Chapter 347: Setting Off for James Shoal!

Ning Fei set the autopilot's destination to the seaside villa. The Qingfeng then turned around and began its return voyage.

During the return trip, more and more seagulls gathered behind them, flying in the wake of the Qingfeng.

"What's with all these seagulls?"

The sight amazed everyone, prompting them to ask.

Ning Fei stood on the third-deck platform and explained to the netizens:

"Seagulls chasing a ship is a very common sight at sea."

"When a ship sails, the resistance from the air and seawater creates an updraft above the vessel."

"By trailing behind or flying directly above, the seagulls can use this updraft to glide effortlessly."

Hearing Ning Fei's explanation, everyone nodded in realization and murmured, "So that's why."

"Another trivia point appears!"

"Why does Temple Master Ning know everything?"

"My useless knowledge has increased once again."

A seagull happened to be flying right next to Ning Fei. He reached out his hand, and the bird naturally landed on his arm.

Seagulls were one of the most common seabirds. With their pure white feathers and beautiful appearance, their presence always formed a striking scenic line.

Ning Fei looked at the seagull on his arm and smiled.

"Seagulls are the mascots of the ocean. They love following ships, and people on ships love seeing them."

"Sailors unfamiliar with a stretch of water can easily run aground or hit a reef when they head out to sea."

"Experienced sailors know that seagulls often rest on shoals and hidden reefs. Whenever a ship gets close, the seagulls will take flight and cry out, serving as a natural warning."

"Also, there are times when heavy fog blankets the sea and the crew can't find the port."

"When that happens, they just need to observe the direction the seagulls are flying and follow them right into the harbor."

"Beyond that, seagulls have one supreme skill: predicting storms."

"If seagulls fly low, close to the water's surface, it means the skies will remain clear. If they just linger by the coast or gather on the beach, it heralds an incoming rainstorm."

Ning Fei recounted all this calmly.

Merely seeing a flock of seagulls following the Qingfeng had prompted him to share an abundance of interesting trivia about them.

Everyone was thoroughly amazed.

Ning Fei's broadcasts were now airing across the entire internet. Almost every popular streaming platform had invited him to join.

For a time, his popularity was completely unmatched.

Moreover, the fans in his stream loved listening to him share these obscure facts.

"Are seagulls really that amazing?"

"If the Titanic had encountered seagulls back in the day, maybe that tragedy wouldn't have happened."

"The Titanic hit a glacier in freezing waters. I don't think there are seagulls around there."

Amidst their lively discussion, the Qingfeng slowly approached the port behind the villa and came to a halt.

Ning Fei lowered the stairs and led the little guys off the Qingfeng, returning to the villa.

"It's getting late."

"Since we're by the sea, we naturally have to eat some seafood."

"Time is a bit tight today, so I'll just head into the water and find something to eat."

"This is the greatest joy for people who grow up by the coast: they can eat seafood anytime, anywhere."

"For instance, if you watch Extreme Challenge, Huang Bo once mentioned how he used to constantly dive for seafood when he was a kid in Qingdao."

Ning Fei was feeling hungry.

Looking at the ocean behind the villa, he acted on a whim and decided to forage for his own food.

This stretch of sea was traditionally a fishing ground, and many locals regularly dived to catch fish and shrimp.

The water behind the villa wasn't deep. Ning Fei simply changed into his swim trunks, put on a pair of diving goggles, and prepared to jump in.

Naturally, this process was also being broadcast live.

When it came to public sensibilities, there was a rather strange double standard.

Streaming in underwear was considered indecent, but doing it in swim trunks was perfectly fine.

It was considered totally normal for girls to walk along a beach in a bikini, yet strolling outside in lingerie would be deemed highly inappropriate.

Ning Fei's swimwear consisted of just swimming trunks and goggles.

As his physique was put on full display in the broadcast, a massive horde of female fans swooned in delight, screaming things like "Husband, I want you!" in the chat.

Ning Fei dived straight into the water.

It was currently spring, and the seawater was still a bit chilly, but with Ning Fei's constitution, it didn't bother him much.

He wasn't wearing his Diving Suit right now; he was merely swimming and diving near the shore, which meant he couldn't speak while submerged.

Through the camera lens, the netizens watched Ning Fei swim freely in the ocean.

Ning Fei descended straight to the seabed.

The sea behind the villa wasn't deep, only about two or three meters, and the bottom was littered with rocks.

However, the water here was incredibly clear.

Ning Fei was searching for something underwater. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he plucked a shell-like object from the rocks on the seabed.

He then swam forward and continuously found several more of these shells.

The netizens watched with deep envy.

"What is Temple Master Ning holding?"

"I grew up by the sea, so I can tell you all right now—those are abalones."

"Abalones? He can just find them that easily?"

"Abalones aren't that expensive nowadays, and for people living by the coast, they really are quite common."

"Yeah, if you're lucky, you can find them right by the shore."

"Having abalones in the sea right behind your villa... just scooping some up whenever you want to eat them—what a heavenly life!"

Ning Fei found about seven or eight abalones in a row before surfacing, thoroughly satisfied.

He set the abalones aside and said with a smile, "Abalone is a great ingredient. You can stew it in soup, steam it, or mix it with rice. It's rich but not greasy, the meat is firm and tender, and it tastes incredibly flavorful."

Hearing his words, one netizen nodded and said, "Yeah, I've had abalone before. It just tastes like seafood."

This remark sparked another round of in-depth discussion among the viewers.

Having fished the abalones out of the sea, Ning Fei planned to have them for dinner.

He went to the kitchen, scrubbed the abalones clean, and scored them with a knife. He then added cooking wine, MSG, and other seasonings, bringing them to a gentle simmer.

After simmering for a few minutes, he heated oil in a wok, tossed in some doubanjiang, scallions, ginger, and other aromatics, and then threw the cooked abalones in for a quick stir-fry.

Before long, a plate of braised abalone was ready.

His abalone was perfect in color, aroma, and taste. Every bite filled his mouth with a lingering fragrance that left him immensely satisfied.

Life by the sea remained as leisurely and comfortable as always.

Over the next few days, Ning Fei bought a lot of daily necessities and matching accessories to thoroughly furnish the Qingfeng Cruise Ship.

This included rooms for the little guys, pet passageways, pet toilets, toys, and so on.

He also prepared ocean exploration gear, such as Diving Suits, oxygen tanks, and the like.

The Qingfeng Cruise Ship came with a built-in seawater filtration system and a freshwater storage tank. Whenever the freshwater levels dropped to a certain point, the ship would draw in seawater and distill it, producing the purest, cleanest water.

At the same time, over these past few days, Ning Fei had also gone to the local maritime department to handle the relevant maritime procedures.

The maritime department gave him the utmost support for his expedition. Of course, they also requested to track the Qingfeng's location as a precaution in case Ning Fei encountered any accidents.

Everything was ready.

Ning Fei finally prepared to head out to sea.

The morning was bright and beautiful, with a gentle breeze. A glance upward revealed an endless expanse of azure, cloudless sky—it was the perfect time to set sail.

"Setting off! First stop: the South China Sea, James Shoal!"

This was the title of Ning Fei's Live-stream Room.

In an instant, his broadcast attracted countless netizens.

Many people wanted to travel and see the magnificent landscapes of their motherland, but for various reasons, they could never experience it in person.

Furthermore, many of these places were restricted, barring entry to ordinary people.

Places like the depths of the South China Sea—James Shoal, the southernmost tip of Huaxia.

"Ding! Host's needs detected. Initiating check-in quest: Check in at James Shoal."

"Quest Requirement: Check in by performing a sword dance on James Shoal."

"Quest Rewards: 1. Live-streaming submarine (Submarine Type B), a live-streaming submarine shaped like a Tuna, equipped with certain offensive capabilities to protect the host."

"2. Small Special Submarine: A manually piloted Small Special Submarine capable of withstanding pressures at depths exceeding 8,000 meters below the sea without being affected."

Ning Fei had only just prepared to set sail when the System issued a quest.

'A check-in quest?'

'The System actually has check-in quests?'

Ning Fei thought to himself upon hearing the System's voice.

However, Ning Fei was very satisfied with these rewards.

A small submarine was different from a cruise ship. It didn't need to be formally registered, which meant he could take it straight out of the System.

If he could obtain a Submarine like this, it meant he could explore the ocean depths.

"Alright, setting off for James Shoal!"