"These are all warriors from Great Xia, truly formidable characters," Ze remarked with a sigh, though there was no hint of nervousness in his tone.
Ivan chuckled, "Looks like we've got some work to do. There are quite a few of them, maybe seven or eight, not easy to deal with."
"Can you handle it, Ivan? Your arms dealing business is doing well, but have you forgotten how to kill people?" Ze said.
"And you think you're any better?" Ivan sneered, "Ze, don't think I don't know you've been indulging in every pleasure in Han City, drained by women."
"Nonsense, I'm far more capable than you," Ze scoffed.
The two bantered, easing the tension before the impending battle.
Su Yingxia couldn't help but feel anxious. She glanced at Chen Fan's back, for the first time wishing he was immensely powerful. With her current physical condition, if she were to be immersed in the water again, she would die at sea before dawn without rescue. And with enemies surrounding them, if Chen Fan couldn't hold them off, she doubted he would still risk everything to save her. Saving her by letting her onto the dinghy was one thing; it was entirely another to keep her afloat in the water. Considering the animosity between her and Chen Fan, him taking her onto the dinghy was already a immense favor.
"What that brother just said was right. Chen Tianjiao is alone. We can sneak over and seize the dinghy!"
"Everyone, you all know what it feels like to be soaked in icy seawater for a night or even longer, right?"
"Moreover, if the Brotherhood doesn't send reinforcements, we'll be floating here indefinitely, unable to reach the shore!"
"Kill him! In the water, even a Martial Grandmaster's strength is greatly diminished. Why should we fear him?"
"Everyone, if we take the dinghy, we can survive. Otherwise, we'll likely perish in the sea."
"The cargo ship was destroyed, Chen Tianjiao did it. If it weren't for him, how would we have ended up like this?"
"..."
Some people shouted. Ze sneered and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger, opening fire. However, it was difficult to aim accurately in the dim light. The gunshots interrupted their shouts and curses, and they all dove into the water.
"Dark Night, can you handle it?" Ivan asked.
Chen Fan, holding his gun, took off his jacket and stared at the sea. Su Yingxia grew more worried, her gaze on Chen Fan becoming increasingly anxious. She wanted to say something but stopped herself. Any further words to Chen Fan would feel awkward.
Feng Qianluan couldn't help but ask, "Chen Tianjiao, what do we do? Do you need my help?"
"No need!" Chen Fan replied, then said to Ivan and Ze, "When I go out, I'll keep a distance. Anyone who surfaces, kill them on sight." With that, he leaped into the seawater and submerged.
He wasn't actually worried about the martial artists trying to steal the dinghy; he was concerned they might try to damage it. The dinghy was hollow, and if it leaked air, it would no longer be able to carry people. It was a malicious act, but in this situation, with hearts filled with resentment, it was natural for some to have such thoughts and act on them.
Submerging, Chen Fan activated his senses to the maximum and immediately felt the water currents. Someone was swimming over, approaching the dinghy. He didn't move, guarding the water beneath the dinghy's position. Soon, someone swam over and met Chen Fan. In the dim light, faces were indistinguishable, only blurry dark shapes. Chen Fan swam over. The person was alert and immediately retreated. But Chen Fan was much faster, closing in in an instant.
The underwater at night was still unclear, but the person, sensing danger, turned and threw a punch. The fist generated a surge of water, indicating decent strength. However, underwater, due to the immense resistance of the sea, external qi projection was useless, and internal energy was insufficient to generate significant power against the water's resistance. Chen Fan swam forward, transforming like a fish, reaching out his left hand to grab the person's collar. The person immediately struggled and grabbed Chen Fan's hand in return. But Chen Fan's right hand, holding the Ten-Handed Cloud Sword, had already sliced through the water, piercing the person's body. Blood was completely invisible in the cold sea. After piercing the person, Chen Fan kicked him away and swam back towards the dinghy.
Two figures swam over, one after the other, stealthily approaching the edge of the dinghy. Chen Fan swam over. The two glanced at him. It was hard to see clearly underwater, and they assumed Chen Fan had the same intentions as them, so they didn't react. Chen Fan then moved close to one of them and thrust his sword. The person finally realized the danger and immediately dodged backward. But Chen Fan's sword was faster, piercing his neck. A trace of blood appeared in the water. The other person reacted and realized Chen Fan was underwater to intercept them. He immediately jabbed a finger towards the dinghy. Just as Chen Fan had predicted, he intended to damage the dinghy, making everyone miserable. Chen Fan rapidly closed in. Just as his hand was about to reach the dinghy, a paddle from above fiercely struck down, hitting the man's hand. Caught off guard, the man immediately recoiled, clearly in pain. Chen Fan quickly swam over and, like a fish, pierced his body with his sword. After withdrawing the sword, the person rapidly sank. However, it wasn't over. Chen Fan, sword in hand, swam to the left side of the dinghy. Another person rapidly swam over. Seeing Chen Fan, this person reacted and swam to engage him. But soon, he too sank. Subsequently, Chen Fan dealt with two more enemies attempting to approach. After waiting for a moment and confirming no one else was getting closer, Chen Fan poked his head out of the water. He signaled to Ivan and Ze, and they clambered onto the dinghy.
"Dark Night, how many?" Ivan asked.
"Only five," Chen Fan said.
"It seems your fearsome reputation is still effective. Otherwise, more than just these few would be targeting us."
"Let's continue," Chen Fan said nonchalantly, turning off his flashlight. Ze and Ivan also turned off their lights, plunging them into darkness. The three of them, being figures of influence in the underworld, naturally knew how to adapt. By turning off the lights, they wouldn't attract a large number of submerged martial artists, allowing for a more controlled situation. Of course, doing so meant they couldn't see far ahead, and they might only realize an encounter when they were face-to-face.
Su Yingxia breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Chen Fan, sitting not far in front of her, and opened her mouth, wanting to ask if he was injured, but the words stopped at her lips. Feng Qianluan, without much hesitation, said, "Chen Tianjiao, are you looking for Wu Zhao and Lu Bicheng?"
"Yes," Chen Fan replied, "Have you seen them?"
"No," Feng Qianluan said, "But I know approximately where Ye Yunchen is." She pointed, saying, "It's roughly in this direction." Chen Fan gestured to Ze, and the dinghy changed course. After paddling for about three minutes, Chen Fan suddenly rose, staring at the water ahead. Ivan and Ze stopped paddling.
"Who, who is in front?" a voice called out. Chen Fan recognized the voice; it could only be Ye Yunchen.