Chapter 132 Festering in jealousy

Chapter 132 Festering in jealousy
At that point, Chan flashed an easygoing smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach his sharp eyes.

“Fishing,” Chan said smoothly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “We were all just out fishing. Caught some nice ones too. The Resonance Council wanted a share of our haul, but we refused. Next thing we knew, they tossed us in the dungeon. Politics, right?”

Karlison’s face twisted with pure annoyance. The story was so absurd it bordered on outright mockery.

This bastard was laughing at him right to his face. His hand shot out like a striking serpent, fingers clamping onto Chan’s shirt collar. With a surge of resonance energy flowing through his veins, Karlison lifted the man clean off the weathered planks.

Even without an active echo ability, those who cultivated resonance were far stronger than ordinary folk. Chan’s feet dangled helplessly, his body swaying slightly with the ship’s gentle roll.

“Try again,” Karlison growled, his voice low and laced with threat. The sea wind whipped around them, carrying the scent of brine and distant clouds. “And make it good this time, or I swear the waves will swallow you whole.”

Chan wheezed out a laugh despite the choking grip. “Well, we caught this really juicy trout. Massive one. Caught the eye of one of the grand elders, actually. That’s when things went south.”

“Bullshit!” Karlison roared, spit flecking Chan’s face. The word echoed across the deck like thunder. He pivoted toward the railing with murderous intent, muscles bulging as he prepared to hurl the liar into the dark, churning waves below. The ocean seemed to hunger for the offering, waves slapping hungrily against the hull.

A cold voice sliced through the night air like a honed blade, freezing Karlison mid-motion.

“Put him down. Or I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget.”

Vandal had emerged topside without a sound, his white hair glowing faintly under the moonlight and scattered clouds. His posture was rigid, eyes half-lidded but radiating an icy, dangerous calm that made the air feel thicker.

Karlison’s eyes narrowed to slits, a sneer curling his lips. “You. Tough guy wannabe. Probably a thief, just like the rest of them.” He shook Chan violently like a rag doll for emphasis. “All of you escaped prisoners from the Council’s dungeon. If not for Captain Mei Mei’s gullibility and that soft heart of hers, you’d never have set foot on this boat. You should all be ashamed, preying on her kindness like filthy parasites!”

With a guttural grunt, Karlison hurled Chan straight at Vandal with all his enhanced strength.

Vandal caught his companion effortlessly, one arm steadying Chan while his feet remained planted firmly against the shifting deck. The impact barely made him step back. But Karlison had already closed the distance fast. His heavy fist slammed into Vandal’s face with a resounding thud, the sound cutting through the rhythmic crash of waves.

Pain bloomed across Vandal’s cheek, but he held his ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“That’s payback for making me look bad in front of my Mei Mei!” Karlison snarled, chest heaving with rage. His resonance energy flared visibly for a moment, a faint aura showing around his arms. “I’m going to beat the truth out of you or your stupid friend, even if I have to kill you to get it! You won’t hide behind her skirts forever!”

The tension on deck thickened. The ship creaked as it cut through swelling waves, sails billowing overhead under the fiery remnants of sunset now giving way to deepening night.

Just then, a sharp, commanding voice rang out from the direction of the lower decks, tearing through the confrontation like a whip.

“Who is your Mei Mei?”

Captain Mei Mei stood there, her lithe figure framed by the open hatch. Her eyes blazed with undisguised displeasure, the sea breeze tugging at her loose sailing clothes and silver-streaked hair. She glared at Karlison with an unfriendly intensity that made even the hardened sailor falter. “Who told you to hit him?”

Karlison froze, suddenly looking like a bully caught red-handed by the teacher. He released his aggressive stance and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, forcing a weak grin. “I was just teaching them a lesson on your behalf, Captain. They’re all thieves. They want to take advantage of your kindness. We should throw the whole lot of them into the sea right now. Let the echo beasts in the water have their way with them. Rape them for their sins, as they deserve.”

Mei Mei’s face twisted in open disdain, her lips curling with disgust. The words hung heavy and vile in the salty air. “Karlison, that is disgusting. Never speak those words again. Maybe it should be you thrown overboard instead.”

Karlison’s expression shifted to one of feigned innocence, a wry smile tugging at his lips as he spread his hands placatingly. “It’s for your own good, Captain. I swear it. These outsiders will only bring ruin to us all.”

Mei Mei’s glare didn’t waver. “Leave them alone. Now.” Her tone left no room for argument or backtalk. She turned to Vandal, her voice softening just a fraction, though the steel remained. “You. I need to talk to you privately.”

Karlison stalked off to the far end of the boat without another word, his heavy boots thudding against the planks. His fists remained clenched at his sides, knuckles white. The rest of the crew lingered at the opposite corner, pretending to adjust rigging and coil ropes while watching the entire scene unfold from afar. Their murmurs carried clearly on the night wind, sharp and mocking.

“Poor Karlison… always getting the short end of the stick these days.”

“No hope for him. Not in this lifetime, chasing after the captain like that.”

“Heh, even if Mei Mei ever wanted a man, it sure as hell wouldn’t be him. That white-haired kid’s got her attention now.”

The words were loud enough for Karlison to overhear every syllable. He cursed loudly, spinning around to glare ferociously at the gossiping sailors. “Even if Mei Mei were to want a man, she’d never pick that white-haired shit over me! That kid’s not even worthy to lick my boots. Dumbasses, the lot of you!”

Deep down, Karlison knew his status. Normally, on this boat, Mei Mei was the undisputed strongest, and right after her stood he, Karlison. His resonance cultivation, battle experience, and years of loyalty should have made him irreplaceable. Yet here he was, watching Mei Mei lead that pale, mysterious youth toward her private cabin. The loose fabric of her sailing attire shifted with each step, the neckline dipping low enough to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of smooth cleavage under the moonlight.

The sight only fueled the fire burning in Karlison’s chest.

That white-haired brat… He vowed silently, eyes narrowing with murderous intent as the cabin door clicked shut behind them. Sooner or later, I’ll have him killed. One way or another. No one makes me look weak in front of her.

Below deck in the cramped storage cabin earlier, Vandal had been deep in meditation, wrestling the chaotic energies within. Now, as he followed Mei Mei, those same turbulent forces simmered just beneath his calm exterior.

The punch from Karlison throbbed faintly, but it was nothing compared to the storm inside his meridians. Still, he kept his expression neutral, mind already calculating the next moves.

Mei Mei closed the door firmly behind them, the small captain’s cabin lit by a single swaying lantern. Maps and navigation tools lay scattered across a sturdy table, the scent of ink and aged wood filling the space. She leaned against the edge of the table, crossing her arms as she studied Vandal with those sharp, assessing eyes.

The ship continued its steady glide into open waters, the distant horizon swallowing the last lights of the troublesome port.