Chapter 262: Chapter 255: Canoe Number 360

"Brother Shentu, are you sure?!"

Li Jiuyuan doubtfully picked up the photograph from the table.

Then he moved closer to Shentu Kuo.

"This dugout canoe is no ordinary boat."

"On the outside, it just looks like a dugout canoe. In reality, it’s an ultra-small Gold-level Wandering Ship crafted by the late Dr. Shangwu of the Xirang Research Institute. He built it using leftover materials from the construction of the King-level Wandering Ship, Da Yu, along with a Sailing Heart. Even though the materials were just scraps from a King-level ship, he poured an immense amount of effort and resources into it. The finished product has five major functions—it’s a marvel of construction!"

"Its ocean exploration capabilities are top-notch among Gold-level Wandering Ships! In some respects, it’s not even inferior to a General-level Wandering Ship!"

’A Gold-level Wandering Ship?’

Shentu Kuo picked up the photo and carefully studied the person in it, as well as the wandering ship beside them. The more he looked, the more it seemed to match.

It was one thing for dugout canoes to look similar, but the number 360 was carved in the exact same spot!

Who would believe that was a coincidence?

"It’s like they were carved from the same mold. Even the position of the number is nearly identical. But the one Brother Shi Ming lent me is made of wood. There’s no way it could be a Gold-level Wandering Ship."

"Huh?"

’The number is in almost the same spot?’

Li Jiuyuan sensed that something was unusual.

Even if one was a product of technology and the other was made of wood, if it was a one-to-one replica, down to the identical number, the implication was self-evident.

’Its creator must have seen the real Number 360!’

"Can I see it?"

"Sure!"

Shentu Kuo agreed without hesitation. He always carried the wooden boat that had saved his life with him inside his spatial honeycomb.

There was no harm in just taking a look.

In the center of the lab was a sizable open common area. With a thought, Shentu Kuo retrieved the one-to-one replica dugout canoe that Shi Ming had lent him from his spatial honeycomb. The boat’s hull landed on the floor, its body gleaming and new. It was clearly built within the last few months.

But the moment Li Jiuyuan saw it, he was stunned.

This was far more than just "extremely similar."

They were practically twins!

Although he had only ever seen the Gold-level Wandering Ship Number 360 in photographs, he had heard his Master say that Da Yu originally had three generals and eight Golds. Now, only three generals and seven Golds remained. The missing Golden Ship had vanished along with his Master’s older brother, Dr. Shangwu. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

At that time, his Master’s brother had taken the Golden Ship out alone, leaving Da Yu to search for traces of the Xuanwu on the Endless Ocean. Afterward, his chip deactivated, confirming his death, and Number 360 was never seen again.

For over twenty years, there had been no clues.

Both Da Yu and Xirang had already given up the search.

And now, a dugout canoe identical to that one had just appeared in the research institute?

Li Jiuyuan paced back and forth in front of the canoe, photo in hand, comparing the differences between the two vessels. His final conclusion was that the boat before him had been hand-carved, using the original Number 360 as a model!

’This is a huge deal!’

’I have to tell Master!’

"By the way, did Brother Shi Ming say how he got this boat?"

"No, he only mentioned that this little boat was quite expensive to make and that he’d be taking it back when we meet again."

"I see. I should have asked him, but Brother Shi Ming is on a mission right now, so it’s not a good time to bother him."

The lab door creaked open.

Dr. Chongwen walked into the lab, and his eyes immediately fell on the small boat resting in the open space!

CLANG!

The report he was holding fell to the floor.

"Tun Nan?"

Tun Nan was the original name of the Golden Ship Number 360, also known as "Sun-Shooter." Dr. Chongwen himself had chosen that name, taking it from *Free and Easy Wandering*.

"It spirals up on the wind for ninety thousand leagues, soaring beyond the clouds, shouldering the blue sky, and then it journeys to the south."

...

...

...

After sailing for a long time, the Kunwu and the Beidou Star finally arrived in the Northeast Domain of the Sea of Soaring Dragons.

It was now nine o’clock at night.

"Shi Ming, ahead is the area where the Moonlight Ripple Beast appears. That sea beast used to be very timid, but it’s become more and more brazen over the last six months. Still, it only shows up between midnight and 5:00 AM and isn’t active at any other time. We’ll wait here for a few hours."

"Alright!"

Aboard the Beidou Star, which followed behind, Zhao Li Luo was already getting busy.

She and her crew carried a massive, astrolabe-like stone out from the ship’s hold. They placed it on the deck and began adjusting its angle. After a long period of calibration, the seven stars on the stone astrolabe lit up one by one, shining in concert with the Big Dipper in the night sky.

This was the artifact equipped on the Beidou Star, the Zhutian Beidou! It was also known as the Kuixiu Stone, ranked 72nd on the List of Marvels.

Its description on the List of Marvels was just a single sentence.

[With this stone, one can borrow the power of the stars.]

Shi Ming wasn’t surprised by this. The Zhutian Beidou was a treasure of Da Yu, and the *Overview of the Endless Ocean’s Marvels* was compiled by Da Yu’s own Xirang Research Institute. Da Yu would certainly not publicize the full details of a treasure they already possessed; they were bound to hide its true capabilities!

But nothing could be hidden from Shi Ming’s eyes!

[A peculiar stone that can resonate with the Big Dipper.]

[After resonating, one can temporarily borrow the power of the Big Dipper. The seven stars each possess a different power that can be borrowed: Dubhe for strength, Merak for speed, Phecda for defense, Megrez for momentum, Alioth for attack, Mizar for luck, and Alkaid for healing.]

[It also has a hidden, undiscovered use. By using seven different powers to activate the Big Dipper simultaneously, one can draw upon the power of "Gouchen Yi," also known as Polaris. You haven’t forgotten, have you? The Star Lamp was made from the Star Marrow of Gouchen Yi. However, the two artifacts have no direct connection!]

"Shi Ming, this is the Beidou Star’s treasure, the Zhutian Beidou."

"Basking in the starlight it projects grants a corresponding power-up. For our hunt of the Moonlight Ripple Beast, we need strength—the power of Dubhe. We need to land a killing blow with overwhelming force in an instant of invincibility. The longer it drags on, the lower our chances of success."

Rong Bing explained.

"Da Yu is as impressive as expected, with such a deep foundation. Should we go bask in the starlight now?"

"No, the starlight’s blessing has a time limit. We’ll go closer to midnight. For now, it’s time to get ourselves in the right state of mind."

Rong Bing closed his eyes.

Shi Ming, meanwhile, gazed at the distant sea, which was as calm and still as an ancient well.

The moon had already risen, its reflection cast upon the water. The moonlight stretched out, creating a scene of timeless, ethereal, and dreamlike beauty.

"Eye of the World, acquire intelligence."

Da Yu already had a wealth of intelligence on the Moonlight Ripple Beast, but Shi Ming wanted to see if the Eye of the World could provide any additional information.

[BEEP~ BEEP~]

[Compiling intelligence...]

[Searching. Confirming detailed coordinates... Search successful. Summarizing intelligence... Intelligence generated:]

[Moonlight Ripple Beast]

[A sea beast possessing the S-rank skill "Eclipse Moon Image," ranked 35th. Its main body evolved after consuming the Purifying Marrow of a Bodhi Tree of Suffering, which strengthened its other minor skills, Moonlight Reflection and Moonlight Ripple, making it even more bizarre and difficult to kill.]

[Eclipse Moon Image: Upon activation, the moon’s reflection in the sea will show signs of an eclipse. The eclipse will complete within 10 breaths. If one has not escaped the Moonlight Ripple Beast’s territory by then, they will become completely weakened, their Physical Strength drained to zero.]

[Moonlight Ripple: The Moonlight Ripple Beast can hide within ripples, making it untargetable. (Unacquirable)]

[Moonlight Reflection: The Moonlight Ripple Beast possesses a reflection-clone. It can swap places between its main body and the clone. If its main body is killed, the Moonlight Ripple Beast will resurrect from its reflection-clone. (Unacquirable)]

[...]

[Method of Killing: To completely kill this sea beast, its reflection-clone and main body must be destroyed simultaneously.]