Chapter 62: The Ship of Dreams and the Ship of Reality

Next, his gaze shifted to a wider catamaran nearby:
"That's a Leopard 40 cruising catamaran. This one is even better. With a twin-hull structure, its normal stability far exceeds that of a monohull, and it's no slouch in speed either. It has a spacious deck for comfortable living, also comes with auxiliary power, and has a shallow draft. Judging by its location, the damage might be relatively minor."
"The downside is that it can't withstand exceptionally heavy wind and waves."
He then pointed toward a larger vessel in the distance with a more luxurious design, though it was leaning much more severely and showed hull damage:
"That one looks like a custom large luxury yacht, probably around thirty meters long, with an all-aluminum hull and luxurious facilities. But the damage is too severe, and the hull is cracked, making repairs nearly impossible. Coupled with the fact that it's most likely a hybrid diesel-electric system, we can choose to write it off."
"And over there, those few small fishing boats and speedboats—fast and flexible, but their endurance and resistance to wind and waves are too poor for long voyages. They can only serve as tender dinghies."
Look at that, this is what professionalism looks like.
Han Ning remained silent, listening quietly.
Xu Ming spoke at a rapid pace, his fingers pointing continuously at different vessels like a seasoned connoisseur reciting a family treasure:
"That semi-submerged one, judging by its silhouette, looks like a small coastal cruise ship. It has a decent tonnage, but it's completely two-thirds underwater. There's no saving that..."
"Oh? Wait! Boss, look way over there in the corner, close to the breakwater."
Xu Ming's gaze reached the absolute limit of his field of vision.
Floating there was a vessel half-obscured by a partially sunken crane and container wreckage.
The hull of that ship was deep blue, and its design did not resemble a typical leisure sailboat or yacht; instead, it appeared much more rugged and utilitarian.
The hull was relatively intact. Although covered in grime, the angle of inclination was slight, and the waterline was clearly visible.
"It's... an Explorer-series converted ocean-going trawler!"
"A ship like this, if you don't factor in propulsion, is just too perfect for our current situation."
"We do have to consider propulsion, though. We have no way of finding a large quantity of diesel, and electricity is a bit uncertain," Han Ning replied.
"Uh, I know all that, Boss. Just let me finish."
Xu Ming turned to Han Ning with excitement:
"I've seen similar ships at boat shows before. The hulls are tough as nails, with top-tier resistance to wind and waves. The tonnage is moderate, around three to five hundred tons, and the draft isn't overly deep."
"Most importantly, it was originally designed for harsh sea conditions and long-term operations. The propulsion system is usually reliable, the fuel reserves are massive, and it comes equipped with built-in seawater desalination equipment, along with comprehensive freezer compartments and storage spaces."
"Look at its superstructure—it's clearly been modified with a raised wheelhouse for better visibility, and extra communication antennas have been installed..."
"Even if we don't choose to use it, salvaging the equipment on board would be immensely useful."

Listening to Xu Ming's expert rundown, Han Ning asked directly:
"Old Xu, given our current situation, which type of boat do you think suits us best?"
Xu Ming wiped the rainwater from his face and replied earnestly:
"Boss, that depends entirely on your specific needs."
"If you're after speed, flexibility, and convenience for quick relocation or exploration, those dozen-meter-long monohull or catamaran sailboats are quite good—like the BlueWater 46 or the Leopard 40. They are relatively easy to handle, have shallow drafts, are less likely to run aground, and can sail relying purely on wind power, reducing dependence on fuel."
"If you want to prioritize cargo capacity, stability, and long-term survival capability, that converted Explorer trawler is absolute perfection."
"It has high tonnage, is rugged and durable, can weather heavy storms, and comes with built-in desalination equipment and massive storage space. It's practically a mobile fortress."
"The drawbacks are equally obvious: it's bulky, has a relatively deep draft, and would easily run aground or hit obstacles when navigating these urban-ruin waters."
"Fishing boats generally have low decks, making them higher in risk, and starting them up requires a massive amount of fuel that we can hardly acquire right now."
Han Ning thought for a moment and said:
"The boat I want needs to be sturdy enough to withstand wind and waves, and perhaps even take the impact of certain monsters."
"The space must be large enough to hold the supplies we need, and ideally, have a place where I can grow crops."
"As for propulsion..."
"In the absence of fuel, does a sailboat seem to be the only solution?"
Of course, Han Ning still had another idea in mind that he hadn't voiced yet.
That was to use his animal companion ability to bond with several giant aquatic creatures swimming in the water.
Then, he would cultivate some astonishingly strong vines or gather ropes strong enough to tow a ship, letting the creatures pull the vessel while using other water monsters as a food source for them, thus maximizing the exploitation of the environment.
However, this plan was still in the conceptual stage, and he hadn't found suitable creatures yet.
In short, one must eat a meal bite by bite; first, find a boat to secure a baseline retreat, and then talk about the rest.
"Old Xu, by this standard, which one do you think fits best?"
Xu Ming splashed the water slightly, scanning the vessels looming faintly in the fog, his brain spinning at high speed as he filtered out options that didn't meet Han Ning's criteria.
The boss's demands were akin to asking for colorful black.
Since he asked for both, it truly was...
He felt a mild headache coming on.

Xu Ming weighed his words carefully and said:
"Uh... Boss, to be honest, finding a ship like this in a civilian port is extremely difficult."
"You want large space and high cargo capacity, yet you also want it to run fast—those two are inherently contradictory. Warships could manage both, but warships rely on fuel propulsion, and energy is precisely what we lack the most right now."
"Those luxury yachts look pretty and sturdy with their aluminum hulls, but they're severely damaged, unrepairable, and massive fuel guzzlers. Write them off."
"The converted Explorer trawler has high tonnage, is rugged, and has enormous interior space, but its biggest problem is that it's simply too heavy."
"With a deep draft and massive drag, even if it's fully canvassed, it will never be fast. In water as complex as this, its maneuverability is too poor, making it prone to grounding or hitting obstacles. And I've already mentioned the issue with the deck."
Even though the weather was freezing, Xu Ming felt as though he was sweating.
He rubbed his head again and said, "Let's keep going. Let's swim around a bit more and look closer."
"Alright." Han Ning knew his demands were harsh and didn't make things difficult for Xu Ming.
The three of them and the lizard followed the dock line, searching meticulously for a suitable vessel.
When they reached the southern side of the pier,
Xu Ming's head turned constantly until his gaze fell upon a particular vessel, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
He tapped the water lightly with his finger, pointing in a direction:
"Look over there, that one!"
Han Ning looked in the direction Xu Ming pointed.
The hull was covered in a layer of algae, but the overall structure looked relatively intact, and the angle of tilt was slight.
The towering mast was bare without sails, but the structure remained sound.
Xu Ming's voice rang out:
"A deep-V bow, towering dual masts, and a hull that looks sturdy just by the look of it..."
"If I'm not mistaken, that's most likely a Windchaser ocean-going sailboat!"