Chapter 86: Odin Dragon Boat

The sailors carefully yet efficiently and skillfully dissected the Unicorn Whale King on the deck. Faced with such an immensely valuable treasure, wasting even a single drop of its blood was considered shameful. All materials from its body were to be preserved in special arcane ice vaults, ensuring no part went to waste.

Especially its blood and bodily fluids needed to be stored in containers specially crafted by those alchemists. If ordinary containers were used, within three days the blood would lose all its spiritual properties.

Even the waste matter from the whale king’s large intestine was deliberately dug out by some sailors and stored in a separate cabin. These things were filthy, foul, and unbearably stinky, but what could they do? Those Secret Pharmacists treated it like a treasure. Disgusting as it might seem, a pound of the Unicorn Whale King’s excrement could fetch a sky-high price of hundreds of gold coins at auction if luck favored them.

Lin Qi and Long Cheng stood at the bow, watching hundreds of sailors efficiently dismembering the colossal beast piece by piece.

Long Cheng leaned casually against the mermaid statue, suddenly cracking a grin. “Wanna know why I agreed to the thirty percent cut?”

Lin Qi shot Long Cheng a sidelong glance, feeling rather resentful towards the man who was walking away with thirty percent of the profits. Shaking his head, he replied, “Surely not because I saved your life? I know that iceberg wouldn’t have finished you off. At best, I just saved you some hardship!”

Long Cheng patted Lin Qi’s shoulder and chuckled. “Amusing. You’re one smart little rascal. That iceberg wouldn’t have killed me, no, but it sure would’ve left me badly weakened, that’s undeniable. The bet I have with those opponents only counts if I return to the Imperial Capital within a year. Wasting too much time trapped in the ice could mean I lose this round.”

He sighed softly and shook his head. “I don’t have time to waste. I need to get my hands on a hefty sum quickly and keep moving. No time to personally handle the auction of this big fellow myself, so I had to accept your terms! I must get back to the Imperial Capital fast, and win this bet handsomely!”

Lin Qi looked at Long Cheng curiously. Just what kind of bet could drive him to take such immense risks, attempting the near-impossible?

Setting out from ports in the East, heading north into the North Sea, then crossing the perilous Odin Ice Plain—a place known to be the stronghold of Frost Titans and other terrifying alien races. Legends even whispered of secret passages to the Underworld in the heart of that frozen wasteland, where ancient evils, the very ones said to have nearly destroyed the world before the Destruction Calendar, were rumored to lurk.

Just surviving the crossing of the Odin Ice Plain was an incredible feat bordering on the miraculous for any normal human. Yet he intended to cross the North Sea during the fiercest winter blizzards and push deep into the Western Continent? This wager was practically a death wish. No matter how formidable Long Cheng’s abilities, it was reckless. What made it worth it?

“I don’t get it. Why?” Lin Qi asked, his curiosity burning. “For gold coins? Or beautiful women?”

Long Cheng snorted with derisive laughter, turning his gaze contemptuously towards the sea. “Gold? I, Long Cheng, hail from immense wealth. While I wouldn’t claim rivaling entire treasuries, the combined fortunes of several dozen so-called noble families from backwater places like yours might just match the worth held by my family’s steward. As for beauties… heh.” He smirked superiorly. “As for those unmatched temptresses ranked on the East’s prized Beauty Ranking Scroll—thirty-eight of them had their precious Red Pearls taken by yours truly.”

Hands clasped behind his back, Long Cheng declared with boundless arrogance, “This master possesses wealth beyond measure, looks beyond description, wisdom unparalleled, equal mastery in scholarly and martial pursuits! Few in the world can match my intellect or combat skill; I am a unique, peerless figure of this era! Money? Pretty faces? Such vulgar trifles warrant me risking my life?”

“Then, esteemed, incomparably handsome, brilliantly wise, divinely martial, and comprehensively talented Master Long Cheng,” Lin Qi retorted, his curiosity now fully ablaze, “what exactly did you bet against them?”

Long Cheng chuckled with triumphant satisfaction a few times. He rubbed his nose, his tone casual. “Oh, nothing much. Just the governorship of a province back home, four prefectural governorships, and the command positions for thirty-nine garrison towns. Those are the main wagers. Other little sweeteners, like documents freeing certain beauties from the scrolls… well, those hardly count.”

Suddenly, Long Cheng burst into maniacal laughter. He doubled over, tears streaming, saliva spraying. He threw Lin Qi an obscenely gleeful look. “But the most delicious clause? Heh… if the guy I wagered against loses?” He cackled. “He has to send his eight most cherished concubines to… spend a week indulging in poetry and moon appreciation at my residence!”

A fierce light flared in Long Cheng’s eyes. His teeth ground together viciously. “That cuckold’s crown? I’ll hammer it onto his head so tightly, it’ll brand him a turtle for all eternity! Daring to cross blades with me, the City-Slaughtering Blood-Fiend Long Cheng? Heheh… gifting him some horns is merely the opening course!”

Lin Qi felt overwhelmed again. Who is this Long Cheng?

The governorship of a Province! Prefectural governorship! Garrison town commands! They could just be wagered away? He must be the scion of some top-tier aristocratic, supremely noble house!

What truly made Lin Qi feel faint was this: If Long Cheng had the power to stake such crucial positions in a wager… he also bet concubines! It was sheer absurdity! Utterly degenerate! Did it mean those governors and prefects were valued on par with their concubines?

Listening to Long Cheng describe the bet, Lin Qi suddenly realized: Long Cheng was an absolute, thoroughbred son-of-a-scoundrel! The misbehaving young masters and ladies of Dun Er Ke’s noble houses were like country bumpkins next to him, mere amateurs in debauchery. While folks like Lin Qi and his circle bet pennies for fun, Long Cheng? He gambled with things like this?

Just as Lin Qi was silently pondering Long Cheng’s dubious heritage, a deep BOOM echoed from behind an iceberg nearby.

Lin Qi’s scalp instantly prickled. He whirled around, looking intently in that direction.

The lookout perched high in the crow’s nest shrieked in panic: “Odin Dragon Boat! It’s their fleet! Fire the Arcane Furnace! Retreat! Get us away, fast!”

“Hyah~ hyah~ argh~ hup!” Low, rhythmic chants and forceful calls accompanied the sound as an ornately carved wooden dragon head, several meters tall, slowly rose from behind the iceberg. An unusual warship sluggishly emerged into view.

Following behind the iceberg and swinging around, adjusting its course, was a Dragon Boat—a vessel mere five meters wide but significantly longer than the Sea Windmill. Its entire hull was painted blood-red, shaped like a serpent, and it was now speeding rapidly towards them.

Behind this leading Dragon Boat, three smaller ones followed, each half the length and narrower than the first.

Centered on each vessel stood a hide-skinned war drum. Over each drum loomed a Giant, towering over ten feet tall, skin a strangely bluish-gray hue. Wielding massive bone mallets, they slowly beat the drums, the heavy BOOMS resonating, rattling the very spirit.