Kuroshio Travel Agency

Chen Miemie had discovered the joys of traveling.

Everything around him was new, constantly satisfying the curiosity he usually kept hidden.

“The name ‘Lady Sea Siren’ contains the character for ‘monster.’ Does that mean she’s...?”

Old Zhou immediately shook his head.

“No. Lady Sea Siren isn’t a member of the monster races. To be precise, I don’t know what she is, either. She appears for a period of time once every few hundred years. This time, she appeared about two hundred years ago. We can hear her voice, but we can’t communicate with her.”

“Then where did the name come from?”

“It comes from her voice. You heard it just now—that ‘yoo-yoo’ sound.

“Long ago, when people were caught in storms at sea and their ships were about to sink, they would hear that sound. Afterward, the wind and waves would calm, and they would be saved. People thought it was the sea making a ‘yoo’ sound. Since the pronunciation was similar in everyday speech, the name gradually evolved into ‘Sea Siren.’

“As for the title at the end, it’s much like how we venerate the sun and moon, and the church personifies them as gods. ‘Lady’ is the divine title we gave the Sea Siren out of respect and gratitude. In truth, no one has ever actually seen her.”

Perhaps because the seagulls had already inspected the boat, it passed through the city gates without being searched or required to register. The city gates were unmanned.

At that moment, the inside of [Foamwake Harbor] looked like a small city built on water. A shallow layer of water covered the streets, while waterways crisscrossed between the buildings.

The water was so clear that the cobblestone paths beneath it were visible.

At mid-level, countless raised walkways connected the buildings to one another like bridges. They intersected and stretched in every direction, filling most of Chen Miemie’s view.

Old Zhou moored the boat beside a platform and cheerfully explained, “You arrived at just the right time. If you’d come a little later, the water would have receded, and you could’ve walked straight in. Normally, all boats stop running at nine in the morning. If they leave any later, they might run aground halfway there.”

Chen Miemie was about to say something when—

A speedboat suddenly burst out from not far away and roared past them. With one sharp turn, it kicked up a small spray of water.

“Old Zhou, there are speedboats too?”

“Of course. Sometimes people are in a hurry.”

“If there are speedboats, what kind of market is there for a man-powered boat like yours?”

“My boat can activate the power mechanism beneath the hull and move quickly too.”

Chen Miemie: ...

Wait. Sir, if that’s the case, why did you row me all the way here at a leisurely pace?

“Old Zhou, how much is the fare?” Chen Miemie asked as he prepared to get off.

“You’re a first-time visitor, and I was coming back this way anyway. Don’t worry about it.”

Chen Miemie hurriedly shook his head. “Thank you, but rowing all this way must have been hard work. I happen to want to learn about the local transportation costs, so I have to pay you.”

Old Zhou no longer tried to refuse. “All right. Other than the city’s public boats, fares are negotiated. The price is generally proportional to the distance. The starting fare is one hour for travel within the city and three hours for travel outside the city. Beyond the starting fare, everything depends on what you and the boatman agree on.”

Chen Miemie thought for a moment. “Do we have to pay for the food used to feed the seagulls every time we enter the city?”

“The seagulls aren’t picky. Ordinary dried fish is cheap, and if there are only one or two passengers, we usually don’t charge for it.”

After paying for three hours, Chen Miemie stepped onto the platform where the boat was moored and said goodbye to Old Zhou.

Once Chen Miemie had disembarked and found his footing, Old Zhou rowed away. Even from a distance, he called out, “Have a pleasant journey!”

Chen Miemie had only taken a few steps when he looked up at the crisscrossing elevated walkways overhead and became certain of one thing.

“The layout here is way too complicated. With my mild tendency to get lost, I’m guaranteed to lose my way. I need a guide.”

He glanced around. Not far from the platform where he had disembarked stood a row of waterside shops.

Their signs were conspicuous, and none of them advertised merchandise. Every shop bore a sign identifying it as a travel agency.

The people minding the shops were all watching him with gleaming eyes.

Chen Miemie’s unusual clothing and the way he looked around clearly marked him as a newcomer.

He casually picked one of the shops and walked inside.

The young man behind the counter greeted him enthusiastically.

“Welcome! You’ve just arrived in [Foamwake Harbor], haven’t you? Our travel agency can provide you with the finest service.”

Chen Miemie rejected all self-praise outright. “Are you the number-one travel agency in the city?”

The young man immediately fell silent. “We’re not, but our service is absolutely first-rate.”

Chen Miemie shook his head. “I only want the best. Which agency is number one?”

Ordinarily, competitors were rivals. Even when a field had a clear number one, no competitor would admit it—especially not when asked who offered “the best.”

Yet the young man answered without the slightest hesitation.

“Black Tide Travel Agency.”

Chen Miemie thanked him and walked out of the shop.

He followed the row of stores with his eyes and found a relatively understated sign in the farthest corner: [Black Tide Travel Agency].

Chen Miemie went inside.

The moment he entered, he realized that this travel agency was anything but ordinary.

Its attendant sat in the shadows, and his appearance could only be seen clearly after entering the shop.

He had no flesh at all. He was a skeleton wearing a tattered sailor’s uniform, with bells of various colors hanging densely from every bone.

When he noticed Chen Miemie enter, the motionless skeleton slowly raised his head.

As he moved, the bells between his bones began to jingle.

His upper and lower jaws opened and closed.

In the most sinister voice imaginable, he spoke the most enthusiastic words possible: “Welcome to Black Tide Travel Agency. We are pleased to be at your service. Whatever you need, just say the word.”

Skeletons and ghosts were among the kinds of creatures Chen Miemie was not good at dealing with.

He wasn’t afraid of fighting them. It was when they didn’t fight back that he became a little nervous.

He asked hesitantly, “I’d like a full-time guide to help me become familiar with the city.”

The skeleton suddenly leaped out from behind the counter. His somewhat shrill voice rose noticeably in pitch, making him sound extremely excited.

“No problem! We have the finest guides in the entire city. They can show you around, answer your questions, and even provide personal protection.”

Chen Miemie silently took a step back, putting some distance between himself and the skeleton as he prepared to flee at any moment.

“This guide isn’t you, is it?”

The skeleton looked delighted at first, then somewhat crestfallen. “Sadly, no. I’d love to serve you, but my job is to mind the shop. The guides are other people.”

Chen Miemie didn’t find that sad in the slightest.

“Tell me the basics about your guides.”

The skeleton finally calmed down from his brief burst of excitement and stared at Chen Miemie’s face.

“Before I explain, I have to make something clear. Our agency charges more than five times what the others do. If you’re going out of the city or heading into the sea for an expedition, the price will be even higher. You’ll need to have a certain amount of financial backing.”

What made the skeleton happy was that Chen Miemie’s expression didn’t change at all after hearing this.

“There must be a reason you’re more expensive, right?”

“Of course. As I said, our guides provide more than just information. They can also protect you with their strength. They’re experienced mystics.”

Chen Miemie nodded. “Go ahead and introduce them. Money isn’t a problem.”

“All right. At the moment, we have six guides available. Aside from sightseeing, do you have any other needs, such as combat, exploration, deep-sea diving, or anything along those lines?”

“Any of those are possible. Just go with the highest standard.”

The skeleton froze for a moment. Had he stumbled upon a very fat sheep?

His mouth, however, never stopped moving.

“Then there are only two candidates to choose from: [Harpoon] and [Dentist]. Both are high-ranking mystics, highly skilled in combat and exploration.”