Chapter 249: 249

249 「Open Literature Abyss, we've come to bring you home. 」

「Alright, enough already, what are you doing bullying a piece of wood? 」 Xiang Yichu walked over, picked up the puppet spirit and placed it on his shoulder.

The puppet spirit nodded, saying, 「Exactly, exactly, once I transform into human form, you'll have something to look at! Wait, Xiang Bing Shan, you said I'm a piece of wood? 」

「Isn't that the case? 」 Xiang Yichu rarely talked back.

The puppet spirit grabbed his hair, huffed, turned its head, and spoke to Tushan Jiu: 「Sister Jiu, I want to draw swords, I want to prophesy whether I'll become a 1.9‑meter‑tall burly man when I transform, and I want to beat those two little guys! 」

Hearing that, Tushan Jiu raised an eyebrow, 「Sorry, maybe it's not a prophecy. 」

Puppet spirit: 「Not a prophecy? 」

Wang Dongqing raised his hand, 「I know this, I know this—if it's not a prophecy, it's just an omen, hahaha, you little runt! 」

I won't speak anymore.

Xiang Yichu retorted at Wang Dongqing, 「Enough already. 」

Wang Dongqing's laugh cut off with a gag.

Maomao: 「You're lucky not to have choked to death. 」

Tushan Jiu shook her head helplessly and laughed; whenever this little team gathers, there's never a quiet moment.

While they were making a ruckus, she turned her gaze to the sea.

As far as the eye could see, everything was a deep blue of fear.

They have now sailed into the deep part of this sea area.

Just a few kilometers ahead is the place where the Ghost Ship often appears.

She glanced again at the empty flagpole.

As for the Ghost Ship, Tushan Jiu already had a clear idea in her mind.

None of the several possibilities the puppet spirit just mentioned are correct.

What she hadn't expected was that the person involved in this matter actually has a connection to Qimian Yi.

No wonder she wants to open a restaurant at the port.

It turns out she was mourning......

Suddenly, fog began to rise on the sea surface.

Thick fog quickly gathered above their cargo ship.

At the same time, the sky changed color.

It gave the feeling of dark clouds pressing down on the city.

This cargo ship also has a captain and several crew members, all experienced navy personnel, because Tushan Jiu and her three companions can't operate a ship, so they follow along to carry out this mission.

However, for safety's sake, they only operate inside the cabin, and are not allowed to go out except in special circumstances.

Maomao and Wang Dongqing have already set up a defensive formation around the helm to ensure that, if they really end up fighting the opposing side, the safety of these ordinary people is taken care of.

The appearance of yin energy caused the three people and one puppet who had been laughing and messing around to all stop their actions and turn together to look at the sea.

Not far from their cargo ship, a small passenger vessel appeared.

The small passenger ship's number was blurry, but its red flag stood out prominently.

Maomao, Wang Dongqing, and Xiang Yichu exchanged a glance, as if they understood why Tushan Jiu had the captain lower the flag upon entering this area.

The cargo ships that were attacked all share one thing in common: for various reasons, they failed to hang the national flag as required.

The yin energy surged forward violently, and at the moment that passenger ship appeared, it sped rapidly toward us.

The several navy personnel inside the helm can see the situation ahead of the bow.

So when a ship suddenly appeared before them, they had already made battle preparations immediately.

Although they can't help much in this situation, it's also an unconscious reflex from their daily training.

Suddenly, the walkie‑talkie inside the cabin rang.

It was Tushan Jiu's voice.

「Prepare for impact and raising the flag—stay safe. 」

「Received! 」

This cargo ship is just an ordinary freighter; it definitely lacks the anti‑collision reinforcement of an official warship.

So when the Ghost Ship slammed into us violently, the hull shook and tilted violently, as if it were about to sink.

Even though the few people inside the cabin had prepared in advance, they all still fell to the floor.

However, as the ship swayed, they reacted quickly, sprang to their feet, and returned to their stations.

But when they saw the situation on the deck, their eyes widened instantly.

Because Tushan Jiu and her companions stood there steady and unmoving, not even getting their shoes wet from the seawater that poured in.

Under their feet, meanwhile, was a huge Bagua diagram spinning at high speed.

What's more, that Bagua diagram kept expanding!

It was like a huge anchor, firmly holding their wobbling cargo ship in place.

The four people on the deck stood like guardians, blocking the massive waves before them.

They quickly grabbed binoculars and looked toward the opposing ship's cabin.

The moment they saw the Ghost Ship's captain, their pupils contracted sharply.

One of them even exclaimed outright: 「Deputy Captain Qi! 」

That was their former deputy captain!

But he isn't...... how could he be here?

As they watched the Ghost Ship launch another attack at them, there was no time to think, because Tushan Jiu's voice came over the walkie‑talkie again.

「Raise the national flag, play the national anthem. 」

The captain, who was always ready, pressed the button as soon as her words fell.

The red national flag also rose slowly.

The solemn national anthem sounded at the same time.

A miraculous scene appeared—the opposing "ghost ship" suddenly stopped dead in front of their freighter.

Several people hurried over to look at the other ship's cabin.

"Deputy Captain Qi, he..." the person's voice trembled gradually, "He is saluting the national flag, he..."

At the same time, Tushan Jiu on the deck had already taken out a talisman paper, made hand signs and chanted, collecting that wisp of ghost on the passenger ship into it.

The talisman paper trembled slightly; the others remained silent, not speaking. Tushan Jiu touched the talisman paper, recited a section of the Soul-Calming Spell, and finally said, "Qi Wenyan, we have come to bring you home."

The national anthem never ceased, and the bright national flag rose to the very top, fluttering in the sea breeze.

When Tushan Jiu finished speaking, the talisman paper stopped moving.

Those several soldiers obeyed orders and did not step out of the cabin, even though they were now anxious to know how their retired comrade could appear here, having just attended his funeral a few years earlier.

Tushan Jiu's voice came again, issuing the order: "Mission complete, return to port."

"Order received, mission complete, immediately return to port. Heading 270 degrees, speed twenty knots, to be executed in five minutes..."

The sea surface became calm and windless.

The return journey went smoothly.