Chapter 366: Departure: The Cathedral

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

The next day, in the early morning, the sunlight streamed through the glass and fell on Zhou Chao’s face, waking him from his deep slumber.

Zhou Chao opened his eyes and glanced at the still-sleeping Jiang Li in his arms. Memories of their passionate and wild night flooded his mind. He couldn’t help but marvel at Jiang Li’s enthusiasm and intensity from last night.

As soon as they returned to the seaside villa last night, they filled the bathtub with water, intending to enjoy a relaxing soak before their intense nighttime showdown.

Little did they know that as soon as Zhou Chao immersed himself in the tub, he faced an onslaught from Jiang Li. They engaged in a water battle, and the bathtub was soon filled with turbulent waves and splashes. The entire bathroom echoed with the sounds of their passionate struggle, creating an unforgettable experience.

After a prolonged water battle, the first round of their duel came to an end with Jiang Li’s defeat.

In the subsequent second round, Jiang Li transformed into a knight atop a majestic steed, and they raced for nearly 40 minutes. The steed showed no signs of falling behind, but Jiang Li, due to the lack of a saddle, began to feel fatigued and had to rest on the horse’s back.

As for the third round, Zhou Chao felt exhausted just thinking about it. He was on foot the entire time, constantly on the offensive. They alternated between fast and slow running, maintaining rhythm, and occasionally acting spontaneously. However, in their final confrontation, Zhou Chao released a powerful arrow, resulting in a draw between them.

Zhou Chao let out a soft sigh and pushed last night’s events out of his mind. He carefully withdrew his arm, but as soon as he moved, Jiang Li woke up.

Did I disturb your sleep?”

“It’s fine. 1 feel like I’ve slept enough,” Jiang Li replied, snuggling up to Zhou Chao.

“How about we take a bath together?” Zhou Chao’s hand brushed over Jiang Li’s delicate skin.

Jiang Li shook her head vigorously, recalling the outcomes of their battles from last night.

“I’ll go freshen up first, and then I’ll buy some breakfast and bring it back for us.”

“Sounds good!” Jiang Li released him.

Zhou Chao kissed Jiang Li’s forehead before getting up and heading towards the bathroom.

In less than 10 minutes, Zhou Chao emerged from the bathroom, changed into fresh clothes, and greeted Jiang Li before heading downstairs.

When Jiang Li finally saw Zhou Chao leaving, she got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.

After Jiang Li finished her shower and came out wearing a bathrobe, Zhou Chao had already returned with breakfast.

“Brother Chao, you’re back so quickly!”

“I hadn’t walked far when Lin Wu arrived carrying two big bags!” Zhou Chao said, taking a bite of his bread.

“Oh, that explains why you’re back so soon. It was Lin Wu who brought it!” Jiang Li realized.

“Eat up. We’ve got some sandwiches, hamburgers, and pizza.”

Last night’s battle had drained Jiang Li’s energy, and her stomach was growling. She opened one of the bags and grabbed a sandwich, devouring it quickly.

Before they knew it, they had finished three sandwiches, two burgers, a pizza, and two bottles of milk.

“Ah, I’m so stuffed!”

“Take it easy; there’s no one here to compete with you,”

“I was just so hungry!”

Let’s go for a walk and burn off some of the food. Otherwise, if we go diving later, you won’t be able to get in the water.”

“Okay,” Jiang Li reluctantly agreed, following Zhou Chao out the door.

Just as they left the hotel and walked a short distance, they saw Li Yang, Shen Lan, and Guo Yan approaching.

Hey, Bro, Sis-in-law!” Guo Yan spotted them from afar.

“Why are you guys up so early?” Li Yang asked curiously.

“Haha, Jiang Li ate a bit too much, so we’re out for a walk and to check when the best time for diving is.”

“Weil, we’re heading for breakfast now. We’ll come find you later!”

“Sure, no problem!”

Afterward, Li Yang took the two women to the restaurant for breakfast.

The two of them then strolled along the beach.

“Zhou, good morning!” Not long after they started, Abdullah called out to him.

“Good morning, Abdullah. Why are you up so early?” Zhou Chao asked, noticing that Abdullah’s bodyguards and female companion were missing.

“Weren’t we planning to go diving today? To reach the diving spot at the Cathedral, we need to take a boat, and we should also find a reliable diving shop to avoid any issues.”

“That’s no problem at all; leave it to me. I’ll arrange everything. 1 also have a few friends who will join us. Is that okay?”

“Of course, the more, the merrier!” Abdullah smiled.

“How about this, we’ll have lunch first, as there’s not much to do in the morning.”

“Sounds good, no problem. Let’s exchange numbers so we can stay in touch.”

“Sure thing!” Zhou Chao took out his phone, and they exchanged phone numbers. After a brief chat, they went their separate ways.

“Brother Chao, what do you think about Abdullah? He seems to exude an air of nobility, but he gives off a strange vibe. 1 can’t quite put my finger on it.”

“Isn’t it that he doesn’t have that ‘arrogant’ vibe and instead gives off a calm and approachable aura? If he were in a crowd, you might not even realize he’s a wealthy man.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s the feeling, a contrast between his temperament and his actual appearance.”

“Haha, his temperament is probably innate, indicating that he has quite a background. As for his image and the impression we get while talking, it’s likely a result of his personality. So, he’s still someone we can befriend!”

Jiang Li nodded in apparent understanding. After all, as long as Zhou Chao believed something was right, she would too.

They strolled for about half an hour and coincidentally bumped into Miles on their way back to the seaside villa.

“Boss, good morning!”

“Well, I just happened to need you, saving a phone call!”

“What can 1 do for you, boss?”

“It’s like this. After lunch, we’re planning to go diving at the Cathedral. I need you to arrange a larger boat and find a reliable dive shop for us. Once everything’s set, give me a call.”

“Got it, boss. I’ll arrange it right away.”

“Good. After you’ve arranged everything, give me a call or come to the villa.”

“Sure!

Zhou Chao nodded and then returned to the villa with Jiang Li.

Lunchtime arrived quickly, and Zhou Chao, Li Yang, and the others had a simple steak lunch to fill their stomachs. They also bought plenty of snacks to enjoy on the boat later.

After lunch, Zhou Chao called Abdullah to confirm the meeting point and followed the directions Miles had given earlier.

Soon, they arrived at the pier, where Miles was already waiting. At the same time, Abdullah arrived with his bodyguards and female companion.

“Zhou!”

“Abdullah, you came just in time. Let’s board the yacht!” Zhou Chao gestured for everyone to get on the boat.

“Boss, is everyone here?”

“Everyone’s here; let’s set sail!” Miles signaled to the captain’s cabin, and the yacht slowly left the harbor.

The Cathedral was an excellent diving spot on the southern coast of Lana’i Island. As a unique location in the Hawaiian Islands, it derived its name from a massive space that could accommodate hundreds of marine species at a depth of 60 feet (18 meters). These marine species included octopuses, blue tangs, and pyramid butterflyfish.

An experienced diver could spend hours exploring the secrets hidden in the crevices of the underwater rocks, alongside some of the most beautiful marine life in the Pacific Ocean.

Diving here was considered relatively easy, and suitable for both novice and experienced divers. It was a bit pricier than other options, but worth it for the experience.

Moreover, the Cathedral was a naturally formed, large underwater lava cave. When sunlight filtered through the seawater into the cave, it resembled the stained glass windows of a “cathedral.” The cave was divided into the “First Cathedral” and the “Second Cathedral,” both excellent spots for photography. Most of the caves were spacious and could accommodate seven to eight people at a time, making them safe for exploration.

The yacht soon arrived in the vicinity of the Cathedral, and Miles introduced a well-built man with a dark complexion.

“Boss, this is Angie, the best diver on the entire island of Lana’i. The Cathedral is like a walk in the park for him; he can do it with his eyes closed!”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chao turned his gaze towards Angie and nodded, saying, “I’ll rely on you underwater.”

Angie simply nodded silently.

Next, Angie and the sailors on the boat brought out six sets of diving suits.

Zhou Chao did some quick calculations, excluding Angie’s suit, and counting himself, Li Yang, and Abdullah, there were only two sets of diving suits left.

“All Li, do you want to go diving?”

“I do!” For every girl, diving was something they looked forward to, especially when the underwater scenery was exceptionally beautiful.

“Bro, I want to go diving too!” Guo Yan chimed in.

“No, you can’t. You’re too young, and we don’t have a diving suit for you!” Zhou Chao directly rejected Guo Yan’s request.

Upon hearing Zhou Chao’s words, Guo Yan pouted and looked at him indignantly.

“How about letting Guo Yan play underwater for a while and I’ll go later?” Jiang Li suggested quietly.

“Don’t spoil her. Let’s see later!”

Li Yang and Abdullah had already put on their diving gear under Angie’s guidance.

“Abdullah, you should let your female companion go diving too!”

Abdullah was a little surprised and hesitant at first, but when he saw Zhou Chao’s serious expression, he nodded in agreement.

“Angie, how deep is the water here?”

“Boss, the maximum depth at the Cathedral is less than 10 meters. It’s very safe.”

Zhou Chao nodded in response and then turned to Jiang Li and Guo Yan by his side.

“Both of you, change into your diving suits.”

Zhou Chao’s words left everyone in the group stunned. There were only two sets of diving suits left, and if Guo Yan also went underwater, it meant that Zhou Chao wouldn’t have a diving suit to wear.

“Second Brother, aren’t you planning to go scuba diving?”

“It’s fine, wearing or not wearing a scuba suit doesn’t make a difference!” Zhou Chao said calmly.

“Zhou, you mean you want to free dive!” Abdullah on the side looked at Zhou Chao in astonishment.

“Yes, that’s right.. I intend to free dive!”