Once Kamon and the others brought the spoils back, under Linda’s direction, they excitedly began collecting the loot from the sea bandits.

Dozens of sea bandits yielded an assortment of scattered weapons, medicinal pills, and low-grade martial arts techniques—a mishmash of items that held considerable attraction for Kamon, Jett, and the rest. Of particular note were the two Profound-grade martial arts manuals salvaged from Old Man Kong and the bearded man, alongside the strange, soft armor taken from Lin Xiaochang, which turned out to be a rare Spirit-grade secret treasure. This armor possessed the ability to accumulate latent energy, automatically deploying it for physical defense upon impact. Beyond these personal acquisitions, the large ship harbored a truly massive quantity of explosives, piled high like miniature mountains in the hold, an intimidating sight.

Linda, head tilted back, surveyed the collected items with an air of detachment. She set aside the soft armor from Lin Xiaochang and tucked a few pills into her own pouch before nodding for Kamon and the others to make their selections. The moment they heard they could choose freely, Kamon, Jett, and the others were overjoyed, immediately scrambling for the items they had long coveted. In short order, Kamon, Jett, and their group were red-faced and arguing fiercely over the distribution of the spoils.

Linda’s delicate brow furrowed; this spectacle of vulgarity embarrassed her. She let out a sharp cry, “Silence! For items everyone desires, we draw lots. Argue again, and I’ll turn all of it over, leaving none of you with anything!”

Linda’s shout instantly sobered them, and the murmuring subsided. Lifting her chest, Linda nodded in satisfaction, then glanced dismissively toward Shi Yan and asked coolly, “Aren’t you going to pick out anything?”

“What business is it of his?” Kamon suddenly scoffed, displeasure evident as he shot Shi Yan a fierce glare. “This brat did nothing. He isn't one of us and has no right to share in this bounty.” Many of the goods on the ship were quite valuable, and Kamon already held a low opinion of Shi Yan, naturally disliking the idea of him profiting.

Upon hearing Linda’s intention to share the spoils with Shi Yan, Huo Jie and his faction immediately started protesting.

Linda’s pretty face darkened. “Hmph. He accompanied me on this trip. If I say he is qualified, then he is qualified! Does anyone have an objection?” At this point, Linda and Shi Yan’s relationship was unusually close. Seeing Kamon and the others mock Shi Yan immediately made her uncomfortable, wishing she could punish them all individually.

When Linda flared up, Kamon and Huo Jie quickly quieted down, though they continued to glare venomously at Shi Yan, as if the silent man was the root of all their troubles.

“Perhaps I should pass,” Shi Yan replied with a slight smile, shaking his head. “I truly didn’t do much, so I’m not really entitled to these items.” He, in fact, looked down on everything here.

Linda seemed to sense Shi Yan’s disinterest in the loot. Hearing his words, she nodded subtly and sent him a reassuring look that suggested he shouldn't stoop to the level of Kamon and the others. Shi Yan merely smiled and shook his head again, signaling that he had no interest in making a fuss with Kamon’s group, putting her mind at ease.

“Hurry up now. We’ll take our own boat when we leave. While the sea bandits’ vessel is decent, it’s plastered with the Blood Pupil mark. Their reputation is terrible, and we should avoid unnecessary trouble by abandoning this ship,” Linda called out impatiently as she watched Kamon’s crew continue their busy sorting.

Kamon, Jett, and the others hurriedly agreed, naturally speeding up their work. Half an hour later, the group finished distributing the goods, stowing the excess supplies in the hold. They were all elated, chatting loudly as they set their own ship in motion. Their vessel continued its course toward Luoxia Island.

Shi Yan remained lying amidst the piles of miscellaneous crates, secretly cultivating his strength. However, Linda would frequently invent excuses to summon Shi Yan down to the hold to see her. Every time Shi Yan descended, Linda would quietly bolt the wooden door at the base of the stairs, and the two would suppress their voices as they quietly indulged in their passion. Having only recently experienced intimacy, Linda had become quite insatiable and often signaled Shi Yan to come down and "cultivate her captivating, fertile fields." Each time Shi Yan emerged from the hold, Kamon, Huo Jie, and Jett looked on with confusion, unable to fathom why Linda had suddenly focused so much attention on him, assuming they were merely concealing secrets discussed during their private meetings with the bandit leaders.

When facing the others, Linda and Shi Yan maintained perfectly normal behavior. Except for Kamon, the others didn't suspect any illicit relationship between the two.

“Here is your food and fresh water for today,” Jett approached Shi Yan’s corner, setting down three baskets of fruit pulp and two jars of water. He leaned against a large crate and remarked, “Sister Linda specifically ordered me not to shortchange your rations. But your appetite is truly astonishing; if you keep eating like this, we might run low. Kamon has been complaining quite a bit, and if Sister Linda hadn't held him back, I wouldn't have dared bring this to you.”

Shi Yan smiled slightly, taking the fruit pulp from the baskets and beginning to eat. “Thanks.”

“Mmm.” Jett suddenly crouched down, moving very close to Shi Yan, and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Shi Yan, what exactly do you and Sister Linda do every time you go down to the hold? Do you have some secret? What really happened when you met those sea bandits?” Jett was filled with curiosity, glancing nervously behind him as he spoke. “My lips are sealed, you can tell me, and I swear I won't tell anyone! Shi Yan, I’m dying of curiosity, just tell me!”

“We’re just exchanging sweet nothings, what secret could there be?” Shi Yan chuckled dismissively, shaking his head, thinking to himself how this man would react if he knew he and Linda were having vigorous physical encounters every day.

“Exchanging sweet nothings?” Jett’s eyes widened, then he sneered, “If you won’t tell me, fine. But that excuse is weak. Sister Linda’s status is noble; her family is quite famous in the Yuanluo Sea Region. She’s destined to become a core disciple of the Divine Cult. You’re simply not worthy of her! You can only fantasize about it in secret.” Shi Yan merely offered a faint smile without offering further defense.

“Shi Yan, come down here for a moment. I have something to ask you.” Just then, Linda’s voice drifted from the hold, cool and detached, carrying a hint of arrogance, as if summoning a subordinate or servant.

Jett let out a chuckle. “If you were really exchanging sweet nothings with Sister Linda, her attitude wouldn’t be like that. Go on; Sister Linda must have something serious to discuss. You behave yourself down there, don’t let your eyes wander lecherously. If you truly anger Sister Linda, you’ll regret it! Hehe, remember how Kamon got beaten into a pulp for looking at her wrong? I wouldn't want to see you end up like that, haha.” Jett clearly didn't believe Shi Yan’s story.

Shrugging, Shi Yan walked toward the hold with a natural gait, musing internally about what new game Linda would invent this time. The woman was quite wild when they played, daring to try every position imaginable. Thinking of this, Shi Yan’s heart stirred, and a strange light entered his eyes.

The other crew members on deck paid him no mind, but Kamon was watching him constantly. Seeing the ambiguity in Shi Yan’s eyes, Kamon’s heart leaped, and his expression instantly turned grim. Shi Yan ignored him and descended into the hold with a smile.

Linda was already waiting. As soon as he appeared, her face bloomed into a captivating smile. She quietly bolted the wooden door at the base of the stairs from the inside, then her fragrant, delicate body lunged into Shi Yan’s embrace, her alluring eyes full of passion, whispering in a low, throaty laugh, “Today I want to go on top…”

“Smack!” Shi Yan slapped her firm, round backside and chuckled darkly. “Go! Lie down by the edge of the bed, lift your hips, and let me take you from behind for a while first.”

Linda’s body trembled. Her bright eyes glistened as she giggled obediently and complied, lying prone by the bed, arching her rear high, even giving it a slight wag, like a puppy waiting for its master to dispense a treat. Shi Yan swallowed hard, pulled down his undergarments slightly, his gaze blazing, and immediately mounted his position.

Kamon crept toward the stairwell, his expression sullen and his face utterly ugly, pressing his ear against the wooden door. He had been observing them for several days now. Through his observations, Kamon grew increasingly certain that something was terribly amiss between Shi Yan and Linda, a growing sense of foreboding chilling him.

Kamon had harbored a secret love for Linda for many years, falling deeply infatuated the moment he first saw her during the ceremony to become an outer disciple of the Three Divine Cult. For years, Kamon had forfeited countless opportunities, always shadowing Linda like a devoted servant, driving away every man who showed interest in her. In his mind, Linda was his forbidden property, belonging only to him, and he would never allow another soul to defile her. Shi Yan’s arrival had ignited a profound sense of crisis within him. While others hadn't noticed Linda’s peculiar treatment of Shi Yan, the deeply infatuated Kamon, knowing Linda intimately, sensed disaster lurking in the smallest details. This time, he could no longer suppress his suspicion; he pressed his ear to the wood, straining to hear. Inside the hold, Shi Yan and Linda were deliberately muffling their sounds, moving cautiously, and keeping their voices subdued.

Kamon listened intently for a long time, his brow deeply furrowed, yet he heard nothing. The silence only fueled his suspicion, making his expression even darker. Linda wouldn't have brought Shi Yan into the hold to remain entirely mute. If they spoke, even very softly, he should have caught something. The lack of sound meant something was definitely wrong.

Jett, Huo Jie, and the other warriors on the deck noticed Kamon’s secretive behavior and exchanged odd glances, but neither Huo Jie nor Jett said anything. Huo Jie and his men were aligned with Kamon, so they naturally remained silent. As for those loyal to Linda, they were also harboring their own suspicions, curious about the secret between Shi Yan and Linda, so they too chose to ignore the situation.

Though Kamon initially heard nothing, he held his breath, his face grim, refusing to give up his eavesdropping. His patience was eventually rewarded. Half an hour later, Kamon finally discerned faint, strange little sounds of muffled whimpering. PS: Ah, apologies, I had to run an errand today. Only two chapters today; I will make up the rest later.