IWBL: Chapter 77

The hull shift wasn’t as small as before. It tilted close to 90 degrees. If this was in reality, the ship would directly overturn. However, the ghost ship had the blessing of supernatural power and maintained the angle of inclination in the wind and waves, allowing the seawater to enter the rooms.

This included the captain’s rooms where the reincarnators were located. Seawater poured in through the cracks and swept in the blood swamp outside.

Luo Shan was unsteady and fell straight into the knee-deep water. Standing beside her, Wei Lige subconsciously reached out to help her. The result was that the hull’s swaying didn’t stop and the two people fell in the water together. He opened his mouth to ask Luo Shan if there was anything and as a result, salty and wet water poured straight into his mouth. It was mixed with a smell that made Wei Lige throw up.

Outside, the blood and flesh watered by the sea became more excited. Thousands of tentacles hit the door frame and the loud sound covered up the wind and waves. Xiao Li wasn’t in the sea. He was holding onto the steering wheel tightly and hadn’t been thrown out. His situation was still good.

Qi Xiaoxiao was more miserable. She had been facing the water and directly hit when the water poured him, falling to the corner. Xie Zeqing had been standing by Xiao Li’s side. Once the hull tilted, the young man jumped into the woman’s seat and nothing happened to him.

The face on the steering wheel saw that Xiao Li couldn’t come over and burst out laughing. “What is the taste of seawater? Scream with panic. I like to see you little bugs running away in panic!”

Along with the face’s words, the hull flipped nearly 180 degrees towards the other side. The face was very powerful and roared amidst the wind and waves. “The sea is my territory. I dominate the ocean and sing the storms. I control life and death!”

This should’ve been a spectacular scene. If it was a movie screen, it would be accompanied by a magnificent BGM. However, due to the previous alcohol, the face’s nose was still red, so that the picture seemed a bit funny.

Xiao Li held on and looked at the face. The face peered into Xiao Li’s eyes and didn’t see the panic that he expected. “Why isn’t this little bug afraid?”

Xiao Li took advantage of this speech to free a hand to fix the hair that was wet from seawater. “You asked us to ride on a pirate ship for free. Why should I be afraid?”

Taking advantage of the time when the face didn’t answer, Xiao Li smiled and looked at the height of the steering wheel against his chest. “I am taller than you. You won’t let the sea drown yourself.”

“Shut up, I’m two metres tall!” The face growled out.

Xiao Li looked down at him. “Then aren’t I five metres tall?”

The face was red. He regretted that he didn’t make a stand when constructing the steering wheel. He pretended to smile and said, “Enough, don’t look down on me. What can be explained by appearance? Captain Stern’s height is beyond the reach of lowly beings like you!”

Xiao Li said, “Your spirit carved into the steering wheel for entertainment is also beyond my expectations.”

Xie Zeqing stood on the seat and looked down at them from above. He felt the itch to say he was the tallest one now but was afraid the fire of the two men would be directed to himself. He had to give up and silently watch Xiao Li.

In fact, once he came into the room, the face appeared and this scene was quite terrible. Xie Zeqing planned to sense the other side’s emotions and release his ghost at the key time. He just never thought that Xiao Li could talk to the boss ghost like this and even bully him. No one would dare do this game at all!

Under Xie Zeqing’s gaze, the face was stimulated by Xiao Li’s words. Captain Stern’s face was angry at first but then he thought of something and closed his eyes. The ship stopped shaking immediately and regained its calm. The face slowed down his tone. “Don’t try to provoke me with words, stupid human.”

Xiao Li also changed his tone. “Wood, you were once human.”

The face spoke proudly, “That was just once. Now I have separated from that small level of life and enjoy eternity with the sea. In addition, don’t call me wood.”

“What does that mean, eternal steering wheel?”

“……”

“Or would you prefer to be called swollen, red face?”

“…………”

“I prefer the former,” Xiao Li said and turned to Captain Stern’s face. “Then please allow me to ask you a few questions. Eternal steering wheel, are you the master of this ghost ship?”

The face wanted to ignore him but also wanted to show off. Thus, he selectively ignored Xiao Li’s name for him and raised his chin high. “Of course I am.”

“Is this card yours as well?” Xiao Li took the little joker card out of his pocket and shook it around the steering wheel.

“Oh, you might be small but you have good luck. Apart from the big joker in my hand, the biggest one is this little joker.” The face spoke dismissively.

“What is this?” Xiao Li asked.

This face was full of the desire to talk. Perhaps the steering wheel restricted him from coming out to talk to others. It was only when the ghost ship hijacked the cruise ship and someone came to the captain’s room that the captain could talk. Therefore, he couldn’t wait to talk to Xiao Li.

“Treasure.” The face on the steering wheel declared. “It is a pirate’s treasure.”

“So… your crew locked it in the safe and you stole it?”

“Watch your language, little human. It isn’t ‘stealing’, it is taking my own things.” The face spoke to Xiao Li. “I was a soldier at the time and received orders from Her Majesty to set out to sea to find treasures. W sailed eastward following a treasure map and met a pirate on a raft along the way. We saved him but he was seriously injured and died after a few days. However, he brought us important news. Pirates had discovered the treasure and were moving to the island where the treasure was buried.”

“He said the treasure contained the secret of immortality and I was moved.”

“We had the most advanced ship of the time so as soon as we got the news, we went there and grabbed the treasure before the pirates. Then the vicious pirates found us and fired at us, boarding the ship. Then we fought each other.”

“My soldiers had excellent physical fitness but couldn’t withstand the ferociousness of the pirates. We couldn’t beat and my deputy advised me to abandon the ship and run away. However, I couldn’t. I could die while fighting but I couldn’t abandon my ship!”

“In the end, I shut myself up with the treasure and opened the treasure chest. To my surprise, there was no gold or silver, no jewellery and no legendary Aladdin’s lamp. There was only a deck of playing cards.”

“I was disappointed. I took out the deck of playing cards and looked through it without seeing anything special. Then as I was dying, a man emerged from the playing cards and asked me for my wish.”

“He didn’t look like a god. He was like a demon and I prayed to him for eternal life.”

“Then you became a steering wheel.” Xiao Li made the concluding remark for the captain. “It is a ridiculous and pathetic story.”

Xie Zeqing nodded.

The face was angry. “However, I did get eternity. I became one with my love and will sail on the sea forever. There is no better fate.”

“If… where will you sail if it isn’t the sea?” Xiao Li suddenly questioned.

“What do you mean?”

Xiao Li didn’t directly answer him and changed the question. “The person who gave us the playing cards, is he your subordinate?”

Captain Stern’s face was still focused on Xiao Li’s previous words. “What did you mean by what you just said?”

“I just spoke casually.” Xiao Li raised the playing card and stuck it to the steering wheel. It easily glued onto the steering wheel’s face because of the water. It looked like the face was wearing a mask but there was no space for the nostrils.

The face growled, “I can’t breathe, take it away!”

Xiao Li didn’t move.

The face understood his meaning. “Wait, I’ll say it—”

Xiao Li removed the playing card and moved it down, attaching it to below the steering wheel, which was the face’s chin.

“He is the spirit of the playing cards. I opened the cards and he fulfilled my wish. I sailed on this sea for 300 years.”

“…Card spirit? Not a demon?” The listening Xie Zeqing suddenly asked.

The face on the steering wheel was puzzled. “Hrmm? You weren’t the one who just spoke. There were other bugs in here?”

Xie Zeqing, “……”

He hadn’t noticed them the whole time?

Xiao Li opened his mouth. “Don’t interrupt and answer his questions.”

The face on the steering wheel wanted to taunt Xie Zeqing a bit more but he saw Xiao Li put his finger on the edge of the playing card and obediently replied, “He is a spirit tied to the playing card by the devil for me to order around.”

“Is that what he told you?”

“Yes, he has been doing the same thing for the last 100 years.” The face on the steering wheel muttered, “…What’s the problem? Why are you looking at me with such sympathy?”

Xiao Li wanted to say something but stopped.

The face spoke again. “Why did you change your expression? Why are you now hesitating?”

Xiao Li replied, “I’m thinking of how to speak without striking your fragile heart.”

The face sneered. “Come on, hit me. I want to see what you can say.”

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The author has something to say:

Face: Don’t pity me. Come, you mere human, kneel down for a blow!

Xie Zeqing: I have never seen such a face seeking death…