Chapter 68: Ambushed

"Have the sailors steady the ship and keep us with the wind as much as possible!" I called the captain over and said.

The captain patted my shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, lad. I've been at sea for over thirty years. I've seen it all—this wind is nothing."

The wind over the river grew stronger and stronger. From the mountains and forests came a howling like countless furious demons raging at us. Fortunately, our ship was large; if it had been any smaller, the gales would have capsized us already.

The tower ship rocked violently in the gusts, making it nearly impossible to stand. I noticed Lu Jiu's face turning pale. He clasped a hand over his mouth, looking utterly miserable.

"If you have to throw up, do it outside. Don't make a mess on deck," I said, instinctively taking a few steps back. Sure enough, just as another big wave hit, Lu Jiu doubled over with a wrenching sound and emptied his stomach. The foul stuff arced through the air—had I not retreated quickly, it would have landed all over me.

"I—I can't take it anymore!" After the first bout, Lu Jiu dashed outside, clutching the railings and vomiting desperately into the river.

From where I stood, I had a clear view of his back. I didn't dare take my eyes off him, afraid that a single wave might sweep him into the water—and then I wouldn't get paid.

Suddenly, Lu Jiu stumbled and scrambled back inside, his face ashen and filled with terror. He rushed to my side, pointing outside. "M-monsters! There are so many monsters in the water!"

I hurried out of the cabin and looked into the river. There, in the swelling waters, I saw countless black fish following in our wake. They were packed tightly together, and their numbers grew by the moment.

Each of these black fish had enormous eyes that took up most of their faces, and rows of sharp teeth. They seemed to be grinning up at our ship.

A chill ran down my spine at the sight. I knew these black fish all too well—the day Pi Sansha turned into a corpse, he became one of these creatures. But the number in the river now was many times greater, a veritable swarm surging after us.

"Raise the sails! Row for your lives! Monsters are coming!" I snatched the radio from Lu Jiu’s hand and shouted into it. I'd seen what those black fish teeth could do; if they caught up with us, even our sturdy nanmu wood would be chewed to splinters, and we’d be sunk for sure.

Hearing my warning, the sailors beneath deck put all their strength into the oars. The paddles churned the water furiously, and our ship surged ahead. But the black fish sensed our flight and quickened their pace as well.

What I saw then was the strangest sight of my life: thousands upon thousands of black fish leaping from the water, soaring over two meters high, and landing dozens of meters away. A leaping tide of fish, splashing and thrashing in the river.

"Brother, do something! They’re catching up!" Lu Jiu had forgotten his seasickness entirely, terror-stricken. He could handle evil spirits on shore, but he was helpless against the horrors in the water.

I pulled out a fish-shaped whistle, fired in clay, and blew a shrill note. Normally, fierce fish in the Yellow River would be driven off by its sound.

But this time, the whistle had no effect. In fact, the fish only grew more excited, their frenzy mounting. There was only one explanation—they'd heard this whistle before and become immune, perhaps even drawn to its familiarity.

"Pi Yangxi, stop blowing that thing! The more you blow, the more excited they get," Lu Jiu exclaimed, quickly stopping me.

Even as he spoke, the vanguard of the black fish reached us, their sharp teeth gnawing at the hull.

"Brother, don't just stand there! Think of something!" Lu Jiu had lost all composure; when it came to river monsters, his courage could not match mine.

I stared intently at the writhing mass beneath our ship, grateful for the height of our vessel—otherwise, those fish would have jumped right onto the deck. As it was, all they could do was sink their teeth into the wood, chomping relentlessly.