Chapter 4637 — Wei Zhao Takes the Helm
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"I know. That is why the rest of the controls stay with you. I will handle direction alone. From here on, follow my orders." Wei Zhao took charge of the master station without a shred of hesitation.
"Oh. Oh." Seeing his resolve, the helmsman, though far from reassured, could only hurry aside. To stand there arguing would waste the moment—and if he provoked the man into pinning a charge of betraying North Island on him, he was a dead man.
The helmsman's heart quaked, and the rest were sick with anxiety—but at such a time none dared speak another word.
"The enemy is ten zhang off!" Gongyang Jun's voice rang out suddenly, startling them all over again. At ten zhang they could already make out rough outlines; if the treasure ship had no defensive array mounted outside, the enemy could simply leap across.
Wei Zhao paid it no mind. Unhurriedly he tested the control lever, then said in a low, steady voice, "Full speed!"
The operators at the various stations started at the words. Unlike ordinary vessels, which relied chiefly on the sea wind, this treasure ship drew its power from arrays; given ample spiritual energy, its speed could be driven to the utmost within mere breaths—an advantage no other ship could match.
But the mist lay thick all around, and they could not tell sea from island ahead, let alone hidden reefs. Was this not courting death?
Yet Wei Zhao's tone brooked no hesitation, and none dared falter. They flung the arrays to full power—and at once every soul aboard staggered, for the brute acceleration of the giant treasure ship was no trifling thing.
Wei Zhao, by contrast, stood stern-faced, eyes fixed on the water ahead. Though nothing at all could be seen beyond ten zhang, he carried himself as though he could. A moment later, as if something had come to him, he wrenched the helm hard to port.
"No! Not that way! There is a great field of reefs ahead—we cannot go that way, it is too dangerous!" The helmsman leapt up in alarm.
He had steered on the last several voyages to West Island and knew this route somewhat. The treasure ship's hull was stout enough for ordinary reefs, but a multitude of them could still do irreparable damage—especially at this breakneck speed, when even the defensive array might give way and shatter outright.
At the helmsman's terror the others caught their breath as well. Watching Wei Zhao's pose—calm on the surface, reckless beneath—they could not help feeling they had boarded a pirate ship. Were they all to die at this fellow's hands?
But it was too late now for regrets. Not only did no one dare object—no one dared so much as breathe too loudly, for fear of upsetting Wei Zhao's judgment! (To be continued..)