The apocalypse struck, and I became a druid.

Page 31

"Definitely! Although Egret Port can't compare to those giant cargo ports, it's positioned as a seaside tourism and yacht marina."

"Many wealthy people, especially those from abroad and some middle- and upper-class people in China who enjoy sailing, will buy a small or medium-sized sailboat."

"For them, this is not just a means of transportation, but a mobile home at sea. They take their family and friends out to sea for vacation and travel around the world during holidays."

He made an estimate:

"A monohull or catamaran that is 40 to 50 feet (about 12 to 15 meters) long will cost anywhere from several million to tens of millions of dollars."

"With proper interior space design, a boat of this size can comfortably accommodate five or six people, and even ten people could squeeze in."

"The fresh water, food, and equipment stored on board are enough to sustain the voyage for a period of time."

"As for Egret Port..." Xu Ming said with certainty.

“There must be a dedicated yacht marina and berths there.”

“In this kind of weather, large cargo ships and passenger ships may not be able to sail or may be flooded, but those sailboats that are moored at the dock and have a relatively shallow draft, especially those of good quality, are very likely to still be there, or only have some of their lower cabins flooded.”

"As long as the hull isn't completely destroyed and key parts like the masts and sails aren't damaged, we have a chance!"

"Oh?"

Han Ning's eyes lit up.

Chapter 33 Departure, Egret Harbor

Xu Ming's description helped him dispel stereotypes about sailboats.

Han Ning thought for a moment and asked the most crucial question:

"Suppose we do find a usable sailboat in Egret Harbor, what's the next step?"

"If we drive straight back, won't we get stranded? There's too much garbage in the city."

Although he couldn't sail, he had a basic understanding of the situation.

Larger vessels probably can't navigate the complex urban waterways and roads, right?

It's not a small speedboat.

Upon hearing this, Xu Ming frowned.

He hesitated for a moment before answering cautiously:

"Boss, you're right."

"The current situation is complicated. Ships are at great risk when navigating in this environment. They are very likely to run aground or be wrecked, especially ships with a slightly deeper draft."

He picked up an empty mineral water bottle from the table and gestured with it:

"My idea is that if we do find the boat, it's best not to sail directly back to the vicinity of the community. There are too many people and too many obstacles here, and there isn't enough water."

"The safest way is to first sail the boat to a relatively secluded place with deep enough water and no tall building ruins around it and moor it."

"For example?" Han Ning pressed.

"For example... places far from the city center, near the estuary or more open waters."

Xu Ming tried hard to recall the city's structure.

“This is not Earth, the terrain is definitely different, but the southern district of Bailu City is less developed and the buildings are scattered, so it would be a better place to choose.”

He added:

"We can use small boats or even swim to travel to other safe outposts, continue to gather supplies, and enhance our strength."

Han Ning nodded: "A safe anchorage is only temporary; our ultimate goal is not to stay there forever."

Xu Ming was not an Awakened One. Next, Han Ning briefly explained to him the information left behind by the civilization of the previous planet.

"The center of the planet...you mean the longer we stay here, the more dangerous it becomes?" Xu Ming was shocked.

"Yes."

Han Ning spoke with certainty, then asked,

"When we're anchored, could you find a way to determine the location of our city?"

"This……"

Xu Ming hesitated slightly.

"Boss, this...this is too difficult."

"First of all, we have no idea where the 'center' of the planet is."

"This is not Earth. We have no maps, no GPS, and even... the sky is unfamiliar. It's raining non-stop, we can't see any stars, and we can't determine our location by celestial bodies."

He shook his head with a wry smile:

"In this environment, it's questionable whether a compass can still function properly due to unknown magnetic fields or the influence of monsters."

"To be honest, I'm not confident that I can determine the right direction."

"In the vast expanse of water, once you lose your way, the consequences are unimaginable. I can only say that if we can find some landmarks and use basic navigation tools, or if we can observe the trajectory of certain celestial bodies, we might be able to give it a try, but the success rate is very low."

"Understood. Then let's not think that far ahead and get the boat first."

Han Ning looked at Xu Ming, his tone serious.

"You just need to tell me, once the direction is determined, are you capable of sailing a sailboat?"

Xu Ming stood up straight, very confident:

"As long as the ship is in good condition and the direction is determined, I will definitely be able to sail it there. I have participated in many ocean voyages, and I still have basic navigation skills and experience in dealing with bad weather."

"it is good!"

Han Ning slowly stood up.

"That's enough. I'll figure out the location issue."

"Your task now is simply to conserve your energy, carefully consider the structure and operation of the sailboat, especially the possible malfunctions and how to deal with them. When we take action, you will be the captain!"

"Understood, boss!" Xu Ming nodded vigorously.

Back at home, Han Ning stood by the window, gazing at the gloomy rain in the distance, lost in thought.

"I'm not the only Awakened One in the city. What I can think of, others can naturally think of as well. The number of ships is limited, so we must strike first!"

Liu Feng's team's target is also Egret Harbor, as well as other possible groups of survivors.

Whoever finds and controls a usable ship first holds the initiative, and even the chance to survive.

"We can't wait any longer." Han Ning made up his mind. "We must go to Bailugang as soon as possible to scout out the situation."

His current advantage is obvious.

Having gills gives them the ability to breathe freely and move quickly underwater.

Snowcakes are natural underwater hunters and scouts, and their combat power increases as their size grows.

The combination of these two factors gives him superior mobility and stealth compared to others in the flooded city ruins.

……

The next morning.

The sky remained overcast, and the rain seemed to have lessened somewhat compared to yesterday.

Han Ning wore a close-fitting waterproof suit with a raincoat over it, and the backpack on his back was carefully wrapped in a waterproof cloth.

The bag contained a lot of food, drinks, and first-aid supplies.

I knew I might be out for quite a while today.

Last night, he deliberately used up all his spiritual energy to release several natural blessings for the two plants.

I walked to the entrance of the apartment building.

He observed the water level as usual.

"It's gone up quite a bit again..."

At this point, the water level had already submerged more than half of the steps on the first floor.

It won't be long before the entire first floor is submerged.

He channeled his spiritual power and activated the [Fish Gill Technique].

The skin on both sides of the cheeks twitched slightly, and a pair of gill slits covered with a transparent membrane quietly emerged.

The pupils are covered with a thin film that isolates impurities, fine blue scales grow on the skin of the hands and feet, and energy-shaped webbing extends from between the fingers and the webbed feet.

[Spiritual Power: 25/25 → 24/25]

[Gill Technique (Beginner) Proficiency +1, currently 21/100]

The Fish Gill Technique increases proficiency by 1 point for every minute it is maintained, making it a continuous skill.

"Pfft!"

Han Ning tied the large backpack to Xuebing and was the first to jump into the murky, icy water.

A cool sensation enveloped my entire body, as if I had become one with the water.

Breathing became exceptionally smooth, and the sensation of water flowing over my cheeks became very clear.

He gently swayed his body and flippers, and his whole body glided forward several meters like an arrow, much faster and more agile than when running on land.

"Snowflakes, keep up!" Han Ning issued the command via mental link.

"hiss!"

Snowcake followed closely behind, its massive grayish-white body disappearing into the water with hardly a splash.

Its thick tail acted like a highly efficient propulsion unit, easily catching up with Han Ning with a gentle swish.

A man and a lizard blend into the shadows in the water, swiftly traversing the submerged city ruins.

[Gill Technique Proficiency +1, currently 22/100]

[Animal Companion Proficiency +1, currently 57/200]

With the help of the environmental information shared by Xuebing and his own observations, Han Ning continuously constructed the outline of the world above and below water in his mind.