little boss would fabricate a fantastical and severe consequence.
Having received her assurance, the little boss's mood eased a little for the day.
The aircraft slowly descended onto the silver-green lake surface, traveling at a constant speed. The bald man stood on the deck, handing over taxes to the soldiers at the city gate. Unlike his usual fierce demeanor, he had deliberately covered his signature bald head with a woolen hat. Coupled with his thick clothing, he looked no different from an ordinary robust merchant.
Lu Yan, Orlanal, and Morian also made some distinctive disguises. Only the little boss, unfazed by the "death beam" that was his bald head, casually linked arms with Lu Mingming, chin held high, chest out, and stomach in, looking quite proud.
The entire Phantom Sea was composed of sparse landmasses, four or five in total, connected by vast expanses of seawater. People came and went on boats; flying vehicles and other means of transport were completely useless scrap metal that would quickly rust here. Boats were the "hard currency."
To increase business, merchants decorated each boat distinctively. Even a simple means of transport would have a small seat with a stool, barely enough to sit on. The more luxurious and the more rooms a boat had, the more expensive it would be.
As the flying boat stopped, fishing boats paddled by several people approached one after another, their shouts echoing.
"500 star coins for two people here, discounts for more!"
"Ordinary boats, sixty-one per person—"
"Charter a boat! Charter a boat! Only 3000 star coins a day."
"Heh, you're not worthy of my status," the little boss arrogantly raised his chin. "Get me two luxurious large boats, with familiar boatmen. This young master intends to take quite a few servants."
The little boss perfectly portrayed the stubborn youngest son of a nouveau riche family. Seeing a clueless sugar daddy arrive, the merchants surged forward like a river, surrounding Lu Mingming and her companions to introduce themselves.
Finally, at Lu Mingming's suggestion, the little boss reluctantly settled on two relatively luxurious boats. The boats were about 50 meters long, with private rooms and perfect viewing windows, and the boatmen were well-known locals. Although not as grand as luxury liners, they were the best standard that the local commoners could offer.
The little boss, feigning displeasure, pretended to reluctantly follow Lu Mingming's lead and paid a deposit, then led his group into the inner city.
"I feel something is wrong," Orlanal stared intently at the receding figure of the little boss. The latter's arm was tightly linked with Lu Mingming's, and his smug smile made Orlanal feel a pang of annoyance.
"Please don't be emotional. For now, he has no issues," Lu Yan interjected unexpectedly, then added, "Besides, we can deal with him after this is over. Once Mingming finishes picking up Hong Yu... he'll be useless."
Morian quietly wiped his glasses without speaking. After the other two had voiced their opinions, he silently put on his glasses, a smile curling his lips. "Don't worry, I'll leave a 'mark' on him."
Upon entering the internal town, the little boss followed the boatman's directions to the slave market. He haughtily addressed the administrator: "I need four strong and healthy slaves, preferably controlled and with prior experience, standing over 1.9 meters tall. Ruthlessness is a bonus; personality is not important."
These were the types of slaves that the slave market often had trouble selling. The administrator's lingering irritation immediately turned into the joy of selling off this batch of "trash," and he attended to every detail, short of personally serving them tea. Perhaps it was because the little boss's performance was so normal that it fooled everyone. Lu Mingming's mental power was constantly observing, and surprisingly, no one was sneakily following them, attempting to rob them. Even upon their return to the temporary residence, no one was trailing them.
With no further incidents, those searching for the mermaid treasure gathered in the hall to discuss matters.
The little boss said, "Tomorrow, we will divide into Team A and Team B. Team A will be us, and Team B will be the fishermen with the slaves."
"What's the use of that?" The bald man, always straightforward, voiced the question on everyone's mind. He felt that the little boss was acting strangely, keeping everything to himself and not consulting them at all.
"You know that the mermaid treasure will inevitably attract mermaids. Before that, it's best we use a special method to draw their attention," the little boss said, grabbing the chin of one of the strong men, his expression cold. "The scent of blood on these people can attract mermaids. They'll serve as cannon fodder."
Upon hearing this, the slaves bared their teeth and tried to dodge the little boss's grasp, but they were firmly held by him and couldn't move. They seemed more formidable than expected.
Lu Mingming observed intently, feigning realization, "No wonder you specifically asked for ferocious individuals."
"I didn't expect you to have any conscience," she raised an eyebrow.
"Naturally," the little boss accepted the praise without hesitation, meticulously wiping his hand, which had touched the slaves' faces, with a silk scarf.
"I specially spent my own money to book a medium-sized fishing boat. It can seat six people."
Six seats...? Lu Mingming recalled everything that had happened during the day. She remembered that including the boatmen, there were only five people.
"Tomorrow, we officially enter the Phantom Sea. Everyone should get a good rest tonight," Morian instructed the others in a detached manner. He then turned to Lu Mingming, instantly transforming into a gentle and refined demeanor. "You can choose to stay by my side, as my fire-attribute mental power can have a certain restraining effect on seawater."
Orlanal raised an eyebrow, expressionless: "Absurd. I can directly freeze them all and restrain their movements."
Listening to their discussion, the little boss chuckled and swayed his jade-bone fan, remaining silent. These people, after all, were too young and impetuous. Fortunately, he had planned all his escape routes. He hoped these people wouldn't die in the Phantom Sea because of his issues...
A glint flashed in the little boss's eyes. The mermaid treasure. Such a legendary thing... how could it possibly be real?