Chapter 832 - 372: Cracking the Treasure Site Cipher! (8K Combined - )

Chapter 832: Chapter 372: Cracking the Treasure Site Cipher! (8K Combined Chapter)

The engine of the Polaris transitioned smoothly from its hurried roar upon departure to a cruising hum.

The bustling lights of Nassau Port quickly elongated and blurred in the wake of the ship.

In the salon, the large teak dining table remained the nerve center of the ship.

But now, the beer bottles and snacks had long disappeared, replaced by a fully unfolded paper chart covering the northern Caribbean Sea.

Lin Yu’an used a red oil-based marker to fill the chart with intersecting isochrones, backup waypoints, and storm potential path sectors.

This chart, which once guided romantic voyages, now resembled a fiercely contested battle map.

Mike held a steaming hot cup of coffee but didn’t drink it, letting the warmth seep through the ceramic cup into his somewhat cold palms.

His gaze, sharp as a hawk, rapidly switched between the radar screen and the pitch-black sea ahead, serving as Lin Yu’an’s most crucial lookout.

Meanwhile, Riven, after confirming that all supplies were securely fastened one last time, was sent back to her cabin by Lin Yu’an for mandatory rest.

"We’re like a bunch of refugees sneaking across under the cover of darkness," Mike exhaled a puff of white air, attempting to lighten the pre-dawn tension with a clumsy joke.

"We’re just stealing time, Captain." Lin Yu’an’s gaze didn’t deviate in the slightest from the flickering green navigation light ahead.

"From now every hour is time we’ve forcibly stolen from the goddess named ’Artemis’."

Hours later, as the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, bathing the sky and sea in a magnificent orange hue.

The Polaris finally successfully traversed the treacherous and complex "Yellow Shoal" shallow area near Nassau.

Numerous coral reefs hidden beneath the water lay just meters away on either side of their route, like lurking beasts faintly visible in the morning light.

"Alright, entering the Exuma Strait," Lin Yu’an glanced at the electronic chart, the tiny triangular icon representing the ship.

Having entered expansive waters deeper than a thousand meters, he could finally relax a bit as the taut muscles in his shoulders from the past two hours subsided.

He activated the autopilot, turning to Mike: "From now, let’s officially execute the watch schedule."

Lin Yu’an pointed at the navigation plan posted on the helm, the watch times clearly marked with waterproof ink:

Mike: 8 AM - 4 PM.

Riven: 4 PM - Midnight.

Lin Yu’an: Midnight - Next morning 8 AM.

This was the most mentally exhausting late night and dawn, complete darkness without reference points, thus it was the best training ground for a sailor’s night navigation skills.

"It’s 7 AM now," Lin Yu’an checked his watch.

"Mike, I’m sorry to make you take over for an hour first; your official shift begins at 8 AM. I’m going to download the latest weather data, there’s another hard battle at midnight."

"No problem, leave it to me." Mike took over the helm.

The seasoned captain looked energetic in the refreshing sea breeze, expertly checking each instrument reading with a sense of ease and confidence, as if he wasn’t racing against an impending storm.

But leisurely cruising on a weekend instead. This ship was part of his body, the sea his most familiar home.

Lin Yu’an walked into the salon, activated the Starlink Network, and started downloading the storm’s initial official path forecast and naming announcement.

When he saw the familiar spiral cloud pattern appear on the screen, accompanied by the words "Tropical Storm ’Artemis’ has formed."

He knew that the 48-hour countdown to life and death had officially begun with the sunrise.

[Day One, 5 PM, Twelfth Hour Weather Briefing]

Riven had already been steering for an hour, her concentration at its peak as the sunset began generously spilling its last rays onto the sea, turning the deep blue waters into flowing gold.

The air was warm and humid; if not for the knowledge of a massive threat silently forming below the southeastern horizon, this would have been a perfect Caribbean Sea voyage.

Mike slept in his cabin like a ballast stone, his even snores could even penetrate the cabin door.

Meanwhile, Lin Yu’an had just finished a few hours of deep sleep, and was now in the kitchen, using a pressure cooker to prepare a pot of beef stew with potatoes for a quick energy and heat boost.

The ship’s communication channel suddenly transmitted his calm voice: "First Weather Briefing."

On the helm, Riven, her focus sharp on the compass, immediately perked up and pressed the talk button: "Riven here."

"The storm ’Artemis’ has been officially named. Current maximum sustained wind speed at the center is 45 knots, consistent with the unofficial data from when we set sail."

Lin Yu’an sounded as if he were reading a technical report, "However, it’s moving 2 knots faster than expected, reaching 12 knots per hour."

"This means it will reach the essential route to Samana Bay sooner than anticipated."

"And our plan?"

"The impact is minimal. I’ve calculated that our safety window has been compressed by about 4 hours, from the original 24 hours down to 20 hours. Still within controllable range."