The tense atmosphere in the captain's quarters hadn't yet dissipated when Ye Yu pinpointed the core issue with surgical precision.
His piercing gaze locked onto Beck as he asked: "So the current bottlenecks are the Lunarian Race's bloodline factor... and sufficiently powerful lineage factor samples?"
Beck nodded emphatically, his expression tinged with regret: "Exactly, Captain! I've already solved the Green Blood issue. The Lineage Factor technology is basically mature—with a blood sample from any powerful target, I can extract and attempt to clone their core ability gene sequences. But the Lunarian bloodline factor... that's the rarest key! Without it, the Seraphim's 'engine' can't fully ignite. Their potential remains locked, with risks of complete system collapse. I've tried finding substitutes, but failed—the Lunarian traits are truly unique."
Ye Yu's fingers drummed lightly on the table as an image flashed through his mind—the black-winged, flame-wielding figure from the original records, the foremost of the Three Calamities: King.
Beck continued: "Captain, I've heard that Yang Jin, the vice-captain of the Azure Dragon Pirates who inherited the 'King' title, is of the Lunarian Race. If we could obtain his blood sample..."
Ye Yu nodded, his tone deceptively calm yet brooking no argument. "What we lack, we shall take."
Without hesitation, he turned to issue orders to nearby crew members: "Immediately release this message for me."
Ye Yu's voice cut through the air, cold and unyielding:
"To the Azure Dragon Pirates: Within three days, deliver a cup of your vice-captain Yang Jin's fresh blood to the Storm Tavern on Hawaii Island. Remember—I want Yang Jin's blood. Fresh. Ample. No tricks."
A pause. Then his voice dropped to a murderous timbre, the killing intent practically tangible through his words:
"If I don't receive it in three days, or if there's anything wrong with the delivery... then prepare to be hunted down by Ye Yu. We'll settle old and new grudges together. I don't mind sacrificing some upgrade time to play hide-and-seek with you all—until every last one of you is dragged out and erased from this world. This is my promise."
——
The message detonated across the tranquil sea of public opinion like a nuclear warhead.
"Ye Yu Demands Azure Dragon Vice-Captain's Blood" rocketed to the top of trending searches with terrifying speed, marked by a blazing red "EXPLOSIVE" tag!
#YeYuThreatensAzureDragonPirates: BloodOrAnnihilation! EXPLOSIVE!
The entire ocean trembled!
"Did Ye Yu just declare war on the Azure Dragon Pirates... for a cup of blood?"
"With Ye Yu's overwhelming strength, hunting them down would be easy—just a waste of his upgrade time."
"So tyrannical! This is classic Ye Yu behavior."
——
Aboard the Azure Dragon Pirates' flagship, the Dragon's Head.
The atmosphere hung heavier than the calm before a hurricane.
All executives gathered in the war room where Wang Quanshi sat at the head, his face dark with storm clouds. Before him, communication screens replayed Ye Yu's blood-chilling ultimatum.
"BANG!" A hot-tempered executive slammed his fist onto the table.
"Too much! Captain! Ye Yu is humiliating us like this! Humiliating Vice-Captain Yang Jin! A cup of blood? What does he take us for?! A blood bank?!"
"Exactly! The arrogance!"
Wang Quanshi raised an eyebrow slightly; "Really hate Ye Yu that much? Then why don't you go kill him?"
"I... I don't hate him."
Immediately, the anger dissipated. Asking them to kill Ye Yu was even more absurd than asking Benboba to eliminate the Tang Monk's party in Journey to the West.
Vice-Captain Yang Jin's face was livid, his black wings on his back involuntarily spreading slightly, revealing his extreme anger and humiliation. Being publicly demanded for blood by name was an utter disgrace! Especially when threatened with annihilation! But there was no choice.
Wang Quanshi asked, "Yang Jin, why does he want your blood?"
Yang Jin shook his head, completely baffled.
"I have no idea."
Wang Quanshi took a deep breath, his voice tinged with resignation and a barely detectable fear: "He means what he says. He vowed to hunt us to the ends of the earth, even wasting his upgrade time to destroy us... I believe him! Being targeted by such a madman, a monster, means certain doom. Is it worth gambling the entire Pirate Crew's future for so-called pride?"
He looked at Yang Jin, his tone grave: "Jin, I know this is humiliating. But for the survival of the Pirate Crew... we must give this cup of blood."
Yang Jin's fists clenched until his knuckles cracked, his nails digging deep into his palms, drawing blood. He stared fixedly at Ye Yu's name on the screen, his eyes filled with seething hatred and resentment.
Yet, under the heavy, helpless gazes of Wang Quanshi and all the Executives, his once-straight back seemed to bend slightly under an invisible burden, and he forced out through gritted teeth:
"I understand."
Wang Quanshi ordered the communications officer: "Reply... to Ye Yu of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew. We will comply. The blood will be delivered to the Storm Cape Tavern within three days."
Every word was wrenched from his throat, dripping with humiliation.
Two and a half days later.
Storm Cape Tavern.
The place was already packed with onlookers and reporters drawn by the rumors, all eager to see whether the Azure Dragon Pirates would truly submit and deliver their Vice-Captain's blood in disgrace.
A small speedboat flying the Azure Dragon Pirates' flag, like a stray dog, cautiously docked under countless scrutinizing eyes.
A young man dressed in the ordinary crew attire of the Azure Dragon Pirates, pale-faced and evasive, carried a tightly sealed metal thermos wrapped in thick ice packs. Escorted by two equally grim-faced companions, he kept his head down and hurried through the crowd into the Storm Cape Tavern.
He handed the thermos to an Executive of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew who had been waiting there. Without daring to utter a word, he and his companions fled back to their boat as if escaping the plague, speeding away from the port without a backward glance.
No one was surprised. After all, Ye Yu was too formidable.
The thermos was soon delivered to Ye Yu and handed directly to Beck.
Beck took the thermos with trembling hands, carefully breaking the seal. Inside lay a dark red blood that radiated an odd, scorching vitality. He swiftly extracted a drop for preliminary spectral and energy activity analysis, his glasses reflecting a fanatical gleam.
"Captain! The activity is incredibly strong! It contains unique fluctuations of flame and life energy! This... this is the Bloodline of the Lunarian Race!"
Beck's voice trembled with excitement. "With this, combined with my existing Green Blood technology and Lineage Factor samples... the core piece of the Seraphim Project is finally complete!"
"Excellent, Beck." Ye Yu patted Beck on the shoulder. "Now, the foundation is in your hands. Don't let me down."
"Understood, Captain. I'll devote myself entirely to the research, creating Seraphim Sub-ship captains and powerful Executives."
Over these three days, they had already obtained the Lineage Factors of powerful Ba Yu members like Sun Long, Xiao Ke, and Xia Ling. Everything was ready to begin.
Ye Yu had also provided his own, though Beck would retain supreme command authority, with Ye Yu second in line. However, research revealed that extraction was impossible—it exceeded Beck's understanding and ended in failure. Perhaps it was due to Ye Yu's Contract with seven powerful entities, making it impossible to create a Sera
phim of such overwhelming strength.
Ye Yu wasn't surprised. Even Seraphim had their limits; they couldn't create something as broken as himself.
(End of Chapter)