More people means faster speed!

At first glance, it was as small as a black mole emerging from the sea, or half a piece of dried tofu that someone casually threw away.

As the boat drew closer, the dot gradually stretched out, its outline becoming more defined. It looked quite like a plate upside down on the water, with a ring of white waves swirling around it.

Lei Yuan stood on tiptoe and shouted twice, "We've reached the shore!" Her voice trembled.

These past few days, all I've seen is blue, so blue it's making my eyes glaze over and my heart pound.

The more restless you are, the more flustered you become as the boundless sea sways in your mind.

Fortunately, everyone here is an experienced practitioner who can meditate and regulate their breathing, so we managed to endure it.

What truly impressed Liu Dong were the sailors.

Every day, they see the same color and do the same work: pulling ropes, watching sails, measuring wind, and recording water depth...

Her hands didn't tremble, she didn't talk much, and her face wasn't frosty; she managed to make even the most mundane days rhythmic.

Only when they were only two or three miles from the island did they quietly relax their shoulders and a slight smile appear on their lips.

Dragonfly stretched and yawned, swinging her arm behind her: "Oh, finally I can step on the dirt!"

"If I keep drifting like this, I'm afraid I'll grow gills!"

Huang Rujiao chuckled and replied, "What you're saying is hilarious! Someone who can endure three years of seclusion wouldn't be defeated by a few days at sea!"

Zhang Yuxian leaned closer and asked, "Captain Huang, was the journey this smooth from then on?"

Huang Rujiao shook his head: "How could that be?"

Everyone's eyes lit up again.

But the next second, he changed the subject, his voice dropping half an octave:

"These past eight or nine days have only just seen us move a short distance from our own front door."

"Only after crossing this island will you truly enter the territory of the 'Boundless Sea'."

"It's really a blessing from heaven that we had a smooth and sunny journey this time. In previous years, when we went out to sea, we were either dodging typhoons or riding the crest of waves. We were always on edge."

Vido pouted: "Is it really that bad? We've been drifting for eight days and haven't even bumped into a single dark cloud."

"It's precisely because things are going so smoothly that we have to be even more careful." Huang Rujiao patted the side of the boat. "The sea has a very strange temper; it can turn on you in an instant, regardless of whether you were sunbathing just a second ago."

Liu Dong nodded silently, and only then did everyone begin to understand.

Once your feet leave the ground, there's no turning back. If things really turn sour, you won't be able to fly back.

However, this matter was left unresolved.

Neither Huang Rujiao nor Liu Dong said anything more, afraid of scaring the newcomer.

As they spoke, the boat had already glided steadily to the east side of the island.

The water was deep and they couldn't get close to the shore, but Huang Rujiao knew the way well and slowly brought the boat to a stop close to a rocky shoal.

The bow of the boat was less than thirty paces from the shore; if I jumped, I would land perfectly.

With the mooring rope tossed out, Huang Rujiao called out, "Everyone, please disembark!"

Without saying a word, Liu Dong leaped forward, followed closely by Ding Lai, who also took to the air without getting her clothes wet.

After not touching the ground for eight or nine days, as soon as their feet touched the sand, everyone gasped in unison.

"Phew... that reassuring feeling is amazing!"

"Right? I stood on the boat for ages, and the floor kept shaking, like I was drunk!"

"Captain Huang's idea of ​​taking a break midway saved my life!"

"It's been so long since I smelled Brother Liu's barbecue! Let's have a big feast while we can!"

Without a doubt, the one shouting the loudest and with the brightest eyes was Dragonfly.

This girl treats Liu Dong's barbecue like a life-saving elixir, seizing every opportunity to pat her on the back, urge him on, and act coquettishly.

Liu Dong always doted on her, so it was rare for him to refuse.

She wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by on the island. Who knows when she'd get another chance to eat meat?

Let's eat first!

Liu Dong smiled and nodded: "Sure! My bones are getting stiff, this is a good opportunity to stretch them out."

"Let's set up our stall on the island today and grill until dark!"

Before he could finish speaking, the cheers from the entire boat nearly lifted the awning off.

Huang Rujiao and Jin Yu had just stepped onto the beach with their sailors, unaware of what was going on.

Upon hearing that it was a barbecue party, the two looked at each other in surprise, then simultaneously raised their eyebrows and burst into laughter.

"Liu Shangxian can cook?!"

"Huh? You guys don't really think I'm some kind of immortal who grew up drinking dew, do you?" Liu Dong laughed, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

"Forget about that seafood lunch, let's try something different!"

"I eat fish and shrimp every day, my teeth are practically crumbling from all the salt! Today I'm going to cook for myself and show off my skills."

"That's wonderful! We won't stand on ceremony!"

Huang Rujiao and Jin Yu nodded immediately without hesitation. The others quickly followed suit and got to work.

Actually, there's not much to prepare: just two things, firewood and main ingredients.

Liu Dong always keeps meat, sauces, seasonings, and all sorts of other things in his ring.

He wouldn't put any firewood in it at all.

Why? It's something you can just pick up off the ground; why take up storage space?

But this time we're adrift at sea, where can we find readily available firewood?

Only on small islands with trees and grass can you find a few dry branches.

The tasks were immediately assigned:

A group of people went ashore to collect firewood, specifically choosing the dried branches that had been thoroughly dried in the sun;

Ting'er, Zhang Yuxian, and Wang Zhonggui squatted by the sea, scaling and cleaning, cutting into pieces for marinade, their hands moving swiftly and without stopping;

Ding Lai and Wei Duo assisted him, setting up plates and racks, preparing condiments, and unscrewing the lids of the spice jars one by one.

A few young men who were good swimmers simply jumped into the sea to catch fresh seafood. However, there were already plenty of live fish and shellfish stored in the ice hold on the ship, so it was easier to just grab a few and bring them up.

With a large group of people, things moved quickly! Forty or fifty people got to work, and before long, the firewood piled up like a small mountain, the meat skewers were full of bamboo sticks, and the grill was set up neatly, all arranged on the shore.

Liu Dong didn't rest either. His cleaver flew, slicing the meat into even slices and making beautiful cuts on the fish belly. Even the way he brushed the sauce on his hands was rhythmic.

Once all the ingredients were in place, the island barbecue party officially began!

As soon as the charcoal burned brightly, the aroma wafted out.

The moment that smell hit our noses, everyone swallowed hard, making a slurping sound.

The crew members' eyes lit up, and they couldn't help but smile. Some secretly rubbed their hands together, while others stood on tiptoe to peek, like cats that hadn't eaten for three days and had caught a whiff of fish.

But Liu Dong wasn't in a hurry to divide the spoils.

Why? Two reasons:

First, there are too many people, and he can't cook them all by himself, no matter how big the pot is.

Secondly, he had planned the order in advance: the harder-to-cook items were served first, and the quick-cooking items were served later, so that they were served at the perfect time when everyone was most hungry.

Sure enough, not long after, the first batch of sizzling, oily, crispy-on-the-outside and tender-on-the-inside skewers were served.

"Come on, eat your fill!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a dragonfly darted to the front!

She grabbed a skewer and started gnawing on it, her cheeks bulging, her face glowing from eating, not caring about being a lady or anything like that.

How could the remaining people possibly hold back?

You push and shove me, laughing and joking as we move forward, our hands already outstretched.

Huang Rujiao and Jin Yao kept saying "slow down, slow down," but they were faster than anyone else. In the blink of an eye, they were standing by the grill, each holding three skewers, blowing on them as they ate.

The moment the first bite entered their mouths, everyone froze.

Chew twice, and your eyes will widen; chew twice more, and your soul will drift away.

On the contrary, Liu Dong was busy circling the grill, not even bothering to wipe the sweat from his brow.