Few Weeks Ago - Before Events Of Chapter 165...
Lóng Hǎifēng woke on day twenty-eight to the now-familiar sound of waves hammering against Yuǎnmèng's hull, the ship's stability formations humming as they compensated for forty-degree rolls. His body had adapted to constant motion—he could sleep through conditions that would have left his younger self vomiting over the rail. Age and desperation were excellent teachers.
The first task of every morning was systems check. He climbed topside into horizontal rain, his Rank 3 Qi forming a thin barrier that kept the worst of the water off his skin while conserving energy. The protective formations around the ship glowed faintly, visible stress markers indicating which sections were working hardest.
"Forward stabilizer at seventy-two percent," he muttered, examining the Qi flow patterns. "Port side barrier down to sixty-eight. Starboard holding at eighty-one."
