Feng Xiaotian added: "To be honest, our group is interested in exploring. Some time ago, we found an ancient book in a ruins. A few words in the book mentioned that 'you can reach the other shore by crossing the deep blue.'" ”
"So we want to go to the sea and have a look. Maybe there will be unexpected gains."
Yudie took over the words: "That ruins were left by a strong man, and this strong man was also an explorer. We believe that the records in the ancient books should not be false."
Chen Haobai glanced at them, picked up the wine glass on the table, and drank it all in one gulp.
"I appreciate your courage and adventurous spirit, but across the entire sea, you will encounter immeasurable dangers. So many captains in Hanhai City have been curious about what is on the other side of the sea, but those who really dare to enter the deep sea , not many people!”
"Some people say that the end of the sea is nothingness, and some people say that the sea has no end. All the people who have tried to find out have never come back, not one of them!"
The other side of the sea is like a forbidden area, deeply imprinted in every sailor's mind.
"Has no one ever dreamed of conquering the sea?"
Chen Haobai laughed and said: "Don't be ridiculous, the most dangerous thing in the sea is not the soul beast, but the human heart."
As he said that, he stood up and said, "Thank you for your hospitality. I have nothing to repay you. If you need it, I am willing to take you for sightseeing near the coast. As for the deep sea, there is no need to consider it."
After saying that, he turned around and left the banquet hall.
Everyone looked at Ning Tianchen.
Chen Haobai didn't seem to care about money. The fear in his heart of the depths of the sea made him reluctant to go.
"Boss, why don't we go buy a boat as you say?" Chen Huayu suggested.
Ning Tianchen fell into deep thought.
He always felt that Chen Haobai had not finished what he said.
People will not have such fear and resistance to things they have never been exposed to.
Think about it, the other person must have experienced something, or have some secrets in his heart.
Ning Tianchen arranged: "Tomorrow Rongrong and I will pay a visit. Xiaotian, you and everyone will go to the dock to find out about Captain Chen's past. Be sure to go into detail."
"If we can untie the knot in his heart, maybe it will happen."
Soon after, Helsing returned to the ballroom.
Ning Tianchen asked him about Chen Haobai's past, but he didn't know much.
"Sir Elder, I was transferred to Hanhai City ten years ago. I only know about Hao Bai in the past ten years."
Ning Tianchen didn't say much.
It would be better for them to investigate this kind of thing themselves.
As for tomorrow, let Helsing hold the other party away first, and they go to Chen Haobai's house to ask about the other party's family members.
……
The next morning, everything went as planned.
The catch on the Manta Ray was not sold out, and Helsing introduced him to many merchants.
In a short period of time, Chen Haobai couldn't get away.
Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong bought some gifts in the city and came to the gate of Chen Mansion.
There are no servants in the Chen Mansion, and the door of the mansion is always open.
Ning Tianchen stepped forward and knocked on the door, "Is there anyone there?"
An old woman heard the sound and came over. Seeing several people in gorgeous clothes, the old woman asked doubtfully: "Who are you looking for?"
"Is this Captain Chen Haobai's home?" Ning Tianchen asked.
The old woman nodded.
He continued: "It's like this. We need a special batch of catches. We need Captain Chen's boat to go fishing in the ocean. I wonder if he is at home?"
As soon as the old woman heard that business was coming to her door, she quickly led everyone to the back room to entertain them.
There are only four people in the Chen family. In addition to the old woman, there is also a middle-aged woman and two young children.
"The two guests are from the mainland, right? Don't know what kind of catch they want? Hao Bai has returned to Hong Kong from this trip. Maybe there is the goods you need." The middle-aged woman poured a cup of tea for the two of them.
Ning Tianchen picked up the tea cup and said with a smile: "The catch we need is deep in the sea. Calculated by distance, it may be further than the location of Poseidon Island."
After hearing this, the old woman's expression changed slightly, and she quickly pulled the middle-aged woman aside.
The two children were attracted by their words, "Brother, you actually know about Poseidon Island?"
Ning Rongrong bent down, took out two candies from the soul guide, and gave them to the children, "We have only heard of the name Poseidon Island. It is far away from the land and we have never been there."
Another child asked: "I heard from dad that grandpa went to a place further than Poseidon Island. Can you bring grandpa back?"
grandfather?
The child’s grandfather is Chen Haobai’s father.
No wonder Chen Haobai doesn't want to mention the deep sea. It is possible that his father, in order to "conquer" the sea, has not returned since the ship set off.
Ning Tianchen was not sure about the specific situation.
But obviously, the children had already said the key information. The old woman scolded and the middle-aged woman took the children to play elsewhere.
The old woman smiled and said: "The children have never seen their grandfather since they were born. These words were made up by Hao Bai at will to coax them. Don't pay attention to them."
Next, Ning Tianchen made repeated innuendoes, but the old woman never let go.
After understanding that they would not get any useful information during this trip, the two left gifts and left.
After leaving the Chen Mansion, Ning Tianchen sighed: "I hope Xiaotian and the others can gain something."
Just a few words can be combined to deduce the details of what happened.
Ning Tianchen hoped that Feng Xiaotian and the others would not get nothing.
……
At noon, everyone gathered at a restaurant in the city.
Feng Xiaotian was the first to say: "I found out that Chen Haobai's father left the deep sea many years ago and has not returned yet. Counting the days, it must have been more than ten years ago."
Chen Huayu continued: "I paid to bribe the crew on the Manta Ray. I heard that Chen Haobai has a very good relationship with his father."
"There is an unwritten rule in the vast sea that 'father and son cannot be on the same boat', but father and son are almost inseparable."
"The only time father and son were not on the same boat was when his father went to sea and never came back."
This time, he finally bribed the right person, and the news worked.
Ning Tianchen added: "Judging from the news I got, his father should have gone to deeper seas, probably wanting to reach the end of the sea."
Combining multiple pieces of information, they finally figured out Chen Haobai's weakness.
But how to convince the other party and how to persuade the other party are still difficult problems.
Yudie volunteered and said: "Our mother may have gone to another continent. Maybe we have the same experience as Captain Chen"
"Wait a minute." Ning Tianchen suddenly realized something, "Your mother also disappeared more than ten years ago. Although we don't know whether she went to sea from Hanhai City, the timeline may overlap with the disappearance of Chen Haobai's father. ”
Ning Rongrong made a bold guess, "It's very possible that your mother went to sea on Captain Chen's father's boat."
It's just that the timeline is similar, yes or no, they can't tell. "Look for him later." Ning Tianchen pressed his hands, signaling everyone not to be impatient.
Chen Haobai is not a prisoner. Their behavior is like investigating the criminal's motive.
If Chen Haobai didn't know about it in advance, even if he really agreed to them, he might still regret it later.
You must make the other person face up to their weaknesses first before you can enlighten them better.
……
In the afternoon, the catch on the pier is sold out.
The crew of the Manta Ray, who had previously received money from Chen Huayu, informed him of the situation.
Chen Haobai glanced at the other party in surprise and hurried home.
Sure enough, I learned from my family that Ning Tianchen and others had already arrived in the morning and left gifts.
Chen Haobai thought about his father and lost his sight. He sat on the threshold in front of the mansion and stared blankly at the distant skyline.
It was getting late, and he had been sitting here, motionless.
The middle-aged woman put a cotton coat on him and said, "Haobai, it's cold at night, don't catch a cold."
Seeing his state, the middle-aged woman sighed and silently stepped aside.
Not long after, Ning Tianchen and his party came to visit again.
Without any courtesy, Ning Tianchen said directly: "Let's talk?"
Chen Haobai withdrew his gaze, glanced at him, and nodded in agreement.
The middle-aged woman waiting not far away immediately went to prepare tea and deliver it to the living room.
Ning Tianchen was the first to speak, "Sorry, we have no intention of inquiring into your past."
Chen Haobai waved his hand.
This is not a shameful past, and he has no reason to blame the other party.
Ning Tianchen winked at Yudie, who understood and immediately asked: "Captain Chen, we inquire about these situations because my mother probably came to Hanhai City and took a boat into the deep sea. .”
Chen Haobai's eyes froze. More than ten years ago, he was still a young man in his twenties.
One night, his father brought a woman back, and he had a big fight with his mother about it.
At that time, he thought his father was having an affair and was extremely depressed.
The next day, his father sailed into the deep sea without him. When he learned the news, the ship had already moved away, and to this day, there is still no news from his father.
Later, he also thought about it. Maybe his father wanted to explore the deep sea. In order not to let his family miss him, he came up with a way to commit suicide.
Or maybe the father ran away with that woman.
"No way, is it such a coincidence?" Chen Huayu couldn't help but cover his mouth.
Yudie's eyes were fiery and she didn't have time to think too much. She hurriedly asked if the woman looked similar to her mother.
If the time is right and the characters are right, it is possible that her mother really went to pursue the legendary Butterfly Valley.
Chen Haobai shook his head, "I can't remember what that woman looks like."
"Hao Bai, actually that day" the door of the living room opened, and it was the old woman who spoke.
Seeing Ning Tianchen and others visiting again, it was not difficult for her to guess a thing or two based on what happened today.
Just now, she eavesdropped outside the door for a while, and she became more sure of her guess.
"That day, your father said that the woman wanted to go deep into the sea to pursue the unknown truth."
"Your father has always had an adventurous spirit. After listening to that woman's words, he decided to explore the deep sea. But because the danger of navigation was too great, he did not tell you the true situation"
Chen Haobai has quite complicated emotions towards his father.
On the one hand, it is precisely because of his father that he loves sailing. But because of his father's death, he has been trying to find traces of his father through fishing in the open sea over the years.
But in my heart, I was so worried about what happened to my father that I couldn't overcome the obstacles in my heart.
As a result, he was timid about farther seas and did not dare to set foot in them at all.
The old woman looked at the two sisters, "That woman didn't say her name back then, and I don't know if she was your mother."
"But since you are here, maybe this is your fate."
After saying that, the old woman turned around and left, closing the door to the living room.
Ning Tianchen seized the opportunity and said: "We will definitely go to the sea. In addition to finding Yudie and their mother, conquering the sea is our main goal."
"Captain Chen, don't you want to know where your father went?"
"What if there really is a continent on the other side of the sea, but your father has been unable to return for so many years because of a damaged ship. Don't you want to take him back?"
"Don't worry about the cost of travel, we will provide it in full. I believe that many of your crew members want to conquer this sea."
After saying that, Ning Tianchen stood up and patted his shoulder, "We won't force you. But this time is probably the only chance to get your father back."
Now that the words have been said, if the other party disagrees, Ning Tianchen has no choice but to adopt a backup plan.
Just when they were about to step out of the living room door, Chen Haobai stopped them, "I can take you there."
Overcoming the obstacles in his heart made him determined to find his father.
But he couldn't take the risk with the sailors, and it was very likely that they would not be able to come back from this trip. Ning Tianchen and others would have to pay a huge "pension".
Ning Tianchen and others still have a lot of money in their hands, so they will not be stingy.
In the end, Ning Tianchen decided to pay Chen Haobai 50,000 gold soul coins to settle down. Of course, the ship was provided by Chen Haobai. Whether they could come back or whether the Manta Ray sank had nothing to do with them.
The fees for the first mate, second mate, third mate, and navigator are reduced by five thousand gold soul coins in order.
Ordinary sailors need to pay 10,000 gold soul coins.
No fishing is required on this trip, so the number of sailors does not need to be large.
These people were determined to die when they went to sea. Ning Tianchen didn't think the cost was high.
Not to mention, they are not responsible for the damage to the ship.
After agreeing on a price, Chen Haobai said that after the Stingray's cargo hold is cleaned tomorrow, he will recruit ocean-going crew members.
……
At noon the next day, Ning Tianchen and others arrived at the pier.
Unexpectedly, I thought that few people would be willing to get on the ship for such a life-threatening job, but I didn't expect that there was an endless stream of sailors signing up. The queue is so long that you can’t even see the end of it.
It seems to be the consensus among sailors to use their own lives to gain wealth for their families.
Chen Haobai explained to everyone with a wry smile: "People who are struggling to survive at sea are basically from poor families. Ten sailors are enough to support this voyage. Do you think we need to bring a few more people?"
Ning Rongrong was moved by this and decided to add five more sailors and settle the fee on the spot.
All personnel are present, and the Manta Ray has reached sailing standards after simple maintenance.
Early the next morning, the Manta Ray replenished the supplies needed for the trip, put away the anchor, and with the sound of whistles, the ship accelerated towards the deep blue sea ahead. (End of chapter)