Chapter 3: Setting Sail for Fishing

The girl had jet-black hair, as lustrous and smooth as silk, cascading naturally over her shoulders and down her chest. Her features were so exquisitely carved, she seemed a masterpiece crafted by the world’s greatest artist. Her eyes, large and dark, were both profound and clear, shimmering with intelligence. Her skin was as fair and delicate as the white of a freshly boiled egg.

She fluttered her bright, limpid eyes, giving me a once-over from head to toe. Then, the corners of her lips gently curved upward in a faint, graceful smile. “Jiang Yuan, hello, a pleasure to meet you,” she said softly.

Only then did I realize my own gaze had been fixed on her, unblinking, and that I had unwittingly lost myself in her beauty.

After speaking, she extended her hand toward me with poise. I glanced down; her hand was as white and delicate as her face, slender fingers long and elegant... I couldn’t help but think, so this is what the legendary jade-like hands must look like.

The arrival of this breathtakingly beautiful girl shattered all the expectations I’d had before coming here. As I reached out to shake her hand, I stammered, a bit flustered, “You... you... hello... and you are?”

“Hey! Jiang, what’s going on? What’s this all about?” Wang Yueban, who had been watching my bewildered state with a mischievous grin, interjected.

He strode over and grabbed my arm, pulling me down to sit beside him. “Jiang, have a seat, just sit down first.” As he spoke, he poured me a brimming glass of beer.

“Heh heh, before we dig into hotpot and beer, let me do the introductions!” Wang Yueban gestured toward the young woman. “This stunning beauty is Miss Xueya, Senior Vice President of the Hive Group, all the way from America!”

The word “Hive” startled me. Hive Group, headquartered in New York, has branches across the globe. Officially, they design, produce, and sell all kinds of outdoor gear. In reality, however, their main business is deep-sea salvage and wilderness exploration.

To put it bluntly, deep-sea salvage and exploration are just euphemisms for grave-robbing and tomb-raiding.

The Hive Group’s background and power are as unfathomable as the Bermuda Triangle itself.

Before I could say a word, Wang Yueban pointed at me and introduced, “Miss Xueya, this is your sought-after master tomb-raider, Jiang Yuan!”

“Jiang Yuan, I’ve heard so much about you, and it is truly an honor to meet you today!” said Xueya. Without waiting for a response, she raised her glass and downed the entire beer in one smooth motion.

Seeing this, Wang Yueban looked like he’d just been injected with adrenaline. He slapped his thigh and shot up from his chair. “Wow, Miss Xueya, not only are you beautiful, but you can really drink, too! Jiang, we can’t lose face today, not with such a straightforward lady at the table. What do you say, bottoms up?”

I shot Wang Yueban a glare and commanded, “Yueban, sit down.”

He saw my serious expression, his wide grin vanishing as he sat back down.

Xueya raised a delicate brow and looked at me with gentle concern. “Jiang, are you dissatisfied with the food or drink today?”

I smiled faintly and shook my head. “I’ve sampled Maotai from Zunyi, Wuliangye from Yibin, and Xinghuacun from Fenyang... I’ve drunk countless famous and obscure liquors, but there’s only one kind I’ve never touched.”

A glimmer of surprise flickered in Xueya’s clear eyes, as if she couldn’t quite follow my meaning.

“If there’s anything lacking in my arrangements today, please, enlighten me,” she said thoughtfully.

I decided not to waste time and spoke directly: “Today’s drink is muddled wine. I never drink muddled wine.”

Upon hearing this, Xueya’s expression grew grave. After a moment’s hesitation, as if making an immensely difficult decision deep within her heart, she said through clenched teeth, “I think I understand what you mean, Jiang.”

She then brought her two pale, slender hands together and clapped softly in the air.

As the sound faded, a burly man in a black suit, built like a wild ox, appeared at the door and strode in.

Instinctively alert, I sized him up quickly from head to toe. He carried no visible weapons and walked in with utmost respect, holding a dossier in both hands which he presented to me.

Wang Yueban, sitting beside me, reacted with lightning speed, snatching the dossier from the man’s hands.

He pulled out the contents, his eyes round as saucers, and exclaimed, half to himself, “What the... what on earth is this thing?”

He handed the document over to me.

Inside was a sheet of xuan paper, upon which was drawn a ship. Judging from its design and scale, it was unmistakably a great treasure ship from the Ming Dynasty.

“Jiang, this ship... do you recognize it?” Xueya asked, her eyes fixed on me with anticipation as I studied the drawing.

“It’s a unique design, grand in scale. If I’m not mistaken, this should be a Ming-era treasure ship,” I replied without hesitation.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “Your reputation is well deserved, Jiang. That’s correct! The ship in the drawing is indeed from the Ming Dynasty.”

Before she finished, Wang Yueban slapped his forehead with a loud smack, as if he’d had a sudden epiphany. “Ah, I get it! Miss Xueya, you want my brother and me to go out fishing with you, right?”

“Yueban, quit your nonsense!” I shot him a glare.

When Wang Yueban fell sheepishly silent, Xueya smiled gently and said, “Nothing can escape your discerning eyes, Jiang. I trust you already understand my intentions.”