Nan Yue's eyes narrowed.
On a ship full of dead people, the presence of a corpse's stench was only natural.
But before she could fully process the implications, people behind her began to stand up and invite the scavengers to dance.
This was also a part of the captain’s banquet; Westerners were particularly fond of banquets and ballroom dancing.
The scavengers had learned this at the academy; their missions covered every possible scenario, and they were taught in great detail for fear they wouldn't be able to cope.
One or two had clearly not performed well in that class and were overly nervous, dancing awkwardly after being invited by the guests, yet they didn't dare to refuse.
Johnny was the one who came to invite Nan Yue.
She naturally placed her hand in his as he led her onto the dance floor.
"You dance very well."
Johnny's gaze was predatory as he looked at Nan Yue.
Any other girl might have felt uncomfortable, but Nan Yue showed no reaction to such a look.
She stared right back at him.
"Thank you. Your dancing, however, is quite average."
Johnny's face twitched; he knew Nan Yue was retaliating for his previous rudeness.
"I heard from Penny that you're a very special person, not the kind of woman who sells her body for wealth."
Nan Yue's expression remained cold. "What kind of woman I am, or what types of women exist, isn't for people like you to decide."
Johnny wasn't angered by her words; instead, he laughed heartily. "You really are interesting."
"What do you think... of the Devil's Bay?"
Nan Yue felt a slight tension in her chest.
She had a premonition that her adventure had officially begun.
"I don't know much about these waters, so I haven't noticed anything particularly special."
Johnny looked at her with a smile that suddenly turned malicious. "Then... if you were to die in these waters, would you find them special then?"
As Johnny spoke, Nan Yue also caught the scent of a decaying corpse.
It was emanating from Johnny.
The hand Johnny used to hold hers became icy, bloated, and soft.
It was as if it had been soaked in water for too long, and the tissues were beginning to decompose.
Nan Yue noticed a pool of dark red blood appearing on Johnny's shirt collar, giving off a foul odor.
Half of the back of his head was gone, as if it had been sliced off by something, exposing red and white brain matter.
He had transformed into the state he was in at the moment of his death.
Yet Johnny himself seemed entirely unaware, still leading Nan Yue through a graceful waltz.
"The ocean has a natural attraction for those who love adventure; I didn't realize that before."
Bloody water mixed with silt flowed from Johnny's facial orifices, yet he felt nothing.
"Actually, I wasn't interested in Devil's Bay before. A friend mentioned it, and in my youthful arrogance, I made a bet with him, saying I would definitely return from Devil's Bay."
"It was just drunken banter, but after I sobered up, I had my butler collect information on Devil's Bay. That was when I began to be captivated by it."
As Nan Yue listened to Johnny, she used her peripheral vision to observe the other people in the restaurant.
From her perspective, everyone else appeared normal.
Normally eerie.
Whether they were scavengers, guests, or crew members, everyone's face was filled with joy.
That was impossible.
At the very least, the scavengers would not have such expressions.
This was an illusion.
Or rather, every scavenger was within their own illusion.
Nan Yue suspected that everyone was encountering a scenario similar to hers, but their reactions were hidden from others.
This was an independent mission.
You couldn't influence others, and you couldn't learn from them.
Naturally, no one could help you either.
Nan Yue pulled her attention back as Johnny led her through a turn.
"You're a bit too tall."
Johnny muttered softly.
In his current state, he looked like someone who had died from a heavy blow and drifted at sea for a long time; his body was bloated, and parts of him had been eaten by fish.
However, Nan Yue curled her lips into a slight smile, as if speaking to an old friend.
"It's just that you're not tall enough."
Nan Yue was 1.7 meters tall and was wearing high heels, making her roughly the same height as Johnny.
Johnny's cloudy eyes rolled slightly as he continued. "That's why I boarded this ship. Steve is the most experienced captain and is very famous in our city."
"He didn't used to be an adventurer; he was very composed, a quality a great captain must possess. It was only after he returned from one voyage that he became obsessed with Devil's Bay like a man possessed."
"With him at the helm of this ship, I felt at ease. I believed he could bring me back safely."
The smell on Johnny grew stronger, yet Nan Yue acted as if she couldn't smell it.
"And then? Did you see the scenery you wanted to see?"
Johnny remained silent for a long time before finally nodding firmly.
"It was worth the trip. There were several times I worried something would go wrong, worried I wouldn't be able to go back."
He flashed a smile. "But thankfully, we're going home."
Nan Yue, who had been cold this whole time, paused slightly.
She felt as if something was blocking her throat, making it difficult to breathe.
"They say true feelings are revealed in times of trouble. Since we're going back safely, I want to propose to Penny."
It was impossible to see any human expression on Johnny's face anymore, but his voice sounded somewhat bashful.
"I know I haven't been a good boyfriend, but... I think I can slowly learn how to love her."
"Penny likes you very much. If she accepts me, I hope you'll come to our wedding."
Nan Yue didn't know what to say.
If she wanted to be, she was usually very socially adept.
She had completed all her courses with excellence.
But now, she was at a loss for words.
Johnny misinterpreted her silence. "I know you think I'm not good enough for Penny. Actually, giving you that room card and all that... those were just bad habits from being around my friends."
"Sigh, even if you really had come, I wouldn't have actually done anything to you."
Nan Yue let Johnny lead her through dance after dance.
She listened to him talk about how he and Penny first met; it turned out Penny was the person the butler found who knew the most about Devil's Bay.
Johnny felt it was a destiny arranged by God.
Finally, as the dance ended and the music stopped, Johnny released Nan Yue's hand.
At some point, he had returned to his normal appearance—young, handsome, with a trace of annoying arrogance on his face.
"Alright, no matter why you boarded this ship, you can breathe a sigh of relief now. We're all going home."
Nan Yue silently performed a curtsy and turned to find the other scavengers had already returned to their seats.
Only she and Johnny remained on the dance floor.
Johnny scurried back to sit beside Penny, while Nan Yue walked back to her seat with almost stiff steps.
"Is it over?"
Jiang Siyan's gaze remained fixed on Nan Yue's face, observing her subtle expressions.
"Yes. It's a bit surprising, but you were indeed the last one to come out."
Nan Yue lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment, quickly organizing her emotions.
"What did you all encounter?"
"Dead people."
Jiang Siyan said briefly. "I should say, we saw what they truly looked like."
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