"..."
I feel somewhat embarrassed as I see them staring at me.
'I wish everyone were like Li Chen, starting conversations on their own.'
I remember my only friend in this world and feel a sense of nostalgia.
"Welcome, friend. Are you also heading to the Dead Giant Island?"
"Yes."
I feel happiness, and at the same time, a bit of embarrassment, upon seeing the man with the beggar-like appearance reply to me with a strange smile.
"As I expected. Isn't it wonderful how fate has gathered us all here, heading towards the same destination?"
"Haha, yes."
'Damn. Did several months of living alone worsen my social skills?'
In truth, my social skills have always been terrible.
"Oh, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Salem."
After saying this, I froze a little, not knowing how to continue.
'And here, the downsides of appearing out of nowhere without a background show up.'
"I'm heading to Dead Giant Island to try and join one of the sects there."
"Oh, what a coincidence. It seems we are all heading to the same destination and have the same goal."
"Let me introduce myself. I am Shou Bao Tsai, just an old man trying to extend his lifespan by embarking on the path of immortality cultivation."
After introducing himself, Shou Bao Tsai gestured with his hand towards the girl wearing the blue Daoist robe.
"As for this one with me, she is Kang Sora. Unfortunately, she is a shy girl who doesn't like to talk."
Noticing my and Shou Bao Tsai's gazes, Kang Sora's expression turns to one of annoyance, and she pulls the blanket over her body, trying to pretend to sleep.
"Huh, what a shy girl."
Shou Bao Tsai lets out a dry laugh upon seeing Kang Sora's action.
"Anyway, what do you know about immortality cultivation?"
"Not much."
Ignoring Kang Sora's rude gesture, Shou Bao Tsai and I begin to share our knowledge about the world of immortality cultivation as we feel the ship's hull swaying.
___________
"Wake up, wake up!"
"Wake up, you lazy pigs!"
I feel a pain in my head as I hear the sound of metal utensils clanging and someone screaming at the top of their lungs.
"Waaaaake uuuuuuup!"
"Ugh, I'm awake, I'm awake! Stop screaming!"
I feel my ears ringing from all these loud noises.
"Damn, can't I get a decent sleep?!"
I spent most of the previous night talking with Shou Bao Tsai about cultivation, which made me sleep late, so I was planning to sleep until noon.
Yet, here I am, being woken up in an inhumane way.
"Come on, get up if you don't want to miss breakfast."
I see the ugly face of a fish-man appear in front of my face.
"Get up!"
"Stop lying around like a corpse if you don't want to become one!"
"Alright."
I sigh with annoyance and get ready to follow the fish-man along with Shou Bao Tsai and Kang Sora.
"If I'm awake, then everyone should be awake. Anyone I find sleeping, I'll throw them into the sea!"
The fish-man doesn't stop banging the metal utensils until he wakes everyone up.
After a few minutes of walking, we arrive at the main dining hall, where all the crew members are gathering, including Captain Oliver.
And there was even a familiar face.
"Oh, young friend, come here."
At one of the wooden tables, the trinket seller was sitting and waving for me to come closer.
"And I thought you would leave after taking your silver coin."
"That was the original plan, but the winds blow contrary to the ships' desires."
The trinket seller smiles helplessly as he takes a bowl of fish soup from the fish-man's hand.
"But I wanted to talk to you for a different reason."
"That was obvious."
I speak with a stiff expression while tearing pieces from the hard bread and dipping them into the fish soup broth.
"What do you want, then?"
"You are an alchemist, aren't you?"
The trinket seller lowers his face while whispering in a low voice.
"Correction: a trainee alchemist."
I am not surprised that the trinket seller noticed this fact; in fact, I would be surprised if anyone didn't notice, since I always carry my bag full of books and various plants.
"Well, you see, I want you to make something for me."
The trinket seller brings his face closer to mine while whispering in the lowest voice he can.
"..."
"Impossible. Do you want to get me killed?"
I feel a shiver down my spine upon hearing the trinket seller's request.
"Shhh, lower your voice, or they'll hear us."
The trinket seller's expression turns panicked upon seeing my reaction.
"Wait, let me finish explaining."
"Explain what? You're asking me to poison the entire ship's crew!"
"Shhh, don't blow it out of proportion. All you will do is make a medicine that causes stomach pain, and I will be the one to mix it into some of the wine casks the sailors drink. So, when everyone gets sick, they will look for you, and you can then sell them the medicine, and we split the profit between the two of us."
"You see? An easy plan, and we both win."
Seeing the lack of conviction on my face, the trinket seller grits his teeth and continues.
"Look, I heard you're going to Dead Giant Island to join a sect there. And as you see, I have some connections in the Seekers of the Truth of Life and Death sect. If I pay them enough, they can make it easy for you to join the sect, no matter your talent."
"How much money?"
"A lot. More than you'll have. But if you help me with my plan, I assure you, you'll gather the required amount very quickly."
Upon hearing this, I feel some hesitation, especially remembering that Li Cheng said a medium-grade talent is considered very ordinary outside the Beginner's Island.
Also, training for several months in alchemy without getting a real chance to test my skills makes me hesitate even more.
And yet, I still don't want to get too involved.
"Alright, but on one condition. I will make the poison for you, but you will be responsible for pouring it into the crew's drinks. And if you get caught, I will pretend I have nothing to do with it."
The trinket seller smiles happily upon hearing my agreement.
"Hehehe, don't worry. It won't be discovered no matter what. I'm a professional, after all."
I feel a bad premonition in my heart as I hear this, but I remain silent.