After synthesizing numerous factors, even though Fang Senyan strongly desired to press the advantage for a disarm attempt, he could only shelve the idea for the moment. After all, for the most part, it was Reef taking the brunt of the damage at the forefront of the charge, and a 10% damage reduction was still quite significant. Enhancing his own abilities previously had consumed a considerable amount of Universal Points and Potential Points, so in order to conserve current funds, he resolved to wait until another day to upgrade his Basic Melee skill to Lv7.

It was important to remember that equipment in the Sanctuary remained most expensive for Gunners. This was because, in the Nightmare Worlds of the early to mid-game, Gunners, with their ranged capabilities, enjoyed much higher survival rates, naturally causing the prices of their gear to skyrocket in turn.

Fortunately, the team's remaining funds were still relatively ample at this time. After all necessary arrangements were made, they successfully left Black Brother with sufficient capital! Fang Senyan authorized that if the situation demanded it, they could even sell those few Soul Crystals for liquidity.

Following a period of intense haggling, Black Brother first acquired a black Artifact Spirit, which originated from a Zombie Dog dropped in the Resident Evil world. This item was actually not considered rare; when fused with his necklace, it impressively upgraded to a Silver-tier Plot Item. Its primary function was to enhance the summoned Viper Wolf, with the following attributes noted (only changes are recorded):

Viper Wolf Spirit possesses the special ability: Heel Tear. Upon dealing damage to an enemy, it reduces the enemy's movement speed by 10% (previously 5%), with the slow effect lasting for 15 seconds and stacking, up to a maximum reduction of 50%.

Note: A maximum of two Viper Wolf Spirits can exist simultaneously. Note: The duration of the Viper Wolf Spirit is 30 minutes (increased from 15 minutes). Note: When a Viper Wolf Spirit under your control dies, it temporarily boosts one of your highest attributes by 1 point (increased from a reduction of 4 points), lasting for 8 hours. This effect can stack up to 5 times.

Next, Black Brother engaged in an extremely arduous back-and-forth negotiation with the Contractor who possessed the key item. Finally, the other Contractor relented, agreeing to transfer the crucial item to Morgansha. This key item consumed a significant sum of Universal Points and Potential Points, but if everything went smoothly, Black Brother’s Silver-tier Plot Item, the Spartan Spear fragment, could be restored to its complete spear form. Its power would see a massive boost, needless to say, and it even held the potential to be upgraded to a Dark Gold equipment grade.

Regrettably, the enhancement process for this spear required the completion of an arduous solo mission that only one person could undertake. Thus, Fang Senyan and Reef spent their entire allotted time within the Nightmare Space training and developing, without ever waiting for Morgansha to emerge. They were forced to return to the real world once more.

Although Fang Senyan had wrought havoc on that gang of triads upon leaving the island, since the Tong Luen Gang boss, Gu Yue'an, shouldered the entire responsibility for that incident, Fang Senyan was not worried about his family's safety—Gu Yue'an was well aware of Fang Senyan’s terrifying capabilities and knew the catastrophic consequences should anything happen to his family.

Because of this, Fang Senyan specifically wandered around Thailand for a few days, acquiring some spellcasting materials suitable for experimentation before returning home. Countries like Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos couldn't even eradicate poppy cultivation, let alone enforce wildlife protection... Consequently, the spellcasting materials Fang Senyan had heavily depleted during the team battle in the Avatar world, nearly running out entirely, were replenished here through a robust display of financial might.

By this time, Fang Senyan had mostly confirmed: the warrant issued for him by the government was merely a false alarm. Therefore, he swaggered straight onto a plane and flew back to Taiwan. The journey was completely uneventful. He genuinely missed the warm atmosphere of home and hadn't seen Fourth Uncle and the mischievous San Zai for quite some time.

Upon returning to Pier West Five, Fang Senyan specifically bought the yellow wine that Fourth Uncle loved to drink, bringing it home. For most people who made their living on the water, a little drink was customary; it not only soothed aches and pains but also warded off the cold. Fourth Uncle preferred to drink this wine warmed up, finding the taste milder that way.

Unexpectedly, when Fang Senyan called out several times upon entering the door, receiving no reply, a chill ran down his spine. He pushed the door with extra force! The door couldn't withstand his strength and burst open with a loud crack, scattering wood chips everywhere.

Fang Senyan scanned the area and found that the clothes and belongings of both Fourth Uncle and San Zai were packed away, and the furniture—tables and stools—were neatly arranged. A thin layer of dust coated the tabletop, clearly indicating that the two had left after making thorough preparations. This sight somewhat eased his anxiety.

After stepping outside, Fang Senyan saw Landlady Granny Zeng hurrying over, clearly agitated, and immediately began to complain incessantly about why he had damaged her door. Fang Senyan pulled out a few hundred Yuan for lock repairs, instantly silencing Granny Zeng, who changed her anger to joy. When Fang Senyan inquired about the whereabouts of Fourth Uncle and San Zai, Granny Zeng expressed surprise:

"Oh my, oh my, Rock Boy, you’ve been gone for two months and don't even know your own boat has been launched? Your Fourth Uncle was so thrilled when he saw the boat go in the water that he couldn't wait, even though the paint was barely dry. He said since they’d have to hire someone to watch the vessel anyway, he moved onto the boat to live! He even came to me to get back the remaining rent money."

Fang Senyan froze. He distinctly remembered being away for only about ten-plus days, only entering the Sanctuary in between. How could two months have passed?! In a flash of thought, he was certain: the problem must have occurred during the time he was inside the Sanctuary!

He immediately queried his Nightmare Mark. However, the answer he received was extremely limited due to his insufficient clearance: "The Nightmare Sanctuary may exhibit abnormal temporal flow phenomena when activating Space Battles."

Even so, an ominous premonition crept into Fang Senyan's heart. This situation essentially implied that the Nightmare Sanctuary could suffer functional instability, which was akin to a glitch or a bug—definitely not a good sign!

Fang Senyan shook his head, pushing the matter out of his mind. He possessed extremely limited intelligence regarding this surprising event, and overthinking it wouldn't yield any answers. After a moment’s thought, he headed directly toward the docks.

The newly refitted Fu Yuan was moored at the pier, its pristine appearance genuinely pleasing to behold. Fang Senyan felt a surge of happiness seeing it from afar. With this ship, Fourth Uncle could finally be happier, right?

He nimbly climbed aboard and jumped onto the deck. He saw San Zai sitting cross-legged on the forward deck, a basket set before him, two plates of food, and a jar of wine—he was likely having lunch. Upon spotting Fang Senyan, San Zai immediately jumped up excitedly:

"Brother Yan, you're back?"

Fang Senyan smiled and nodded. San Zai glanced furtively toward the aft cabin, then quickly pulled Fang Senyan down to sit, handing him a pair of chopsticks, and said animatedly:

"Brother Yan, don't rush to the back area. Eat with me first."

Fang Senyan was indeed hungry. He picked up a few bites of food; it actually had a distinct local flavor. He brought out the yellow wine he had purchased earlier. After a couple of cups, San Zai started humming a soft tune. He suddenly seemed to recall something, pulling a brown bottle from his bosom. Inside was a thick, bright red paste. Upon opening the lid, a rich, fragrant aroma wafted out.

San Zai used his chopsticks to scoop a small amount, mixed it with his rice, took a huge bite, and let out a satisfied sigh after downing a cup of wine. He placed the bottle on the deck and smiled at Fang Senyan:

"Brother Yan, taste this. It’s absolutely top-notch; I guarantee you’ve never had anything like it."

Fang Senyan took a tiny bit and placed it in his mouth. He immediately felt the red paste was incredibly rich, flooding his mouth with intense savoriness and sweetness, possessing a very special, unique texture. After a moment’s thought, he couldn't help but ask curiously:

"Is this pickled shrimp paste?"

It turned out to be a local specialty. It was made by taking specialty deep-sea red shrimp, smashing them, mixing them with salt, red wine dregs, and sorghum liquor, then slowly and patiently grinding them in a stone mill. Grinding once was insufficient; it had to be made fine and even, often requiring several passes until the mixture flowing from the mill groove resembled a thick, creamy sauce. It was then sealed in a jar and fermented for a week before consumption.

Over the years, these red shrimp had become increasingly rare due to pollution. Moreover, this processing method made mass production impossible. Thus, Fang Senyan hadn't tasted it in years. The batch San Zai offered was intensely flavored with a long, lingering aftertaste, indicating excellent craftsmanship.

San Zai dipped a bit of the red shrimp paste, savored it carefully, took a large mouthful of rice, and grinned broadly:

"Good, right, Brother Yan? You definitely won't guess who made this."

Fang Senyan narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled:

"I’m too lazy for your nonsense. Fourth Uncle must have been extremely anxious; he moved onto the boat before the paint was even fully dry, risking dampness. Luckily, I brought him two catties of yellow wine to warm him up. Fourth Uncle? Come out for a couple of warm cups?"

Fang Senyan slightly amplified the last two words, calling out to whoever was in the cabin. San Zai immediately grabbed him, chuckling quietly as he whispered:

"Brother Yan, no! The cold storage unit is still being installed and tested, and the boat needs to soak for a few weeks. We’re busy from morning till night, so we ordered takeout from Old Song at the pier for a whole month. He can’t spare anyone, so he has his younger sister-in-law deliver the meals over every midday and evening."

Fang Senyan’s heart stirred, and he couldn't help but ask with curiosity:

"Old Song's sister-in-law? Is it the one named Di Gu? Let me think... He Fengdi, right?"

There will be five more chapters released at 12 o'clock; including these two chapters, there will be seven released today. If you have plans tomorrow, don't stay up late; just read them tomorrow.

Well, I owe many people chapter recommendations; I’ll settle my debts today. Heh heh, don't find me too long-winded.

I recommend a friend's book: Book Title: Seizing the Body Synopsis: Before the Great Dao is achieved, seizing another's body and returning the soul is bound to shock the world again! RO