The sea erupted into towering waves in an instant, its waters turning into an unfathomable ink-black hue in the blink of an eye.
Boom-
Another bolt of lightning struck.
In the blinding white light, His phantom loomed high above, gazing down upon all living beings.
Then came the deluge, an overwhelming surge of seawater carrying earth shattering force.
Under the Sea God’s will, hundred-foot waves rose from the ocean, blotting out the sky.
At their crests, spray was shredded by gales into razor-sharp blades of water.
Beneath this fury, human figures appeared minuscule mere grains of sand in the vast ocean, ready to be swallowed by this terrifying natural force at any moment.
This was divine power!
Su Fu was stunned.
You call this an exam?
A mighty Sea God throwing a tantrum at examinees?
As the sky-obscuring wave came crashing toward her, Su Fu instinctively summoned her Golden Cudgel.
But the moment she swung it, space seemed to fold-the distant seawater suddenly surged forward, filling her mouth and nose with briny liquid.
In her final fading moments of consciousness, only one thought remained:
Poseidon you absolute moron!
Ambushing us?
How shameless!
Was… was the world shaking?
Su Fu’s eyes snapped open to reveal a classically styled cabin.
Bronze wall lamps cast dim, swaying light as wooden furnishings trembled slightly.
She pushed herself up, the soft mattress dipping beneath her.
Everything bore antique aesthetic-engraved brass handles, yellowed nautical charts on the walls, even the pocket watch on the nightstand was an old mechanical timepiece.
A small window revealed heavy storm clouds outside, with distant churning waves barely visible through the gloom.
The sea?
Movement?
So she was on a ship?
She’d survived!
“Then all that before…”
The sky-darkening waves, howling winds, lightning and thunder-all just an illusion?
Poseidon’s warning shot?
Su Fu: “…..”
You absolute moron!
She cursed the god again.
Just then, the mechanical voice of Shen Yan AI sounded:
[Mission Objective Generated]
[Cross this sea within 72 hours and reach Dawn City]
Dawn City?
Su Fu frowned.
What place was that?
She moved to the window-the clouds seemed to press lower, threatening to burst at any moment.
The restless sea remained that ominous ink-black.
No doubt about it, these were deep waters.
And judging by the look of things, a storm could hit anytime.
Turning back, she examined the cabin.
The nautical charts bore unfamiliar place names.
Tsk… where had Shen Yan dumped her?
If this was a historical scenario, this ship must be significant.
And why set sail just before a storm…
She needed to explore for clues.
At minimum, she had to learn about Dawn City-what and where it was.
Just then, footsteps passed by outside.
“……heard? Another fishing boat disappeared near the Arctic Ocean.”
“My insider said their last transmission mentioned… seeing something huge in the water.”
“Nonsense! Storm hallucinations! Fake news!”
After the voices faded away, Su Fu opened the door and saw two men turning the corner at the end of the hallway before disappearing.Â
They must be passengers on the ship.
The corridor was quite spacious, lined with warm yellow wall lamps on both sides.
The thick wool carpet muffled footsteps.
After a brief hesitation, Su Fu quietly followed them.
As she rounded the corner, the space suddenly opened up before her.
A magnificent hall stretched out, bustling with waiters weaving through the crowd.
Small groups of passengers huddled together, speaking in hushed tones.
Adjusting her expression to appear nonchalant, Su Fu blended into the crowd.
Fragments of conversations reached her ears.
“Lady Seymore, have you seen today’s newspaper?”
“They say a strange church has appeared in London, claiming to harness divine power.”
“Heretics, without a doubt!”
A middle-aged woman nearby cut in sharply.
“They’re nothing but frauds!”
“But,” the man hesitated, “my cousin swears he saw it with his own eyes-a man who called himself a ‘Chosen One’ bent a steel bar barehanded.”
“He should be arrested!” the woman retorted vehemently.
Su Fu sensed something was off.
From the way these people spoke, it seemed they weren’t even certain about the existence of gods?
Wait, what era had she even been brought to?
Just then, she looked up and spotted a familiar figure.
A young man stood by the liquor cabinet, dressed in a well-tailored tailcoat, chatting animatedly with a bespectacled middle aged man.
Su Fu: “???”
Hold on, Lin Mingxi, you’re adapting to your role this quickly?
And when did you even change clothes?
At that moment, Lin Mingxi’s gaze swept across the hall again.
He had expected another fruitless search, but the next second, his eyes lit up the moment he spotted Su Fu.
Finally!
He had been waiting for this!
He gave her a quick wink, and Su Fu, catching the signal, walked straight toward him.
“Ah, this is the cousin I mentioned earlier!” Lin Mingxi introduced her to the man beside him.
“Dear Claire, come meet Mr. Evans.”
Su Fu nearly choked at the name.
Claire?
This kid sure came up with that smoothly.
But she quickly grasped Lin Mingxi’s intention and smiled.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Evans.”
Mr. Evans appeared to be in his early forties, well-groomed, clearly a man of privilege.
“Ah, the lovely Miss Claire,” Mr. Evans greeted with a gentlemanly bow.
“By the way, are you two also heading to the City of Dawn?”
They nodded, and Lin Mingxi probed, “I hear it’s quite lively there.”
Mr. Evans immediately took the bait.
“Indeed, the matter has caused quite a stir recently.”
“Originally, it was just a sanctuary for worshippers to pray, but rumors say a miracle occurred there.”
“Witnesses claim to have seen a massive light in the sky, shaped exactly like the deities depicted in ancient Greek murals…”
“Mr. Evans, do you think it’s real?” Lin Mingxi feigned curiosity.
“Absolutely,” Mr. Evans affirmed.
“A friend of mine saw it with his own eyes. That’s why I embarked on this journey.”
His eyes gleamed with unmistakable anticipation.
“Perhaps this could be the beginning of a world-changing event.”
Su Fu suddenly asked, “Mr. Evans, do you happen to know why this ship had to set sail in such weather?”
“Because in three days, it’s the annual ‘Divine Grace Festival’ of Dawn City!”
Evans lowered his voice.
“They say this year’s festival is different from previous ones. The temple claims they’ve received a ‘divine revelation’ stating that the gods are about to return…”
“A divine revelation?” Lin Mingxi pressed, “What exactly does it say?”
“That I don’t know much about.”
Evans shook his head regretfully.
“But I’ve heard many self-proclaimed ‘God’s Chosen’ have recently appeared in Dawn City. They claim to wield divine power and say this is the beginning of the Awakening…”
“Awakening?” Su Fu interjected again.
“Yes!” Evans continued, “They say this is a turning point in human history. Starting from 3050, the world will undergo tremendous changes. The gods will return to the mortal world and bestow power upon devout believers.”
Su Fu’s heart skipped a beat.
3050-wasn’t that the first year of the Divine Awakening Period?
Human history divided the era since the gods’ arrival into four phases.
The Prelude (3000-3050): Unexplained divine phenomena appeared worldwide, ancient temples and sacred sites reactivated, and some humans displayed supernatural abilities.
Then came the Awakening Period (3050-3170): Minor deities manifested, usually confined to specific regions, and the first God’s Chosen emerged, causing a sensation.
This was followed by the large-scale Descent Tide (3170-3770) and the current Stable Period, where gods became deeply integrated with human society.
So, this assessment scenario was set during the Awakening Period?
That was a time of great turmoil.
After all, when faced with the unknown, people often react in the most extreme ways.
Those who claimed to witness divine miracles were either dismissed as madmen’s ravings or denounced as cultists spreading lies.
Yet there was always a small group who pursued the truth behind these events with near-fanatic determination.
And the people on this ship clearly belonged to the latter category.
They might be wealthy opportunists, fervent believers, or simply adventurers driven by curiosity.
But whatever their motives, they had chosen to board this ill-fated voyage during this dangerous time, heading for the city rumored to harbor divine miracles.
In a way, these people were true pioneers, weren’t they?
Gaining early access to divine beings at the dawn of the Awakening would provide unimaginable advantages.
Just then, a familiar figure hurried toward Su Fu.
It was Jiang Qingyu.
Her expression was urgent as she quickly approached Su Fu and whispered in her ear, “Something’s happened.”
“A candidate is dead.”
“And… the manner of death is bizarre.”
Su Fu’s heart pounded violently.
A death?
Had a candidate already been killed so soon?
Suppressing her shock, she turned to Evans, “I’m terribly sorry, but there’s an urgent matter I must attend to.”
“Leaving already?” Evans looked genuinely disappointed.
Lin Mingxi offered an apologetic smile, “Perhaps we can continue our conversation later.”
The three quickly left the hall.
Watching their retreating figures disappear, Evans turned to the bartender and said, “Another brandy, please.”
Warm light fell across his face, the lenses of his gold-rimmed glasses reflecting a faint glimmer.
The crime scene was in the cabin next to Jiang Qingyu’s.
As soon as the three entered, they detected a faint, lingering metallic scent in the air.
Jiang Qingyu explained, “I was startled awake by noises coming from next door.”
“The sound was strange… like nails scraping against glass, or some creature shrieking really sharp.”
“How long did it last?” Su Fu crouched down, examining carefully.
“Less than a second,” Jiang Qingyu recalled.
“Then it went completely silent. I thought something was off, so I came to check… and found the body.”
The victim lay face down, his skin a sickly bluish-black, as if he had been soaked in seawater for a long time.
But the most unsettling part was the perfectly symmetrical circular indentation on his back—just looking at it sent chills down one’s spine.
“This wound…” Lin Mingxi’s voice tightened.
“It looks like something sucked it out.”
Su Fu frowned.
Something wasn’t right.
This kind of injury didn’t seem like it was caused by an ordinary weapon.
Whatever could snatch away a life in an instant without leaving a trace… perhaps only those eerie creatures could do it.
So, something like that was actually on this ship?
Just then, footsteps echoed in the hallway.
“I sense the presence of death…”
A cold female voice spoke outside the door.
The next second, the cabin door swung open.
Su Fu looked up and smirked.
Well, well.
Old acquaintances ZongZheng Ye, Elai, and Su Luan.
Three against three.
Their gazes locked instantly.
The atmosphere froze.
A standoff?
No.
Su Fu pulled out her golden staff.
ZongZheng Ye’s pupils constricted sharply at the sight.
“Wait!” he suddenly called out.
“Su Fu, there’s no need for us to fight right now, is there?”
Su Fu arched an eyebrow.
ZongZheng Ye quickly explained, “At this stage, our objectives don’t conflict.”
As he spoke, his eyes flicked briefly to Su Fu’s staff before casually looking away.
“How about a temporary truce?”
Su Fu remained silent, simply staring at him.
ZongZheng Ye immediately felt the pressure skyrocket.
Gritting his teeth, he pressed on, “Seriously, I mean it. Think about it—if you really fight us, this cruise ship won’t hold up.”
“If we all end up stranded in the middle of the ocean, how are we supposed to reach the City of Dawn?”
The ship was the only anchor point they had.
No one dared claim they could find their way to the City of Dawn in the vast, open sea.
No one wanted to sabotage their own chances by making things harder.
Elai didn’t speak, but his hand was already gripping his gun.
The message was clear-if they fought, it would be mutual destruction.
Su Fu found this amusing.
ZongZheng Ye’s patron deity was Poseidon.
In the boundless ocean, he should have been in his element.
Compared to that, her own choice seemed obvious.
Su Fu raised a brow.
“Fine. Then just answer one question honestly.”
A sudden sense of foreboding rose in ZongZheng Ye’s chest.
Before he could react, Su Fu smiled sweetly and activated her divine skill-
“Judge’s Decree!”
A ghostly blue light cascaded down, instantly initiating a game of truth.
“I’m curious,” Su Fu said leisurely.
“The presiding deity this time… is your patron god, Poseidon, right?”
She blinked, “So, how do you feel about Him?”
ZongZheng Ye’s face visibly darkened.
This was a direct attack on him!
What kind of ridiculous question was this?
Su Fu was clearly setting him up!
Who doesn’t know Poseidon is hot-tempered and vindictive?
If the god hears any negative comments, you’d be thrown into the sea to feed the fish!
But with the Judge’s decree in place, he had no choice but to speak the truth.
He could feel something stirring in his throat, as if it was about to burst out on its own.
Oh no, he couldn’t hold it back any longer!
“My Lord…” Zongzheng Ye ground his teeth, forcing out each word, “is… magnificent! No further words needed!”
Magnificent?
Of course magnificent!
How could a god not be magnificent?!
But why no further words needed?
Because one more word would give the game away!!!
ZongZheng Ye’s face was as dark as a burnt pot, his teeth nearly grinding to dust.
“Su Fu! You’re utterly shameless!”
Su Fu, however, looked completely innocent: “Why that expression? I’m just helping you express reverence for the chief god.”
ZongZheng Ye’s answer was clearly biased.
When genuinely praising someone, there would be specific descriptions and details.
But if there were none, just vague, general terms like the “magnificent” he’d forced out-it meant there was truly nothing to praise.
It also showed Poseidon’s notorious temper was common knowledge.
Tsk tsk, Su Fu thought, Zongzheng Ye choosing such a chief god was bold indeed.
But on second thought, his choice of Poseidon wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
Aside from the temper, Poseidon was Zeus’s elder brother—a status that carried immense weight.
Moreover, he was the undisputed supreme deity of the sea, controlling the oceans, storms, and earthquakes.
His power was undeniable.
So what if his temper was bad?
In the face of absolute strength, such a minor flaw meant nothing.
Su Fu rubbed her chin.
It seemed her knowledge of the Greek pantheon was accurate; her understanding of Poseidon was correct.
Zongzheng Ye’s face remained pitch-black.
“Are we done here?”
His gaze shifted to the corpse, quickly taking in the details.
Nearby, Elai’s frown deepened.
“That depression… it’s not torn or crushed. It’s as if something… sucked it away.”
“This means there’s something unnatural at work.”
A heavy silence fell over the group.
Losing a candidate right at the start was undeniably a bad omen.
And a warning from Poseidon, Su Fu mused.
The dungeon’s name wasn’t just for show- “The Ants’ Covetousness.”
The environment was extremely unfavorable for the candidates.
In the vast ocean, the cruise ship was their only anchor.
They had to reach the City of Dawn, whose location was unknown, with no idea how long the voyage would take or whether storms would arise.
And the ship was far too fragile.
Even worse, the threats weren’t just external.
Something seemed to be lurking inside the ship as well-they might already be marked by some unseen danger.
Tsk.
Internal and external threats alike-Poseidon had cranked the difficulty to the max.
Just then, Zongzheng Ye took a step back.
“We won’t disturb you further. Let’s go.”
He and Elai turned and left without hesitation.
But Su Luan remained where she stood.