Sang Senyan mentioned the matter, Sanzai immediately broke into a wicked grin:

"Brother Yan's memory truly is sharp. She's only thirty-two this year. Her husband was both a drunkard and a gambler, drowning in water on the third day of Lunar New Year two years ago—whether from intoxication or misstep remains unknown. No children either. Not that no one coveted her beauty before, but Old Song used to be a butcher with a brash temperament. He valued having this widow work at his restaurant; she could replace two helpers, so he refused to let go despite others' interest. Eventually, the rest lost heart and withdrew."

"You know how it is—since she started bringing meals, Uncle Si suddenly found common ground with her. They've chatted for ages each day after lunch. This shrimp paste was given to me by her. If you head over now, Auntie Di might just be applying medicine to Uncle Si’s hand. You'd surely catch them in the act!"

"Oh? Such things actually happened?" Sang Senyan perked up at Sanzai's revelation but naturally had no intention of barging into such awkward situations. After some thought, he disembarked and bought supplies from West Five Wharf before slicing preserved meats to sip with Sanzai on deck.

Not until 2 PM when workers began their shifts did they see Old Uncle Si escorting Auntie Di out. Upon spotting Sang Senyan at the dock, Old Uncle Si blushed furiously despite his surprise, hastily shouting for workers to start work as a cover-up.

Sang Senyan observed this with quiet amusement but kept silent about it. After exchanging pleasantries, he feigned remembering something forgotten and rushed off. Running swiftly through the coconut grove between West Five Wharf’s northward restaurant and southern harbor—where sparse branches offered no shade under the glaring midday sun—he caught up to He Fengdi just as she turned around at his call.

Sang Senyan hadn't examined her closely before, but now he took note: likely from kitchen duties, her hair was pinned in a neat black net bun with no stray strands escaping. Her sleeves were rolled halfway up, and wide trousers tucked into cloth shoes displayed efficient practicality.

Her oval face had soft eyebrows but tight lips that hinted at inner decisiveness beneath outward gentleness. Though plump, she possessed strikingly proportioned features—especially the mole on her forehead adding a touch of allure. While initial impressions might suggest forties due to conservative attire, Sang Senyan estimated she'd appear like a thirty-something fetching young widow if dressed in vivid colors.

"Auntie Di?" he smiled warmly. "Uncle Si forgot something for you. Given his sensitive nature, I must handle this."

Sang Senyan presented an ornate golden bangle—easily weighing two to three taels with exquisite craftsmanship. West Five Wharf was notorious as a black market hub where stolen goods disappeared easily, and Sang Senyan knew precisely which shop he could trust for such purchases. He Fengdi's eyes widened at the sight:

"What are you doing?"

Sang Senyan fixed her with an intense yet calm gaze:

"Old Uncle Si raised me while sacrificing his own happiness. That ship was funded by me, but legally registered under him. Don't believe it? Let me show you."

He produced a contract, prompting He Fengdi to exclaim: "This has nothing to do with me!"

Sang Senyan gave her an unreadable glance before saying flatly:

"I'm merely showing this to you—whether or not it concerns you is your choice."

As he pointed at the document, He Fengdi inexplicably leaned closer for a quick peek and indeed found Uncle Si's name on the ship owner field. Sang Senyan then casually handed over the bangle:

"This comes from Uncle Si himself. Take it."

He Fengdi recoiled as if burning her fingers: "How could I accept such an expensive gift?"

Anticipating this, Sang Senyan simply placed it on a rock:

"Consider it found treasure, then."

"But no one just finds—!" she protested, only for him to shrug and walk away:

"If you refuse, Uncle Si said we must throw it into the sea. We can't afford such shame!"

"Wait! Wait!!" she shouted while balancing her tray, but her frantic steps couldn't match his swift departure. After all, who doesn't secretly cherish beauty? Especially women like He Fengdi—remarried widows who've weathered life's cruelties and now faced society's endless comparisons. The golden bangle shimmering in her eyes reflected that longing perfectly as she instinctively tried it on.

Sang Senyan glanced back, a smile playing at his lips. A naive girl would be harder to sway, but a wronged woman like He Fengdi—her resistance was already crumbling. Earlier, Uncle Si's chance of success with her stood at merely thirty percent; now after this manipulation, he'd say it had jumped to ninety percent if not more.

At dinner that night, Sang Senyan eavesdropped as He Fengdi made no mention returning the bangle while treating Old Uncle Si with unusually tender care. Satisfied by these signs, he instructed Sanzai to regularly purchase novel foods and trinkets for storage aboard their ship. These didn't need high prices—novelty was key to give Uncle Si excuses to deliver items. After all, receiving gifts naturally softened even rigid hearts...

As Old Uncle Si's relationship with He Fengdi gradually deepened under Sanzai's continuous material acquisitions, Sang Senyan's dwindling alchemical supplies were replenished through these purchases. Hisresearch had progressed significantly—currently enhancing attack speed by 5% and movement speed by 5 points while slightly reducing hit accuracy by 1%. This proved invaluable during escapes or chases where those extra five speed points could mean survival.

On the eve of Fu Yuan's fishing voyage, Sang Senyan received space's entry notification. Given previous incidents where several days in space equaled a month outside, he seriously briefed Sanzai about this trip to the point that his apprentice feared for their lives.

Needless to say, details about returning to space were unnecessary here. Upon entering, Sang Senyan immediately received updates:

"Current rank: Second Lieutenant."

"Affiliated with Silver Team: Ace Team."

"Current roster includes 1 Reserve Replicator and 2 Contractors."

"Next adventure world: Caribbean Sea World."

"Progression will synchronize to Leader #1018's timeline. Existing relationships will be preserved where possible or converted through substitution calculations."

For example, "If Alchemist Bacon died in your progression but had a respectful bond with Reef before entering this world, he'll still remain deceased upon reentry. However, someone like his son/wife/apprentice would appear bearing the same respect and similar alchemical abilities as Bacon."

"After calculation, mission difficulty is B-." (This assessment considered Ace Team's composition—1 Reserve Replicator and 2 Contractors. Space evaluates challenges based on Contractor identities and attribute points rather than direct combat strength calculations to prevent pre-entry self-weakening for easier missions)

Reading these updates, Sang Senyan drew a deep breath as his heart pounded with anticipation...

Amund's might, Tucurú Harbor's wealth, the Flying Dutchman cursed into half-existence, Captain Jack Sparrow's roguish charm, Lord Cutler Beckett's enigmatic power—how could he forget these? How could he have ever forgotten?

This humble sailor once dismissed as insignificant had now grown to command their attention. The spirit of Caribbean piracy was one of adventure, magic, courage, and treasure. With powerful allies in tow, his return heralded the discovery of this world's greatest secrets...

At that moment, Reef and Mogu Sha also received shared updates via Sang Senyan's transmissions. Since they hadn't previously experienced this world themselves, there were no progression conflicts. Checking in with Mogu Sha about repairing the silver broken spear task next, the African man sighed heavily while shaking his head in frustration.

Recommended book alert: This hot new novel features a protagonist trapped into Strange Tales and currently raising Nie Xiaoqian...