An turned around and smiled:

“Crack Tide—this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for apprentices like us who’ve just stepped onto the path of transcendence.”

“Once the news is confirmed, even those old geezers guarding their family estates back in the Goldenfinch Kingdom will come running out here to our rural backwater, just to fight for a bite to eat.”

“If we can survive the tide, maybe we’ll get a glimpse of what the pinnacle of transcendence really looks like.”

After speaking, An looked at Chen Qi with hopeful eyes.

For an ordinary person to become a high-tier Transcendent, the most basic requirement was a high-tier Transcendent Profession Card.

And high-tier Transcendent Profession Cards only appeared within high-tier cracks.

As a student of the Royal University Medical Academy, she knew better than anyone how much those old geezers in the royal capital valued high-tier cracks.

Even after giving it her all, she still didn’t even qualify to enter a high-tier crack.

But Crack Tides—though they brought disaster—would also bring brand-new cracks.

Of course, these unknown new cracks would also be far more dangerous than the ones already under control.

These disasters were also opportunities.

Chen Qi looked out at the distant sea.

An wasn’t wrong, but she hadn’t told the whole story.

It wasn’t just people from the inland Goldenfinch Kingdom who would come to the Witch Sea to stir up trouble and snatch opportunities.

According to game data, the Crack Tide in the Witch Sea would be more violent than any in recorded history.

Besides Goldenfinch, people from the neighboring Moonstone Archipelago, the White Tower Federation, and even the far-off Black Blood Empire would all be coming to stake a claim in the Witch Sea.

As they spoke, a captain wearing a captain’s hat stepped off the merchant ship’s ladder, removed his hat, and greeted them, interrupting the conversation.

He had business to discuss with the rookie mentor and Mayor of Damarro.

And as a key figure in Damarro Town, An had matters to handle.

“I’ve got some things to take care of first.”

An took a few steps forward, then suddenly remembered something and gulped:

“Oh right, Qi, you’re a chef now, right? I’ve got something nice for you later.”

“?”

Something nice? Chen Qi crossed his arms and tilted his head, confused.

Something else again?

He had to admit, just as the player rankings said, An was quite a responsible rookie mentor.

After An and the Mayor of Damarro left,

Little Damarro finally let out a long breath beside him.

“Phew!”

He patted Chen Qi’s shoulder and said:

“Wow, bro, you’re actually a chef? I’ve barely seen any Transcendent chefs before. I heard your cooking’s so good it makes people’s clothes explode—hook me up with a meal sometime!”

Chen Qi looked at Little Damarro speechlessly.

Then, Little Damarro glanced around and lowered his voice:

“So, they’re gone.

Bro, let’s go find that money-stealing guy who caught Sea Beast Disease, and pass the info to that Deep Sea Hunter with the mechanical arm—make some serious cash!”

“I remember that guy was loaded!”

Still thinking about your money, huh? Chen Qi’s eyes sharpened.

According to what Little Damarro said, someone had snuck into Damarro Town and even tried to kidnap him.

In the shadows of Marrow Island, someone wanted to make a move on him?

He carefully scanned the people coming and going on the dock.

He didn’t see anyone with a mechanical arm among them.

Chen Qi asked Little Damarro again:

“You’re sure that person jumped into the sea? And based on your gut, did he have any partners?”

“Yeah, I think he’s already come ashore. Doesn’t look like he had any partners. He wore a cloak and came alone—probably one of those company enforcers they send to deal with debts!”

Hearing this, Little Damarro suddenly realized something and also looked around cautiously.

“Enemy’s in the dark, we’re in the light...”

Chen Qi thought to himself—if they really were coming to kidnap him, they wouldn’t strike here and now.

They’d choose somewhere dim and away from people.

“At home?”

Chen Qi came to a preliminary conclusion.

While they were talking, the moon had already peeked out, and the light at the dock grew dimmer.

“That person got info from Little Damarro…”

Blindly asking around for info meant they weren’t cautious and didn’t know his situation well.

They were clearly in a rush—and might’ve asked other people too.

Chen Qi looked around again, made sure he hadn’t strayed far from the crowd, then started walking forward.

Old Bailey had been sitting at the dock all day. If anyone with a mechanical arm had passed by, he might’ve seen something.

Chen Qi crouched down, pulled out 400 Bei coins, and handed them over:

“Old Bailey.”

At the sight of money, the sleepy Old Bailey immediately perked up:

“What is it?”

“I want to rent your boat for a few more days. I’ll pay in full next time I come back.

Also, have you seen anyone around here asking about other people?”

Old Bailey took the money and thought for a moment:

“Actually, yeah. Some guy from Moonstone City came by. Said there was some d**n thief from our town who stole from their company, and he came to collect.

Even warned us not to harbor a criminal, or he’d break our legs too.”

So there really was someone… Chen Qi asked in a lower voice:

“Do you know where he went?”

“No idea. He was wandering around just a bit ago. I think someone answered his questions, and then he suddenly disappeared.”

Answered him!

Did that guy already learn about me from someone else? Chen Qi’s heart clenched.

“You really gonna pay in full?”

Old Bailey asked, still doubting that Chen Qi had that kind of money—unless he was doing something shady.

“Of course.”

Chen Qi stood up and looked around again.

Right now, the priority wasn’t money—it was finding the person hiding in the shadows.

No one on the dock…

That guy disappeared suddenly—maybe hid in the water?

A good hiding spot… Chen Qi turned his gaze to his little houseboat.

The small houseboat rocked gently on the sea.

A sense of danger washed over him.

Could that guy have seen him when he got off the boat?

Did he know he’d return there?

Then…

Could he already be inside, waiting until nightfall, planning to crawl into his bed and surprise him?

Chen Qi’s heart pounded as he let out a long breath.

In the fading light of day, he took out his Collector from his backpack, hid it under his clothes, and took one step after another toward the little houseboat.

If Little Damarro’s intel was right,

The other guy was only a Tier 1 Transcendent, but had a mechanical arm.

In the New Sun World, there were three powerful types of gear: mechanical armor, Fleshcraft Augmentation, and blood-tech armor.

Mechanical armor was common, as the name implied.

Fleshcraft Augmentation meant stripping the consciousness from living monsters, keeping only basic combat functions, and turning them into gear—extremely dangerous equipment.

Blood-tech armor was a hybrid—combining monsters with machines.

Even if it was just a mechanical arm, it was still decent early on.

One punch from that arm could kill a pig!

Chen Qi recalled that in his predecessor’s memory, the mechanical arm on that Tier 1 Transcendent wasn’t some brand-name gear.

Tap. Tap. Tap—

Unknowingly, Chen Qi had reached his little houseboat.

He was just lifting his left foot to jump aboard when—

“Qi!”

A female voice called from behind.

Calling me now of all times…

Cold sweat beaded down Chen Qi’s back. He backed away a few steps, made sure there was no danger, then turned and asked quietly:

“What is it, Miss An?”

It was none other than An.

She was carrying two bags and walked over happily.

One bag had ingredients—potatoes and beef. The other held a brand-new set of cooking utensils.

She walked up, blinked her blue eyes, and handed both bags to Chen Qi:

“You probably need to do your daily task today, right?

I happened to run into a chef on the merchant ship, and grabbed a few ingredients for you to use.”

“Huh?”

Chen Qi was stunned.

Though the ingredients and utensils weren’t expensive, her gesture gave him a strange feeling—

Like he was mooching…

He deeply understood now why she was called “Mama An” on the rookie mentor rankings.

“Alright, thanks, Miss An.”

Chen Qi took the food and tools, then turned back and carefully walked toward the houseboat.

Just as he turned, An looked at his back, a smirk forming on her lips—

Plan complete!

On the surface, she was helping by giving him food. But that was just the first layer.

In truth, all the ingredients she gave Chen Qi were her favorites!

“Food in Damarro Town is just awful…”

An patted her growling belly.

Her dad’s cooking was completely off her taste—and he was obsessed with fish, which she hated.

Chen Qi becoming a Transcendent chef meant he probably had some real skills!

Back in the capital, her friends had treated her to food made by Transcendent chefs—truly divine cuisine.

Even if Chen Qi was just starting out, An figured his cooking would still beat anyone else’s in this town.

Her real goal?

Use work as an excuse… to score meals!

If he was good, she’d have gourmet meals every day!

That was her second-layer plan.

She touched the corner of her mouth—she couldn’t help but drool just a bit.

Chen Qi jumped onto the houseboat and peeked through the door crack.

Though it was dark, he could faintly see a figure hiding under the bed.

And he smelled sweat that definitely wasn’t his.

Knew it!

Images flashed through Chen Qi’s mind.

He was almost certain—the person under his bed was “Iron Hand,” the one who tricked him into the Black Rabbit Gang, took all his wages, and worked with human traffickers!

Iron Hand was a greedy, reckless brute. He once dragged a pair of fleeing siblings into the sea with that mechanical arm and drowned them. That’s how he got the terrifying nicknames “Water Ghost” and “Iron Hand.”

A monster to many young folks.

But now? In terms of strength, Iron Hand might not even be his match.

Wait!

Chen Qi suddenly realized something.

Why did An call out to him just now?

Was it really just to help him or mooch food?

No!

An had extraordinary observational skills. She might’ve already noticed someone sneaked aboard.

She called him—to warn him!

Chen Qi came to a third realization and turned back to look at An.

What terrifying perception…

“Ah!”

Why did he look back? Did he figure it out? Did he see through my plan to mooch meals?!

An blushed, turned her head shyly, then looked back up with an eager expression.

She could already imagine how amazing his cooking would smell.

That look...

Is she telling me to handle it myself? Chen Qi shook his head and gave her a look in return.

No matter what—he had to take care of the person who trespassed onto his boat.