During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. Lin Hao, a young man who grew up in Shiqiao Village, a fishing village along the coast of Fujian, was prohibited from even going to sea due to the strict sea ban policy. In order to maintain his family's livelihood, he secretly sailed a boat out to sea. However, he encountered a shipwreck as if guided by the mysterious "Voice of the Sea", and was captured by Japanese pirates who were supposed to be his enemies.
The person who rescued him was Sakuya, the daughter of the Japanese pirate leader Onimaru Hyosuke. Lin Hao was attracted by her calm and gentle temperament and chose to survive as an "exotic boatman" among the Japanese pirates. However, the world of Japanese pirates is not monolithic. There are multiple factions within it, full of betrayals, smugglers operating secretly, and even colluding with corrupt bureaucrats within the Ming Dynasty.
During the voyage, Lin Hao repeatedly encountered mysterious ocean monsters called Kraken. This is inextricably linked to his father's disappearance. Soon after, his father's past, his relationship with Japanese pirates, and the state secrets hidden behind the maritime ban policy gradually came to light.
The love and opposition that emerged between him and Sakuya, the threat of Japanese pirates facing his former hometown of Fujian, as well as his doubts and struggles about the "enemy" world he belongs to. Lin Hao wavered between the Ming Dynasty and Japanese pirates, but always pursued the truth and freedom, and eventually grew into the "Hero of the East China Sea."
In the final chapter, the three forces of the Ming army, Japanese pirates, and sea monsters fell into a melee. Lin Hao faced the enemy who killed his father, and the fate of Sakuye and Sakuya also came to a decision. Then - the East China Sea ushered in the dawn of a new era.
Intention: Courage, struggle, growth