Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector

Zhao Qiu squinted at the small boat in the distance, lost in thought.

"Boss, that kid went into the water for a bit, then ducked back into his cabin and hasn’t made a sound for a while. You think he found something good again?" asked the triangular-eyed Zhang Kui.

"Most likely," Zhao Qiu licked his lips, a greedy glint in his eyes.

"That kid finds something every time he goes into the water. Something’s definitely off. He’s probably found some way to quickly locate Spirit Clams."

Hearing this, Liu Scar’s eyes lit up beside him. "Boss, what are we waiting for then?" he said impatiently. "That kid is slipperier than a damn eel. Why don’t we just rob him right here and now? The longer we wait, the more can go wrong, and he might just slip away again."

Zhao Qiu shot Liu Scar a glance and sneered, "I call you stupid, and you really are a fucking moron. This area is full of boats. How are we supposed to make a move? If word gets out, even if we pry the secret from his mouth, do you think the three of us could protect it?"

Scolded, Liu Scar shrank back and didn’t dare say another word.

Zhao Qiu stared intently at the distant boat, his tone grim. "We don’t need to be in such a hurry. We’ll follow him once he leaves this area. This time, we have to stick to him like glue. We absolutely cannot let him slip away from under our noses again!"

"The Boss is brilliant!" Zhang Kui and Liu Scar praised in unison.

Zhao Qiu’s mood lifted considerably, as if he could already see himself living the high life after seizing the secret. He chuckled at his two underlings.

"Don’t worry. Stick with me, and you’ll definitely be well taken care of in the future."

The two men launched into another round of flattery. Just then, the small boat in the distance suddenly started to move.

Zhao Qiu’s focus sharpened. "Let’s go. Follow it."

After following for some distance, the three men were pleasantly surprised.

Chen Ye wasn’t heading toward the docks. Instead, he was rowing further and further into a remote area, having left the main waterway for a deserted stretch of water.

Zhao Qiu had been worrying about finding a suitable place to make his move. He never expected his target to voluntarily walk into a deathtrap. Naturally, he was delighted.

And so, with one boat following the other, they soon sailed into a thick, hazy fog.

Everything around them grew quiet, with only the SPLASH-SPLASH of oars breaking the surface of the water echoing in the air.

Suddenly, the small boat ahead came to a stop.

The boat carrying Zhao Qiu and his men immediately moved in, blocking off any path of retreat from behind.

But Chen Ye didn’t panic. He simply stood up and calmly watched the three men.

"You three have been following me for quite a while. What can I do for you?"

Zhao Qiu sneered. "Kid, I’ve had my eye on you for a long time. Hand over your method for quickly finding Spirit Clams, and while you’re at it, offer up all the Spirit Pearls on you. Do that, and I might spare your life!"

Chen Ye smiled. "And who told you I have a method for finding Spirit Clams?"

"Cut the fucking crap," Zhang Kui immediately cursed. "Our boss told you to hand it over, so just do it. You keep dawdling, and believe me, I’ll tear your arm off right now!"

The smile on Chen Ye’s face slowly faded, his gaze turning dark.

"Oh? Then I’d like to see you try."

Though surprised by Chen Ye’s composure, there was nothing left to say at this point. Zhao Qiu waved a hand. "Get him. Just leave him breathing."

However, the moment the words left his mouth, Chen Ye, on the opposite boat, suddenly moved.

He leaped, instantly crossing the distance between the two boats and shooting toward Zhao Qiu and his men.

His speed was terrifyingly fast.

Zhao Qiu’s pupils shrank. Before he could even react, Chen Ye was already upon them. Then, a cold glint of light flashed past.

SHLICK!

Zhang Kui, who had just been shouting the loudest, had his throat slit in an instant, and fresh blood gushed out.

The nearby Liu Scar screamed in terror and turned to run, but with a backhanded strike, Chen Ye plunged his blade straight into the man’s back and through his heart.

Liu Scar’s body went stiff. He stumbled forward a few steps before falling directly into the water.

Only then did Zhao Qiu finally react, roaring in a mix of shock and rage, "What the fuck!"

Then he threw a heavy punch.

In his youth, Zhao Qiu had studied under a master of Fist Technique. Although his skills were unrefined, his constitution was robust, and this punch whistled through the air with considerable power.

But he couldn’t even touch the corner of Chen Ye’s clothes.

Chen Ye didn’t even turn around. He simply leaned to the side, and the force of the punch brushed past his clothes.

Following the motion, Chen Ye spun around and appeared behind Zhao Qiu.

Another slash.

This strike didn’t aim for a vital point. Instead, it plunged with unerring precision into a gap between his vertebrae.

Zhao Qiu felt his entire body go numb before he collapsed onto the deck, having lost all sensation.

At the same time, Chen Ye walked over to his head.

Zhao Qiu’s face was filled with terror as he desperately begged for his life. "I was wrong! Don’t kill me! I’m begging you, I really know I was wrong..."

But Chen Ye ignored him completely, squatting down with a blank expression and beginning to search his body.

He soon found a heavy little Money Bag. Opening it, he saw it was filled with glistening golden beans.

"Is this all?" Chen Ye seemed a little disappointed.

"No, there’s more!" Seeing his chance, Zhao Qiu clutched at this last straw and hurriedly shouted.

"I... I have a lot more money and a Fist Technique Manual, all hidden in a very secret place. Only I know where it is! If you spare me, I’ll tell you everything!"

Chen Ye’s movements paused for a moment, as if he were considering it.

A glimmer of hope ignited in Zhao Qiu’s eyes.

But in the next second, Chen Ye raised his blade and slit his throat.

The hope in Zhao Qiu’s eyes instantly froze. Soon after, he stopped breathing and died.

Chen Ye had acted so decisively because he didn’t believe Zhao Qiu’s bullshit for a second.

’A man like that would do anything to survive. And this so-called treasure location sounds more like a trap.’

’Rather than take that risk, it’s better to just cut the weeds and pull the roots to prevent any future trouble.’

He stood up and kicked the bodies of Zhao Qiu and Zhang Kui into the water.

After creating a few ripples, the two bodies quickly sank and disappeared from sight.

As for whether anyone would notice the deaths of these three men, the answer was no.

Because here on Black Water Lake, the life of a Pearl Collector was worth less than dirt.

People disappeared silently every day for all sorts of reasons. Even though Zhao Qiu and his men were High-level Sinners, their disappearance wouldn’t cause the slightest ripple.

Even so, Chen Ye cautiously washed the bloodstains off the boat with lake water, erasing any possible traces he might have left behind. Only then did he steer his small boat away from the area at an unhurried pace.

Afterward, Chen Ye found another spot, went into the water, and collected two low-grade Spirit Pearls to turn in for his quota.

By the time he finished, it was nearly dusk.

Chen Ye completed his business at the docks and then returned to his residence.

After making sure no one was watching, Chen Ye closed his door and opened the system panel.

[Name: Chen Ye]

[Identity: Blood Lotus Sect Sinner]

[Profession: Nightwalker (Level 3)]

[Talent: Shadow’s Son]

[Skills: Skillful Hand (Level 10), Fast Blade (Level 10), Roof Walking (Level 10), Stealth (Level 5), Throwing (Level 5)]

[Profession: Pearl Collector (Level 2)]

[Talent: Cold Resistance, Cow and Horse Body]

[Skills: Diving Level 2 (You can hold your breath longer underwater and are more adapted to water pressure), Spirit Clam Sensing Level 2 (Within a five-meter range, you can vaguely sense the presence of Spirit Clams and make an initial assessment of whether they contain a Spirit Pearl)]

[Boat of the Other Shore (Cooldown complete, can be activated again)]