Chapter 1 Suren's Guess

Suren had originally thought that the mysterious stall owner selling maps was backed by a big pirate crew, or perhaps was an "apprentice" with access to a top navigator.

Now he was certain that this guy named "Tani" was himself one of the best navigators in Pirate City, and a rather famous one at that.

But not for a good reason, but for infamy.

Other pirates had cool and imposing nicknames, but this guy's nickname was "The Unlucky Wretch Cursed by the Sea."

He was known as a "human-shaped cursed object," and it was said that having him on board would surely lead to a storm.

This unlucky halo had also made Tani suffer discrimination in Pirate City, which was the reason he had been bullied earlier.

Suren looked at the desolate figure leaving, a strong interest appearing in his eyes, and followed him.

Now that he was sure that the third [Black Sam's Cursed Gold Coin] was in Tani's hands, he naturally wouldn't let it go.

However, he didn't plan to approach him directly.

Since the gold coin hadn't been taken from Tani for so long and the rumors were so "weird," there must be some special reason.

This was a world of the extraordinary, and there were some inexplicable curses, and no one could say what was really going on.

Suren planned to figure out the situation first.

Intuition told him that this guy probably had some other secrets.

...

"Very vigilant..."

Suren strolled leisurely down the street, in his soul perception, the target was moving quickly.

After following him for two streets, Tani remained very vigilant, showing that he was native to Pirate City. He was familiar with every dark alley, climbing and jumping between various eaves and attics like a monkey. If Suren didn't have soul perception, he would have been discovered.

The two of them chased, and soon arrived at the upper area.

This was a high-end consumption area, filled with various high-end pleasure venues and gambling dens, frequented by big pirates with bounties on their heads.

Suren stopped, watching Tani in the alley, as if waiting for someone.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before a pirate with a cockscomb hairstyle walked out of a gambling den.

Suren recognized him as a small captain from the North Sea Fleet.

"Hey, Tani, did you bring the money?"

"I brought it. Captain Ferschel, what about my stuff?"

"..."

With Black Raven Shared Vision, Suren could see clearly that the two of them were furtively conducting some kind of transaction.

Tani handed over a bag full of cash to the man, and received a small package in return.

It looked like a potion?

Suren was also curious about what the guy was risking his money for.

It definitely wasn't a hallucinogen; that much money was enough to enjoy the best hallucinogens to death.

The two seemed to be very familiar with each other and quickly completed the transaction.

"You'd better restrain yourself lately. I know you're short of money, but the higher-ups have already spoken. They don't allow such accurate sea charts to appear in the city."

"I've tried to draw them as roughly as possible... If they're any worse, it might kill the people who follow these charts to adventure. Sorry, I can't draw the kind of sea charts on the market..."

"Anyway, I've given you a warning, don't blame me if you get into trouble. I have a document here, it seems to be written in some kind of ancient language I've never seen before. The group's archaeologists can't decipher it. Help me with it. If it's valuable, I'll share some with you."

"Okay. Captain Ferschel, if you need a guide or navigator for a voyage, you can introduce me. I'll go anywhere."

"Forget it. Last time I introduced you to the 'Rhino Crew,' they almost got wiped out in a storm. The news has spread throughout the city now. You can forget about anyone daring to recruit you for the time being..."

"Actually, I can handle even stormy weather. It's just that they didn't believe me and weren't willing to give up their treasures, that's why they sank..."

"..."

The two had a brief exchange, then parted ways.

Suren watched Tani's distressed look and followed him again.

This time, Tani went all the way down, directly to a stalagmite island near the stockade.

That was a residential area.

Even in Pirate City, there were slums.

Those with money could live in the stockade, and those without money could only live in these stalagmite shantytowns.

If he hadn't followed him, Suren wouldn't have known that Pirate City had such a harsh living environment.

The shantytown was full of sewage, damp, smelly, and full of mosquitoes.

Suren watched Tani enter a dilapidated shack, and a faint candlelight lit up inside.

The living environment didn't look like someone who had just earned hundreds of thousands.

Suren frowned slightly and sensed it, thinking, "There's someone else in the house?"

Besides Tani, there was indeed another soul fluctuation, but it was very weak, like being on the verge of life and death.

Suren wanted to find out what was happening, so he didn't make any noise and went over.

But at this moment, perhaps triggering a small trap, a cloaked teenager came out of the darkness, holding up a strange mechanical device on his arm, his face full of vigilance, and said, "Who are you? Why are you following me!"

Suren raised an eyebrow when he realized he had been discovered.

It was not surprising to be discovered here in the shantytown, which was someone else's territory.

Because he had changed his attire, Tani didn't recognize him.

Suren didn't care about the mechanical device; that gun-like weapon couldn't hurt him, so he said directly, "I heard you have a [Black Sam's Cursed Gold Coin]."

"You're here for the gold coin?"

Tani seemed a little disgusted at being followed, and his tone was somewhat indifferent, but he didn't deny it: "I do have a gold coin. But I'm sorry, you should have heard that the coin will bring bad luck. I won't sell it to you."

Before, whether people came to steal or buy this gold coin, they didn't have good results. He didn't want to harm others again, but he didn't expect that someone would come for this.

Hearing this, Suren glanced at him and said, "Yes, I heard. But can I take a look first? I can pay some money for it."

No matter what the curse was, he had the All-Seeing Eye and could identify it.

He also realized that Tani's teeth were different from humans, like serrated fangs.

Aberration?

Or a hybrid?

Tani looked at the stack of cash that Suren threw over, and the vigilance in his eyes dissipated a little. At least he didn't directly rob him like those bandits in the past, this person was much more polite.

He seemed to be very short of money. After getting the money, he hesitated for a moment, then took out a pendant from his neck, removed the gold coin, and kindly reminded him again, "You can look at it. But I suggest you don't pay attention to it, it really will bring you bad luck."

"Mm."

Suren looked at the gold coin, and a stream of light flashed in his left eye.

Getting this third gold coin was a little too easy.

This gold coin was no different from the two in his hand, hiding some incomplete hidden information.

But when identifying it, there was an additional "curse" hint: "A gold coin carrying a father's best wishes for his child; non-specific bloodline bearers will have bad luck when they get this gold coin, and it will also backfire on anyone who harbors malice towards the bloodline bearer."

...

It was seeing this identified information that made Suren's inner thoughts immediately become extremely interesting.

This gold coin did have a curse, and a strong one!

But...

The words "father to child" were particularly eye-catching.

This was a special gold coin made by Pirate King Sam...

Then why wasn't Tani affected by the curse?

Huh...

Wasn't Tani related to Pirate King Sam by blood?

On second thought, Suren suddenly felt that this matter wasn't as simple as a treasure map.

However, the person with his face covered with a cloak seemed to be only ten years old, and the age didn't match up...

Tani looked at Suren's abnormal expression, thinking he was being affected by the curse, and asked, "Sir, are you alright?"

"..."

Suren didn't know what to say for a moment.

He had originally wanted to collect three gold coins and then see what secrets there were. If he could really find Black Sam's shipwreck address, he would look for it when he had the opportunity in the future.

But now that the situation had taken a dramatic turn, it seemed that he had directly found the descendant of the Pirate King?

Suren was shocked in his heart, but his expression was without exception, and he asked, "How did this gold coin come from?"

Hearing this, Tani frowned, hesitated for a moment before saying, "I don't know. It's been with me since I was conscious."

"Oh."

Suren flashed countless thoughts in his mind.

Now he was really in a dilemma.

Buy the gold coin?

It was obviously cursed, how could he just take it away.

Moreover, this Tani obviously had a big secret.

This made him even more unable to restrain his curiosity.

Suren didn't mention the gold coin again, but tentatively asked, "I'm proficient in some medical techniques, and my fleet also has the world's top biological doctors. I smell the smell of disease. Of course, I don't mean anything else, I mean... if you need it, I can help you see the patient inside."

"You..."

Tani's vigilance, which had just dissipated, immediately reappeared on his face when he heard this.

He instinctively wanted to reject this "stranger" with an unknown origin.

But it was like seeking medical treatment in desperation, hesitated for a moment, and then asked very cautiously, "Sir, do you understand medical skills?"

"Mm."

Gu Xuan Suren nodded, not even telling a lie.

He himself was proficient in conventional medical skills, at least it was no problem to deal with the vast majority of diseases.

The soul fluctuation in the house was so weak, there must be something wrong.

Tani finally looked over with hopeful eyes and asked, "Then... can you please help my mother?"

Mother?

Suren nodded and said, "I have to see the patient first."

Tani's face was a little embarrassed, but thinking that his family had nothing of value, it seemed that there was nothing to be coveted, and he finally invited Suren in, "Then please come into the house."

...

Suren walked into the shed, and there was a strong sea breeze in the house.

The house was very small, about ten square meters in size. Besides a bed, there was a study table, and densely packed books piled up like mountains.

There was a dim oil lamp on the study table, illuminating a corner. Various drafting tools were placed on the table, rulers, compasses, magnifying glasses... and a spread out yellowed parchment, on which was drawn a semi-finished sea chart.

Seeing this, Suren knew that those sea charts came from Tani's hands.

There was a person lying on the bed, with a hanging bottle next to her, and the blue liquid in the bottle was identified as [Marine Essence].

This was a pure water energy material, and the price was very expensive, 80,000 to 100,000 Leso per milliliter on the market.

Suren also understood what Tani and that Captain Ferschel were trading before.

However, what surprised him even more was the shape and state of the person on the bed.

Yes, it was the shape!

This was not a normal human being!

The name displayed by the appraisal was [Naga Petrifying].

Her skin was almost ashen white like rock, with only a little skin on her face that was still flesh-colored, the only remaining bit of living aura.

Suren looked at the body structure that was slightly different from that of humans and immediately understood that Tani was really a Siren hybrid!

He had seen it in myths, the Naga tribe was said to be a branch of the ancient Elven race, and the blood of gods flowed in their bodies, controlling the ocean and storms.

...

The house was very small, and Tani next to him was full of anxiety, afraid that his mother's appearance would scare outsiders, and asked, "Does my mother's appearance scare you? Sorry, sir, I didn't mean to hide it. I'm really not a purebred human."

Suren didn't mind: "No, not at all. I'm deeply sorry for your and your mother's misfortune."

Human and alien races mixed blood was not uncommon, but usually these descendants would be discriminated against.

Tani had obviously had enough of discrimination and exclusion. But he didn't care about his situation, his eyes were full of hope, and he quickly asked, "Then... sir, can you solve my mother's problem?"

Suren looked at him with a frown. He couldn't deal with this kind of petrification, but thinking that Dr. Banks might have a solution, he didn't say it directly, but asked, "Can you tell me how this happened? If I can understand the source, maybe I can better..."

If his guess was correct, this person in front of him was very likely to be the wife of the Pirate King!

Perhaps even Tani himself didn't know his identity.

Tani hesitated for a moment before saying, "Have... have you heard of the 'Gorgon Clan'?"

Suren had naturally heard of it.

The "Gorgon Clan" was also a demigod race in mythology, a kind of snake-haired banshee.

The most famous one was called "Medusa."

Hearing this, Suren immediately understood what was going on.

...

Perhaps because Suren had shown enough kindness and sincerity, Tani also told him about some of his situation.

The two chatted in this dilapidated shed.

"So, the reason you know about the Cyclops is because the Naga tribe lives in that sea area?"

"Mm. That sea area not only has Cyclops, but also dragons, Gorgons, mermaids... and there are many large islands to the west, inhabited by some powerful and ancient races. Our Naga tribe was invaded by the Gorgon banshee tribe, and the tribesmen fled at sea. We also encountered bad weather, and the fleet was scattered by the storm. Then my mother and I were taken by the wind and currents to this sea area, and were rescued by a kind fisherman... But not long after, my mother's petrification symptoms spread, and we settled in Hastrin until now."

"Have you seen dragons with your own eyes?"

"I have. But that was when I was very young..."

"..."

Suren heard some eye-opening information from Tani's mouth.

It turned out that there were really some ancient mythological races left over in that dangerous and unknown sea area to the west.

However, Tani didn't seem to know who his father was.

If Suren didn't have the All-Seeing Eye, he might also be confused, but now, he could roughly guess the process of events.

Most likely, Pirate King Sam met a beautiful Naga girl during his voyage, and then had Tani.

After all, there were not many adventurers who could go to that unknown sea area.

Moreover, the story about the [Holy Grail of Fal] was also told by Tani's mother as a bedtime story in his childhood.

As for the gold coin, Tani couldn't say where it came from, but it was probably left by Sam himself.

Although that was thirty years ago. But the Naga race had a much longer lifespan than humans, and their faces did not easily age, and their hearts were much purer.

In other words, Tani was only twelve or thirteen years old in human years.

Suren could imagine how difficult it was for a teenager to be discriminated against while trying to earn money to save his mother's life.

...

"I can't solve your mother's petrification problem, but I can ask my friend on the ship to come and see you later. He has deep research in the field of biological mutation, and should be able to think of a way."

"Thank you."

Suren couldn't solve the petrification problem, and thought of asking Dr. Banks to come and take a look later.

He looked at the dazzling array of nautical classics in the room, and found that many of them were handwritten copies, not only nautical science, but also archaeology, history, ancient languages... many categories of classics. An excellent adventurer must be knowledgeable.

Suren asked, "Were these books left to you by your mother?"

Tani said directly, "Mm. Some are. Some were collected by me later."

He met Suren's gaze, and said a little embarrassedly, "The valuable books have been sold. Most of these were copied by me."

Suren also saw that he had copied so many books, no wonder the handwriting was better looking than the printed ones. He asked again, "Were those nautical charts drawn by yourself before?"

"Mm."

Tani nodded in response and said, "Because the adults in the city prohibit the sale of precise nautical charts, the ones sold before were simplified versions. If Mr. Suren needs more detailed nautical charts, I can also draw them for you."

"I see..."

Suren felt that Tani's talent was amazing.

It was only now that he knew that the nautical charts he thought were of good quality were actually just abridged versions.

Just the drawing level of this nautical chart was definitely a top navigator and cartographer.

Suren felt that it would be even better if he could recruit him.

And now that he had obtained the three gold coins, he also needed a powerful navigator to go to the Pirate King's shipwreck coordinates.

Since Sam left a gold coin to his son, there was likely some other reason.

Suren not only wanted nautical charts now, but wouldn't it be better to have a cartographer?

After pondering for a moment, he solemnly asked, "If possible, I plan to invite you to join our fleet and be my ship's navigator. What do you think?"

"Really?! You want to invite me to be a navigator?"

Sam was overjoyed and even a little unbelievable.

Nautical adventure was his lifelong dream.

But because of his own reasons, fewer and fewer fleets dared to invite him, and this dream was getting farther and farther away.

"Mm."

Suren nodded to confirm and said, "And before your mother is cured, you can also bring her on board to sail together. My ship will have stipends issued, which is completely enough for all expenses."

The petrified Naga on the bed needed [Marine Essence] to sustain her life, which would cost about hundreds of thousands of Leso a month. Suren felt that this was completely worth it compared to recruiting a top navigator.

Since he wanted to recruit, he had to consider everything for the crew members.

"This..."

Hearing this, Tani didn't know how to express his current excitement.

With his mother being able to come along, he had no worries.

But thinking of something, Tani's face showed a trace of embarrassment, and he kindly reminded him, "But... aren't you worried that I will bring storms and cause trouble for your fleet?"

Suren raised the corner of his eyes and asked, "Then do you know why you attract storms when you sail?"

Sam said with a puzzled face: "I don't know either. But when I go to the sea, I can feel that the sea winds and currents seem to like me very much, welcoming me..."

His ability was to foresee the arrival of storms, but he would definitely encounter storms.

This was the reason why people called him the "unlucky egg".

Suren smiled and said, "You don't have to worry. Perhaps... that's your unique talent."

He vaguely guessed that Tani's situation might be related to the Naga bloodline and the fact that he was Sam's son.

The Naga tribe was the darling of the ocean and storms, how could he be the "unlucky egg cursed by the sea"?

Moreover, according to what Tani said, even if he encountered storms, he could usually solve them, it was just that others didn't trust him.

But before that, Suren still planned to observe and confirm.

...

Suren originally planned to communicate with Tani more, but as he was chatting, his communicator rang with an urgent message from Qiandiao: "Suren, come to the 'War God Arena'. I saw 'Kai'."

Suren's expression tightened when he heard this.

"Kai" was one of the members of the Mirror organization, and had awakened the second stage [Red Devil].

Before, Mr. Mirror had received a help message, saying that Kai had encountered a strong enemy. Then he lost contact.

He didn't expect to really fall into the hands of this group of pirates in the North Sea.