C5 Universal Submarine Watch

"What?" Cao Jiang was taken aback. His grandfather had always been frail, plagued by a persistent cough. How could he possibly survive a trip into the sea?

He rushed to the harbor, where he found Zhang Lei standing out in the crowd, his body swathed in bandages, accompanied by the village chief and other respected villagers. Cao Shunhua, his grandfather, stood alone at the edge of the harbor, his expression one of sorrow, his eyes red with grief.

The village chief announced loudly, "Cao Shunhua, your grandson has stolen the pearls worth millions from Zhang Lei's conch. If you can't return them, you're committing a crime, you know? That's punishable by jail time!"

Zhang Lei chimed in with a mocking tone, "Exactly, let's not beat around the bush. Just dive back in and bring up another two million worth of conches for me. That seems fair."

Cao Jiang hadn't anticipated the news would reach the village so swiftly. It was likely Zhong Wan'er who had spread the word to get back at him.

Aware of Cao's illness, the villagers pleaded, "Don't be foolish, Old Cao. If you go down there, you won't make it back alive."

Cao Shunhua's lips quivered. He stood forlornly by the harbor, the breeze tousling strands of his white hair, accentuating his aged appearance. Cao Jiang felt a surge of pain in his heart. His grandfather had endured the loss of a son in his old age and had toiled to raise him. Now, at this stage of life, he was still facing such humiliation. Cao Jiang resolved not to let him suffer any longer.

He slowly extended his hand, parting the crowd as he made his way forward.

Some villagers recognized Cao Jiang and attempted to greet him, but his fearsome demeanor made them shrink away.

With a grim expression, Cao Jiang approached Zhang Lei, who quickly sought refuge behind the village chief, stammering, "Cao Jiang, what do you intend to do?"

The village chief declared with a sense of moral superiority, "Cao Jiang, hold yourself back. You and your grandfather were the ones who erred first by taking Zhang Lei's pearls. It's disgraceful, stealing like common thieves. Return the pearls, and we'll call it even. Otherwise, you and your grandfather won't be welcome in this village any longer."

Several elders nearby chimed in, "Exactly. At our age, we can't be involved in such dishonorable acts. Just return the items and we'll consider the matter closed."

Cao Jiang turned to the village chief and asked, "Did Zhang Lei pay you off?"

The village chief's eye twitched, his gaze shifting evasively as he replied, "Don't spout nonsense. As the village chief, I'm simply here to enforce justice."

"Enforce justice? Do you even qualify?" Cao Jiang chuckled, then suddenly swung his hand, slapping the village chief to the ground. He grabbed Zhang Lei, pulling him close, and demanded, "You claim I took your pearl. Who witnessed it?"

Zhang Lei replied anxiously, "I carried the bag of conches there myself. It was left in your yard when I departed, so naturally, you're the one who took it."

"Oh, my apologies," Cao Jiang retorted. "As I recall, a dog made off with some of your conches. Instead of looking for the dog, you're forcing my grandfather to sea. What is this, an attempt on his life?"

An old man interjected, "That's not fair to say. If Zhang Lei had forced Cao into the sea, then you could call it attempted murder. But no one has laid a finger on Cao. You're just making false accusations."

"Let him go immediately. Violence won't solve anything. If you've taken something, return it. There's no need to be so domineering."

Seeing that the group had clearly conspired together, Cao Jiang couldn't help but laugh in frustration. He nodded and said, "Well done. It looks like Zhang Lei has been quite generous with you all."

He then made a request to the Dream-realizing Mall, spending ten Luck Value points to trigger an eruption of Zhang Lei's Doom Value.

Soon after, the wail of police sirens approached. The bought-off elders exclaimed, "See, the police have arrived. What goes around comes around. It's not that there's no retribution; the time just hadn't come yet. They're here to arrest you and your grandson."

The squad cars quickly reached the harbor, and more than a dozen officers stepped out. Cao Jiang noticed Xia Hee among them. She stayed on the outskirts of the crowd, pointing at Zhang Lei, and stated, "That's the man. He sold me the left-helical conch this morning."

Several police officers immediately approached and handcuffed Zhang Lei. He protested, "What's this about? I only sold a conch. Why are you arresting me?"

The lead officer replied, "We suspect you're involved in a jewelry smuggling case. Please come with us."

Zhang Lei became visibly distressed and exclaimed, "That conch isn't mine. It belonged to Cao Jiang. He's the one who sold it to me."

Cao Jiang shrugged and retorted, "Who witnessed that? Do you have any proof?"

The officer gripping Zhang Lei barked, "We've done our homework. You're known for petty theft and causing trouble in the village. If it's not you, then who? Move it!"

Zhang Lei was promptly escorted away by the police, the entire incident unfolding in less than ten minutes.

The few individuals bribed by Zhang Lei exchanged bewildered glances. Cao Jiang spoke in an even tone, "My grandfather is my only kin. I can't afford to have anything happen to him. From now on, if anyone so much as lays a finger on him or speaks ill of him... don't expect me to be neighborly. Leave now!"

The village chief quickly herded the elders away, and in an instant, they had vanished.

The remaining villagers murmured among themselves, "That kid from the Cao family has become so arrogant now that he's wealthy. He speaks with such authority."

"Well, money talks. If I were rich, I'd speak my mind too."

Cao Jiang disregarded the villagers' chatter and turned to Xia Hee. "President Xia, you've come to my aid once again. Thank you."

A gentle breeze swept through, causing Xia Hee's hair and skirt to flutter softly, making her appear like a nymph stepping out of a painting, her beauty breathtaking.

Smoothing her wind-tousled hair, she smiled and said, "I was merely assisting the police officer with identification. I also wanted to see if your village had any exquisite seafood. A VIP will be visiting my hotel in a few days, and I'm looking to procure some premium seafood to serve. If you come across any, please let me know. Price is no object; the key is that it must be rare and delectable."

"This is no big deal. I'll dive in and catch it for you right away."

Cao Jiang wasn't just talking big, but to the bystanders, it seemed a bit far-fetched. Many shook their heads, saying, "Catching prized seafood isn't that easy. Do you think it's as simple as pulling vegetables from the ground? It's all about luck."

"Exactly. Luck only goes so far. Fortune doesn't always smile on you."

Xia Hee chimed in with advice, "It's getting late. There's no need to rush. You can always head out to sea tomorrow."

Cao Jiang responded with a calm smile, "Don't worry, President Xia. Give me less than an hour, and I'll have the seafood you're craving."

"You won't catch anything in an hour!" Xia Hee was visibly concerned, fearing Cao Jiang might encounter danger if he went out to sea at dusk.

"And what if I do catch it?" Cao Jiang, glancing at Xia Hee's alluring red lips, impulsively suggested, "If I do, how about you give me a kiss?"

His words hung in the air, creating a sudden tension. Xia Hee, taken aback, blushed deeply. "What's on your mind all the time?"

Feeling the awkwardness, Cao Jiang quickly said, "Just wait for me," grabbed a nearby fishing net, and plunged into the ocean with a splash.

Submerged in the sea, Cao Jiang felt his embarrassment wash away. It was then he remembered to seek assistance from the Dream-realizing Mall. "I need something that will let me swim freely underwater."

Instantly, a display appeared before him, featuring a versatile diving watch. For just 100 Luck Value, it could create an instant waterproof barrier and supply oxygen for thirty minutes, akin to an invisible diving suit. In the future, it could be upgraded with Luck Value, and with a press of the watch's button, it would envelop the wearer in a nano-material coating, enabling deep-sea dives.

Cao Jiang made the exchange at once, and a plain black watch appeared on his wrist. He pressed the button, and a layer of oxygen enveloped him, isolating him from the water.