Sules’s eyes brightened as she immediately closed them to feel within herself.
Sure enough, her original Level 1 Captain Talent had upgraded to Level 2.
However, the change wasn’t very significant—her control over seawater expanded from one cubic meter to two cubic meters.
She couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy.
Could the future upgrades be nothing more than steadily increasing the volume of seawater she could control? If that were the case, it would be far too dull.
As for this upgrade, it was probably triggered because she had consecutively used the Captain Talent twice, and in different forms at that.
This gave Sules some ideas—maybe she should practice using her Captain Talent more often to accumulate proficiency.
In any case, though it was risky, the benefits of this upgrade were undeniable.
Not only did she obtain that unknown treasure, but her Captain Talent had also leveled up.
Two cubic meters might not seem like much, but it was enough to completely envelop her, making things much more convenient for Sules.
The journey from then on went smoothly without any incidents.
By evening, to celebrate Sules’s safe escape, Captain James invited the other captains to the main ship for a feast.
Upon boarding the main ship, Sules immediately felt a sense of respect.
The crew there had followed James for many years, and many were bound crew members who generally had little respect for hired captains, as their own status on the ship was far above that of hired captains.
But Sules’s skillful handling of the shark encounter this morning had successfully proven her piloting abilities, naturally earning her respect.
As always, strength is the ultimate factor at sea.
Those with real strength receive respect wherever they go.
James clearly admired Sules’s driving skills and even raised a glass to her: “Come, Captain Su, your performance today really impressed us! This one’s to you!”
Sules cheerfully lifted her glass and drank it down in one gulp, leaving not a drop behind.
Such straightforwardness was highly appreciated at sea, where any pretense was frowned upon, and it immediately warmed everyone’s spirits as they chatted and laughed together.
After a few rounds, seeing that Sules showed no sign of drunkenness, James didn’t want to wait any longer and cautiously asked, “Captain Su, do you have any plans moving forward?”
Sules glanced at him and replied, “Not for now. I plan to continue as a hired captain to gain experience and save up some money. Once I have enough, then I’ll become a true captain.”
Because of her earlier conversation with Anthony, Sules was very aware of James’s intentions.
But she couldn’t outright say she had no intention of binding with him, so she answered vaguely.
James nodded.
“That’s a good plan, but Su, you’re still too young and don’t understand how difficult it is to become an official captain. Sometimes I even wish I could just be a hired captain—at least then I wouldn’t have to worry about so many things.”
Hearing that, Sules inwardly scoffed: “If you really wanted to be one, would anyone stop you? Stop talking nonsense here—who but a fool would believe you?”
She smiled faintly, pretending to take his words seriously.
“Captain, you do have a point. I’ll think about it. Anyway, I’m still far from saving enough to buy a ship. No rush.”
James seemed about to say more but then gave up, raising his glass with a smile: “That’s true—no rush, no rush.”
Being older and a captain himself, James left after chatting for a while.
Once he was gone, the atmosphere relaxed significantly, and the four captains started talking.
The most eye-catching topic was obviously Sules’s piloting skills and her escape methods.
Everyone clearly showed great respect for her this time, making her the center of the party.
Anthony twirled his eyes and asked with feigned curiosity, “Captain Su, I’ve always wondered, how did that thresher shark disappear? And how did you escape that water vortex?”
Sules gave him a measured look and repeated the explanation she had given her crew earlier.
Anthony frowned, clearly still a bit skeptical.
But seeing the other two captains laughing and not pressing the matter, he dropped it.
The next day’s voyage went much smoother.
Apart from the never-ending drizzle, no other mishaps occurred.
On the fifth day, the fleet finally halted and summoned all captains back to the main ship.
“Captains, we’ve arrived. According to my map, below us lies our destination—the Level 8 sunken ship,” Captain James announced.
“Level 8?”
The moment he spoke, the two captains unfamiliar with the details were shocked.
They all understood what a Level 8 ship meant and realized this was no ordinary adventure.
James had anticipated their reaction and gestured to calm them before continuing, “After we change into diving suits, we’ll go down together. Any treasures found must be handed over. I won’t be responsible for any dangers encountered. Alright, spread the word to your crews. We’ll dive in thirty minutes.”
After finishing, James left promptly.
The four captains exchanged varying looks, each quietly pondering what would benefit themselves most.
Sules and Anthony shared a brief, subtle glance before looking away.
The youngest captain asked, “What do you think? I thought this would be a simple adventure, but clearly Captain James has something planned.”
The captain next to him countered, “What choice do we have? We’re already here. Though we all know the Level 8 ship ruins are likely very dangerous, would you just give up this chance?”
Sules had no patience for such pointless chatter.
These were just surface issues.
The deeper concerns had long been discussed between her and Anthony.
Back on her ship, Sules immediately gathered everyone on deck to share the news.
Taylor was clearly in the know and showed no surprise, only a slight sinister smirk.
The others were shocked, especially the second mate, Od.
As someone qualified to be second mate, he was more experienced than most and fully understood the gravity of a Level 8 ship ruin.
“Captain, are you serious? We’re really going to the Level 8 ship ruins?” he asked again in disbelief.
Sules nodded.
“You’re responsible for your own safety once down there. Remember, life comes first. Now, go pack your things.”
The Level 8 ship ruins were known to be extremely dangerous—everyone was well aware of this.
Usually, a Level 8 ship was nearly unsinkable unless taken down by an epic sea monster or an enemy.
Ships sunk by such forces often carried dangerous goods, and the ship itself would be laden with traps and defenses, making it exceptionally perilous.
Sules’s own strength was insufficient, but since the ruins were underwater, she could use her Captain Talent to protect herself.
However, with only a two cubic meter protection range, she certainly couldn’t rescue others.
Thinking it over, she took advantage of the moment when everyone had left and approached Cardi.
“Cardi, this trip is very dangerous. James definitely intends to use a good portion of us as cannon fodder. You’re just a rookie chef; my personal advice is not to go down there.”
Her words were sincere.
After all, Cardi had once tried to help her, so she was willing to offer a well-meaning warning.
If Sules weren’t a captain and didn’t have to participate in this adventure, she might have chosen not to go either.
The power gap was just too great, and going down could be a death sentence.
Cardi shook his head firmly.
“No, I’m going down.”
Sules had only wanted to warn him; she wasn’t responsible for his fate afterward.
She nodded indifferently and turned to leave.
She had done what she could and wasn’t about to waste any more time.
“I have to start adventuring sooner or later, don’t I?”
Cardi called after her.
Sules stopped but didn’t turn around. Calmly, she said, “You don’t need to pick a hellish difficulty for your first adventure.”
Cardi’s tone was light and smiling—like a carefree young fool.
“But isn’t it interesting? I don’t know if I’ll ever get a chance like this again. It’d be a shame to miss it.”
Sules shrugged.
“Suit yourself.”
With that, she walked away.
Soon everyone changed into their gear and gathered back on the main ship.
This time, it wasn’t just the captains—108 crew members from five ships were present.
James stood above and ordered, “Everyone, don’t fall behind. We enter together and move as a group. Under no circumstances split up, understood?”
At this moment, the youngest captain suddenly asked, “Captain! Do you know much about this ruin? What dangers are inside?”
James glanced at him and replied, “All I know is that this ship was sunk by a high-level formation master. The details are unclear to me, but one thing’s certain: it’s very dangerous. So don’t split up and follow all orders.”
After much chatter, the group finally descended into the sea.
Over a hundred people, each with a fishing lamp above their head, brightly illuminating the deep ocean.
Captain James led the way, holding a fish-skin map in his hand.
Sules followed behind, admiring the underwater world.
This was true deep sea, unlike before.
Coral and small fish surrounded the uneven seabed.
Suddenly, a shark appeared ahead.
Sules immediately tensed and prepared to find a place to hide.
Unexpectedly, the crewman with a crew cut walking beside James suddenly pushed off the sea floor, using the water’s buoyancy to launch himself upward and engage the shark.
Calling it a battle wasn’t quite accurate, as it was a one-sided beating.
The crewman’s martial prowess was astonishing—he pummeled the shark relentlessly, leaving it no chance to fight back.
Sules clicked her tongue in admiration.
No wonder he was a Level 6 captain.
The martial artists around him must be at least Level 5. With this Level 5 martial artist present, she didn’t have to worry about her safety for the time being.
After dealing with the shark, the group pressed on.
Soon, they arrived before a massive sunken ship.