Chapter 2479: My Wife is a Pirate 09

Behind the reef.

Bu Changji woke Hai Shisan up, showing no obedient demeanor in front of Jin Chen, and sat on the reef with his leg propped up.

Hai Shisan clutched his sore neck, dazedly opened his eyes, met his big brother's icy gaze, and instantly shuddered.

"Big, big brother..."

"What's the matter, urgent enough to need a whistle?"

Bu Changji was somewhat annoyed, "Also, don't ever do such clumsy tailing nonsense again."

"This Jin Chen isn't simple; he has some real skill—don't treat him as an ordinary fisherman to fool."

Hai Shisan recalled how that fisherman's seemingly casual yet swift, precise, and vicious strike had just happened, his neck turned cold again, and he hurriedly nodded like pounding garlic.

"I won't dare, big brother!"

He dared not delay, quickly lowering his voice to report, "Big brother, it's news from the town."

"The two brothers we sent to scout reported that the officials searching for Heir Apparent Fang Yunyue have already reached the town!"

"They're questioning tightly; it seems they've traced us to White Wave Hollow—it's only a matter of time!"

Bu Changji frowned upon hearing that.

That's a problem; it concerns the Heir Apparent's whereabouts and attitude, which is crucial.

He pondered a moment and asked, "What does Fang Yunyue say?"

Hai Shisan's expression tightened, he hesitated before speaking: "The Heir Apparent said, 'Whoever wants to be that ridiculous Heir Apparent can have it—I refuse to marry into that Blue Kingdom where they babble in bird‑like speech…' He, he said he'd rather follow us, and even said he wanted to… steal clean out his father's jewel treasury, become a bandit, and live carefree."

Bu Changji: "……"

He rubbed his brow, swiftly made a decision: "If that's the case, then hide him securely for me, tighten defenses at the Stone Tower as well, but on the surface we must show no weakness."

"Go tell Hai San to have people dig several more hidden pits in the tower and nearby to conceal weapons and people; I'll go to town tomorrow to scout for news."

"Yes, big brother!" Hai Shisan promptly replied.

Bu Changji suddenly thought of something, reached out his hand, and asked, "Do you have any silver on you?"

Hai Shisan blinked: "Huh?"

Although he didn't understand why, he instinctively felt around, finally pulling out two or three small silver ingots from a hidden pocket at his waist, and said sheepishly, "That's all—just what fell loose last time from the treasure piles in the ship's hold, which I pocketed on a whim…"

Bu Changji snatched up those few silver ingots still warm with body heat and tucked them into his own lapel.

"Go find Hai San and have him give you double your usual allowance."

Hai Shisan's face lit up at once, he grinned and said, "All right! Thanks, big brother!"

No sooner had his words finished than Bu Changji kicked him squarely in the butt.

"Scram! Be quick about it—don't let anyone see!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Hai Shisan covered his sore butt, dared not complain, and scurried back into the reef's shadow, gritting his teeth.

Elsewhere, the seawater was icy cold.

After entering the water, Jin Chen moved like a flood dragon, swiftly diving to the side of the struggling youth.

The boy had already been dragged underwater, choked on water, and was flailing helplessly as his strength waned.

Jin Chen seized the boy's arm and chopped toward the underwater silhouette that tightly clung to the youth's ankle, a lithe figure like a white streak in the waves.

That figure winced, jerked its hand free, and stared in shock at Jin Chen, apparently not expecting this fisherman to be so swift, fierce, and accurate.

Immediately he twisted like a frightened fish, trying to flee toward deeper water!

【Heh, pirates even moonlight as water ghosts.】 Ling Gun Gun narrowed his bean‑like eyes, feeling a bit creeped out.

Jin Chen first heaved the water‑logged, unconscious boy onto the surface, then took a deep breath, plunged back in, kicked hard with his legs, and shot after the fleeing figure.

His speed was extreme; the water seemed to pose no resistance at all.

The pirate obviously hadn't expected a fisherman's swimming to be this good; even with all his might he couldn't widen the gap, and was soon caught and halted from behind by Jin Chen.

In the dim underwater gloom, they exchanged a few moves.

The pirate wielded a water‑splitting spear, his moves vicious, clearly a seasoned hand at underwater combat.

But Jin Chen's movements were faster, more crafty, able to anticipate each of his attacks.

After just a couple of exchanges, Jin Chen found an opening, delivering a heavy knife‑hand strike to the pirate's weapon‑wielding wrist; the water‑splitting spear slipped from his grasp and sank to the seabed, while Jin Chen clamped a lock on the pirate's throat and pressed him hard against the bottom.

Jin Chen narrowed his eyes coldly, not rushing to surface, but lingered in the water.

The pirate's pupils dilated wildly from lack of oxygen and terror, as he desperately struggled…

Jin Chen remained utterly still.

How can this damned fisherman be so good in the water!

Soon the air in his chest dwindled, and the fear of death closed in on the pirate.

He painfully lifted both hands, making a harmless, pleading gesture; his eyes filled with entreaty, he voluntarily signaled that he bore no weapons.

Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, then held him for nearly another half‑minute until the pirate's eyes began to bulge and his struggle weakened, before landing a punch to his abdomen.

The pirate went completely limp and passed out.

Only then did Jin Chen grab the pirate's collar, hauling him up like a dead fish, and surfaced.

"Cough… cough… Big Brother Jin Chen!"

On shore, the half‑grown boy who had just been rescued caught his breath, saw Jin Chen dragging the pirate ashore, his eye sockets reddened, and he surged forward eagerly, as if he wanted to leap up and hug Jin Chen.

Jin Chen knew it was the exhilaration of having just survived a disaster, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Bu Changji still standing nearby, watching.

But he couldn't just let anyone hug him.

He sidestepped to avoid him, his damp hand patting the boy's shoulder, "I remember you—you're the son of Uncle Zhang Second, right?"

Zhang Yupan nodded vigorously, tears and snot streaming together, "It's me, it's me! I'm Zhang Yupan, Big Brother Jin Chen, thank you!"

"I'll make sure my father properly thanks you!"

Jin Chen waved his hand, indicating no need for thanks.

The pirate dumped on the beach was completely dazed; when the cold seawater shocked him, he Youyou woke up again, and just then he saw Bu Changji standing not far away.

He looked as if he had seen a savior, his eyes widened suddenly, and his lips moved as if to call for help.

Bu Changji was greatly startled.

He reacted extremely quickly, taking advantage of Jin Chen having his back to him while comforting Zhang Yupan, his attention distracted, he stepped forward with a quick stride and, seemingly unintentionally, kicked the pirate who was trembling as he tried to get up, on the back.

The pirate's cry that had just reached his throat was choked back abruptly, and his eyes rolled back.

This time he truly fainted completely.

Jin Chen happened to look over at that moment, and Bu Changji immediately put on a look of lingering shock and lingering fear, his body went limp, and he fell into Jin Chen's arms as Jin Chen had just turned around, his voice trembling as he buried himself in Jin Chen's soaked yet warm chest.

「Jin Dage, I'm a little scared…」

Jin Chen had no suspicion of him, thinking Bu Changji was frightened by the successive accidents; he hurriedly embraced him, his large hand gently patting his back, his voice low and soft.

「It's all right, don't be scared, I'm here. 」 He soothed him in a warm voice.