We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 74 The Day of Completion, the Transformed Black Swan! (Seeking First Subscriptions!!!) (14)

In the dimly lit cabin.

The brass-colored sphere emitted an unusual faint light, and the runes on it flickered incessantly, as if it couldn't wait any longer.

Shane reached out and placed it on the steam turbine.

Click...

With the sound of gears and actuators running.

【Steam Heart】Continuously disassembles itself into countless tiny parts.

Then, it quickly burrowed into the steam turbine and merged perfectly with the machine's original structure, becoming one with it.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
Immediately afterwards, a dull sound, like a heartbeat, came from inside the steam turbine.

It has not yet been activated, yet it possesses a vibrant vitality like that of a living creature.

It is exactly the same as those components that have been enhanced by [Filthy Crystal].

Small Steam Turbine (The Heart of Steam)

[Type: Component]

[Quality: Rare]

[Description: When equipped on a ship, it increases the "Speed" attribute by 8 points!]

[Continue to feed it steam parts; this will allow it to grow and evolve.]

[Note: Number of cores that can be equipped (1/3)]

I'm already going full speed ahead!

"8 points of speed! Such high stats!"

Xia En was overjoyed.

Keep in mind that his previous total speed was only 14 points, while this one component can give him 8 points of speed, which shows its exaggerated boost.

"However, what is the number of cores that can be equipped?"

"Does that mean... this steam turbine can hold more than one [Steam Heart]?"

"So you can have two hearts and three lungs too, huh?"

Xia En's lips twitched, and he couldn't help but complain.

However, finding other [Steam Hearts] is clearly a matter for the future.

His enhancement process is not over yet!

With a thought from Shane, a large amount of [Filthy Crystals] was injected into the steam turbine.

[Filth Crystallization - 25!]

[Estimated enhancement time: 4 days!]

The machine's heartbeat began to slow, but the surface rhythm became more pronounced as it greedily digested the [filthy crystals] flowing within its body.

Like an embryo absorbing nutrients.

After that, Shane did the same thing, putting all the remaining filthy crystals into the enhancement of the cannons.

Heavy Escort Artillery (+)

[Filth Crystallization - 22!]

[Estimated enhancement time: 2 days!]

After spending all the remaining [Filthy Crystals] in one go, Xia En looked satisfied.

The seeds have been planted.

Next, it's time to wait for the harvest.

……

……

Bob, 42, is an experienced shipwright who has repaired and modified no fewer than a hundred boats.

The captains who sailed out to sea from Silvermoon Island all called him "Old Bob" as a sign of their respect.

However, just ten days ago.

The old shipwright received a special commission.

He was hired along with more than a dozen other experienced shipwrights, and there were also quite a few laborers and apprentices.

The converted vessel was a small to medium-sized two-masted sailboat named the "Black Swan".

The employer was a young and handsome captain.

Compared to his peers, this captain was exceptionally generous, and it was said that he had earned all of this money from scratch.

This made old Bob reflect on the vast differences between people.

If his son had even half the captain's skills, he'd be laughing in his sleep.

Originally...

It's certainly a good thing when an employer pays you readily.

Everyone is earning money, which motivates them to work, and they can finish their tasks on time if they work quickly. Overall, it's no different from other commissions on a regular basis.

But Bob soon realized that things weren't so simple.

Some strange rumors began to circulate among the shipwrights and workers.

Some say that the Black Swan imprisons many tragic souls, who wander day after day in the cabins and on the deck.

Some say that a strange and terrifying monster is kept in a corner of the ship's cabin, and you should never disturb its rest.

Some people even say that the ship itself is alive, and that they can hear it breathing and its heartbeat!

At first, old Bob scoffed at these claims, dismissing them as mere gossip fabricated by busybodies.

But gradually, he discovered...

These rumors seem to be true!

The day finally arrived for completion and acceptance.

Looking haggard, old Bob boarded the deck of the Black Swan, ready to personally conduct a final inspection of the ship.

Most of the shipwrights who were with him made various excuses to decline, so he was the only one who boarded the ship.

"Hello, Mr. Bob."

As soon as Bob boarded the ship, he saw a young woman with a mysterious and elegant demeanor.

Her snow-white long hair and pale red eyes possessed an unusual, cold beauty that made him somewhat afraid to look directly at her.

But Bob knew that, despite her unusual appearance, the girl was the most normal person on the ship.

After exchanging greetings, Bob began to carefully inspect the deck.

The deck, crafted from [Sea Crystal Wood], is neat and beautiful, with a dark color and a slightly crystalline texture.

However, when old Bob gently pressed it with his hand, he felt a warm sensation as if he were touching flesh and blood, and it even bounced back slightly.

Upon closer inspection, countless vascular-like veins are hidden deeper within the deck.

High up, sails made of storm ray skin sway gently.

I wonder if it's just Bob's imagination.

He felt that the color of the sails had become a bit darker than before.

As he got closer, a faint, mournful cry reached Bob's ears.

But if you listen carefully, you can't hear anything at all.

"..."

Old Bob, his face tense, turned to look at the entrance to the cabin.

He knew that the real test had only just begun.

Carrying a kerosene lamp, the old shipwright slowly walked into the passageway of the ship's cabin.

The air around us seemed to drop several degrees suddenly, and the light seemed to have been sucked away by something, leaving no bright feeling.

Footsteps echoed rhythmically inside the cabin.

Old Bob couldn't help but hold his breath.

He sensed that his footsteps had attracted the attention of some being, and that whispers were coming from unseen corners.

But old Bob still dutifully examined the ship's internal structure.

In the dim light, he saw that the supporting skeleton had many strange patterns and symbols that, at first glance, looked like eyes.

He took two more steps forward, and a tall suit of armor, waiting in the corner, came into old Bob's view.

The silent gaze through the helmet, casting a shadow from above, sent a chill down his spine.

Fortunately, Bob knew that the other person was also a crew member on the Black Swan.

However, this armored man remained silent and never removed his helmet.

The boatmen suspected that he was actually a long-dead undead creature, or a cold and ruthless mechanical puppet.

Bob nodded to the armored man, wiped away his cold sweat, and continued deeper into the cabin.

As I passed the compartment where the cannons were housed, I could faintly hear strange chewing sounds coming from it.

But when the door was opened for inspection, the cannons remained quietly and obediently in place, showing no signs of abnormality.

Old Bob had no choice but to leave in a hurry.

Then, a steady and powerful heartbeat reached his ears.

It was like a series of blows striking his heart.

Moreover, the closer one gets to the depths of the ship's cabin, the clearer this heartbeat becomes.

Not long after, Bob arrived at a half-open wooden door.

This is also the last place he needs to check.

Old Bob swallowed hard, suppressing his fear, and stepped into the deepest compartment.

There, he saw a man standing in the shadows!
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(End of this chapter)