Jungle Cruise
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was already February.
Xiao Ye successfully invaded a Valken's dream and obtained its unique Human Reception Magic.
He was very satisfied with this achievement. Next, it was time to find a fully suitable vessel for his consciousness to descend into.
Xiao found a person who had become deeply immersed in dreams, a poor fellow who had completely given up on reality and buried himself within the dream world.
Xiao promised to restore the person's former dream mode, but on the condition that they would exchange bodies.
The other party agreed to Xiao's request without the slightest hesitation.
He even excitedly restarted the beloved personal dream that had previously been suspended due to lack of money, while cursing the real world as "dog shit," declaring that he wanted to live in dreams forever and never return to reality again.
The moment Human Reception Magic completed the body transfer, Xiao finally felt everything in the real world once more.
The emotions that had been suppressed for so long erupted like a volcano, making Xiao almost burst into tears.
He gently touched the body he had taken over.
Because of Human Reception Magic, the body had already completely transformed into his own appearance.
Xiao immediately began fully enjoying life in the real world.
He tasted real delicacies, experienced genuine sensations, and every moment filled him with immense satisfaction and joy.
Just then, Xiao Ye was suddenly summoned into the Great Firmament Arena by a daluo fragment, ushering in his first duel.
His opponent was another Xiao from the Jungle Cruise world.
...
...
Shaw from the Jungle Cruise world was born among the Bajau, a maritime nomadic people of Southeast Asia.
Because they have no nationality, the Bajau spend their entire lives at sea, surviving by fishing and cultivating seaweed, endlessly wandering the oceans. They are even known by neighboring peoples as the "Sea Gypsies."
Shaw was born aboard a small boat.
His family consisted of his father, mother, one older brother, and two older sisters.
The family of six squeezed onto a tiny boat of less than ten square meters, spending every day facing the endless blue ocean, with all aspects of life—eating, drinking, sleeping, and relieving themselves—taking place aboard that little boat.
Such a life might seem romantic at first glance.
But as time passed, Shaw realized it was even more unbearable than prison.
The family didn't even have enough room to stand comfortably.
When sleeping, they could only curl up together inside the cramped cabin.
Whenever his parents played their "nighttime games," the entire boat would rock back and forth, making Shaw's childhood full of torment.
Fortunately, there was one thing that brought Shaw comfort.
He didn't have to worry about finding a wife in the future.
Despite being poor and underdeveloped, the Bajau people are extremely united.
Most Bajau women marry within the tribe and rarely marry outsiders.
Thus, Shaw never had to worry about remaining single.
Moreover, because the Bajau consume seaweed throughout the year, Bajau women are praised by outsiders as belonging to the "most beautiful race."
They are highly sought after by outsiders.
There are even specialized slave traders who capture Bajau women and sell them elsewhere.
The Bajau marriage customs are also very simple.
As a nomadic people constantly wandering the seas, opportunities to meet fellow tribesmen are rare.
Whenever two groups encounter one another, they often travel together for a time.
If the two families get along well, they exchange the unmarried daughters in their households.
If a man and woman are attracted to each other, the man can directly bring the woman onto his own boat.
The woman's boarding ceremony serves as a simple yet unique wedding witnessed by both families.
For the Bajau, the boat is their home.
This style of marriage is convenient, efficient, and free from unnecessary extravagance.
However, behind this marriage custom lie practical considerations.
Each side must shoulder corresponding responsibilities and burdens, which are closely tied to the family's financial situation.
For the impoverished Bajau people, population itself is the greatest burden.
When one family loses a member, its burden becomes lighter.
Conversely, when another family gains a new member, its burden increases.
Therefore, marriage decisions are carefully considered by every family and are never made impulsively.
...
...
Perhaps because Shaw arrived as a transmigrator carrying a golden finger, he displayed extraordinary aquatic abilities from childhood.
When he was only a few years old, he could already swim, play, and catch fish in the sea.
As he grew older, his ability to survive in the ocean became even more astonishing.
Upon reaching adulthood, he could move through the sea as freely as a fish, as though the ocean were his true home.
He could remain underwater for two and a half hours without surfacing, five times longer than the world record.
His body seemed completely unaffected by water pressure, allowing him to roam freely through the deep sea.
His eyes were unaffected by the salt in seawater, enabling him to clearly see everything beneath the waves.
His ears functioned like radar, allowing him to detect schools of fish from great distances and even understand their intentions.
Relying on these special abilities, Shaw began diving to the seabed in search of treasure.
Within a short time, he amassed enormous wealth.
Using the riches recovered from the ocean floor, Shaw quickly purchased a large ship on which he could move about freely.
He also married the most beautiful girl in the tribe and eventually became the chief of the entire Bajau people.
The tribe affectionately called him the Sea King, hailing him as the conqueror of the vast ocean.
...
...
In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I, every corner of the world was affected by the conflict.
Shaw seized this opportunity to recruit men and expand his forces across the high seas.
Drawing upon his modern knowledge, Shaw quickly led his followers to become the overlord of the waters throughout Southeast Asia and even parts of Africa.
Perhaps it was fate.
By chance, Shaw encountered an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman named Lily Houghton.
Shaw was captivated by Lily's beauty and noble temperament.
Likewise, Lily was attracted by Shaw's strength and charisma.
The two quickly grew close to one another.
However, for various reasons, they ultimately had to part ways, leaving behind nothing but beautiful memories.
1916—
As the victors of World War I and the founders of the British Empire, the Anglo-Saxons ushered in the Great Colonial Era.
During this period, Anglo-Saxon adventurers plundered countless riches, antiques, and treasures from all over the world.
At an auction, Lily took a liking to an ancient arrowhead.
The arrowhead appeared old and weathered, yet radiated a mysterious charm.
She instinctively felt that it was something extraordinary.
Taking advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention, she quietly stole the arrowhead from the auction and kept it as a souvenir.
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