The night was as thick as ink, enshrouding the entire sea. Only the dim moonlight struggled through the clouds, casting a hazy, silvery glow upon the waves. This faint light flickered amidst the churning swells, as if it might be swallowed by the darkness at any moment.
The tattered sails of their old fishing boat snapped in the night wind like a broken battle flag, the holes in the canvas tearing further with every gust, emitting a "crackling" sound that seemed to wail of impending doom. Shen Mingyue’s hands, gripping the helm, were already scarred with deep, blood-red welts from the ropes; each impact of the waves sent sharp stabs of pain through her wounds. The salty sea breeze, thick with spray, washed over the deck, mingling with the scent of fresh blood oozing from an unhealed wound on Gu Jinghong’s shoulder.
The stench was so pungent it was almost nauseating. They had departed from a hidden pier in Cangzhou Port three days ago, thinking they had evaded the Crown Prince’s eyes and ears, yet danger had been dogging their steps all along. Out here on the vast ocean, a crisis was silently closing in, like a behemoth lurking in the dark, waiting for the perfect moment to strike a fatal blow.
Chapter 47