CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 53: REPORTED AGAIN

Piku dutifully escorted Chun to the stern, and they only realized how badly the ship had been blasted once they exited the cabin. Was this really just an act?

There was no need to search for a rope to tie himself up; there was already a lifebuoy attached to a rope here. Chun slipped the ring on and jumped overboard.

As soon as he hit the water, the radar detected a shadow speeding towards him from behind!

Chun was well-prepared, and as the shadow approached within a few meters, the Four Sea Souls activated!

The Bubble Barrier of the Tuna, the Shift Barrier of the Sea Emperor, and the Electric Shock Barrier of the giant electric ray simultaneously unfolded.

This battle relied on the Electric Shock Barrier to take the lead!

The shadow didn’t have time to change direction and plunged straight in, and the Electric Shock Barrier burst out with a series of sparks like an electric net frying fish, abruptly slowing the shadow’s speed!

Using the Spiritual Movement of the Giant Shark Sea Soul and the Shift of the Giant Crab, Chun dodged its impact and then discovered an apparatus strapped to the back of the Demon Dolphin, surrounded by four sharp knives!

Holy Shit, is this really a dolphin special operations unit?

Taking advantage of its paralysis, Chun immediately threw out the "Sea Race Personal Guard" skill—System Prompt: Target too powerful, unable to tame!

Unreliable?!

Aileen shouted, "Let me do it!"

A beam of black, hair-thin energy shot out from Chun’s ring and hit the Demon Dolphin’s head, causing it to pause again, as a string of damage "-3" and "Fear Resistance" and "Frenzy Resistance" labels densely popped up!

Chun was a bit befuddled: "Is this the Special Skill 2 of the Necromancer Ring? Doesn’t seem like much?"

"I don’t believe it!"

Aileen got angry, exerting force as if suppressing something, and the "hairs" thickened, with damage changing from -3 to -5!

Finally, after dozens of quick successive resistances, there was a breakthrough—"Fear Successful!"

At the same time:

—System Prompt: Congratulations! Your Sea Race Personal Guard skill successfully temporarily tamed a Demon Dolphin.

Chun was overjoyed: "It worked!"

The enemy with a red name in front also turned into "Yellow with a touch of green," the first time Chun had seen such a state between "Neutral Yellow Name" and "Friendly Green Name!"

Aileen also seemed to realize something: "In the end, it’s related to my state. If I don’t get angry, the resentment probably doesn’t have any power!"

In any case, now it can be controlled, and with the radar’s positioning, quickly command it to head to the enemy ship’s keel ahead!

Chun immediately noticed the rumbling sounds of water explosions moving away toward the front and exploding over there at the enemy ship’s location.

Holy Shit! This Demon Dolphin really has positioning functions, which enhances the cannon’s hit rate and saves a ton of ammo!

Soon, the Sea Otter approached closer and closer, and amidst the chaos, there were intense fluctuations on the enemy ship in front, and then a bunch of things were dropped and disappeared from the radar—System Prompt: Enemy ship activated "Risk Avoidance" skill to escape the battlefield!

Holy Shit!? Does this count as a victory?

The next moment, the enemy ship at the rear also stopped shelling, turned around, and sped away from the battlefield. If it wanted to flee, the Sea Otter would have to turn around to chase it, which was unlikely to catch up.

Chun heard the deafening cheers from the deck!

It felt like a very easy win. For pirates, stopping losses in time is the norm. They won’t easily fight to the death—being able to use "Risk Avoidance" probably wasn’t just an act? But it didn’t matter; he wouldn’t risk the Four Sea Souls on someone else’s ship anyway.

Just then, Chun heard the piercing scream of the Demon Dolphin!

—System Prompt: Your taming skill is about to expire, and the Demon Dolphin is about to lose control.

—System Prompt: Your outstanding wisdom seems to understand that the Demon Dolphin is calling for help!

Eh? After understanding whale language and bat language, now I understand dolphin language! This clearly indicates the enemy ship is retreating, forcibly trying to withdraw the Demon Dolphin, but because it’s under control, they can’t, hence this painful scene?

Dolphins are high-intelligence special forces capable of serving. Such an impressive Sea Race creature can’t fall into enemy hands; it must be rescued! It’s probably related to the apparatus on its back.

While it’s still controllable, the dolphin began moving towards Chun, who also threw off the lifebuoy and rushed in its direction!

First avoiding the knives on its back, then pulling and hammering at the device on its back, but this was not something that could be quickly solved barehanded!

Seeing the Demon Dolphin’s name starting to turn from yellow to red, Chun was in a panic!

Aileen anxiously suggested: "Just have it crash into the ship and knock itself out!"

Alright, you’re ruthless!

The Demon Dolphin let out a piercing shriek and charged towards the keel—Boom!!

Piku’s voice came from the deck: "Captain?"

Chun urgently yelled: "Throw the net! Quickly!"

"Net hands ready—"

A splash was heard as the fully red-named Demon Dolphin fell into the net in time, Chun breathed a sigh of relief: "Pull me up!"

A lifebuoy with a rope was thrown down, and Chun climbed up to the deck, with the entire crew cheering once more: "Captain! Captain!!"

—System Prompt: Congratulations! You have successfully commanded a high-level intense battle and gained team recognition, your Commanding Power +3. Your level has risen to level 15...

—System Prompt: Battle Over! You persevered bravely in a state of exhaustion and achieved victory in water combat, deriving battle victory experience, your Swimming Technique advanced to Expert level 1, gaining extra achievement: Life +2, Spirit +2.

—System Prompt: Congratulations! Your effective command has rallied the entire team’s morale, elevating your Advanced Module Combination skill to Expert level 1! Achievement reward: Physical Strength +2, Carrying Capacity +2, Life +2, Commanding Power +2, extra Spirit +2. Received the "Newcomer’s Three-Day Big Discount Blessing" achievement reward: Wisdom +1!

—System Prompt: Congratulations! From summarizing combat experience and expert-level module combination derivations, your outstanding wisdom has comprehended Expert Sailing Technique level 1, gaining achievement rewards: Autonomous Driving, Physical Strength +2, Carrying Capacity +2, extra Spirit +2. Received the "Newcomer’s Three-Day Big Discount Blessing" achievement reward: Wisdom +1!

Autonomous Driving: It can pre-set the route and automatically hang up to steer the ship according to the navigation convention rules.

...

Holy Shit, finally an expert! Expert-level Sailing Technique allows autopilot, it’s the second botting skill after fishing!

But now is not the time to celebrate wildly, Chun immediately commanded the fishing net: "Quickly haul the dolphin aboard, don’t hurt it!"

Piku said: "Captain, this is the opponent’s magical pet, exerting all effort to control its struggle, wouldn’t it be better to take this chance to kill it? It could deliver a severe blow to the opponent’s spirit!"

So, killing magical pets can attack the mastermind! No wonder Aileen’s bat could take revenge successfully; seems like this business isn’t safe—just, are you sure the opponent isn’t your colleague?

"Let’s not trouble the animals, pull it on board."

Piku could only say: "Such a strong demon dolphin indeed isn’t just an ordinary treasure hunting magical pet; it’s probably forcibly tamed using the instrument on its back, likely involving another hidden profession – beast tamer. We have someone who can handle this instrument."

Tata War God’s hidden profession beast tamer?

Chun hurriedly asked: "What’s the difference between a beast tamer and your profession?"

Piku shook his head with a smile: "Not particularly familiar. But as you saw, some creatures too strong to become magical pets can first be tamed by beast tamers, though stability isn’t great, so it’s better suited for street juggling."

So another branch in the industry chain?

Just as the net handlers dragged the demon dolphin on board, under the light, the dolphin exchanged a glance with Chun! Then it spewed blood and fainted.

——System notification: You have captured the opponent’s magical pet, and the opponent severed contact with the magical pet.

——System announcement: Wanted! Treasure Hunter reported Plague Exile Chun for spreading the plague.

——System notification: Warning! Your act of spreading the plague was publicly reported, your reputation -30,000.

...

Holy Shit!! Was I seen by the opponent captain through the magical pet’s shared vision? Losing the battle then reporting, how does this differ from hoodlums calling the police?

Chun was also very helpless: "Actually, being reported and having low reputation is a good thing, I don’t mind."

Piku wondered: "Captain, what do you mean by that?"

Uh? Being reported means you’re up to silly things! Low reputation can hide your strength on the leaderboard, avoiding being targeted by consortium bosses! How will the NPC understand this?

Chun explained: "The more reports, perhaps Black Pearl on the sea sees me as more like an excellent pirate, appreciates me more?"

Piku laughed: "Just based on the captain’s performance in this battle, it’s no problem. Also, the captain has already mastered expert-level, I have nothing more to teach the captain—"

At this point, Piku looked worried: "Captain, you see, our warship is pretty damaged, it must go to the dock for repairs."

Chun was stunned: "Meaning, you’re leaving? Doesn’t that really spread the plague?"

Piku shook his head: "It won’t be a problem. We have a hidden island in the Sea of a Thousand Islands, just a bit far. Captain, do you want to take a look?"

Chun could only shake his head: "I’m an exile, must obey the law. I’ll disembark as soon as the dolphin is healed."

After speaking, he returned the hat.

Piku refused to accept: "No, you’re already our captain; we’ll return after repairing the ship."

Uh? I feel like this captain...is he specifically used as a scapegoat legal representative?

The following time was spent on emergency repairs while salvaging the loot floating on the sea. Besides various foods, medicines, wood, and parts, there were even floating cannonballs and boxes of mineral crystals!

Okay, learned something new; as long as it has loot attributes, even if it’s a lump of iron, it will float.

Finally, the instrument nailed to the dolphin was removed, the wound medicated and bandaged to stop the bleeding.

Piku said: "Now it can be released back into the wild."

Chun also sighed: "Go back to the sea and don’t get caught again!"

The dolphin chirped once and leaped into the water.

——System notification: Your outstanding wisdom understood the dolphin’s expression of gratitude to you, and the dolphin’s favorability towards you increased.

Heh, heh, with the example of the Old Whale, all that’s needed is an increase in affection! What beast tamer treasure hunting magical pet, low-level! The most noble friendship is respecting its will, what repayment—must be! Just waiting for repayment now.

Then Chun boarded a small boat, and the entire crew of the Sea Otter cheered as they sailed away...

Orient dawn, the morning glow emerges.

Chun watched the disappearing sail on the distant horizon, truly feeling a sense of solitary sail’s vanishing shadow’s melancholy—so, are they really performing for me? Or is this not meant to succeed in one go and they plan to perform the full set?

Chun found Fafnir’s small boat that was floating near the island when he boarded earlier, and dragged it back to the dock.

The island’s lights had gone out, leaving only the dead silence punctuated by cawing crows.

Chun exclaimed: "Aileen, is the sun rising, and the evil spirits aren’t here?"

"They likely went to the World of the Dead. But I haven’t been, I was in the belly of a fish monster when I died."

Holy shit, holy shit, my project progress!

Chun walked along the street, still a scene of decay, without any signs of last night’s reconstruction or cleanup; even the steel diving suit at the blacksmith’s was gone.

Chun speculated: "This World of the Dead overlaps with the real world at night, hence the spectacle last night?"

"Maybe so."

Just at this moment, the clone alt got a message—the system notification: You completed the mining mission of resurrecting servants, you can head to the teleportation array to revive them.