Chapter 380 - 374: No Ship, but a Humpback Whale

Drifting along, she encountered a pod of Humpback Whales.

When they saw the killer whale group, they immediately closed in, spoiling for a fight.

The killer whale group wasn’t to be outdone.

Seeing that a huge battle was about to erupt, Yun Jiao had no choice but to step in and reluctantly play the role of peacemaker.

"Stop, stop! We’re all fish here. What’s with the blood feud? There’s no need for this..."

Even after she went on for a while, the Humpback Whales still seemed eager to butt heads with the killer whales.

Yun Jiao lost her patience. She grabbed the leader and gave it a sound thrashing.

She beat the Humpback Whale into a state of existential crisis.

’How can something so small be so strong!’

’It felt like I’d been slapped repeatedly by a fish’s tail.’

"Now, can we sit down and have a proper talk?"

The killer whales watched the show from the sidelines, cackling. ’Serves you right.’

"I have to work tomorrow."

She yawned, her eyes suddenly freezing on the Humpback Whale’s massive frame.

’I don’t have a boat, but I do have fish!’

’With its wide head and broad back, what’s the difference between this Humpback Whale and a boat?’

And so, her gaze upon the Humpback Whale grew increasingly fervent.

A chill ran down the Humpback Whale’s back, and it immediately turned to flee.

But it didn’t get away. Yun Jiao had grabbed its enormous tail.

"Hey, friend, let’s make a deal, shall we?"

Yun Jiao’s voice was now unbelievably sweet. She intentionally raised her pitch, and her already pleasant tone was so sugary it left the Humpback Whale completely bewildered.

But it still wanted to escape.

"I’ll clean the barnacles off you."

Yun Jiao quickly called out to them, "Those barnacles must be uncomfortable, right? I can clean them off for you. All I ask in return is that you help me transport some things elsewhere."

The Humpback Whales were tempted by her offer.

Those barnacles were an absolute menace, and they seemed to have a particular fondness for Humpback Whales.

Most of the Humpback Whales Yun Jiao saw were covered in barnacles. It was likely because their broad, stout bodies offered so much surface area that they had an exceptional number of them.

They were practically perfect landing strips for barnacles.

To prove her point, Yun Jiao rolled up her sleeves, found some tools, and immediately got to work on one of the Humpback Whales.

She was quite practiced at this task by now. She had honed her barnacle-prying technique to perfection, allowing her to work quickly and efficiently without harming the Humpback Whale’s skin.

Rain began to fall, and the surface of the sea grew turbulent.

Waves and storms rolled in one after another. To avoid being tossed around like laundry in a washing machine, Yun Jiao, the killer whales, and the Humpback Whales all dove deep into the ocean’s depths.

After three hours, she had finally managed to clean every last barnacle off of one Humpback Whale.

Her work was impeccable; not a single small barnacle remained.

The Humpback Whale she had cleaned was the leader’s son. Reveling in the feeling of its newly unburdened body, it joyfully circled the pod several times, its calls filled with delight.

’So comfortable, so comfortable...’

In truth, it had felt wonderful even while Yun Jiao was cleaning it—like finally scratching an itch you couldn’t reach. It was so good it sent shivers down its spine.

The other Humpback Whales were eager to experience a "Yun Jiao-style spa treatment" for themselves.

Yun Jiao waved them off. "Bedtime, bedtime! Look at the time. I have to get back to work tomorrow."

After being shooed away a few times, the Humpback Whales finally settled down.

Still, they looked forward to their own barnacle cleanings the next day.

But they still couldn’t stand the sight of the killer whales.

The feeling was mutual. The killer whales would hurl insults whenever they got the chance.

Yun Jiao just rolled her eyes.

’There’s a reason killer whales are so hated by other fish.’

While a violent storm raged on the surface, the ocean depths were relatively peaceful.

Yun Jiao simply plopped down on her back atop one of the Humpback Whales and went to sleep.

’Sure enough, a bigger bed is always more comfortable.’

When the storm on the surface subsided, the Humpback Whale carried Yun Jiao back up.

They typically slept on the surface or in the shallower strata of the ocean.

Day broke. As the first rays of sunlight touched the surface of the sea, the Humpback Whale shot a column of water from its blowhole.

Yun Jiao, caught right in the spray, was soaked. Her eyes shot open.

She yawned and sat up, her messy hair sticking up as she stared blankly at the sea.

She let the Humpback Whale carry her off to parts unknown.

The Humpback Whales began their morning meal.

They discovered a school of sardines.

When herded, the sardines swarmed together, forming a shape like an enormous underwater tornado.

Even the Humpback Whales were dwarfed by such a massive school of fish.

But it also made it easier for them to eat their fill.

The killer whales appeared out of nowhere and actually began cooperating with the Humpback Whales to corral the school of sardines.

When the time was right, a Humpback Whale would charge into the school, open its massive mouth, and swallow tens of thousands of fish in a single gulp.

Yun Jiao grabbed a few for her own breakfast.

After eating their fill, they let the remaining sardines go.

Then, they swam over to Yun Jiao.

"Oooooooooooh~~~"

They were starting to urge her to get to work.

Yun Jiao: "I hear you, I hear you! Stop rushing me."

Muttering under her breath, she nevertheless rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

But after cleaning one Humpback Whale, she stopped.

This time she had cleaned the Humpback Whale leader, which took even more time.

"I have other things to do. I’ll clean the rest when I have time."

’She still had treasures to collect, after all.’

She swam back toward the shipwreck.

This time, she slipped directly inside the shipwreck.

The iron-hulled vessel’s internal structure was relatively stable. As long as she avoided the more dangerous sections, she could come and go as she pleased.

Just like before, she hauled out anything she found packed in chests and gathered up any scattered items she came across.

Like a busy little bee, she moved everything out bit by bit, piling it all in one spot.

When she got tired, she’d go up to the surface to play for a bit.

Leaning against a Humpback Whale’s back, Yun Jiao fiddled with some of the jewelry in her hands.

Several pearl necklaces were draped around her neck.

She wore a golden bracelet on her wrist, one inlaid with gems and Jadeite.

Its colors had dulled somewhat, but it was still beautiful.

Her tiny fingers were adorned with numerous rings.

There were rings with gemstones, gold rings, and even diamond rings.

Yun Jiao had turned herself into a living jewelry stand, and she couldn’t be more pleased with how she looked.