Seized by the System

As the sun set in the west, its rays reflected across a harbor in Hu City.

A great number of containers were neatly arranged on a dock, which reflected a similar gleam.

Large ships, tens or even hundreds of thousands of tonnes, clustered at the harbor, waiting to set out.

Wang Luo was a seaman, a former seaman. He had already lost his job for two years, and was currently sustaining his life through making food deliveries.

Nonetheless, he still longed for the ocean, even though the life of a seaman was actually extremely dull. He could not browse the internet as he wished, and could only use the internet when he was near the harbor or when the satellite signal was good.

He still liked this job. He enjoyed the fun of advancing step by step, from being a third mate to a second mate, then to the first mate.

He hoped that one day he could become a captain, and could have a ship that belonged to him at the end of it all. He would bring his brothers along to cruise on the ocean, just like how it was during the Age of Discovery. This was a form of romance for men.

Initially, he was already very, very close to that day. He had sufficient qualifications, and was taking tests for a captain’s license, which he had later on passed. However, no shipowner would invite him on ships anymore.

Today when he was making food deliveries, he arrived at the harbor’s dock in his electric motorcycle again. Looking at the piled up containers, and the crowded ships, a look of hope was expressed through his eyes.

Right then, a weathered middle-aged man who seemed to be in his thirties walked over to him, and asked, “Little fellow, would you like to board my ship?”

“Of course I want to, I’ve been a seaman for more than 7 years, and I was so close to having enough qualifications to be a captain. Sadly, with the activation of the Era of Vitality, sea creatures began breeding and revolting everywhere, so ocean shipping took a turn for the worst, and opportunities became scarce.” Wang Luo shook his head and sighed as he explained, pointing at the rows of large ships afar.

“Yes, these large ships would rather rot in those harbors than cruise on the ocean. In the past, humans saw the ocean as a place to be conquered. Now they just see it as a place of certain danger.” The middle-aged man sighed as well.

“There’s nothing we can do, we can’t blame them. Know that even when a strong warship faces inexplicably strange sea creatures, they’re helpless too.” Wang Luo looked like he had a great understanding in this. It appeared that even though he had been away from his nautical post for some time, he was still paying close attention to the sea transportation’s system.

“Helpless? I don’t think that’s exactly it.” The middle-aged man seemed to be defending his superiors.

“I was being a little casual when I said that. That’s right, powerful nations with navies have changed their warship configurations long ago. Apart from conventional weapons, it has become a provision for cultivators to go on ships, but how high is the cost of having cultivators as manpower?” Wang Luo continued as he sighed. “When they go for a task, one’s pay is three million US dollars for two to three days, how can ordinary merchant ships afford that? Transporting one round of goods would require ten days at least, or a month if longer. The interest won’t even be enough to pay the cultivators… I guess it’s better being a cultivator, seamen like us have low salaries, even a captain of a big ship only has thirty to fifty thousand per month.”

“Hehe, you must know that it’s terribly difficult for cultivators to cultivate too. One requires quality, resources, and during cultivation, the period is much longer than being a captain.” The middle-aged man smiled plainly. “However, lately a Nine Transformation Golden Core Technique has been going around on the internet, which doesn’t require qualifications, and only requires hard work. Have you cultivated that before?”

Upon hearing that, Wang Luo was going to answer but he suddenly hesitated, then shook his head as he replied, “Oh, those staple goods on the internet probably don’t have cultivation value, do they? I opted not to, I’ll observe other people’s progress first.”

The middle-aged man shook his head and smiled when he heard that, he stopped asking him questions.

Wang Luo felt rather guilty, he instantly used another subject to cover this up. “Currently, there are naval escorts but the cost is much higher. They can only convoy for big batches of seacrafts, transport urgent supplies, and strategic materials. With the sea trade being how it is now, big batches of ships are gathered at once, then escorted for trade. This way, the trading scene can still be maintained.”

“Hehe, looks like you really know a thing or two. That’s right, formerly, if there are only a couple of ships, or even a dozen, , the trading situation wouldn’t have been maintained. If they were to sail on the sea, it would really mean sending sheep into a wolf pack, what’s gone won’t come back.” The middle-aged man nodded in agreement.

“Isn’t that so? Remember during the second world war when Germany employed the Wolfpack (TN: Also known as Rudeltaktik in German, a naval mass-attack tactic used by German U-boats against convoys during the Battle of the Atlantic), the allied forces gathered batches of ships and convoys, and reduced the number of shipments to lower the possibility of encountering the wolf pack. The only thing is that the effectiveness became too low, and many commodities are seasonal, so they’re not suitable for ocean shipment among commoners.” As a seaman who aspires to be a captain, Wang Luo was clearly very familiar with sea transportation history.

“Yes, little fellow, you have sharp eyes. If something else is used as convoys instead of these warships, what do you think?” The middle-aged man questioned.

“Something else? You’re saying, the vigilante who flies in the sky? I think it’ll be very tough for him to manage ocean matters, I’ve seen many reports on seafolk revolting. Usually, a large ship will be pulled to the seabed in a split second, so even if that vigilante were to rush over, he can only gaze at the ocean and mourn over his inadequacy.” Wang Luo sighed.

“Hehe, that won’t be the case anymore in the future. We have sufficient warning mechanisms, and can delay those troublemakers for at least 10 minutes or more. With this time, it’ll be enough for that vigilante to subdue these demons.” The middle-aged man leaked some information without himself knowing.

Wang Luo did not notice the change in his tone, he suddenly responded in surprise, “If that’s the case, won’t that greatly lower the security cost? Will many ship owners will be able to afford that? I can board ships again?”

“Hehe, little fellow, if this thing were to succeed, it’ll need everyone’s cooperation and hard work. I’m Xie Dong, the leader of Truth Department’s Public Relations Team. I see that you have a full forehead and a heart filled with passion, this important responsibility of maintaining the ocean’s peace will be on you now…”

“Uh, uncle, your words sound very familiar.” Wang Luo did not know to cry or to laugh when he heard him.

Xie Dong “coughed” once, then took his identification card out to show him, and declared, “Student Wang Luo, according to Decree 35 of China’s Truth Department, every Chinese citizen is obligated to respond when enlisted. Now, I officially enlist you in the ocean’s security team.”

At once, Wang Luo put on a serious look. He stood up still, then answered in a clear voice, “I accept..”

“Good, follow me.” Xie Dong nodded then walked in front with his hands behind his back.

Wang Luo quickly followed him close, leaving his electric motorcycle behind.

Xie Dong was very satisfied with this. He was recruiting men into his team before looking for Twelve Arms, with only one condition; they needed to have true feelings for the ocean, and had to be truly longing for the ocean. They must not treat it as a way to gain a fortune or to climb a ladder.

This was the Era of Vitality, hence the importance of a strong disposition was in the extreme.

He believed that the ocean would gain sapience sooner or later, thus the ones who really got close to it would gain unfathomable returns.

Therefore, he did not cast his net in Truth Department but gathered followers from within society.

Based on Wang Luo’s ability to recognize people and their conversation just now, he had already known that he was a true follower of the ocean, and had a special feeling for it. He did not just treat being a seaman as a job.

At the moment, the setting sun shone on the two of them, which drew long shadows from their bodies.

Xie Dong turned to look at the west with a smiling face. As the sunset from the west and would rise from the east, tomorrow would be a better day.