After spending a wonderful night at the seven-star hotel, Minami boarded the boat with a contented mood, heading back to Star Sea Ind.


    Although the boat was over an hourter than expected, and the captain seemed excessively nervous and hurried, Minami didn''t think much of it, assuming that the captain had personal matters to attend to.


    However, when she returned to Star Sea Ind, she found the atmosphere on the ind had grown heavy. Chen Yu was standing at the dock with Mackie, their expressions serious as they conversed. Around them were bustling workers and unfamiliar military personnel; two military helicopters were parked at the airport, making the ce resemble a battlefield preparation scene.


    "Doctor Chen Yu, what''s going on?" Minami approached Chen Yu, asking with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.


    Chen Yu nced at Minami and, upon seeing her return safely, asked her how she hade back before exining, "Something unexpected happened in the Maldives. Last night, a sea monster suddenly appeared near Malé and attacked passing ships. Several vessels have already met with disaster. These soldiers are here to protect us. Where''s Mr. Zhishu? Didn''t hee back with you?"


    "Mr. Zhishu? He didn''t return? He left on the boatst night!" Minami''s face showed a startled expression. Although she had wanted Inomata Naoki to stay the previous evening, he insisted on taking the boat. Minami had even watched him as he boarded.


    "What? He leftst night?" Chen Yu''s eyes widened in shock as he gripped Minami''s shoulders and questioned her urgently, "When exactly did he leavest night? How did he leave? Which route did he take?"


    "He left after dinner, around 8 pm; he took the same boat that had brought us earlier that morning. The captain was a white man, so I distinctly remember him." Minami answered quickly despite feeling a little pain from Chen Yu''s grip on her shoulders.


    The details Minami provided shocked Chen Yu. He hadn''t expected that Inomata Naoki had left the indst night. From yesterday until now, Naoki had not returned.


    This meant he had gone missing.


    Given the ongoing sea monster attacks in the Maldives, Chen Yu couldn''t help but suspect that Naoki had fallen victim to one.


    Inomata Naoki was not only his brother but also a critical figure in his Divine Enthronement n. Chen Yu had previously assigned a Ghost Maid to protect and monitor him, and now that something so unexpected had urred, Chen Yu naturally contacted the Ghost Maid to confirm Naoki''s status.


    If Naoki had indeed died due to a sea monster attack, then Chen Yu might very well lose his temper and flip the table—his Divine Enthronement n could not be hindered by a mere sea monster.


    Fortunately, through the Ghost Maid he had stationed by Naoki, Chen Yu learned that Naoki was safe, albeit trapped inside the sea monster''s stomach with other victims.


    Inside the sea monster''s stomach? Such fantastical scenarios from Age of Great Voyages-era adventure novels actually existed?


    Chen Yu felt a wave of powerlessness, unsure of how to react, let alone ridicule the absurdity of the situation.


    In the Age of Great Voyages, humanity''sck of understanding of the world led to the belief that the seas were home to giant sea monsters capable of swallowing ships and humans whole, with stomachs containing air andnd where survivors could live.


    But in reality, even thergest known marine creatures, such as whales, couldn''t swallow both humans and ships whole—let alone have stomachs providing air for survival.


    Even ancient gargantuan creatures could not achieve such feats.


    Yet now, Naoki was indeed alive and trapped inside a sea monster alongside other victims. This was undoubtedly too bizarre.


    As Chen Yu contemted how to handle the situation and rescue Naoki, Minami suddenly grabbed his arm and pressed him with questions. "Did something happen to Mr. Zhishu? Where is he now?"


    Interrupted by Minami''s query, Chen Yu realized that while he knew Naoki was unharmed, others didn''t. Quickly, he reassured her and turned to Mackie. "My friend is missing. He likely encountered an attackst night. It''s possible something happened to him, or there could be other exnations. Send someone to find him. Bring him back alive—or recover his body!"


    "I understand, Professor Chen Yu. I''ll organize a search immediately!" Mackie nodded and hurried to coordinate with the military personnel to dispatch a search party.


    Watching Mackie set up the search, Chen Yu turned to Minami and said, "You should go back to the vi for now. Things are chaotic here; staying won''t help. I''ll let you know as soon as there''s news about Naoki."


    "Got it, I''ll head back now." Minami nodded in agreement, acknowledging she couldn''t assist. Yet, before leaving, she asked Chen Yu one more question: "Doctor Chen Yu, is Mr. Zhishu… still alive?"


    Minami didn''t fully understand why she had asked Chen Yu that question. On the one hand, she hoped Naoki was alive, but deep down, there was a subtle, selfish yearning that he might be like her.


    This way, they could truly be together.


    "He''s safe for now, but the future is uncertain." Knowing Minami was privy to some details, Chen Yu didn''t conceal much but still smiled at her reassuringly. "Don''t worry. Naoki is my closest brother; there''s no way I''d let him die so easily."


    Hearing Chen Yu''s reply, Minami felt slightly relieved, nodding before turning to leave for the vi.


    Watching her depart, Chen Yu''s expression instantly turned grave again. His best friend being swallowed by a sea monster was no trivial matter, even more so when Naoki was crucial to his Divine Enthronement n.


    With determination shining in Chen Yu''s eyes, a tall, purple-haired maid d in a blue maid''s uniform appeared at his side.


    "Go find that sea monster," Chen Yu instructed the maid, exining the situation before giving the order.


    "Understood! Aquya willplete the mission, Commander!" The maid gave Chen Yu a sharp, Russian-style salute before turning and jumping straight into the ocean.


    Chen Yu wasn''t surprised by the maid''s actions since she was a newly summoned Ship-girl. Her original form was the Ak-ss attack submarine gifted to him by the Russians. Although her interior had been remodeled into a yacht, she remained an incredibly powerful nuclear attack submarine.


    For searching vast seas for a sea monster, a submarine was far more effective than a warship.