Chapter 2: Entering the Perilous Land for the First Time

After the Japanese pirates retreated, calm returned to Lanna’s ship. Yet, the chaos on the deck, the blood-stained floor, and the injuries of the sailors served as a grim reminder of how close they had just come to death. Li Chuan huddled in a corner, watching the sailors busily patching up the vessel, and muttered to himself, "What kind of beginning is this? Shouldn't a transmigrator be enjoying political intrigue or a rise to glory? Why do I feel like a wage slave, and a life-on-the-line one at that?"

He stole a glance at Lanna. She was calmly issuing orders to her subordinates, showing no signs of having just survived a brutal battle. Though her robes were splattered with blood, there was not a trace of panic on her face, as if such combat were a daily routine.

"Your Highness, we owe it to this... er, 'guest's' courage that we managed to hold them off," a guard said, stepping forward tentatively.

Lanna turned her gaze toward Li Chuan, her eyes filled with scrutiny. "Is that so? I, however, thought he was just a lucky coward."

"Hey! That’s not quite fair!" Li Chuan couldn't help but protest. "I risked my life to save you guys; even if I don’t deserve credit, I surely deserve some acknowledgment for my toil, right?"

Lanna smiled slightly, seemingly intrigued by his argument. "In that case, what reward do you want?"

"A reward?" Li Chuan blinked and blurted out, "Then just let me go!"

Lanna’s smile vanished instantly. "Out of the question. Your life belongs to me now."

Li Chuan opened his mouth, speechless for a long moment, while internally wailing, "My life is hers, the map is hers, and now I’ve lost my freedom too. Did I transmigrate to be a protagonist, or just to work for someone else?"

After a period of rest, the ship resumed its voyage. Li Chuan noticed that the crew’s morale remained high; clearly, they were long accustomed to danger.

"Hey, may I ask where we are headed?" Li Chuan took advantage of a quiet moment to whisper to a sailor who looked kind-hearted.

The sailor looked at him and lowered his voice mysteriously. "The 'Ghost Port' of the Southern Seas. Have you heard of it?"

"Ghost Port?" Li Chuan paused, a chill running down his spine. "The name alone doesn't sound like a good place."

The sailor chuckled. "It is the most secret port of our Nanyang Kingdom, hidden from all outsiders. Only those who can be trusted are permitted to dock."

"Trusted? Me?" Li Chuan gave a bitter smile. "But why do I feel like I was dragged here by force?"

The sailor shrugged and said no more. Li Chuan felt a sense of trepidation. The name "Ghost Port" sounded fraught with peril, but Lanna clearly had no intention of explaining much, so he would have to play it by ear.

A few days later, Lanna’s ship finally arrived at Ghost Port. The port was hidden amidst layers of jungle and reefs, the surrounding water a deep blue that held a strange, eerie tranquility. A dozen ships of various shapes were moored along the shore, appearing to belong to different fleets.

Li Chuan followed Lanna off the ship and immediately spotted the flags. Some bore skulls, others strange symbols; they clearly did not belong to legitimate merchant vessels or military fleets.

"This place isn't right," Li Chuan whispered. "Why does it feel like... a gangster’s lair?"

"Shut up," Lanna commanded without looking back. "Stay close and don't stir up trouble."

Li Chuan rolled his eyes but followed obediently.

As they entered the port, a group of menacing men approached. They were burly with scarred faces, scimitars hanging from their waists. Their leader was a tall, thin man with a cold, piercing gaze. He looked Lanna up and down, his tone dripping with provocation. "Your Highness, you’ve finally decided to grace us with your presence?"

Lanna smiled coldly. "Spare the pleasantries. I’m here to see your leader. Take me to him."

The tall, thin man didn't move; instead, he reached out to block her path. "Now, now, no need to rush. But tell me, who is this lad by your side? Surely he isn't a new hire?"

"What is that to you?" Lanna’s voice was sharp as a blade. "Move, or die."

The man was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "Your Highness is as domineering as ever! But..." He shifted his gaze to Li Chuan. "Why not let him stay and play with the boys?"

The men behind him erupted in laughter. Li Chuan stepped back, waving his hands frantically. "Guys, I’m just a passerby, there’s really no need to make things difficult for me!"

Lanna frowned, clearly impatient. "He is one of my people. Do you dare touch him?"

A flicker of caution crossed the leader's eyes. He eventually backed down and gestured for them to pass. "Since he is under the Princess's protection, I suppose I must mind my own business."

Deep inside the port, Li Chuan finally saw the legendary Ghost Port. It was more chaotic than he had imagined, yet surprisingly bustling. The streets were filled with scarred sailors, merchants haggling loudly, and cold-faced mercenaries.

Lanna walked straight into a large wooden building. Following her, Li Chuan found a burly middle-aged man sitting inside. With eyes like a hawk, he was slowly paring a fruit with a gleaming dagger.

"Princess Lanna," the man said, looking up with a hint of a smile. "Long time no see."

"Cut the talk and get to business," Lanna replied coldly.

The man raised an eyebrow and stabbed the dagger into the table with a sharp *thud*. "Since you don't wish for small talk, I’ll be direct. For this cooperation, we need more... 'resources'."

"That’s impossible," Lanna refused firmly. "The bottom line of the Nanyang Kingdom is not to be crossed."

"Oh? A bottom line?" The man sneered, his gaze falling on Li Chuan. "But your own bottom line doesn't seem all that firm, either."

Li Chuan felt himself being targeted and retreated a step. "Don't look at me! I don't know anything!"

Ignoring him, Lanna said coldly, "I didn't come here to argue about that, I came to..." She paused and took a delicate token from her robes. "This should be enough to prove my sincerity."

The man’s expression shifted slightly when he saw the token; he was clearly wary of it. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Very well. Since the Princess is so sincere, I certainly won't let you down."

After leaving the building, Li Chuan couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Hey, what was that thing you showed him?"

"None of your business," Lanna replied coldly.

Li Chuan curled his lip, but his curiosity grew. He had a vague feeling that this trip to Ghost Port was far from simple, and that whatever Lanna was planning might have already dragged him into a massive storm.

The first night in Ghost Port, Li Chuan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The place was too eerie; everywhere were pirates and cold-blooded mercenaries, the air thick with danger. His room was crude, containing only a broken bed and a dim oil lamp.

Lanna had arranged for him to stay with her guards, but they clearly had no love for him, offering only cold glares and refusing to spare him a single word.

"What exactly does Lanna take me for?" Li Chuan sighed to himself. "She says I'm 'her person', but she never explains what use I am in this mess!"

Just as he was worrying, he heard footsteps outside. They were light, as if someone were approaching with great caution. Li Chuan held his breath, grabbing the only thing he could use for protection—a broken wooden stick.

The footsteps stopped at the door, followed by a soft knock: *Knock, knock, knock...*

"Who is it?" Li Chuan asked, his palms sweating.

There was no answer. Silence reigned outside, but his intuition told him the person was still there.

"No way, is this transmigration turning into a ghost story?" he cursed under his breath, and steeling himself, he cracked the door open just a sliver.

Instead of a ghost, a young, ragged face met his gaze—a boy of about ten, dirty and disheveled.

"Save me..." the boy whispered, his voice trembling as if in great pain.

Li Chuan pulled the boy into the room and shut the door. "Who are you? Why are you running around in the middle of the night?"

The boy’s eyes were filled with terror. "They... they took my sister... they are forcing her..."

Li Chuan froze, suddenly