I Forged the Myth of the Ancient Overlords
Chapter 330 - 330 329. Where did the dog come from _1

Chapter 330: 329. Where did the dog come from? _1 Chapter 330: 329. Where did the dog come from? _1 Life aboard the ship was peculiar.

When on land, those mercenaries and sailors would often linger in dockside taverns, not returning until they were thoroughly drunk, as if they couldn’t live without booze.

But once on the ship, those lushes never touched a drop again, like ascetic monks practicing abstinence.

“Drinking on board? Just say you want to die. The boss lady would never let us touch even a drop of alcohol on the ship. If you want to be thrown overboard to feed the fish, I don’t mind giving you my treasured liquor to see it through,”

one of the mercenaries answered Lu Ban’s question.

“Is that why you all drink like mad when you’re onshore?”

Lu Ban pressed on.

“That’s a different matter. We drink to remember the sensation of being at sea. After getting drunk and swaying around, it feels just like being on a ship!”

the mercenary called out.

Not far away, a sailor atop the mast swayed a flag in his hands. Lu Ban couldn’t understand signal flags, but the ship clearly sped up quite a bit.

There were a total of three ships in the fleet.

That included the flagship where Amber was, the guard ship where mercenaries like Lu Ban and Shobu were, and another dispatched from Sakura Island by the Island Steward for escort duty.

The Island Steward’s ship would head back home five days later, and then there would only be two ships left.

The wind was favorable, and the ship sailed through the profound depths of the sea. There was no sign of monsters on the way, and during the quiet nights, only the low, melodious sound of the waves could be heard.

“Did you know, there’s said to be a patch of grey-white fog at sea, and anyone who gets caught in it turns into an abomination resembling a monster!”

a sailor declared seriously during the normal progression of the ship.

“Isn’t there also an island where there is a constant festival, but in reality, everyone there is a monster in disguise?”

Lu Ban casually chimed in.

“That, not so much, but it seems like it could be a possibility!”

the sailor hesitated for a moment, then shouted.

Those who frequently journeyed at sea had loud voices.

Lu Ban guessed it might be because the sea breeze affected the transmission of sounds, so these sailors developed the habit of speaking loudly.

If one doesn’t have a loud voice, how can they be a sailor?

“There’s also a huge sea serpent living in the sea. It’s said that when its tail is at Sakura Island, its head can reach He Dao!”

another sailor started telling a sea legend.

“A snake that big probably doesn’t taste very good.”

Lu Ban commented.

“…I’ve also heard there’s a Ghost Ship out there. The crew, cursed for stealing treasure from the gods, turned into undying skeletons. Whenever moonlight shines down, they let out roars and kill every living person they see. Isn’t that terrifying!”

another sailor joined in the conversation from elsewhere.

“Living forever doesn’t sound that bad, does it?”

Lu Ban remarked again.

“…”

The sailors all felt that Lu Ban was being contrarian.

“And there are sea witches in the ocean. Did you know? These women are the resentful spirits of women who died at sea. They disguise themselves as drowning maidens to lure sailors close and then kill all the ship’s crew in their beds!”

Another sailor illustrated his tale with expressive details.

“Terrifying.”

Lu Ban replied flatly.

“Talking to you is no fun at all.”

The sailors all scoffed at Lu Ban in unison.

“Roar!”

A dog’s bark sounded, and Laika ran out from some unknown cabin of the ship, rubbed against Lu Ban’s pant leg, then tottered on her four little legs to the bow of the ship.

“Where did this dog come from?”

A sailor asked, and the next moment, Laika took a plunge into the sea with a splash.

“Man overboard?”

The sailor nearby, who hadn’t noticed what had just happened, heard the noise and immediately became alert.

“It was a dog.”

A sailor chimed in with a reminder, yet still, they lit a lantern to search the water’s surface.

Beyond the ripples stirred up by the passing ship, they saw no sign of any creature struggling or swimming.

“Buddy, I’m very sorry.”

Someone patted Lu Ban on the shoulder, attempting to comfort him over the loss of his pet.

“Sorry for what?”

Lu Ban was puzzled.

Moments later, accompanied by another splash, a shadow leaped out of the water.

“???”

The sailors watched in amazement as the dog emerged with a huge, plump fish in its mouth—almost the same size as the dog itself—not knowing quite what to say.

“Looks like we can have an extra dish tonight.”

Lu Ban observed the fish, which resembled a tuna from Earth, with its flesh all red and the belly section particularly fatty, oily to the touch.

He sliced off a piece of meat from the back, the red flesh glinting with a bewitching hue under the moonlight. Lu Ban sniffed it, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it whole.

The fresh fish meat, redolent with a hint of the sea and wrapped in rich oils, hugged his palate, firm to the chew. Since it had just been pulled from the sea, it was even still quivering as Lu Ban bit into it.

The fatty fish was delicately flavored, with a hint of saltiness. Although Lu Ban didn’t know much about sashimi, he was sure this fish was a delicious treat.

“Is it really that good?”

The sailors seldom had the chance to eat such a large fish, their usual dinners being the small fish caught near the shore. On He Dao, despite being surrounded by the sea, access to seafood was limited for common folks, and deep-sea fishing was a luxury only the wealthy could afford.

Such fish, Lu Ban guessed, likely weren’t shallow-water dwellers. Judging by the ruptured innards and the firmness of the muscles, they must be a species that usually lived in deep water, out of reach for ordinary sailors and crew.

“This red flesh looks terrifying!”

A sailor exclaimed, as they were mostly used to fish with white flesh, and had seldom seen those with red meat.

“It’s really good, especially when eaten raw.”

Lu Ban sliced off another piece from the belly, its color lighter and tender as a young maiden’s cheek.

This time, he briefly seared the chunk of meat over fire before eating it.

The seared belly meat released the aroma of fats, and due to the fish’s sedentary nature, the flesh was even more tender—it was the most delicious food Lu Ban had had on He Dao.

“So He Dao does have normal food too…”

Lu Ban couldn’t help but elevate He Dao’s culinary ranking a notch, placing it above the Wasteland but below the Night Country.

Lu Ban then cut off the fish head and sliced two pieces of meat, tossing them to Laika.

The Corgi, upon seeing the fish head, devoured it in a frenzy, smearing blood all over its muzzle and making snorting sounds from its throat.

“Eat slower.”

Lu Ban warned Laika, who seemed desperate to gobble it down to its true form.

Eventually, the tantalizing smell of the seared fish meat proved irresistible, and several sailors asked for a piece to try—one, two, three—many deck hands started eating the fish meat, and in no time, the large fish was gone, leaving a jovial atmosphere on the deck.

In the distance, on the second floor of the flagship’s cabin, Amber was watching this scene through a window.

“It’s just the entertainment of some rough men, barbaric as drinking blood or eating raw meat, no different from monkeys,” said the maid by her side disdainfully.

Amber stared at the laughing crowd, said nothing, and silently turned back into the room.