Douluo: Things You Live Long Enough to See

The World's End sped down the river, its velocity astonishing—no less impressive than the ancient saying "depart Baidi in the morning, arrive at Jiangling by dusk."

Incidentally, the river beneath them was none other than the unlucky one named "Dou River" by Cheng Ying. It originated from the mysterious, fog-veiled heights east of Tian Dou City—specifically, the plateau where the Clear Sky Clan resided in seclusion.

Flowing east to west into the sea, this was the largest river in the Tian Dou Empire. Though it was barely mentioned in the original work and thus remained obscure, it had nourished countless settlements along its basin—Tian Dou City being among the most prominent.

After three days, the World's End finally reached the Dou River estuary. The slightly turbid river water merged with the deep blue sea, the view from the bow a dreamlike scene.

The surrounding area formed a classic river delta. The slowed current caused heavy silt to settle, forming a fertile alluvial plain—ideal farmland that remained highly productive even without intensive fertilization or plowing.

In the dense rice paddies, tenant farmers toiled, one of them straightening his back to wipe sweat from his brow. He glanced toward the motionless-looking river and froze. Rubbing his eyes, thinking it an illusion, he looked again. The impossible figure was becoming clearer. He stood there, stunned.

"Don't just stand there! We already started late today. If we don't finish this field, the Soul Master's nasty steward will have our hides!" another farmer shouted.

But the stunned man didn't respond. Curious, the other farmer looked up too—and he froze as well.

A massive ship, over a hundred meters long and with sails ten zhang tall, was gliding slowly down the river. The structure on its deck looked like a floating palace—an image more fitting of deities than mortals.

This scene had repeated itself countless times along the way. The river had never seen a vessel this colossal. The bow alone rose fifteen meters above the surface.

To put it in perspective: the bow alone was the height of a five-story building—no wonder onlookers were left awestruck.

That's why the World's End had met no resistance on its journey. River pirates and bandits didn't dare approach. Their dinky 10-meter sailboats couldn't even reach the behemoth's hull. Get too close, and they risked being crushed accidentally beneath its bulk.

But the sea was a different story. Sea-faring vessels were typically larger—needed to withstand the open ocean's fury.

And then there was Shao Shang—a so-called Pirate King. That title was generous, really. He'd fled to sea after being hunted by enemies. Maritime trade hadn't taken off in the Douluo Continent even after ten thousand years, so he made a living extorting protection money from fishing boats. With the strength of a Soul King and over twenty ships, he ruled this patch of sea. At least no one dared chase him into the ocean.

The previous day, one of his men had reported a massive ship in the river and suggested steering clear.

Without a word, Shao Shang had kicked that crewman into the sea—to feed the fish. He had no tolerance for idiots, especially not ones who might spread stupidity like a disease.

Shao Shang, the Pirate King—when had he ever feared naval combat? At sea, he was king.

His flagship, over thirty meters long, was stolen from a merchant convoy protected by a Soul Emperor. That Soul Emperor had fled without a fight. A big ship? Laughable. He scoffed at the very idea.

The bigger the ship, the better—easier to seize. The men on board? Kill them. The cargo? Take it all. And as for the women… he and his men hadn't had "fun" in a long time. Out here, even noble ladies were at the mercy of the sea.

The next day, Shao Shang arranged his twenty-plus ships in an arc to block the Dou River's mouth. He wasn't worried about the large ship escaping—the estuary's depth made it the only viable path to the ocean. Avoiding it would mean running aground.

By noon, the blazing sun beat down on his deck. Even the sea breeze couldn't offset the scorching heat. Waiting made him irritable.

Just as he was about to snap, a lookout atop the mast shouted, "The ship's coming! It's... it's HUGE!"

Shao Shang ignored the awe in the man's voice and shouted, "Full sail, full speed ahead!"

His flagship surged forward, catching the wind and slicing upstream. The rest of his fleet—over twenty ships of all kinds—followed to intercept the behemoth in the final stretch of shallow water.

The lookout scrambled down the mast, trying to stop him. "Boss! That ship—"

"What? Want to feed the fish too?" Shao Shang scowled. This lookout clearly had a broken brain—he might need a replacement.

"But… but it's really, REALLY big…" the lookout stammered. Either way, he was doomed and already full of despair.

"Hah! Then get lost!" With a swift kick, Shao Shang booted him into the sea with a splash.

"No matter how big it is, naval combat still means boarding!" he growled. "Even if a Soul Sage showed up, I wouldn't—what the f—?"

He turned—and his eyes nearly popped out.

The World's End, though moving against the wind, was cruising with the current. Its paddle wheels turned furiously, propelling it forward at incredible speed. With both ships heading toward each other, the massive vessel loomed like an avalanche.

Shao Shang stood dumbfounded. He suddenly wished he could fish that kicked-underling out of the water, grab him by the collar, and scream, "This is the 'big ship' you meant!? You call this a SHIP!?"

What he saw wasn't a vessel—it was a floating island coming to crush him.

Sure, the World's End was only four times longer than his own ship. But that wasn't the full picture—ships had height and width too. Volume mattered.

Four times the length meant sixty-four times the volume.

All his ships together couldn't match this single behemoth. Forget boarding—they couldn't even get close enough. Their masts wouldn't reach the lowest rail of the enemy vessel. Before they even made contact, they'd be flattened like driftwood.

On the sea, even soul masters thrown overboard were at the mercy of the waves.

"Retreat! RETREAT NOW!" Shao Shang screamed, his voice cracking. He released his spirit, summoning a giant squid that enveloped his ship in ink as he fled in panic.

Meanwhile, Cheng Ying—who had been explaining the sextant's principles at the bow—finally noticed the chaotic scene below. His face lit up with amusement.

"Pirates, huh?".

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